[Deleted]

Sunstride

The Brightest Flame

Under the starry skies - where eagles have flown

This place is paradise - it's the place I call home

---

The sun speckled through the growing tree leaves that canopied overhead. Birds chirped here and there, trying to find food or a mate, prey stumbled around almost asking to be hunted and caught. Yet, it was all being ignored as the ginger and white tom padded through the shared territory of all the clans in the valley.

His ears were twitching over his head in annoyance, he didn't understand why his paws where leading him here, nor did he not understand why he wanted to be here again. She wasn't apart of his clan, he didn't even know which clan she belonged to, he just saw her at the last gathering... And now she wouldn't leave his mind. It was wrong, it didn't add up. Sunstride was a loyal Treeclan warrior and a she-cat should be able to change that...

So why was he here at Starclan's Claws, why was he watching through the bushes, trying to remember everything about this she-cat that haunted his memories and dreams. Did he just expect her to wander out into the open or to prance over calling his name?

Come on Sunstride! She doesn't even know your name. The tom shook his head, this was ridiculous. Why was he risking everything to maybe get a glimpse or talk to this pretty little she-cat he bumped into at the Gathering. Adderstrike would have his tail if his older brother knew about it. The tom's claws ripped into the ground underneath him as he tried to will himself back to camp and back to his Treeclan duties.

After a moment, Sunstride sat down, feeling a defeated feel in his bones and soul, it was strange to him. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know why he felt like this. He didn't even talk to that she-cat and yet she was padding through his thoughts even now.

---

The moon on the mountains
The whisper through the trees

The waves on the water

Let nothing come between this and me

[Deleted]

but all the farts that separate
disappear now when i'm dreaming of your face

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Her paws twitched to go do something. Gullpaw would be fine without her for a bit; he could tend to the elders. But Rippletail needed to do something alone. She padded out of camp quietly, deciding to hunt. Normally, the quiet she-cat would go to the river, but something drew her into the trees. Maybe it was the aspect of being a mentor. She would have to teach her apprentice all types of hunting, and when the only hunting she had done for moons consisted of fish, something would be severely lacking in his education.

Blue eyes tracked a bird's movement as the small creature alighted on the ground, pecking at some seeds or worms under the dirt. Pupils dilated, letting in more light. Ears swiveled forward, tracking the slight movements of the bird. Her body settled into the low hunting stance, and she treaded lightly, being careful to avoid brushing against anything that would alert her prey. Suddenly, powerful hind legs pushed off of the ground, and she leapt, claws unsheathed, attacking the animal with points and swift bite to the neck to end its misery.

A small prayer of thanks escaped her lips as she buried the animal, and continued her quest for food. Tracking scents through the trees and underbrush, Rippletail fell into a rhythm of scenting, tracking, pouncing, and burying. She caught another bird and two mice, all three buried slightly apart from each other so a passing fox couldn't take her entire catch. A warm, earthy scent passed her muzzle, and a quick breath told her that a squirrel was just ahead. Excited for the new challenge, she began tracking it silently, following its jerky movements.

Closer to the clearing of fartClan's Claws than she realized, Rippletail leapt for the squirrel, so intent on her prey that she did not notice the tree root at her feet. Her hind leg stumbled, and she tumbled to the ground in a heap of silver and white fur. The squirrel scampered away into the relative safety of the Claws as she sat, licking away the dirt and healing her pride.

"Mousedung!" she spat, disappointed. She was looking forward to that blasted squirrel.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

rippletail;; warrior ;; rainclan

ghostie: sunstride ;; tag
369 ;; wordcount
dis is gonna be so stinking cute ;; notes
3 Doors Down - Here Without You [edited] ;; lyrics

[Deleted]

Sunstride

The Brightest Flame

That’s the only way I know

Don’t stop 'til everything’s gone

Straight ahead, never turn round

Don’t back up, don’t back down

---

Rustling movement caught Sunstride's attention as he paused on his walk, realizing that he had found his way to Starclan's Claws. He let out a sigh as he sat down, reaching over to lick his chest before the rustling started again. What a noisy squirrel... His ear twitched before he continued to lick his mostly white fur, letting the soothing motion calm him down a bit. He didn't like to be all riled up, because it would affect his decisions and reactions. Like Adderstrike.

He was a calm cat, and so his racing mind and pounding heart left him feeling rather odd with himself. He was also very smart and level-headed, not to mention loyal, which was also why he couldn't believe that he couldn't get this white and gray she-cat from Rainclan out of his thoughts and dreams. It was irritating to him, but he just couldn't stop remembering those blue eyes that stared into his green orbs when they bumped into each other at the last gathering.

They were a soft and gentle blue, like the morning sky. Not like Adderstrike, who had cold and icy blue eyes, and not like their father, who had had warm and determined eyes, like a father should have. No, they were pretty and perfect for such a pretty she-cat and he was sure they reflected her personality, not that he had the chance to see it. But he imagined she was a gentle she-cat with a voice that flowed like a gentle breeze as it blew through the trees, or in her case, over the streams in Rainclan.

And once more, the rustling happened, what was making so much noise. Then his green orbs caught what seemed to be a cat hunting at Starclan's Claws. A white cat from what he gathered from his distorted view through the bushes. He pushed himself further to find that the squirrel she was crouching after was the one making so much noise, as he assumed earlier. The darn thing was throwing leaves around in a frantic sort of way, not even noticing the warrior closing in on it.

As he stepped forwards, he caught the cat's scent on the breeze that fluttered through the area, a Rainclan she-cat by her smell. It was an interesting, fishy kind of scent, but not in a bad way, as it was mixed with the wonderful smell of trees as if she had been running through them today. It was then that he recognized the she-cat in-front of him. It's her!

It's the she-cat! He watched with interested green eyes as she leaped, tripped and missed the squirrel, which gave him enough time to do this. Barreling out of the bushes, he caught the rodent by surprise as it raced from him towards a different part, but not quick enough. With a rather well placed leap, Sunstride landed onto the red furred animal and silenced it with a well placed bite to the throat.

Tail twitching, Sunstride picked up the animal and padded over to Rippletail before dropping it at her paws, "Ever tasted Squirrel?" He asked, whiskers twitching in soft amusement at the Rainclan she-cat as his green eyes were warm and friendly as he sat down across from her. 

---

Full throttle, wide open

You get tired and you don’t show it

Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more

That’s the only way I know

[Deleted]

but all the st.ars that separate
disappear now when i'm dreaming of your face

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Rippletail squeaked in surprise as the squirrel redeposited itself in front of her, accompanied by a warrior smelling distinctly of trees and all things earth. She looked up curiously at the golden tom, her blue eyes meeting his for a split second before she turned her gaze back to the squirrel that lay between them.

"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, getting ready to leave St.arClan's Claws and return home. "I didn't mean to disturb you. The squirrel and a tree root and--" she broke off quickly, aware of just how absurd she sounded. Her tail flicked in agitation, displaying the emotions deep inside.

Stupid mousebrain! she thought, inwardly disgusted with herself. Before she could continue her inward monologue of disgust, a soft breeze carried his scent towards her again, and she almost stared at him in recognition. It was the tom she bumped into at the last Gathering! After their collision, Speckledleaf noticed him staring at her the whole night, so she hid behind the larger she-cat and sat awkwardly. Never one to deal well with attention, Rippletail left the Gathering at the beginning of the RainClan cats, determined to not let such an encounter happen again.

And here she was, sitting in front of this tom again, with wounded pride. She looked up at him shyly, then, and noticed his green eyes. They surely reflected the Clan from which he came. The white and golden fur reflected the sunlight brightly, and it almost seemed to hurt to look at him for too long. She looked away, down at the squirrel, and remembered her manners, then. Nodding at the squirrel, she expressed her gratitude quietly.

"Thank you."

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

rippletail;; warrior ;; rainclan

ghostie: sunstride ;; tag
281 ;; wordcount
she's so awkward when she meets new people ;; notes
3 Doors Down - Here Without You [edited] ;; lyrics

[Deleted]

Sunstride

The Brightest Flame

Under the starry skies - where eagles have flown

This place is paradise - it's the place I call home

---

So, now here he was. Sitting in Starclan's Claws with the Rainclan she-cat whom had been clouding his mind and dreams since the last gathering. And now, he had caught her a squirrel and gave it to her. His tail twitched as an awkward silence filling the gap between them. He wasn't quite sure what he was suppose to do, either by the code or how he felt. He had never been in this situation before.

He wasn't Gentlebreeze, able to speak to someone she liked as if it was as easy as walking. He wasn't Moonshimmer, who was too naive to realize that a tom liked her, and so she was able to talk to a tom about the same that Gentlebreeze was able to. And he wasn't Adderstrike, who spoke his mind no matter the consequences or results.

 He was Sunstride, a hard working tom who had never had a crush, or never felt as he felt now, be so close to this beautiful she-cat who smelt of fresh rain.

"So..." He started, his tongue dry in his mouth as he figured out what to say. Then it hit him like a tree branch. Name, mousebrain! "I'm, uh, Sunstride." He gave a soft smile, letting his gentle and warm green eyes look at the she-cat next to him. Rather long, he decided as he looked away again, feeling like a silly apprentice who couldn't figure out the answer to a rather easy question from a mentor.

"How's the squirrel?" He asked, figuring this was the first time that she had tasted it. He knew enough about Rainclan to know they mostly ate fish, vole and maybe a mouse or two.

---

The moon on the mountains
The whisper through the trees

The waves on the water

Let nothing come between this and me

[Deleted]

but all the farts that separate
disappear now when i'm dreaming of your face

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Hi, Sunstride," she mewed quietly, her old shyness kicking in. Before she could introduce herself, he shot a question her way.

"How's the squirrel?"

She looked down at the fluffy-tailed creature in front of her and squinted, deciding on if she should really eat it or not. her belly wasn't full, but it wasn't empty, either, and she still had other prey waiting for her back in RainClan territory. She couldn't take it back to camp, because a faint smell of LightningClan clung to the fur, but she couldn't give it to Sunstride, either, because it came from her territory.

How did you find yourself in this one, Rippletail? she asked herself. Looking between the cat and the squirrel for a few moments, she made a decision that shocked her even as she made it.

"I've actually never had squirrel before," she mewed, poking the prey gently with a paw. "Is it good?" It smelled like trees and earth. How could prey like that taste good, anyway? She was used to prey that glided over the tongue and kept you cool on hot days. Who knew how prey from tress would taste? Besides, Rippletail was at home in the water. The mouse and bird she brought down were mere strokes of luck; this squirrel had proven to be a wild piece of prey. She wasn't sure she wanted to eat something like that -- especially with all the fur.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

rippletail;; warrior ;; rainclan

ghostie: sunstride ;; tag
243 ;; wordcount
i am in love with her response to furry prey xD ;; notes
3 Doors Down - Here Without You [edited] ;; lyrics

[Deleted]

Sunstride
The Brightest Flame
Said all I want from you is to see you tomorrow
And every tomorrow, maybe you'll let me borrow your heart
And is it too much to ask for every Sunday
And while we're at it, throw in every other day to start

---

The way his name rolled off her tongue made his stomach do a flip, his paws shuffled slightly as he tried to keep himself calm. Oh, his clan-mates would laugh at him, the calm and collected tom of Treeclan, nervous and twitchy in-front of a she-cat. It's slightly laughable, and if he wasn't so nervous, then he'd probably crack a smile on his golden muzzle.

Maybe it would have relaxed Rippletail a little as well, he could tell she was about as nervous as he was.

Is it good!? Sunstride almost couldn't believe his ears, almost. He had to remember that Rippletail was a Rainclanner, they didn't eat tree dwelling prey like he did. She was use to slick prey like fish, and the occasional vole and mouse. "It's delicious." He purred, surprised that it came out so smoothly. He shifted closer to the white and gray she-cat unintentionally brushing his fur against hers as he bent his neck.

"The fur will be different from what you are used to. But, I promise that it's one of the best things you'll ever taste." His bright green orbs looked up at Rippletail, meeting her gentle, beautiful blue eyes. He felt his heart beat against his chest, almost painfully, before he turned back to the squirrel, ripping a piece off and lifting his head, motioning for her to try the meat dangling from his jaws.

 His tail flickered as he gave a dorkish look while waiting for Rippletail to take the piece from him. He was sure if he could get a good look at himself then he'd laugh, and he was sure she was going to laugh at him too. But not a mocking one, perhaps a gentle, amused one. One to let him know she was happy.

His tail brushed against hers as his liquid green orbs watched her with a gentle, warm gaze.

---

When someone cuts your heart open with a knife, now you're bleeding
But I could be that guy to heal it over time
And I won't stop until you believe it
'Cause baby you're worth it

[Deleted]

but all the stars that separate
disappear now when i'm dreaming of your face
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

His fur brushed against hers, and she felt a jolt of energy flow into her at the sudden movement. Then, squirrel was in her face, green eyes looking right at her, and a tail on her side. She had never been so close to someone like this before... Things with Fishtail had never been like this. Their friendship -- love even, if she could admit it -- had flowed like the river. It meandered this way and that way, gurgling happily and creating a calm environment. Whatever was happening between her and Sunstride, it was anything but relaxing. Everything coursed with energy. His touch gave her shivers; his eyes filled her with warmth.

Was this what a TreeClan cat was like? What TreeClan was like? Full excitement and energy and driven by the ever-changing wind, not the constant presence of the river? The tom in front of her had woken up something deep inside her being, something that called for a change of its own. Meeting his gaze with her own, Rippletail took the piece of squirrel from Sunstride's jaws and chewed it thoughtfully, letting its full flavor settle over her mouth.

It was deep, rich, and earthy, warm to the tongue and filling her mouth with a sharp taste she could only think to name as spicy. Next to squirrel, eating a fish was as tame as letting a Twoleg feed her pellets. She swallowed, spat out a bit of fur that got caught in her teeth, and looked up at the ginger tom across from her.

"I don't know how to describe what I just ate," she finally admitted. The aftertaste of the squirrel still lingering on her tongue, she licked her chest fur self consciously as a thought appeared to her. "Oh! I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Rippletail."

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

rippletail;; warrior ;; rainclan

ghostie: sunstride ;; tag
305 ;; wordcount
i can't get over how adorable they are ;; notes
3 Doors Down - Here Without You [edited] ;; lyrics