Ocelot listened to Kallista, she hadn't spoken her name but she told her story. He gave a soft nod and looked to Rast before looking back to the other feline.

"Thank you for your story. Why are you alone now? In times like these, you need someone who you can trust, someone who you can rely on. You need someone who will protect you....or...someone who will risk everything to get revenge for you."

Ocelot looked to Rast once mroe, his claws sliding out for a moment before slowly sheathing them again. He closed his eyes, calming himself down for a moment then looked to the other feline and spoke once more.

"My point is, in times like these you shouldn't be alone. What is you name? We may be able to help each other but only if we trust each other....and I understand that when you've lost and eye trusting can be hard. You can feel weak, vulnerable, maybe even useless but I can say for sure that none of that is true. As long as you have support, you can adapt. That, I promise."

He looked to Rast one last time, he didn't need to hear it from her. He could just understand how that must feel. He sighed and finally looked to the other feline again.

@Kallista @Rast

Speech Here
Thoughts Here

As this stranger relayed sympathy toward the cub, she could sympathy of her own building up. It did not matter that she had been blinded and this stranger had not. They shared a similar pain, one that others could not comprehend unless they have felt it to. They had both lost something crucial that would change them, though in slightly different ways. It was a pain that she would only wish upon the evil creature that had done this to her.

Ocelot spoke before she could. Yes, why is she alone? The young snow leopard listened as her companion continued to speak the hardships that came with such damage to ones self. How does he know? The thought was almost bitter, but she tried to bite back that feeling. Ocelot was doing his best to help her in her time of need.

"Does it get better?" She blurted, standing suddenly. Rast needed to know if she would ever feel happiness they way she used to. "Do the nightmares stop?" Desperation was creeping into her voice now.

Ocelot spoke of adapting, but it almost felt impossible. While Rast wasn't totally hopeless, she still felt as if her suffering may be endless. She felt that the aches in her wounds would remain there forever as a reminder of that brutal time.

@kallista @ocelot

"Speech."

Kallista felt her fur start to bristle at Ocelot's words. She tried to keep it down, but it only got worse the more he spoke. She thought of Todd, how he had sworn he would protect her and find the one who had hurt her. She closed her eye briefly, overwhelmed with how much she missed the fox.

When she opened it again, it was narrowed and her gaze aimed directly at Ocelot. "I do not need someone to rely on." Her voice was cold. "I have relied on myself for many, many cycles and it has served me well. Anytime I trust someone, they either leave or...betray me." She scowled at the last part, thinking of Li.

Rast spoke at that moment, and she turned to her, gaze immediately softening. "It does get better. The nightmares will stop and you will begin to truly heal." Her voice this time was much lighter, gentle. She didn't mention how long it would take to heal, however - it was something that had taken her many cycles. But hopefully, with someone to guide her, it wouldn't last as long.

But as Ocelot spoke again, she paused, gaze turning back to him as she flicked her tail. "My name is Kallista. And I am neither weak nor vulnerable." Her voice had hardened once more.

@Ocelot @Rast

Ocelot listened to Kal, and he felt so sorry for her. He was happy about the answer she gave Rast though. Hopefully, with his help the nightmares would go soon.

”I am so sorry to hear that. It seems you trusted the wrong people, but we won’t betray that trust and we certainly won’t abandon you, I promise. I didn’t mean you were weak or vulnerable but what I meant is that I can understand if you felt that way and that if you did, then please let me say that you’re not.”

He looked over to Rast and gently licked her ear.

”Just wait here. Don’t worry, I’m not leaving you.”

His voice was caring as smooth. He slowly looked back to Kal and bit by bit walked towards her. His claws were sheathed and his head lowered.

”We won’t harm you, trust in us. You could come with us, we can help you, you could help her. Please, at the very least, consider it.”

If she allowed him to get close, he would sit next to her calmly, no intent in his body.

@Rast

Speech Here
Thoughts Here

The nightmares will stop and you will begin to truly heal.

The idea of being able to truly heal gave Rast an increased feeling of hope. The now named Kallista had first hand experience of this situation. Because of this clear display of experience, Rast could understand why the other gembound got defensive. No one would want to be assumed to be weak when they had conquered such a tragic trial. It did make her sad to think that Kallista had been left alone. Rast couldn't imagine being left alone for cycles on cycles. The snow leopard wanted to help her feel togetherness again.

After Ocelot apologized, he rose to move away from her. For a moment, she tensed. But was quickly soothed by the quick lick delivered to her ear. The action had quickly become more of a comfort to her than anything else. It's a way she knew she was safe and that everything was okay. She was able to sit down and relax a bit more.

"We are going to find a safe home! Even if you don't want to stay with us forever, you could just walk with us for a while." Her voice was hopeful. Kallista sounded like a wise creature. Surely she would have more tales to tell and encouraging words.

@kallista @ocelot

"Speech." Kallista didn't say anything for the moment. She simply watched Ocelot, eye narrowed as he licked Rast's ear and then began walking toward her. She stiffened again, eye narrowing even further, but didn't move. When he was in front of her, she raised her head slightly, loosening so she wasn't as tense.

Slowly, she shook her head. "I've lived alone for too long. I can't...I couldn't live with someone else. Besides," she allowed a small smile though it was partially forced, "you two have each other. You don't need me."

She glanced over at Rast as she spoke. Perhaps she could stick around for a little while...It had been so long since she had last spoken to someone. She could feel a part of her longing for it, and found herself hesitate the slightest bit. "I...suppose I can stick around for a little while, though."

@Ocelot @Rast

Ocelot listened to Kal speak and he closed his eyes, he let out a soft sigh before opening them again. Slowly he leaned in and gave her a small lick on the ear. This was a lick of comfort. It was different for her than it was for Rast. It didn’t held the intense feeling he had for Rast.

”You’re lucky I have to protect Rast right now, otherwise I wouldn’t take no for an answer. When someone is of need of help, you help them. When someone needs you to be there for them, you do it. Right now, Rast needs me to, but I will find you again. I won’t give up on you. I want to show you how to believe someone again. I want to help you and when I come back I’m not taking a no for an answer. Kallista, I’m sorry for everything that has happened. I’m sorry you were alone for so long. I’m sorry it took this long for someone like me to find you and help you. Kallista, I’m sorry that I won’t take no for an answer. I will help you, we may have each other but you have nobody and that isn’t fair. I won’t allow it. Kallista, I promise I will help you and so far I’ve never broken a single promise and I don’t plan to start.”

With that long speech, he got himself up and went back to Rast. He gave her the more affectionate lick to the ear then looked back to Kal.

@Kallista @Rast

Speech Here
Thoughts Here

"Speech." Kallista blinked in surprise at the feeling of Ocelot licking her ear. She looked at him, an expression of clear confusion on her face. But deep within, she could feel that yearning she had felt not long before. She closed her eye again as Ocelot began to speak.

The words, the promises, soon became too much and she began to feel overwhelmed. She opened her eye and struggled to come up with something to say. Finally, she settled on the one thing she could count on.

"'So far'? Don't worry, you're still young." She smirked, trying to relieve some of the pressure that had started to build up within her at Ocelot's words. She watched as he walked back over to Rast and gave her an affectionate lick on her ear.

She hesitated as she watched them. Then, seemingly of its own accord, she found herself starting to speak. "I used to have someone." The confession was enough to make her pause. But it had already been said and done, she may as well continue with it. "He'd been injured before I had. Nothing as drastic as losing an eye, but it left him in pain for a while. After I found him, I stayed by his side. I helped him. We...went on a search for spells together." She smiled at the thought of him and closed her eye for a moment.

"A few cycles later, I got into a battle and lost my eye." Her smile disappeared. "I felt so lost and alone. And then...he found me. He stayed by my side. He...he swore he would go after the one who had hurt me." She smiled again, though it was sad this time. She let out a quiet chuckle and shook her head lightly. "I never let him, though. The one who attacked me...They had fire magic and knew what they were doing. They'd only do worse to him, and I wouldn't let that happen. We had both made a promise to protect each other.

"But...I failed. I lost sight of him - I don't know how, I don't know when, I don't know where. All I know is he's gone. It's been cycles since I last saw him. I'd give anything to see his silver and black fur, and to hear the sound of his gem against the ground..." She looked down, struggling to keep herself intact in front of the others as memories and thoughts of Todd washed over her.

@Ocelot @Rast

Rast was pleased when Kallista agreed to wonder the passage for a while. It would be nice to have more company. Ocelot was great company of course! But sometimes it really is the more the merrier. Part of her understood her hesitance to live with another, especially having lived alone for so long. But perhaps whenever they find their home, Kallista could visit. Rast was about to bring up the idea when Ocelot spoke, his tone suddenly even more serious.

She admired his need to help mend the broken. Kallista, just like Rast, seemed to be hurting. The snow leopard could hear it in her voice. They shared two different kinds of hurt but it could still be fixed. Rast's heart also swelled with the dedication Ocelot had to her care. It was still surprising that he could care so deeply for her, even in her current state. The appreciation caused her to purr quietly as Ocelot came back to her side.

There was a moment of silence between all of them. It was swiftly broken by Kallista's voice this time. She sat quietly, the images Kallista painted with her words were vivid. While she had no idea what Kallista, or her lost love Todd, looked like, she could see them as abstractions. A form of hope and happiness that danced together only to go dark when one was gone. It made her heart ache and even though she could not see Kallistas face, she knew that there must be an expression of sadness or pain on her face.

"I can't imagine..." She hung her head for a moment, "I can't imagine going through everything just to lose track of the one you cared so deeply for. And I don't think you failed. Losing track of something doesn't mean it is lost forever. You can find him again one day, if it is meant to happen... it will." Rast tilted her head, trying to look in Kallistas direction. Her story was sad, but it still had a chance for a happy ending. "Maybe when I am better, Ocelot can help you look for your Todd." She added hopefully.

@ocelot @kallista

Ocelot hung his head as he heard Kal’s story. It was so sad, luckily Rast took the words right out of his mouth.

“You never failed. You only fail if you give up hope. As soon as we find Shelter, I’ll help you too. We will find him together and if we can’t, then I’ll be there for you. I’ll be there for the both of you.”

He looked to Rast then he looked to Kallista. A sudden realisation hit him. With him being distracted and protective of Rast and everything afterwards, he completely forgot to be her eyes. He was a fool.

”Rast, I can’t believe I forgot, but I haven’t even told you what Kallista looks like yet, have I? I’m sorry, call me a fool. I’m still getting used to this. Kallista’s fur colour is uuh.. a dusty dark with creamy white patches. She’s a feline like us. Her eye is amber. She has some dark gray on her body and dark stripes on her legs. She has a white tail with really dark lines and a black tail tip. She has spots and stripes like me and a dark grey nose. She has a small head and short legs with a very long tail. She has a narrow face with a dark spot on her forehead going down to her nose. She has a greyish brown gem on her left flank. It is... it is her left eye that she lost. Despite that missing eye though, she is just like you Rast. She’s pretty no matter what and if people can’t see that then they’re the blind ones.”

He sighed after his long explanation. He hoped Rast had a good image now and forgave him for almost forgetting.

@Kallista @Rast

Speech Here
Thoughts Here