rockheart
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Post by rockheart on Jun 13, 2009 18:57:33 GMT -5
Raven hauled himself over one more rock, panting. He had started this hike a day ago, and only could only now see the other side of the mountains. It looked a lot like the side he had started on, exept the river that cut through the land was missing. He took a moment to remember his times with Rockheart as he started downhill, not pausing to see where he was going, just constantly moving in the direction of the Clans Rockheart had talked about so much on their trek to the sun-drown place. "I do wonder what became of Rockheart, though. Did he make it back to his StoneClan?"
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Post by Fate Admin on Jun 13, 2009 21:19:34 GMT -5
A deep growl, on the edge of hearing, sounded quietly from a ledge, a small dark hole in the side of the mountain where two yellow-green eyes glowed. One massive paw revealed itself from the darkness as Demon slid from his current den. The lynx hadn't eaten in a while, and a lone cat would be easy prey.... Crouching, his muscles taut, he leapt with a snarl, massive claws extended.
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rockheart
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Post by rockheart on Jun 14, 2009 10:57:32 GMT -5
(If we could get some mountainclanners in this thread, I'd be grateful.)
Raven spun around, glaring evenly at the lynx, before judging his tired state wouldn't be even a slight challenge for the giant cat. He turned, and pelted away, weaving between the stones that stuck up from the ground. As he ran, he passed Mountainclan's border markers, and was unknowingly headed right for the Clan's camp.
"You're not going to get an easy dinner out of me, you overgrown rogue!" Raven spat over his shoulder as he ran. "Even if you catch up, I'm still going to fight you, so just leave now and you'll cut your losses to just energy. I won't have to take any of your fur!"
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Post by Fate Admin on Jun 14, 2009 13:38:49 GMT -5
(MountainClan don't mark their borders, but thats ok -pats- lol and I was planning on bringing a couple of them into this in this post, don't worriez)
Demon let out deep gravelly laughter at the cat's words, "One swipe of my claws and I will slice you in half, little cub!" Demon knew these mountains better than any cat... he would not lose his prey.... He took to higher ground and leapt easily along, keeping an eye on the cat. He had the endurance and stamina to take down full grown deer if he had to, but cats were much easier....
Maverick had invited his new Clan mates to go hunting with him. He wouldn't call it a hunting patrol and he would never order cats to go with him. Two cats had accepted the offer, Leo and Riley. He had learned that the two young cats were mates, that they had already had one litter of kits but when they had gone off on a short hunt together they had all been killed and eaten by the monster cat that stalked these mountains, the one called Demon. The two wanted a safe place to raise their kits, and that's why they had joined MountainClan. Riley was already pregnant with their second litter, though it barely showed just yet. As they were padding along, he paused, "Did you hear that?" He turned to Leo and Riley who were padding behind him.
Riley bristled, she knew exactly where that snarl had come from. "Demon!" she hissed, her eyes full of hatred and pain. "Perhaps we should go back...," Leo suggested, gazing at his mate. He didn't want her getting hurt with kits on the way.... But then a black cat came into a view some ways away, and running along with it was Demon.
"No! We can't leave that cat to Demon!" Maverick glanced back at the two, "Demon never fights if there's more than one or two cats, he's too lazy! If we all stand together he'll turn back!" His molten gold eyes were pleading to Leo. He knew Riley would like nothing more than to tear the beast that took her kits apart, but leo seemed less confident about it.
He nodded, "I do not want to see any more cats killed by this... thing."
Maverick nodded and with that they took off toward the black cat, all of them yowling. If Demon did for some reason stay to fight them... they could always have Riley run back to get more cats. Yes, this was the right thing to do... the plan would work. The Clan cats said Demon NEVER faced a patrol of cats, but only cats who wandered off on their own.
Hearing the yowling, Demon looked ahead to see three more cats running toward him. He snarled frustration. he comtemplated the situation briefly, but it would be too much work to kill them all when they would all be fighting back.... He raced up and over to the other side of the mountain, away from the oncoming cats, growling angrily the whole way.
"It worked!" Maverick slowed as Demon disappeared. He remembered his own desperate race to get away from the huge cat some moons ago. He had been exhauseted, gone two days without eating or much sleep.... He waved his tail for them to stop, "You two can wait here to catch your breath if you'd like, I'm going to check on the black cat." He also wasn't sure how friendly the cat would be, he could be a rogue, and although a few rogues had joined MountainClan, most didn't like the idea at all and were certainly not the best of friends with the cats who had taken up residence at the best place to get water and rest with some shelter over your head. Leo nodded and turned to lick his mate, glad everything had turned out alright. Maverick turned back toward the black cat and approached at a slow lope, "Hello! Are you alright?"
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rockheart
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Post by rockheart on Jun 14, 2009 20:46:20 GMT -5
"Yes, thank you." Raven panted back, "Whew, that thing keeps up well. Although I suppose this is your territory, right? I mean, you are clan cats?" Although Raven had met and travelled with Rockheart, his knowledge of clan cats was limited, and he wasn't sure he could recognize them, at least not yet. "I appologise for intruding on your land, but I am looking for a cat who passed through here a moon or two ago. He is a close friend of mine, and he came from what he called StoneClan." Raven purred in amusement, "I understand the idea of grouping up to survive predators, being the loner I am, but I hardly know anything when it comes to clan cats. In fact, I didn't even know about the clans until Rockheart showed up." He twitched his ears, "Although I suppose you may want me to talk to one of your cats of power... uh... perhaps the... Medicine cat?" he sounded like an apprentice trying to guess the answer to his mentor's question.
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Post by Fate Admin on Jun 14, 2009 23:38:14 GMT -5
Maverick's ears twitched in amusement and he shook his head. "MountainClan's territory is everywhere the Clans have not marked as their own and any cat may come and go as they please. We have no medicine cat, really...." Maverick had a vague understanding as to what a medicine cat was, and Misty had explained it a little more to him. Something like the Tribe's Healer, but not the leader.... The closest thing MountainClan had to that was Rin and Scrap. Rin used to be a housecat and her humans kept many herbs in their garden... whatever that is. She knew something about them, and Scrap was from LightningClan and was apprenticed to their medicine cat for a few short moons before he figured out that the Clan way of life was not for him. "I... I'm the closest thing we have to a leader. I like to think of myself as the Guardian of MountainClan. I'm afraid I do not know the cat of which you speak... Rockheart, but I do know StoneClan. If you follow the mountainside down from here your should be close to they edge of their territory. You'll know it from the rocky lay of the land, lots of boulders strewn about that have fallen from the mountains. But... you look tired. Would you like to come back to our camp to rest a bit before you go? It's not far."
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rockheart
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Post by rockheart on Jun 15, 2009 11:42:06 GMT -5
"After that ordeal, I would think it best I do get some rest." Raven smiled kindly to the MountainClan cats. "I also have some teaching in herbs. Rockheart showed me a few he had been treated with, and I have used them to help other cats. My den back home is often busy with all the loners coming for help with a scratch or bite they got off each other." He shook his head, amused, before continuing. "I guess you could call us sort of a partial clan, if you wanted to."
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Post by Fate Admin on Jun 16, 2009 1:49:27 GMT -5
Maverick nodded and flicked his tail for the loner to follow him back to camp. As the cat coninued talking, he realized he hadn't gotten his name, nor had he given his. He already liked the cat when he spoke of helping others. Maverick was all for helping cats whenever they were in need. As he reached the place where Leo and Riley were still waiting, he nodded toward them and looked back at the black cat, "I'm sorry, I haven't told you my name, I'm Maverick, and this is Leo and Riley." He lifted a paw slightly toward the large, scruffy golden tom and black and white she-cat.
Both stood and nodded a greeting. Riley looked at him, slightly concerned, "You are alright...?"
"He's coming back to rest a while at camp, we'll get you some fresh, cold water and a piece of prey to get your strength back up, eh?" Maverick purred before leading the way toward camp, keeping close to the black cat's side. He was always interested when new cats arrived.
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rockheart
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Post by rockheart on Jun 16, 2009 8:31:47 GMT -5
When Maverick introduced himself and his clanmates, Raven realized he had not introduced himself. "I am called Raven." He meowed, before nodding in a friendly way. He looked over to Leo and Riley, interest gleaming in his eyes. He padded over, his mouth slightly open as he scented. "It is faint," He purred to Riley, "But the scent of milk is there. Congradulations on your litter." He noticed how close he had gotten, nodded, then padded away a couple paces. As the MountainClan cats began returning to their camp, Raven followed, making sure he remained within sight of the patrol, which was easy considering the leader kept checking on him and adjusting the patrol's speed. Although. He was grateful at the Clan's hospitality, he started to get annoyed at being checked on like a bothersome kit. He knew Maverick was just worried, and he would probably do the same, but it truthfully was kind of iratating. "Hey, I think it'd do me some good to take a short run." He called to Maverick, "We just keep going in this direction?"
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Post by Fate Admin on Jun 16, 2009 13:37:10 GMT -5
Riley purred happily at the Loner's words, "Thank you, Raven." Leo pressed a bit closer to his mate. This time, there would be cats to protect their kits from predators, they would survive....
Maverick's ears twitch in surprise, but he nodded, "You'll catch wind of a large group of cats soon enough, that's our camp. They probably won't pay you much attention, we have cats coming an going all the time at the Oasis. It's really the only place to get water unless you travel into Clan territory." Movement in the sky caught his attention and he paused as a hawk flew overhead. Licking his lips, he realized they hadn't caught any prey, "We'll be right behind you after we bring down that hawk." With a wink, he flicked his tail for Riley and Leo to follow and loped off. He had been teaching any cat who would listen how the Tribe hunted in the mountains and loners that had once barely survived with pelts sticking to their bones were filing out nicely into lean and muscular cats. The mountains were very survivable if you knew how.
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rockheart
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Post by rockheart on Jun 16, 2009 16:21:15 GMT -5
Raven nodded. "Alright, I'll meet you at your camp, then. He dashed off through the stony landscape. Like Maverick had said, ahead he fought the scent of many cats, and as he drew nearer, the scent grew stronger, although it came a little from his left. "Well, I must have moved a little to the side while I was running. Oh well." He slowed down, stopping just before the camp entrance before plunging slowly into the unknown.
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Post by Fate Admin on Jun 16, 2009 22:11:40 GMT -5
Aurora laid in the middle of camp, twitching her tail from side to side for the amusement of the young Tortoiseshell tom, Wander. He was only 4 or 5 moons old. His humans had brought him with on a camping trip, whatever that meant, but true to his name he had wandered away and gotten lost. A loner, Umber, had found him and taken him in, brought him here where he would be safe. Umber herself had stayed as well and was curled up for a nap in the sun not far away. As Aurora understood it, toms of Wander's coloration didn't come around very often. It didn't really matter, she supposed, but Wander liked to brag about it. She purred in amusement at the thought. He told every cat he could about how special he was, or at least that's what his humans always told him. She felt bad for the poor kit, he would never see his humans again, and he spoke so fondly of them....
As a black cat padded into camp, she looked over at him with her strange orange and blue eyes and stood, taking her tail with her and therefore Wander as well. Unless the kit was occupied he was bound to wander off, so she was fine with him tagging along. "Hello, I haven't seen you at the Oasis before. I am Aurora-" she broke off as small claws dug at the long fur of her tail and tilted her head toward the kit, "And... this is Wander," she purred, "You look a bit tired... are you alright? If you would like a drink," she pointed toward a small cave in one of the mountains to the side, "There's a spring right through there." She blinked happily at him. Like her brother, she was always out to help and was very friendly.
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rockheart
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Post by rockheart on Jun 17, 2009 1:14:58 GMT -5
Raven nodded at the she-cat who stepped up to greet him. He guessed she would be like the deputy of the clan, telling warrios what they should be doing. "Hello, I'm called Raven." He looked and purred at Wander, secretly wondering who his mother was. He looked around, trying to find a she-cat that looked like him, but couldn't spot one. "So, what's your story?" he asked the kit, glancing up at Aurora with curiousity. I suppose she COULD be his mother, although I personally doubt it. After a few heartbeats, he padded over to the pool to get a drink, then settled down. "I apologize," He meowed, "I wouldn't normally make myself at home so quickly. I do believe the stress of such an abnormal day has begun to get to me." He shook his head to clear it. "I had an encounter with this giant cat after I had made it over the mountain, and only a bunch of your Clanmates saved my pelt. I believe they called themselves Riley and Leo. And I'm pretty sure your leader was among that patrol, as well." His ears twitched, "Maverick, he called himself. But please excuse me if I did manage to mess something up. I am not very familiar with the ways of clans yet. Since the best way to learn is to walk a mile in the fur of another, I would be honored to hunt and patrol with your clanmates anytime."
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Post by Fate Admin on Jun 17, 2009 13:45:30 GMT -5
Aurora dipper her head slightly as the black nodded, "It is nice to meet you, Raven." When he addressed Wander, the kit's head snapped up to the stranger after having been engrossed with Aurora's tail.
"My housefolk brought me to these big big mountains to go 'camping' ... that's what they called it. They were putting up these weird shelters and I saw a butterfly! I was chasing it and chasing it and then when I looked around I couldn't find my housefolk anymore! I was soooo scared! Then Umber found me!" He glanced fondly over at the dark brown she-cat, still catching a nap in the sun now that she had Aurora to watch over Wander for a bit. "You know... they used to say I was really really special cuz of my pelt!" he raised his chin proudly.
Aurora purred, amused, then flicked him with her tail and he resumed playing with it. She padded along after Raven as he headed toward the spring, Wander chasing after, every amused by Aurora's fluffy tail. She shook her head at his apology, "No, no... we want cats to make themselves as home here...." She trailed off as he went on to tell what had happened. Her ears pricked at the mention of the two cats Maverick had gone out with and she wondered briefly if something had happened to her brother, but then Raven continued. "Well, I'm just glad everyone's safe. It is dangerous to travel alone through the mountains when Demon could be hidden in every shadow." She lashed her tail angrily. The big cat reminded her of tales she was told as a kit of Sharptooth. She often wondered if there wasn't a way to get rid of Demon somehow.... With a soft sigh, she flicked her ears to put those thoughts behind her for now. She purred, "Maverick has a habit of being just in the nick of time. When we were kits, I was outside the cave practicing hunting techniques I had seen the To-bes doing when a hawk flew into sight. I didn't notice it, I was too engrossed in what I was doing, but just when it was swooping down to grab me, Maverick leapt at it and knocked it away. It gave us both enough time to run back inside the cave and the Tribe made a meal of the hawk that was trying to make a meal out of me!" She purred again, then twitched her ears embarrassed, "Sorry... you're probably not interested in my kithood stories.... But don't worry, you did not mess anything up, and I'm sure maverick would love to take you on a hunting patrol sometime. We could teach you the way our Tribe hunts... it is very effective for survival in the mountains. I'm afraid, though, if you want a true 'Clan' experience, you won't find it here. MountainClan is much different from the Clans below...." She looked out over the view of Clan territory being up so high in the mountains presented to them all.
Only a few heartbeats later, Maverick padded into camp, Leo helping him to drag a hawk between them and Riley padding behind. There were a few calls of welcome back as they dropped the hawk in the center of camp. "Why don't you two take first pick from it, I'm not that hungry," he dipped his head slightly and looked around, seeing Aurora peek out of the spring cave at him he padded in to see her sitting with Raven. "We caught a hawk, if you'd like some," he addressed them both. A hawk could feed quite a few cats. Aurora shook her head but Wander shot out of the cave and toward it, always ready for a good meal. Maverick purred and watched him go. Riley ushered him close and seemed to be taking charge of him for the time being so he turned back to Raven, "I trust my sister is treating you well." He flicked her affectionately with his tail and she batted it back at him.
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rockheart
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Post by rockheart on Jun 17, 2009 23:45:10 GMT -5
Raven's ears twitched in surprise. "Oh? She's your sister?" He smiled, then nodded, "Seeing you two together, I can see the resemblence. Although, I do find it interest she didn't say anything specific about having such an honorable cat as a brother." Raven's voice betrayed his gratatude to Maverick for saving his tail. "Once I have found my friend, I will be sure to stop by here again. But first, let's focus on the present, shall we? I just told your sister this, and I will tell you as well, but whatever you would like for me to do for you here, I will not hesitate to do. I already owe you and your clanmates my life, and I hesitate to allow that to grow larger." He smiled, "Although I also wish to experience life from your point of view, as well. I believe it is beneficial for me to learn as much as I can about life in a clan here, so I do not offend the Clan my friend spoke so fondly of." He looked curious then, "This Tribe you both speak of, I have never heard of it before, either. Do they share the same faith in the ancestors of the Clans?" He shook his head, "I am very behind the curve in knowledge on this side of the mountain. I know every bush on the far side, but in coming here I have given myself the sense of a kit. I do find this frustrating, in a way. Things I once had no problem doing, like hunting, now seem larger and more difficult than before." His ear twitched in an annoyed way.
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