HOME | DD

Description

I D E N T I T Y

Full Name: Slyphh.

> Nicknames: n/a.

> Alias(es): None yet.

Age: 3 years old.

> Birthday: February 9th.

Sex: Male.

> Gender Identity: Male.

A P P E A R A N C E

SubBreed: Nott.

Breed: Oriental mix.

Notable Features: (Mostly) asymmetrical markings and stripes.

Eye Color: Green (and grey).

Accessories: Torn hooded cloak.

E N V I R O N M E N T

Class: Assassin.

Occupation: Informant / Information Broker.

Items in Posession:

> Torn hooded cloak.

Current Level: 1.

Skill Set

> Strength: 0

> Stealth: 5

> Endurance: 0

> Agility: 0

> Tactical Skill: 0

> Healing Arts: 2

> Dark Magic: 3

Equipped Skills:

> ( Melee ) None.

> ( Magic ) None.

P E R S O N A L

Personality

> ( + ) Strategic: Tends to think ahead of plans and escape routes in times of stress. Always likes to have back-up plans, even to ordinary situations. Slyphh never likes to be taken by surprise, so he's learned to think quickly and ahead of time so things don't fall out of favor.

> ( + ) Polite/Respectful: He may not like you, but he won’t say it to your face. He doesn’t like making unnecessary enemies, so it is rare that Slyphh will say anything rude. Though that doesn't mean he won't think it.

> ( + ) Patient: Some things take time, and Slyphh knows it. He's grown to be able to tolerate long waits, along with unpleasant clients and their problems.

> ( = ) Affable: Despite his emotional indifference to others, Slyphh is pretty easy to talk to. He may not always say much, but he tries to appear welcoming to encourage conversation. Whether or not he's using this trait to his advantage is up to chance.

> ( = ) Aware: Keeps tabs on high-profile cats throughout the town. Notorious for listening in on gossip to be aware of any circulating rumors, he likes to play the role of fly on the wall. Eavesdropping is not beneath him (especially with those gigantic ears of his).

> ( - ) Detached: Doesn’t allow himself to get close to too many cats. Though he has many acquaintances and appears more or less friendly, Slyphh maintains an emotional boundary between himself and others. He does not consider feelings to be a weakness, but instead has yet to find someone he thinks worthy of getting to know him deeply. This, however, leads other cats to believe he is cold-hearted.

> ( - ) Conniving/Manipulative: Being a dealer of information, Slyphh isn't necessarily opposed to setting up things for his own profit or anything else otherwise deemed immoral. This doesn't mean he always has an unethical plan up his sleeves, but the possibility is never overlooked. Gotta get by somehow, right?

> ( - ) Conservative: As an independent cat with a sometimes shady business, Slyphh can be stingy with both intelligence and material things ("sharing is caring" is not a concept this tom connects with). Though he is more than willing to manipulate others, he is reluctant to put anything relating himself into jeopardy.

Habits:

> Staying towards the back of crowds and taverns, etc.

> Staying up late.

Fears:

> Things not coming together how he planned.

> Somehow miscalculating something dire.

> Having his own secrets revealed.

Dreams / Goals:

> To one day live comfortably.

Religion:

> Honestly doesn't feel too strongly about religion.

Sexual Information

> Sexual Orientation: Demisexual.

> Romantic Orientation: Panromantic.

> Current Attractions: n/a.

> Relationship Status: Single.

Relationship Tracker:

Fun Facts

> His client information is private and he won't be sharing.

> Despite many of the other Nott members, Slyphh doesn't actually harbor any ill-will towards their Forn neighbors. Besides thinking it's a stupid prejudice, it would also seclude an entire sub-breed of potential patrons.

> He isn't very strong, physically, and relies on speed to get him out of sticky situations. That being said, if he's in a corner, he will defend himself.

Conditions:

> Mental Health: 100%

> Physical Health: 100%

H I S T O R Y

Family

> Parents:
Cinder | Female | Nott | Deceased.
Wedget | Male | Nott | Astranged.

> Siblings:
Köln | Male | Nott | Astranged.
Figeon | Female | Nott | Astranged.

Backstory

> Birth to Adolescence.

Slyphh was born into a litter of three, accompanied by his sister, Figeon, and Köln, their little brother. His birth was insubstantial, but early on, the one trait that singled him out from the rest was his evident detachment from his siblings. He felt little need to play or wrestle or do anything kittens usually did together, and instead spent much of his kittenhood alone, his mind occupied more with the ways of the world around them. Slyphh often would sit and listen to the talk of his parents and other adults, pretending to play alone while they discussed tensions between their own clan, the Nott, and that of the Forn, their "unruly" neighbors. He found that many spoke ill of the taller sub-breed and, being an inexperienced mind in this prejudiced world, Slyphh never quite understood it.

While Köln and Figeon worked hard embracing the latter months of their kittenhood, their brother soon became a soft-spoken interruption in their parent’s conversations, occasionally asking a particularly well-thought out question that stumped the adults. Unfortunately, being from a lower-class and ignorant family, most of those questions remained unanswered until he discovered it himself. Some months later after the untimely death of his mother, Cinder, Slyphh spent less and less time at home, trying to carve his own way in the world that fascinated him and throwing away the loose ties that bound him to his now dysfunctional family.

> Young Adulthood.

Soon enough, Slyphh was thrown headfirst into the Nott society, picking up many life lessons from observing those around him. But, soon finally running out of the meager rations and schillings he had so long saved up, Slyphh found himself in a desperate situation. It was only by someone else's misfortune that the young feline survived. Slyphh had been slowly learning bits of magic that he had picked up here and there and practiced minor enchantments in the forested area outside his native village. He wasn't very good at it, having had to teach himself with little other guidance, but he was adamant to teach himself something. It was a pastime that at the very least got his mind off of the nagging hunger pains that now plagued him. And heck, maybe he'd be able to learn some kind of neat trick people would pay money to watch, since he had little else to offer.

But it was one particular day of practice that he stumbled upon something he shouldn't have seen. Wandering through the bowed trees in search of an adequate practicing place, Slyphh's large ears perked up, picking up on the muffled murmuring of a pair of cats some distance away. He couldn't help but slow to a stop to listen further and eventually creep towards the source of the dialogue. Peering out behind a curtain of underbrush, Slyphh witnessed a dreadful scene unfold before him. A Forn and Nott were arguing fiercely over something, of which it took him a moment to ascertain. The Nott held a hand-crafted necklace in one paw while the other male was clutching onto a feather, both objects seemingly out of place. But the discourse made it clear what had happened – both toms were planning on presenting their offerings to the same chosen female. Though it ultimately would be up to her to decide between them, tensions were growing high, especially after a few discriminatory phrases were exchanged. With hackles raised and claws unsheathed, the two felines suddenly launched at each other. The frightened young tom hiding out in the bushes couldn't bring himself to act until finally one of them was victorious – the Forn. The taller cat trembled as he lifted himself from the ground, the crumpled body of the other male lying still before him in the disheveled grass.
"...Y-you killed him!" Slyphh's soft voice shrieked before he could stop himself. The Forn, himself shaken from what he had just done, whipped around to face the newcomer who had appeared from the bushes.
"I-I didn't mean to!" the words tumbled out as the Forn backed away from the body, dropping the prized feather he had fought for.
"You're not supposed to be here!" Slyphh hissed, finding himself using words reminiscent of his parents. "This is Nott land! I...I can get you arrested!" He had never even spoken to one of the guards that protected his village, but the threat suddenly came to him in his panicked frenzy.
"No! Please! I'll do anything you want – give you anything you want!" the Forn pleaded. "Just please, don't tell a soul!"
"...Anything?"

> Maturity and Occupation.

Misfortune soon became one of many modes of profit for the young cat. Whether it was a cover-up, information gathering, or blackmail, Slyphh became adept at distributing and soliciting all sorts of intel, directly profitable or not. The spoken word from unsuspecting individuals was a potential goldmine, both for him and patrons willing to pay to discover other cats’ secrets. Though not technically a legal business, Slyphh’s reputation grew among the low-whispered discussions of revenge and pining curiosity. He didn’t ask his clients any prying questions – nor did he need to. Body language and behavior became answer enough and soon he had dirt on them as well, though his self-made standards prevented him from spreading those rumors around. It would be bad for business if he did that all willy-nilly. No, the tom quickly picked up the street rules on how to survive in the shady trade market and he didn’t intend to jeopardize himself any time soon.

With all the recent hubbub around and within Avens Warren, Slyphh, like many others, seek solace within the walls of HighVale. Rumors are abound as cats panic about what is to happen to their kingdom. Though he has heard many theories on the subject, Slyphh resigns to his own careful conclusions and patiently awaits what the future has in store for them all.

R O L E P L A Y I N G

Roleplay Availability

> Notes: Always!

> Forum: Rarely.

> Chats: Maybe.

> Skype: Maybe.

> Comments: Never.

Literacy Availability

> Lvl 1: Preferably not, but possible.

> Lvl 2: Definitely!

> Lvl 3: Maybe occasionally.

> Lvl 4: That's a bit much for me :"D

Time Zone: Alaska (UTC -09:00)

Roleplay Sample:
[From KrosFox | Näyl ] (Typical Lvl. 2 Literacy)
Gingerly, the little fox approached the sediment. Though it seemed solid, the compacted material still lay a centimeter or two beneath the water's surface. Näyl dipped a hesitant paw in the liquid, resting it on the sediment. Shifting her body weight to test it, she turned back to Mao.

"I think it's stable enough… I've actually never gone this exact way before" she admitted, her attention still on him. "But I think we can use it as a bridge to get to the other side."

As she spoke, she began to walk across it, though the grimy water felt unpleasant to her paws. The vixen was just beginning to nod to Mao invitingly when the bridge beneath her gave way, crumbling away into gravel as she lost her balance, tumbling head first into the murky water below. As her body became submerged, the little fox immediately began to panic, splashing and thrashing about until finally her head reached the surface again. Näyl reached out towards the makeshift bridge with her paws, but it still wasn't as stable as she had thought, and once again it began to collapse beneath her weight. She called out to Mao in desperation, hoping he'd somehow be able to help.

----

[From CatsOfTheForgotten | Sleetshadow (who is now Slyphh) ] (Typical Lvl. 3 Literacy, nearly Lvl. 4)
Trotting across the snowy landscape, the Raggedclan deputy stuck out like a sore thumb, his dark fur illuminated well against the white backdrop. The situation could definitely have had been better, and with the weather the way it was, it seemed, for the moment, that things were just going to get worse. Sleetshadow had only just been appointed to the title of deputy not too long before and so far the rank was barely more than a figurehead. There was only so much one could do to fight off against the unrelenting chill of Leafbare and the unforgiving ferocity of the storms, the two working together in this time of discord and uncertainty to pick the remaining clan cats off. Already, many important cats had met their deaths to various mysterious means and had to be replaced. In a way, it seemed almost futile. After all, how could one combat nature?

But it wasn’t as if the clans hadn’t dealt with a rough Leafbare before. If it hadn’t been for such a deep sense of foreboding in the very air, it seemed, the situation might have been a touch easier to endure. But clan rivalries and tensions were in a particularly precarious position – one that seemed close to a breaking point, only needing one tiny catalyst to set things off. The desperation in which each group of cats was in currently was only adding fuel to the proverbial fire, and the betrayal their new leader had shown to her previous clan was nowhere closer to aiding their relationship with Tornclan than the bitter chill that swept through them all.

Despite this, however, things had to go on, at least on the surface. Someone had to keep everyone together. Panic had not broken out just yet and, for the moment, everyone had gone about their duties obediently, though with a tangible feeling of compliant resignation. So, though he sustained a mixture of feelings about his status in the clan, Sleetshadow carried on as well, focusing on things that needed to be done to keep his clan mates alive. Feeling less distracted and able to think better when alone – and because many of the warriors spent the majority of their time hunting now – the tom was patrolling the Raggedclan border, scent-marking as necessary. He loathed being caught unawares and felt especially vulnerable now during this time of precariousness. The dawn patrol had returned to the camp a while ago, but Sleetshadow felt the need to double-check, to put himself, at the very least, at ease.

As the frigid snow and ice edged away and relented to frozen dirt and dying grass, the feline paused and looked out across the edge of Tornclan territory, watching for signs of any movement. For now, his eyes were met with none and he took a moment to give his short fur a vigorous shake in an attempt to warm his chilled muscles. The movement did little though and the lithe tom continued his patrol, gaze focused on the neighboring territory. It was only when he stepped on a particularly brittle stick that he lost his concentration, the loud snap sending his ears and fur up in alarm. Glancing down at the broken stick beneath him, he muttered under his breath and padded onward, wary now of his paw steps and the close proximity he was with the border both. There was a sharp bend in front of him where the steep cliffs ended abruptly and met the rocky dirt beneath. Sleetshadow rounded the corner, feeling himself tense up out of habit – it was a blind turn and for all he knew, there could be an enemy waiting on the other side of it. And to his surprise, though he had consciously stifled his nerves, there was indeed another cat sitting not a fox length ahead of him. The deputy braced himself only momentarily til he caught the familiar scent of his own clan drifting from the stranger and sighing inwardly, Sleetshadow stopped his advance.

“Ah, good morning,” the tom mewed hastily, raising his tail in greeting and trying to make it seem like he had not been taken by surprise by her presence. The deputy caught her glare and narrowed his own eyes a bit in response, though more out of confusion than anything else. “Is something…wrong?"

Description

I D E N T I T Y

Full Name: Slyphh.

> Nicknames: n/a.

> Alias(es): None yet.

Age: 3 years old.

> Birthday: February 9th.

Sex: Male.

> Gender Identity: Male.

A P P E A R A N C E

SubBreed: Nott.

Breed: Oriental mix.

Notable Features: (Mostly) asymmetrical markings and stripes.

Eye Color: Green (and grey).

Accessories: Torn hooded cloak.

E N V I R O N M E N T

Class: Assassin.

Occupation: Informant / Information Broker.

Items in Posession:

> Torn hooded cloak.

Current Level: 1.

Skill Set

> Strength: 0

> Stealth: 5

> Endurance: 0

> Agility: 0

> Tactical Skill: 0

> Healing Arts: 2

> Dark Magic: 3

Equipped Skills:

> ( Melee ) None.

> ( Magic ) None.

P E R S O N A L

Personality

> ( + ) Strategic: Tends to think ahead of plans and escape routes in times of stress. Always likes to have back-up plans, even to ordinary situations. Slyphh never likes to be taken by surprise, so he's learned to think quickly and ahead of time so things don't fall out of favor.

> ( + ) Polite/Respectful: He may not like you, but he won’t say it to your face. He doesn’t like making unnecessary enemies, so it is rare that Slyphh will say anything rude. Though that doesn't mean he won't think it.

> ( + ) Patient: Some things take time, and Slyphh knows it. He's grown to be able to tolerate long waits, along with unpleasant clients and their problems.

> ( = ) Affable: Despite his emotional indifference to others, Slyphh is pretty easy to talk to. He may not always say much, but he tries to appear welcoming to encourage conversation. Whether or not he's using this trait to his advantage is up to chance.

> ( = ) Aware: Keeps tabs on high-profile cats throughout the town. Notorious for listening in on gossip to be aware of any circulating rumors, he likes to play the role of fly on the wall. Eavesdropping is not beneath him (especially with those gigantic ears of his).

> ( - ) Detached: Doesn’t allow himself to get close to too many cats. Though he has many acquaintances and appears more or less friendly, Slyphh maintains an emotional boundary between himself and others. He does not consider feelings to be a weakness, but instead has yet to find someone he thinks worthy of getting to know him deeply. This, however, leads other cats to believe he is cold-hearted.

> ( - ) Conniving/Manipulative: Being a dealer of information, Slyphh isn't necessarily opposed to setting up things for his own profit or anything else otherwise deemed immoral. This doesn't mean he always has an unethical plan up his sleeves, but the possibility is never overlooked. Gotta get by somehow, right?

> ( - ) Conservative: As an independent cat with a sometimes shady business, Slyphh can be stingy with both intelligence and material things ("sharing is caring" is not a concept this tom connects with). Though he is more than willing to manipulate others, he is reluctant to put anything relating himself into jeopardy.

Habits:

> Staying towards the back of crowds and taverns, etc.

> Staying up late.

Fears:

> Things not coming together how he planned.

> Somehow miscalculating something dire.

> Having his own secrets revealed.

Dreams / Goals:

> To one day live comfortably.

Religion:

> Honestly doesn't feel too strongly about religion.

Sexual Information

> Sexual Orientation: Demisexual.

> Romantic Orientation: Panromantic.

> Current Attractions: n/a.

> Relationship Status: Single.

Relationship Tracker:

Fun Facts

> His client information is private and he won't be sharing.

> Despite many of the other Nott members, Slyphh doesn't actually harbor any ill-will towards their Forn neighbors. Besides thinking it's a stupid prejudice, it would also seclude an entire sub-breed of potential patrons.

> He isn't very strong, physically, and relies on speed to get him out of sticky situations. That being said, if he's in a corner, he will defend himself.

Conditions:

> Mental Health: 100%

> Physical Health: 100%

H I S T O R Y

Family

> Parents:
Cinder | Female | Nott | Deceased.
Wedget | Male | Nott | Astranged.

> Siblings:
Köln | Male | Nott | Astranged.
Figeon | Female | Nott | Astranged.

Backstory

> Birth to Adolescence.

Slyphh was born into a litter of three, accompanied by his sister, Figeon, and Köln, their little brother. His birth was insubstantial, but early on, the one trait that singled him out from the rest was his evident detachment from his siblings. He felt little need to play or wrestle or do anything kittens usually did together, and instead spent much of his kittenhood alone, his mind occupied more with the ways of the world around them. Slyphh often would sit and listen to the talk of his parents and other adults, pretending to play alone while they discussed tensions between their own clan, the Nott, and that of the Forn, their "unruly" neighbors. He found that many spoke ill of the taller sub-breed and, being an inexperienced mind in this prejudiced world, Slyphh never quite understood it.

While Köln and Figeon worked hard embracing the latter months of their kittenhood, their brother soon became a soft-spoken interruption in their parent’s conversations, occasionally asking a particularly well-thought out question that stumped the adults. Unfortunately, being from a lower-class and ignorant family, most of those questions remained unanswered until he discovered it himself. Some months later after the untimely death of his mother, Cinder, Slyphh spent less and less time at home, trying to carve his own way in the world that fascinated him and throwing away the loose ties that bound him to his now dysfunctional family.

> Young Adulthood.

Soon enough, Slyphh was thrown headfirst into the Nott society, picking up many life lessons from observing those around him. But, soon finally running out of the meager rations and schillings he had so long saved up, Slyphh found himself in a desperate situation. It was only by someone else's misfortune that the young feline survived. Slyphh had been slowly learning bits of magic that he had picked up here and there and practiced minor enchantments in the forested area outside his native village. He wasn't very good at it, having had to teach himself with little other guidance, but he was adamant to teach himself something. It was a pastime that at the very least got his mind off of the nagging hunger pains that now plagued him. And heck, maybe he'd be able to learn some kind of neat trick people would pay money to watch, since he had little else to offer.

But it was one particular day of practice that he stumbled upon something he shouldn't have seen. Wandering through the bowed trees in search of an adequate practicing place, Slyphh's large ears perked up, picking up on the muffled murmuring of a pair of cats some distance away. He couldn't help but slow to a stop to listen further and eventually creep towards the source of the dialogue. Peering out behind a curtain of underbrush, Slyphh witnessed a dreadful scene unfold before him. A Forn and Nott were arguing fiercely over something, of which it took him a moment to ascertain. The Nott held a hand-crafted necklace in one paw while the other male was clutching onto a feather, both objects seemingly out of place. But the discourse made it clear what had happened – both toms were planning on presenting their offerings to the same chosen female. Though it ultimately would be up to her to decide between them, tensions were growing high, especially after a few discriminatory phrases were exchanged. With hackles raised and claws unsheathed, the two felines suddenly launched at each other. The frightened young tom hiding out in the bushes couldn't bring himself to act until finally one of them was victorious – the Forn. The taller cat trembled as he lifted himself from the ground, the crumpled body of the other male lying still before him in the disheveled grass.
"...Y-you killed him!" Slyphh's soft voice shrieked before he could stop himself. The Forn, himself shaken from what he had just done, whipped around to face the newcomer who had appeared from the bushes.
"I-I didn't mean to!" the words tumbled out as the Forn backed away from the body, dropping the prized feather he had fought for.
"You're not supposed to be here!" Slyphh hissed, finding himself using words reminiscent of his parents. "This is Nott land! I...I can get you arrested!" He had never even spoken to one of the guards that protected his village, but the threat suddenly came to him in his panicked frenzy.
"No! Please! I'll do anything you want – give you anything you want!" the Forn pleaded. "Just please, don't tell a soul!"
"...Anything?"

> Maturity and Occupation.

Misfortune soon became one of many modes of profit for the young cat. Whether it was a cover-up, information gathering, or blackmail, Slyphh became adept at distributing and soliciting all sorts of intel, directly profitable or not. The spoken word from unsuspecting individuals was a potential goldmine, both for him and patrons willing to pay to discover other cats’ secrets. Though not technically a legal business, Slyphh’s reputation grew among the low-whispered discussions of revenge and pining curiosity. He didn’t ask his clients any prying questions – nor did he need to. Body language and behavior became answer enough and soon he had dirt on them as well, though his self-made standards prevented him from spreading those rumors around. It would be bad for business if he did that all willy-nilly. No, the tom quickly picked up the street rules on how to survive in the shady trade market and he didn’t intend to jeopardize himself any time soon.

With all the recent hubbub around and within Avens Warren, Slyphh, like many others, seek solace within the walls of HighVale. Rumors are abound as cats panic about what is to happen to their kingdom. Though he has heard many theories on the subject, Slyphh resigns to his own careful conclusions and patiently awaits what the future has in store for them all.

R O L E P L A Y I N G

Roleplay Availability

> Notes: Always!

> Forum: Rarely.

> Chats: Maybe.

> Skype: Maybe.

> Comments: Never.

Literacy Availability

> Lvl 1: Preferably not, but possible.

> Lvl 2: Definitely!

> Lvl 3: Maybe occasionally.

> Lvl 4: That's a bit much for me :"D

Time Zone: Alaska (UTC -09:00)

Roleplay Sample:
[From KrosFox | Näyl ] (Typical Lvl. 2 Literacy)
Gingerly, the little fox approached the sediment. Though it seemed solid, the compacted material still lay a centimeter or two beneath the water's surface. Näyl dipped a hesitant paw in the liquid, resting it on the sediment. Shifting her body weight to test it, she turned back to Mao.

"I think it's stable enough… I've actually never gone this exact way before" she admitted, her attention still on him. "But I think we can use it as a bridge to get to the other side."

As she spoke, she began to walk across it, though the grimy water felt unpleasant to her paws. The vixen was just beginning to nod to Mao invitingly when the bridge beneath her gave way, crumbling away into gravel as she lost her balance, tumbling head first into the murky water below. As her body became submerged, the little fox immediately began to panic, splashing and thrashing about until finally her head reached the surface again. Näyl reached out towards the makeshift bridge with her paws, but it still wasn't as stable as she had thought, and once again it began to collapse beneath her weight. She called out to Mao in desperation, hoping he'd somehow be able to help.

----

[From CatsOfTheForgotten | Sleetshadow (who is now Slyphh) ] (Typical Lvl. 3 Literacy, nearly Lvl. 4)
Trotting across the snowy landscape, the Raggedclan deputy stuck out like a sore thumb, his dark fur illuminated well against the white backdrop. The situation could definitely have had been better, and with the weather the way it was, it seemed, for the moment, that things were just going to get worse. Sleetshadow had only just been appointed to the title of deputy not too long before and so far the rank was barely more than a figurehead. There was only so much one could do to fight off against the unrelenting chill of Leafbare and the unforgiving ferocity of the storms, the two working together in this time of discord and uncertainty to pick the remaining clan cats off. Already, many important cats had met their deaths to various mysterious means and had to be replaced. In a way, it seemed almost futile. After all, how could one combat nature?

But it wasn’t as if the clans hadn’t dealt with a rough Leafbare before. If it hadn’t been for such a deep sense of foreboding in the very air, it seemed, the situation might have been a touch easier to endure. But clan rivalries and tensions were in a particularly precarious position – one that seemed close to a breaking point, only needing one tiny catalyst to set things off. The desperation in which each group of cats was in currently was only adding fuel to the proverbial fire, and the betrayal their new leader had shown to her previous clan was nowhere closer to aiding their relationship with Tornclan than the bitter chill that swept through them all.

Despite this, however, things had to go on, at least on the surface. Someone had to keep everyone together. Panic had not broken out just yet and, for the moment, everyone had gone about their duties obediently, though with a tangible feeling of compliant resignation. So, though he sustained a mixture of feelings about his status in the clan, Sleetshadow carried on as well, focusing on things that needed to be done to keep his clan mates alive. Feeling less distracted and able to think better when alone – and because many of the warriors spent the majority of their time hunting now – the tom was patrolling the Raggedclan border, scent-marking as necessary. He loathed being caught unawares and felt especially vulnerable now during this time of precariousness. The dawn patrol had returned to the camp a while ago, but Sleetshadow felt the need to double-check, to put himself, at the very least, at ease.

As the frigid snow and ice edged away and relented to frozen dirt and dying grass, the feline paused and looked out across the edge of Tornclan territory, watching for signs of any movement. For now, his eyes were met with none and he took a moment to give his short fur a vigorous shake in an attempt to warm his chilled muscles. The movement did little though and the lithe tom continued his patrol, gaze focused on the neighboring territory. It was only when he stepped on a particularly brittle stick that he lost his concentration, the loud snap sending his ears and fur up in alarm. Glancing down at the broken stick beneath him, he muttered under his breath and padded onward, wary now of his paw steps and the close proximity he was with the border both. There was a sharp bend in front of him where the steep cliffs ended abruptly and met the rocky dirt beneath. Sleetshadow rounded the corner, feeling himself tense up out of habit – it was a blind turn and for all he knew, there could be an enemy waiting on the other side of it. And to his surprise, though he had consciously stifled his nerves, there was indeed another cat sitting not a fox length ahead of him. The deputy braced himself only momentarily til he caught the familiar scent of his own clan drifting from the stranger and sighing inwardly, Sleetshadow stopped his advance.

“Ah, good morning,” the tom mewed hastily, raising his tail in greeting and trying to make it seem like he had not been taken by surprise by her presence. The deputy caught her glare and narrowed his own eyes a bit in response, though more out of confusion than anything else. “Is something…wrong?"