[Abyss]

Batear - She-cat
37 Moons - LC Warrior

Leafbare 10 It is warmer outside from the insulation snow provides, but snow turns to sleet, making terrain sloppy and difficult to walk through.

A full moon. It brought back memories, both fond ones and bad ones. How often should one stop and think about the past? Some cats had no time to do such things. Hunting, patrolling, watching camp, socializing, sleeping. So many things took up a Warrior's day, often leaving them no free time if they were willing to be that busy. But there were times where one would get a free moment to just stop and think. This was one of those moments.

A light, spine-chilling breeze blew through the meadows of Lightningclan, causing the tall grasses to wave and shimmer under the light of the moon. The ground, covered in mushy snow, was typically difficult to traverse in during the day when the sun was shining. But the land was colder during the night, causing the ground to thankfully become more solid. It was still cold, nonetheless. Despite the chill in the air and the cold ground beneath, there was still a cat that wasn't comfortably asleep in their warm nest.

A pair of bright green eyes looked out over the meadows from the edge of the hill that Lightningclan called home, a black silhouette nearly blending in with the darkness. Were it not for the moon above, the cat would likely appear invisible in the shadows. A silver shimmer ran down the slender body of Batear, her form laying at the edge of the hill and long tail wrapped around her. There was always a guard or two perched in the camp to keep an eye out for danger, and Bat was assigned that duty this time. It could get boring and tiring at times, but she didn't mind it. Having pure black fur helped her excel with this job when it was given to her in the past, and this time was no different.

She had to admit, though. It got a bit lonely. There weren't very many times when anything would happen during the night worthy of alerting the clan. In addition to that, when multiple cats would get assigned this duty, they wouldn't usually be together. They would be on opposite ends of camp to keep better eye. Whether another cat was on duty at that moment, the she-Warrior didn't know. But her mind wasn't focused on that right now.

As her own bright eyes looked up at the even brighter moon, memories filled her mind. Memories of her father, her mother, her previous mentor, her Apprentice days. It seemed like so long since she dealt with those things daily. For a moment her eyes drifted over to the Elder's den where her mother was likely sleeping, but they returned to the moon again. Was her father up there? Was he with the rest of their ancestors looking at the same moon she was? A smile crossed her face, but faded as she remembered her mentor.

Snakefang. She had been such a jealous, envious, and selfish cat. How had she ever been allowed to live in Lightningclan? Had she always been the way she was, or had that only started after her parents got together? Batear wondered this question all the time, but never found an answer. She let out a quiet sigh, laying her head on her paws but keeping her large ears perked just in case.

tag: Fawn
words: 552
notes: ---

♥ ♥

[Fawn]

Mudpelt

LightningClan || Senior Warrior || 52 Moons

'Cause they will run you down, down til the dark

It was Moonhigh. The air was cool enough that Mudpelt could see his breath; he breathed in and felt it chill his senses, then breathed out and watched the semi-transparent clouds form then just as quickly fade. It was peaceful, tonight. Boring, as many of his Clanmates and kin would say. Maybe that was why Mudpelt was chosen so often for guard duty. He was a tireless warrior; the kind who faded into the background but was always there when needed. Always ready to offer assistance without complaint. Mudpelt was proud of his track record as a solid, dependable warrior.

While others aimed high, looking to achieve the rank of deputy or leader, Mudpelt entertained no such visions. He was comfortable as a senior warrior. He had worked hard to be a good example to the Clan's younger members, and to remain a trustworthy ally to a Clan that had gone through tough times.

Leafbare always brought its challenges... In another season, it would be a year since his brother, Gustclaw, had died. A year since Gustclaw's kits had been born and brought up as apprentices of LightningClan.

Maybe it was the nostalgia, or maybe it was a few remaining inklings of grief, but Mudpelt broke away from his stony position outside of LightningClan's Camp. He shook the chill out of his fur and began to move, letting himself believe he was doing this only to put the warmth back into his paws.

A figure entered Mudpelt's line of sight, and he recognized Batear first by scent and then by the moonlight through her distinctive namesakes. He dipped his head in greeting. "The perimeter is safe. Be careful not to stay still for long periods of time," Mudpelt mewed, his stoic, methodical manner showing up in everything. Even small talk. "It's easy to catch chill when the ground is this wet."

Mudpelt took a step away, intending to keep moving, but he stopped. She looked... thoughtful? Sad? He could not quite read her expressions, but he understood how guard duty often brought out the personal reflections in those assigned to it. Mudpelt considered himself no great expert on comforting others, but courtesy demanded he speak. "Are you alright?"

They will run you down, down til you fall

366 Words || Abyss || Notes

[Abyss]

Batear - She-cat
37 Moons - LC Warrior

The night-furred she-cat allowed the memories of her father and former mentor cloud her thoughts, consuming her mind nearly to the point where she didn't hear the voice that spoke. Luckily, she wasn't quite that deep in her thoughts. Not yet, at least. These memories faded to the back of her mind as she turned her head to the side, one bright green eye looking through the corner of her gaze to find another cat standing behind her. Just from appearance, this was another dark-colored cat, though not as dark as she, for she could still see them. Based on scent alone Batear knew who this cat was, the voice that emanated from them also confirming this.

"Mudpelt, " the she-cat meowed in acknowledgment at her fellow Warrior. He must have been the other cat assigned to the night watch.

'The perimeter is safe. Be careful not to stay still for long periods of time. It's easy to catch chill when the ground is this wet.'

"I know. Thanks for the warning, though." As she finished speaking, her head turned back towards the open meadow. Briefly, the image of her previous mentor returned to her head. That wicked smile, those bared fangs, the unsheathed claws. She could see where she had been that day from where she laid, though it was dark and hard to see from a far distance. She still knew it was right where she was looking, for she had looked at that specific spot many times before from camp. Her thoughts were once again interrupted by Mudpelt's voice, but she didn't turn her head.

'Are you alright?'

At first Batear didn't respond, though she did flick her tail and one of her ears to signal that she had indeed heard him and wasn't ignoring him. She seemed to contemplate the answer, her eyes clouding over a moment, before she shook her head, looking down to the ground.

"I suppose. I'm just...reliving old memories, " she stated, a slight ping of sadness hinted through her voice, though she tried to hide it. She remained silent for another few moments before she spoke again. "Mudpelt, do you ever think about things that have happened to you in the past and wondered if there was something you could have done to change the outcome?" As she asked the question, the black cat adjusted herself, curving her laying body more sideways so that she could turn her head completely, bright green eyes looking to him as if his answer was important to her.

tag: Fawn
words: 421
notes: ---

♥ ♥

[Fawn]

Mudpelt

LightningClan || Senior Warrior || 52 Moons

'Cause they will run you down, down til the dark

'do you ever think about things that have happened to you in the past and wondered if there was something you could have done to change the outcome?'

It was the kind of question that would haunt the mind of any cat who had regrets; Mudpelt drew breath, but did not release it right away. "Yes," he spoke in his quiet, somber voice, but with a heavy hint of sadness this time. "I was born last in a large litter," Mudpelt slowly lowered his back legs until he was sitting. "There's only two of us left; myself and Blazefang. I try not to dwell on the past... every once in a while, I wonder if I could have done something to save Gustclaw, or Pigeonpaw." Galekit had succumbed to greencough, along with their parents; Mudpelt knew well that there was very little any cat that wasn't a medicine cat could do to save the sickly. But Pigeonpaw, who had died from a fox, and Gustclaw, who had succumbed to food poisoning after eating spoiled prey last winter? Those could have been avoided. If he'd just kept an eye on them.

Then there had been Blazefang's disappearance, his older brother's return to the Clan nothing short of a miracle. There was nothing Mudpelt could have done to spare Blazefang the leg injury that had put him in the elders' den early - right?

"I wonder what my life would be like if my whole litter was here, living and breathing, right along with me." The tom's heart felt solid and heavy as a stone, weighing him down, keeping his feet planted to this spot. Dim eyes focused on Batear, and he nearly apologized for the unintentional rambling; yet the question she had asked had been thought-provoking on purpose. He couldn't bring himself to say 'sorry' for answering the way he had. That said, even though he had shared a little of himself, he did not expect Batear to do the same.

Mudpelt did not pry into the lives of others; if Batear wanted to keep her troubles and her secrets close to her chest, he wasn't going to stop her. Instead, the tom fell into a respectful silence, concentrating on keeping his mind in check lest it torture him with what-if's.

They will run you down, down til you fall

382 || Abyss || Notes

[Abyss]

As Mudpelt began to speak, Batear listened intently to what he had to say. He explained to her how in his family, in his litter rather, there were only two of them left. If she was correct, there had been five of them at one point, or at least that was what she had heard. One of his siblings had passed young. One of his other siblings had been attacked by a fox. She wasn't quite sure on the final. But she also knew that even the sibling of his that remained, Blazefang, who she actually knew somewhat, had also experienced something in the past. It seemed as though Mudpelt's family just had very little luck on her side. Her gaze fell to her paws, the thought of her two siblings and her parents coming to mind.

One of her siblings had been still-born, but she remembered her mother mentioning the name Skykit once or twice, for not giving the newborn kit a name would have been heartless, despite their lack of life. Her other two siblings were both currently asleep in the Warriors den, both alive and presumably healthy. Her father, Blackear, was likely with their ancestors. Her mother, always held down by grief yet still remaining so kind and light-hearted, rested with the Elders, despite not being one herself yet. She had her own bad experiences in the past, but she still had three of her family members. Mudpelt only had one of his siblings, if she was right, and he had been injured previously, putting him out of commission.

As she lifted her eyes again to face Mudpelt, she saw that he was looking to her, a hint of sadness evident in his facial expression despite the darkness. She couldn't deny that she felt bad for him. He had lost three of his siblings and nearly lost the fourth. Now he was the only sibling in his family who she could only assume hadn't had anything major happen to him. She stood from where she laid on the ground and padded quietly over to the brown tom, taking a seat next to him. Her long, thin tail brushed against his back in a comforting manor and she presented a lick over his ear, looking at him with both a small smile and a slight feeling of guilt.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure that they are living peacefully up in the stars, watching over you and Blazefang." She offered a kind smile, looking up towards the sky. She remained quiet for a few moments, but found herself letting out one of her thoughts in a mere whisper. "I wonder if my father is up there with them..."

Words: 448 | Fawn | Notes:
Made by Abyss

[Fawn]

Mudpelt

LightningClan || Senior Warrior || 52 Moons

'Cause they will run you down, down til the dark

Given the scarcity of living family members and Mudpelt's own workaholic nature, affection was not something he was used to. The somber brown tom gazed at Batear with evident surprise, processing the lick to his ear and the tail on his back. They were comforting gestures (or were meant to be so), but he could not remember the last time anyone had done that for him. The most affection the tom received, as he could recall, was Cloudyfeather's kits climbing over him, purring and batting at his tail when they'd been four fluffy future-apprentices still nursery bound.

Of course, there were those kind and gentle cats who offered condolences whenever a tragedy inevitably struck his family. Perhaps because of the respectful distance he gave others, they never gave him more than sad looks, soft murmurs and the occasional muzzle-press into his shoulder, a soft reminder to be strong.

But here was Batear, a she-cat he wasn't close to, breaching that respectful distance few others attempted to. As he processed his feelings on the matter, Mudpelt's dark ear rotated, catching the quiet words of his Clanmate as she near-whispered them to herself.

"He was a good warrior. I did not know him personally, but he always appeared diligent and kind. He was your mentor for a few moons, wasn't he?" Mudpelt asked. It was unusual for kin to mentor kin - unless in the case of his nieces, nephew and his plethora of cousins, where it was unavoidable - but an exception had been made for Blackear and Batpaw.

Snakefang's banishment and the appalling story surrounding it had spread like wildfire through the camp. Mudpelt had never been one for gossip; instead, he'd been on the alert on every border patrol, ready to defend the territory from a vengeful Snakefang.

They will run you down, down til you fall

298 Words || Abyss || Notes

[Abyss]

Batear hadn't caught the surprise on Mudpelt's face at her gesture, but that was alright. She only wished she could do more than just comfort him. No amount of grooming, nuzzling, or kind words could make up for what he had experienced and all that he had lost. Then again, no amount of wishing or wondering would answer her question that she had quietly asked herself. No one knew the answer. No one but Starclan.

When she heard Mud begin to speak again, she looked at him from the corner of her eye, not turning her head to fully look at him at first. He had said how he had only really seen her father and didn't really know him. He also asked about the mentoring situation that had occurred. A tiny smile formed at the corners of her jaws, looking towards the ground momentarily as she began her answer.

"Yes, he was. Only for the final two moons. Neither of us had asked for it to be that way. The rest just assumed that after my experience with my first mentor, who I hadn't really known before being assigned to her, I wouldn't want to be assigned to a cat I wasn't close to. Me and my father were happy that we got to train together, though." She looked out towards the far meadows of the territory once again. How long was it after she became a Warrior that her father disappeared? She couldn't really remember anymore. It seemed like so long ago now, yet she still thought about it everyday. She was happy to know that there were cats who, even if they hadn't met him, saw her father as a good Warrior, or at least a kind cat. That meant more to her than Mudpelt knew.

Words: 299 | Fawn | Notes:
Made by Abyss

[Fawn]

Mudpelt

LightningClan || Senior Warrior || 52 Moons

'Cause they will run you down, down til the dark

"It's a good thing born of dark circumstances," mused Mudpelt quietly. "You are very lucky, Batear, to have received that kind of training from someone you're close to." What would his training moons have been like, if Windstrike had been the one shaping Mudpelt into the warrior he'd eventually become? He knew from stories and anecdotes that Windstrike had been a milder version of Gustclaw and Blazefang - certainly not as rude, and clearly mellowed out by his love for his mate, Dovesong - but staunchly loyal and what LightningClan would describe as scrappy.

These thoughts hung like stars in the back of Mudpelt's mind; hopeful though they were, they generated no warmth, and only surfaced in the midst of darkness. Mudpelt's fur fluffed against the chill, and he lapsed into silence. It was not a silence marked by discomfort, merely contemplation. The stocky brown tom, though he lived and breathed the Code to the point of questioning it felt unthinkable, was a pensive cat by nature. Somber and calm, as if he'd somehow inherited all the rationality and evenness of temperament discarded by the rest of his litter.

Mudpelt flicked an ear towards the night-sounds nearby. No crickets. Only the occasional call of a bird or the harsh, husky voice of the wind through bare trees. He knew his duties, though, and would resume patrolling in a moment.

For now, it was nice to sit here and just... simply, be.

They will run you down, down til you fall

240 Words || Abyss || Notes: Fin?

[Abyss]

The movement was brief and almost unnoticeable, but the dark she-cat lightly nodded at the brown tom’s statement. She had been lucky. She knew she had. Having her father mentor her had been something she was very thankful for. Those last two moons were difficult, despite being with someone she trusted. She knew very well that her father would never attack her like her previous mentor had. But every time they left camp to train, her furs bristled with every crack of a branch or rustle of a bush, the thought of Snakefang coming to seek revenge constantly in her mind. Her father had saved her from his previous love interest once, but would he be able to again? She never wanted to face that risk.

After Mudpelt’s statement, the air around them grew quiet. It wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable silence. At that moment, it was no longer about sympathizing with each other or speaking of their pasts. It was now merely two Warriors of the clan sitting together in camp, silently enjoying each other's company. The comfort of just knowing that someone was next to her, who she had a gut-feeling she could fully trust, was enough for Batear. She scanned the territory again, her green eyes looking for any signs of movement.

She wasn’t sure how long the two of them sat there like this. But before she knew it, her eyes looked to the distant mountains, the darkness of the sky starting to turn slightly lighter, signifying that day was coming soon. The black she-cat let out a sigh, standing from where she had sat next to Mudpelt. Her head turned to face him, her eyes locking onto his own.

“Thank you...for opening up to me like that. It was really nice talking to you. Maybe we could go on a patrol together sometime?” A smile formed at the corners of her jaws, her tail flicking behind her. She glanced towards the territory beyond them one final time before turning once again and beginning to walk forward towards the Warriors den. “Good night, Mudpelt.” The thin black tail of the Warrioress brushed lightly across Mudpelt’s chest and very briefly under his chin before she was too far to reach him. As she neared the den, she finally realized that she could feel her heart somewhat quickly beating against her chest, causing a more prominent smile to form over her face. She proceeded into the den, quietly finding her nest and curling up inside, her dreams full of her father, her mother, and a few mentions of Mudpelt.

Words: 430 | Fawn | Notes:
Made by Abyss