The sound of light paw steps echoed against the dirt covered ground as Howlingwind prowled through the territory, he spent as much of his time out of camp as possible as a way to avoid unwanted contact with his clanmates. His pale amber eyes peered unwavering at the path before him when a familiar scent drifted past him, stopping him in his tracks, even here he could not get away from them all. The odd looking tom turned his gaze toward the scent catching a glimpse of its owner, Giminidream, he had no memory of ever speaking with her and to be honest he had no desire to change that now.

Letting out a frustrated sigh he began to move slowly away, he had no reason to subject himself to yet another set of eyes who would only stare at him in disgust. As he took another step his paw connected with a fallen twig, snapping the brittle wood and sending out an alarming crack, his ears flattened and his eyes immediately shot to where the she-cat had been sitting.

His dull amber eyes narrowed slightly as she moved closer, he watched her eyes for the normal signs of displeasure but saw none, still he kept his guard up not willing to let himself be fooled. His reserved nature ran deep and his lack of trust in others, even those he did not know well was strong enough for him to instantly label them the same as all the others who had hurt him. The scraggly tom was about to turn and walk away when the sound of his name floated from her lips halting his paws mid-step, he had not meant to startle Giminidream, he had not meant to make himself know to her at all but it was done now. "Sorry." It was a short reply, and a poor excuse for an apology as it was uttered as more of a grunt than a true word.

As he stood awkwardly in front of her his paws shifting to and fro below him, he wanted nothing more than for the unwelcome exchange to be over so he could be alone once more.

The she-cats question caught him off guard, no one ever asked him to join them on patrol it was only ever a matter of them getting stuck with him. "Why would you want me to join you, wouldn't you prefer someone else?" The words were harsh, but rather than that harshness being directed at her it was directed at himself. What reason would cause her to ask for his company when he knew she could in fact handle the patrol on her own.

Without verbally agreeing the dark brown tom started following the she-cat, as the moon cast its light across her pelt he couldn't help but to watch her. The sound of her voice brought him back to reality and he blinked at her with a frown. "That's because I dont want to be seen." He replied easily with a shrug.

He looked away from her as her eyes landed on him, his ears flattening at her words. "I do apparently, you wouldnt understand. It's not that simple." He hissed, these things had been going on his whole life, ingrained into him since kithood. He couldn't just pretend none of it ever happened.

Howlingwolf blew a huff of air through his nose and looked up at the sky. "I didn't used to be like this, I didn't used to care and I even managed after my parents turned away from me." He stopped and looked at her though pale amber eyes. "I was shunned and rejected and made the center of their jokes, I started to notice how they looked at me, how they still look at me. It broke me down and I have lived like this since, it works for me, I leave them alone and they for the most part leave me be." He had built his walls up so tall throughout his life, he did not trust those who acted kind towards him after all the fake kindness. The tom shook his head and looked away, why was he telling her this, why was he being so open with this cat.

His eyes lifted to the she-cat, wider than normal as he mulled over her words, him striking, unique, he had never thought of himself in that way... how could he. The more he thought about what she had said the less he was able to control himself and a deep chuckle escaped him, something not many ever heard him do. "I'm different, I know that, but I wouldnt go as far as saying I'm striking."

"You're honest, I like that, but I have long since given up. The looks of fear and disgust became too much, no young cat should have to live through that, but I did and this is what I have become because of it. Things are just easier when I stay in the shadows, your unique appearance is seen as beautiful even if it may be odd or strange at first, mine is of a different class altogether." He looked at the she-cats miss-matched eyes, seemingly lost in their opposing colors for a moment before he snapped back into reality.