Post by :c a i: on Jul 16, 2010 6:07:39 GMT -6
With some surprise, Tigerheart's eyes flickered over to the source of a voice. A rather harsh voice. A rather harsh, familiar voice. Turning around and stopping, despite the fact that Ashstar was already signalling the move, he paused to take in the cat who was willing to speak to the ThunderClan patrol. As he took in the cream-and-brown fur and the sharp blue eyes, he let out a tiny sigh. Of course it would be Doveclaw. Who else would come charging up and fling orders around in that snippy tone?
Looking her straight back in the eye, amber meeting blue, Tigerheart let a cold pause stretch out before he nodded curtly, the only sign that he had taken Doveclaw's words at all. It did not matter that their first meeting, only a couple of short days ago, was amicable. Here and now, Tigerheart was ThunderClan and Doveclaw was WindClan. There could be no easy relationship.
"You would hold one warrior responsible for a whole Clan's actions?" Tigerheart's voice was distinctly sharper than it had been when he had jested with the fiery she-cat on ThunderClan's territory. It was different now; this was no silly border meeting. It was tense diplomacy, and the futures of two young cats. With a half glance towards his departing patrol, Tigerheart gave Doveclaw a last, heated look, fired up by her implication that his Clan would ill treat the kits.
"We take care of our own." Tigerheart finally said, his voice tightly controlled. "These kits will be looked after. Goodbye, Doveclaw." He did not nod in farewell, leaving Doveclaw only with one of his characteristic burning gazes, swiftly rejoining his group before any more was said. Once he reached them, it became apparent that his exchange with the WindClan she-cat had not gone unnoticed. With a brief, sidelong glance at Mottledleaf, Tigerheart paused before replying.
"She's no-one." Tigerheart said. But despite these words, he recovered composure and felt irritated that 'no-one' had managed to affect him at all.