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Post by Fawn on Feb 14, 2013 22:52:13 GMT -5
BLOOD FEUD
The Secret Spilled. A Quest Begins.
“Ugh, that little pest!”
Snapped a bulky, long-haired tom with a brown mask and mantle, his expression contorted into one of utter annoyance. His sister, Quailflight chuckled at him, shoving past his shoulder as they strolled to the outer reaches of StoneClan's territory. “He thinks he can practice his weak little battle skills on me – and StarClan forbid I actually retaliate, or mother has a hissy fit.” Growled Raccoonmask, moodily referring to his nephew, Oceanpaw, the son of his oldest brother Warhawk who had passed away roughly 4 months ago.
Quailflight, unsympathetic as always, rolled her eyes. ”You always were the pushover, Coon, you've never been one to challenge mother.”
”Doesn't mean I agree with her on everything all of the time!” He retorted with lash of his tail.
The beautiful black and silver she-cat swiped his nose with her tail as she passed, shaking her head as though there was just no helping him – voice a simpering purr with an underlying note of ominousness. ”Shame we couldn't just...chase him out like we got rid of your dear sweet little Robinpaw.”
Raccoonmask grunted in surprise, jumping over a large rock to keep in time to Blackbird, expression bemused. “I thought we weren't supposed to talk about that?”
“It's been moons,” she rationalized, fixing him an expression as if he were something smelly and annoying she was forced to tolerate. ”Besides, what do you honestly think the chances are, of an untrained, cowardly, pudgy little kitten barely out of the nursery surviving on his own in the mountains?” She tapped a paw to his skull, lip curling in distaste. ”Use what little brains you have, fluff-face!”
He swatted her paw away and snorted, eyes glittering with coldness. ”You're right, Quailflight. He was mousemeat the second he left the StoneClan border – it was a stroke of good luck we didn't have to get rid of Warhawk too. Now if only we could do something about Thornfang's brat.” At this, both siblings, younger and older, shared a look of equal unease at the mere mention of their oldest brother's name.
Warhawk – once known as Thornfang – had been the strongest cat they'd known, brave and well-liked, with the backing of every cat in the Clan. Defeating the undefeated had been hard enough, making him disappear would have been nigh impossible. Utterly oblivious to the fact that anyone might have been listening in, what with them being so close to the border and all, the two cats continued on their way to the scrublands, reveling in the dryness of their territory and the treachery they had gotten away with on more than one account.
Silverpaw's grass-green eyes were wide with the unintentional confession that had just struck her ear drums, the she-cat having accompanied her friend Featherpaw all the way to the StoneClan border – where they now crouched behind a large boulder, downwind of two of Smokeface's brood that just so happened to pass on by. ”What do we do? Should we tell Lionstar?” Mewed the light-furred she-cat, black-ticked coat fluffed up with the height of her disturbance. This wasn't really...something Lionstar could help with, was it? Two cats that had chased out their own brother! There was no part of the warrior code that covered this sort of thing, and Silverpaw was at a loss as to where or to whom to take this particular case. Their original plan had been to try and convince Smokeface that it wasn't Lionstar's fault – Featherpaw had been about to go alone, but the half-sister of Lionstar and the good friend of Featherpaw wasn't about to let the she-cat potentially walk up to Lionstar's greatest enemy outside of Demon by herself.
That plan had quickly been reduced to dust, in light of this dark revelation.
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Feb 15, 2013 15:35:26 GMT -5
[smear:999999]Featherpaw[/smear:ffffff]
~~~~~~~~~ Anger.
It boiled through her veins as the silver she-cat listened to the words exchanged between the two StoneClan cats as they wandered along the border. She and Silverpaw, one of her closest friends, she was sure, had been intending to go into StoneClan territory, awaiting the arrival of a patrol to escort them back to camp so that they might speak with Smokeface, one of the most senior warriors present within that Clan. They wanted to convince the old cat that the death of her son had not been Lionstar's fault, in hopes that it would end the apparent death wish she had upon the TreeClan leader. Okay, truth be told, it had been Featherpaw's idea and Silverpaw had insisted on coming with her, not wanting the reckless apprentice to go into StoneClan territory alone. It was probably a good thing too. Still, Featherpaw was seething, blue eyes colder than normal as she watched their retreating figures. She was so angered, she barely caught her friend's words, even though the other, similarly colored she-cat was mere whiskerslengths away from her.
”What do we do? Should we tell Lionstar?” Blue eyes blazing with her obvious anger, Featherpaw slowly focused her gaze upon the other she-cat. For a moment, she was completely silent, just staring at her friend. Her teeth were clenched tightly, to a point that was nearly painful, but Featherpaw didn't notice. Her breath hissed out as she forced herself to remain calm. Finally, she figured she had herself under enough control that she could speak to Silverpaw without sounding snappy towards her. "No." She said simply, gaze flicking to where they had last seen the two StoneClan warriors. She stared at the same spot for a moment, before turning her gaze in the direction she'd heard the mountains lay in. "No, Silverpaw. We aren't going to tell Lionstar. You can do that, but I'm going to the mountains. I'm going to go to the mountains and find Robinpaw. And once I do, I'll bring him back. Once he's back, maybe some of Smokeface's anger will disappear. Maybe it will be enough to calm her, to lift the death wish she has upon our leader. My mentor. I'm not going to stand by and do nothing."
She rose to her paws, her tall, elegant frame stretching out the cramps she had acquired from crouching behind a bush for so long. Her gaze turned back to Silverpaw, a serious glint clear as day in her eyes. She wasn't about to be talked out of this. If you knew Featherpaw, you knew that getting her not to do something, no matter how stupid or reckless it may be, was like trying to get a bird to stop... Well being a bird. She was impossible when it came to such things. Some would call it determination, some would call it stubborn. Others would call it just plain stupid. But Featherpaw didn't care what they thought. She would do it no matter what. And this situation was no exception.
Fuelled by anger, a protective nature towards the leader of her Clan, and even maybe the crush she had on her mentor, the silver apprentice would find a way to sort this out.
Hopefully without dying. |
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Post by Fawn on Feb 22, 2013 15:05:56 GMT -5
[smear:95b9e2]SILVERPAW[/smear:cccdce] |
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Feb 23, 2013 18:29:13 GMT -5
[smear:999999]Featherpaw[/smear:ffffff]
~~~~~~~ Featherpaw was a little stunned to hear Silverpaw suddenly blurt out that she would accompany her. She honestly thought the she-cat would desperately attempt to convince her not to go. The tall silver apprentice soon took note, however, that the other silver she-cat looked just as stunned by her own words as Featherpaw was, for Silverpaw soon corrected herself. The taller of the two gave a slight nod of her head, appreciating the company. In truth, she was scared. Scared of what she was going up against, mainly because she had no clue what she was going up against. Still, much like her friend, Featherpaw wasn't about to go back on her words. Even as Silverpaw left a nagging half question hanging in the air, Featherpaw knew she just had to do it.
The pair walked through the forest silently, the heaviness of what Silverpaw hadn't dared ask aloud hanging between them. Featherpaw's ice blue eyes stared ahead of them, seemingly lost in thought as she moved. Her pelt occasionally brushed Silverpaw's, and the taller apprentice was glad for the comfort it brought her. She wondered just what she would do if she didn't have a friend like Silverpaw. Featherpaw was aware of how difficult she could be sometimes, and she appreciated that the smaller apprentice never seemed to give up being her pal. Her long, black striped, silver tail flicked behind her, the only indication of the worry that seemed to pulsate through her veins as she moved. Casting a quick side glance towards Silverpaw, Featherpaw offered her a smile of reassurance.
They were approaching TreeClan's border now. Featherpaw slowed her pace, stopping just inside the scent marker, and turning her attention to Silverpaw once more. "Well... Here's the border... You don't have to come any further if you don't want to, Silverpaw." She told her, eyes focused on her best friend. She could feel her heart racing deep within her chest, and did her best to calm her slight panic. What she did manage to do was put on a calm facade. Save for her flicking tail, of course. That tail of hers seemed to have a mind of its own, and it wasn't about to listen to Featherpaw as she pretty much internally pleaded with it to stop.
A silence stretched between them once more as Featherpaw awaited her friend's response. |
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Post by Fawn on Mar 5, 2013 3:17:48 GMT -5
[smear:95b9e2]SILVERPAW[/smear:cccdce] 6 Moons//She-Cat//Apprentice of TreeClan |
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Mar 5, 2013 11:42:01 GMT -5
[smear:999999]Featherpaw[/smear:ffffff]
~~~~~~~~ The older of the two stared evenly at her best friend. Her heart was aflutter in her chest, pounding to the rhythm of a new song. Exhilaration. She felt that trickle of fear squeezing itself into her body and knew she would be lying if she told you she wasn't scared, but she wasn't about to let that fear stop her. Her heart did contort slightly, heaving in a manner that was almost painful as she felt Silveroaw brush up against her shoulder. The tall silver she-cat lifted her head over the smaller feline's shoulders, before using it to pull the younger she-cat into what could only be described as a hug. She held her friend close, doing her best to stabilized her own breathing.
Slowly, she released Silverpaw, stepping back. The sudden chill that seemed to wrap around her momentarily smothered the resolve she had built up. Fortunately for her, the smaller she-cat's words reignited the fire within her. Her body straightened slightly, her head tipping up a fraction as she took a deep, steady breath. With a nod of her head, the older silver apprentice replied to her friend. "I will come back. And I'll bring Robinpaw with me. May StarClan continue to light yours, Silverpaw. I'll be back soon. Promise."
The tall apprentice took another step back, blue eyes almost refusing to leave her friend. She slowly pulled her gaze away, turning her body from her friend. She took two slow steps forward before casting one final glance behind her. Blue eyes locked with Silverpaw's and she whispered gently. "Thank you.."
And she took off as quickly as she could push herself, paws pounding on the ground below. As she ran, she chanted under her breath. "Don't look back. Don't look back. Don't you look back."
She knew if she did, she wouldn't be able to keep on running..
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The sun beat down upon her from high above. She thought that the mountains would be colder than the forest. With a narrowed glance up at the burning orb high in the sky, however, the silver she-cat continued to plod on. Her ears were pulled back against her head, and her tail dragged slightly on the floor. She simply didn't seem to have the energy to hold them upright anymore.
She missed the forest. She knew she hadn't been up here very long, two sunrises if the heat hadn't messed up her count, but she was quite nearly finished with this place. It was stupidly warm during the day time, the sun beating down upon the rocks heating them to temperatures that her paw pads nearly couldn't withstand, and then when the night came, the temperature plummeted. She'd managed to find herself something to eat over the two days she'd been out, thank StarClan, but it was certainly harder to find the prey. Featherpaw was used to the trees, not the barren rocks this mountain presented her with.
For a moment, she considered turning around and heading back. Perhaps this was stupid. For a heartbeat, she questioned why she'd set out on this quest in the first place. Her mouth was dry, her throat becoming raw, and her pelt felt as though it were on fire. Who would want to live up here on this mountain?
And then she remembered the last words she'd exchanged with Silverpaw, her best friend back in TreeClan. She remembered why she had set out, to protect her mentor. With a new determination, the she-cat managed to plod on a few more foxlengths, head lowered, body burning beneath the sun. She paused to cool down under an overhanging rock, thankful for the shade. Her black tinted tail swept around her paws, and she found herself glad that more of her coat wasn't black. Surely she would have disintegrated by now under the heat if her whole body was the same hue as her tail.
Once she felt strong enough to continue, Featherpaw slipped out of the shadows and continued on her way. Soon, however, she found herself stopped once more. Her blue eyes stared at a ridge. It couldn't have been more than a few catlengths. The problem? Icy colored eyes flashed down to the gap that separated the ledge she was standing on with the one before her. The drop looked deep. Like... Really deep.
She wasn't sure how long she spent staring down at the emptiness before her. And she certainly didn't know when she decided that she was going to jump the gap. She'd glanced around, and the crevasse seemed to stretch forever on either side of her. She was about to consider walking off in one of the directions to find a different path up when she was suddenly taking slow steps back. She considered the reasoning behind her backwards motion, thinking up different excuses as to why she was doing this.
And then she was running forward.
With a bound, the she-cat was airborne. It took a moment for it to set in, and it wasn't until she was about half way across the gap that she realized she had just jumped. A panic seized her heart, and it was only intensified as she came to land.
Her front paws connected with the stone on the other side, as did her chest, It knocked the air from her lungs, momentarily locking her in the grips of paralysis. The moment she realized she was slipping, she yanked her mind out of its stunned state. Her fore claws were out, scrapping painfully against the stone as she tried to claw her way back up. With nothing to hook into, however, she continued to slip, only bringing bolts of pain shooting through her as occasionally her claws caught on something and threatened to rip from her paw.
If she hadn't been incredulously close to falling to her certain death, the silver she-cat would have congratulated herself for the simple reason of she hadn't screamed. Even now, all she did was grunt and groan as she desperately attempted to pull herself up onto the rock ledge. Her teeth gritted painfully as she felt the rocks scrape against her fur. It would only be a matter of moments now, and she'd be pitched into a black abyss.
I'm sorry, Silverpaw... |
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Post by Fawn on Mar 6, 2013 4:20:41 GMT -5
[Smear:4b77aa]IRONPAW[/smear:0c468a]
12 Moons. Ex-StoneClan Tom. The sunlight glinted off dark slate-blue fur, caught and held within a pair of burning golden eyes, a muscular young tom appearing at the top of the ridge so quickly it was as if he had fallen from StarClan simply to prevent Featherpaw from falling to her death. In actuality, Ironpaw had been watching her for a long time. Accustomed to the mountain range but not to strangers wandering around aimlessly over gorse and glade and sunny, rocky outcropping, Ironpaw had taken on the role of simply an observer, having nothing better to do than sate his curiosities and track the short-furred she-cat.
Don't jump, grass-for-brains, he had recalled upon first seeing her stop at the edge of the ridge, watching as the distance was sized up incorrectly at something she could actually leap across. It was easier for him, Ironpaw noted after studying her profile several times over as if it might tell him where she was from and what she was doing here, simply because he had stronger legs from jumping rock-to-rock-to-rock like a mountain goat most of his young life. Still, he had to admire her courage for actually taking the leap, even if it would've ended horrifically had he not been so close (pelt smelling thickly of lavender, which grew all along the mountainside) and within grabbing distance.
Teeth hooking around her scruff, Ironpaw grunted through the solid hold of pretty gray fur, shifting his weight backwards as he stepped behind him, surefooted, pawpads rough and partially cracked from moons of mountain wear and tear. She was fairly easy to lift, despite being roughly the same age as him - not that he was very good at guessing that sort of thing, it wasn't like he had much of an example to go on - Ironpaw only letting go once he heard the sound of back claws scratching against the top of the ridge, on stable ground.
Backing up to give this strange-smelling she-cat some space, Ironpaw's yellow-orange gaze bored questioning holes into Featherpaw's body. "You got a death wish or something, Gray? Maybe next time you should take a long way around." Lowering his back legs to the ground in a casual sit, Ironpaw lifted up one front limb to examine the pawpad, pulling an embedded stone from between two digits with a quick bite and toss of pearly white teeth. Standoffish though extremely inquisitive, Ironpaw paused in checking for more wedged pebbles to throw caution to the wind and ask the question he'd been trying to answer for a day and a half now.
"What are you doing out here anyway?" |
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Mar 9, 2013 18:49:15 GMT -5
[smear:999999]Featherpaw[/smear:ffffff]
~~~~~~~~ She didn't know where he came from, he just suddenly seemed to appear. The dark blue-gray shape seemed to drop down in front of her as her claws scraped painfully along the stone ground. She felt teeth lock into her scruff, and her sluggish mind was suddenly brought back to moments of her youth, when her mother used to pick her and her sister up. Of course, that had all ceased when Fernkit had perished. The silver she-cat's ice blue eyes were slightly glazed, which seemed to match her foggy mind. The lack of water she'd been able to access had apparently begun to take an effect on her.
She was partially aware of the fact she was being hauled up the side of the cliff by whatever it was that had grabbed her. She could scent the presence of another cat, and immediately she was distracted from everything else by how strange this other cat smelled. Back paws were suddenly in contact with the stone ground again, and she immediately felt her claws relax. The pain no longer lanced through her, which was a relief to her, however it also meant the fog present in her head was able to grab a steadier hold. Without pain clearing it, she found it increasingly hard to concentrate. Her gaze narrowed as she stared at the blue-gray tom before her. She tried to focus on his words, but only about half of them actually made it through.
"You... Who're you callin' Gray? You... Uh.." She thought hard for a moment, before figuring it out. "Blue. I was doin' juss fine when you came al.... Along." It was appalling how much effort she had to put in just to form the words. And it was apparent too. She blinked, her tail drooping slightly as she became aware of the heat once more. She began to turn away from him, as though she knew exactly where she was going. For all she knew, she could be headed off another cliff. And in her current state, she'd probably just walk right off of it. "What're youuuuuu doing up here, Blue. I'm looking... Lookin' fer... Fer a bird... With the paw... And... Aw dung mouse... I fergot. Juss... Keep walkin' then..."
The silver cat nearly trip herself as she sidestepped around, but managed to clumsily catch herself. She began to stagger off in some unknown direction, blue eyes glazed slightly, muttering something slurred that had to do with being thirsty. StarClan help her and anyone who had to deal with her. |
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Post by Fawn on Mar 10, 2013 16:40:43 GMT -5
[Smear:4b77aa]IRONPAW[/smear:0c468a]
12 Moons. Ex-StoneClan Tom. She's completely delirious.
Realized the solid blue tom with a slight twitch of his whiskers, the tom watching her stagger about and slur her words, her brain practically limping worse than she was at the moment, his expression incredulous to her condition. Was she acting like that just to be obnoxious or - no, he'd been checking up on her progress periodically. How often had she stopped to take a drink? Smirking, the blue tom quickly darted forward to block Featherpaw's path, not wanting her to go right off the edge of the ridge he'd just pulled her up from, attempting to guide her in the proper direction with the sweep of his tail - her words already forgotten.
After all, the utterances of fools was not worth paying attention to.
"This way, Gray, you need water and I can lead you to some."
Having traversed this ridge and unique part of the mountainside he called his home numerous, numerous times, the young warrior-aged feline started to nudge her in the right direction, keeping up this veil of helpfulness until he could actually uncover her reason for being here. She smells so strange. A place with an actual forest, the scent coming off her pelt rich and rather familiar to oak trees or spruce or was it pine? The smirk slipped from his features slightly before he could catch himself. A place with a forest...
Did she come from a Clan?
As if to come creeping out of a hole in the base of a tree trunk, a memory, foggy with age, crept into the forefront of his mind like a spider, weaving gossamer strands of his first and ironically only lesson from his mentor, Batear.
"There are five Clans in the whole forest, including ours." Spoke the honorable warrior he had been lucky enough to have as a mentor. Ironpaw almost got caught up in just how much of a pudgy, spoiled brat he'd been - but latched onto the memory instead, able to hear, like the distant clamor of a bell or a hawk's cry, his mentor's soothing voice.
"There is RainClan right next to us, known for their rivers. After RainClan, there is the marshy, swampy NightClan with their black pine forests. Next to them is TreeClan, obviously named for their forested territory. Beside TreeClan is LightningClan, who hunt rabbits and hares on the moorlands. Next to them is us, right in between."
Could this she-cat really be a Clan cat?
Ironpaw wasn't sure how he felt about this, conscious of Featherpaw's every movement now as he watched her out of his peripherals, leading her towards a small stream where she could have her fill of fresh, clean drinking water. If she was a Clan cat...should he feel animosity towards her? Then again, it wasn't as if she had done anything against him personally, not to mention he held no such grudge towards the Clan cats as a whole.
I just know I can never go back.
Distracted by the whirlpool of thoughts crashing against him, Ironpaw didn't stop walking until he literally stepped right into the stream, jolted by the rush of cold water splashing up against his front legs. Snorting at his own foolishness, Ironpaw backed up, shaking the wetness from his limbs. He cast a sideways yellow-eyed glance at the delirious she-cat, remarking coolly,
"Ignoring that, it's pretty clean." |
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Mar 11, 2013 23:32:25 GMT -5
[smear:999999]Featherpaw[/smear:ffffff]
~~~~~~~ She was suddenly butted off her path by a dark blue body in her way, directing her in some other direction. Normally, the Featherpaw that all of TreeClan knew would have turned on this odd tom with bared teeth and lashing tail, prepared to attack him with a barrage of not-so-friendly words. In her current state, however, the silver she-cat simply let out an unsteady giggle, staggering off in the same direction he had pushed her in. She was barely aware of where she was going, her paws dragging along the stone ground. She couldn't feel the rawness of her pads, beaten and cracked by the harsh terrain. She didn't feel anything, except an odd sort of lightheadedness, almost as though her body weren't actually hers. It was a most peculiar feeling, one that she would never be able to describe to anyone, she was certain.
The tom's voice broke into her cloudy head, and immediately, a fit of giggles found its way to the top. It was half way between charming and odd, her usual pretty voice giving it a lilting sound. The delirious hysteria, however, could not be masked, no matter how nice her voice usually was. By some miracle, the unsteady she-cat managed to lower herself close enough to the stream to allow herself to drink from it, the cold water seeping down her throat. It was a cool relief that her overheating body desperately needed, and although it would take more than that for the effects of her dehydration to completely wear off, it was a good start. The silver she-cat's jaws suddenly parted in a yawn, and without any acknowledgement to the tom who'd pretty much just saved her life twice, she stumbled off to flop down ungracefully beneath an over hanging rock. The air was cool beneath it, sheltered from the sun, and it wasn't long before the she-cat's breathing steadied out and she fell into a deep sleep.
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A groan escaped the silver figure that had been comatose beneath an overhanging rock for an extended period of time. Blue eyes cracked open slowly, every inch of the she-cat's body tight with aches. The stone ground beneath her was now freezing her, causing her to shudder slightly. It was amazing how quickly it could change. The silver she-cat knew she had to get out in the sun, but she couldn't bring herself to move. She groaned again, managing to croak out a few words. "StarClan up above... I feel like I've been mauled by a badger..." Of course, she wasn't speaking to anyone, for as far as her knowledge went, there was no one else around. She had no idea how she had gotten here, all she knew was that her head was pounding, she was cold, and every muscle in her body was screaming at her.
Slowly the she-cat rolled herself into a sphinx like position, preparing to stand. The moment she did, however, her pads sent a shock of pain up her legs. She gasped slightly, collapsing back down, turning a paw to take a look at the underside of her paws. They were badly cracked, and the she-cat winced just looking at them. Taking a deep breath to mentally prepare herself, she rolled over again, successfully rising to her paws, with the speed of an elder. The next thing she noticed was a throbbing in her paws. It wasn't her pads, however, it seemed to be her claws. She went to unsheath them, and immediately felt a lance of pain once more. She squeezed her teeth together, abandoning that effort quickly. It was pretty safe to say that whatever had happened earlier had taken its toll on the she-cat.
Her throat was raw, mouth dry as the sun-weathered stones. The sound of moving water was alluring to the she-cat, and even through all the pain she felt, she pushed herself to move towards the water. Lowering herself slowly, she managed to take her share of water, clearing her thoughts slightly. She stood up again, taking a few careful steps into the water, letting the cool liquid soothe the ache in her paws for a brief moment, before stepping out onto the warm stone once more. The sun was on its setting course, and the she-cat was aware that night was approaching steadily. It was then that everything slowly started to trickle back. Nearly falling off a cliff. A strange tom coming to her rescue. Staggering like a blind badger. Being saved again by the strange tom.
Her body tensed up slightly, ears pinning, swivelling, trying to catch even the faintest sound. But her ears were not accustomed to the stoney terrain. Everything sounded different here, and she couldn't differentiate the sound of falling pebbles from the sound of paw steps. She parted her jaws, eyes searching the area around her. Where was that strange tom now? Was he a threat to her? Was he watching her? Had he been watching her the whole time?
And most importantly of all, how long had she been out? |
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Post by Fawn on Mar 12, 2013 17:48:31 GMT -5
[Smear:4b77aa]IRONPAW[/smear:0c468a]
12 Moons. Ex-StoneClan Tom. A pair of young rabbits hung from bluish gray jaws, swinging lightly against a wide, long-furred chest when he cleared a boulder in his path with ease, paw pads - quite unlike the forest-terrain softened paws of Featherpaw - were as hard as the rocks his former Clan was famous for. Approaching the previously unconscious she-cat, his ears pricked forward, quickening his pace once he noticed she's awake. With a slight chortle at her disoriented appearance, Ironpaw set the rabbits down in front of her, separating the two by nudging one towards Featherpaw with one large, tufted blue paw. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty. You slept half a day."
While the foreign cat from a foreign land had slept well through the late afternoon, evening and a few hours after dawn, Ironpaw had had more than enough time to sort through all those thoughts rattling around in his skull like a squirrel's winter cache. She was from the Clan that dwelt in the trees, of that he was certain, a little bit of deduction skills on his part and that unshakeable instinct that he had scented that scent somewhere else were the deciding factors.
Originally having disregarded her delirious words as just that - a jumbled mess of jargon spoken by a cat half-driven out of her wits by heat exhaustion - they had floated back to him throughout the evening and into the night, when he hunted, checked up on her and generally went about his day as though this were a normal event.
A robin with a paw...
Why did those words send a chill down his back as if someone were stepping on his grave?
Ironpaw gave away nothing, gesturing with a flick of his tail that the rabbit was hers, before tucking into his own, taking a bite of warm, savory flesh of the mountain-dwelling prey. This environment had it's perks. There was more than enough tasty vegetation for the numerous rabbits to grow fat and happy off of, and he was equally as delighted to hunt them down for food. The largest predators up here were foxes, other loner cats (there was a whole 'clan'-like congregation somewhere, but he swore to never live in another 'Clan' ever again) and of course, the monstrous lynx. That beast of a feline was like a local deity who allowed them to hunt where and when they pleased, so long as they understood that their lifespans could be served by him at any given moment, and that a majority of the prey here was his and no one else's.
He knew of several loner cats that went to Lynx's den - The heavens help them - to give him offerings, the plumpest rabbits, the biggest field mice, the most tender quail or pheasant that they could find, in the hopes of sating his appetite and thus giving the behemoth no reason to ever leave home.
Ironpaw thought it was a reckless, stupid plan that was going to backfire on them some day, but at least it had kept the lynx from roaming quite as much as before, and for that Ironpaw was grateful. |
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Mar 12, 2013 21:40:09 GMT -5
[smear:999999]Featherpaw[/smear:ffffff]
~~~~~~~ Whirling on paws that were agile on forest floors, the silver she-cat was planning to turn to face the direction the voice was coming from. In the process, however, her paws caught rather painfully on a slightly jutting rock, causing her paws to tangle with one another. With a sharp stagger, the she-cat tripped into the small stream. It wasn't very deep, but that didn't mean it was pleasant. To begin, it was absolutely freezing! She scrabbled out of the water, desperate to get away from the sheer cold of it all. This whole ordeal certainly didn't help her sore muscles, having to flail about like a deranged fish or something. And now, the silver she-cat found herself with one side of her body soaked through and through, leaving half of her fur plastered to half of her body while the rest of it bushed out in her shock. Ice blue eyes were suddenly wide and alive, burning with something that could only be described as Featherpaw. It was her fiery personality shining through.
Her blue hued gaze flicked down to the rabbit he was offering her, and though her belly growled rather loudly, she just lashed her tail, turning her gaze back to the dark blue tom before her. "Sleeping Beauty? If I wasn't half drowned right now, I'd claw your ears off for calling me something like that. Listen here, Blue. I don't need charity from you, got it? Thanks for saving me and all that, but really I had it under control." She knew very well that this wasn't at all true, that she probably would have died had he not shown up, but her pride seemed to be prohibiting her from saying that. And she wasn't about to take back anything she'd said. "Now, I have more important things to attend to than ponder the reasonings behind your kindness. No offence, but you don't exactly look like the type of cat to dish out kindness wherever he goes."
Black tail twisting behind her like an angered adder, the silver she-cat gave a roll of her blue orbs. Doing her best to ignore her growling stomach, she made as though she were about to walk away. She paused after a moment, blue eyes flashing back to the figure of this mystery tom that had saved her. Narrowing slightly, and not giving him any moment to speak, she continued on. "Don't follow me, got it? I don't need you tagging along, and as I said, I don't want your help." With a sarcastic laugh, followed by a snort, she added. "Unless by some StarClan given miracle, a brute like you could tell me where I might find an ex-Clan cat who goes by the name of Robinpaw." Laughing at her own words as though it were the funniest joke ever, the silver apprentice began to stalk away from him. Her ears were turned backwards on her head, tail flicking irritably behind her.
She hated water. She hated being wet. Her coat may not look all that long, but for some stupid reason, it always seemed to take forever to dry. She found herself praying that the sun would continue to beat down on her, so that she could at least dry off. She'd already had to leave a rabbit that looked and scented absolutely delicious. Just her luck. |
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Post by Fawn on Mar 15, 2013 3:15:40 GMT -5
[Smear:4b77aa]IRONPAW[/smear:0c468a]
12 Moons. Ex-StoneClan Tom. "You must really enjoy the sound of your own voice," commented Ironpaw with an irate flick of the tail, the long-haired, stockier male regarding her with hardening eyes and a scoff of disbelief in his throat. Was she serious? At least half-delirious the gray she-cat who smelled of so strange a place had been funny. This 'sober' version of her was neither funny nor charming nor even remotely pleasant to be around.
She had a tongue as sharp as the ledge she'd nearly fallen off of - in case she'd forgotten, that he had pulled her from -- the expat soon finding that the voice that pounded against his ear-drums was one he never wanted to hear again. Ironpaw, however, greeted with another barrage of words and a sharp laughter of one who found herself humorous, even when no one else did, froze.
Did she just...
Robinpaw.
A shiver passed over the blue-furred feline as though a cold breeze had drifted over them - the air dry and warm thanks to the summer haze; Ironpaw's tail flicked and twisted through the grass with discomfort. The second that name had fallen from her lips, it had felt to the tom of roughly 12 moons, that someone had walked across his grave. Why would she be looking for me?
"That depends," mewed Ironpaw in a cold, distant sort of voice, as though he were trying to put space or a wall between them without having to actually move and build something tangible. "Who wants to know?"
What do you WANT?
Who are you? And what do you want with him - rather, what do you want with ME?
The taste of mountain rabbit that he had been savoring had died somewhere on his tongue, the unexpected, half-mocking words out of the overly-vocal she-cat's mouth had left his insides feeling cold and empty, free of hunger pangs, his heartbeat more than making up for it by slamming against his chest with each second that passed. It was as if a ghost had come back to haunt him, his expressions alternating between serious and a practiced blankness, indicating that he at least knew of the tom the blunt, aggressive she-cat had been jokingly inquiring about.
While questions as plentiful as the blades of grass beneath his paws were chasing each other through the forefront of his mind, he felt he had already asked the most important one.
Who could possibly be looking for him, after 6 whole moons of having been missing? WHO?
And maybe a bit more importantly, WHY?
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Mar 18, 2013 19:58:16 GMT -5
[smear:999999]Featherpaw[/smear:ffffff]
~~~~~~~~~ Just walk away. He's not worth your time. Not worth the energy it takes to be irritated with him. The silver feline told herself, forcing herself to keep walking as he made a comment about her liking the sound of her own voice. It was an insult, and the silver she-cat was never one to take insults lightly. If you insulted her, you'd better be ready to hold your own in a battle of words. Her sharp tongue wouldn't quit easily. Now, however, pelt still dripping, and stomach tight with hunger, she was aware that she couldn't afford to enter a battle, physical or not, with this tom. She was too exhausted already, and getting herself fired up would only put her in a further exhausted state. She'd already dabbled with the effects of exhaustion on this trip. She needed food, and a water source, and fast.
... Food and water that isn't near that stupid, brutish tom who had the audacity t- Her thoughts were cut off as the tom spoke. That depends? Does that mean... Slowly, hard blue eyes were shifted to glance back at the tom. The silver feline was now glancing over her shoulder, looking expectantly at the tom. As he continued, Featherpaw found her ears pricking forward before tipping back, eyes narrowing slightly. Carefully, she made a small circle so that she was facing him once more. She stood as tall as she could, and when she spoke, her voice was just as curt as his had been.
"Someone who is hoping to dilute a hatred that is threatening to destroy someone she cares about." Featherpaw's tail was motionless, something that would alarm those who knew her well. Only on rare occasions did her tail still as it had. She was very expressive when it came to her tail, and to see it frozen as it was would have been eerie to those who could see the signs of tension rippling through her frame. Her heart had picked up speed, thundering in her chest and causing the blood to begin to roar in her ears.
Ice-hued eyes stared back at the dark blue tom, waiting for his reaction. Her expression was blanketed by one that mimicked his, blank, as though she were distancing herself from the situation as best as she could. No matter what he said, she knew that he knew something. You didn't answer with something like that if you didn't know anything about the name in question. Now it was all about finding out just what it was that he knew. As Featherpaw waited, her breathing seemed to die out, and the silver and black feline held her breath, as though she might shatter the air around her, taught with weight of the words being exchanged, if she dared to let even a flicker of air leave her lungs. |
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Post by Fawn on Mar 21, 2013 23:15:19 GMT -5
[Smear:4b77aa]IRONPAW[/smear:0c468a]
12 Moons. Ex-StoneClan Tom. "Someone who is hoping to dilute a hatred that is threatening to destroy someone she cares about."
Ironpaw felt the fur lie flat against his shoulders again. Is that all it is? She must be looking for a different Robinpaw then. He knew nothing of a hatred to be diluted or someone to be destroyed - whatever troubles she was facing now, the ice-eyed she-cat in front of him had absolutely nothing to do with who he had once been. To put to rest the last of his anxiety, however, Ironpaw casually mewed out;
"What would that have to do with this Robinpaw, exactly? What is your name, anyway?"
Orange eyes narrowed, perhaps in distrust of this nameless she-cat he had gone out of his way to save; he'd kind of liked her better when she was delirious. At least THEN she'd been amusing. The shock to the system he'd received upon hearing his old name had dug up memories Ironpaw would have given his whole tail to keep buried. Thoughts of the nursery, of snuggling close to the warm white and smokey-hued fur of his mother, images of his father - large, striped and aggressive, like a badger in brown tabby fur - coming to mind. The closest in age to him at that time had been Raccoonmask, and the name itself forced Ironpaw's tail to twitch and writhe in complete contrast to the stillness that had taken over Featherpaw's. Those names - Raccoonmask and Quailflight - had been etched into his heart from the moment they had banished him, swearing on all that was unholy that they would kill him if he set foot on StoneClan territory ever again.
Banished into the mountains by two older siblings he had admittedly even liked quite a bit, the overall hate and hurt of so unexpected a betrayal had certainly left it's mark on the young tom. The sun may have sank and risen enough that the seasons had changed several times and the pudgy tom-kitten he had once been was now no more, that did not mean any wounds inflicted by the initial incident had healed over much. More like scabbed over, the healing process delayed by his refusal to confront his siblings and rejoin the Clan he had not wanted to leave behind in the first place.
He was - no pun intended - on the rocks about ever considering returning to his old home. He had not seen much of it, as he had been just a few days out of the nursery when Quailflight and Raccoonmask had lured him to the border StoneClan shared with no one save for maybe the lynx, and he had been acquainted with only a few cats who were not his siblings. Who had been his nurserymates?
Could Ironpaw even think that far back?
Grasshopper - no, Cricketkit...Badgerkit... There had to be a couple more, but those names escaped him, like a will-o-wisp at the edge of the moorlands. Just when he'd gotten close, they had dissipated, allowing him to refocus on the thus-far nameless she-cat making his Sunhigh much more than he'd bargained for. |
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