Dog Chase!

[{ tessa }]

It's very early in the morning when Buckthorn goes out. If it were Green-Leaf, the sun could have been up by now, but since it's Leaf-Bare the sky is dark. He is not part of the dawn patrol today. He has decided that he wants to spend some time alone. It's not that the big tabby minds his Clan-mates. He just would like to enjoy some quiet, so he has decided to hunt. As the moon goes down, he creeps across the moorland. Buckthorn is near the two-leg farms today, so all of his senses are alert. Sometimes at night, the two-legs let the dogs off their leashes. Buckthorn hates dogs, all they do is make noise and cause trouble. Most WindClan cats are trained to avoid them, but they can still be dangerous if you're unaware.

He shakes his head and goes back to hunting. Buckthorn presses himself close to the ground. His pelt is dark, so maybe the night shadows will help him hide. Rabbits don't have great eyesight anyway. It's their ears you have to worry about. Buckthorn prays that his paws aren't making too much noise as he trudges through the snow. If he isn't careful, he could scare off all the pray between here and fourtrees.

Buckthorn likes hunting near the borders, because that gives him an opportunity to keep an eye on things as well. It's sort of like hunting and patroling mixed into one. Usually the border that WindClan shares with the outside world is pretty quiet. The RiverClan border is the one you have to keep a better eye on. But today Buckthorn thinks it couldn't hurt to make sure all the dogs are tied up, and no rogues have wandered onto the territory.

He spots a rabbit nearby and creeps toward it. He tries to make his paws as soft as possible in the snow. Luckily, the creature does not detect him. Not until it's too late, anyway. When it finally startles, Buckthorn is on it in a flash. He wrestles it to the ground and delivers a killing bite as quickly as he can. It is an easy kill. Usually, he's used to chasing rabbits across the moors to catch them. Stealth is rarely useful in WindClan territory, but it worked this time and he's glad.

Buckthorn takes the rabbit to the fencepost and hides it in the tall grass. He steps back and sniffs the air. All seems normal...the scent of dog is in the air, but then the farm is on the other side of the fence, so he isn't alarmed. He peers through, and that's when he sees something that makes his fur bristle. Buckthorn is familiar with the little dens that the two-legs keep their dogs tied to, and the rope that ties them there. But now the ropes lay limply on the ground. The dogs are loose!

[Roxie !]

The cold winter winds whipped over the wide, bare moorlands, stirring up bits of snow as they went. The shadow of a she-cat lurked above, on a hillside. Her icy blue gaze swept over the land, marveling at the transformation it had gone under during Leaf-Bare. She was used to snow, of course, but she wasn't used to seeing so much of it almost at once. Because in the moorlands, you could see forever and ever...or at least, it felt this way. The golden-brown tip of her tail twitched as she sat, idly curious. It was awful quiet out here...she would have thought Clan territory to be a bit more exciting. Those Clan-cats were hardly humble, after all, and they defended their territory with such fervent hostility that you would have expected them to be guarding something grand and exotic. Well, it was much fuller than BloodClan territory was. That was something.

Juliet wasn't one to invade Clan territory often. She didn't really think it worth her time--though it was fun to see the clan-kitties all shook up. She understood the thrill of causing trouble, especially when your victims had such easily roused tempers. Even so, there was nothing of real interest to her here. She had business to attend to in BloodClan, and her spare time was spent sneaking out to loner territory. She wasn't sure why she still moped around out there, because it wasn't doing anyone any good. Even if she spotted her sister, she'd never be able to approach her. Juliet narrowed her eyes and let out a weary sigh. She couldn't begin to think about all of that, though. If she did, she knew she'd become lost in thought for hours.

She had been wandering the mazes of loner barns last night, though. And she knew very well when morning fell she'd have to return to BloodClan--her prison. The sun would be rising in about an hour, if not less, and Juliet knew she'd have to start heading back. But when she happened to cast a glance toward the Clan border, she couldn't help but feel a wave of sudden curiousity. It was a pull that she couldn't really explain...she hadn't been into Clan territory in a long time, and anything was better than heading back. So, here she was, without any clue in the world as to why she was standing upon this hill in--did this Clan call themselves WindClan?--territory. But Juliet knew that her clanmates could not critisize her if they found her here. After all, they took much more pleasure in invasions than she did. So maybe this was a safer place to escape to.

She was hardly worried about WindClan warriors finding her. She could easily talk her way out of any situations...or fight her way out, if it came to that. As twisted as it seemed, Juliet almost hoped to be caught. At least then she'd have someone who had some form of morals to talk to. Though she could hardly complain about her clanmates not having morals, she knew. Some of the things she'd done in the past had been the very opposite of noble, but she wasn't about to let guilt overtake her now.

The little tabby wound her way around the wooden farm fences, and then jumped up to balance on one of their posts. She found it odd that WindClan had chosen a home so close to the farm; she'd always figured that they hated two-legs. Juliet wasn't their biggest fan either, but being a BloodClan alley cat, she was somewhat used to them. They were clumsy and easy enough to avoid, if you knew the right tricks. She wasn't so sure about these farm two-legs, though. What was the point of them living out here, keeping these animals? Was it some sort of game? She supposed she'd never understand, and shrugged it off.

A sudden crash shatterted the silence, and before Juliet could even comprehend the sound or the shaking of the fence accompanying it, she was knocked off of the fence by the abrupt blow. Her body twisted around in the air and she landed on her feet in the snow, her pelt standing on end. Her sapphire eyes shot up to the fence where she'd previously stood, and then widened in shock. A...a dog had thrown its weight against the wood, and that had been what knocked her off. A big, black dog with snarling jaws and long teeth...and it wasn't alone. As soon as it's loud, vicious barking started up, a similar sound answered it. The dog had friends. And they were coming toward her fast. The BloodClan deputy could only gape in shock.

What in the world...?

She did the only thing she could do. She whipped around, and ran for her life. Some BloodClan cats had been said to kill dogs and wear their teeth on their collars, and while her Clan encouraged this story's circulation to induce fear in outsiders, Juliet knew that most of the time they'd only found the teeth, or taken them from dead dogs. She also knew that she'd be know match for the dogs following her--it sounded like there were about three of them now. She picked up the pace, barely even paying attention to where she was going. All she knew was that she had to get away...and she couldn't look back.

[{ tessa }]

Buckthorn's fur bristles as he prowls the length of the fence. His amber eyes are fixed on the farmyard. Where have the dogs gone? Didn't the two-legs usually tie them up by now? I have to go back and warn the Clan not to patrol around here until later. He thinks grimly. And he'll have to hurry. He turns around and starts to bound across the hills towards his camp. But then two things happen at the same time. The first is that Buckthorn hears the loud barking of dogs. He tenses and whips around. He knows that frantic sound. It means that the dogs are chasing something...or someone. But he can't see them anywhere, so they can't be chasing him. But then, who?

The second thing is that the winds shift. Buckthorn sniffs, and indeed smells dog. But he also smells the fearscent of a cat. The winds are too faint to detect a Clan, but it sends a chill through his spine anyway. Someone is in trouble. However much he wants to get back to his Clan, he can't leave some cat out here to fend for itself against the terrible creatures. It could even be a wandering apprentice from his own Clan. Buckthorn tries to pinpoint the noise. Once he is pretty sure that he has, he turns and races in that direction. Running TOWARDS dogs? I must be crazy.

He knows the territory well, and it isn't long before he sees them. Three black dogs are in pursuit of a little tabby that he does not recognize. She must be a loner that has wandered onto WindClan territory. No time to rebuke her now. She looks desperate to get away, so fast that he can barely see her feet. If the dogs gain on her, Buckthorn doesn't even want to imagine what will happen. He charges forward, trying to head the dogs off, and he gets there just in time.

Quick as a flash, the big tabby rakes his claws across the lead dog's side. It turns to snap at him, but Buckthorn springs away quickly. He hopes he has slowed them down, but there is no time to check. He bounds forward to try and catch up to the she-cat. It's hard, because she's gotten a head start. But Buckthorn is of WindClan, and he was born for speed.

Once he is a few yards away from her, he calls out to get her attention. "Hey you! This way!" he yells, turning around and heading west. He knows that near the edge of the moors is one of the rare few trees you can find on WindClan territory. It's the only place for them to hide. Buckthorn turns back, hoping that she's following. "Please! You need to follow me!"

[Roxie !]

The moorland around her was all an unfamiliar blur. Juliet had no idea where she was going, but she decided that she'd worried about that once those dogs were off her tail. But how long would that take? These canines were persistent; and sure she was faster than they were, but how long would she have to keep this up? She was no WindClan warrior, and her legs weren't built for sweeping these hills. The deputy was still determined not to look back, but she could hear the barking of the dogs getting louder behind her. What distance, she wondered, stood between them now? A fox-length? Perhaps less? She narrowed her eyes in utter frustration. How she'd have liked to turn around and take these slobbering creatures head on...but of course, she knew that such an act would be nothing short of suicidal.

She was veering past brush and light shrubbery, and it all looked the same. Would she become lost, on top of everything else? Juliet's head spun, and she almost stumbled, but then something completely unexpected happened. She didn't see what happened, for her blue gaze was still fixed firmly head of her, but judging by a surprised half-yelp that one of the dogs gave, something had hindered them. Before she could even think to fight off her curiousity, Juliet cast a glance over her shoulder. And there, only yards behind her, a flash of dark tabby fur streaked away from the leading dog. The dogs, in turn, had definately slowed in their confusion. It was a good thing, too--her hesitation might have otherwise cost her her life. All that the BloodClan deputy could do was gape dumbly at the scene unfolding for what seemed like hours, but in reality was only a few seconds. Then her instincts kicked into gear, sharp as thorns. Idiot! What are you doing? Wasting no more time, she took off running again.

This time, her ears twisted back, and she became aware of more than just the hounds pursuing her. Whoever had just saved her life(for she presumed it to be a cat) was now tearing after her as well. The mouse-brain! What was he still doing here? Trying to chase her off his territory, even now? Or worse, did he think she couldn't take care of herself? You're lucky he came when he did, though. A voice nagged her, but she ignored it stubbornly. Juliet cast a furious glare over her shoulder, sizing up the big tabby warrior as best she could under the rushed circumstances. She opened her mouth, about to rebuke him, but he spoke first. Juliet blinked. Did he really want her to...follow him?

That was the most numb-skulled thing she'd ever heard. Why would she follow him? She couldn't trust him--couldn't trust anyone. It was just the way life was. And what would he care for her? This was probably some sort of trap; who knew what sort of thoughts ran through these clan-cats' heads? Juliet was used to the independent viciousness of BloodClan life. Someone actually trying to help her was a foreign concept. And yet...it was either follow this stranger, or be left alone to deal with the dogs by herself. And who knew how long she could outrun them? Her options were limited, and at this point she was pretty desperate to end everything. At least if she followed him and he became a problem, she could deal with him--provided they were well away from the canines. Juliet gritted her teeth, her common sense conflicting with her stubborn hold on her independence. And then, making a decision and knowing she'd curse herself later, she veered away from her winding route and made to follow the unknown tom.

I sure hope he knows what he's doing. She thought bitterly, her tan ears flattening against her head as if she hoped to block out the dogs' barking altogether. It just felt so wrong trusting someone else with her life, because that was essentially what she was doing. As she actually acknowledged this thought, a light of slight panic flickered in Juliet's eyes. She had to look out for herself; she could rely on no one. And so, not to be outdone, she quickened her pace and called out to the tabby tom. "Alright fight-club, and where exactly are we going?" Her yowl carried on the wind, but faltered slightly--a half-hearted attempt to regain some control over this quickly tangling situation.

[{ tessa }]

Buckthorn's ears tilt back to listen to the she-cat. She doesn't sound too relieved to see him. Figures. Well, at least he's gotten her attention and she's following him now. Buckthorn wouldn't have fancied sticking around any longer with those dogs on their tail. Speaking of the dogs, he can still hear them chasing. He mutters a curse under his breath. Of course they choose now, of all times, to be persistent. Usually he has known dogs to have more limited attention spans than this. Buckthorn shrugs it off and carries on across the moor.

He glances back over his shoulder. He can sense the she-cat's anxiety, even though she is clearly trying to hide it. Buckthorn surpresses a sigh. Some cats are just too stubborn for their own good. "Would you just trust me? We're almost there." He promises her, his paws pounding faster against the earth. This is the truth, and it's a good thing, too. Buckthorn doesn't know how much longer the dogs are willing to chase them, and he certainly does not wish to lead them right into one of his own Clan's patrols. The very thought makes him shiver.

But he can see the tree now. It's looming closer, a ray of hope. He heads straight towards it and looks back at the she-cat again, trying to get her to catch on to what his plan is. I hope she can climb! Buckthorn thinks wryly. Of course he's never met a cat who can't climb before, but he hardly knows where this cat is from. She could be a kittypet, for all he knows. What was she even doing on my territory in the first place? He wonders. but there's no time for interrogation now.

"Climb!" He yowls suddenly, and scales the tree as fast as he can. His claws sink into the bark as he forces himself upward. The tree is small and brush-like with only a few branches, but it will be enough to provide safety...he hopes. He reaches a branch and perches on it. Then he glances down, praying that the she-cat has followed him.

[Roxie !]

Sapphire eyes flashed fiercely at the tabby tom's short reply. Trust you? I don't think so. Juliet thought disdainfully, her teeth bared slightly. The deputy didn't trust anyone--not even anyone from her own Clan(if you could call it that). Sometimes, she'd look at a pair of mates or a mother and her kits, and a tiny part of her would wonder if she was missing out on these bonds other cats seemed to be so addicted to forming. But she never lingered on these thoughts for too long. Her complete lack of trust for everyone around her was what had kept Juliet alive so far. Her former closeness to her sister had faded to the very haziest of her memories; still there, but it was as if a glass wall had cut her off from it. She could see her past in her head, those moments of happiness playing over and over in her mind, but they were so...distant now. But what did that matter?

It made Juliet fully realize what she was doing; exactly how much trust she was placing in this stranger by following him to 'safety'. This was a Clan cat! How could she trust him? It'd almost be safer to try her luck with the dogs. At this thought, the deputy nearly turned and veered away from the WindClan warrior, determined to take care of herself...but then she saw the tree. She would have never guessed that any sort of shrub or tree of any kind would grow in this moorland, but she was hardly going to start complaining about it. As she skidded towards it, Juliet watched the big tabby scale the trunk easily and scramble into the higher branches. She bristled; the last thing she wanted was to spend more time with this warrior, but what choice did she have?

Flashing out her claws, Juliet shot up the tree in a blur. She almost wasn't fast enough. She could feel a rush of a dog's hot breath as it leaped, teeth snapping viciously. She whisked her tail out of the way just in time, and hauled herself onto the branch just below her rescuer. Her own greyish tabby fur was on end, her tail fluffed to three times it's size--the BloodClan she-cat was obviously shaken. She flattened her ears against her head and hissed ferociously at the canines below, who were still leaping up at the cats who had escaped them. They growled and yelped in frustration, and Juliet couldn't bear noise they were making. In disgust, she turned away, hardly even aware that her claws still gripped the tree frantically.

Her tail lashed, and she stared blankly into the sky. Her dark eyes were clouded slightly; it was clear that the BloodClan deputy was going through some sort of interior struggle. Juliet was a proud cat...she detested accepting help from anyone. It was supposed to be every cat for themselves, and what had just happened disrupted the natural balance of her life. What was she supposed to do now? She was in debt to a...a WindClan warrior. The little tabby she-cat almost groaned aloud. She couldn't deal with this right now.

Still, she thought. If realizes I'm from BloodClan, things could get even worse. She doubted these Clan cats knew much about the ways of her own Clan, or who led them--he probably wouldn't recognize her as deputy. Still, her scent could give her away...

Juliet grimaced, then sighed. The dogs seemed to have nearly given up. They were much quieter now, at any rate, and they were starting to wander away. She could still hear sniffing among the roots, but she herself was already beginning to calm down. Better play it nice, for now. She decided. Of course, for Juliet, 'nice' was when she wasn't clawing your ears off. Gazing up at the tom on the branch above her, she narrowed her eyes further.

"What...what'd you do that for? They could have torn you to pieces!" The deputy growled sheepishly.

[{ tessa }]

Buckthorn tenses on the tree branch as the dog leaps up, almost catching the she-cat's tail in its jaws. He relaxes again as she makes it onto the branch. Once he's sure that she's safe, the WindClan warrior turns and surveys the dogs coldly. *How do they expect to catch anything when they make all that noise?* He thinks, his amber eyes narrowed. He watches them fuss for awhile, his patience wearing thin. They get bored soon enough, though, and start to wander off. But Buckthorn isn't taking any chances. It would be best to wait here for a few more minutes, at least.

He looks down at the branch below him, where the cat he has rescued is perched. She looks strangely blank and unresponsive. Buckthorn wonders if it's the shock from the chase, or something else. He's starting to worry a little about her when she finally speaks up. She doesn't sound too happy with him. She demands to know why he saved her, pointing out that he had risked his life by doing so. Buckthorn eyes her quietly. As a warrior, it's his duty to risk his life for his Clan, so he's used to it. This she-cat isn't part of WindClan, that's for sure. But he knows he couldn't have just left her on her own out there. It wouldn't have been right.

"You're welcome." Buckthorn says dryly. If she's going to play the angry card, he'll just get straight to the questions. He doesn't have a clue who this cat is, and her scent is strange and foreign. The tom realizes that he really has no idea why she was here in the first place. He doubts she'll be a threat to his Clan after this, but it's still his duty to investigate. He hops down from his tree branch to hers and faces her warily.

"Who are you, anyway?" He asks her at last, "And what were you doing wandering around? This is WindClan territory, you know."

[Roxie !]

"You're welcome."

Her tail lashed once upon hearing the warrior's deadpan reply, and she rolled her icy gaze skyward in irritation. She now remembered why she hated Clan cats so much. They thought they knew everything, when really they hadn't the faintest idea what it was like having to survive on your own. Juliet scowled; she should've just kept her mouth shut in the first place. But then, she hardly could have hoped to get out of here without a tedious round of questioning. She could just feel it coming, and knew there was no avoiding it. She could, of course, try giving the tom a good cuff over the ears, and then make a run for it, but Juliet knew that that sort of tactic would only make things worse. What was more, it could possibly get her followed. No, she'd have to stay her and talk this out(hopefully making it as quick as possible). Just great.

The BloodClan deputy's mood wasn't improved much by the warrior's further actions. He leaped from his position in the higher branches down to her level, watching her carefully. Her light tabby fur bristled indignantly, and she backed away from the stranger so that she was nearly standing against the trunk of the tree; a clear signal that she wasn't going to start getting buddy-buddy with this WindClan cat any time soon. When the tom finally spoke, voicing the inevitable, Juliet's resentful glare intensified.

She absolutely hated anyone prying even at the best of times, though she supposed that the WindClan warrior was only trying to do his duty. He most likely suspected nothing more of her than of any other stranger he might find on his territory, and Juliet certainly wasn't picking up any of the familiar signals of fear or hatred that Clan cats usually regarded BloodClan with. Even so, she couldn't help tensing immediately upon being questioned, the striped fur along her spine bristling defensively. "What was I doing?" She spat crossly, as if the question was ridiculous. "I was trying to get away from those mouse-brained dogs! I was minding my own business, over there" Juliet flicked her tail to the barns across the moors, where she knew WindClan territory bordered the loner lands. "When those crazy flea-bags came out of nowhere, making enough noise to wake the dead."

Even Juliet was slightly surprised at the ease with which the lie slipped from her mouth, but she didn't think much of it for long. Lying, too, was a part of her life, and it wasn't as if this Clan cat would know different. Even better: she'd avoided the other question regarding who she was, and she hadn't even specified where she came from. With any luck, the tabby tom would assume she was just a loner. Juliet gave her ruffled fur a couple of quick licks, as if to verify her indignance.

"They chased me...here." She continued, softening her tone a bit for two reasons. For one thing, this cat had just saved her life. Juliet supposed that she at least owed him the courtesy of being civil...for now. And for another thing, she needed to appear as innocent as possible. She looked around, her eyes wide, as if only just realizing where she was. "Where...is here, exactly? What's WindClan?" She questioned, returning her gaze to the tabby's. If she didn't seem to know much about the forest Clans, perhaps that would settle his suspicion a bit.

[{ tessa }]

Buckthorn frowns as she backs away from him. Her fur is bristling, and when she speaks she sounds so upset that he almost suspects she might lunge at him. If that happens, Buckthorn knows he'll have to drive her off his territory by force. But he can't blame her for being in shcok. Anyone would be in her situation. He just needs to calm her down. He raises one big paw in the air as if to steady her, and says "Easy," calmly. He isn't sure if she even hears him in her current state, but she seems to at least be regaining control of herself. Buckthorn sighs with the knowledge that she hadn't meant to invade WindClan territory. This is just another loner. She is no threat to him or his Clan, but she's been here long enough. He needs to get her to the borders.

"You're in my Clan's territory." He repeats, looking around at the open moorland. A wind blows past them, and it whistles strangely. It makes the moors seem even more lonely. He can guess how intimidating it must seem for an outsider. Buckthorn softens his gaze and continues to explain. "WindClan is one of the four cat Clans in this forest. We each have our own territory, and we compete for it...that's why we're so wary of strangers." He tells the she-cat.

Buckthorn takes a step forward, trying to keep her calm as he speaks. He looks past her to the farms beyond, and knows he has to get her there. He has his own Clan to return to, after all. "I'm a warrior of WindClan. My name is Buckthorn." He says. Maybe by being open and introducing himself, he can coax the she-cat into telling him her own name. But really, he's just trying to keep her mind off those dogs.

The dogs! He looks below and sees no sign of them. He can't even hear them anymore, so hopefully they have returned to their two-legs. He hates running from something on his own territory. The tom sighs and turns back to the outsider. "I think they're gone. I'll escort you to the borders." He fixes her with a look that tells her not to argue.

[Roxie !]

The tabby she-cat's gaze didn't soften as Buckthorn spoke to her. She was careful not to display any emotion other than wary coldness, however--she couldn't risk giving anything away. Of course she knew of the four forest Clans, all BloodClan cats knew of them and regarded them bitterly. Juliet didn't know much of their traditions, and nor did she want to, but she'd heard of the borders they insisted on setting up between each other in a silly attempt at keeping the peace. She had to refrain from snorting scornfully, and tried to look at least mildly interested. She wasn't exactly sure what this cat wanted to achieve by holding a conversation with her, but before she knew it, he was introducing himself. Buckthorn, he said his name was, and Juliet automatically filed this information away for future reference. The deputy had a habit of taking note of anything another cat told her about themselves, and saving it to use against them later. It simply came naturally; and almost did it without realizing it now.

She supposed that by introducing himself, Buckthorn expected to learn her name in return. Her chilled blue eyes narrowed slightly. She really wasn't in the mood for this sort of thing right now, but she couldn't afford to stir the tom's suspicion any more. He seemed to be buying her act so far, but even the tiniest thing could set him off. "I'm Juliet." The she-cat said shortly, then promptly shut her mouth again. If the WindClan warrior hoped to learn anything more than that about her, he was barking up the wrong tree. Juliet sat down on the branch tensely, and wrapped her tail around her paws. She gazed at Buckthorn searchingly, trying to analyze the tom as he spoke. Honestly, she wasn't picking up anything but earnest good will behind his words. Typical Clan-cat. That's how they get themselves killed. They care more about others than they do themselves. The tabby thought, shaking her head slightly even as she did so.

When Buckthorn told her he'd escort her out of the territory, Juliet felt her hackles raised again. It was clear what he meant by that; if nothing else, the stern look in his amber eyes confirmed it. The BloodClan she-cat met his gaze unflinchingly, an unspoken challenge glittering in her eyes. Irritation was prickling stronger than ever in her paws now, and for a moment she almost thought to argue. But no, this whole time she'd been worrying about invoking suspicion, and if anything, protesting would do just that. This tom wasn't outright stupid, whatever else she thought of him. So instead, Juliet blinked, and when she opened her eyes again, any sign of shadow or threat was gone from her gaze.

"What? You don't trust me?" She asked lightly, her blue eyes widening innocently. She was almost flirting, attempting to confuse the warrior and thus lower is guard, if only slightly. But then, all at once, Juliet shrugged and shifted her gaze, getting to her paws once again. Inside, she was itching to get away from Buckthorn as quickly as possible, and just be alone again, but she remained calm as she leaped down from the tree.

And then, just like that, she was blank and reserved again, as if hitting the ground had stunned her back to serious. Her voice betraying no emotion what-so-ever, Juliet glanced up at the WindClan warrior and flicked her tan striped tail. "Lead the way, then..." She mewed quietly, and then turned to gaze out over the moors.

[{ tessa }]

Buckthorn blinks as Juliet suddenly switches gears. She seems a little flirtatious as she asks if he trusts her, but his only response is a stubborn frown. She doesn't seem more harmful than any other loner prowling around here, but he can't afford to trust her. He has to put his Clan's safety first, and that means making sure Juliet leaves as soon as possible. But the tom doesn't have time to worry about that. This newcomer's mood changes again as she jumps down from the tree. For a moment, Buckthorn almost thinks that she's stupid enough to try and make a run for it. But she doesn't.

He is still surprised by her abrupt changes of tone. *Is she doing that on purpose? Or are all loners this moody?* Buckthorn wonders. Since they border the farmland, WindClan deals with loners regularly. But Buckthorn has never taken the time to actually stop and talk to one. He doesn't let any of confusion show, though. The warrior jumps down after Juliet, landing on his feet as any cat would. Buckthorn stands still and pricks his ears. He is listening for any signs of the dogs, but it doesn't look like they are coming back. He relaxes and gives Juliet a brief nod.

"Let's go." Buckthorn says as he pads past her and into the open plains. He walks quietly through the soft grass, assuming that she is following him. He stops occasionally to sniff the air, and keeps glancing toward the farm. Buckthorn is a calm warrior, and he is usually content to keep quiet. But for some reason, the silence between him and Juliet bothers him, so he turns to her and says: "You live so close to the farm. Haven't the dogs given you trouble before?"

[Roxie !]

The she-cat's eyes never left the WindClan warrior for a moment as he leaped down beside her. The danger had passed, and the adrenaline was clearing, and now her natural instincts as a BloodClan cat were returning. This cat was supposed to be her enemy, even if he himself didn't know it yet. Juliet remained silent, and she sized him up with narrowed eyes, as if she could read his strengths and weaknesses just by looking at him. Buckthorn seemed more concerned with making sure the dogs weren't still around, however, and he brushed past her without so much as noticing her glare. She watched him pad forward, and hesitated to follow him even as he grew confident and satisfied with his territory's safety once more. There was nothing else for it, now. She'd have to let him lead her to the borders--and he'd probably be making sure she wouldn't come back.

Scoffing silently to herself, Juliet at last moved to follow him. She lagged a few paces behind him stubbornly; walking side by side with a Clan cat would be too intimate for her. Buckthorn didn't trust her, she could tell, and she was going to show him that she absolutely didn't want his trust. She allowed her gaze to burn into his back a few seconds longer, and then lowered it to the ground. Mindlessly, the deputy watched her own paws as she walked. She became lost once more in dark thoughts and shadows, and would have been content to retain this moody silence until their trek ended. But of course, Buckthorn wasn't going to allow that to happen.

Juliet wasn't sure what drove Clan cats to talk so much. She hadn't met many of them, but the ones she had run into seemed to never keep their mouths shut. In BloodClan, every cat had their own business to attend to, and no one bothered socializing with each other unless it was absolutely necessary. This concept of small-talk was one she had long forgotten, and she looked at him strangely for it. For a moment, the she-cat considered continuing to sulk and ignoring the question, but at last she let out a relenting sigh. Her gaze switched to the barns rising before them as she considered her answer carefully.

"I live over the hill, a ways over east." She answered vaguely. It wasn't actually a lie. BloodClan was east of here, and she hadn't specified living in a barn. "I don't see much of them there. It was just bad luck I came this far to hunt today." Her story came out smoothly, as if she had spent days memorizing it prior to this. After that, Juliet said nothing more. In fact, she very much intended to remain completely silent for the rest of the trip. But as they walked along, the strangest feeling came over her. Though she'd never in a million years admit it, it was almost nice having someone to talk to like this...even if she continued to insist that said cat annoyed her to no end.

The BloodClan deputy struggled with this sensation for a moment, and at last told herself that she was continueing to converse with the WindClan tom to play the part. She cleared her throat and looked around. "And how to do live here? It seems so exposed and l...empty." Juliet finished quietly, her tone trailing off slightly at the end. Lonely. That was the word she had been about to use. But really, these moors were no more lonely than her life in BloodClan.

Still, she didn't think she would like living here much. The exposure of the open moors made her nervous, and everything seemed so bare. It was almost dream-like. Juliet felt that she could lose herself wandering across these hills...it looked as if they never ended.