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A sloped muzzle rose from its place on brown tabby paws. Pale green eyes sparked slightly in the darkness of the cavern, catching what little light filtered in from the moon outside. For a moment, she watched the yawning opening in the distance, watching without truly seeing. Her paws itched with a desire to wander, which clashed quite violently with the current time of day. Or rather, time of night. Slowly, she pulled her subdued gaze toward a tortoiseshell pelt nearby. He no longer slept quite as close to her nest, having found himself a place and another pawful of friends.

By no means were they no longer friends. She still quite enjoyed Dusk's company. He had simply found comfort in other cats like him, and as a result, they spent less time together than when he had first joined and she'd been the only familiar face to him. A large ear flicked and her peculiar muzzle turned away from Dusk, the Prey Hunter deciding she had no desire to wake him. He likely had plans for the day tomorrow, and he would need his rest to properly enjoy whatever company he chose to keep. Long limbs unfolded beneath her as she pushed herself to a stand.

There was little point in lying here uselessly, feigning sleep. The fur along her spine itched to feel the cool air outside. She wouldn't venture far; the Cave Guard standing night watch would hardly allow such a thing. And yet, she needed to step outside. Weaving her way expertly among the scattered nests, she closed the distance between herself and the entrance. Storm's familiar gaze turned toward her as she approached, his silver-gray muzzle tilting curiously. Offering him a distant smile, she found her gaze drawn to the sky outside. "Sleep escapes me. I thought I might sit outside for a moment."

When he looked about to object, her head listed to one side. "I shall not wander far, nor will I drift from your sight." She offered, which seemed to placate him slightly. He nodded uncertainly, but he let her step outside the cave. Staying true to her word, the Prey Hunter padded forward some distance, enough that she held an illusion of being alone, but not far enough that the darkness concealed Storm's ever-present form at the cavern entrance. Haunches folded beneath her as she settled into a comfortable sit, pale eyes trained on the star-flecked expanse above.

She lost track of the length of time she sat there. A gentle breeze drifted along the rocks, tickling the fur of her paws but never seeming to reach much further. That is, until one peculiarly strong brush of air seemed to curl around her leg, before rushing up her shoulders to dance around her. The sensation caused her large ears to snap forward, followed by a rapid rotation of her neck as she tried to follow the rush of air. It continued to flicker and dance along her fur, higher and higher, prompting the long-limbed she-cat to rise onto her hind paws. Her forepaws reached upwards, as though they might touch the sky above.

Her haunches shifted beneath her, paws splayed against the familiar rock terrain, as she stepped a small circle. Widened eyes revealed dilated pupils, her entire being trained on the sky as though looking for something. Releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, the she-cat slowly dropped back to her paws as a sound notified her of someone's approach. Unable to draw her senses away from the starry night just yet, the unique she-cat remained mostly unaware of just who it was closing the space between them.

Taxx

[Taxx]

Teller of the Mountain Sky

The form of the tom cast no shadow within as he padded from his alcove into the main cave, his tail flicking back and forth in restless motions as he quietly and carefully paced among the sleeping bodies of the Tribe. He made his way toward the entrance, his gaze settling on the cave-guard sitting on watch. Storm's ears flicked before he turned to catch sight of Skyteller's approach, and he gave a nod of greeting and respect. Past him Skyteller could see another cat: the slim body of Peregrine was stretched up on her hind paws, front legs reaching toward the skies, her tail in constant motion in order to keep her balanced. “I’m not sure what she’s doing,” Storm commented, his head tipped just slightly to one side, his ears perked and his gaze confused but curious. “To ask is the only way we’ll know,” Skyteller replied, moving on again as the prey-hunter sank back to all fours, her gaze still fixed upward on the stars. Despite his own curiosity, the large tom didn’t immediately break into a round of questioning, only speaking to offer a greeting at first. “Peregrine.” Pausing beside her, Skyteller sat also, lifting his amber eyes to the sky and wondering- were they watching, really? What did they think of him, of the choices and decisions he had made? When his time came to join them, would they scorn him for mixing with the cats of the valley, or praise him for it? “They are bright tonight,” he remarked. “On nights like these, it’s easy to believe that, even if gone, our lost are never truly gone from our sides.” BlooRey DVD

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Distracted green eyes slowly shifted to Skyteller as the tom approached and spoke her name. She watched him for a heartbeat, before her pupils returned to a more natural size and recognition seeped in. Acknowledging him with a dip of her sloped muzzle, the peculiar she-cat couldn't help but let her gaze drift back to the sky above. He commented on the brightness of the stars, drawing one of her ears in his direction, as she continued to study the sky up above. A response did not form straight away, the long-limbed she-cat observing in silence as though Skyteller were not even there.

Eventually, her jaws parted and her head listed to one side. Pale green eyes shone with the distant fascination some knew her for, and she let her voice be heard. "I do not think the stars alter their brilliance from one night to another. For, if the stars are our Lost, I doubt they would seek to hide from our gaze. Surely the Lost do not wish to be forgotten; is that not what so many fear? Being forgotten once your paws leave this earth? Why then would a star do anything but shine its absolute brightest?"

It made absolute sense in her head, though some might judge her words strange. Not that she really considered what her current companion thought of her as she continued. "I believe it is another force entirely that shifts our perception of the stars' brilliance. Perhaps the Forgotten, those who were not so kind in life, or who have allowed bitterness over recognition or lack thereof consume them, for I do not think such emotions are unique to the Living. Would it not make sense, then, for those Forgotten to seek a form of vengeance? And what better way than to obscure the night sky with clouds, fog, whatever means they might come across, in an attempt to exact upon both the Lost and the Living their revenge."

Her long, thin tail twitched from where it lay on the ground as her head tilted the other way. "Although I do not cease to believe something simply because I can no longer see it, perhaps for some it is more difficult. And perhaps, in a certain number of cases, the tactics of the Forgotten succeed, and another Lost ceases to shine. For that, there is certainly no way to know, not until we too become Lost or Forgotten." She paused a moment, blinking thoughtfully at the stars above, before finishing.

"I do concur, however, that on nights such as this belief is much more effortless to come by. I thought I heard the wind whispering to me, and one cannot help but wonder if on clear nights like this, it might be easier for the Lost to communicate, or at least attempt to communicate, with the Living."

Taxx

Note: 42 moons old

[Taxx]

Teller of the Mountain Sky

The nod Peregrine gave to him was brief, her attention directly shifting away to the stars as he spoke, while Skyteller's amber gaze returned to her, ears up and intent as he took in her words. Peregrine might not be well understood by many, but she made sense in her own ways- words he might have meant one way was turned on its head and presented in another. True, it was on the same subject, but she spoke of things he hadn't considered himself. Things he hoped were true. His mate, Night of Shining Stars, named for just this sight, and their two kits: Star that Falls from Sky and Dark of Starless Night. Were they up there? Were they watching him? Were they proud? He wished he could know, and he took comfort in the words that held so much belief that the answer was yes. But how could any of them know for sure? In life, he and Night had been close, and his kits had been part of the reason behind everything he'd done for the Tribe. And now- well, now he was Healer, and the Tribe relied on him to interpret the signs given from their ancestors. Which now included his mate, his kits, and so many other cats that they'd all lost. The thought of those who were gone attempting to contact the ones left behind was not a strange one- not really. Skyteller had wished more than once that such a thing was possible, and he knew he was hardly alone in that, but he knew too that it was quite unlikely to ever happen. The dead were dead, and only to him- through him- would they pass on messages of warning, of prophecy, and he had yet to receive anything- which could only be a good sign. "Who would you talk to," he asked, turning to blink at Peregrine again, "if you had the chance? Your mother and father?" BlooRey DVD

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