[Fawn]

APPLESHADE

22 Moons | TreeClan | She-Cat | Warrior

Islands, diamonds, trips around the world,

The ruined forest left much to be desired, the brittle, fire-scorched home territory of TreeClan putting an unpleasant taste in the back of the throat that was more than just bitterness. Coughing through a small cloud of ash kicked up by a previously fleeing squirrel, Appleshade dug a small hole in the ground, starting up this morning's cache as she dropped in the dead rodent and quickly covered up. Yes, anyone who knew this she-cat in terms of acquaintances or more could tell that she did not hold the best record for bringing in the most prey, waking up early or being a perfect example of a strong female warrior to TreeClan's youth, but given the times, the sorrel-shaded feline was obviously intending to haul her weight this time. Well...until she allowed herself to be distracted by something. Preferably something with testosterone and a nice face. Tail arching over a reddish ticked back for which she was name, the thick, fluffy appendage was held up not to show her good mood, however, but to avoid the swirling particles and ash motes of charred wood and incinerated vegetation. The devastated state of the forest had forced Appleshade to go even farther than usual to hunt, the beautiful unusually hued feline slinking through the damaged parts into the areas that remained more or less untouched. Brought to the Open Woods, that border separating her Clan from their next door neighbors, LightningClan, instinctively her jaws parted, drawing in the scents on the air in the hopes that she might detect anycat on the premises. It would've been ideal to run into a handsome young LightningClanner here on the border - someone sympathetic to her current situation, a victim of a nasty forest fire, who was admirable for not allowing the desperate times to put her in a funk. Scaling the nearest tree in a scratch and hook of ivory claws, she scurried up the trunk with all the precision of the fresh kill she'd buried nearby just seconds ago. Plume sweeping out behind the lithe, eye-catching feline for the sake of balance, Appleshade settled upon one of the branches closest to the ground - just enough to be visible, but not so easy to reach. That was all part of the game, wasn't it? To be slightly out of reach, to be something to strive for, to give the toms in this forest something more interesting than the usual "I like you or I don't" scenario. A little push and pull never hurt anybody, right? A little flirting for the sake of flirting couldn't have been a bad thing. With one eye closed, the self-titled matchmaker of TreeClan felt the stress of the past few days spent hunting as though under assessment from TreeClan's leader begin to slide from the shoulders, the tension loosening, her posture comfortable and painted a somewhat elegant picture; long tail gently swaying in the open air, she looked like an exotic mix of a lioness and a fox for her reddish shading and vixen-like tail. She was still a very young feline, and while she had certainly made a reputation for herself amongst her own Clan, the rest of the forest had not yet been spun into her web, ensnared by her talent for socializing and making other feel good about themselves - but that would change soon enough. Appleshade couldn't stay away from those of the male variety, and neither them from her, boundaries nothing more than a set of guidelines anyway.

don’t mean a thing if I ain’t your girl~

[Deleted]

Sunstride
The Brightest Flame
Yeah, you can be the greatest
You can be the best
You can be the King Kong banging on his chest

Adderstrike
The Snake of Treeclan
When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide

---

With the hot sun, it was a surprise that the two half ginger pelted toms didn't wander under more shaded area that the near treeless section on the border of Treeclan and Lightningclan. It was also a surprise that the older and more aggressive of the two wasn't currently watching the Nightclan border like a hawk for prey. Despite these two things, there the two Treeclan warriors were, walking in near silence through their territory. It was odd, the two were not very close, especially with the dark ginger tom's temper, but they somehow were able to act like brothers together rather than vicious clanmates that hated each other.

Ginger ears flickered as the younger of the two's emotionless green eyes glanced upwards in a tree. He thought he had smelt and slightly heard something. And he was correct. There was a reason that Sunstride was one of Treeclan's best hunters. The ginger and white tom turned to Adderstrike, who was trailing behind him at somewhat of a pace. "Your girlfriend is up in a tree." He stated calmly, but his eyes danced with amusement at his statement towards the temperamental tom. It probably wasn't best to poke the bear, but what's a little brotherly love without a bit of teasing.

Cold blue eyes snapped forwards to glare holes into Sunstride's ginger and white face as a low growl escaped the older tom's throat. Thick muscles rippled under Adderstrike's dark ginger pelt as he stepped forwards, showing why he was one of Treeclan's best fighters. The warrior disregarded Appleshade's presence in the tree above them as his deep voice let out a low rumble. "She's not my girlfriend." He snarled at his brother. He couldn't stand that she-cat. So feminine and flirty. She loved to tease Adderstrike, why would he like her.

---

Standing in the hall of fame
And the world's gonna know your name
'Cause you burn with the brightest flame
And the world's gonna know your name
And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame

Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide

[Phoenix]

Only a blind cat would have been oblivious to the fire that had raged across TreeClan’s territory, the tom mused idly as alabaster limbs carried him toward the border. But that was not altogether true. Blind did not mean a loss of all other senses; therefore, a blind cat would still have been able to smell the smoke, which had billowed through the hot air in a very conspicuous, thick cloud. Perhaps a blind cat would have been able to sense it before a feline who could see? Not that he had given it much thought, but possibly the other senses compensated for the loss of one and became more sensitive? Perhaps, if he decided to pursue that theory, he would ask Rookfrost for a professional opinion from one more experienced in the medical fields. However, he let the thought go; cutting it loose and watching in his mind’s eye as it drifted away, lingering dangerously close toward imagined flames.

Upon reflection, he could not state what had exactly drawn his attention toward the TreeClan border. It was a combination of the pungent smoke that had drifted over the border, and the crackling, snapping sound, the origin of which he later assumed to be the flames dancing across the trees. He had recognized the signs of a fire within moments, and having been relatively near the danger zone, he had decided that it would be in his best interest to return to camp and distance himself from the inferno. While it would be a shame, of course, if the fire decimated TreeClan, the tragedy would increase tenfold if LightningClan was also attacked by the fiery claws.

Now, however, a safe passage of time had passed since the last time he had neared the border, and confident that any lingering, smoldering ashes would have been extinguished, he was driven by his curiosity to return and examine the damage. Much to his disappointment, it appeared as though the border and the surrounding area had managed to remain relatively untouched, for he was not greeted by the jagged horizon he had expected. However, darkened trunks in the distance appeared promising, and his desire to investigate further almost pulled him over the blurred line that was the border between the two clans.

However he caught sight of another feline and quelled the impulse, instead drawing his paws together and lowering his haunches to the ground. Analytical, crimson eyes coolly rose to lock onto the she-cat as a pleasant expression crossed his features, the devil seamlessly slipping away and hiding behind an agreeable façade. Her choice of location had him doubting her intelligence, though he found that many felines had a daily habit of performing rather unintelligent and inefficient actions. Even if the tree had escaped the flames, there was no promise that the branch on which she lay had escaped just as unscathed. Personally, he had no knowledge as to the effect of intense heat on trees apart from those burned, but he would not have been so willing to climb one so soon after the rest of the forest had been demolished by a fire. It would, however, amuse him if she paid for her decision. Perhaps the branch would break and she would plummet to the ground, he mused, while he sat there and entertained himself with the inane conversation that would doubtless come. Far from life-threatening at that distance, unfortunately, but it had potential all the same.

He would instigate the inane conversation himself, he decided a moment later. Tail unwrapping itself from around his paws and moving to dance through the air, the LightningClan tom parted his jaws to act on his decision. However, the appearance of two TreeClan toms silenced the words about to leave from his maw, and scarlet eyes removed themselves from the she-cat to focus on the newcomers. They did not seem to have noticed his presence yet, though he doubted that that would last long. As amusing as it was to imagine the surprise when he was discovered without his interference, he decided to hasten the process. Calling out amicably, he interrupted the squabbling of the two toms, ”Well now, that’s a little rude, don’t you think? What if this lovely lady was harboring feelings for you and you just broke her heart with that heated statement of yours?” Though he could not care less about the love lives of these TreeClan warriors, it would be a shame to waste an opportunity like this.

[Fawn]

APPLESHADE

22 Moons | TreeClan | She-Cat | Warrior

Islands, diamonds, trips around the world,

"He's only playing hard to get," With all the sultry inflections of an experienced flirt, the beautiful feline enjoying the spotlight more than any one cat should, Appleshade's gemstone yellow eyes fell upon one of the fabled albinos of LightningClan. Though the squabbling of the brothers Sunstride and Adderstrike had reached her ears first, it was Whiteshade whose extremely striking if not peculiar features that had caught her attention earlier. With an appreciation for all things beautiful, she considered him standing there, the easy, confident method with which he spoke enough to pique her interest, appraising the senior warrior with an expert's eye. Knowing Adderstrike, he'll probably dash across the border to go take a swing at Tall, White and Red over there, unless I do something about it. This wasn't going to be much of a fun, social gathering if the hot-tempered, muscular TreeClan warrior couldn't stop himself from attacking any cat who wasn't one of their own. Balancing on the bough for a moment longer, Appleshade made no attempt to suppress a purr, long lithesome form making small but accurate steps down the base of the tree, claws unsheathed to latch onto the rough bark, the warrioress clearing the last foxlength to make an easy landing. Throat vibrating with the pleasant sound, she took a good look at Sunstride, then the huffing, agitated Adderstrike, and back to Whiteshade, subtly making her way to stand in the middle of all three toms. This wasn't so much a grab for as much attention as physically possible as it was a tactical ploy to keep things civil, well, as civil as she could possibly make it. Rose-shaded plume sweeping against Adderstrike's legs as she approached, an infectious smile all over her pretty features, speaking to the whole group though it was obvious she meant him in particular. "It's too hot to fight, fellas. No one's breaking any rules, now are they? As long as we each stay on our respective sides, then we can all just relax and have a nice conversation. Besides," soft, siren-like vocals dropped an octave, head turning to look at the oldest TreeClan warrior out of the three, "since I am obviously not your girlfriend, there's no reason for you to get upset if I talk to this nice LightningClanner, now is there? You don't mind, do you Adderstrike?" He was cute when he was mad. Fully aware that she was putting him into a somewhat awkward predicament in terms of reaction - he could either be upset at this entire scenario anyway and deny every insistence that there was something between them, or he could respond as coldly as possible and be made to sit and suffer through what was likely to be a sickeningly polite bout of flirting between herself, Whiteshade and Sunstride - but Appleshade couldn't help but enjoy this lovely bit of luck. There was a tom as mysterious as he was unusual looking, the intelligent Sunstride who was the same age as she was, and of course, the always pleasurable company, Adderstrike, whose fiery reactions to just about anything to do with her was well worth the effort it took to knock him out of his comfort zone. The entire trio were good looking enough to catch even the pickiest she-cat's attention. It was a feast for the eyes as well as a little food for that starving, attention-seeking animal that was such a big part of Appleshade's personality.

don’t mean a thing if I ain’t your girl~

[Deleted]

~~Adderstrike~~Sunstride~~
Brothers of Earth and Sky

The growl that almost escaped the temperamental tom's throat was stopped when Appleshade decided to leave her perch in the tree and join in on the conversation. The older brother's feirce blue eyes were boring holes into Whiteshade's bright red orbs as his claws started to peek out of the dark ginger furred paws of his. The latter of the two simply remained calm, if not possibly annoyed at his brother, though it only showed in the rolling of his calm green orbs.

"Flirt with whoever you like..." Adderstrike snapped before flinching away from the brush of Appleshade's fur against his, making him bristle. There was a snort from Sunstride as the wise young white and ginger tom padded closer towards the border, all the while watch Whiteshade as Adderstrike lashed his tail furiously.

"Whiteshade, correct?" Sunstride started, dipping his head politely towards the older warrior of Lightningclan. "What are you doing way by our border by yourself, if you don't mind me asking." The ginger and white tom's green orbs were blank and emotionless, not letting the albino tom read his emotions.

"Does it matter why he is here?" Adderstrike snapped from behind Sunstide as the younger tom sighed. "Ignore him. He woke up on the wrong side of the nest." Sunstride muttered, then thought to himself, everyday.

[Phoenix]

Red eyes watched as the she-cat made her way down the tree, weaving to stand strategically placed between the three of them. Amusement briefly flickered through him at the attempt to prevent unsheathed claws disguised as a ploy to gain as much attention as possible. His gaze found the dark ginger tom, quietly meeting the eyes that burned with a blue fire, making no attempt to hide the analytical gleam in his own crimson eyes, as if he was sizing up an opponent. He had no particular inclination to instigate a confrontation between himself and the hot tempered tom, presumably Adderstrike, but if the other tom could be silently, subtly goaded into it, no one could blame him for defending himself. It was a shame. Despite his musings, Whiteshade doubted that the other two would allow the situation to deteriorate so far that their clan mate would start a fight.

Attention drawn away from the curious interaction between the she-cat and the irritated tom, he turned and pinned the other warrior with a blood-red gaze. The interaction between him and the hot blooded warrior, Adderstrike, suggested either a close friendship or a blood relation, though their temperaments seemed to be opposites. Where the latter seemed quick to snap, the green-eyed feline seemed more level headed. Lowering his alabaster head, the senior warrior responded with a slight nod, both confirming the other tom’s guess and returning the greeting. ”Correct.” It no longer came as a surprise that cats of other clans knew his name; red eyes and white fur were rather notable. The demon glanced toward the blue-eyed warrior. ”I presume that you are Adderstrike,” He reasoned, tail flicking. ”However, I regret to say that I do not know either of your names.” Cordiality dictated that he ask for their names in return, though he doubted that he would remember any of them after a day or two. Unless the three showed an admiral affinity in something worthwhile, he would not care enough to make note of them.

The irritated comment in the wake of a politely worded question from Adderstrike caught his attention, and he spared the rude warrior a mere glance before dismissing him as per the other tom’s request. ”Ask away,” He invited, tail curling through the air behind him as he kept his tone polite. ”An understandable question, I assure you. The simple fact of the matter is curiosity and a desire to insure the well-being of my neighbors.” In a fluid movement, he transitioned from his sitting position to a standing one, holding the tom’s gaze easily. “You cannot think that the fire that recently occurred in your territory would remain a secret,” He elaborated after a moment’s pause, offering that single sentence as an explanation for both his curiosity and supposed worry as to the state of TreeClan. That was half the fun of the game. While he sat there equivocating, the other party made his or her own conclusions from his words, and Whiteshade was there to manipulate the aftermath and remain one step ahead of the game.

Injecting sincerity into his voice, the red-eyed demon added, ”I do hope that the setback was small, the losses minimal, and your recovery is swift.” His gaze broadened to include the three of them. ”You appear to have avoided the worst unscathed,” He meowed politely, before meeting the she-cat’s gaze. ”Beautiful as ever, I would think, my dear. This tom--” He gestured toward Adderstrike with a flick of his tail. ”—is a very lucky cat, indeed.”

[Fawn]

APPLESHADE

22 Moons | TreeClan | She-Cat | Warrior

Islands, diamonds, trips around the world,

That can't be good for your health, Adderstrike - you're all stress and claws these days. It was honestly in the she-cat's nature to worry a little bit about everyone, especially those who bothered to talk with her, who enjoyed her company or at least humored the pink-furred she-cat on occasion. Tail wrapped around paws with a flourish, she allowed herself to get sucked into the amicable conversation Sunstride and Whiteshade were conjuring up, ears pricking forward once enabled to put a name to the alabaster face and red eyes. She didn't bother hiding a small, deceptively coy smile at his perfect delivery, the words sliding off his tongue as though rain from the waxy smooth surface of leaves. This tom was no starstruck fool who colored his words so rosy that it was obviously used as a tactic meant solely to impress, and would never actually speak like that otherwise. She didn't enjoy seeing others put on a front just to impress her, she'd rather get to know their true selves than make an acquaintance with whatever 'mask' they'd put on for whatever reasons. Unaware that the mask Whiteshade wore was the fine line between murder and morality, Appleshade felt herself warming up to him, pleased that an older warrior had felt inclined to engage her in such a way. "Thank you for your kind words, Handsome~ I'm Appleshade, and yes, he is very lucky, but that has nothing to do with me." Along with these words, the pale-shaded she-cat let free an easy, warm laugh, like a summer breeze blowing in, throwing a wink at Adderstrike who looked as if he'd rather be anywhere else than here. "I wish all the best to you and yours as well, Whiteshade - I understand that the moorlands can get rather dry, so please take care. To you lose a gentletom such as yourself would be quite a loss." Pretty words from a pretty she-cat, the fact that they sincerity wrapped in honey didn't make them any less true, the albino tom's words bringing up some very recent memories of the fire that had ravaged TreeClan's camp. She shared a look with Sunstride. They would keep any information they shared with the LightningClanner rather sparse, as it wouldn't be right to mention Elderpaw's death. Lionstar would want to keep it within the Clan for a little while, at least until he's found a replacement. It was impossible for Appleshade to have missed the wonderfully dramatic, gut-wrenchingly sad event that had been Gentlebreeze's kitting. Besides the fact that both mother and sole surviving kit were thriving, another interesting topic of discussion had cropped up since that incident, and that had been Littletimber's alleged performance at the kitting. Appleshade was no Medicine Cat herself, and had an average connection with StarClan in that she firmly believed in them, but... Maybe that had been a sign? The slender feline let out a soft, airy sort of sigh. That wasn't her problem, now was it? She'd leave the, ah, complexities of Clan life to her half-brother, Lionstar.

don’t mean a thing if I ain’t your girl~

[Deleted]

The recent hot weather was really starting to bother Ivysting. Sure her cream-colored pelt made it easier than having black fur, but that didn’t even cross the she-cats mind. All she thought about was how much she needed some shade. Getting up from finishing a mouse, Ivysting started for the camp entrance. Brushing through she thought she saw Whiteshade going towards the Treeclan border. Assuming he was hunting too, the she-cat turned that way, hoping there would be lots of prey.

Sniffing the air, Ivysting tried to catch a whiff of any nearby prey. At first the she-cat couldn’t smell anything out of the ordinary, but after a few seconds she caught the scent of a mouse. Going towards the smell, she inched closer to a slightly rustling bush. Intent on the mouse, Ivysting missed the smell of the dead trees ahead. Only after she caught and killed the rodent did she look around. A frown creased the hunters face, as she surveyed the damaged woods. Walking towards the border, mouse dangling from her jaws, Ivysting looked around with sadness. Trees were horribly burned, and the various smaller plants were blackened.

Walking in a trance like state, Ivysting was startled by nearby voices. Quickly the she-cat snapped out of her trance and was on high alert. Creeping towards the voices, Ivysting tried to hear the conversation. She quickly recognized Whiteshade’s voice, but the others where unfamiliar. The scent of Treeclan was overwhelming, but she couldn’t be sure if the scent was from the border, or from the other voices. Giving up on listening from far away and not being seen, Ivysting went towards the voices, mouse still dangling frm her jaws. As she approached the conversing cats, she started to hear the conversation. As usual Whiteshade was calm and collected, while the two toms seemed on edge. The she-cat in the tree made Ivysting frown. Whoever she was, the cat wasn’t on edge with Whiteshade, and she seemed to be flirting. Knowing she was visible to the other cats, Ivysting sauntered over to join the conversation. Putting down her mouse she immediately inserted herself into the exchange. Ivysting purred, “Well when did this happen? Last time I was around here there was more green in the trees! Does Treeclan need any help?” Ivysting knew the Treeclan cats would probably avoid the questions, but there was no harm in asking. Of course any information she could get would end up all over Lightningclan. Something this big just had to be shared.