⊗ Let's spy on the Rust!!!
Because The Rust is the only other slugcat in your life that you can think of other people actively disliking, it makes you just that bit more curious about him.
With The Broken now an apprentice, a lot of the time she could spend with you is now spent training or practising, and it leaves you spending most of the day playing with yourself or rolling around in boredom, making as many weird sounds as you can.
While you're not the only slugpup in the nursery, your siblings are still too small to really do anything with you - though your parents tell you they're growing fast. You think this must be how Broken felt when she was waiting for you to open your eyes and start growing up.
The Storm's stories are always a good option too, but you're not always in the mood for sitting down and listening! And besides, they're not as fun when you're listening to them alone.
So, you find yourself watching The Rust instead.
You learn that an elder's life is... Kind of boring! It's pretty much your life right now, really. He eats, sleeps, sits around camp grooming... But The Rust still gets to leave to go on walks, even if now he has to go with someone else. He usually asks The Bouncy, and you wonder if they say anything interesting on those trips.
Today, while you're lying down in the dirt, not wailing in boredom because you've found the entertainment of watching him, The Rust settles down stiffly on a warm spot near the borders of the camp grounds.
The elders are too old to move fast when they can help it - that's why you jump a little up into the air when The Rust sits up so suddenly, especially when he really only just settled down.
You're a little alarmed at this reaction from him, but as the scents and sounds of the approaching figures drift to you, you turn confused. There's no threat here, and no smell of menace; it's just The Rain and The Broken, returning from a training session.
And next time try going into the pipe head first for once, you'll move faster!
Pah! Then how will I keep an eye on my enemy from behind, and make sure my butt isn't going to get chomped off by a lizard?
Ohh, girlie, if you leave your head out for the lizard you'll have a lot more things to worry about getting bit than that!
The Rain's laughter dies down as he catches sight of The Rust. You can almost feel the switch of his emotions, the way his smile fades into something more flat. The Broken can feel it too, her own happiness drying up as she looks at him, confused. A little worried.
You go on ahead, Broken, there's a dear, He says to her, giving her a little nudge with his tail at her back. He doesn't take his eyes off The Rust. I'll catch up with you in a sec. Got something to say.
Uh, okay, She replies, unsure. She starts scampering forward, slowly and uncertainly at first, but with more enthusiasm when you catch her eye and wave to her. Now that she realises you're there, she makes a beeline for you.
Hi Winged, She whispers to you, settling down beside you in the dirt. What's going on?
You shrug. I dunno! It's pretty boring here without you, I've just been watching The Rust.
Even though you're both in plain sight in the flat lands of the camp clearing, the two adults don't acknowledge their audience - too busy taking in each other. Measuring each other, taking stock. It makes you think of when you see birds up in the trees, feathers puffing out.
The Rain, The Rust eventually acknowledges him, voice terse. His tail is held rigid against his side, tip pointing upwards.
The Rust, The Rain answers, similarly terse. His ears aren't folded back, but the way his tail is held behind him straight like a line still tells you that he's not exactly thrilled by this confrontation, either, though he was the one who decided to make it more than a brief meeting.
You've never seen them avoiding each other, but when you think about it, you also haven't really seen them talk that much.
When I was sick, The Rain says it flatly. You visited my nest.
Yes. The Rust chooses a tone just as flat. Is there a problem with that? I neither touched nor approached you. I only checked that you were breathing steadily. Old age makes illness dangerous.
As the interest befits a fellow clowder member, I'm sure.
Certainly.
You wouldn't have visited any old clowder member before, just because they were sick or injured.
Well, you are not any old clowder member, are you.
No, I suppose I am not. And yet I find it unlikely that you would visit The Wild, or The Little so voluntarily.
I visited The Little when you were there.
Yes, I suppose you did.
Hmph. The Rust folds his arms. He still stands stiff, but he's started slouching again. You wonder if he got tired of standing so straight, or if it's just hard for an old slugcat to do that? Think nothing of it, if that would ease your mind. It isn't as if I want anyone in this clowder to die.
Somehow, I find that it does not. The Rain flicks his tail, irritated or maybe just agitated, it's hard for you to tell. His signals hit between both.
Then shall I apologise? Say my sorries for having cared?
Passive-aggression doesn't suit you. He definitely seems irritated now, paws digging into the earth. Nor is that what I mean. If I wanted to break this shelter, you know I would have by now.
Did you not, already?
The Rain shows his teeth, and it's not a smile. You know I don't do things by half-measures. If I wanted to break it, it would have been burnt to cinders. It was neatly disconnected. There's a difference.
From my end, it seems all the same.
I'm still talking to you, aren't I. Moved my nest closer to yours, when you started shivering that night.
Hmph. Fair enough. Then I suppose my question is, why bring it up?
Just checking. The Rain shrugs, really giving him a smile now - though, it's so suddenly cheerful that you're sure it's sarcasm. Making sure my old mind's not going, that it wasn't a fever dream, perhaps. Why? Do you object?
... No. If that's all you wanted to know, that's all I have to say. The Rust frowns at him, hunching his shoulders.
Very good then. I'll be off. I'll see you again soon, I'm sure. Fellow clowder member.
You huddle close against your friend's pelt and watch, rapt, as The Rain walks away from The Rust. The Rust huffs back at him, loud, and turns his back on the camp, showing his tail to the world.
Even with the moment over, the confrontation done, the two of you keep staying still there, looking at him. You feel almost as if you just lie here long enough, waiting so patiently, they'll come back and say more - that you'll be able to find out just a little more about what the adults meant.
Winged, The Broken whispers to you, eventually.
Yeah?
She looks at you. Her eyes shine bright with interest, and intrigue. And mischief. You know, call this a hunch, but I think The Rust and The Rain just might have had some kind of old relationship together. We should investigate more.
Huh? Isn't he your mentor?
She scoffs, flicking her tail at you. Why would that stop me? Come on, don't tell me you don't want to know.
Well, yeah, 'course I do! You bat at her tail, just a little. It's INTERESTING, and things have been so BORING. I just didn't think you'd want to pry into that stuff, 'cause you like The Rain.
Hah! The Broken grins. You clearly don't understand our very complex mentor-apprentice relationship if you think he expects anything less from me. I'm sure he'd approve. "Stretching the mind", he calls it, when I'm trying to find stuff out.
He likes you being nosy about him?
Now, that's a strong word! She pretends to be hurt, but she can't stop smiling. I prefer something nicer.
Well, do you have a nicer word for it? You tap your hind foot, emphasising to her that you're waiting.
No, but you should think of one! She jokes, shoving you. You're going to call your best friend something mean like that?
I prefer the truth, is the thing! You can't stop grinning either, though. You should try sneaking around with The Broken more, you think - it is really fun, snooping with her and being able to hear her thoughts. You do miss her when she's off being busy.
Pshhh. The Broken shakes her head. The Rain also said you can stretch anything into the truth if you pretend it hard enough, so just keep trying!
See? That's what I mean, you really like him! Are you sure this'll be okay?
Aw, come on. You want to know too! And I told you already, he thinks it's funny when I do it. Sure, that's with other people, but it won't be fair if he objects only when I dig at him, right?
You agree that it would be pretty unfair of him if he didn't like it - and he does seem like a pretty cool adult. If he was going to say something like The Bouncy has told you of, "do as I say and not as I do", or whatever, then The Broken surely wouldn't like him as much!
Okay...! Yeah, I wanna know! I'm bored anyways, so it'll give me something to do that we thought up together, if we make a plan.
The Broken smiles at you. Ha, gross. Okay, mushy, let's try to see if anything interesting happens with them, and keep watching The Rain and The Rust like we've already been doing. Since I spend so much time with Rain, and you said you've been watching Rust anyway.
You nod. This sounds good to you! Hopefully The Rust does something else of note soon.