[PRP] Getting Along [Midnight Cat x Harvest Moon]

[NymiiNym]

Midnight Cat had been appointed someone to take with her, and it bothered her. It made sense, in a way. Cat had several times wandered off to research her newest interest and given her father a panic attack in the process. No where was off bounds; the land on the Hides and beyond was just as good enough as any for her research. So now someone stood by her side, ensuring her safe and prompt return home.

Cat examined the plans before her, ears pinned against her head in frustration as she felt the plant with her paws. Dangerous, sure, but when you lacked most of your sight you had to make exceptions. She leaned down, sniffing the plant before recoiling. Not the plant she wanted, and it was bitter in smell.

"Not this one, either," she softly mused, turning to begin her investigations elsewhere. Mint was nearby, she'd find it. The last place she had located it was somewhere beyond the pack, and that meant it was currently off-limits. She'd look later, of course, but now while she had company.

 

[LadyPipen]

Harvest was no fan of the sudden responsiblity the afternoon had thrust upon her.

In truth, she had stubbornly avoided her newer ‘siblings’. She wasn’t very old herself, but she was a yearling by the time they were born- more than old enough to throw herself into her difficult training as a Stalker, and old enough to venture out with the first group that would take her with nary a word to her stand-in father.

In truth, it hurt- she knew there was no blood between them, and all the better, as looking at her family…. It was obvious her blood ran rather thin. It was no line for an alpha- but she hadn’t known he was thinking of such things. Deeper down, the young thing might have even realized it was inevitable, but it had all happened so… Suddenly. So unexpectedly- she didn’t like it one bit, not then, and not now, when she finally found it within her to stop sulking and return home, to find her place filled by brats she barely even recognized, much less knew.

It was harder to pick up with Snow Rabbit than she had first anticipated. The foolish girl thought herself capable of coming home and picking up as if things hadn’t changed at all- all the more fool was she. She still had to share- even more than before, and she could tell Snow knew she found discomfort in it all- if not the exact reason, than the fact that she was upset at all. He was always so much more blastedly insightful than her mother or sisters- usually she was thankful for it.

But not this time- she had protested being saddled with one of these new siblings, almost vehemently, but alpha’s word was alpha’s word. Harvest Moon, however…. The whole thing stank of familiarity. Another frail sister in need of caring for, Harvest. You’re strong and capable, Harvest, do me this favor. She can’t go out alone, Harvest, please think of your sister….

For most of the morning, she was silent, mulling over her thoughts with no small amount of distain- the benefit of her new sister inheiriting their father’s blindness was that she could put even less effort into hiding her displeasure, though by now her face was simply trained into neutral indifference, though it was wasted on Midnight Cat. It wouldn’t have mattered if she openly scowled, the bumbling yearling could hardly have seen it…

One could hardly stay quiet and sulk forever, however, no matter how hard Harvest may try, and like it or not… The day had grown oh, so boring, and Snow Rabbit had made sure there was only one possibility for entertainment.

“Didn’t quite find what you were looking for, princess?” Harvest Moon had moved close silently, quiet words nothing but a breath from Midnight Cat’s ear- there was no malice in her voice, polite curiousity if anything, but the trick was cruel nonetheless, it hardly mattered if Midnight realized it was intentional or not. If she was forced to guardian a new frail sister, she would do so on her own terms. Midnight Cat would just have to get used to how she did things.  

[NymiiNym]

Midnight Cat was oblivious to most things, although not out of ignorance. She was busy -- too busy to listen to the gossip and the tears around her. She had research to do, and it blinded her more than her eyes did. She never noticed Harvest Moon's feelings, nor did she pick up on them throughout their brief encounters. Harvest Moon, for lack of a nicer way to put things, was just another wolf to her. Another wolf who hadn't caught her attention. To be fair, Cat wasn't sure what could interest her. Research was all that mattered, and the more she knew about the world the less she saw those who dwelled within. It was a slippery slope, frankly.

Her lack of attention to Harvest Moon backfired when the wolf spoke in her ear, resulting in Cat flicking the offended ear and leaning away from Harvest. There wasn't anger in her face, or even annoyance -- she was just focused, despite the trickery.

"No," she answered in a whisper of a voice, putting her nose back to the ground to search again. "My name is Midnight Cat," she added, truthfully believing the other must have forgotten. Her head raised abruptly, ears pointed forward as she caught a whiff of the smell she desperately needed. Over there!

She sprinted off, leaving Harvest Moon behind, although she doubted the other would have an issue catching up. Especially since she could see. Cat smacked into a few branches before skidding in front of a patch of dying mint. Dying or not, it was still there!

 

[LadyPipen]

Harvest’s ear flicked in displeasure when Midnight Cat failed to react in the way she had wanted- no jumps, no whines, no yelps- no real reaction of any sort. Not even so much as mild annoyance. It was the most annoying reaction she could have possibly given- the nonchalant correction was salt in Harvest’s, admittedly minorly, wounded ego, though only a slight narrowing of the eyes would have given it away had Cat the sight- physical or no- to see it.

It was a moment of annoyance cut short. “I know your name, Princess,” Harvest answered, soft as ever, though who knew if her words were heard or sunk in, seeing as in the very next heartbeat the empty-headed thing was barreling blind- quite literally- through the trees, paying much less mind to the obstacles in her path than Harvest did as she followed, much more gracefully through the forest.

How could she have taken Harvest’s place so effortlessly? She seemed about as clever as a boulder, and just as aware as one to boot. She was a fully trained and now tried Stalker- babysitting an adult wolf on her rampage on the local flora was a horrid waste of her time, and the sudden thought brought forth a sudden jolt of hurt- it was, after all, none other than Snow Rabbit himself who had insisted she take this oh, so important task…

He had truly grown to value her so little in comparison…. She couldn’t even stop correctly, Harvest noticed, huffing softly as she padded up to her pseudo-sister. “A lovely flower,” the tiny blooms should have been purple- but died into an ugly brown, and the rest of the plant didn’t look much finer. How fitting.

“Alright, you got your…. Flowers. Ready to go home now, Princess?” It was as calm a question as possible- no attitude dripped into her voice, though perhaps impatience had. She had other things she could be doing…. When she had gone out roving, she had not quite imagined that the moment she returned home she’d be back to babysitting her frailer siblings. Perhaps home was just a place she’d have to avoid, from now on.  

[NymiiNym]

Cat didn't care about the whip marks from the branches or the friction burn on her paws. Sure, anyone else would find her foolish and dangerous, but had gotten where she needed to and before she lost the scent. She hadn't yet learned how to properly evaluate her surroundings like her father did, and honestly her eyesight made it harder. The conflict between the blurry shapes and sharp sounds made things harder, and so she lived in a world where she just went.

Her tail flicked idly as she puled up what she needed, an ear flicking in Harvest's direction. "No," she repeated, raising her head to sniff at the wind. Finally, clarity seemed to hit as she turned to actually look at her companion -- a first for the night. "I intend to stay out late, collecting various plants to begin testing their medical benefits in the morning. You can go home."

It was blunt, but not cruel. Truthfully, she didn't care where Harvest Moon went. She barely registered that she had been sent to watch over Cat, and she had no desire to return home earlier than usual to appease the wolf. In her opinion Harvest Moon could go home and claim Cat slipped free. She doubted the other wolf would find interest in lingering around Cat anyway, so why bother? Cat had things to do, and the boredom of an uninvited guest didn't change her plans.

And again, it wasn't like she disliked Harvest Moon. She was just like the others -- someone who drifted in and out of her focus. Her life wasn't clear, spent often in daydreams about what next she could collect or a project she was working on. It was rare for her to focus back on reality, and no one had actually managed to deliberately get her to do so. But she didn't harbor ill will towards her companion, even if she wished she wasn't sent a babysitter of sorts. Truthfully, she didn't see the point of Harvest wasting her night on someone like Cat, who didn't offer Harvest anything.

"It will be warmer at home," she added as her voice faded back into distance and she collected her flowers delicately. She padded off, flower firmly in her mouth as she slowly examined each tree and bush nearby.

 

[LadyPipen]

The offer might have been a tempting one- still, it was met with a rather loud huff, the noise louder than any word Harvest Moon had spoken yet and the first actual sign of displeasure that wasn't hidden carefully behind a mask of politeness or disinterest. No, she had too much respect for Snow Rabbit as a father and alpha to abandon her post, whether she liked it or not- she would do things her way, yes, but she would never dream of outright disobeying, nor would her pride allow her to simply give up and huff home, whether the princess was a stuffy snob or not.

.... Besides, she was blind and obviously cared very little for her general well being, and even if it stung Harvest Moon.... Snow Rabbit clearly cared for his new daughter, and rival for father's affections or not, she was an Iron Hide. Even if Harvest was a grumpy thing with a burr up her tail, she'd never abandon a packmate, much less a personally important one, to harm. Even if she didn't encounter a predator or enemy, the way she'd been acting... the stupid thing would run headlong off a cliff.

"You're not alphess yet, Princess, and I'm fairly certain Snow would have a conniption if you stayed out well into the night," None of that to speak of how little that valued her time. She had her own things to do, besides babysit all night- perhaps it wasn't Midnight Cat's fault that she had to have a babysitter... but it certainly wasn't Harvest's, either. With the issue of bloodlines and shared fathers, however, it was difficult to let that sink in enough to cut the strange bird a break.

"Aye, it'll be warmer at home- which is why your paws are not going to turn into icicles and pop off your feet," Harvest sniffed, bounding off in Cat's footsteps- not taking any action to really redirect her... yet, but hardly leaving any argument of the fact that, sooner or later, they'd be turning back- and it most certainly was not going to be hours after moon-high.  

[NymiiNym]

Her ears curled back, tail flicking idly. Alphess? Her? No -- she'd never want that title. It was clear Harvest Moon wasn't interested in being around much longer, and Cat had no desire to budge. It was unfair, even, to the both of them. Neither of them wanted to do what the other wished and they were stuck. Someone had to give, and Cat desperately didn't want to be that one. She was stubborn as ever. Was it a trait from her mother? Her father? Or one of her own? She'd need to study that later...

Yet -- suddenly a plan formulated. If she went now, and willingly, her father might be impressed. He might not send another with her next time, or she might slip under the radar so that tomorrow she could stay out until daybreak. This wasn't doable. She couldn't keep up her research in an adequate speed if this kept up. Harvest Moon was persistent, and if she kept being assigned to Cat... well, that'd be the worst case scenario, wouldn't it?

"An hour," she finally spoke, a compromise that stood firm. She was not known for giving in, nor was she known for explaining her reasoning's. Instead she simply slipped past her guard for the night, exhaling a cold puff of air.

"It's cold," she murmured absently, although her thick fur was guarding her from the chill. "Do you need a break?" The question was abrupt, brought on only by her interest in if Harvest Moon had reached her limits. She had yet to analyze Harvest's capabilities.