I've been away for a long time | intro

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

When Rhinestone had initially met Tree, he had been taken aback by how hostile the pup was, although he had been aware of why in the moment. After all, the brightly colored canine hadn't been around for when the conversation had started, and had assumed that Rhine and Toadwhisker were threats. It wasn't the most unreasonable thing in the world, although the tom hadn't been able to help the slight frustration he had held with the whole situation. He just hoped he hadn't scared the kid too bad when he had ended up responding. Rhine hadn't spoken with any hostility, but he had briefly had an annoyed look on his face, and he didn't want that scaring Tree off. So, when the canine went missing for some time after the two groups had merged, Rhinestone had assumed that was exactly what ended up happening. He had felt guilty as all hell about it, and had gone searching for Tree more than a few times since the boardwalk group had come to Palmclan, but the child was surprisingly good at evasion, and Rhine's efforts had come up short.

Thankfully, it seemed as though he would no longer have to continue frantically searching. Not so thankfully, it seemed as though Tree wasn't doing so well. The faint sound of sniffling and the beginning of tears had drawn Rhinestone over, and initially, upon seeing Aiza, he had thought the other had caused Tree to start crying. However, when he heard the other's words to the pup, he settled down a bit, the fur along his spine laying flat once again. Making his way over, Rhinestonestar looked Tree over carefully, a small frown pulling at the edges of his muzzle. Rhine spoke first to Aiza, his tail twitching anxiously behind him, "It seems like he may have fell..." He then questioned Tree, lowering himself down a bit as well, "Is that what happened? Where does it hurt?" He was trying to be caring, trying to communicate to Tree that Rhine – and by extension Palmclan – would be there for him in times of need.

NEVER OPENED MYSELF THIS WAY
LIFE IS OURS, WE LIVE IT OUR WAY

— Reggan