Don't wanna feel like this / Captured

Atticus had grown into the habit of aimlessly walking near the border by now, especially after healing and experiencing Elsweyr's demise. It kept him busy and Tanglewood safe. Paws brushed through the underbrush as he wandered on, only to pause momentarily. The familiar smell of the Coalition's scent grazed his nose. A twang of metallic too. His fur on his scruff rose and he dropped to his chest, stealthily navigating over. Unsheathed claws scraped at the earth, only to slide back in. The clearing was empty. Pushing himself back up, the conflicted male looked down at the rope on the floor and looked around. Nothing.

He didn't want to make any assumptions, yet the thought crossed his mind. The Coalition had damned him once, along with the rest of his family, so why would they avoid the others? Atticus gritted his teeth. His claw slipped between the rope's threads, raising it to his golden gaze, only to narrowly stare at it. What now...