[Justice]

Leaf-Fall Day 18 Valley Year 5.
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She needed out of camp. She knew that remaining in the nursery, depressed, wouldn't do her or her remaining family any good. She needed to get back to herself, to feel better and move onward. Silverstar wasn't going to relent anymore than Stormstar had, and he understood how she felt. She'd see the kits if she became a warrior again and could then go to the Gathering to see them. If Lionstar brought them. But she didn't feel like she belonged there again, not yet. She wanted to see them again, wanted to reunite her little family, but that was a dream that wasn't likely to happen. So, she needed to regain her mental and emotional strength again. Start living again, spend time with her two she-kits that were growing up before her eyes, and get back to a place where she could become a warrior again and attend the gathering to see them.

First step, get out of camp. After wrangling Gorgeleap into going with her, because he made her feel safe and she enjoyed his company. How strange it was for her, though, to go anywhere without her precious kits in tow. But they were apprentices now, no need for their mother to hover over them anymore. Let someone speak harshly to them, or one to be hurt or sick, watch how fierce she could be then! Until then this was a start, going fishing with a friend that knew how she was doing and likely wouldn't pick at her too much about it. Someone that she felt totally safe with.

"I appreciate you coming with me today, Gorgeleap."

BlooRey DVD

[BlooRey DVD]

Tear the whole world down,

tear the whole world down

WARRIOR OF RAINCLAN || 28 MOONS || TOM

Mild surprise had trickled through the big tom's features as his kithood friend had approached him, requesting he accompany her on a walk outside camp. Intrigue trailed behind the surprise, for Gorgeleap struggled to recall the last time he'd witnessed Echoshade leaving the confines of RainClan camp. Gorgeleap had, of course, agreed without much thought. He wasn't doing anything useful for the Clan, so it wouldn't hurt to put his paws into something productive like fishing, as the blue-eyed she-cat had suggested. And, although no one would succeed in coaxing him to admit it aloud, the mottled brown tom wanted to keep an eye on Echoshade.

His long furred, near-black tail swayed behind him with each step, big paws splaying beneath his weight. Echoshade's voice snagged his attention, the ear nearest her rotating to catch her appreciative comment. Pale green eyes, partially-lidded as per usual, blinked at her before he dipped his broad muzzle to her. "Not sure agreeing to be productive for the Clan is something that should be thanked. Seems logical, if you ask me." Came his monotonous reply, impassive gaze having already drifted back to the path ahead of them.

Despite his best efforts, the tabby couldn't keep his mind from drifting back to the day in late Greenleaf when Echoshade had sobbed into his pelt. Dewpaw, still Dewkit at the time, had silently begged for his help in consoling her mother. And he'd been clueless as to what he should be doing. Brookfall or Silverstar would have been a far better choice in his mind, yet Echoshade had seemed to think he'd helped her. She'd told him he made her feel safe. Gorgeleap had been forced to bite his tongue, keeping himself from saying something like it was probably his size fooling her into safety.

Instead, he'd remained at her side quietly, until she'd lulled herself into sleep. And he'd stayed even then. He'd stayed until she'd woken up the next morning. Whiskers twitched distractedly at the thought, before Gorgeleap dragged himself back to the present. Glancing back toward Echoshade, the thick-coated tom rumbled flatly. "Do you have a preferred place to fish? I hear some Clanmates have a 'lucky spot', whatever in the stars that means."

~360 Words || Justice || Grouuuuuch

[Justice]

She wondered if her kithood friend was distracted by something, he always seemed to her like he was deep in thought. She wondered also if it was the sheer size and strength of him that made her feel safe when he was around or if it was because he was there for her when she needed someone to be the most. Her parents were both gone, so having someone she could go to when she needed support made her very happy. No matter how cranky said support tended to be. She didn't mind.

She gave him a smile despite his comment, flicking her tail as they got closer to the river and she started looking for a good place to fish from. "But you didn't have to come with me. Practical or not, I could have gone by myself if you had something else you wanted to do. So thank you. For being willing to keep me company."

It mattered so much that he'd stayed with her when she'd had her come apart during greenleaf, when she'd been so overwrought that even her precious kits hadn't been enough to pull her out of it. She'd needed something more, and it had been Gorgeleap that rose to that challenge. While Silverstar had tried, ultimately he was their leader and he wasn't going to let her go get her kits. That would start a war, and they were TreeClan kits no matter what she wished otherwise. Even as he had agreed with her as Deputy, he made sure she knew his stance now that he was leader and had the chance to look at the matter as someone who had an entire clan to care for.

The large eyed she-cat sighed and sat next to the river finally. "I usually fish here at the bend of the river. The fish have to slow down a little as the current picks up, else they'll be thrown into the bank."

BlooRey DVD

[BlooRey DVD]

Tear the whole world down,

tear the whole world down

WARRIOR OF RAINCLAN || 28 MOONS || TOM

His step faltered momentarily, dull eyes staring at her with a surprising weight to them. A frown pulled at the corners of his maw, long-furred tail sweeping the ground at his paws slowly. "No." He stated impassively, his muzzle tilting fractionally to the side as a look of distaste flickered briefly over his features. "Not with the threat of rogues and exiled Clan members still lingering." His monotonous voice continued. "Next time you are searching for company, or considering going out alone, find me. I will accompany you, as you say, or remain at a distance to allow you an illusion of solitude."

He considered her sharply a moment longer, before his ear twitched and his half-lidded gaze turned away once more. Gorgeleap wasn't certain where the sudden rush of words had come from. What he did know was that if something were to happen to Echoshade, leaving Dewpaw and Fernpaw on their own, he would never forgive the world. And he wouldn't expect Silverstar to forgive him. Gorgeleap would never forgive himself if something dared snuff out what little light remained in their bleak lives. With a quiet snort, the large brown tom continued as though nothing had been said.

A mottled brown ear rotated toward her once more when the warrior-queen brought up her favorite fishing location. He glanced sideways toward her momentarily, before nodding his muzzle in acknowledgement. "Intelligent deduction." He answered bleakly, unenthusiastic gaze sweeping the encroaching river bank. Beckoning with his tail, the big tom led the way to Echoshade's designated location. Slowing to a stop, he glanced impassively over his shoulder and waited for the she-cat to pick a spot. Once she'd settled down, he would pick his own fishing perch. There was little value in sitting too close together, lest they risk disrupting one another mid-fish.

~310 Words || Justice   || -snickers-

[Justice]

Suprise flashed through wide blue eyes, and for a long time Echoshade had nothing to say to his declaration. Though his tone was deadpan to her ears she still felt the intensity behind his words. He didn't want her going out alone. Before they picked places at the river she found her voice again. "I won't go out alone again, I promise." She told him softly then picked out her spot, just ahead of the bend of the river, body angled to smack at the fish to scoop them out of the river and onto the bank. Under most circumstances, she'd go swimming and chase them, but this close to leafbare that was unnecassary.

Fish were slow in cold water. And they slowed down at the bend, as she'd told him.

"I've had allot of time to watch the fish." She mentioned, voice low so as not to scare said fish. She batted a fish after a moment, sending it plopping into shore where she sat on it until it stopped flopping about then went to get another. By herself she could bring back three fish, depending on their size. That would be a good use of time on her walk out of camp.

Her second fish landed near the first and she repeated the process. Unfortunately, when she flipped the third one it landed right on Gorgeleap's head. The she-cat snickered and went to paw it off before it smacked the tom in the face or something

BlooRey DVD

[BlooRey DVD]

Tear the whole world down,

tear the whole world down

WARRIOR OF RAINCLAN || 28 MOONS || TOM

Temporarily satisfied that Echoshade would not put herself in danger by leaving camp alone, Gorgeleap picked a spot a few tail-lengths away from his kithood friend. His ear pivoted toward her as she mentioned having had time to watch the fish. Her observation trends quickly proved worthwhile, for her paw shot forth and she scooped a flashing silver fish straight into the air. It landed with a final thud against the bank before the she-cat finished it off. Nodding in acknowledgment of her kill, Gorgeleap turned his pale gaze back on the water.

His large frame remained still for several heartbeats, careful attention paid to keeping his enormous shadow away from the water’s edge. Pupils flicked one way, then the next, watching the shining bodies just out of reach. Silent patience was one thing the tom was extraordinarily good at, and eventually it paid off. In one definitive stroke, the mottled brown tom tossed a fish onto the bank to his left. Killing it before it could flop more than twice, Gorgeleap resettled in his spot. Absently, he noted Echoshade had managed to snag another. She’s always been a better hunter. He thought indifferently.

Something ridiculous occurred just then.

He’d just struck out at the water, claws hooking the scales on another fish when something careened into his skull. Thrown off balance, the tom launched his own prey at an awkward angle, and it landed dangerously close to the bank’s edge. Hardly noticing it for the time being, as a silver scaled thing was currently smacking his ears, the RainClan tom sighed to himself. “Of course, this would happen to me.” He muttered under his breath. Echoshade was at his side quickly, laughing as she swatted the fish clear from his head before it could do any further damage.

His left ear flicked, still throbbing from where the fish had slapped it with its tail, but otherwise the mottled tom was unharmed; both his physical form and his pride. Watching Echoshade dispatch the assaulter, however, triggered a thought in his own mind. His head snapped around in time to see his catch struggling to make the final flop back into the river. Without a second thought, the thick furred tom leapt forward, jaws snapping around the fish’s center just as it leapt off the river’s bank. An extraordinary spray of water announced the big tom’s river entry.

The cold collided against him with far more force than Echoshade’s fish had. His muscles seized momentarily, and he struggled to force his jaws to remain locked around the still-struggling fish as every instinct told him to gasp. Pushing the air in his lung through his nose, Gorgeleap used the bubbles to orient himself in the frigid waters. The pockets of air drifted toward the surface, and the tom’s wide paws churned to push his frame in the same direction. By the time his muzzle broke the surface, thick mane plastered to his neck, the river had carried him several foxlengths away from where he’d started.

Paddling forward, the tom began his trek across the river, putting his energy into moving sideways and not in fighting the downstream pull of the current. Pale green eyes surveyed the bank, keeping an eye out for an appropriate exit point. Eventually, one came into view, and Gorgeleap pushed himself to reach it. Large paws clawed at the designated exit, heaving his water-weighted form out of the river’s icy grip. To his mild surprise, Echoshade was at his side, having abandoned the fishing spot to make sure he was alright or something of the like.

Spitting the still twitching fish onto the bank and killing it with a well-placed bite, Gorgeleap turned his attention to Echoshade’s concerned features. Belly fur dripping water and his sopping wet tail twitching behind him, he considered the queen a moment longer before sardonically stating “Leafbare is definitely on its way.”

~650 Words || Justice   || Involuntary swim, ACTIVATE