[Abyss]

Leafbare 28 - The wind has finally subsided, it is mostly sunny outside but still cold.

Some would `call it coincidence that the gentlemanly Apprentice of Treeclan had ended up at the same spot he had met a silent yet sweet young she-cat of Windclan previously. Some would call it a planned action on the young tom's part. Other's would call it fate. In truth, Leopardpaw hadn't meant to end up in this area. It was an unintentional yet welcomed area to accidentally end up in, though. His mentor, Flamelight, had allowed him a little bit of leeway
on this patrol, the ability to wander off a bit from the patrol an opportunity not to miss. Had this been a patrol near the Nightclan border, things would have been different. None of the patrol would have separated. From what he heard of the gathering merely days ago, there was a little bit of tension in the air between the Leaders. One Leader had looked malnourished and had lost one of their clanmates, which in itself was upsetting. On top of that, not only did the Nightclan Leader not show up, but the Deputy spoke for them and glossed over what Nightclan had done to Treeclan. He also heard quite a bit of talk over how Silverstar had made a few witty comments that Nightclan definitely deserved.

As the spotted Apprentice walked forward, he took notice of a particular tree ahead of him, the thoughts of the gathering he had not attended being pushed to the back of his mind. There were many trees in the forest, so it was odd for him to remember a specific one. Yet he knew it. He recognized it. He saw a large branch that curved and bent like that of a snake above him connected to this tree. This tree had been the same one he was standing next to when he saw her. Windpaw. A young she-cat from Lightningclan, and a fellow Apprentice. He recalled their previous meeting in his mind. He remembered how quiet she was, as well as how she more so spoke with her eyes and body language. She had expressed to him her admiration of the wind and of her clan without ever saying it forwardly. It was something Leopardpaw had not encountered before, and it interested him. A brief image flashed in his mind of when he asked about if she liked the wind, a gleam in her green eyes. The wind had began to ruffle and shift her fur at that moment, perfect timing for the moment. In that moment, he had to admit that the expression on her face and the way the wind almost seemed to be summoned to her caught his attention and almost brought forth a kind of respect for the Lightningclan Apprentice.

A smile formed on the tom's face and his tail curled behind him as he walked closer to the tree. He began to walk in a half-circle around the tree when he saw a flash of movement. It had been on the Lightningclan side of the border, though, if he remembered correctly, this land was currently being shared between the two clans anyway. His heart began to beat slightly faster and he couldn't deny that he was hoping that it was what, more like who, he thought it was.


Words: 543 | Ghost the Undead Goddess | Notes: I hope that date is good enough!

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Windpaw

9 Moons, LightningClan

I hear the wind across the plain,
A sound so strong, that calls my name

Snow was sent flying with each movement as the young feline raced across the powder covered moorlands, the chilly breeze making it's presence known as it swept it away with each gentle gust.

It had been a few days since the pale tabby had had the freedom to run alongside the element she so loved. Between training with her mentor and experiencing the wonder of the Gathering, the young Lightningclanner was pleased with the small break to relief her mind.

Granted, she was suppose to be hunting.

Though... like the free spirit she was, Windpaw got distracted at the first urge to race her namesake. Her directionless adventure led her to a crest among the gentle slops of Lightningclan's territory, bringing her to a view of the territory shared with Treeclan.

Leopardpaw!

Her mind quickly focusing on the young tom from the neighboring clan she had met days before when she had once against wandered off from the patrol she had been apart of.

She hadn't met with him for very long, but she could tell that he had a good heart and kind soul. Windpaw had been somewhat sad when she realized that the golden tom hadn't been at the gathering with the patrol from his clan.

The pale feline hadn't realized it at the time, but later that night on their trek back home, Windpaw listened to her clanmates talk about Lionstar's announcement concerning Nightclan. There had been some sort of violent interaction between the two rivaling clans.

Is Leopardpaw okay?

Pale green gaze slowly looked over the treeline before excitement wriggled within her lithe form when she caught the sight of his golden form standing out against the white snow.

With the smallest of squeaks, Windpaw practically shot down the moors towards the trees of his clan, her paws carrying her swiftly towards the shared border.

Happiness practically projecting within her pale gaze as the young striped tabby drew up to the older apprentice. Just as she had bid him farewell during their previous interaction, Windpaw pressing her muzzle softly against Leopardpaw's neck before pulling away.

His scent was just as she remembered!

Looking over his pelt, Windpaw was pleased to see that he looked healthy and free of any scratches or marks. You're okay! A purr broke through her chest once she was satisfied with her inspection.

Abyss || 410 Words || Notes

[Abyss]

Just as he had expected, it was indeed another cat that caused the flash of movement at the corner of his eye. It was also just as he had hoped that the cat responsible was the same cat he wanted to see. As the silvery coat of a feminine feline appeared at the edge of the tall grasses, the young tom immediately recognized the familiar face. As the two seemed to distantly lock eyes, it also appeared that she had recognized him as well, for the next moment began with her charging forward down the short hill towards him. The thought of the border being shared remained in young Leopardpaw's head as he began to make a slow trot forward as well.

Just as the Lightningclan Apprentice got a fox-length away, he stopped, a smile on his face. As she came to a stop in front of him, he felt her muzzle press into his neck. In his mind he had a momentary flashback to when she had done this same thing to say goodbye to him. It was a kind and sweet gesture, one that sent a chill throughout his body, thought not a bad sort. It was almost a comforting feel that came from the touch of the she-cat. Perhaps this was merely him growing a bond with the silver tabby, despite the fact that he had only met her once before now. Then again, she was also the first Lightningclan Apprentice that he had ever met, so it was natural for him to feel a connection. Plus, he was a very open and welcoming tom. Becoming friends with a cat from another clan wasn't a bad thing in his eyes.

As she pulled away, his eyes locked onto her own, though he noticed that she wasn't looking at his as well. In fact, her eyes were darting across his body as though she were looking for something. He lightly tilted his head, a look of slight curiosity on his face. He did want to give her an official hello, but he knew that she was a cat of few words, so a formal greeting wasn't required. He was more so wishing to question what exactly she was looking for.

"Searching for something?" His voice was hinted with curiosity and his tail slowly curled behind him, remaining standing in case there really was something that she was looking for.


Words: 401 | Ghost the Undead Goddess | Notes:

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Windpaw

9 Moons, LightningClan

I hear the wind across the plain,
A sound so strong, that calls my name

Of course he would be curious, the young she-cat had practically examined him as if she were some kind of Medicine Cat. It also probably wasn't often that a cat from a different clan was worried about injury.

With her tail waving relaxingly behind her, the pale feline tilted her head ever so slightly as she tried to figure out how to explain with her mouth rather than her head because... Leopardpaw obviously couldnt read her mind.

Though the thought kind of amused Windpaw.

Pale green eyes flickered with thought before the free spirited apprentice parted her maw to speak, "Nightclan attacked?" The Lightningclanner was only going off of what she had picked up from her clanmates, because she hadn't exactly paid attention to the leaders.

There had just been too much going on for her to pay attention to one thing.

For a moment the flicker of worry passed through Windpaw's pale gaze before it cleared up. She had been nervous that Leopardpaw could have been hurt if Nightclan had attacked Treeclan, but clearly he was fine as she stood in front of him.

A purr rose from her chest at the fact that his handsome golden spotted pelt was safe from any scarring and happiness seemed to sparkle within her gaze, happy about the fact that she managed to see him again since he wasn't at the Gathering.

The Gathering!

Windpaw suddenly bounced to her toes, tail waving with a new abundance of energy just as sudden as her namesake. She could tell Leopardpaw about the new friends she made in Rainclan, Owlpaw and Larkpaw.

Just as the pale feline was about to open her mouth to speak a snarl broke through as the splash of red against white indicated a canine predator streaking it's way towards the two apprentices.

Pale green eyes widened with both fear and shock as Windpaw stood nearly ridge for a second before taking a quick glance at the tom next to her, suddenly aware of how quickly her breaths were rattling her chest.

Leopardpaw! Windpaw squeaked slightly though didn't vocalize as she dove to the side when the fox barreled it's way between the two. On instinct the pale tabby lashed out, claws making contact against the cheek of the larger predator before she turned to distance herself from it.

Unfortunately she ran towards Treeclan's territory and found herself at the base of one of the massive trees the clan was so aptly named after. Fear prickled under Windpaw's pelt that was spiked on end. Suddenly panic coiled it's way around her lithe form like a snake as she wipped around to find the fox staring her down.

Heart hammering within her chest Windpaw felt her legs wobble, so out of her element as she was surrounded by trees and not wide open moorlands. She didn't know where Bluefrost was or where Leopardpaw was.

"Leopardpaw!" Windpaw wailed backing up against the truck behind her. Fear keeping her grounded, claws dug into the cold ground beneath her.

Abyss || 523 Words || And so the fox attacks O:

[Abyss]

As the spotted tom expected, Windpaw did see the curiosity on his face and heard his question, yet she didn't speak at first. Her head tilted, her tail lightly curled behind her, and her eyes seemed to be debating on how to express her thoughts. Leopardpaw patiently waited for the young she-cat to figure out how to answer him. He had learned the first time they met that she wasn't one for many words, but she expressed herself through her facial expressions, her body language, and her eyes.

When she spoke, it was quite brief, but it got her point across. She had heard about Nightclan's ambush on the Treeclan patrol. She didn't ask this directly, nor did she really express this thought, but he used context clues. She thought he had been a part of the battle and was worried that he had been injured. She was searching for injuries. He was a little bit taken aback by this. She was an Apprentice from another clan whom he had only met once before. She had no reason to be concerned for him, really. But the fact that she was and that she was worried about him being hurt was extremely sweet. A smile came over the tom's face as these thoughts ran through his head.

"Yes. A Nightclan patrol ambushed our dawn patrol. I wasn't there, though. I only saw the aftermath. None of my clanmates lost their lives, thankfully." For a moment, the memory of one of his clanmates losing their life not too long after that incident popped into his mind. Magpiewing and his daughter...no, she didn't need to know about that. Perhaps she already knew, but that wasn't a subject he was comfortable speaking about with someone who wasn't from Treeclan. He considered Windpaw a friend of his, but they weren't close enough for him to disclose that information. Plus, the fact that a Treeclan cat poisoned another Treeclan cat would probably make her worry more that he was in danger. He felt a need to prevent that.

Suddenly, she jumped to her feet, tail waving happily behind her. She seemed to have remembered something and was excited about it. But just as she went to speak, a low growl rumbled around them. The tom immediately got to his feet, looking around them with ears perked and eyes alert. That definitely wasn't a feline snarl, which caused instantaneous alarms to sound in his head. As his eyes darted around them for a source, he suddenly felt something large slam into him, knocking him momentarily off of his feet. He quickly turned his head just as Windpaw's claw raked across the orange fox's face. For a brief second he remained completely still, surprised that a fox had managed to get so close to them without them noticing. He got to his feet quickly as he saw Windpaw get cornered against one of Treeclan's larger-based trees. Anger quickly boiled in his stomach as he ran forward towards the two of them. He watched as the fox took slow and menacing steps towards the terrified she-cat, her shaking visible from where he was. He heard Windpaw's delicate voice call out his name in fear as he got closer and closer. Finally he spoke.

"Climb! Now!" Just as he said the word 'now', he launched himself forward at the fox, claws unsheathed and mout wide open. His claws latched onto the scruff and upper-muzzle of the fox and he closed his jaws around the first thing he could get hold of, which, unfortunately for the fox, happened to be its left eye. As soon as he bit down he felt himself being thrown about and the pained squeals and barks of the fox echoed in his ears. He could feel the fox trying as hard as it could to shake and throw him off, but he wasn't going to let go. He refused to. He didn't have time to see if Windpaw had done as he said, but her safetly left his mind as he felt claws rake across his back leg. His eyes closed tightly in pain, but he wasn't going to let go. He tried to lift his legs up higher from the ground, attempting to get his back claws hooked into the fox's fur. But the fox was bucking and shaking violently, preventing him from doing so. At one point he felt the fox's paw step on his, trying to pull him off, but it was also panicked, causing its attempts to fail. Leopardpaw had to hold on. He needed to do this. Hold on. Hold on.


Words: 771 | Ghost the Undead Goddess | Notes: Hopefully that is good enough! I planned to type more, but I typed this in class and am about to switch classes. So I tried to end it.

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Windpaw

9 Moons, LightningClan

I hear the wind across the plain,
A sound so strong, that calls my name

Panic.

It had wrapped it's self around the pale she-cat as she stared directly into the savage amber gaze of the red furred canine. It was her first time coming face to face with that of a fox, though she had heard stories.

It wasn't too long ago that Firestar herself had lost a life to one of the snarling beasts.

Pale green pools were wide, emotions clear as they ran like electricity through her gaze when her haunches brushed up against the tree behind her. It almost immediately caused her heart to drop from her chest to her stomach.

"Climb! Now!"

It was Leopardpaw, as the golden tom of Treeclan launched himself courageously against the invading predator, pulling it's attention away from Windpaw's frozen form. The quick action managed to force life back into the near numb paws of the Lightningclanner.

Climb!?

Pale gaze ran up the tree trunk, absolutely terrified about her feet leaving the ground, but the sounds of snarling and yelping practically lit a fire under the small feline's tail.

Oh, how Windpaw wished that Bluefrost was there, or Cloudyfeather or Mudpelt or Blazefang. Family had always been a source of comfort for the free spirited she-cat. Starclan help us...

As she bunched her haunches to launch herself up, a small gust of wind pressed against her side, as if it were encouraging her. Her namesake giving her a small flare of confidince before she pushed herself off the ground.

It was a scrabble but Windpaw managed to sink her claws into the soft bark of the tree, keeping her in place only a tail-length or so above where Leopardpaw was still fighting off the fox, the sounds of their scuffle pounding within her ears.

Her heart slamming away within her chest, Windpaw released a claw hold to pull herself higher, mossy gaze set upon the branch not far above her head. It was thick and wide, and far enough out of the range of the fox.

Almost there!

Until Windpaw made the decision to glance back at Leopardpaw, causing her vision to blur when she noticed how far off the ground she was. Fear quickly crept back within her pale form, clinging almost pitifully to the tree while feeling light headed.

"Leopardpaw!" She called out for him again, not knowing what else to do as she squeezed her eyes shut. The young apprentice was so far out of her element, she had never dealt with such an intense situation before and now she was stuck in a tree with a fox that saw her and her fellow apprentice as fresh kill.

Abyss || 455 Words || She's scared of heights xD

[Abyss]

The bucking and kicking continued for what felt like forever. Even though Leopardpaw hadn't truly been attached to the fox for very long, the flailing and kicking and the pain in Leopard's leg was causing him to get tired quicker than he usually would. As he held on, claws still latched onto the fox's skin beneath the red fur, the Apprentice had a split second where a decision went through his head. He could either continue to hold onto the fox, biting down on its eye, or he could let go and run. But...what about Windpaw? Windpaw! His eyes flashed upwards towards the tree that the silver tabby had been pinned against. It was brief, but he saw her light form against the base of the tree. She wasn't extremely high in the air, but she was far enough up that the fox may not be able to get her if it tried. It was at this moment that he realized a mistake he had made. Windpaw was from Lightningclan, a clan that was always on the ground and hidden in the grass. Did she even know how to climb a tree? She had apparently done well so far, but still.

Finally, Leopard had to make his choice. He closed his eyes tight, only allowing himself a few seconds to make a decision. After those few seconds were up, his heart skipped a few beats as he opened his mouth and released his claws. He felt himself get thrown to the side, rolling once or twice across the ground. When he stopped, he could feel his leg burning from the large scratches the fox had caused. But he couldn't focus on that right now. His eyes darted upwards towards the fox. It was currently still flailing and shaking his head violently, pawing at its injured eye with its paws and crying out in pain. It was distracted for the moment. He then looked back to the tree. Windpaw had made it a tiny bit farther up, but she wasn't moving. He thought he had heard her call for him again when he let go, but he wasn't sure. Regardless, he knew one thing for sure. He couldn't leave her by herself.

He stood and took a few leaps towards the tree, a jolt of pain going through his leg each time it touched the ground, but he had to ignore it. When he reached the base of the tree, he jumped upwards, claws grabbing onto the bark. He started clawing his way up the tree, unable to climb quite as quickly with one of his legs being difficult to use. As he got about a tail-length away from Windpaw, he heard loud barking from below rather than whining. He glanced downwards, seeing the fox clawing at the tree angrily and looking up towards the two cats with its good eye. It attempted to try and climb, but each time it would make it less than a tail-length up, it would tumble back to the ground, its claws not built for this.

He turned his attention back up to Windpaw. As he climbed closer and found himself next to her, he climbed only one or two steps upwards before reaching down, grabbing onto Windpaw's scruff and lightly pulling upwards, encouraging her to keep going.

"I won't let you fall, " he attempted to say through his closed teeth. His eyes looked around them for a moment, spotting a somewhat large branch not too far above them. "Only a little farther, " he said through his grip once again. He did his best to help her, but both of them were at a disadvantage. His leg was injured and she had, he presumed, never climbed a tree before. Both of them were in danger, but he needed to help her. If they could at least get to a branch, they would be safer than just holding onto the side of the tree.


Words: 658 | Ghost the Undead Goddess Hellion | Notes: If you want, you could make it so that they do get to the branch and that Leopard helps her up in your post.

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Windpaw

9 Moons, LightningClan

I hear the wind across the plain,
A sound so strong, that calls my name

Her eyes had been tightly shut as she clung onto the trunk of the tree for dear life. It wasn't until she was surrounded by the familiar earthy scent of Leopardpaw did she realize he was right next to her.

There was a tug at her scruff.

Then his voice broke through the deafening noise of the terrible barking caused by the fox below them. Pale green pools opened quickly to stare up at the golden spotted tom, fear obvious within.

But, despite the panic within her small form and hear heart doing it's best to trample out of her chest, Windpaw knew within that moment that she trusted Leopardpaw.

Gulping down her fear the pale tabby she-cat pushed herself to move with the help of the other apprentice. Claw hold by claw hold the two managed to make their way up towards the branch before Leopardpaw helped her onto the wide, flat surface.

Granted, it didn't stop the fact that her claws held deep within the soft branch. Every hair of her short pelt was on end as she pressed herself against Leopardpaw, unsure of what else she could do at that moment.

At least we are safe...

Unfortunatly, Windpaw was startled when the fox took a leap from the ground in an attempt to snap at the cats above it's head. A squeak and a jump caused her to loose footing, her back legs slipping off the side of the branch.

Quick to dig her front claws in, the poor apprentice's hind end dangled from the branch. Panic hammered within her small form once again as she felt a rush of air from the fox's next jump attempt.

A fierce yowl broke through the snarls and barks, drawing the fox's attention away as Leopardpaw once again helped Windpaw up to safety, her ears flat against her head as her gaze narrowed on the form of her patrol staring down the red canine.

Bluefrost!

It was indeed her mentor, as well as Robinwind and the senior warrior, Owlmind.

Abyss || 937 Words Total || NPC - Bluefrost and Robinwind

Owlmind

LightningClan || 60 Moons || Senior Warrior

The snarls and barks rode through the wind and quickly caught the attention of the lanky senior warrior. Lifting her head from a faint rabbit tail, the older warrior flicked her tail to signal for her clanmate's attentions. Robinwind was not too far from the gray feline's position and Bluefrost was farther down the moors, supposedly with Windpaw.

But, it was a well known fact that the young apprentice wandered off.

Upon arrival the gray feline quickly assessed the situation, noting the two apprentices within the tree as they tried to avoid the hungry predator below them. Bluefrost let out a gasp near her, backing up her guess that one of those apprentices happened to be Windpaw, the other was not of Lightningclan.

Giving a warning yowl, Owlmind brought the fox's attention towards the three warriors, posed and ready for battle. Flickering both and ear and a tail, the battle strategist motioned for Robinwind to slink down the right side, and for Bluefrost to mimic the same motion but down the left side. Which left the senior warrior to stay straight within the canine's line of sight.

Flexing her claws, the gray she-cat shifted her shoulders to ease the tension within her right one. The old ache always annoying when it was cold outside, and now wasn't the time for it to act up. Her long tail waved methodically behind her as her mind moved as quickly as the wind blew, and it was only moments before the dumb dog raced towards her, tongue lolling out the side of it's mouth. Amber met amber for a split second before the warrioress yowled,

"Now!"

Within seconds both Robinwind and Bluefrost leapt at the canine from both sides, slamming into it with speed as claws sank within it's mangy red pelt. A yowl of surprise or fear, Owlmind didn't care which, broke through the jaws of the fox before she darted forwards to swipe at it's face. She had previously noted the wounded eye as blood dripped from the swollen orifice, so of course she was going to use that to her advantage as her own jabs sliced at the good eye.

It didn't take long for the fox to howl in pain as it threw its head back, throwing itself to the ground to roll about in an attempt to shake the warriors from it's pelt before it took off with it's tail between it's legs. The scent of fear rose from the creature and the wind promptly whisked it away.

"Leave it." Owlmind said as Robinwind moved to chase it down, the fox was a problem for another day. The apprentices within the tree needed focus at this moment, especially if either of them were wounded.

The lanky senior warrior made her way down towards the large tree, tipping her head back to let those watchful amber pools scan over both Windpaw and the tom apprentice that held the scent of Treeclan. If she had to guess, Owlmind would have assumed that the overly friendly Lightningclanner had wandered off and into this other apprentice before the fox had found them. Fear was evident within the pale tabby apprentice's entire form as she practically leeched onto the golden spotted tom.

"You two are safe now. Windpaw, you aren't hurt are you?" Owlmind asked, receiving a slight shake from the young she-cat's head, before her attention turned towards Leopardpaw, "And you, are you injured?"

Wisdom. Courage. Strategy.

[Abyss]

Thankfully, the young tom's attempt to get the she-cat to the branch was successful. As painful as it was, he knew it was important for them both to get out of the reach of the fox, else they both get even more injured. He allowed her to use him as a support to get onto the branch first before he pulled himself up, trying not to use his back leg as much as possible. As he heaved himself onto the branch next to Windpaw, he felt her pelt press against his and, despite not seeing her facial expression at that moment, he knew she was terrified. He didn't blame her. He glanced down towards the ground just as the fox's face suddenly shot upwards. He did jump slightly at the motion, but he felt movement next to him, as well as a lack of pressure against his side.

Realizing quickly, Leopard reached over and grabbed onto Windpaw's scruff, hoping to keep her attached to the branch. He could see the back half of her hanging over the edge, a tinge of fear shooting through him at the thought of her falling. He closed his eyes and tried pulling her back up just as a loud yowl broke through the commotion caused by the fox. He managed to get Windpaw back up right as the sight of three unfamiliar cats came into view. He looked down to find a small Lightningclan patrol standing off against the fox. As much as he wanted to watch to make sure the other cats didn't get hurt, another instinct took over. He began to quickly run his tongue along the frightened she-cat's ears and cheek, hoping to calm her.

He soon heard the high-pitched whining and barking coming from the fox and looked down, only to see two of the cats latched onto its sides and another Warrior clawing at its face. The fox rolled and yowled in pain, getting the cats off of it before running off. Things her momentarily quiet, minus the breathing he could hear from Windpaw and the hard beating of his own heart in his chest. He then heard a voice call from below. One of the Lightningclan cats. He looked down to find an older gray she-cat looking up to them, making sure that Windpaw was ok. The Warrior's attention then turned to him, asking if he was injured.

"I...yeah, I am." Typically Leopardpaw wasn't one to stutter or be at a loss for words, but the pain of his leg had suddenly hit him once again. But he knew he needed to ignore it at that moment. He looked over to the silver tabby next to him, pressing his nose against her cheek and whispering. "We need to climb down. Don't worry, I'll help you."

He then slowly moved his back end to the side, leaning over the side of the tree. He reached over and hooked his claws onto the base of the tree, lowering himself slowly over the edge of the branch. He only lowered himself slightly before looking up to Windpaw. "Come on. You can step on me, just hold onto the tree with your front paws." He tried to make his voice calming and soothing, trying to make sure pain wasn't evident. Though the success of that was unknown.


Words: 555 | Ghost the Undead Goddess Hellion | Notes: This is where Heli could jump in or we could wait again.