A young tom washes.

[Ten]

This, Frozenheart thought, was one of the few good uses his sister had: informing other cats that he could not hear. How was he supposed to tell them himself? He knew various motions and gestures, of course, but not which if any these cats would comprehend. The white tom dropped his gaze to the ground, bitter that they had not yet picked up on so much as his motionless ears, and with an exasperated look, covered his right ear with his paw.

[Gosh]

Frailheart blinked slowly. The white tom was pawing his ear, and it was a couple seconds before she realized he was trying to say something. "Oh," she murmured, realization hitting her. "I'm sorry." She wondered whether the red she-cat had caught the message.

[Darky [Megan]]

"What? ... oh!" Redstream blurted, noting the tom's gestures and Frailheart's apology. She quickly regained her composure and sat upright. "I apologise as well," the she-cat said, fixing her smile back on. "I should've been more attentive. Um ..." Redstream flicked her tail. It occured to her that the cat probably hadn't understood a single word of what had been going on.
He had been nodding and shaking his head in reply to certain questions, though.

She raised a white paw uncertainly, and put it back down again. "Can you understand what we're saying?" she asked. "If so, are you able to speak? It wouldn't be very polite of us to have to refer to you as a nameless cat while we chat."

Inwardly, the red she-cat frowned at herself. That hadn't come out as well as it could've, but what had been said could not be unsaid.

[Ten]

During the pause in which the two she-cats were figuring it out, Frozenheart lifted his head to see if they were getting it. To his displeasure he saw the both of them apologize, as if deafness were something to be sorry about. Although it could be a small bit of a hassle at times, it was a part of who he was. His frown deepened at Redstream's questions and he gave a stiff, reluctant nod to each. They thought they were going to coax him into talking, did they?

[Gosh]

Frailheart hovered awkwardly - in the non-literal sense, of course. 'What should I say now?' she thought. She tried to wave away her uncomfortableness, but she wasn't sure that she had succeeded. 'But it would be rude to run off,' she thought. She sat down and began to groom herself.

[Darky [Megan]]

Redstream could sense the weight of displeasure within the atmosphere and, seized by instinct, felt a sudden urge to liften the mood. What was more, the tom was frowning at her, or rather, what she had just said. At the very least she knew that he understood what they were saying. Why didn't he speak, though? And why didn't he simply tell them, himself, that he was a deaf cat? The red she-cat cast a glance at Frailheart, who seemed to be deep in thought, and then had started grooming herself.

The she-cat turned back to what was on her mind, wondering why Frozenheart had frowned at her questions. It was possible he had mistaken what she was apologising for (and that was not because he was deaf, but rather her earlier ignorance to his deafness) and taken offence.

This issue she addressed, temporarily unaware that her smile had faded and in its place set a slightly determined look, saying, "I hope I haven't caused you any offence. I hadn't seen what was wrong with apologising for my earlier ignorance to signs of your deafness, so please, if possible, do enlighten me."

She hoped this was enough of a response, trying to ignore the nosy side of her who wanted to ask why the tom didn't speak.

[Ten]

That was what she was apologizing for? Frozenheart felt foolish for being so quick to take offense. In fact, he was rather amused with himself and was more amused to see Redstream persist on the matter. His response to her request was a quiet shake of the head and he began to wonder if this would frustrate her.

[Darky [Megan]]

Redstream could almost see the tom thinking, and when he shook his head, she relaxed, and her trademark smile found itself on the she-cat's face once more.

"Well, now we've sorted that little issue out ..." she paused to wonder if this could be considered treading on dangerous ground, but asked anyhow, "I think we would both," she nodded at Frailheart, "still like to know your name, though."

[Ten]

Of course. Frailheart would want to know who saved her, while it seemed Redstream was just trying to be friendly. Frozenheart nodded in agreement, knowing full-well that she wanted a name, not a nod. He saw no reason to speak for such a trivial thing. That was a job for relatives and middlemen.

These she-cats could make up a name for him if they saw fit to do so. He wouldn't mind that. Now if she wanted answers from him, she'd have to stick to yes or no questions - much more cryptic, he thought with a smile.

[Gosh]

Frailheart felt relaxed and sat up, ceasing to groom herself. She saw the white tom nod but he didn't give an answer as to what his name was. 'Perhaps he is ashamed of his name for some reason?' she thought. 'Well, then, perhaps it'd be better not to pry...' She gave a slight nod in response to Redstream's last sentence, but didn't say anything.