[Fawn]

43 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

He and Appleshade had been assigned to guard the camp, in the absence of almost half their number. Meadowleaf, the Clan deputy, had gone with Lionstar and the others (as well as no small amount of apprentices), leaving them to sit sentry near the secluded entrance to TreeClan's camp.

"We'll be back, just getting some coltsfoot." Mewed Nightshade, the dark tom glancing as Littletimber walked past, the medicine cat the obvious reason for Nightshade and Whiteclaw's departure.

"Where do you find Coltsfoot?" Sprucefur asked, sitting quietly and attempting to calculate how long the outing would take. Appleshade, however, her mellifluous voice was sweet and clear and arresting the attention of the other warriors.
"Be careful, you two. StarClan knows what we'd do without you." Was it just him, or was she looking at Whiteclaw in particular? Sprucefur watched the two toms nod and then break into a trot, trying to keep up with the little healer that had so quickly outpaced him.

It was going to be quiet around camp for a while; not only would most of their Clanmates be sleeping (finally, a blessed respite from the brutal rays of the sun), but the rest would be at the Gathering or out herb-hunting. Sprucefur sighed into the warm night breeze, preparing himself for a boring but necessary task of keeping watch.

"So~" Appleshade chirped, wiping a damp paw over her whiskers. "Have you spent any more time with Feathercloud?"

Sprucefur's pale eyes found her in his peripheral vision, and he chose not to look directly at her. No, this night probably wasn't going to be so quiet after all. "Not lately. She has an apprentice to train."

"Maybe you could offer her some advice?"

"On how to lose your apprentice?" Sprucefur snapped, shame rising up like bile in the back of his throat. He deliberately stared into the forest, not wanting to see the look of sympathy or hurt on his sister's face. Hard to say which would be worse. "I don't want to talk, Appleshade. Let's just keep watch." Sprucefur's tail tip twitched, his mouth turned down in a frown. "Please."

For once, Appleshade got the message; his normally chatty sister kept quiet for a lot longer than he'd expected. Sprucefur shook out his pelt, the muscles underneath tensed by his uncomfortable feelings. Feathercloud doesn't want to talk to a failure. What advice could he possibly give? Unable to hold his head up high around her, he hadn't been the best of friends lately; he got up early for patrols, and stayed out late to hunt or guard the camp, making sure he only saw her around the fresh kill pile if necessary. There was no point in avoiding the pretty she-cat—she was probably more than a little cross with him right now—but he didn't know what to say to her anymore.

Suddenly, Nightshade burst out of the undergrowth, his yellow eyes rolling wide, panting as if he had run from all of TigerClan itself.
"Demon!"

"What?" Sprucefur sprang to his paws, Appleshade frantically glancing behind Nightshade to see if any other cat was coming.

"Demon attacked," Nightshade took several gulps of air, and Sprucefur's stomach lurched as he noticed the dark tom's pelt was slicked with blood. "Everybody. Ran. Littletimber..."

"Where's Whiteclaw?" Appleshade demanded, her voice high with worry.

Nightshade shook his head. "We got separated! I-I'm sorry I just... I ran—"

"Go see Bluejay!" Sprucefur nudged the injured warrior towards the young healer's den, his pelt standing on end. No Lionstar, no Meadowleaf. What do we do?

Get Skyfall? Thornstrike?

The siblings shared a panicked look, and seeing the fear on her face was enough to jostle him back into action. "We have to find them! Go get Skyfall, Lionsong, Feathercloud!"

I'll get Thornstrike and Cedarclaw. Someone else would have to guard the camp while they searched; Sprucefur felt unsteady on his paws at the thought of Demon attacking here.

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

---
Word Count: 665 Words
Tags: Insidious , Hellion , Amber , Phoenix
Notes: ((Feel free to jump in with any cat not at the Gathering, guys!))

[BlooRey DVD]

He'd been fast asleep in his nest, his dreams a non-exciting blur of hunting in a forest that was characteristically not TreeClan's when something pulled him from his slumber. A sudden hiss from a nearby Clanmate, and a muttered "Hey, watch where you're stepping, Appleshade. That was my tail." had his bleary mind wondering what had gotten into Appleshade. She was usually so careful and dainty. Stepping on someone's tail like that wasn't very... Well Appleshade. He was mid-way through a yawn, bi-colored eyes struggling to open when a set of paws landed very firmly against his flank, all but pushing him out of his nest. Springing up in an instant, he was met with Appleshade; but something wasn't right. The pure panic written on the she-cat's features was enough to have the white tom's fur prickling. And as soon as she stammered out a StarClan forsaken name, he understood why. "Appleshade, breathe." He instructed her. Glancing behind her, he made out two figures standing and blinking in confusion. One was the silver she-cat on which Appleshade had tread previously. The other was a she-cat he'd grown up along side. Without wasting a moment, he fixed the two she-cats with his gaze. "Feathercloud. Lionsong. Follow me." Stepping around Appleshade, he maneuvered to a nearby nest, pawing the tabby form a little roughly. "Zephyrfang, get up. We need you outside." The tone in his voice was enough to show he wasn't kidding around. Quickly bounding outside, he looked from one side to the other. "Where's Thornstrike?" The mottled brown tom appeared shortly thereafter, and the white senior warrior led the gathered cats briskly to Sprucefur's side. Feathercloud was quick to pull up beside Skyfall, her plush silver pelt fluffed out slightly in alarm, and bright blue eyes wide. Skyfall met Zephyrfang's gaze as the brown tabby pulled up. "Zephyrfang, guard the Clan entrance. When Cedarclaw appears, fill him in on what has happened. Demon has attacked. Keep everyone inside, and do what you can to keep them calm." His voice was stern, serious, sounding more like it had when he'd served temporarily as TreeClan's deputy before Lionstar had picked Meadowleaf. "Feathercloud, Lionsong, Thornstrike, Appleshade, Sprucefur, you are with me." He immediately began moving, his pace quick, leaving the others to scramble after him. "Sprucefur, where were they last, and what can you tell us about the situation?" This was the last thing that they needed, and on the night of the Gathering no less.

It had been moons since things had escalated as quickly as they had tonight. One moment, she was roused from her sleep by one of her denmates unceremoniously stepping on her tail. Next, Skyfall was barking orders at her in his don't-mess-with-me deputy voice. It really gave her little choice but to follow. The last remnants of sleep melted away from her as adrenaline began seeping into her system. She could feel her heart hammering agains her ribcage, her mind churning furiously in an attempt to understand just what had unfolded tonight. Her feathery tail twitched behind her as she bounded to Skyfall's side. Not daring to say a word, she listened quietly as TreeClan's worst nightmare was confirmed to them. Demon attacked? But.. Attack means someone was put in danger... Who's been injured? It was here that she noticed the telltale scent of fear mingled with the dark furred tom Nightshade's scent. What had Nightshade been doing out at this time of the night that would end in a horrible run in with Demon? Who else had been accompanying him, and who hadn't returned with him? There was fear in her eyes, just as there had been when she and Sprucefur had encountered Skyfall being chased by a fox. Yet fear didn't mean she wouldn't be able to help her Clan. As Skyfall finished his orders and rounded up the makeshift patrol, Feathercloud leapt to her paws and immediately fell into line. She wanted nothing more than to fall into step with Sprucefur; for some bizarre reason, the thought of him being there made it not so bad. But his attitude toward her in recent days... All she could think was that she had done something wrong, as now he did nothing but avoid her. He was gone when she woke up, and seemed to remain gone for the rest of the day. Pulling her blue eyes away from his pale furred form (he was busy talking to Skyfall now, so there was no point in trying), the silver warrioress fell into step with the other she-cat in the patrol. Glancing toward her, she wondered if Lionsong felt the same unease as she did. What had happened? What would happen?

Fawn

[Insidious]

Nightshade's body was wrapped in cobwebs from head-to-toe before she felt confident enough to leave him unattended. "I'll be right back," she assured him, lining his nest with a hint of lavender, "I just want to check on everyone who's still outside." The black warrior - though his fur was muddied a dark red - summarized Demon's attack, but she shushed him with a gentle tap of her tail against his mouth when his stress levels began to sky-rocket. Now, his eyes were closed, and his head was resting on the edge of the nest so he could breathe in the lavender; but he wasn't sleeping, and she didn't think he would until he knew his clan-mates were safe.

She hoped with all of her heart that she'd be able to bring that good news to him.

Outside, Skyfall was leading a handful of cats in the direction she imagined Nightshade had come from. With worry creased into the gentle lines of her face, she chased after them; someone could be too hurt to walk themselves to her den, and she would be the first cat at their side to help carry them back. The bluish-gray medicine cat apprentice arrived at a dizzying halt behind Sprucefur, and she scanned the cats in the area, scenting the air for a sign of Demon.

Whiteclaw was nowhere to be found, and her mentor...

"Where's Littletimber?" Her expression was somber, but hopeful. Her sympathies went out to the unlucky cat who had to look her in the eyes and confirm her suspicions, but nonetheless break her heart.

Words: ###
Tags: BlooRey DVD & Fawn

[Deleted]

The flame colored warrior was sleeping soundly in her nest, curled up with her mate. It wasn’t until movement beside her stirred her, and when Thornstrike suddenly rose, her eyes popped open. Seeing the tom’s fur beginning to stand, Emberstorm lifted her head, looking around the den. Warriors were rising all around her, and she caught pieces of conversation. She rose and followed Thornstrike and the other warriors out of the den, gathering with them as Skyfall took control.

When he called out cats out to join him, presumably to go after Demon, she glanced at Thornstrike. Though she hadn’t been assigned, there was no way she was letting him out of her sight, not at a time like this. She shot a glance at the apprentice’s den where her kits were, hopefully, sleeping soundly. There was an urge to go to them and tell them she loved them one last time, but Skyfall was already on the move. She fell into step beside her mate, ears pricked forward to catch the conversations ahead even as her eyes drifted back to the apprentices’ den. Thornstrike’s tail against her side drew her eyes to him, and his whispered words of “they’ll be alright,” soothed her mind enough for her to focus on the task at hand.

BlooRey DVD, Fawn, Insidious

[Phoenix]

see i was dead when i woke up this morning

Long before the nights had become the only refuge from the relentless heat of the day, Sootmask had learned to appreciate the relative silence and stillness of the night. With almost every cat caught in sleep’s warm embrace, the camp was always at its most peaceful during the witching hour, and the quiet was a welcome change to the usual hustle and bustle of camp life. It was to indulge his faint preference for this side of life that he had chosen to remain awake, sitting as still as a statue off to the side of camp and ignoring the way sleep tugged at his eyes; after all, it was not often that he felt so inclined to make a decision so illogical. One might claim the sun and the heat had gotten to him…

In any event, the blue-eyed tom watched the events of the night unfold, only blinking as the ensuing chaos shattered what had once been a tranquil scene. He might have felt a touch of disappointment had he not been so intrigued by what he heard. As a kit, he had heard many stories about the lynx that roamed the mountains and occasionally preyed on smaller felines, and it had only been the sight of the scars across Nobleheart’s face that made him believe these fantastical tales. Never had he encountered the larger predator himself, and common sense had kept him from actively searching for him – but that did not mean he had never thought about Demon. Rising to his paws, the gray warrior stepped forward as the camp came to life and his clan mates began to offer words of comfort to each other. Ears pivoted as he ghosted among them, ignoring the words of fear and concern in favor of those few who might hold a shred of useful information. Naturally, the most useful cat had already been dismissed, sent to the medicine cat den to get his wounds attended to, though Sootmask doubted he would be in any state to relay what he had seen in a timely manner.

Even under normal circumstances, it was rare for him to find a cat who could concisely and efficiently tell him what he wanted to know; it would be amazing to get a complete sentence out of some cats’ mouths after adding adrenaline to the mix.

Picking his way through the crowd, the warrior found himself among the cats forming a search party for Littletimber and Whiteclaw, but it was not out of any loyalty to his clan or its occupants that he stood silently off to the side of the group. He was simply curious. His information about the lynx was rather lacking, and the predator’s sudden appearance was something new to investigate. With a fairly practical view of life, one that scorned taking unnecessary risks, he never particularly enjoyed putting his life at risk, but he was sorely unequipped and disinclined to remain at camp and deal with such an outpouring of emotions. There were others who cared how their clan mates felt. They could huddle together and utter meaningless words. He had better things to do.

i'll be dead before the day is done

sootmask | treeclan | warrior | Fawn BlooRey DVD Insidious Amber

seven devils | background image

[Fawn]

43 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

Even under times such as these, Sprucefur took notice of Feathercloud's arrival and his heart fluttered in his chest like a moth trying to dry its wings. The moment lasted a second, before he was able to give Skyfall his full attention.
"I didn't catch where, but Nightshade said they had gone to get coltsfoot."

"There should be some near the sparkling brook," chimed Appleshade, her voice shaking a little but it was raised loudly enough that the whole party could hear.

Sprucefur glanced at her, surprised that she of all cats knew where to find coltsfoot. Appleshade sniffed. "Bluejay taught me that. Can we go now? We have to find them!"

His sister was right, they were wasting precious seconds, though he understood the need for clarity in a situation that felt comprised of seemingly nothing but chaos. "Nightshade says Demon found them and that they split up, in which case we need to hurry. One cat can't fight off Demon by themselves." What if we're walking right into a trap?

Was the lynx so cunning as to take advantage of Littletimber's herb-collecting, to lure more Clanmates to their demise? Stop that. You don't know if Littletimber's survived yet or not. What surprised Sprucefur even more than his sister's herb knowledge was the appearance of Sootmask; was he actually trying to help them find Littletimber, or was he just here for the sake of curiosity?

Sprucefur didn't have time to contemplate that much further. They needed to get going now. With eight cats thanks to Emberstorm, would it be wise to split up? Skyfall, Appleshade, Emberstorm & Thornstrike could search for Whiteclaw. He could go with Sootmask, Feathercloud and Lionsong to track down Littletimber.
"I think we should split up." He looked at Skyfall, relaying his plan to the older warrior.

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

---
Word Count: 315 Words
Tags: BlooRey DVD , Hellion , Amber , Phoenix , Insidious
Notes:

Oh great StarClan I can't breathe. Appleshade shook from nose to tail-tip, and just as she turned away to catch her breath, she noticed Bluejay appearing, the gray-furred healer asking the question no cat wanted to answer. Drawing herself up to her full height and gathering enough air in her lungs to speak without her voice quaking, Appleshade went to Bluejay. "We'll find him, don't worry. We'll find them both. Do you need help with anything? They... They might come back injured." Or in pieces, whispered a petrified voice at the back of her mind, and the delicate feline nearly swooned at the thought. Her face was full of fright, but she was putting on her best determined smile, holding herself together so that no-cat could say she was making the situation worse. There was a time for drama and hysterics, and now was not that time. She was a TreeClan cat after all; if she wanted to cry puddles of tears, she'd be a RainClan cat. (The water-resistant coat would come in handy).

Word Count: 185 Words
Tags:
Notes:

[BlooRey DVD]

To say he was irritated by cats suddenly joining the patrol despite his instructions would have been an understatement. His tail tip twitched from where he strode at the head of the patrol, but he didn't say a word. There were more important things to do in that moment than rounding on the extra patrol members. Two of their own were out there alone, potentially faced with the lynx known for terrorizing the Clans. Let them be. You can talk to them later. He told himself, doing his absolute best to keep his voice steady amongst his thoughts. Keeping an ear focused on Sprucefur, Skyfall gathered all the information he could on the current situation. Appleshare's interjection had the white tom shifting course to head toward the Sparkling Brook. Bi-colored eyes scanned the undergrowth steadily, and one of his ears was constantly searching the surroundings for any sign of the massive predator stalking the territory. Truthfully, he had considered separating the patrol in two, so that they might boost the chances of finding both the missing Clan members. When Sprucefur also brought up the idea, relating his own plan, the white tom cat essentially made up his mind. Slowing his step just outside the Sparkling Brook, Skyfall turned his serious gaze on the rest of the patrol. "We are splitting up." There was no arguing with him, not with the tone of voice he used. "Each patrol will contain four cats. Sprucefur will take up the lead of one. He will be accompanied by Lionsong, who will take the rear position of the patrol. Feathercloud and Sootmask will take a side each. Travel in a diamond formation. Lionsong, be sure to listen to what occurs behind you. Sprucefur will do the same for the forward position. Sootmask and Feathercloud will fill in the gasps." A moment with his jaws parted brought an intense wave of fear from the area. Something had certainly happened nearby. If he was right (and it was unlikely he wasn't), Littletimber had gone to their left, whereas Whiteclaw had gone to the right. "Sprucefur, take the patrol left and follow Littletimber's scent. Do not let your guard down. Any of you." He couldn't stress that enough. Turning to the remaining cats, he locked gazes with each in turn. "Thornstrike will take the rear. Emberstorm and Appleshade, take a side each. If you scent or see anything, be loud. If anyone encounters Lionstar and the cats returning from the Gathering, warn them immediately." With that, he waved his tail, nodding once more to Sprucefur before leading his patrol away. His jaws were wide open, pulling in the strong tang of fear mixed with his brother's scent; finding his brother would be the last thing he would ever do if that was what it took. He knew if he didn't, his mother would never forgive him. He would never forgive himself. Squinting through the darkness, he kept alert, and could only hope the rest of his patrol was doing the same. Their lives were currently in the paws of their Clanmates.

The silver she-cat had been following silently, thinking it was a little rude, the way cats seemed to just be joining on their own accord. She could have sworn Skyfall instructed the others to remain in camp. She could partially understand Emberstorm's position... Had she had a mate on the patrol when she'd not been invited? You can bet your tail she'd end up on that patrol one way or another. Blue eyes slowly travelled to the pale cream-colored tom infront of her. She'd have done the same wth Sprucefur, despite the way he seemed intent on avoiding her these days. Silver ears flicked too and fro, doing what she could to tune out the two toms at the head of the patrol, and focus in on the surrounding sounds. It was likely just her mind playing tricks on her in light of the stressful situation, but she could almost feel the weight of the huge cat's gaze on them, tracking them, waiting for them. It had her coat prickling along her shoulders, the urge to press close to someone mounting within her. You're a warrior, get a grip. She told herself firmly. The large patrol came to a halt as the Sparkling Brook drew closer and closer. Much like Skyfall, Feathercloud noticed the scent of fear riddled across the surrounding area. It did nothing to quell the way her fur seemed determined to stand on end. Glancing around wearily, she kept one ear on Skyfall as he gave further instructions to the patrol. Ingraining her role in her mind, the long furred she-cat nodded to indicate she understood. Sparing a glance toward Sprucefur, she found herself willing him to look her way. But... He was finishing up with Skyfall. She turned her blue eyes on her paws, sighing under her breath to steady her hammering heartbeat. When Sprucefur finally set course, Feathercloud fell into step behind him, and just to his left. Glancing to the side, she waited as Sootmask took up his post, before focusing on what she was supposed to do. Ears were pricked forward, reaching into the undergrowth to pick up on anything that might be just out of sight.

Fawn Insidious Amber Phoenix

[Insidious]

For the first time in Bluejay’s life—and for the last time if she had anything to do about it—she cast a frightful glance up at Appleshade and drew away from her attempt at reassurance. She didn’t mean to start throwing up walls, but her mind clung to the worst case scenario, and if she lost her mentor after everything that happened, she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

Sprucefur and Skyfall started to organize a plan, but their voices steadily became background noise. It started with small twitches of her ears and whiskers, but after a handful of seconds, her legs started to quiver, and her shoulders tensed and fell closer to her face as though to protect her from any more bad news. Her eyes hardened into slits, and with a quick, deep breath, she closed them and tried to return to her senses.

“F-find him.” She said, lifting her eyes to Appleshade’s. The other cats had started to file out on their orders, but she trusted the pretty she-cat would be close enough to hear her; ever since her secret visit for the bee sting, the two had become a lot closer, and she wanted Appleshade to know that she valued her friendship, but this wasn’t the time nor the place to apologize for her initial reaction. “I h-have to get back to Nightshade, and prepare herbs for Whiteclaw and L-Littletimber.” They were alive, but undoubtedly wounded, so she didn’t want to waste time standing in the middle of the forest with a dumb look on her face when she could be doing something that would help them. Wordlessly, Bluejay retraced her steps back to camp. A small part of her wanted to be alone even if it would only be for a few minutes while she walked herself back to her den.

Words: 307
Tags: BlooRey DVD, Phoenix, Amber & Fawn

[Deleted]

She stayed close to Thornstrike's side as the patrol exited the camp. Her jaws parted slightly, her ears and eyes constantly swivelling and scanning around her, she sent up a prayer that they would find Whiteclaw and Littletimber before Demon found them. They paused at the brook, Sprucefur and Skyfall discussing tactic. Emberstorm's green eyes raked over the trees and bushes, looking for anything lurking within. The scent of fear was nearly overwhelming, and her hackles rose slightly.

Skyfall's voice raised caught her attention. As he announced their plans for splitting up, a jolt of fear raced through her, but was quickly subdued as he kept her and her mate on the same patrol. Skyfall moved off, and Emberstorm brushed her fur against Thornstrike's as she passed him to follow Skyfall, falling into position to the left of Appleshade. She gave a small, hopefully reassuring, smile to the cream-furred she-cat before turning her attention to their left, sighting, scenting, and listening for any signs of Whiteclaw or, StarClan forbid, Demon.

Phoenix, Fawn, BlooRey DVD, Insidious

[Fawn]

46 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

There was no more time to spare. With Feathercloud, Sootmask and Lionsong close on his heels, Sprucefur plunged into the forest. Aware of how menacing the woods had become once they knew without a shred of doubt that Demon was prowling through the valley again, Sprucefur’s neck fur bristled uncomfortably, and as he veered towards the Sparkling Brook per Skyfall’s orders, all of his senses were sharp, tensed to pick up even the slightest bit of sound or a whiff of their medicine cat’s scent.

It was not a subtle change in atmosphere as the patrol drew closer to the Sparkling Brook; his paw-steps instinctively slowed, nearly stopping, as the sharp tang of blood burned in his nostrils, the taste in his mouth making him reel back slightly. Oh no…

With a brief glance back at the others, Sprucefur gestured for them all to move in tighter, exchanging a wide stare with Feathercloud, he shared her nervousness. Sprucefur’s claws unsheathed, the blood-beat of his heart in his ears as he stalked forward, picking up the bloodied scent-trail that belonged to their medicine cat.

As they saw the dark splotches on the leaves and staining the grass, it became clearer and clearer to the pale warrior that Littletimber could not have survived. A pain in his throat, Sprucefur’s fur bristled fully as he detected the scent of Demon; ”Careful!” he hissed to the others, tail up to halt their progress.

”Lionsong, be prepared to run to find Skyfall.” StarClan, don’t let it come to that!

With more courage than he’d ever summoned before, Sprucefur plunged on through the bracken, the brambles pulling at his fur like thin claws, trying to halt his progress. When he emerged on the other side, he froze, letting out a shocked hiss as he recognized the small brown tabby body lying just at the edge of the brook.

Littletimber must have stopped for water… Or the lynx had chased him, and he’d made one last-ditch effort to save himself by crossing the brook, but it was clear that the medicine cat had never made it.

The urge to retch overtook Sprucefur as he dazedly trod on Littletimber’s tail, his stomach lurching as he realized it was separated from the medicine cat’s body. He heard gasps go up behind him as the rest of the patrol found them.

He didn’t want to shout for Skyfall, in case the lynx was stalking nearby; Sprucefur turned away from the savaged body, sickened to think that this mangled corpse had once been a Clanmate, had once healed him when he’d twisted his paw or got a thorn-scratch he couldn’t ignore…

I hope he died quickly, thought Sprucefur miserably, his claws digging into the earth as if struggling to hold on.

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

---
Word Count: 493 Words
Tags: Phoenix BlooRey DVD Amber Insidious
Notes:

49 Moons. Senior Warrior. TreeClan. Single~

If Sprucefur was jumpy, then Appleshade was on full alert, her eyes wide and round with perpetual alarm. Her heart felt like a bird trying miserably to escape its prison, and her steps were twitchy with fear, only the occasional steady glance from Emberstorm or Thornstrike seemed to soothe the warrioress.

Whiteclaw! Oh please StarClan, no! She couldn’t bear it if he died; she couldn’t bear it. There were just some things a she-cat never got over, and the death of a cat she had felt affection for--that was one of them.

Praying to their ancestors that Whiteclaw had somehow escaped the lynx’s treacherous jaws, a foreboding scent reached her delicate pink nose the same time as a pained, furious hiss filled her ears. ”Whiteclaw!” She gasped, and nearly broke away from the group before Skyfall snapped at her to stay close, the white warrior leading the charge to where the noise had come from.

”O-Oh!”

Whiteclaw had managed to get himself into the lowest branch of a sycamore tree, a mixture of blood and fur stuck to the bark. His eyes were wide with terror, but his claws were unsheathed, digging into the bough as though to stop himself from falling and keep his body steady whenever he went to swipe at the menace below.

Demon swung his head around to look at them, and Appleshade’s blood ran as cold as ice-water, freezing where she stood as the monstrous lynx took in the sight of the patrol. Had she been thinking anything at all, perhaps it would’ve occurred to her that Demon wouldn’t dare attack a patrol of four cats--but he had scattered Littletimber’s group of three with relative ease.

Did that old knowledge still hold true?

W-What do we do? Appleshade trembled.

”Run!” Whiteclaw croaked, looking ill from the blood-loss and fear.

Appleshade flinched as a fearsome yowl split the air, and the scent of at least three more TreeClan cats rode in with the breeze from the south. They’re back from the Gathering! Meadowleaf, Flamedance and Gorsetail arrived in a flurry of movement, hissing and spitting in the direction of the monster lynx.

Demon’s lips curled back, fangs bared in a hiss that chilled Appleshade all the way to her bones, but he backed up, his muzzle already stained red, the scents of Nightshade and Littletimber already on the lynx’s fur.

Dizzy with relief, Appleshade looked meekly to Whiteclaw, terrified of what would have happened if they hadn’t arrived in time.

Think you're all about me but I'm all about you

Words: 414 Words | Tags: | Notes:

Notes: Sorry for cutting the thread so short, guys! I didn't want it to last too much longer. xD Assume the rest of the Gathering cats went to meet up with Sprucefur or went back to camp. Feel free to post your cats' final thoughts on the situation. Bloo, feel free to have Skyfall help Whiteclaw down

[BlooRey DVD]

To come face to face with Demon as his patrol did... The white tom's heart sunk deep into his chest, weighed down by horror as his bi-colored eyes stretched wide. Momentarily frozen by the sight of the lynx toying with his brother, who'd clambered up into a tree, it was Appleshade's voice calling out a familiar name that snapped him back to his senses. Likely using a little more force in his voice than necessary (but could you really blame him given the circumstances?), Skyfall hissed at the TreeClan warrioress before she could get more than two or three steps away. "Appleshade, do not break formation!" Long-furred white tail lashing, he kept his eyes firmly on the lynx as the large feline seemed to consider them for a moment. Skyfall's heart hammered against his chest; the only way they would be sure to get out of this unharmed would be for Demon to decide attacking the patrol of four was not worth the effort. This was the only downside to having split the larger patrol into two. As eight, their chances of taking the lynx and winning would have been far higher than they were now. As it was, Skyfall did not feel comfortable ordering the cats behind him to attack. Refusing to drop the lynx' gaze, Skyfall was just as surprised by the arrival of Meadowleaf and her patrol as Demon was. His eyes quickly snapped to the TreeClan deputy, relief washing over him as he recognized the arriving cats. The lynx seemed displeased with his own odds now, great fangs baring in a snarl before he disappeared into the forest. Without a word, Skyfall thundered toward the tree in which his brother was crouched, hind legs launching his heavier frame against the bark of the tree. Claws dug in almost painfully as he heaved himself upward. "Whiteclaw..." He rasped, eyes quickly checking the other tom for any major signs of injury. His black furred brother was most certainly scared out of his wits and injured, but he was also alive. The relief he felt knowing this was not something Skyfall would ever find the appropriate words to describe. A hoarse voice replied, their eyes meeting. "I'm... Okay, brother." Getting the black warrior out of the tree brought forth a chorus of pained hisses, but eventually, Whiteclaw stood with three of his paws on the ground once more. Whitelcaw's left forepaw had taken some damage at some point during the night, leaving the black tom to lean heavily on his brother's stark-white shoulder. Skyfall dutifully explained to Meadowleaf what had transpired on this particular evening, before falling back and allowing her to step into her role as deputy. His only duty now was to get his brother back to camp,

It took mere seconds for her long silver tail to tuck firmly between her legs. Blue eyes stretched wider than the moon as the horrible mixed scent of fear, blood and death swarmed her senses. It felt as though it clung to the back of her throat, the silver warrioress immediately feeling sick to her stomach. Her ears rotated until they were flattened against her skull, her lithe frame shivering. Sprucefur's sudden sidestep brought her gaze down to a tail. A tail with no owner. Quickly looking away, Feathercloud was forced to stifle a surprised gasp. She'd always thought Littletimber to be a little strange. He was so quiet, so.. Distant all the time... But there was no denying he had been good at his job. He'd stepped into the paw prints of medicine cat during one of TreeClan's times of need, and he had served them well. If any cat in the forest deserved a death as horrifyingly sickening as this, Feathercloud was certain it had not been Littletimber. Looking up at the stars above (both to clear her head and send a silent prayer to StarClan), Feathercloud let out a trembling breath. I don't know why StarClan decided it was your time so soon, Littletimber... But I hope you arrived safely, and I... I hope you rest well. It had been moons since Feathercloud had felt so alone.

Fawn Amber Insidious Phoenix