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Post by Dusk on Sept 2, 2011 22:21:54 GMT -5
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Cool dawn air filled his lungs, refreshing after the stuffy and slightly tainted air of the Zephyrclan camp. The camp might have been nice and open once out of the apprentice den, but it still didn't seem to be enough to flush out the sour stench of sickness that plagued the cats of the clan. In the shelter of dens, the cloying scent made him gag and fight for breath, food wouldn't stay down when he was surrounded by the smell of bile. He was happy to be assigned work if it meant he could be out of camp and away from the melancholy moods and retching felines. Anything. Anything to get away from what was clearly becoming an un-treatable sickness. Today, though, he'd woken too early; faint dawn light not yet drifting down to lighten the camp. There was nothing for him to do but head out of the camp and escape the unhealthy environment; run from the fear of falling sick as well and being weakened for Starclan knows how long. It had been an irrational action, to say the least. Now, standing on a grassy hilltop just outside of the camp, he wondered what to do.
He could hunt, but that would mean having to return to camp within only a few hours. And he might run into the dawn patrol whilst he was about, they'd likely not be too fond of an apprentice flouncing about without instruction. Especially not him. Jumpy Dunepaw. Gimp-footed apprentice. Too weak-willed to fight and too nervous to be reliable without some warrior monitoring him. The sable feline felt the ugly grimace pulling downwards on his face as he contemplated what some others in the can thought of him. One unfortunate accident, one flaw of personality, and it seemed all he could receive was criticism. 'They probably think I'm bad luck, too. Considering I've already gone through one mentor.' And now it seemed Runningfox was missing too. The superstitious clan-cats would have nothing but a bad reputation pinned on him. Dark nose flared slightly as a scornful snort escaped him. No, he didn't want to deal with his clan right now.
Even so, the apprentice couldn't very well avoid his warrior companions forever when he was on the moorlands. So then... why be on the moors? There were other clans weren't there? In his mind's eye images of a meeting with another apprentice flashed quickly. It would be nice to see Splashpaw again, after all it had been a moon or so since they'd happened across each other on the Zephyrclan lake-shore. What sort of repercussions had she suffered for straying onto strange territory? Was she alright, or had she been hurt because he'd held her up. The rumours of harsh Tempestclan punishment for apprentices surfaced in his thoughts - inflated though the claims were, he still felt a stab of guilt. He had to check, make sure he hadn't caused much of a problem. Latching on to his idea before he rationalized a way to stop himself, Dunepaw set out. Ten moons had helped the cat wise up to a point, he knew to leave as little of a trail behind him as possible. That meant the lake.
The water was still chilly as it soaked into his paws, sending shivers up his spine as pawpads made contact with the sodden granules of sand below. He trusted the constant current of the lake -tugging gently at his fur- to cover up his tracks. For some time he traveled with confidence, his golden-green eyes were bright with excitement as he padded across the lake and onto what he now knew as unclaimed territory. The desolate stretch of rocks was gathering a small flock of various waterfowl, and several bawked and screeched at the little tom as he limped by on his own stilt-legs. The tom mused momentarily on the fact that the birds didn't seem to be afraid they'd probably grown used to not being hunted. Every turning gear in his mind ground to a ungraceful hat, however, as he paused at the first clear scent-marker to be found since he exited Zephyrclan claimed lands. The harsh, un-friendly scent of Tempestclan invading his nostrils sent a small thrill of fear through him. He still had time to go back, keep from risking any danger to himself or his clan by leaving his smell in this marshy territory. Dunepaw raised one sodden foot, hesitated a moment longer, and finally resolved to plant the paw on the other side of the marker. All other three feet followed suit. The apprentice was officially on "enemy" territory.
ooc; sorry for the dramatics. xP I couldn't resist
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Post by Dawn on Sept 3, 2011 10:02:58 GMT -5
ยป SPLASHPAW
[/size][/font] You're a beautiful wreck now you're out of control[/b] Recently, Tempestclan was stronger than ever. She saw Dreamfeather and Voidstar speaking alone often these days, planning things to come. The medicine cat was ever as busy, still having taken on no apprentice. (Splashpaw doubted she would find one, among the recent kits.) Soon, she would share her den with many other apprentices, the rogue litters. It would be quite crowded, and probably every warrior in camp would have an apprentice to look after. Sighing as she ducked her head out into the cool dawn air, the small tabby's green gaze shifted to the left and right, scoping out the camp. Flareheart had neglected her as an apprentice; it hadn't been official, Voidstar would never say anything against the beautiful female, but she was now being mentored by Islandsplash. It was like she had wanted as a a kit, though she was already eight moons old now; a mentor that would always be there for her. Now, though, Splashpaw felt an odd ache in her whenever the warm hearted orange female sought her out. True, she had less free time to herself, for wandering the forest and teaching herself. But maybe it was more than that. Splashpaw liked her new mentor a lot; she was strong, like all of the warriors, but she was also kind and intelligent. Yet there was a lot the gray tabby missed about the lack of training sessions. She worried that she was far behind the other apprentices, Inkpaw, Rosepaw, Moonpaw, and Mintpaw; and even more, she had still yet to go to a gathering. She wondered that the leader, or her cousin, was still punishing her for meeting Dunepaw. The thought of the tom tickled at her senses and she remembered the moonlit night of many sunrises ago. To the eye, he was very unique compared to her clanmates. Not brawny or bulky at all, his legs were long and well suited for catching rabbits, his slim tail providing equal balance. He had that one twisted paw, which seemed to add character, that dark pelt which was neither quite brown or ebony. Without observation, his gaze was a comforting saffron, glinting in even the darkest of nights. But nothing was that simple with Dunepaw; flecks of lake-water green, like tiny waves rolling onto a golden shore, could be seen about his pupil. Even after a moon, she remembered all of this about the strikingly new tom; she was certain, without a hint of a doubt, that she could also recognize his scent. In fact, on the wind now, blowing gently toward Tempestclan camp, she thought she tasted it. Only a cat that knew it well could imagine something so vividly, and yet... Splashpaw blinked rapidly, cool mint gaze gleaming, as though to wake herself from a dream. She knew she had awoken, checked carefully to be sure the camp was empty but herself, in case her mentor was up early. But had she fallen into some kind of reverie, imagining scents that were not there? The young apprentice's eyes widened as again the cold breeze brushed over her whiskers, making her shiver. She hadn't imagined it; the scent was real! Not stopping to check whether he was alone or with others, she slipped through an opening in the wall, just behind the warrior's den. In the forest, moonlight from a nearly full moon shined down still, turning her gray pelt to stone, appearing a faint blue. It was a while before dawn; what could her friend be doing here so early? They had met only once, and she had assumed that was the end of it, that she would probably never see him again, not until she was at last allowed to go to the gathering. For a moment, that made Splashpaw hesitate. Should she really be doing this? Last time it had been an accident, but if she got caught now, their accusations would be true. The small female had sneaked out of her camp; she was going to meet a tom from a different clan. What would Dreamfeather do, if she had seen me? She knew that her cousin often woke early, to lead the dawn patrol. Fear chilled her, making it had for her to move, but then she smelled the scent on the breeze again. I have to check this out, at least to see what he's doing here. It could be an invasion! Though she knew it wasn't, the thought that she was doing this for her clan reassured her enough to begin padding forward again. Hesitantly, she broke into a run, rushing against the cold pre-dawn wind, which continued to push his scent toward her. There was no turning back as the Zephyrclan taste flushed around her, indicating he was close by. She was nearly to the border; did that mean he had crossed it? A hiss of breath escaping through her clamped teeth, Splashpaw crouched, her belly fur brushing the bare earth as she moved forward. He was just beyond the wall of ferns; she could hear him. Zephyrclan cats aren't used to being stalked in the forest. That last thought came to her, and then a rustle of leaves was all that was left in the quiet morning. It was all that announced her coming as the small gray tabby leaped, using all of the hunting skills taught by her new mentor, and landed squarely on the lean tom's shoulders, rolling and knocking them both to the ground. "Dunepaw! What're you doing here?" She scrambled away, settling with ruffled fur nearby the border. The scent was clear, of a Zephyrclan cat crossing their boundary; this alone could cause a war between their clans! She knew Voidstar was eager to prove that Tempestclan was still the strongest clan. Fear and surprise revealed in her eyes, she watched him carefully. He hadn't changed at all from the past moon. Even if she wouldn't admit it to herself, she was glad to see him, after everything that had happened. Was that so wrong? To have friends in other clans? Yes, a silent voice answered. when you are afraid of your clanmates finding out.WORD COUNT: 1013 TAGGED: Duskeh/Dunepaw only NOTES: This is kinda cool, first a TC cat in Zephyrclan, now a ZC cat in Tempestclan. xD Gonna be another awesome thread. [/blockquote] |
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Post by Dusk on Sept 3, 2011 16:39:29 GMT -5
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He could still turn back, there was still time. He was only just across the border, paws sinking into sticky mud that squelched loudly every time he tore them free. There was a patch of wild garlic growing nearby, he could smell the powerful stench of the ransoms mere tail-lengths away even with the clogging Tempestclan scent bathing his tongue. All he had to do was walk over to it and roll in the plants, walk back the way he came and know that his tracks in the moist mud would fill themselves in before any patrols headed this way. He could wash the smell away by taking a quick swim in the lake - although he despised swimming - and return to camp before anyone noticed he'd been missing from camp. It would simple. The tom even limped over to the patch of wild garlic, eyeing the fragile white flowers with a fierce intensity in his pale topaz gaze. 'Just turn back, you idiot, his thoughts whispered to him almost angrily. 'If you get caught you endanger your clan, not just yourself and possibly Splashpaw. But if he turned back... all his efforts were wasted. And what was he turning back to anyways? A camp full of contagion and sick cats, an irritated mentor waiting for him who cared more for the she-cats than his cursed apprentice. At that moment, was that what he wanted? No.
The sable tom took a shuddering breath, squeezing his eyes shut as he forced himself to calm down, willed his heart to stop working itself into a frenzy. He needed to focus. Dunepaw felt his trembling limbs relax. Now he could keep going. The tom made slow progress through the territory, unused to the heavy forests and sudden bogs. A thick layer of mud had dried on his paws, clumpy and dirty and acting as a sort of glue for the various twigs and leaf litter that carpeted the ground. It seemed that every step he took made at least enough noise to wake a slumbering bear, though luckily no bears were around. How did cats live like this? The forest was closed and stuffy and there was all this... mess. No good soft grass and wide open moors; the apprentice couldn't understand how cats even hunted with all the sticks around that always seemed to find their way underfoot. It was ridiculous. The prey must have been either deaf or so used to noise that they thought nothing of it when a leaf crunched nearby. He supposed that sense of smell was more or less useless around here, he could barely make anything out with all the decay taste resting on his tongue. For all he knew, though, Tempestclan cats were born and raised learning how to discern animal scents from that of the general leaf rot.
He paused at a group of ferns to finally consider where he was going. He didn't know where their camp was, and even if he did it wasn't as though the tom could just saunter into the camp and ask for Splashpaw. He hadn't even made much progress, he knew the border was only a few minutes back. This whole thing was starting to look hopeless and thought began to bubble up again about just heading back. Dunepaw gave a sigh and turned with head held low. This was a pointless adventure, he'd been lucky he hadn't been... 'Did I just hear something? The tom paused, and had been just about to turn around when something landed on his narrow shoulders. 'I've been caught!' Panic rose up fast and quick, his maw parted for a yowl, but no sound came from his throat as he tumbled under the force of his attacker's jump. The tom crouched low to the ground with eyes shut and ears back as he waited for the next blow, only it never came. For a moment the tom wondered if he was dead. Had that first blow been enough? That didn't make sense, though, he was scrawny, but not that weak.
Dunepaw! What're you doing here? His eyes flew open at the sound of the familiar voice. Conflicting emotions of joy, relief, and dismay were battling it out for dominance as he stared at the slightly younger she-cat. She'd grown since he they'd happened across each other on the lake shore, although she was still small for a Tempestclan apprentice. In the mixed light of the waxing moon and pre-dawn skies her pelt wasn't washed quite as silver as it had been when he first saw her. Now he could truly appreciate that her pelt was more slate gray and white than a ghostly silver, and for the first time he noticed - seeing as it was lashing wildly - was missing a bit of the tip. None of these thoughts were really connected with the situation, but it seemed that they wished to make themselves known. He was transfixed momentarily by those mixed green eyes, the colors of mint, spring, and moss forming a vivid combination. Dunepaw realized he still had yet to respond, and searched furiously for something to say as he calmed his breathing. "What am I doing here?" he echoed stupidly to buy more time. What was he supposed to say? "Oh I just dropped by to see how you were doing"; that was no good.
"I was just wandering around that strip of unclaimed territory and decided to go see what Tempestclan land looks like?" he said lamely. The way his explanation came out sounded more like a question than a statement. At least it wasn't a total lie, but he couldn't bring himself to give up the actual fuel driving his rash actions. "Didn't expect any cats to be out and about so early." That much was completely true, he'd thought even Tempestclan cats wouldn't be mad enough to be up before dawn. Had Splashpaw had a similar line of thought to his own? Dunepaw turned his head downward in abashedly, suddenly interested in working away at the muck that had coagulated on his dark paws.
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Post by Dawn on Sept 4, 2011 10:06:29 GMT -5
ยป SPLASHPAW
[/size][/font] You're a beautiful wreck now you're out of control[/b] Sitting quite still, breathing quietly and shallowly, thoughts crossed through her mind busily, like monsters on the thunderpath. There was no stopping them, and she grasped for certain ones, trying to reassure herself in her own mind. Of course there was no turning back now. She had attacked him; well, with claws sheathed, anyway; and she couldn't just turn and run back to camp like a coward. That was not an option, and it was ridiculous anyway. What Splashpaw could do, was to chase him back into the unclaimed territories, and then they would likely not speak again. But did she really want that? She doubted she could muster up the emotion to chase a tom she knew across the border, even if he had intentionally crossed it. After all, wasn't this the same cat that had let others attack her, just because they were 'kits' and half her already tiny size? The gray tabby sighed, and it was just a bit bitterly. It wasn't like she wanted to go back to camp anyway, where everyone was too busy for her, the clan outcast. Where her cousin was the deputy, and still angry with her for "betraying" the clan. Where she couldn't understand the love her family had for her, because they were all so busy covering their own tails for mistakes made too many moons ago. Who gives a mouse tail if I talk to Dunepaw, or some kin of our's deserted? It was about time we stopped acting like sure pure bloods! It was decided then. She wouldn't chase the long legged tom back to his own territory, and she could deal with the consequences. Having made up her own mind about something for once, Splashpaw felt like a fully confirmed outlaw. Energy coursed through her veins. Though it seemed a long time since she had last looked at the sky from camp, it was still a good hour or so before the sun rose. This was the border to unclaimed territory, and though it was patrolled, she hoped it wouldn't be today, since it was marked far less than other borders. There was time to see how he'd been doing, how his clan had punished him and what he had been up to lately. The pause in thoughts made her take a look at the other tom. He was very, very low to the muddy ground, his yellow lights pressed closed in fear, ears laid back against his head. She almost laughed; not scornfully, thinking she was better than him, but purely from amusement that any cat could be quite that afraid of her. It made her wonder, too. Were the other clans really so afraid of Tempestclan? Maybe I would know, if only I'd been allowed to the last gathering. Regardless, they would never be so fearful of Splashpaw. She was too small to be seen as fierce; too delicately built to be called brawny; too short to be seen as lean. She may as well just head back to the nursery, some cats had said, and wait until she grew to be a proper sized apprentice. Then, maybe, Islandsplash could teach her how to be a warrior. Distracted, she stilled her short tail from lashing, taking a deep breath and pricking her ears to hear his explanation. What am I doing here? Her green eyes gleamed, the bitter thoughts slowly vanishing from her mind. "I don't know, that's why I asked you." She laughed softly as, again, his words came out as a question. Her eyes twinkled with amusement; "You do realize you're trespassing, don't you, Dunepaw?" She really wasn't trying to scare him. It was just funny to her, how he made out a crime against the warrior code as nothing at all, whereas Dreamfeather would have been furious. The Zephyrclan tom was just so... different. That was still all she could think of. Gentle, where others would have been harsh. Dumb, where others should have been ready with a sharp retort. Awkward. He was... endearing. He was beginning to grow on her. Splashpaw shrugged, caught on guard by his comment, which was nearly a question to her. She wanted playfully to tell him that trespassers would not ask questions, she would ask the questions around here, but didn't risk scaring him, since it already seemed so fragile, his being here. "I couldn't sleep, I guess." She mewed, picking her words carefully. They seemed to fall flat, not a very good reason to be up early on her side either. "I didn't think Zephyrclan cats would be prowling around!" The tabby added, before rising to her paws. Not giving him a chance to respond, she flicked her considerably shorter tail, and padded through the ferns, leaving them waving behind her. There was a flat rock, about two and a half fox lengths long, that she had seen on her way here. This part of the territory was muddy; there was no use in talking here, though it was good for hunting. Splashpaw leaped up onto the small boulder, crouching at the edge as she waited for him to join her. His distaste over the mud hadn't gone unnoticed by the Tempestclan apprentice, who, by now, had seen both territories. WORD COUNT: 874 TAGGED: Duskeh/Dunepaw only NOTES: Dude, I completely forgot about her short tail! xD [/blockquote] |
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Post by Dusk on Sept 4, 2011 21:31:35 GMT -5
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The tom glanced quickly back to the pebbly shore of the borderland, bright yellow eyes darting between the she-cat and the rocks; he made sure to keep his face towards her though. Was she still smarting from whatever punishment the silver deputy had assigned her, would she do anything to prove her loyalty again to that harsh silver tabby? It didn't seem an impossible option to Dunepaw. And while he trusted the petite apprentice not to hurt him, there was still a strong chance she might decide to chase him off her clan's territory. After all, that would serve fairly well as proof of their initial meeting being nothing more than chance. He could imagine the situation with ease; all the way from the chase to walking into her camp -wherever that was- with strands of his fur in her claws to present to her cousin. 'But... Splashpaw would never do that, would she?' No. Of course she wouldn't. The tom felt his whiskers twitch in irritation. What was he thinking, imagining that the she-cat who'd defended him back when she'd unwittingly wandered onto the moorlands of Zephyrclan would suddenly 180 and begin caring only for her standing among her clan-mates. The murky nature of this place was influencing his thoughts to be far more negative than usual. He needed to just slow down his thoughts and trust Splashpaw. She'd had a right to pounce on him at first, after all; both of them were well enough into their training to know better than to cross even into unclaimed territory. And a half-deliberate meeting? 'Hah! I can see the look on womanizing tabby's face already.' Runningfox would probably have another one of his rare bouts of fury. At that moment, though, the sable apprentice didn't care; he would deal with the repercussions when the time came. For now all he knew was that rebellion felt good.
The tom relaxed slightly as she laughed, though it wasn't a scornful laugh he was glad to note. The initial burst of fear and adrenaline was seeping out of his body; trembling muscles smoothed out as he straightened his legs from his hunched position. More mud had caught on Dunepaw's belly fur from lying so close to the ground, but he didn't notice as he focused on the gray she-cat. He watched a short series of emotions play on her face, probably struggling with what to do with the situation. The tom didn't realize quite how dopey he appeared, unable to have snappy comments at his quick disposal; they just weren't his strong point. He spoke what he thought - no more, no less. And his tongue seemed to enjoy failing him even more than usual this day. He gave a rueful half-laugh. "Yeah, guess I am trespassing, aren't I?" Again with the questioning answers. Green-flecked eyes gave a small roll at his inability to answer properly. He'd make a better impression if he was mute! There was no use, though, trying to be a witty tom. "My nose doesn't work its best in the morning after all," he added jokingly.
The apprentice fell silent as he padded after her, shrinking back slightly to avoid being swiped by the swish of her tail. In a way, he was glad that she'd left him no chance to respond to her last comment. There was still no good explanation for his being on Tempestclan territory. The act was just too deliberate. The only borders Zephyrclan came in direct contact with were those of Vertigoclan and Celestialclan, so this was the last place he should have been. Lack of knowledge was a poor excuse, he was half-way through his training for Starclan's sake! He'd just have to hope that no warriors would find them and make demands. The wonder at where Splashpaw was leading them was just starting to drift into the leggy tom's thoughts when he glanced over her shoulder (which wasn't hard when he was so much taller) and spotted the mottled gray-brown form of a boulder. 'Starclan be thanked! There is some dry land in this territory.' Dunepaw could barely scramble onto the rock fast enough; he was happy to escape the muck below. It was only after he'd settled next to the smaller apprentice that he realized how convenient it had been for her to go seeking some piece of land that wasn't marshy. "I'm that obvious, huh?" he asked with a smile. It didn't seem too surprising, his attempts at hiding his dislike of the area had been poor at best. Maybe it was just inherent, though; cats would be most used to what they'd been raised to know. He was sure the wide open space of Zephyrclan territory would make cats used to shelter by undergrowth feel over-exposed. "Is all of Tempestclan like this?" He added curiously. He was amazed at how clean they kept if it was.
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Post by Dawn on Sept 10, 2011 9:22:31 GMT -5
Seems like there's always someone who disapproves - Dunesplash Splashpaw wanted to be defensive and angry with him. He was a trespasser, a Zephyrclan cat, an intruder, an outsider. Everything she had been told to treat as an enemy. She was a Tempestclan warrior in training, pure blooded, an apprentice that should be defending her territory and her clan's secrets. She should be seeing the differences that separated them like a deep chasm; not the similarities that pressed them together. But it was so hard to be angry with Dunepaw, especially when he tried so diligently to please others. Both of them were like that; they spent all of their time trying to please everyone else, but never themselves. How could she chase off a cat like that? Besides, it was obvious that he had come all this way to see her. And how many times did that happen in a lifetime? It certainly had never happened before, and if it hadn't, then what was to say it would ever happen again? There was only so much to the warrior life style, hunting and fighting and patrolling. What about friendship? What about really living? When was she going to get there? Splashpaw was tired of living her life in everybody's shadow, tagging along and quietly obeying orders, doing everything the orthodox way and nothing else. Being on the outside looking in, and just wondering when her chance would come along; that was no life. She was going to do something real for once in her life.
The small tabby she-cat crouched, her brown speckled paws pressing against the rock. They would leave muddy paw prints there, and she wondered what she would do to clear them away. She had never considered that she didn't belong in Tempestclan, but for a half second she thought about just avoiding the punishment, going somewhere else, anywhere. Then I would be another deserter, like, like... Splashpaw couldn't quite grasp the name, but then it came to her like a flash of lightning, and she murmured aloud, "Russet!" Would she be like that? Called by the clan only as 'Splash?' Unworthy of even an apprentice name? Of course not. She could never leave Tempestclan. Even though she constantly felt like an outsider, that was where her family was, Rivershadow and Hailghost and Dreamfeather, and all the others. No, I'll keep Dunepaw a secret. She decided this on the spot, based on the notion that they would meet again after this. It was thrilling; something of her own that only they would know, that no one in her clan would know about. Splashpaw glanced back toward Dunepaw, watching as he sprung, with ease, onto the rock. She was thankful that he hadn't heard her outburst, as he settled nearby. He seemed much more calm in the foreign territory now; she wished she could be so easy going. Splashpaw had never been good at hiding her emotions, or just going with the flow. "Maybe." She answered his question with a hint of laughter, unable to think that at least this made it harder for enemies to attack their camp or wish to trespass. That same thought made it harder for her to note that the rest of the territory wasn't; but she took a leap of faith and decided Dunepaw wouldn't use this against her. "No, not at all." The gray tabby grinned, fluffing out her fur against another chill breeze. "Is all of Zephyrclan full of curious young toms and their nosy mentors?" She was referring to Runningfox, the tom she had met earlier when she was the one trespassing; nosy was the least offensive word she could think of for a Zephyrclan warrior that would scold a Tempestclan apprentice in front of their clan kin. True, he had been a lot easier on her than Dreamfeather, but just that he thought he had the right made her paws twitch with annoyance.
She shifted on her haunches, tail tip flicking against the rock, and glanced at him. Green eyes were only too familiar with his golden gaze; Splashpaw realized she had dreamed of the last time they met, a few days ago. "Are we going to meet again?" She blurted, stricken by remembering the dream, and nightmares that had followed. "Not... Not at the gathering, I mean. I still haven't gone. Somewhere in the territories." She explained somewhat clumsily, evading his gaze now. Splashpaw wasn't sure what was going on, but she had already made her decision.
WORD COUNT: 741 TAGGED: dunepaw/duskeh only NOTES: heeheehee. <3 |
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Post by Dusk on Sept 12, 2011 20:31:08 GMT -5
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The tom was grateful to the petite she-cat - to say the least - for not chasing him out of the bogs and back onto "his" side of the border, although it was no more Zephyrclan's than Tempestclan's. She didn't have to take this chance with him. They were both risking their standings in the respective clans; and those were already teeter-tottering on the fine line that lay between punishment and betrayal. He was still somewhat regretting his rash decision to wander over in the first place, although it was far too late for any actions he took to make a difference now. The wonder crept into his head at what sort of punishment he'd get for being caught a second time off of his territory, and with the same she-cat apprentice he'd been caught with the first time to boot. He wouldn't get off with so light a punishment as tending the elders this time around. He couldn't see banishment (Zephyrclan would never do that would they?) but he'd be in some severe trouble for sure. Delayed warrior ceremony? The idea struck the sable tom cold. The last thing he wanted was to be in the apprentice den longer than cats younger than himself. His thoughts flew to the three newer apprentices: Firepaw, Shadedpaw, and Rustlepaw; if the siblings became warriors before he did he'd never live that moment down. Once again he'd be the weak link, the one who couldn't keep up with any of the others. This time, though, his gimp paw wouldn't be the excuse. His throat suddenly felt dry, fear at the idea making it hard to swallow. Dunepaw had to move beyond the possibility, though, and accept that there was no going back.
It took a moment for the lanky cat to realize he'd fallen silent after giving his last question. "Hah, curious young toms? I believe you are implying something, Splashpaw," he jested with a smaller grin than his last. If curiosity was the only attribute driving him then maybe everything wouldn't be so bad. That little spark of rebellion, though, would break him if he indulged too much. For a short moment the grin soured on his muzzle as nosy mentors were mentioned, though a smile replaced the grimace swiftly. "I'm sorry about Runningfox, really." His voice softened to a low murmer, golden eyes fixing themselves on an insignificant scuff mark on the boulder. It had probably been the result of a storm driving a chunk of rock across the stony surface. Funny how simple breezes could grow and turn anything typically un-notable into something powerful and worth being cautious of. "He's got thistle-down between his ears. All he can ever think about is she-cats when he should be caring for the clan instead." An apprentice shouldn't criticize his mentor so, but the tom couldn't help it when he felt so neglected by the young warrior. If he'd learned anything in the recent moons, it had been only what he'd managed to teach himself by observing the other apprentices as they trained. They really were progressing far faster. Battle training was especially out of the question; he'd never fight unless pushed first. "Sometimes I have to wonder if he feels entitled for being the son of a deputy." 'Who'll always be twice the warrior that pale tabby could ever hope to be...' he added silently.
For a moment the tom let himself wallow in the darkness of his thoughts, but then reminded himself where he was and gave a small shake. A fine powder of dust had settled on his fur in the few minutes he'd been sitting still, and loosed, drifted lazily on the easy breeze flowing off the lake and through the trees. He almost missed Splashpaw's question, and for a moment couldn't believe his ears. Surely he'd misunderstood. But no, he'd seen the movement of her jaws match the words he'd heard, and stared at the she-cat with pale eyes wide. Transfixed. "I- I dunno..." he said in a slightly lost voice as she jerked her eyes downward, unwilling now to meet his gaze. He couldn't quite tell what made her turn away. Embarrassment? Shame? Something else? "I don't see why not. I'd always love to see you, y'know? You're different from other cats." Now it was the tom's turn to look down shyly at his paws. Good Starclan, was he really saying these things to a she-cat from another clan? It seemed so. "It could be risky, though..." Dunepaw trusted his friend to be intelligent enough to realize the dangers that accompanied cross-clan meetings outside of Gatherings.
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Post by Dawn on Sept 15, 2011 8:52:01 GMT -5
Seems like there's always someone who disapproves - Dunesplash Tasting the air for the scent of her clanmates, uneasiness washed over Splashpaw's determination to see the Zephyrclan tom again. If she was caught, it wouldn't be caring for the elders, or playing with Blackshard's kits. After what she had said, there was no turning back- for either of them. It was useless to feel guilty, or afraid of punishment. There could be no changing her mind, when she crossed this line. Splashpaw lifted her head, drinking in the early morning smells again, and felt renewed. She noticed that the sky was lightening from a dark indigo to a pale blue, but didn't connect to the fact that this meant dawn, and dawn meant patrols- and patrols, of course, meant the discovery of a Tempestclan apprentice chatting with an intruder at the boundary. Probably already Moonpaw or Mintpaw had noticed that she no longer slept between them, snoring quietly, and dreaming of things greater. That thought didn't enter the small she-cat's head though; she was distracted by a flood of emotions, her fur tingling with embarrassment. The branches of a tall aspen rustled in the wind, looming over the two apprentices. It's black markings seemed shadowy against the dull ebony trunk, some slanted like watching eyes, lips pulled back in a snarl. Everything about the grove of trees, now, felt ominous. It was as if the forest itself was just waiting for one of them to step wrong, to falter and say the wrong thing. Splashpaw shivered as a pale green leaf floated down from above, landing in front of them on the large rock. It was frayed and yellowing, probably dislodged by the fierce winds they had had the night before. From the stem in the middle, veins stretched out toward the corners, while the tip of the leaf pointed back toward them. She found herself transfixed by it for a moment, as though it were a sign. Any other time, the tabby might have thrown it in the air and battered it about, practicing her agility in catching it with her paws.
Splashpaw pushed her thoughts roughly away as he began speaking again, grinning at her comment- though she could tell it was rather forced. Maybe this was all a mistake. It was painful to hear, how the tom should have spent more time caring for his clan. After all, at least he was pursuing friendship with in his own clan; while she was running around, doing things she shouldn't. If his roaming was betrayal, than certainly she was betraying Tempestclan to even think about meeting Dunepaw. Yet here she was... Runningfox and she had a surprising more amount in common than she would have liked. Their betrayal, and... their kinship with the deputy. Do I feel entitled for being her cousin? Just because my father is her father's brother? It wasn't as if she got any recognition for it, or cats respected her more. She just tried her best to get along with everyone, there was no use in fighting back when jeered with cries of 'runt' and 'pipsqueak.' It would only get her in trouble, and it was better to just keep going, ignoring the others, no matter how much it bothered her. I would grow more, if I could. She remembered how, when she had been made an apprentice beside her brothers, Jaypaw and Maplepaw, the deputy had considered letting her stay in the nursery a few moons more, in hopes that she would grow larger. In the end, it had been decided just to try her as was; and she was already by far the weakest of the apprentices, since her first mentor had slacked off on her training. She had no real special skills; she was a decent hunter and a poor fighter. Splashpaw's only hope was in trying hard; then she might become a warrior on time. But how could she, when she was sneaking off like this, to talk to Dunepaw?
And yet he agreed and that sealed their doomed fate. "I'm, I'm not sure if-" She couldn't look down in shame anymore, and she looked away, upward though the branches of the aspen. For a moment, Splashpaw was blinded by a fiery light; then, her dull gray pelt lit silver, and she let out a soft curse. Somewhere deeper in the forest a bird screeched. "Dunepaw! The sun is rising!" How could she have not noticed it before? She leaped to her paws. "My clanmates are probably already headed out on patrol. You should go." She couldn't help but think she sounded harsh, but he had to leave before they were discovered.
WORD COUNT: 771 TAGGED: dunepaw/duskeh only NOTES: He should think of a meeting place for next time before he leaves? xD |
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Post by Dusk on Oct 9, 2011 10:16:12 GMT -5
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'Dang, what sort of stupid mistakes are we making right now?. If we were stuck up a burning tree before, now we've leapt straight into the flames.' He was really on a roll today, and it wasn't even full-blown daylight as of yet. The possible implications of their choices were starting to grate on the tom's nerves - as if they weren't already badly frayed - and he could feel the conflicting emotions of dread and hilarity at the situation bubbling up inside. Being so nervous and afraid that one wanted to laugh and laugh and laugh... Wasn't that called hysteria? The pressure was building up in his chest, tightening uncomfortably around his lungs; it squeezed hard to try and wrench a panicked gasp from his maw. Golden-green eyes slid closed for a brief second and he swallowed hard. Then, the flash of anxiety was gone and Dunepaw could focus once more on the silver-gray tabby. He wasn't sure where exactly surge of panic had come from, but he was glad there'd been no outwardly visible sign of the internal battle. 'I'll never be one of those confident, "nothing can bring me down" warriors,' The apprentice thought with some slight disappointment. There was nothing he could do about it, though.
It was funny, in an odd, twisted sort of way, how the two apprentices had been brought together by their being outcast from the clan for one reason or another. Splashpaw for her small size, Dunepaw for his peaceable nature. The overlooked always did seem to find each other. And then -of course- they went on to worsen the situation by choosing to be rebellious. They could have attempted to simply work hard in their respective clans and prove the other warriors wrong. Any chance of that - Dunepaw felt a wry smirk on his lips - was well and gone to the hounds of the Dark Forest. And if fate had already decided that they were cursed to un-acceptance, then they might as well take the mouse by its tail and go with it. Wasn't as though their clan standings could fall any further. 'Besides to "traitor" anyways...' But the tom ignored the whispering doubt. OF course, these were just spur of the moment thoughts. Doubtless in a few hours, when he was more awake, he would rethink his ideas and wonder just what he'd been thinking to be so rash. The apprentice still wanted to see Splashpaw again; that he was sure of.
He watched a flicker of doubt flash across those mixed green pools and felt a pang of surprise. She'd been hoping for him to say no, hadn't she? Or, at least, she was as doubtful of their success in this hopeless endeavor as himself. The latter thought was more comforting at least. It was greedy for the cat to wish that Splashpaw would get herself caught in this situation with him, but he didn't want to be left alone to fend for himself now. With the rising light the tom's eyes took on a more golden hue, the greenish cast fading with the waning darkness; they widened as the she-cat gave a small curse under her breath. They'd both lost track of time, so engrossed as they were in their conversation. His head snapped up to look around at the receding shadows of the forest. Too long, too long... He'd been in unfriendly territory for too long! Any chance of slinking away with the darkness had been burned away by the sun's rays.
An irritated hiss escaped between his fangs as he stood and leapt down from the boulder, ignoring the mud as it squelched up around his paws. If he hurried Dunepaw might reach Zephyrclan grounds before the dawn border patrol found his scent crossing into the unclaimed strip. Maybe. He could catch one of those waterfowl he'd seen idling on the shore and say he'd chased it accidentally across the border. Hopefully they'd buy it and Runningfox wouldn't be on the patrol. It took a moment for the apprentice to gather his wits and remember the silver tabby still standing on the rock. "Suppose we need to think of someplace to meet again, don't we? After all, no more leaving the visits to chance" He gave a wry laugh before clawing at the muddy ground in thought. "The glacier could work, right? At least in that case neither of us are on another's territory. Two weeks from now?" It sounded good in his head, though his thoughts were a bit scattered at the moment. The little tom couldn't think of anything else. A small smile played on his features as he met Splashpaw's eyes. "I'll see you soon, Splash, whether my clanmates like it or not." Then the apprentice turned and ran off into the trees, pushing his Zephyrclan bred stamina to the limit.
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Post by Dawn on Oct 9, 2011 16:16:35 GMT -5
Seems like there's always someone who disapproves - Dunesplash Many thoughts flashed through her head. They were silly, and stupid, and contradictory. Firstly, she didn't want to be caught by her clan. But then, what would happen if she did? Would she be exiled? Perhaps, if she was exiled, she would go and live somewhere else. Somewhere else. Another clan. Maybe... with Dunepaw? But that was silly. She didn't want to be exiled, driven out. And then again, since when was Tempestclan so cruel as to drive off those that broke codes like that? As far as Voidstar was concerned, even murderers deserved a second chance, it seemed, so surely a trouble making apprentice could be given a second or third chance. Trouble making. Two moons ago, Splashpaw and trouble making never would have been in the same sentence, let alone the same conversation. Usually the little outcast was the picture of innocence; she did what she was told, letting rogue kits beat her up even, fetching prey for her superiors and caring for the elder's ticks. Yes, she had been the perfect apprentice, besides the fact that she never could be as far as Tempestclan was concerned; she was too small, too weak, not brave, not strong. In the clans, it always came down to strong and weak; the strong were made leaders and deputies, and sure, sometimes the weak got a chance, if they had some other kind of gift; they became healers, or queens. But even the weakest queen would fight viciously to defend her offspring, and Splashpaw wasn't so sure she would ever be put in that position. After all, what 'strong, brave, handsome' Tempestclan tom would ever look fairly on her? Up until now, she hadn't had one friend. Maybe breaking the warrior code, then, was the right thing to do. After all, she finally had someone to talk to, forbidden or not- now, she had Dunepaw.
Standing on the rock, her fur bristled lightly along her spine, but her green gaze looked after Dunepaw as he hurried away without thought. She, too, had almost forgotten that the Zephyrclan apprentice was leaving her, and the conversation they had had of meeting again. However, his voice brought her back as he stopped to look at her, and with recognition she met his gaze. "The glacier." She mewed absently, not knowing what a very long way that was for Dunepaw to travel from his camp, but noting that it wasn't far from her's. With a little more strength, Splashpaw flashed a half smile, adding, "The glacier is perfect." Flicking a glance behind her, imagining she had heard clanmates heading toward them, "Half a moon." He said one other thing, that he would see her again, and, losing her grasp again on the implications as Dunepaw ran off, in a race against the wind, Splashpaw whirled around and leaped off of the boulder. Frowning, for she had lost the unsure smile now that he was gone, the gray apprentice began to head back toward camp. First, she would stop where she knew she could find a patch of garlic growing at the base of an old tree, and roll in that; hopefully on the way she could catch something that would give her an excuse for being awake early.
-done-
WORD COUNT: 541 TAGGED: dunepaw/duskeh only NOTES: Yay! This just gets cuter and cuter. :3 (Like how fast I responded?) |
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