Wild Rye Fields Trading air

For a second Cottongrass thought he had gotten away with it. That yeah, he did just go and make friends with the neighbours! Their name was Aytigin Delaney and they made Cottongrass feel one big messy clump of emotions that he probably wasn't going to touch for the rest of his days. But Askan didn't need to know that and they were just having a regular conversation. It was sort of like they were just two friends catching up after barely talking for a month.

"Yeah!" He chirped, tail wagging away behind him when Askan asked if he was serious. And at first he didn't think too much about the way his friend snorted or shook his head in disbelief because that was sort of like Askan's default reaction. But then the male had to keep on talking and that was when Cottongrass froze. When the smile on his face dropped and his tail's usual eager wag stopped. Because he didn't know what a twat was, but the way Askan said it made it sound like a bad thing.

"Aytigin?" He finally asked, head cocked while he studied the angular features of his friend. Because maybe Askan misheard him or something, thought that Cottongrass was talking about someone else when he actually wasn't. He was pretty sure that there was no way Aytigin was... Whatever Askan said he was. The River wolf was so nice and friendly, and it wasn't just puffery.

(This post was last modified: May 31, 2017, 10:09 PM by Cottongrass.)

Why did he keep saying his name? Askan wanted to tell him to stop that, or at the very least that it was a taboo word they weren't allowed to use around here. And yet, why did Cotton seem so confused? For all of his perks, Cotton wasn't perfect by any stretch of the word. Don't get Askan wrong, he was a good kid, nice enough to be around. But Gods above he needed to use his brain more than he was, because the way things were now it seemed as though he was just chugging along as blind as could be.

Askan scoffed and shook his head. Cotton probably didn't know any better, couldn't see how lecherous he was. But damn, Askan felt protective over this ball of white fluff, no one deserved to be harassed like that and certainly not Cotton.

"Yeah....Him." Askan rumbled, derisively, as though just acknowledging his name was like a kick to the gut.

What was he supposed to say? It wasn't Askan's job to lecture him, or tell him who he could and couldn't spend his time with. But come on, did it have to be him? Could it be any worse? Maybe? Probably...Yes, now that he thought about it, it probably could. But he didn't want to linger too long, lest those fears became a reality. Knowing his shitty luck they would, so he bit his tongue and said nothing on that matter and instead moved on.

"I don't like him." He stated, though that much was obvious by that point. He'd always worn his heart on his sleeve, and now was no exception to that rule."What do you like about him?" Askan squinted, suddenly suspicious.

Askan's dislike for Aytigin had never before been so clear than it was in that moment. But Cottongrass didn't think it made whatever was happening any more understandable. Because what was wrong with Ayti? Literally nothing! And maybe he was being smitten like some spoiled kid determined to get his way. Or that he was being unfair to Askan. But Cottongrass found that he didn't care in that moment. Especially when the Selwyn before him squinted and asked questions in that tone of voice.

"'Cause he's my friend." Cottongrass said like it was as obvious and understandable as could be. Like it didn't need any more explaining. And truthfully it was because Cottongrass himself didn't fully understand what made the other wolf so likable but whatever it was worked. The term friend was plenty flexible and it seemed like the most fitting label he had for the male. So what was wrong with using it on Aytigin? He thought it would have been a good enough reason for Askan but maybe it wasn't anymore.

"He's really nice and friendly, all the time." And that was the truth. Aytigin was good at giving compliments and even better as listening to the stupid suggestions Cottongrass made half-knowing nobody would ever agree with him. It might not have been the most eloquent way of saying that but he stood by it at the end of the day. It worked for Cottongrass. And he could feel himself growing defensive for reaons he didn't fully understand. His stance widened and somewhere behind him his tail kept on giving an indignant wag.

He wasn't ready to fight over this. Would probably roll over and submit while squealing like a puppy having a temper tantrum if Askan made any moves in that moment. But Aytigin was his friend and he wasn't going to stand by and let the male get back-talked. He would do the same for Askan if the sides were flipped without hesitation. They were all friends!

Or should have been, Cottongrass thought. But wisely he made himself shut up before he got bit.

Last post from me, sorry its meh

Askan was anything but convinced.

Sure, Cottongrass might like him more than enough to look past his-staggeringly- numerous faults but Askan most definitely wasn't. And really, was being friendly all that it took? That someone could smile at him and Cotton was immediately deem them a friend? If that was the case then it made what they had feel brittle and diminished, like it wasn't worth as much. Askan didn't have many friends, but he liked to think that he mattered to them. That he meant something to them and was more than just ghost drifting by.

Cotton didn't mean it like that, even Askan knew it, but it was hard not to feel at least a little wounded.

Considering all the pain and shit he'd been through, this in comparison was easy to stomach. Like a pin prick. But still it hurt and he wanted it to stop. Askan wasn't going to fight or even argue over this. That scumbag wasn't worth his time and honestly, Cotton didn't deserve his ire. He was going to drop this, like a rock to the bottom of a lake. Without any flourish or drama, the Selwyn merely shrugged.

"All right. You want to go look for owls? They should be waking up around about now." Askan suggested, knowing full well the fluff ball had an odd fascination with the birds of prey. It was the least he could do really, a show of solidarity. However, he felt about that damned River wolf had nothing to do with their friendship. Or so he had to remind himself.

A part of Cottongrass couldn't help but want to keep being upset. Because he never had friends growing up and now that he had some, like hell was he going to let them get treated with anything less than respect. He would've done the same thing for Askan if anyone tried to talk behind the wolf's back. And he wanted to express his thoughts in a way that would make sense and automatically have everyone becoming friends. But he wasn't good with words and what he wanted wasn't possible. So maybe it was for the best that they drop whatever they were talking about. That while something bad happened between Aytigin and Askan, maybe he couldn't fix it with just some simple words.

He decided it was a job for another day in the distant future.

And it wasn't like he could keep arguing even if his life depended on it. Because Askan brought up owls and just like that Cottongrass was already game. It was sort of unfair the power Askan suddenly held over him. But he didn't mind as a switch was flipped in the back of his head. The kind that had his yellow eyes lighting up and tail wagging away behind him. His worries melted away and his posture relaxed. Because it was like a combination of two of his favorite things! Owls and Askan were the best idea he ever heard and he could barely contain his excitement.

"Yeah!" He chirped, rear wriggling with the strength of his wagging tail. "Lead the way!" And before he could help himself Cottongrass bounded forward, just a few steps before he slowed down to wait for Askan. Because sometimes he didn't understand the older wolf. Didn't get the way his friend's mind worked or what made them do the things they did.

But maybe that was okay...