where the air is so thick and opaque. {open}

[LYNX ♥]

Upon the softened leaf-mould her paws fell, one after another, treading the sodden earth heavily despite her obviously pent-up grace. Her movements ought to have been subtle and liquid, bones sliding smoothly beneath muscle and patchwork fur whilst transitioning from pace to pace. Instead, her head was slung low - low enough for the foliage to traipse sluggishly along her jaw and throat - her gait was rigid, no stealth was intended as she foolishly pushed through folds of yellowed grass and bracken roughly. Well-hidden thorns clawed at her lean figure when she passed, insistantly tugging at ginger and sienna clumps of hair alike, driving at her wincing face and pull at her tail like unruly youngsters, but lacking the force to inflict any damage besides the mild irriation, which was only laid upon the rapidly stacking mountain of emotions which coursed hotly through her mind.

The female thrust her frame through the thick brush, displeased with everything as it was, not feeling the need for something else so petty to upend her facade. Emerging out onto a more open region of the territory, she still found little satisfaction in it for her forelimbs had been forced unwittingly into a concealed trickle of icy crystal water. Abruptly, the she-cat looked down, dismay twisting her tabby features into a grimace of discomfort which morphed into a frown of disgust as she instinctively retreated, flicking her paws in turn as if to rid them of that sensation and only finding herself once more in the clutches of bramble. "Damn it, StarClan!" The words were flung defiantly from her throat, much to her own surprise. Fortunately, though, the outburst emerged only as a rasping whisper. Still, it had been loud enough to send a nearby lark erupting into the ashen sky, squalling its fear.

Oh shut up. Absently, the tabby's vivid chartruese gaze seared through the brown bird then continued raking over the fen. At last, she set forth on a path, she decided, would cause her the least annoyance though, in her current mood, would grace her with at least enough for her to continue her idle grumbling. No matter how much dodging and weaving Tigerspark incorperated her into the supposedly relaxing evening walk could she avoid the overhanging tendrils of plantlife that ceaselessly tickled her nose and trailed run-off rain along her spine. It was as though the sticky-wet leaves which clung to her still heavily-stepping paws weren't enough to push her annoyance to an all-time-high.

Still, the dark-striped female rejoiced to have something besides her actual problem to snarl at snap at - as she now bared her teeth sourly at a leaf which threatened to slap her in the face. It was almost better this way, wandering aimlessly about in the thickest depths of the fen. No one could find her, not unless she wanted them to. And should she be found, clanmates were easily dispelled, and the mask she so frequently donned could quickly replace her current pout. Not a soul had to know what burdened her in her down time, and not a soul ever would anyway. Assuming she unloaded her various issues onto them, they wouldn't understand. They would shrug it off, call her a petty female. After all, wasn't that what she was? "No! No." She didn't mind speaking aloud to herself whilst traversing the wetlands, though the wildlife wasn't fond of her sporatic outbursts. Disregarding the squawks of fearful avians not far off,

Tigerspark resumed her rather deeply negative thoughts, pausing as she encountered a pond - instantly her ears were pinned against the nape of her neck. Don't look don- She couldn't ignore the hideous face that stared back at her, the sing-song voice of her sister at an age of no more tha seven moons cawed like a raven in her mind's ear. "How did you even get that ugly?" Petty taunts rang eternally in her ears which she attempted in vain to rid herself of by humming a light tune her father had one day taught her. Still, it was no use. She saw the truth in what they'd always said. How could she even be tolerated? How could anycat stand to be in her presense when she were forced to look upon that nasty smear of orange which stained her blocky face, only further ruined by the darkest of tabby marks, rippling through all the wrong places and accentuating the vomit-color in her too-small eyes. "Ugh." She grimaced.

[MiNTY♥]

Upon watching the past clan leaders st at thande head of their clan, bravely ready to face anything that Starclan threw at them he never imagined the internal battles they constantly faced, although did not show. Ever since birth he had watched them with aspiring eyes telling himself that he would be doing that one day, that he wanted to be in that position some day. He wanted to stand on the highest branch in the Tempestclan camp and address his clan and they would be listening to him. Apart from his voice ringing out strong and proud it would be so silent that you would be able to hear a mouse scurrying across the territory. He wanted to stand tall at gatherings with his chest puffed out and his pelt glowing slightly blue coloured in the moonlight and standing beside him the other clan leaders would know he meant every word he said. As he grew in size and mentality he began to realize that the job of a clan leader was not just to look fearsome and sound strong. However, even as he went by the name of Voidstrike he would not have expected the job to be as demanding as it was. He had worked out in the end that to be a clan leader you needed to be calculating but to be a clan leader you needed to be constantly on the ball.

Just before his medicine cat and dear friend, Saberfang, had disappeared he had been sent an omen from Starclan. It meant little to him on one hand, but on another it meant too much. It caused the wise tom to become paranoid and more thoughtful than usual. Why had there been a Shard of glass outside his den? The obvious was something to do with the annoying rogue of a tom. He seriously had to find something better to do with his life. Maybe the silence that came from their gang meant they had but then again maybe it meant they were plotting something. Every possibility had to be explored and considered thoroughly but on the other hand this wore him out. Spending time in his den began to drive him a little insane. Each moment seemed to drag on longer than intended and each score he made in the bark walls with his claws bore deeper. That was when he began to realize his paws were sinking deeper into the damp earth beneath his paws. An unpleasant slurping noise sounded around him as he pulled each paw from the mud and made a few light-pawed bounds to drier ground. Wiping off a considerable amount of the mud on a patch of grass he continued on his journey, only this time being a little more careful to stick to the drier patches of earth. Strands of damp grass and weeds clung to his limbs and belly-fur as well as other bits of the plant life he pushed past. Slowing down as he came to the border that Tempestclan shared with no man's land he pushed off the ground with his forepaws and balanced on his hind legs while leaning against a tree. Scoring his claws along the bark of the tree several times he made sure to leave deep scores before stepping back to admire his handy work. Voidstar repeated this process a few times along the border before he was satisfied enough to consider returning to his den. "Take that as a warning Shard, we will do the same to you if you think you have any business here." He hissed into the night, his fur becoming slightly ruffled.

Turning his back on the border he set out on a longer and more alternate route home. Tiredness had not yet settled over his body and for that he thanked his ancestors. Upon doing so he caught the scent of Tigerspark hanging on the air and a frown graced his maw as he realized the scent trail she had left was reasonably fresh. Changing his path he followed the scent as far as he could. "Tigerspark dude, come out come out wherever you are." He called once again into the night.

[LYNX ♥]

It was wrong; she was wrong. But then, she was always in the wrong, in some way or another and, should she disregard this, the female figured she would be a far happier individual. However, it couldn't be ignored. Mayhaps by a simpler soul, but Tigerspark was, by no means, a simple cat. So she faced the brunt of it whilst scowling, crease-browed, down at her muddy reflection. Suddenly, she threw both small white forepaws into the shallow waters, smashing through her rippling face and sinking into the grassy mush beneath. To her own surprise, the she-cat realized her fangs were bared, whisker pads curled up away from her dangerously clacking teeth. Enough! No more looking where she would see herself, for she was having enough problems dealing with her sexuality, her friends, her demeanor. Seeing what an ugly fuck-up of a cat she was would never help her overwhelmed situation, never. And so it was then, up to her dewclaws in opaque pondwater, that the muscular tabby vowed she'd avoid her face from then on. If only she could don a physical mask atop her mental one, so no one else would have to deal with her appearance either. Especially Berrytaint. She found herself thinking the words, but instantly regretted it. Again, she slashed at the water, sending a cascade of glittering drops heavenward. "Who cares what Berrytaint thinks?" The tabby muttered, olive gaze mutinously narrowed. "I hate her!" She hated her mother as well as her sister, but she thought perhaps StarClan wouldn't appreciate her running about cursing and damning the dead.

Tigerspark dude, Tigerspark's mournfully bent head snapped up, dark gaze alert for the origins of the deep voice which floated through the fen. Commanding as ever. Voidstar. A slight sigh tumbled from her parted lips, making her nostrils flare and her ears intinctively flick forth in a rather alert manner. Had he actually noticed that she was missing, or had he just wandered across her scent? Likely the latter. Tom's weren't as caring as she wished they could be, and it was then that she remembered what she truly was. Dude. Just a 'dude'. The ginger-patched sienna coated she-cat shook out her now quite moist fur and sent the droplets flying, before turning about and facing where she assumed her friend resided. With a deep breath, Tigerspark took a moment to compose her most casual visage, and flung her voice far before her, "Hey you big lumpa coal!" She shouted, knowing her voice, loud with its false deep tones, would reach the black-furred leader, wherever he stood within the heart of the swamp where they had found themselves.

"Shouldn't you be singing the ladies to sleep and whatnot?" She had finally spied him, after navigating more carefully through the bramble and weeds, her eyes lit on a thick obisidan frame upon the violet backdrop and knew it couldn't be that of any other. I was as she spoke these words that Tigerspark realized just how late it was, for the hues surrounding her had faded in light and color to suit the evening. Another thought struck her, but the warrior shook it off. Surely Voidstar wouldn't notice the petty scratches dashing her face and paws from her unfortunate thorn-attack. Though he would certainly become curious about her degree of wetness, Tigerspark armed herself with a quick retort. No, there was nothing to fret. Casually, the she-cat bobbed her head in greeting to her old friend, then remembered her vow and sharply turned her head away from him.

[MiNTY♥]

The rustling noises of the forest at night helped to keep the tom alert. His ears were constantly twitching and moving to face different directions, as was his head. From the tiniest insect to the largest bird of prey it all seemed to be moving and alive at night. It made him feel alive. It gave him a certain sense of belonging as if he was the hunter, stalking through his forest and ready to kill. Almost nobody could say they didn't like to feel a certain degree of importance or that they didn't want to feel wanted by another. It was just a fact. Others liked to be needed by others, whether it was a queen with her kits or a leader by his clan it was everywhere you looked and unavoidable. Then you got the occasional cat who pretended that they didn't need or want anybody else but if the cat who wanted them stopped showing it then they would surely realize how much they did need someone else. Someone else to rely on.

Finally locating the one rustle that sounded loud enough to belong to a creature or a slightly similar size to himself he turned towards the noise only to see his friends red nose appearing through the foliage. "Aha, these muscles are harder than a lump of coal." He chuckled, puffing himself out to his full potential before stretching it out again. A childish grin forced across his maw, fangs and all, as he couldn't help but feel pleased to see his friend. "Oh yes the ladies, you know how I love them but honestly they just take it out of me, I mean on top of being leader and telling them what they want to hear its just all too much for one day. Besides, pining for me will do them good." He answered, struggling to keep his face straight as he did so. "But what about you? Scuffling with the foliage are we? At least use your claws on something a little more challenging, but not by much....stupid Mottledscar." He began but slowly trailed off. Shaking the disappointment from his head he moved forward to gently nudge Tigerspark on the shoulder and proceeded to pick a couple of twigs from her fur. "Much better." He purred, and flicked a leaf from her nose with the very tip of his claw but he was careful enough to leave to mark on her nose. Although behind his glittering green eyes he glanced carefully over the she-cat. Observing her emotions was something he had to keep sneaky and after so many moons he had grown more and more skilled at it. Tigerspark didn't appear to be in the best of moods but he would change that, without a word about her feelings as per usual. After all, tom's were dumb and knew nothing of a she-cats heart. Wrong, Voidstar knew the exact route to a females heart but this was one of the few he left intact.

[LYNX ♥]

As she breathed, inhaled - exhaled, she felt the tension which knotted her spine and muscles, crippling her long, muscular limbs and her so discouraged heart alike, melt away, dripping into the fen about her like the trail of an icicle, slowly thawing and disappearing. Perhaps it was the sight of her best friend, as he had been that way for years, that tugged her mind more toward positivity. His looming figure still stood above her own frame, but not by far, for Tigerspark was hardly a small female. Regardless, the shadow of a feline before her radiated that masculine, tomlike essence which she could only hope to fake. She knew she didn't have a chance at it, but perhaps, just maybe, a bit of Voidstar's aura would rub off onto her. Maybe associating herself with the leader would put herself in a more believable position within the clan.

Or not. Tigerspark nearly scoffed aloud at the idea. No she would never be convincing enough, still, she now knew that it was indeed the sudden, fortunate appearance of the bigger cat that had comforted her just moments before, and the warmth he brought now flooded through her. "A diamond in the rough, huh?" She grinned, twitching her whiskers appreciatively, "Whatever. You're still a lump of coal to me, furball." The torbie dealt her friend a swift butt to the shoulder with her brow as she placed herself beside him, then twisted her limber spine to gaze evenly up at him, though still shading her emerald eyes by avoiding his. Presenting the silken obsidian tom with another nudge, gentler this time, she murmured softly, "Why don't we make our way back to camp? It's getting late, and too much pining- harms the soul." Perhaps her petty falter wasn't noticeable

Knowing full-well that the leader would come along with her - for he had his own duties to attend to - the tiger-striped female stretched her lean frame experimentally, and was graced with a soft pop! when her shoulder joints cracked. Satisfied, she trotted forth a few steps, and then threw Voidstar a dramatic glance over her shoulder. "Well, come along little kitty!" Forceably, Tigerspark placed a grin upon her features, knowing the gloom that now shrouded the duo would mask the pain hidden in the depths of her olivine eyes. At last, she began padding into the thick brush, wincing now as it so roughly tore and bit at her skin and fur, relentlessly harassing her as she went, but not truely minding in the least. As she went, surely Voidstar trailed her now, she found herself bluntly addressing his inquiry, though instantly regretting each word as she helplessly spilled them before her.

"No." Was her first word, spoken bluntly and almost curtly. The rest followed in quick succession, Tigerspark nearly winced when she heard herself speak them. "I'm hiding. I hate telling you this kind of foxdung. All this emotional shit but it's hurting me," She nearly moaned, now blindly shoving herself through the thickly barred path, eyes shut to dam the tears aching in her throat. "I hate everything." The warrior groaned, stumbling a step before finally halting her bumbling gait and leaning her weakened frame against a particularly sturdy-looking log. She couldn't help but start when a nearby frog cried out, and her eyes burst open. Helplessly, she turned her mournful gaze toward Voidstar and emitting a quiet sigh before looking down at her paws, defeated. But she paid no heed, she knew the tom wouldn't need more words from her.

[MiNTY♥]

The dark coloured feline smiled after his friend. It had always been like that whenever he was around her, it just seemed natural to feel relaxed and smile which certainly wasn't something that Voidstar often felt like doing. More often than not he had to hold his head up high and keep a strict aura about him, otherwise who knew what his clan could get up to. How it would be nice occasionally to have a pleasant little clan like Celestialclan that just did as they were told out of kindness and respect without question. No, Voidstar had to deal with questions and regular doubts about his authority and had to deal out frequent reminders of it to hold the respect of some of his clan mates. Generally most of them worked hard though which put him in a good mood. Although the good mood that his clan in general put him in wasn't much compared to the good mood that his friends put him in, the few of them he did have.

A shocked gasp erupted from his maw and he flicked his head in mock disgust. "That's just it then, I have been spending far too much time with you, maybe I need to treat you like the other she-cats Tigerspark, but then again you know what they all are in my eyes." He teased slightly, but on the other hand he wasn't joking. Most she-cats were forms of amusement in his head and he couldn't pretend otherwise. Just then he let a tired sigh escape from his maw. This leader business could really tire him out and Tigerspark appeared to have noticed. "Yes sure." He replied, pausing for her to go first since the path was quite narrow, and he was a gentleman after all, well sometimes.

Long, solidly built limbs struggled to catch up to the she-cat at first. His pelt conflicting with the foliage many times as it began to tease and cling to his fur but it didn't seem to be effecting his companion. From up ahead he heard the faint echo of his friends words as he increased his pace. He wasn't good at dealing with the suffering of others, only mocking it as it usually happened to come from outsiders to whom he wouldn't give any of his concern but this was a she-cat he actually cared about, and not just for his own pleasures. He could explain the sadness that filled him from the inside as he looked into her wide, sad eyes as he burst through the undergrowth. A small lump seemed to rise in his throat and a numbness teased his limbs as he stood watching her. He opened his maw to say something but the words seemed to get caught on the breeze and fall away from him. He stumbled over his words a few times before finally giving up and attempting to swallow, even with the dryness that occupied his throat. Sighing softly he pushed forward and pressed his flank against hers while pushing his nose into the fur behind her ear. "You can't hate everything." He finally said to her after taking a deep breath of the cool night air. Voidstar couldn't help but feel a bit useless, he could easily be smooth and silky, or gruff and mean but sensitive, this was a struggle for the tom.