[Fae Magic]

Nothing stirred within the trees. Not even a gust of wind. Just the silence and the occasional chirp of a cricket here and an owl in the trees there. Most would have considered it a peaceful night if not a bit boggy from the warmer weather of New-Leaf but even without the soft breeze that normally would have been stirring the trees above your heads there was just the darkened sky of midnight and the twinkling stars of your ancestors above your heads looking down upon whomever or whatever stirred below in the otherwise peaceful night of New-Leaf. That light of said stars shone down with the moon's help to illuminate a shadowed figure far below in the treeline making their way calmly and without fear of the unknown from the cover of the tree canopies and the embrace of darkness of the trees looming above; and instead making their way through the darkness and into the open that shone it's light down upon said figure. 

The figure's head rose from where it had been staring straight ahead without much curious movement to look up at the sky illuminating down on them and in turn illuminating the dark round shape of brown amber eyes staring back up at the stars with a calm and alert gaze. There was nothing that got missed with those eyes; ever watchful and ever keen to gather whatever information that lays before them to be able to further better their goal in helping their owner on their path. That being said; the figure turned from the starlight above and back at their path.

This figure happened to be a small figure with a stocky build and short stature covered in short dark chocolate brown fur making them look cute and adorable like a teddy bear. In fact, that cute cuddly looking teddy bear was a full grown she-cat with more weighing on her shoulders and more burdens on her back then a young she-cat of her age should have had to bear. That did not stop her from living her life and making her journey to find her brother. That was the end goal to her life story. She had been hurt, she had lost precious time and most importantly the precious cats in her life. Only difference, she was still going strong and determination burned in the depths of those dark amber eyes with only one goal in mind; to find her lost kin. 

Pendulum was a loner of a young age. Not to young that she herself had no experience under her belt but more that she had too much of that for her age. But, on she strode making her way across lands, rocks, and waters of all sizes in search of her prize. Joining with her brother after so many times. Stepping across the soft grass beneath her paws in her path she made her way from the cover of trees and into the clearing that went from softness to her paws to the hardness of dirt and rock beneath her. She mentally ticked off another terrain that she crossed without a single sight of her brother. 

Mentally retracing her day's path and paws steps Pendulum made her way across the new landscapes. The darkness illuminated the dark shadows of large rocks up ahead and she paused to sniff the air and looked around her. This was a new range for her. She didn't remember having traveled this way yet or else she would have recognized the rocky landscapes. She had been very careful to try and not get in the way of the clan cats she knew where hiding around the territories but since she did not scent any here or much along her journey she knew she would be safe. Her paws, tired from the long travels today made the leap up onto a large rock that her small nimble body managed to gracefully land on top of despite her small and short stature. Dark amber brown eyes peered along the area she was sitting in to see any sort of life. She did not fear birds of prey like owls that come out this night or bats as she had a clear view of the sky and good rocks to hide under. Her gaze swept over and over the rocks before turning to look at the stars briefly wondering if her brother was alright and if her was sill alive to watch the same moon and stars wherever he may have been in. 

It took a moment before the soft footsteps echoed into the night from her alert hearing and the brown molly turned her head to look in the direction it came from sitting stock still where she was at and peered into the darkness; eyes glaring ahead to pick up the movement of another dark shape that seemed to be snaking around in the darkness among the rocks. Her paws parted slightly and she took in the silent air around her; another cat. Hmm, how interesting. Pendulum does not often come across other loners along her journey. 

"I see you have traveled a long way. What brings you here?" her voice spoke up from the darkness. 

She was not going to be hostile unless given the situation. Her air of calm and collect was a soothing presence that came out in form of words. She was tired and did not have the need to put up her guard too much other then watching out for any hostile movements that would cause her to think she was in some sort of danger. She was not opposed to talking with strangers along her journey if she met some on the rare occassion. It was rather interesting and curious that tonight of all nights when she had a struggling mind set that another would come her way. Was it for the better or worst?

"What is your name stranger?" she spoke up again turning her attention back to the figure and flicked her tail in a gesture to give the other the invitation to come join her and come closer if they felt so inclined. 

[Amber]

NIKO

you're always gonna fly away

just because you know you can

The coal-striped tom padded quietly through the night. Many seasons of living on his own had changed him from the quiet, soft kitten he was in LightningClan to something leaner, something harsher. Where there once was a softness to his face, there were sharp angles now. Thick, shiny fur had lost its luster, and his muscles, what little there were left, were lean and hardened.

But he was tired. He was oh so tired of this life. He often found himself reminisicing the past, remembering how Clan life had been. He remembered his siblings, and mourned the loss of the relationships he had with them. But Firestar...Firestar wanted him to be someone he wasn't. Someone he couldn't be. He didn't regret leaving so much as he regretted having to leave. If things were different, if the Clan could have accepted him as is...

Niko sighed. That was a dark line of thinking he didn't want to get sucked into again. It had never done him any favors in the past, and wouldn't do him any now. At the very least, he was alive. He'd learned how to get by in the mountains, and had survived far longer than he thought he ever would. Whether it be by luck or chance or fate or the watchful eyes of his parents, he didn't know, but he was thankful. Even if some days were hard.

Pale blue eyes scanned the landscape around him. He was somewhere behind StoneClan's territory, from the rocky slope of the mountain his paws were on. He knew RainClan's river was some travel behind him, so that meant that LightningClan was ahead. Niko narrowed his eyes. He'd been careful to avoid his former Clan's territory, but he found that as he aged, his paws drew him closer and closer to the windswept fields he'd grown up in.

With a shake of his head, he focused on the area around him. He'd been walking a while, and would have to find a place to camp for the night. The exposed mountainside wasn't his first choice, but hadn't wanted to stay idle earlier when there was more cover. He would have to do with this. Jaws parted to scent the air around him, and that's when he caught scent of another cat. He narrowed his eyes and spotted her, just before she spoke. "I see you have traveled a long way. What brings you here?"

Niko pondered the question a moment, before replying, "Weary paws and an old soul. What has you out beneath the stars tonight?" The tabby tom drew closer, lowering into a sit a respectable distance from the she-cat. He could she that she was younger than him, and wondered how she had come to live this life alone.

"What is your name, stranger?" Niko gave a soft smile. His name. It meant so much more to him than any cat knew. His name was everything. It had also lost him everything. A familiar sorrow tugged at his heart, tainting his smile. "Niko. My name is Niko. And yours?" His voice was gentle, low, yet filled with a barely contained emotion he didn't want to name. He was tired. So very tired.

Fae Magic

never gonna learn there's no such

place as neverland, you don't understand

[Fae Magic]

The starlight and moon above illuminated the figure as they stepped closer towards where she sat on the rocks. It came a bit of a surprise as she realized just how small the other seemed to be. At first Pendulum thought that maybe it was a young she-cat or a younger cat out alone when they should not be until they spoke. Bright blue eyes raised to meet her dark amber making her take pause and study the newcomer. A subtle intake of air with her keen nose picked up the distinctive scent of a tom. He did not seem at all a threat and as she studied him as he drew closer to her she realized that he was not as young as she first thought he was by his frame. He was just small. Her size actually. His voice was soft as he finally spoke and answered her question as he sat by her on the ground. So indeed he was not as young as she first assumed. His eyes held much wisdom and many tales hidden beneath those depths. The small dark molly knew right away that there was something there within the tom that she needed. The air around him drew her in. Not in the sense of romance but a sort of unspoken kinship that she did not yet understand herself. This was a cat that had been through so much in his life. Much like Pendulum herself even if she was younger then him. 

"Wary paws and old soul hmm?" she murmured thoughtfully and tilted her head studying him curiously but with a gentle light in her eyes as a small smile crept at her maw. "I understand that more then most would think. When you are at your lowest point in life and you're soul is just too tired to keep going." she agreed before turning to look at the skies. 

"My apologies, my name is Pendulum, a pleasure to meet you Niko." she turned to look at him again and tipped her head in greeting. "I too have come a long way and am very wary. It's been..." she trailed off and the soft smile she had on her face dimmed slightly as her eyes drew cloudy a moment as she lost herself in thought before snapping back and clearing her throat. 

"Let us just say the journey is long and my paws have tread more paths then my age should have allowed." she shrugged before looking down at said paws; claws flexing slightly as she flexed her muscles in her paw before relaxing them. 

"It is not common to run across another loner along my travels. Are you from around here or have you traveled much like I have from unknown lands? Do you search for something or someone or do you just travel because you have nothing left to lose?" she questioned curiously as she looked at him.

normally Pendulum would not speak so freely and ask so many questions; but the night was long and her mind and muscles were tired from today. Her spirit was even more tired as it was evident from the slump in her shoulders as she slouched slightly and the indescribable look in her eyes that looked like they had seen too much for eyes so young. Much like the stranger before her Pendulum had gone through too much in her life and she was bone tired. Her body and soul was barely holding on to a thread; and the darkest of nights like tonight was the times that she found herself much more vulnerable then she dared portray herself in daylight. Night time had a certain air about it that made it seem otherworldly. Like, whatever happens during night it would forever conceal itself and whatever happens during the dark time.

Amber

[Amber]

NIKO

you're always gonna fly away

just because you know you can

The dark she-cat's words struck a chord in Niko. His soul was tired, and there were times he honestly wasn't certain how his body had kept him alive for this long. He breathed deeply. The night air was cool and crisp, scented from the rains of the day and the rains still to come. Something about the night made things flow a little easier, and he felt some of the tension leave his shoulders as the she-cat continued to speak.

Pendulum, her name was, and Niko logged it into his memory. She was still young, but her voice held more weight than her words let on. They were kindred spirits, both burned by the world but left to carry on with the scars. Her line of questioning caused his ears to flick forward. Generally, he would answer vaguely, but something about this night made him want to share his story. Perhaps, in turn, he could get her to share hers.

"I am...from near. I was born a loner, but when my mother died..." he sighed and looked up at the stars. "My siblings and I were found and taken in by one of the Clans, LightningClan. They live on the plains over in that direction." He pointed with his tail, turning his head to windswept moors he'd grown up on. "We were taken in by our fathers, Burningleaf and Flashbrook. The best dads a cat could ask for." His eyes darkened. It had been so long since he'd lost them, but he could still remember how they looked, how the spoke, how they smelled. He'd never truly let go of them, and often dreamed he was back in their nest, snuggled up against their familiar pelts.

"But Firestar--the leader--she wanted us to change. To sacrifice our names, the only thing we had left from our mother, and conform to their standards. My siblings, they all readily agreed. But I couldn't. I couldn't just let Mom go like that...My fathers protected me and supported my decision. I watched my siblings grow into good little warriors. I trained, too. I hunted, I fought, I supported my Clan. But it wasn't enough. I was still rejected, all because I wanted to hold on to what little I had left of my mother. Once Dad died--Father had passed a season before--I knew my time was up. I had learned that there was no way Firestar would ever accept me without a Clan name, even though I had proven time and time again that my loyalties were with LightningClan. So I left. I left everything behind. My siblings, my Clan, the graves of my fathers, everything."

Niko took a deep breath, battling the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. It was the first time he had ever spoken his story aloud, and he found it difficult to combat the tears welling up in his eyes. With one more deep, shaky inhale, he continued. "I haven't been back since. Dad and Father taught me how to hunt and fight, so I could be self-sufficient. But it was hard. The first moons were the toughest. Prey was scarce, the wilds harsh, and honestly I'm not sure how I made it. It hasn't gotten easier, per se, but I've gotten better at handling it. I still think about them, though. All the time. StarClan, how I miss them so."

He shook his head, feeling tears leaking down his face. "I can't go back, though. If I were rejected again...There's no way I could take that pain. So I wander. Alone, and tired, and in pain, I wander. I go wherever my paws take me. Lately, they've been taking me closer and closer to what used to be home, but I always catch myself in time." He sighed again, staring almost wistfully off towards LightningClan's moors. After a few minutes of silence, he shook himself again, this time a full-body shake. Pale blue eyes turned to the she-cat.

"My apologies for unloading my life's story upon you. I realize now I've never actually spoken it aloud before." He paused for a few heartbeats. "But what of you, Pendulum? How does one as young as yourself come to be so weary of the world? What paths have you traveled down?" His voice was still kind, if a little rough from his emotions, and he blinked expectantly at her. Of course, she was under no obligation to spill her secrets, and he would understand completely if she refused. However, he found it cathartic to let it out and suspected the same would be true for her.

Fae Magic

never gonna learn there's no such

place as neverland, you don't understand

[Fae Magic]

He was unique that was for certain. Something about the older stranger gave the younger loner the feeling as if she was talking to a grandfather of sorts. Not that he was old enough to be her grandfather of course but more of the kindred spirits of two cats who have lived a long life together despite never meeting each other and despite their ages. The more the dark molly sat there listening to the tom begin speaking Pendulum could not help but think that they sounded much the same when it came to their life stories. Even so she felt her heart go out to the tom. Niko had gone through a lot in his long life of many moons of experience and she felt as if she shouldn't be afraid to tell him how similar their life stories were. Granted, she did not care too much for clan cats. She never met any yet that she was aware of but the principle of having others there to help and support you did not sit well with her. Not because she hated the idea. But because she envied cats like that. She did not grow up in the same way that clan cats did. She did not grow up having a stable family..and she had been hurt too much by the people that should have loved and protected her. She lost everything. Her family, her mate, her kits. The only thing she did not lose was her spirit although she did nearly lose that too. Once Niko was done telling his story about his life history he was in tears. The poor stranger.

When he finally got a hold of his emotions his own question of her life story came up and she just knew it would because she could not expect anything less after hearing someone tell her of their life. She did not say anything for a good minute as she mulled over his words and his question on how to answer. She finally turned to face the tom and gave him a small smile if not one of sadness and tiredness that comes from deeper then physical tiredness. It was the look in her eyes that was akin to that of Niko's as he spoke of his past. The overwhelming tiredness that comes from the deepest part of someone's soul. 

"Well, that is a loaded question but it's only fair after you shared your own." she began and crouched; curling herself up into a cat loaf and looked up at the star gathering her thoughts and settled in to tell her tale. 

"Much like yourself Niko I grew up as a loner. Born and bred in the wild; unlike you though I never got in touch with the clans around here. I don't particularly like them but that's another story to tell for another time. Anyways, I and my brother Zoom were born and grew up without a mother. We were told our mother was murdered by a fox and my father was never there; we never knew him and never heard anything about him and of course the only one who knew about him or could have told us about him was our birth mother who we didn't even get to know or talk to. We were found by another loner who we just called mother...she wasn't uh..the best. Naturally, despite taking in two helpless kits after losing her own kits not long before you would think that she would be more then happy to take us on...Well come to find out she wasn't exactly the best...I don't know if it was her personality or if she regretted taking me and my brother on but there was a good decent bit of mental abuse and sometimes physical when it came to training to survive on our own." she began with a frown set deep in her face.

"When I was old enough I convinced my brother to leave with me and start our own lives whenever we were old enough and strong enough to be able to take care of ourselves. I still have not see that molly to this day. Anyways, young and free from the burden that was the molly that raised us. My brother and I lived life as we could and were happy. He was everything to me. My best friend; really my only friend as we tended to stay away from other cats." she mused before looking back at Niko with a stone look in her eyes.

"And then we met him...." she told the older tom. "His name was Tank. He was this loner tom who stole my heart with sweet smiles and silken words. He pretended to love me and woo me into loving him. Being young and naive I can't believe I fell for that fox dung He and I had a litter of kits only to find out that Tank was faking it all along. He betrayed me. Zoom ironically saw right through my mate and warned me and put up with the crap that Tank and I dealt him. I never believed my brother; and I regret it to this day. The one who knew me the best tried to warn me and protect me and I ignored him in favor of what I thought was love. I got betrayed...My brother tired of the crap abandoned me and left me to my devices and my life with Tank. Once my brother was gone the loner showed me just what he was capable of. His sweet words turned to lies and hate." there was a pained look in her eyes but she didn't want Niko to see so she looked away from him and stared glaring across the landscape in the darkness as her figure in the dark visibly stiffened with rage. 

"He abused me much like my foster mother did. And doing so that put so much stress on my mind and body that I gave birth to 3 kits too soon...they were all stillborn. After that Tank abandoned me too. With more cruel words and laughter of mockery. He did not love me or the kits. I was just a plaything for him. He walked out leaving me emotionally and physically abused and tired. I nearly lost it all and was ready to give up." she sighed looking at the stars. 

"I didn't die of course. I got a message from my birth mother in a dream. I knew it was her; how I don't know but I just knew. She gave the encouragement and strength that I needed. So," she took a breath.

"I got up the next morning. Buried my young and left the only place I called home. Been on the road ever since. I'm looking for my brother right now in hopes that I can find him and tell him he was right..." she gave a sad smile. 

"He is all I have left. The only kin, my heart. I need to find him even if it means wasting my life away journeying the world; friendless and alone until I find him or until my last dying breath. It does not matter anymore. Nothing matters anymore. Just finding my family."

She stopped her story there and fell silent. It was not heart to tell her tale. It just brought memories back that never got lost in her mind. It was what it was. She did not trust anyone and she did not need anyone. No one but who she sought for. That was what she told herself every day just so she could keep the loneliness and regret that wanted to swallow her at bay. She did not expect to find others or to tell them her tale. She did not expect to come across anyone to befriend because at the end of the day. She would not settle down and she did not plan on finding friends to settle down with and just live with them as loners would in a group. She did not want to get involved with the clans. She was the loner in that shadows that wasted her life away and she was okay with that. 

"We are rather similar are we not?" she chuckled humorlessly. "I wonder if it was simply meant to be that we ran into each others." she shook her head and looked over at the older tom. 

Amber

Sorry for the late reply! Long story and long post for ya!