Nomadic Reunion

kait word count: 1,005 words
crush word count: 650 words

LIONROSE
When Peachpounce had entertained the idea of helping Lionrose look for Tigerfrost, the red-furred warrior hadn’t… Well, she wasn’t optimistic that they would actually find her former companion. Lionrose had been horrendously worried for the tabby cat that she had grown an attachment toward upon discovering that she hadn’t worked her way into Ravenclan’s borders— and that worry made her act foolishly, or at least, what Lionrose would usually think as foolish.

She hadn’t expected to find Tigerfrost in Lynxclan Territory, wanting to join the clan. Not that Lionrose wanted to complain about this development, no— it had left her feeling over the moon, although she was careful to contain the majority of her excitement underneath a tender little smile toward the she-cat. It became harder to contain this joy as they began to help Tigerfrost settle into Lynxclan, however… And maybe Lionrose was a little on the nose with showing this now, as she slipped her way toward the new warrior in the early morning.

With the camp far quieter than usual due to the slumbering cats that early morning brought, Lionrose takes the opportunity to strike on Tigerfrost with a simple check-in… If the she-cat is awake, anyways. Rolling in her nest, the red-furred warrior casts her gaze over toward the still form of Tigerfrost in her own nest. Quietly, the warrior outstretches a paw toward her friend, gently prodding Tigerfrost’s shoulder.

”Tigerfrost, y’up?”

TIGERFROST
Venturing to the Lynxclan border had been one of the toughest yet easiest choices Tigerfrost had ever needed to make. It was obvious that she had nothing to return to in Ravenclan- so why would she bother? It made full logical sense to follow Lionrose into Lynxclan and cling to that sense of familiarity- and yet the past few days she'd just felt overwhelmed by... everything

She always believed she faced challenges head-on- from getting lost to losing a limb, tigerfrost never backed down or lost her head over the trials life threw at her. This was a whole different arena though. Eyes constantly on her. She wasn't a rogue, but she wasn't quite a Ravenclan cat either, and she didn't feel like she was actually a Lynxclan cat now either. She would usually revel in the attention and gazes of others, but right now they just felt like they were piercing into her.

Her sleep had been restless and she couldn't pace or wander the territory without arousing suspicion, so she just lay in her nest with closed eyes and the solemnness of her thoughts to keep her company. Her pelt bristled when an unfamiliar paw tapped at her shoulder, nerves going alight with suspicion before the much more familiar voice of Lionrose soothed those anxieties.

"Yeah," She responded, short as ever. She lifted her head the smallest amount but didn't shift to face her friend, lest she sees the exhaustion that marred her sleepless face. "S'mthing the matter?"

LIONROSE
Relieved that she hadn’t woken Tigerfrost ( or at least, hadn’t bothered Tigerfrost if she did wake her ), Lionrose feels her tension come to a pause, and an easy smile graces her muzzle with the other cat’s company. Because of all of the time that the pair had spent together over these past moons, Tigerfrost’s presence made itself something that was familiar and comforting. It’s why she draws out the breath that she didn’t know she had begun to hold, in favor of inspecting what she could see of her friend’s face in the darkness surrounding them.

Granted, that something wasn’t very much with how Tigerfrost angled her head. Something that Lionrose decided to chalk down to exhaustion, more than anything else. Could the former Ravenclan warrior really be blamed for her sleeplessness? So much had changed, and she had moved to a completely different, new clan… Which brings Lionrose to her question. It almost feels out of her place to ask, but if anyone could ask such a question to the tabby warrior— it was probably Lionrose.

”No, no, nothing’s wrong. Not really, anyways.” The red-furred warrior assures, shifting her weight as she looks away sheepishly. In spite of her earlier conviction that everything would be fine, Lionrose still can’t help the feeling of discomfort that boils in her belly as she lingers on her thoughts. Maybe it is too out of line for her to ask… But what choice does she have now? Lionrose has put herself into this situation, and she’s the only one that can take herself out of it. ”I’m just finding it hard to try and sleep, I guess. It’s… Odd being back here.” 

Odd was putting Lionrose's sense of disorientation with her surroundings very lightly.

TIGERFROST
Lionrose’s pause was less than reassuring- and neither was it when she said that nothing was wrong. Tigerfrost knew her better than that- of course, something was up with her if she was prodding Tiger at these odd hours of the night.

She gave a gentle sigh- more from exhaustion than exasperation- and rolled herself over to face her friend, tired eyes meeting tired eyes.

”Of course, it's odd,” Tigerfrost said with a soft tone, though her humored eye roll wasn’t to be missed. ”You’ve technically been a loner longer than a lynxclan cat- and a warrior now no less. It's a huge adjustment.”

A huge adjustment- and one she was dealing with herself, though she’d never like to admit. She felt less at home here in the valley than she had in Gambit’s hollow or on the riverbank with a bloody stump. The confines of it all made her antsy and stressed- Tigerfrost didn't know how to deal with it all and it was eating away at her every dusk till dawn.

It was much easier to talk to Lionrose about the facts of it all than to dig within herself for an answer.

”We had the whole world at our claws and only each other- but it's louder here- busier here...”

LIONROSE
She can't help but smile as Tigerfrost turns her head to look her way. Although this fleeting joy doesn't last for too long with the realization that Tigerfrost looks... Well, how Lionrose feels. Tired. Exhausted, even. Feeling a little silly due to Tigerfrost's response of yes, it's obviously an adjustment, Lionrose glances away with a flick of her ears. The red warrior didn't think that she was too clever, but... It's still a little embarrassing to have her lack of tact pointed out to her face. "Yeah...  I guess you're right." The warrior muses, her voice soft. 

Lionrose pauses her commentary to stretch out her front limbs, flexing her claws with a deep inhale before relaxing her tense muscles. "I...  It just feels like 'm supposed to be used to all of this—" A leg is lifted once more to gesture to their surroundings, followed by Lionrose's gaze directing back to Tigerfrost. She hates feeling like this, but she has to admit... She doesn't hate the idea of having someone that can relate and understand, to talk with. 

Selfishly, Lionrose knows that she's a whole lot more than glad that Tigerfrost is here, with her. "—Since it was... It was my home, at some point. It's where I was born, it's... It's where I grew up... Mostly. It shouldn't feel so foreign, right?" Lowering her paw, Lionrose looks down at her mossy nest with a scrunch of her eyebrows.

TIGERFROST
"Of course I'm right." she softly huffs, but there's not much energy in the quip.  Tigerfrost reflexively stretches out towards Lionrose when she extends her body, brushing against her and subtly seeking out physical contact. It wasn't something she was comfortable verbally asking for, or even openly implying she wanted, but something she desperately needed as her stress ate away at her in an unfamiliar place.

"I'm not sure," Tigerfrost mewed, unsure of what to say- what to offer her friend dealing with exactly what she was dealing with only it wasn't exactly the same. This was once Lion's home but Tigerfrost...

"Ravenclan... never really felt like home to me," It's something she'd known, but never really put into words. Home was always a feeling and never a place to her. "And neither does Lynxclan. Maybe it will someday, maybe it won't. I'm just taking the days as they come."

"It may feel a bit foreign..." Tigerfrost curls in a bit tighter, tail brushing up against Lionrose's as her eyes drifted down to her stump and then to Lion's. "But it feels right." being here with you.

LIONROSE
Lionrose rolls her eyes in return to Tigerfrost's quip, but she can't stop the stupidest smile from coming over her features at it. And then Tigerfrost is shifting her weight, and Lionrose can't help shifting her own weight — rolling carefully to place herself closer to the brown tabby beside her, up until their pelts brush against each other and she can feel the soft, steady breathing of her companion beside her. Lionrose didn't quite grasp how familiar and warm such a simple linger of contact could be until now. The tension eases from her wary mind, just a smidge.

It suddenly feels easier to accept Tigerfrost's words, to accept the reality that they'll have to adjust. Because they're together.

"I'm sorry," She mumbles, and she means it. Not having a home to come back to, true and proper, ever? That sounds like torture. But maybe it's better to never have something at all than to have something to only lose and be uncertain that you'll ever truly regain. Lionrose's easy smile fades as she presses her head against Tigerfrost, such a simple motion full of affection. Her smile returns with Tigerfrost's response.

"... Yeah. I guess it does feel right, thinkin' bout it like that." Lionrose mews, nodding her head gently against the other as though confirming the statement once more. " 'm... 'm glad you're here. Makes it a little less..." Lonely. Scary. Sad. "Intimidating."