[Hellion]

Slumping down into his newly created nest, Stag attempted to stiffle a yawn with very little success. It had been his turn to do the sunset to sunrise watch, Green had been there to help keep him awake. He never thought he'd manage and was greatful for her gudidence. She even offered to share a meal with him before he went to sleep, but Stag declined. Instead he hurried off to his nest eager to rest but the moment he curled up, his tribe-mates were starting to wake.

Prey-hunters chatted with each other, talking of hunting locations and where they wanted to venture off to. Stag was interested, curious to know what it took to follow a hunting party but he knew his tired eyes would make him useless. Trying to doze off, he was rudely awakened by Roar. An older tom who's name was fitting considering how loud his voice was. Rising his head up he tried to glare at his fellow cave-guard but to no avail. Roar was talking and planning with whoever was picked to go with the hunting party. Realizing that the tribe wasn't going to let him sleep yet, Stag pushed up to sit and with a huff tried not to show his annoyance.

He could, in theory, seek out one of his siblings and spend a few minutes with them until sleep overtook him and he drifted off to dreamland. It didn't seem like a bad idea. Slowly gathering up the energy to stand, he sought out his siblings with tired eyes.

williams @calico Taxx BlooRey DVD | just throwing this up for the hell of it. | background | lyrics | table by Amber

[Taxx]

Song lay awake but with her eyes closed, her tail curled tight around her body. Her ears were full of the chatter of her Tribemates around her, but so far none of them had called for her and until one did, she wasn't about to move. She'd been thrilled to start her training, but the constant exercise had definitely given her a taste of just how the cave-guards got so strong. The first night, her muscles had hurt so badly she'd had to seek Skyteller to help with the pain, and she'd barely been able to get through the second day.

By now, though, the burning pain had mostly faded- now, it was her pads that hurt. Nine moons of running about on a stone floor had given her some immunity, but the smooth floor was nothing like the steep slopes and scree of the mountains that scratched and scraped with each step, and a bad skid the day before had torn the pads of her paws badly enough to make them bleed. Maybe she'd get a day off because of it, to give them time to heal? That'd be nice.

A nest rustled close by, and Song peeked open an eye to see her brother, Stag, stand. He looked exhausted after taking the night's watch, something Song hadn't yet been tasked with. Judging by her littermate's appearance, it wasn't a thing to be envious of. "You look dead on your feet," the young tabby remarked, still watching with one blue eye. "Go back to your nest, fluffbrain. Get some sleep."

[Hellion]

Turning his head to look at Song, Stag's ears flattened against his head and a flush warmed his cheeks. It was one thing to be exhausted but embarrassing for someone to point it out. Taking his sister's advice he sat back down but didn't bother to curl up to sleep. Instead, he braced himself and gave a little shake to try and wake up his brain a little more.

"Easier said than done," He confessed, flicking his lengthy brown tail in the general direction of Roar and the other gathered tribemates. "Everyone and their kit-mothers are talking. I'll probably never get a decent night's sleep," He ranted further, moving slightly to lay down, his forepaws out in front of him. "If I had known that staying up all night was a thing I would have declined Green's offer to join her," His words were broken up with a yawn before his attention shifted to Song's footpad.

"What happened there?"

@tags | #words | background | lyrics | table by Amber

[Taxx]

Yeah, it was a bit noisy; Song flashed a glance at the others as Stag flicked his tail at them. Roar was rambling on- she could make out a word or two, but no more than that. It didn't matter anyway, really. "It'll quiet down soon enough," she replied, settling more comfortably in her nest. "Once the prey-hunters are ready. If Roar goes, then half the noise will too."

"You'll get used to it," she went on, still watching through the one open eye. "We both will, and maybe Eagle too. I mean, it's not that much different from staying up all day, except that it's dark and quiet. Did you see anything cool?"

Then, glancing down at her feet at the mention, she rolled one shoulder in a shrug. "I slipped on loose pebbles on the Slope, tore them up a bit. It's nothing. I'll live. It only stings a bit." Not quite true, but she wasn't going to admit it. They'd heal soon and she'd be fine as ever- she didn't need to be coddled because of torn pads when others had been through it too.
Hellion

[Hellion]

Stag found it easy to chuckle at the thought of half the noise leaving with Roar. Glancing back toward Roar he let out a sign of releif when it became aparent that he was indeed leaving with the other cats. Letting his shoulder slump forward, he releaxed and let his head settled on his forepaws.

It was a comfort to have a someone he could relate to. Even if their earlier moons of life had been shakey, considering his support of Rock. He was willing to put that behind him as long as it was unspoken between them that she didn't talk ill of their brother.

"Green pointed an owl out to me. It was huge! Probably as big as Roar. It was also kind of scary, I didn't hear it flying or anything and if Green hadn't pointed it out to me I would have missed it,"He told her, words slurring slightly as he settled again.

He did perk up a bit when she explained what happened, but she didn't seem bothered by it and Stag was willing to feel the same. "I haven't gotten to explore the Slope much. I think Rose is going to show it to me in a couple days but I haven't seen her much," He added trying to picture the slope but only managed to get a rough outline. If he was going to be a decent Cave-guard he neede to learn the area that the tribe ventured to. A good cave-guard was smart and adaptable. "Have you gotten to see the Hidden meadow? I want to see what it is like! I remember my dad saying that it was a really tight squeeze," It seemed that the tired exhausted feeling had moved on to tired energy, an unexplained boost that results in a sudden crash. Not that Stag would be able to recognize it until it happened and he woke up later.

@tags | #words | background | lyrics | table by Amber

[Taxx]

Song of Rushing Stream

Tribe of Forgotten Waters | Cave-guard To-Be

i'm a little bit of everything, all rolled into one

As predicted, the noise level died down as the boisterous cave-guard left with the morning patrol, and Stag's sigh of relief made Song's whiskers twitch in amusement. Curling tighter, the to-be drew her paws up and gently licked the pads as her brother answered, her pale blue eyes opening in awe at the mention of the owl. "It's a good thing you're too big to be carried off," she purred. "All the warnings Mother told us about being small enough to be snatched by owls don't apply anymore. It's just the eagles we have to worry about now."

Her tail flicked. "You're not missing much, trust me. It's just an old rock slide that we have to cross to get to do any hunting. And no, I haven't been to the Meadow yet, but maybe soon. If Skyteller needs to replenish his herbs, that's a good place to go to. Especially now with the cold moving in, don't you think?" She resumed licking her paws, soothing the torn skin as she gazed over at her brother and wondered just how much longer he'd be able to keep his eyes open.

you know you wouldn't want it any other way

Hellion | background | table by Amber

[Hellion]

He smiled fondly of the memory of their 'mother' talking about owls stealing them away. There was a morbid cuosity of what it would feel like to be taken up into the sky. The idea of sprouting wings intrigued him but he knew it to be impossible but it didn't stop him daydreaming about flying high over the mountains or down into the valley.

He nodded in agreement about venturing to the meadow if Skyteller needed new herbs. His tail flicked at the idea of joining their leader on such a quest. Stag was excited to prove he was, in fact, a solid choice to be a cave-guard. In theory, he could pass as both but he felt it in his gut that he was meant to protect the tribe.

Letting his eyes shut slightly, he opened his mouth to answer her. "I'd like to go with him to the meadow. I bet it's really pretty," He mused further, unable to stop himself from yawning. His ears relaxed and his breathing started to slow as stopped fighting the sleep. He started to snore before fidgetting enough and it abruptly stopped, finally peacefully sleeping.

Text ends here.

Taxx | end? | background | lyrics | table by Amber