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Post by Insidious on May 19, 2013 18:19:17 GMT -5
Willow She faltered with each step, unsure of her surroundings and, therefore, unsure of herself. The air was quiet, too quiet for comfort. Her ears rested flat against the base of her dark gray head, her mind overflowing with skepticism and confusion to the point her own paws caused her to flinch. Willow. Willow. Willow. She was ensuring that she continue to mentally repeat the word, afraid that if she allowed herself to grow distracted for even a second, she would lose it just like everything else. She had no idea where she was going, not even where she currently was – hence why she had crossed onto TreeClan territory without even considering to analyze the scent of a border. All she knew was that she had been traveling within these unknown borders for long enough that the burnt up scraps were beginning to grow tiresome – had a fire occurred here earlier?
A snapping branch, blackened from the previous fire, caused the she-cat to jolt backward as if stepping on hot coals. Once she was safely pressed up against the base of a tree, she departed with a huff of exhausted air. The tip of her dark gray tail flicked frustratingly, anger swelling inside her chest for no apparent reason at all. “Why can't everything just... just go away.” Her eyelids fluttered shut, violently smacking a white paw against the burnt terrain. Why did nothing make sense? Why was 'Willow', of all things, the only tie to her previous life she could remember? Why could nothing spark familiarity? Why!
She hissed aloud, the action meant to have occurred mentally though somehow unable to contain her frustration any longer. Willow took the first confident step she had taken in moons, only for this random spur of confidence to be disintegrated when the sound of wind swooshing through the burnt, cracking treetops made her leap forward in search of security. Tail tucked firmly between her hind legs, the she-cat at last took the initiative to smell the air in search of something that would ring a bell in her cluttered mind.
She scented something, though sadly, it was nothing that her lost memory could recognize. With no prior memory of the clans, she acknowledged the scent as something to approach rather then flee from – she wanted answers, perhaps the source of this smell could provide some? Crawling forward with tiny, hesitant steps, the she-cat sought out the owner of such an unusual aroma. Perhaps, the former Willow would have been more confident in her actions, had her memory been present. This new Willow however, scared and eternally lost, was equivalent to a frightened kit far from its home – how comical it was that she was closer than she could ever imagine.
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Post by Fawn on May 20, 2013 14:51:19 GMT -5
LIONSTAR TreeClan || 39 Moons The fire had robbed him of more than half of TreeClan's camp, but the golden warrior could hardly stop and let the full brunt of Clan loses crash down upon him, causing the cat to drown in his own incompetence. There would be time for that later - now was the time in which the Clan needed a strong leader, now more than ever, and that was why Lionstar had chosen to complete this morning's patrol utterly alone. The apprentices and new warriors would be busy reconstructing their partially charred, fire-eaten camp, the rest of the Clan that wasn't a queen, kit or elder would be collecting what little prey they could find, most of it having fled at the first scent of the crippling inferno.
Remarking what was left of TreeClan's territory, an enormous, large-pawed tom cat entered into the heart of the fire-blackened burn-zone, soot covered body giving off a more threatening appearance than the warm golden tones a pristine coat usually gave. It did not help that his mood had become surly, his brow and muzzle lightly scrunched as though they were holding back the brunt of his stress, the dam to keep back the flood of exhaustion. Every where he stepped, a small cloud of black ash would rise and cling to his already darkened pelt, the dense mane around his neck and shoulders singed and dirty, but he was still proud.
Perhaps due to the abundance of soot and loose-flying charred particles floating through the air like dust motes, Lionstar's sense of smell was not as sharp, or else he would have picked up on the unfamiliar scent in a heartbeat, and hunted down the intruder. It wasn't until a faint hiss reached soot-smudged ears that TreeClan's leader spun around, golden oculars sharpening, chin lifting and jaws parting to draw in any surrounding smells he could use as identification. His nose began to smart after a few seconds of this, and black ash clung to his tongue - worsening his mood, though it was the furthest thing from his mind right now.
A wandering cat or two made sense, given that the border markings had been obliterated in the fire - and there was always the fact that some cats were more curious than others, and would want to see the extent of the damage. Lionstar's fur bristled at the idea of Ravenstar sending over a couple of warriors to see if they croaked - or worse, to take advantage of their weakened state. That warmongering old crow! Contrary to the attack force Lionstar had feverishly expected, what he found instead was a miserable looking she-cat who looked as lost as she was scared.
For a split second, something like familiarity darted across his heart like a mouse looking for cover, but it disappeared again as duty pushed it aside. "You are trespassing." Mewed Lionstar, voice strong yet cautious, the golden tom jumping down from a fire-scorched stump to land a foxlength in front of the gray and white feline.
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Post by Insidious on May 20, 2013 16:43:49 GMT -5
Willow Fear crashed atop her already weak body with the force of a tidal wave, forcing the she-cat's limbs to buckle beneath what remained of her weight into a flighty, unconvincingly defensive position as her head rotated to catch a glimpse of whom the thunderous vocals belonged to. She observed the feline's rugged appearance for as long as she could manage before his amber gaze grew unbearable to meet, Willow daring a backward step as he leaped down from his perch atop a crumbling stump. “Pardon me?” Willow retorted with a snort, as if the idea of trespassing on these lands – too burned and blackened from the after effects of fire to serve as a home – was completely untruthful and, therefore, a poke at her fazed mind. “I find it hard to believe that I'm trespassing, when there's nothing here to trespass on except for crumbling bits of black!”
Irritated by this tom's conceivable behavior, she flashed him a glare through a pair of hastily narrowed slits before she began her aggravated march elsewhere – suddenly halted by an occurring thought. Pivoting sharply, her dark gold eyes rounded with bubbling curiousity as she took two small, kit-like steps closer. As if all her previous, biting comments failed to have happened at all, she addressed him once again with a far calmer, if not entirely hopeful tone. “Where exactly is it that I'm trespassing?” She still used the word as if it was comical, dark gray ears flicking frontward in hopes of continuing her point. “Nowhere these days seems like somewhere, and to be honest with you, I'm sick of walking in endless circles.” Willow huffed as soon as the words had exited her jaw, as if a huge weight had been freed from her shoulders simply due to sharing her thoughts with some strange cat she'd happened to stumble upon.
The she-cat folded her hind legs into a sit, an awkward sit that portrayed her lack of confidence in these surroundings and this feline in particular, though a sit nonetheless. Willow had no intentions of retreating, trespassing or not, without some answers. She would sooner die than continue on her way with no hope of recognition of any sort, and the longer she allowed her dark gold eyes to linger upon the mottled, distressed form of this large tom, the increasing likelihood of such a probability was becoming more and more apparent.
Her eyes lingered upon him, intensifying with each passing second of silence – digging into the single most deepest realms of her mind for something to click and register that rather handsome face as someone she once knew... nothing, nothing at all. Willow sighed, the fleeting moment of hope being sucked from her features. So what if she didn't know him? That didn't mean he couldn't provide her with some answers, or at least, something to go by. It was the first positive thought she had managed to process in what felt like moons of wandering, therefore, she grasped onto it as if her very life depending on it. Which in this case, it did.
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Post by Fawn on May 23, 2013 2:04:08 GMT -5
LIONSTAR
The animated, agitated manner with which she spoke was reminiscent of someone Lionstar could not quite place - either someone he knew very very little about, or someone he knew so well but had lost that it was too painful to properly recall - but he was more curious now than ever. Losing a little of his aggression, the TreeClan leader's stance remained rigid, expressive of his personality these past few days, working tirelessly, devoting himself to his Clan in a way that was absolutely expected of a leader but was no less taxing on him as a whole.
He had lost two lives in that hellish inferno of heat and smoke and lack of oxygen; Lionstar would not willingly admit out loud that he had lost a little of his self confidence that day. His resolve had been somewhat shaken, and therefore the golden high ranking feline had been working incredibly hard to mask this sudden change in his character, this chip in the armor. Observing the gray and white creature through cautious though inquisitive golden eyes, Lionstar's ears pricked forward with subtle interest. "You are in TreeClan territory - the fire destroyed the scent markings," he replied, stating a little of the obvious, studying the pretty features of Willow as though trying to piece together a puzzle without any proper idea of what the finished image was supposed to be. "I am Lionstar, Leader of TreeClan. If you are looking for prey, I'd advise going elsewhere."
Proper introduction made, the tired tom waited, remaining in regal silence for the loner's response, her words at the forefront of his mind, allowing him to concentrate on something that had nothing to do with the fire, dead Clanmates and the loss of his own lives. Where could she have come from that she does not remember anything? It was then that an outrageous scenario began to construct itself from the exhausted -if not a tinge feverish - brain of TreeClan's head of hierarchy.
She must be from StoneClan! Was it possible that this feline had suffered some sort of injury to the skull? It would certainly explain why her presence felt so familiar to him, and why she had apparently been wandering in circles for days... But who had healed her? RainClan wouldn't dare. LightningClan wouldn't dare. NightClan, perhaps? Recalling the fact that Smokefur had volunteered to mentor Elderpaw out of the kindness of her heart, it now seemed to Lionstar as though this slightly asinine scenario was becoming more and more likely with each deduction.
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Post by Insidious on May 23, 2013 17:28:07 GMT -5
W I L L O W
TreeClan? Leader of TreeClan? Mentally shuffling through this most prized information, Willow sorted through the questions that immediately floated to the forefront of her mind at mention of such an ominous sounding thing. Amongst her days of hopeless traveling, she had heard nothing about Clans – she was curious about just what they were. Though mildly afraid of showing such stupidity to the large golden tom, Willow held her tongue and the bounty of comments upon its tip. The way he spoke of himself as a Leader... it must have meant that there were others for him to be leading. But, her main question was why TreeClan? Why not just a Clan? Perhaps, there was far more behind the history of this TreeClan... all useful for Willow and the process of remembering what she had lost.
“I'm not looking for prey,” Willow stated simply, dismissing the irrelevant discussion with the flick of her gray-white tail. “what I'm looking for is answers.” Her dark gold eyes settled upon the bulky feline, absorbing his features as some sideline test to ensure her memory wouldn't continue to lose every piece of information it stumbled upon. Lionstar: an unusual name. Of course, Lion seemed suited to him: his mane of shaggy golden fur resembling that of their big cat relative. But star? Was it some odd way of the Clan? The numerous questions were only furthering her feeling of total, complete loss.
“Lionstar,” Willow tested the name out on her tongue, though had a purpose behind merely curiousity for stating it. “this may seem like a lot to put upon a stranger, but I have nothing else to lose; you seem like you know enough to supply me with some kind of lead. Honestly, I have no idea what I'm looking for, or where to go from here. But I'll start by asking this:” Willow fixated the tom with the most genuinely broken expression she could muster, not necessarily attempting to appeal to his sympathy, but wanting to ensure he understood she wasn't playing some kind of intolerable prank. “What's TreeClan?”
As a brief silence stretched, the she-cat contemplated the full extent of what she was asking of this stranger. He didn't owe her anything, therefore, why would he feel obligated to explain this Clan of his? “I'm sorry,” Willow spat out the words, forcing them up her dry throat, a mixture of misery and pure confusion enveloping the exterior of her backward step – a step closer to more unknown places. I can't ask you to explain all of this; the questions will never stop if I allow you to start. She didn't speak the words aloud, though she certainly thought them.
“Willow.” Her dark gold eyes, momentarily breaking through the concealment of frustration, locked upon him with a spark of what could be considered her formal self: bubbly, direct and friendly – though how would she have been able to register the minor flicker of prior-self as just that? She didn't know enough of her former self to possess such a capability. “My name's Willow; I apologize for trespassing, I'll be on my way – I can't expect you to stay here and answer my every question.”
Pivoting clumsily, the she-cat took a weary step deeper into the unknown – completely unwilling, though undoubtedly out of any other options.
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Post by Fawn on May 25, 2013 15:16:02 GMT -5
LIONSTAR
Surprise registered on the tom's handsome golden face, his expression quickly evening out so as not to make her feel dimwitted for asking an honest question. For reasons unexplainable at the time, Lionstar was feeling hesitant to treat her like a normal intruder. She seemed far too lost and vulnerable for him to regard her the same as he would a rogue; attention settling on the she-cat's name brought Lionstar a small sliver of clarity. Have we met before? Quick to verbally stop her in her tracks, the tom's jaws parted. "You have a pretty name. I grew up with someone with a name like that." Lionstar spoke gently to convey his sincerity, not at all giving her an empty compliment - he meant it. The name Willow always brought to his mind's eye the picture of kindness, spunk and warmth, of generosity and merit that was difficult to find these days.
She really has no idea what TreeClan is... Taking a mental deep breath, Lionstar approached the topic of explaining the Clan he felt himself synonymous with it's well-being as he would teaching a kit in the nursery, one that had been adopted into the Clan with no real knowledge of it's new home. "TreeClan is one of five Clans in the forest, named for the type of territory we live off of. It's a community of cats who all depend on each other for survival; there are three important figures who are like the backbone of the Clan overall. We have a Medicine Cat to deal with injuries and interpret messages from our ancestors in StarClan, a deputy who organizes hunting parties and patrols, and a leader, granted nine lives by StarClan - our ancestors - whose duty is to protect and lead the Clan at any cost. If you are not a queen expecting or nursing kits, an elder or one of those three cats I just named, then you are either a warrior or an apprentice of TreeClan."
Pausing, a small cloud of soot rose as he changed positions, regarding Willow with a little more intent than before, as if she were a hazy shape upon the horizon, Lionstar attempting to identify her as friend or foe. I may've overdone it a little, even with glossing over what StarClan is exactly, but if she has any questions, I'm all ears. Did he really have time to waste giving a lost loner a cultural lesson on how his family worked? With Stormchaser and Daringheart taking care of things back at camp, Lionstar felt he could afford a few more moments of an unusual (but not at all unpleasant) conversation.
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Post by Insidious on May 26, 2013 0:30:26 GMT -5
W I L L O W The large tom's compliment settled the she-cat's tense muscles, stopping and glancing over her shoulders to meet his eyes as he addressed her name. He knew someone with a name like hers? Briefly, a renewal of hope surged along her spine, though she refrained from acting based off of any impulse this provided. He said that he knew someone with the name, though he hadn't mentioned anything that could hint toward her being precisely that cat. She wondered what relationship the two possibly shared: Lionstar and this other 'Willow' he spoke of. He communicated the name with what she, even absent of a memory, could easily predict as genuine happiness. It brought a smile to her gray-white lips. She didn't have to be the same Willow for his compliment to be heart warming – she appreciated what this stranger had said.
Willow hadn't expected Lionstar to address her earlier question, but once he began, she found herself growing completely absorbed by each word. It all sounded so interesting, so absolutely mesmerizing. The strings of her heart tugged with familiarity the more detail Lionstar dug into, her ears hungrily pricking for more information even as his speech came to a halt. “Fascinating,” Willow uttered, dark gold eyes blinking repeatedly as if she was dreaming and was planning to awaken at any given moment. “Thank you, Lionstar. I'm afraid I would have never learned so much valuable information hadn't I crossed paths with you. I'm grateful.” Politely, the she-cat dipped her head.
Even still, he had left her with so many more unanswered questions. You have ancestors in this... StarClan? How exactly did they give you nine lives? One of five Clans... what are the other four like, and what are they named? Regardless of the numerous questions that Willow still needed answers to, she held her tongue. Lionstar had taken enough of his time to describe TreeClan. And, despite what remained unknown, he had certainly gifted her with one large step closer to remembering what had been long forgotten.
She was about to take her leave, though found herself bothered by one more question, one he perhaps wouldn't expect to hear amongst the seemingly... more important answers that she could obtain while still in his presence. “Would you mind telling me more about this... other Willow?” Her tail swayed at mention of the word she called herself by, curiousity glazing her features. Perhaps, asking him to speak of this feline would be asking too much – who knew what type of bond existed between them? Still, it was worth a shot. If another cat existed with a name like hers, she was interested in learning about her.
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Post by Fawn on May 26, 2013 1:23:22 GMT -5
LIONSTAR
Rather than a proverbial maelstrom of questions pouring from the gray and white feline's mouth, Lionstar's dark golden ears swiveled and pricked toward the she-cat at her surprisingly restrained response. Perhaps she hadn't been that curious after all? She certainly seemed to appreciate the knowledge, but there was a minute amount of disappointment at not being able to share more with this unusual wanderer. Lionstar's jaw came down in a curt dip of the head, polite and accepting of Willow's gratitude, feeling a strange set of regret settle in his breast over the possibility of her leaving. What's gotten over you, Lionstar? Grumbled the weary voice in his head. She's only-
Willowfur? A request to know more about Willowfur?
Taken aback by the question - mane seeming to grow a little spikier as a direct result of his surprise, but the fur soon fell flat again - Lionstar let the memories pour over them, many moons of suppression having surprisingly not lessened or dimmed their quality. The warmth that had touched his features upon mention of her name the first time had lost a little of it's luster. "Willowfur was a close friend of mine, and completely irreplaceable." The tom's overly large paws resettled against the scorched ground, Lionstar closing his eyes - trusting his audience of one not to disappear while he allowed the nostalgia to take hold - and continuing to speak.
"She was always so honest and compassionate. She really had a lot of charms, Willowfur. She was easy to talk with, an eloquent speaker, but she had an independent streak that got us both into trouble sometimes. She wouldn't let anycat treat her like a damsel in distress." Chuckling, Lionstar hid his pain to the best of his abilities, a steadying breath drawn into previously soot-blackened lungs, the resurfacing memories of having lost a cat he'd cared so much about causing his heart to produce a hollow, empty pang. Eight whole moons separated them, Willowfur almost young enough to have been his little sister, but Lionstar had still loved her anyway. She had provided a kind of warm light in his life that was difficult for other cats to understand and even harder to replicate.
Lionstar held some very deep love for his friends and family, but Willowfur had been more than a friend... It might be obnoxious by some cats' standards to hold on so tightly to the idea of a first love, but that's what she'd been. The first cat who had ever made his heart beat fast, and she had been a catalyst in him ultimately changing his ways for the better. Willowfur had unknowingly acted as the guiding force in Lionstar losing some of his arrogance, of using the brains he'd been given and not so much the brawn. Of changing, in the hopes that he might catch her eye. That she might spare him a second glance, and a spark of something more could have begun.
Before Willowfur had gotten the chance to see the fruits of his labors by becoming deputy, he had lost her in a single night to a faceless, nameless thing, with no body to bury and only an open wound where his heart had been. Reasonably choked up, the leader of TreeClan kept his silence, intending to completely blame the painful ache in his throat on the loose particles of ash from the inferno and nothing else.
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Post by Insidious on May 26, 2013 18:16:38 GMT -5
W I L L O W His description of her was so thoughtful, making it clear that whoever this Willowfur was, there was certainly someone who cared about her. Her heart was plagued by longing, a simple desire to know that somewhere, in the depths of where her memory was no more, someone was once present that cared as much as Lionstar did about Willowfur. A small smile crept upon her muzzle, though vanished as she began to examine the emotions that now haunted the exterior of his handsome, golden face. Sadness? Regret? She couldn't pinpoint it, though it seemed far from pleasant – as she registered the third person in which he spoke of her, it became clear that perhaps she was no longer alive. A lump formed deep in the she-cat's throat, sympathy throbbing in her bones for his loss. “She sounds wonderful,” Willow mewed softly, awkwardness washing over her due to not knowing exactly how to speak of this she-cat in a way that Lionstar would appreciate. “I hope to know someone like her one day.”
Allowing the silence to grow comfortable for a moment, Willow sorted through the information upon this Willowfur that Lionstar had granted her. The qualities all seemed so... familiar. How unfair it was that she couldn't quite grasp onto a reasoning for it. Dismissing the mild irritation such thoughts caused with the flick of an ear, her dark gold eyes locked upon the muscular TreeClan leader. “I didn't mean to bring back any memories, so I apologize for any grief I may have caused you.” Rising once more, the gray-and-white feline dipped her head to Lionstar, this being a polite signal of her time to depart – she had taken enough of his time, and had certainly done more than enough by causing him to venture into a part of his history that perhaps he preferred to keep in the back of his mind as opposed to the forefront. “I'm sure, as leader, you have other tasks to be tending to. I won't take any more of your time.”
Thank you, Lionstar – she added silently. After all, she had said that she would take no more of his time, and this was precisely what she planned to do. For what could have very well been an eternity for the she-cat absent of a memory, she stared blankly in his direction. It was as if she was waiting for his input, or something to indicate that he had registered what she had said and was, in fact, eager to return to his other duties. Only once her stone-like stillness began to cancel out her leaving statement, did she allow herself to pivot, offering a final nod to the golden tom.
Even as she took a few steps away, her heart stirred with an emotion she knew not how to place.
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Post by Fawn on May 27, 2013 21:13:39 GMT -5
LIONSTAR
Probably still caught up in the gut-wrenching leftover grief at losing Willowfur all those moons ago, Lionstar took a step forward as though to physically stop the pretty gray and white feline from leaving. It was difficult to explain, let alone untangle the knotted web of emotions, but they were nevertheless a powerful driving force, the kind that told him to speak up rather than miss a peculiar opportunity that may never happen again. "I wouldn't suggest wandering off without a proper escort - the other Clans are not quite so friendly with strangers." What am I doing?
"If you want," Lionstar casually tossed out, hoping to have caught her attention without having to come any closer or seem too busy; there was just something about this Willow that reminded him of the old Willow, his Willow. "You are welcome to spend the night in TreeClan before I or somecat can show you how to get by the other Clans safely." By offering an invitation back to TreeClan's makeshift camp, Lionstar was bringing another mouth to feed - but before the twinge of guilt in his heart could gain any momentum, the fact that he had agreed to only one night helped the Clan leader cast aside any lingering worries.
It's also possible that someone may recognize Willow, which would mean I'm not going crazy after all. Only Stormchaser and Daringheart probably knew the depth of his affection for the cat he had loved and lost at such an early stage of his life. But surely they would notice the eerie similarities between this loner and their fallen Clanmate?
~*~
The admittedly a little ragged looking members of TreeClan were still hard at work both hunting for the Clan, rebuilding their camp with what little vegetation had survived the fire, and making sure water was being brought to those who needed it most. The death of Elderpaw had shocked and unsettled many, and Lionstar even now felt the weight of so serious a loss start to drag upon his broad golden shoulders. But there was nothing he could do about their lack of a medicine cat right now - other than keep it a secret from the other Clans. After the united front of StormClan against StoneClan, Lionstar had developed something akin to paranoia of a possible invasion, should their neighbors prove to be greedy. "It doesn't normally look like this," mewed Lionstar, slowing as he approached the edge of the shallow marsh, looking out over his Clanmates so busy at work. "But we've had to relocate here due to the fire."
Before he could ask if she recognized anyone there, however, a pretty silver-shaded feline bounded over, soot covering delicate paws and a charred leaf sticking to her left-side whiskers. "Lionstar and -" Silverpaw's leaf-green eyes widened slightly, her muzzle dipping in a respectful nod to a cat who was obviously much older than her. "Willow." Lionstar substituted, knowing Silverpaw would have no idea who she was. "Have you seen Sandfur or Stormchaser?" he mewed to his younger half sister, intending to seek out either his mother or his oldest friend.
"Willowfur?" Spoke Sandfur, voice shrill with surprise. Lionstar whirled around to see his pale-furred mother with a mouse at her paws, having obviously been hunting, her amber eyes alert and disbelieving. Lionstar felt his stomach drop to the forest floor and then crawl back up again. No...she must be confused...Willowfur is dead. Just because their names are the same does not mean anything.
...right?
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Post by Insidious on May 27, 2013 22:14:13 GMT -5
W I L L O W & G R A Y O W L ~.~
Admittedly nervous, the she-cat walked a few paces behind the golden tom. It wasn't that she wasn't thankful for what he had offered her, because she genuinely was. Though as they neared Lionstar's Clan, TreeClan, Willow began to grow clouded in a frustrated whirlpool of what if. She wanted to regain her memory, and she understood that this Clan could very well be her ticket back to it. But, she never truly understood how heart-stirring the sensation of remembering could very well be. Each step uttered familiarity for a reason Willow couldn't comprehend; her thoughts distracting her long enough that the voice of another caught her off guard.
She glanced up in a frantic hurry as Lionstar introduced her, nodding as politely as she could manage to the stranger. Lionstar had been hard enough to handle in the beginning, though now she trusted him more than ever – with all these other new faces, and not to mention the unknown names Lionstar spoke of... (Stormchaser. Sandfur. Who were they?) it was a lot to take in, especially so for one without a memory. “It's a pleasure to meet you.” Willow quietly offered to the small, silver furred she-cat, taking a step closer to Lionstar in hopes of avoiding any unnecessary attention while she tried to process the happenings around her.
“Willowfur?”
She wouldn't have acknowledged the name, hadn't it contained the one word she referred to herself by – oh and, not to mention it was precisely the name Lionstar and herself had been speaking of earlier. Spinning in a flash of confusion, Willow met the eyes of a pale furred feline, gaze fixated upon her in clear astonishment. Immediately, Willow tensed, unknowingly pressing her gray-white body into Lionstar's flank for protection – catching her ominous display of longing for comfort and stepping away a split second afterward, glancing toward him apologetically for only a brief moment. “Y-you must be mistaken...” Willow spat out through a tightly clenched jaw, barely able to match her dark gold eyes with this she-cat's own. “My name is Willow, not Willowfur.” Sharing the prefix would have been enough proof, though Willow was far too caught up in the spur of an unwanted spotlight to notice.
That name. It was that name Grayowl had failed to hear for what, two years, that made his paws halt and his ears swivel. It was a name that made his heart stop beating, though for a reason none would truly think him to possess for his own blood. It can't be. Twisting his charcoal frame to where Sandfur stood, – eyes filled to the brim with alarm as she glanced upon Lionstar, Silverpaw, and her – Grayowl immediately took his approach.
“I'd recognize your face anywhere, sister.” The tom's thunderous vocals could be heard just past Sandfur's flank, approaching with fluid strides to be a mouse-length away from where his long-lost sibling, meant to be dead, stood nearly pressed into Lionstar's golden mane for comfort. It was disgusting to see her so close to him, more so to be seeing her at all. Does she remember? Grayowl looked to Lionstar for confirmation of his suspicions, though with less hatred than usual flaming in his golden eyes, it was apparent that Willowfur hadn't spoke a word of the night of her disappearance. Though, just in case, Grayowl did not speak a word surpassing his subtle greeting. This was a delicate matter, he needed to play it safe.
Sister? No words could describe her shock, no words could describe her horrid disbelief. She looked not at Lionstar, not at Sandfur, not even at Grayowl – what she looked at, was straight through them. There was no words. No words. This?
This was all too much. Was she actually Willowfur? Was she... the same Willowfur that Lionstar held in such high regards?
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Post by Fawn on May 29, 2013 17:02:20 GMT -5
LIONSTAR
39 Moons || TreeClan || Tom
Jaws parted to quickly tell Sandfur that she had been mistaken, a counteractive statement came from the least likely feline in the entire forest, Lionstar's golden eyes swiveling to fix the warrior with a disbelieving, piercing stare. Grayowl. No...everyone was just confused...it couldn't be her, it was impossible. Despite his efforts to calm the frantic pounding of his heart against the inside of his chest, there was a desperate, triumphant call ringing throughout the tom's head. It really is Willowfur. It's HER.
"That's enough, everyone." Commanded the tom, sweeping a glare across any approaching cats that he would surely punish the next creature that called her Willowfur - he could tell it was all too much for her. It was all too much for them both. "Regardless of whether that is or isn't the truth, let's give Willow her space, she will be staying here briefly until she can get her bearings." Intending to guide the soul-shaken feline towards one of the nests that had not yet been claimed, Lionstar's fluffy tail gently brushed against Willow's flank, a flick of the ear and jerk of the jaw signaling that she was to follow. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought you here - I didn't expect this kind of reaction, they must all be very tired and confused." As much as he'd like to blame this moment on a slip of the faculties, Lionstar wasn't so sure. Either way, he felt as if he owed this she-cat an apology, having led her right into a trap meant to confuse and torment her, a cat who had no memories. Rather than toss her a branch to pull herself onto shore, he'd dropped an entire tree, and the gray and white she-cat was left struggling to survive.
This was all so overwhelming. Between the death of the medicine cat, the loss of two of his lives - which felt as if they had been wasted, if not robbed from him - the idea that Willowfur was here, standing in front of him in a form that was as solid as he or his sisters were, Lionstar felt as though his mind might snap beneath the weight of such outrageousness. Just moments ago Lionstar had recalled the devastation of losing her to begin with, and he knew, he felt that if he were to allow himself to believe that Willow was his Willowfur, well, it was likely to kill him. It was too much. He would not allow himself to be wrapped up in the startled accusations of others - not even if Grayowl himself swore that it was his sister, Willowfur, her littermate likely to know her better than anyone. He couldn't. Not if he intended to stay the strong, noble, composed leader of TreeClan. He had to rise above all of this, even if he wanted so badly to believe that this Willow and his Willow were one in the same.
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Post by Insidious on Jun 2, 2013 21:23:38 GMT -5
W I L L O W F U R & G R A Y O W L The she-cat's paws had readily obeyed Lionstar's signal to follow, desiring to be anywhere but where all eyes could peer upon her with such curiousity. Though her flank briefly contacting Grayowl's own, having been required to pass by him to follow in Lionstar's wake, caused the she-cat to jolt to a firm halt, dark gold eyes – precisely the same shade as Grayowl's own, if anyone was bothering to notice some similarities to indicate her being this Willowfur – locking upon him.
Here, having her flank pressed against the tom's own, she remembered him.
Mind slipping away from its prior thoughts of following Lionstar to shelter, Willow was instead content to keep herself pressed up against her brother, as if stepping away would cause the memory to disappear. “I remember you,” She mewed barely above a whisper, ears flattening against her gray-and-white head to portray the same innocence of a young kit. “Grayowl: my brother.” Sadly, no other memories were to follow. But, this was a sign of hope, right? Contacting Grayowl's flank allowed her to register his face as one she once knew, but if that was the case, why hadn't she remembered Lionstar? Shaking her head free from this mild frustration, Willow instead focused on the positives. It didn't matter right now whether or not she was this Willowfur they all believed her to be, what mattered was that she had found her brother. I have a brother!
Forcefully digging her muzzle into the base of Grayowl's neck – she was so overcome by a mixture of relief and happiness that she was unable to notice the flicker of distaste that crossed the charcoal warrior's expression upon sharing his space with her. “Willowfur,” Grayowl began, the she-cat's name numb and unusual on the tip of his tongue; he never thought he'd need to say that name again. “What happened to you?” The concern on the tom-cat's face was disguised efficiently, though it was needless to say that he truly cared – he wanted to know if she remembered the night of her disappearance.
From any other cat... being addressed as Willowfur would have been a complete annoyance; it would have rattled her very bones to their core. From Grayowl, however, it was the last thing on her mind. She didn't care about it anymore. If he said she was Willowfur, she had to be Willowfur. He, as her brother, would know. “I don't know...” The gray-and-white feline confessed. “I don't remember what happened to me. Lionstar found me somewhere near here, and he allowed me to tag along with him back to this camp.” At mention of Lionstar, she at last recalled that she had left him mere tail-lengths away to instead interact with Grayowl. Turning her attention toward the golden leader, she flashed a shy, almost reluctant smile – unknown as to whether or not this was the proper gesture to offer. She didn't remember him. And if she was this Willowfur, this Willowfur he treasured so much... she couldn't imagine how it felt to have someone standing so close, unable to do anything surpassing a quiet smile, no lace of recognition in its depths.
Grayowl's eyes followed Willowfur's path to Lionstar, observing whatever emotions he could grasp from his leader. He, of course, recalled what he shared with his sister before she had died – so he thought she had died. And if this – his Willowfur unable to remember their past – was enough to create a crack in his almighty demeanor... dear StarClan, what he'd do with that power. She remembers me, Lionstar. There's nothing you can do about it. Grayowl took a step closer to his sister, which Willowfur happily allowed. He could play this careless charade of deep joy for as long as it took. Enjoy it while it lasts, Lionstar. I'll be the reason your heart gets ripped out again.
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Post by Fawn on Jun 3, 2013 2:56:17 GMT -5
LIONSTAR
39 Moons || TreeClan || Tom
Playing witness to the entire reunion scene between brother and sister, the golden figurehead of the forest-dwelling Clan could only hang back with mixed feelings, his expression slightly blank. It felt as if he were watching someone else's life, having viewed a private scene he had no business seeing. Somehow, amidst all of the white noise filling up his ears and head right now, Lionstar was able to process the nigh insane truth of the situation.
Willowfur was alive. She was back. She was here. A little worse off than before, but he would've gladly told her she was beautiful a thousand times over if she'd asked it of him.
The object of his affection was here, right here in front of him as if plucked from the murky depths of his memory, configured from a dozen miserable dreams spent in grief and longing for a cat who by all accounts, he'd presumed to be in StarClan, looking down on him. His Willow was alive, and she didn't remember a single thing about him. Had anyone ever asked, Lionstar would have immediately denied how much pain that caused him, to know that he had not left a lasting imprint upon her character that a simple brush of the pelt would have conjured up visions of days long past, of moments they'd shared and feelings of mostly friendship between them. Even if she had never felt for him beyond the bonds of companionship and camaraderie, the idea that Willowfur saw him and saw only Lionstar, leader of TreeClan, an acquaintance and not the reckless, wild-hearted apprentice and young warrior he'd been, her friend - that felt like a rejection in of itself.
It was as if whatever weight he'd had on her life since their early moons spent simply enjoying their youth, it was as if it had suddenly dissolved like so much water in a drying out riverbed. The forest wasn't the only thing suffering from a drought, Lionstar realized. Willowfur is too. Little by little, however, droplet after droplet, they would be able to restore her memory, couldn't they? Incrementally, they could fill that dried out riverbed with enough water that it would be as if it had never run out in the first place.
They could do that. Things could go back to the way they were nearly two years ago.
....But what if she never remembered him? What if all that he was and all that he had been to her had slipped from Willowfur's memory permanently? And he would forever remain nothing more than that tom who had found her in the forest by happenstance, who had brought her back home and nothing more?
The golden tom refused to let his thoughts be chained to that one singular possibility, burying such a dark 'what if' into the deepest pit of his being in the hopes that it wouldn't rear it's ugly head later, when he was by himself and had proper time to reflect on the situation. When Willowfur looked over to smile at him awkwardly, Lionstar's blank expression gradually shifted to mimic hers, his visage arranged in a way that displayed caution, careful not to let his emotions get the better of him - not now, when things had already become so awkward between them. It was as if a thick blanket of leaves now clung to their pelts, weighing them down and crackling every time they moved, the noise worse when they were near each other. Gradually, the golden tom's equally as golden oculars settled upon the gray warrior flanking Willowfur's side. He held a long look with the tom who was supposedly 'jumping for joy' at the idea of his sister practically being back from the dead. Lionstar had no actual reason to accuse Grayowl of somehow being insincere in his gladness at Willowfur's return, but that didn't mean his pelt wasn't crawling at the sight of them together, at the seemingly pleased expression all over the charcoal warrior's smug muzzle.
"Shall I leave you two to catch up?"
He mewed cordially, well, a cordially as he could manage, keeping a respectable distance now that Willowfur had latched on to something familiar, something that wasn't him. Trying very very hard to ignore the deep-set ache within his chest, as if someone had hammered their back paws into the breast bone, Lionstar felt it best to extract himself from the situation. Somehow...being around her right now could end up causing him even more pain then he'd felt losing his first life.
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Post by Insidious on Jun 6, 2013 16:52:03 GMT -5
W I L L O W F U R & G R A Y O W L Her eyes skimmed the features of Lionstar as he addressed her, attention that was so firm upon her brother now keen to remain on the golden tom nearby. She hardly registered his words for what they truly were – a desire to dismiss himself – because right now, more than anything, she wanted to be surrounded by what was familiar, or more suitably, meant to be familiar. “Oh, no!” Willowfur mewed with a tone of urgency, stepping toward the TreeClan leader in an attempt to distract him from the pending excuse to remove himself from her bonding with Grayowl. “There's no reason for you to leave, in fact, you could probably contribute to well... all of this.”
Settling into a content sit, Willowfur's eyes continuously flickered between Grayowl and Lionstar, oblivious to what dislike and mistrust clouded the pair like a thick fog. “I'm sure there's plenty you'd remember about me, Lionstar.” Willowfur added pleasantly, gray-white ears pricking forward; for a moment, she looked like she would have back as a newly made warrior – innocent, carefree. “I want to know anything and everything. Do you recall anything important about me? Or about us?” Willowfur was, casually, hinting toward the rather... nice comments he'd said to her earlier when she wasn't believed to be this Willowfur. A small smile flicked across her jaw, though she was far more shy to the topic than could likely be observed. It was merely... unusual to think something had existed between TreeClan's leader and herself. If it did, she certainly wanted to hear about it, regardless of whether or not it'd be awkward for him – she had a habit of putting cats in the spotlight, after all. That much hadn't changed.
Grayowl observed cautiously, wary of any long-lost connections that were likely just waiting to be unlocked from within Willowfur's lost memory. He remembered exactly what sort of events Willowfur was hinting to be enlightened of. Mainly because Lionstar was one of many that could be accused of having their sights set upon his sister at one point or another. It was sickening: his sister, meant to be dead. And his leader, of all cats she could have chosen to lure. He bit down on his tongue to disguise the distaste, instead, fixating Lionstar with the warmest gaze he could muster. With Willowfur at a loss of memory, Grayowl could easily slip his way into an unfitted role. Perhaps, he could go so far as to convince her that their relationship had been a strong one, and not the horrific mess that lead him to killing her – pardon, nearly killing her.
But baby steps, these were. All of this, and more, would certainly come in time – as Willowfur grew more comfortable. For the time being, Grayowl was more than willing to sit back and listen to the most heart-felt depths of Lionstar's mind. Keep your enemies closer, after all – and more importantly learn everything you can that they'd wish nothing more than to keep from you.
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