Cats Can't Cry

[Ten]

ooc| I know, I know, he's awful ( :D ) - but, fyi, he wouldn't mind being in the elder's den. He'd get to tell stories glorifying Clanhood all the time.

bic|

At first, Shortwhisker had been on the verge of spitting back one of his usual replies and declaring that he neither knew nor cared who Frozenheart was. However, he did not get the chance. With Branchkit supporting Patchfur, and Patchfur continuing his tirade, Shortwhisker felt like he was under attack. This culminated at the word "useless" - a word he had heard too many times in his youth. The small, stocky tom crouched low in distress, eyes wide and fearful. "N-n-no. I-I'm-m n-n-not u-u-usel-less-s," he whimpered. "I-I'm-m n-n-not! N-n-no! N-n-n-no, I-I-I-I'm-n-n-n-n-yu-ssssahnnmnuse!" His words became less and less coherent as he descended into hysterics, wailing and shaking in anguish.

[duckyaisha]

"So, you don't like being called useless, hm?" Patchfur asked coldly, his words like claws of ice, anger making him shake. "That's how disabled cats would feel if you called them useless. Why would you say that to someone if you yourself get so much pain from it? That is called cruelty. What gives you the right to call them useless? I think that's unfair," he stated angrily.

[Gosh]

"Obviously Shortwhisker is in a state of distress," Frailheart meowed sympathetically. "I suggest we put this debate on hold until we can all speak logically." No matter how annoying Shortwhisker was, no creature should be treated in coldness while they were obviously in deep distress. She moved closer to the black and white tom and murmured, "It's okay."

[duckyaisha]

Patchfur stood frozen in place. He had never been good at comforting people- that was Cricketpaw's skill, not his. And besides, he had just yelled at the stupid cat! What was he supposed to do, say sorry? It wouldn't mean anything anyways, because he wasn't sorry. He kept thinking, over and over again, of what would happen to a disabled cat if they had heard his cruel words. They would've been more badly hurt than Shortwhisker was. So, feeling uncomfortable, Patchfur stood there, his tail twitching awkwardly.

[Ten]

"Y-youst-t-tayaw-wayfrom-me!" he blurted, swerving to the side. Shortwhisker was in an irrational mode, more than normal; he was convinced that they all wanted him dead. Besides, no cat had ever cared to comfort him before. He didn't believe anyone would start now. Quaking, he glared at Frailheart with the sort of hostility that stems from terror.

[Gosh]

Trying not to be offended by his hostility, Frailheart silently stepped away. Gritting her teeth, she turned her attention away from the cats around her and thought of her long-dead brother, Redkit.

Bronzefoot frowned. 'This cat is insane,' he thought to himself. He could see the symptoms all too clearly; even though Shortwhisker wasn't one of those cats who thought they could get out of this place, his actions reminded him of his dead father, Largeclaw. He wondered what had happened to Shortwhisker to make him so hysterical. Getting up, he meowed, "I think it's time for me to go now." He had wanted to add one last part-'Insane cats are dangerous'-but he didn't think it wise. And with that thought in mind, he swiftly departed, padding away from the boneyard.

[duckyaisha]

Patchfur could see that any hope of continuing a logical debate had ended with his opponent shaking on the ground- actually, the logical debate had ended with the first personal insult. He tried to control his contempt- was this what Shortwhisker wished on disabled cats just because they were born that way? What a cruel, selfish cat. Patchfur frowned, barely able to stop the anger from showing on his face. Bronzefoot's idea seemed like a smart one, so like the other tom, Patchfur ran off. Once he was a few catlengths away, he shook his head in contempt and hissed, his fur raising in anger.

[Thistle]

The she-cat cocked her head to one side, a bit confused. Why would a cat, a one that even scorned the disabled, wail at the word 'useless'? He seemed more like a sad little kit than an adult tom.

"Well, sorry," muttered Branchkit, not really feeling too much compassion for Shortwhisker. But why waste time talking to herself when she could figure out what made the black-and-white cat like this?

She edged her way closer, seeing that one cat had already tried to comfort him but was without success. Half a tail-length away, she meowed, "What's wrong with you?" It was a blunt question, but Branchkit had decided to get straight to the point instead of mewing away with some pointless sympathy. Her tone was also flat, betraying no signs of emotion.

[Ten]

Shortwhisker scrambled back. "Y-yous-sayinth-there's-someth-thinw-wrongw-withm-me?" he sputtered with a furious expression. "W-wellth-there'sn-not! Th-there's not! I'm n-n-not useless! W-why won't they st-stop telling me th-that?" He scowled at her for a long time, then his amber eyes made a slow descent to his paws. "B-but... no... th-they're right; they're always r-right. Mother is always right."

[Gosh]

"No one is always right," Frailheart meowed firmly, albeit a little bit sympathetically. "Everyone makes mistakes. And calling you useless would be a mistake in itself-for any cat who can hunt is useful. Am I wrong?" She raised her eyebrows. 'What kind of a cat is he? Still thinks his mom's always right..' She had never been close to her mom, and hadn't ever thought of searching the Boneyard for her.