it had been four years since he'd last joined a group, and four years since he'd seen the slow deterioration of a group he had hoped to call home. in those four years, the old tom had gone out of his way to avoid other animals, often moving territories or simply keeping no territory at all in order to avoid a fight. after all, he was far too old for all that, especially when there was no medic to care for his injuries.
but the feline hadn't been entirely successful in keeping away from other cats, as was quite obvious from his battered form. deep claw marks branded his sunken flanks and fresh bite marks were visible in the thinning fur along his throat and face, running alongside the old scars that had marred his body for years. his remaining ear had been brutally torn and he had been blinded in one eye, the eye that, years previously, had been saved by luck more than anything else in a similar fight. his remaining eye was a filmy yellow, hinting at fading vision.
theodore tormenta, at twelve years of age, was quite the walking wounded - and carried both old and new wounds alike.
limping heavily to the border, the bicolour would settle down into a stiff crouch, narrowing his eye against the cool seabreeze. he opened his maw, drinking in the scents and was pleased to discover that the border markers were in fact fresh. it had been many years - perhaps five or six - since he'd passed this clan's borders and he was glad to see they were still here. perhaps somethings never changed after all.
"hello?" he would call out after a while, finally getting his breath back enough to speak, though his voice was still rasping and quiet. he hoped someone would come soon. his injuries were bad and he wasn't ready to die. he wasn't finished yet.
The boy was admittedly quite young still, and was still learning about this world around him when he had been promoted. He still is. It was a little embarrassing, but he figured he'd have to shape up if she really intended on following out his promises. He was determined to make sure both Archi and Ima's work as leaders weren't wasted, and the first step would be to try and get others interested in the Clan. It'd been a good while since the influx of joiners had stopped. He had only been minorly worried about the slow down at the time, but now he understood the weight of it. Where had everyone gone?
An unfamiliar smell hit his nostrils as he walked through his home quietly. He felt almost exposed being here all alone. Things were unsettling for the already very anxious boy. But, an unfamiliar scent could be a hopeful one. It could be a joiner, or a visitor, or really anyone nice at all. The injured dragon pushed himself towards it, keeping a hopeful feeling in his stomach. He heard the male's seemingly weak call as he moved. And then he noticed the stranger's state. Oh jeez. It's a good thing he learned to be a doctor. He had originally done it just so he could be useful to the Rift, just like everything else he'd done for them. He wanted to give back to his home. Now his skills would have to be put up to the test.
The male quickly grabbed a bunch of herbs nearby as he moved, taking a slight detour to do so, before actually getting up to the stranger. He didn't know what all his injuries were, so he grabbed just about everything he could find in short notice. Crashedholidays gave the older male a concerned expression as he nodded in hello and set the herbs down as he got close. "Hi. Y-You're injured, c-can I help?" he asked, wanting to make sure before he did anything. He looked the male over, deciding to introduce himself while he was at it. "My name's Crashedh-holidays and you're at th-the Rift right now, if you d-didn't know."
ah, a dragon. it had certainly been many years since theodore had last seen such a creature, as his deteriorating condition had kept him close to the humans and their cities - not the wisest place for a dragon to be.
he observed the dragon for a few silent heartbeats, taking in his own wounds, his herbs and his quiet... desperation. finally, the bicolour tom dipped his head stiffly in return, and rose uncomfortably to his paws. "my apologies," he murmured, his voice a quiet, trembling rasp, "i had assumed this was tidalclan, though it seems they must have moved on?"
he let the question hang in the air for a moment, before he continued swiftly on. "i was attacked some sunrises ago, and my wounds have not been healing well. if it still suits you... and the rest of the Rift, perhaps you could help? i'm afraid i know very little of healing and i have no herbs."
theodore swallowed thickly, letting his gaze wander past the dragon and towards the horizon. he started a little at the name, recognising it as the odd sort of clan name he had once been accustomed to, and he remembered that he had not yet introduced himself yet.
"my name is theodore tormenta. my apologies."
/sorry for late reply, i work very odd hours and can't get to the computer consistently!