[PRP] The Lost Boy [Yarrow x Snowyowl]

[NatiStorm]

Yarrow let out a yowl of frustration as he sat at the edge of the cliff. How do I always get so lost?! He thought as he looked up at the darkening sky. The directions he was given stated that he'd make it to Lostclan before the sun went down, yet here he was, the sun just a sliver above the horizon and no clan cats to be found. Yarrow went over the directions given to him over and over again in his mind trying to figure out where he'd taken a wrong turn.

His frustration at himself rising, the silver and grey tom began pacing, perilously close to the edge though he didn't seem to notice. The cat who gave him directions must have lied to him, there was just no other explanation well... there was the fact that this wasn't his first time getting lost... or second.. or even third. Truth was, he felt lost most of the time, which was exactly why he needed to find Lostclan and his mother. If he managed to find his mom, he wouldn't be lost anymore. But her scent was no where to be found.

As he paced, Yarrow scratched at the rock and dirt with his claws trying to get his frustrations out. Unfortunately, he managed to knock loose a sizable chuck of clay rock that gave way beneath his paws and went tumbling down the cliff wall. Yarrow would have gone tumbling down with it if it hadn't been for the tangle of small roots that he managed to get his other paw tangled in as he fell. Panicked, he desperately tried to scramble back up the cliff face but his back feet couldn't find purchase.

"Help!" He yowled, the panic and desperation clear in his voice. "Someone help, please!"

@PeterPan_da144

 

[PeterPan_da144]

She had been on a hunting patrol with a few other cats, scouting along the small cliffs that bordered most of StoneClan territory just before the river. Snowyowl had already gotten a few small catches, but she wanted to get one or two more. A proper mouthful of prey to drag back to the clan.

So when she heard the urgent cries for help from a cat... She sprinted towards it without a second thought. Even though it was a voice she didn't recognize, just past the border of their territory, she felt the intense need to help whoever it was that needed it so desperately.

Sprinting from the undergrowth, she slowed just enough to not tumble over the edge too. It was just outside of their territory boundaries so far, but it also wasn't on any other clan's territory. Those boundaries were slowly being established with the loners as far as she could tell. And it seemed the cat she had come across was a loner, as it didn't hold a scent of any clan she knew.

Planting her paws wide, claws arching into the dirt to help her keep footing, Snowyowl dipped her head over the edge and grabbed the tomcat's scruff with her teeth. A grunt, and she pulled him upward, trying not to draw blood with her bite but also keep a strong enough hold to yank him up. After a few moments of struggling, she was able to do just that, heaving him back up over the side and pulling him back several tail lengths from the edge before she released him.

Huffing, tail low and dragging in the dirt from the effort, her maw was left open and tongue lolling out. Ice blue eyes looked over the tomcat carefully. "Are you all right?"

@NatiStorm

 

[NatiStorm]

This was it, this was how he died, Yarrow was sure of it. He could feel his paw slipping loose from the tangle of roots. Panic coursing through him, Yarrow looked down and tried with all his might to dig his claws in the side of the cliff he dangled from. So focused on trying to find his footing before falling into the river below, Yarrow didn't hear the approach of the other cat. He was about to yell out for what he thought would be the last time when a powerful set of jaws clamped around his scruff and pulled.

The yell caught in his throat as he gasped in surprise. With the help of whoever had ahold of him, Yarrow managed to scramble back over the edge of the cliff. Once he was finally released, his head snapped to see who had saved him.

For a moment, all he could do was stare at the cat before him as he panted and caught his breath.

"I- I'm fine thanks to you! You just saved my life!" Yarrow exclaimed with awe clear on his face. He had been so sure there was no one else around. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I was sure I was going to fall and get washed away in that river! But then you showed up and saved me! Oh thank you!" He rambled on as he started to tremble from all the adrenaline and relief he felt.

@PeterPan_da144

 

[PeterPan_da144]

The frantic thanks made Snowyowl purr in amusement, but it was interrupted and groggy because she was still finding her breath too. After a few moments, she would finally sit, breathing more even now. A paw came up for her to lick at the pad, watching him closely.

"You aren't a clan cat," she was blunt. Straight to the point. It was just how she was. "If you aren't a clan cat, then you're a loner, and should be more accustomed to the forest and landscape." Her voice was more amused this time, and she would gently flick her paw over her ear, pretending to clean it a bit.

Then she would stop, paw back down, and look at him head on. "How did you get here?"

@NatiStorm

 

[NatiStorm]

Slowly Yarrow's breath calmed and his trembling stopped as the she-cat across from him cleaned herself. After spending time with Split and Smoke, Yarrow was used to blunt accusations and took no offense by it. The fact that his savior wasn't hissing was enough to put him at ease.

"Heh, you'd think that but I'm honestly terrible traversing unfamiliar land." Yarrow said with a chuckle as he ducked his head sheepishly. "Yeah, about that, I'm looking for LostClan. Well, I'm looking for my mom really but uh, I tend to get lost... a lot." Again he sheepishly ducked his head. Most of the cats he'd come across scolded him for losing his way and it now caused some embarrassment. Desperate to change the topic from himself, Yarrow scented the air. "You smell like a clan cat. Are you part of LostClan?"

@PeterPan_da144

 

[PeterPan_da144]

Snowyowl would watch him quietly for a moment, before shaking her head. "No, I am not from LostClan. You would have to continue south east from here in order to find them." She flicked her ears in the proper direction, before realizing he said he got lost a lot.

A clearing of her throat and she would continue. "I am from StoneClan. You can call me Snowyowl. What makes you believe your mother is in LostClan?" she tilted her head. "Just because one is lost does not mean they would be in LostClan. That's just the name for the clan, like mine is StoneClan."

Snowyowl would stand up and pad closer to the tom, inspecting him to make sure he had no wounds. He hadn't hit his head, had he? She sniffed closely to it, nose brushing the fur, before shaking her head. No, there was no blood or trauma. Maybe he just misunderstood the name of the other clan?

@NatiStorm

 

[NatiStorm]

Great, he still hasn't found his mothers clan. Yarrow began to wonder if he would ever make it to LostClan in one piece. If it hadn't been for this she-cat, Snowyowl, he'd already be done for. Unless LostClan was just a ways in that south east direction, the gay tabby tom knew he was bond to end up lost once more.

At Snowyowl's question and explanation, Yarrow smiled. The smile faded however and he tensed up as she leaned in to inspect him. He wasn't in danger was he? No, she seemed to be relaxed, just curious. Focusing on her question Yarrow smiled again and shook his head. "No, I know. See, my mom was a loner when she raised me but I got separated from her. It took me longer than it should to make it back to the last place I saw her. While I was asking around our old den a traveling cat told me he'd seen a she-cat of my mother's description in LostClan. So, I'm going there to find her... or rather I'm trying to at least." Yarrow looked down embarrassed. "I've been trying to find her for moons but instead I ended up here."

@PeterPan_da144

 

[PeterPan_da144]

"I see..." she responded quietly. Snowyowl wasn't acquainted with where exactly the LostClan camp was, but she knew of the boundaries. However, she was almost certain this cat would need more help than she could give on her own to reach them.

"Can you swim?" she asked, flicking her tail for him to follow her as she turned around. The white she cat would take them a few tail lengths away from the edge so he couldn't stumble off it again, but it was down a sheer rock face that StoneClan resided. So she would take him there and show him to Sunseer in hopes of the old Tom being able to find someone to help the young Tom get to his mom.

"You will have to swim to reach LostClan from here. Or at least, wade through shallower parts of the river further down and come back up." She aimed to make some small talk as they walked.

@NatiStorm

 

[NatiStorm]

Yarrow waited for the scolding that usually came from cats when they learned how lost he was so he was caught a bit off guard when the white she-cat motioned for him to follow. Was she taking him around the cliff so he could reach the shallow parts of the river? Whatever the case may be, Yarrow happily trotted after her. Not only did she save him from certain death but now she was being kind enough to give him directions and lead him somewhere. He tried not to stare at her in awe too much.

"I swim better than I follow directions so that's a... sort of?" The grey tabby flinched as he thought back to a particularly bad swimming incident. "If the flow is easy or still I can swim." He clarified, more sure of himself. Can't have this amazing she-cat think he's completely helpless.

"Okay, go down the river, cross at the shallows, come back up, south east to LostClan. Got it." Yarrow nodded his head as he repeated the directions the clan cat had given him. "Thank you Snowyowl, I really appreciate your help, and you know, saving my life and all. Oh!" He nearly purred her name before he excitedly stepped up beside her, "I forgot to tell you my name. I'm Yarrow. It's such a pleasure to meet you." A big grin spread across his maw as he introduced himself.
@PeterPan_da144