[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Timberfrost

The story's getting old but my heart is getting colder

It had been hot all day, perhaps even unbearably so though that hadn't stopped the massive she-cat from performing her duties like she would have done any other day. Neither the blistering heat of Greenleaf or the bitter chill of Leafbare ever seemed to phase the tabby colored molly as she continued to pad forwards like the stoic soldier she was. Just because the sun scorched above her head didn't mean that the prey stopped running or that the borders decided to mark themselves.

Treeclan's wellbeing came before her own.

Flickering an ear, somewhat appreciative of the faint drop in temperature that came with the falling sun, the dark brown warrior slipped her way almost silently through the undergrowth of Treeclan's dense forest as she made her way to the entrance of the clan's camp where the hollow tree lay hidden within leaves and brush. The scents of many cats greeted her like a bustling wind current as she passed the threshold and gave a faint glance towards the two warriors currently on guard duty though there was no exchange of words as the striped molly padded onwards.

She had just left the company of Pumafang, though the deputy had opted not to return with her as his paws led him in a different direction with something musing around within that head of his. Timberfrost had learned, as she did herself, that when either one of them needed to be alone with their thoughts then there was no changing their minds. Both massive warriors were complex to say the least and often did their best thinking when only surrounded by the trees and their own inner voice that spoke solely to them. There was a reason the two titans of the forest made such a good pair of mates, though it was hardly spoken knowledge to any of their fellow Treeclanners.

The frosty tempered feline's chilling cerulean eyes shifted and locked onto the young gray tabby she-cat that was the newest ward to the massive, black panther-like deputy as the youngster lay content outside of the apprentice's den. She knew of the training regiment set out by Pumafang, though it seemed that there was still some time left within the remaining waning hours of sunlight to take the gray coated molly out within the territory. Some mentors were easy, some were cruel, and some correctly prepared their youth for the promise of the intensity and hardness that the life of a warrior brought to their paws.

Timberfrost, though currently without an apprentice of her own, often aided with others as she saw the light of Treeclan differently through that ice chip like gaze of hers. She strove to make sure Treeclan was her top priority, as it should be for all those who live under the banner of the forest clan. A soldier that stood like a wall, a barrier to protect those within as well as the lifestyle they had created under moons and moons of living solidly like they clan they were. Other cats chose different loyalties to push forwards, such as personal ambitions, loved ones or even the Warrior Code itself... however, it always came down to the preservation of the idea of the clan itself. Without it, this mass of cats would all fall into utter chaos.

Without it, what was the point of fighting for anything else.

"Graypaw." Her tone was just as cold as her namesake, the tone rumbling from her massive chest as the dark tabby paused where she stood to call out the younger feline. Cerulean pools, unreadable and cold had captured Shrikesong's daughter within those chilly, watery depths as she awaited the former kitten to make her way over. Timberfrost practically towered over the youngster, but then again there were not many that were exempt from such a thing as she was a towering molly on her own merits. It seemed only her mate, Pumafang held the luxury to physically look down upon her from where his head peaked above her own.

"Come, we are going to re-scent the Nightclan border before they awaken." It had been quiet on that side of their territory since after the prisoners of war had been returned to those who lived among the pines. It seemed Darkstar was learning her lesson, her perhaps she was simply scheming in the shadows, laying in wait to launch another attack after their failed attempt of invading Treeclan's camp and trying to cut them down to size. Yet, just like the ancient oak that stood proud and strong through even the strongest of storms, none had fallen to the cowardly attack of those sniveling, frog-brained cats.

The massive tabby she-cat didn't give Graypaw much time to reply or react as Timberfrost flicked that thick tail of hers before turning and retracing her large pawsteps back the way she came and out into the undergrowth where the tree's branches criss-crossed high above the tips of her ears. Within the dying sunlight, the faintests of illuminations highlighted the deep scars that cut across the tiger like she-cat's flank and hip from where she had previous run into the monstrous cat known as Demon. It had happened moons ago, or even a lifetime it seemed as Timberfrost long ago lost the feeling of pain from the deeply inflicted wound caused by scoring claws.

She Cat | 41 Moons | TreeClan | Warrior

908 Words | @jen @jet (Pumafang) | Image

[Deleted]

When it came to apprenticeship, Graypaw would have never guessed she would have been so busy. Life in the nursery had been easy for her. She missed the warmth and the sweet and comforting scent of her mother, Shrikesong. She missed the exciting stories, she often heard from the elders and warriors that visited the nursery to keep the queens company. She even missed her father visiting and telling his own stories of being a warrior and oh, how she missed the dreams of becoming one herself. Her dream, with becoming an apprentice was closer now than they had been as a kit. She had been so lost in her own silly daydreams to understand what she was missing in the outside world. Yet with being an apprentice came the struggles of constantly being busy. Her mentor, Pumafang, kept her busy and when she was not out training, she was in camp focusing on tasks that were assigned to her. Whether it be to tend to the elders, looking after kits and fetching food for the queens, the young apprentice was being kept on her toes. And that's how she liked it.

On this particular hot and humid day, it was no different. She had been in the process of pulling a piece of prey from the fresh-kill pile, to replenish her strength. She had, after all, been up early and hadn't gotten much time to eat something because she had been busy, and had just paused to grab something. She was unfortunately stopped in the process, when a voice called out to her. The gray apprentice turned, dropping her prey in response, to take in the large recognizable molly standing nearby. While Graypaw, knew very little about Timberfrost, she knew that she was in fact the mate to her mentor, Pumafang. This, however was pretty much the essence of what the young apprentice knew about the molly. Besides the fact she was just as intimidating, if not even more so, than Pumafang, himself. Her dedication to their clan was the might of proud whispers among the clan, something that Graypaw thrived to live up to herself one day.

Not wanting to keep the large warrior waiting, the apprentice scampered to the other feline's side as quickly as her small paws could take her. "Yes, Timberfrost?" The apprentice mewed softly, curious of what the other molly wanted of her, though with the cold glaze upon her, it was hard to keep eye contact. The apprentice was use to doing what was told of her, whether it was from Pumafang or another warrior altogether, so she was expecting a simple task or so from the other molly. So imagine the apprentice's surprise with the words that fell from Timberfrost's maw instead. Re-scenting the NightClan border? Now that was something new. A single nod was all that was needed, before Graypaw turned and followed the other molly out into the territory. The apprentice was silent as she followed Timberfrost. The familiar setting of camp had long since faded away, giving way the crisp of harsh sunlight beaming down from a few threads of the canopy above.

Even with the abundance of shade, the air was humid and hot and Graypaw could only thank StarClan that she had been blessed with a short pelt otherwise she was sure, she would have been feeling the heat more than she wanted too. Still even with the heat pressing against her back she continued to follow behind Timberfrost, her eyes trailing over the larger molly and angled towards the large scars that lay against the other's flank. Curious of what had caused these, she shifted her paws a bit, moving to position herself up to the the large warrior's side, her eyes still trained on Timberfrost's side. "Um...Timberfrost" She mewed after a moment, "May...I ask...how did you get those scars?" Curiosity had gotten its hold on her and she was rather intrigued about the far from faded wounds on the other's flank. It hadn't occurred to the apprentice that maybe the story was a painful and horrible one to remember and that it may bring some bad memories to the surface. At least not at first. Her mind seemed to snap her out of her curiosity after several minutes, and she quickly lowered her attention to the ground,"I...I'm sorry..that was rude of me! Please forgive me..." She went silent after that, kicking herself for even asking the question.

"Graypaw Talking"

WC: 751 | TAG: Ghost the Undead Goddess and @jet | OOC: sorry for the wait!

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Timberfrost

The story's getting old but my heart is getting colder

Massive paws continued to lead the way through the growing darkness within the undergrowth of the surrounding forest territory of Treeclan. For being such a looming figure, the tabby she-cat was nearly silent as she slipped through the shadows that licked at the dark stripes along her thick pelt. She had walked beneath these same limbs and branches her whole life, there was an automatic comfortableness that settled within her shoulders when she was beneath their reach.

Of course, not even the well protected borders of Treeclan could keep all dangerous out. Things with claws and fangs lurked in places not always seen. Nightclan had once emerged from the inkiness of their namesake to descend into the comfortable hollowed tree of their camp, raiding them in the wee hours of night in an attempt to win a war. And that was just the enemy that wore a similar face to the warriors of Treeclan. 

Foxes and badgers, the occasional angry predator or scavenger that attempted to bed within the comfort of the forest. Even the slinking bodies of snakes and adders could take out a well prepared warrior if they weren't being cautious or had the off change of being taken off-guard. 

However...

Pausing, Timberfrost swung her head backwards to face the smaller form of Graypaw as the two she-cat's halted within their movement's towards the unseen border between here and there. The frosty tempermented feline's cerulean pools were like hard chips of ice as she fixated the youngster with an unreadably cold stare. The molly could remember the feeling of fire ripping across her body as claws the size of the apprentice ripped through flesh and touched bone beneath, the sound of the roar as the monster parted it's jaws before charging after her retreating form in the hopes that he would leave Lionstar's dying body alone.

How long ago had it been, when she had come close to greeting death like a familiar face. Perhaps an exaggeration, as Timberfrost had forced herself to push past the pain of searing wounds within her flank as blood splattered the darkness of her pelt. With the departure of the lynx from the mountains, the tabby had finally made her way back to camp, where she had laid in the medicine den for several rising days as her body recovered and the deep gashes healed into pale scars that would forever part the fur along her body. Some days it seemed like it had happened a lifetime ago, some days it seemed as if the injuries were fresher than they should have felt.

The damage, and scars, would always be a constant reminder that the Titan survived her encounter with the Demon.

"Scars should be worn with pride, they are badges of survival. Whether you won the encounter or not, you are alive to tell the tell. A reminder that it could have been worse." Her tone was just as frozen as her gaze was, those hues of blue never leaving the wide-eyed face of Graypaw. Timberfrost could easily remember the names of those that she had taken under her proverbial wing since her time as warrior, Briarstripe, Leopardheart, Glacierspring. Each cat had learned something from her frigid temperament and cold personality, perhaps within time Graypaw would also gain a valuable life lesson to take with her into her future advancement into the rank of warrior.

"I used my body to keep Lionstar safe, I distracted the monster cat known as Demon." It was quick, too the point but that was truly the story even if it was short coming from her muzzle. Each of the mars upon her dark pelt had a story behind them, like the scar that ripped down one of her brilliant blue orbs. The dark memories of the dying father flashed into her mind briefly, but the surge of satisfaction at his plague being wiped from the valley quickly followed as Timberfrost turned her head to focus back on the task at hand. "A warrior should always be ready to lay their life on the line when it comes to the protection of the clan and those who cannot defend themselves. Treeclan is our life, and we should give our life for it."

For the massive molly, that was the truth of the matter. It was the same thing she told any youngster stuck with her for patrol of hunting parties. The other clans lived in harmony, most of the time, with them but when it finally came down to the protection of Treeclan all the other clans were merely enemies with faces that mimicked their own. There was no friendship, there was no peace. It was a kill or be killed kind of world they lived in, even if something dangerous and tragic didn't happen every other day.

"Demon is not the only danger that threatens us." Timberfrost continued as the tabby she-cat continued to pad below the trees around them, the rather disgusting scent of Nightclan starting to seep past that of Treeclan's more delightful smell. "Nightclan has always been a thorn in our side, and their cats are just as dangerous as the shadows in which they slink from." Cerulean peaked over a broad shoulder to view the smaller form of Graypaw for another moment, curious as to what her reaction would be should they happen to run into the other clan's rat-brained felines.

 

She Cat | 41 Moons | TreeClan | Warrior

917 Words | @jen | Image

[Deleted]

A breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, escaped her maw almost instantly after Timberfrost began to talk. Apparently she hadn't insulted her with the question and that alone made Graypaw relax just a bit, but not by much. The obvious thing to note about the older molly was fairly...cold and distant. She had noticed that about her mentor, Pumafang too, but with being with Timberfrost, it was almost completely true. Still, she wasn't here to judge the older molly even when she was curious about her past that made her like this. No, Graypaw, knew this wasn't the time or place for that, at least not right now. Pulling herself back from her thoughts, the apprentice's ears angled forward, when Timberfrost began to speak. 

Scars, other molly spoke about, were simply there upon another's body to state of their past and was to be worn like badges of survival. As a blue glaze met sea-green, it took all of the apprentice's will power not to flinch under those cold and seemingly unfeeling orbs. It was  like looking into a pit of darkness, with no amount of life to be seen. Nothing but darkness and the cold pit of being alone. Graypaw, took a small gulp of air, and forced herself to keep eye contact and her head bobbled, a simple acknowledgement to Timberfrost's words. She wasn't even going to pretend to understand what she meant, because in reality she had no idea. While Timberfrost considered it an honor to display such horrific injuries as badges that she had survived a horrible incident, Graypaw could only imagine how much pain one had to go through to even get such things. 

Was that what it meant to be a warrior, to stand and fight to survive only to gain such horrible eyesores in the process? Graypaw, parted her maw, as if wanting to say something more, but closed her mouth a moment later. There was a lesson to be learned here, and despite her misgivings, she knew that Timberfrost would not care about her words on the matter. The molly was an intimidating presence much like her mate and Graypaw's mentor, Pumafang. Meaning simply, you listened as they spoke and didn't interrupt. The conversation continued and Graypaw listened. Timberfrost brought up how she had gotten the scars in the first place. Protecting Lionstar from Demon. That name alone, froze the apprentice in place. Every cat in the clan knew about Demon. He was a large and dangerous animal that lurked in the forest and could take out a patrol of cats with a mighty swing of a single paw...and the very idea that Timberfrost had survived an attack with him. While protecting another, made Graypaw widen her eyes in both astonishment and amazement.

Despite the burning questions pulsing in her throat, the apprentice swallowed them down, somehow managing to keep her eye still on the other molly. To scared to ask questions and to get the answers all at the same time. Thankfully, their conversation moved to another subject, but it wasn't much of a difference in material. Graypaw knew that Demon wasn't the only threat to their home but how could the other clans, especially NightClan, be a danger to them? Perhaps it was a naïve brain even thinking up such a question but it an act of silliness that had Graypaw even opening her maw, at that point, to ask her next question. "But, how could NightClan be a danger to us ?" She knew of the attack that had happened a moon or so ago on their camp, even now there was whispers from warriors about it, but....maybe it had been a spur of the moment and wasnt' going to happen again?

"Graypaw Talking"

WC: 624 | TAG: Ghost the Undead Goddess | OOC: heh, Graypaw is so naïve , I love it lol