Border Patrol [SUNHIGH]

[lionpaw]

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[atrb=background, i52.tinypic.com/w1sdqq.jpg] Titianfoot stood in the shadow of the entrance to camp, a knot twisting in her chest at the thought of entering again. She was still unaccustomed to being deputy, and no one was used to her either. She could see feel the looks of skepticism burning in her pelt every time she walked through the camp. Many resented Cometstar's faith in her. Titianfoot took a deep breath, her very paws trembling with how nervous she was. She wondered if she would always be this nervous every time she had to face her Clan. She prayed this wasn't so, but she couldn't be sure, so she held her head high and shook away the doubt. She walked into camp, appearing confident and strong, doubt still pulling at her mind. She never asked for this duty. She never asked to be a potential leader, to be the one who will lead battle parties and patrols and give the commands. Sure, she'd done it before, but to actually have it expected of her? The feline flicked her ginger-colored tail and looked about camp, watching as one of the warriors from her previous sunhigh hunting patrol reported to Cometstar's den. She watched the entrance to his sleeping place with a sense of yearning, but she quickly looked away. She need a border patrol - and a strong one. She walked with purpose towards the warrior's den, taking purposefully strong steps and met the eyes of each skeptic with a challenge. She would not let them beat her - she was deputy and that was that. They must learn to respect her. That thought made her cringe in her head. Who was she to see herself their superior? She was quite young for a deputy - hardly thirty moons - and she was still remembered for being the bratty apprentice. She could feel her confidence slipping away and quickly sunk her claws into again. No, she could see herself as a warrior anymore. If she kept thinking of herself as the bratty apprentice turned pathetic warrior, then so would the rest of the Clan. She was a deputy now, strong and assured, and prepared to give everything for the sake of her Clan. With this thought held fast in her mind, she stopped at the warriors den where she peered in and spotted the two warriors she was looking for. Most likely they were resting from the dawn patrol they'd been on that morning, or possibly from other work around the Clan. She felt a pang of guilt at making them get up again, but she had no choice. CelestialClan was sorely lacking in warriors, and only two apprentices were in training. Thank StarClan, Fatesong had come along with her lovely kits, but that wasn't going to hold them over forever. She felt vaguely guilty, wondering if she should have chosen the path of a queen. She shook her head, dismissing the thought immediately. Never would I make a proper queen. she reminded herself. I'm a warrior meant for battle, for serving her Clan. But was having kits the way to serve her Clan? Feeling uncomfortable with her own thoughts, she turned her mind to the task at hand - border patrol. All that matter right then was keeping CelestialClan's precious borders safe and secure. "Jaspersun, Umbrefang," Titianfoot called into the den. "I need you for a border patrol." she meowed. She flicked her tail and dipped her head to them. "Meet me at the entrance, and could you please fetch Crystalpaw?" With that, she thanked them and turned towards the entrance, thinking of nothing but duties for that day. That was all that mattered; Sunhigh border patrol and reinforce borders, fetch fresh moss on the way back, send a warrior to accompany Fawndance to retrieve herbs, clean out the fresh kill piles, feed Fatesong and the kits, clean bedding, reinforce dens, organize evening patrols... [ooc] sorry it's kinda half-assed... xP I'm at school.

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[Dawn]

* JASPERSUN

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I'm a thousand miles away
But girl, tonight you look so pretty


He had been chosen for a dawn border patrol that morning, and the grass had been damp and chilling. When the lean ginger tabby, around average size but smaller than his male companions generally due to being young, his amber striped paws had been soaked with dew. Jaspersun was often chosen for the early patrol, but that didn't mean he enjoyed the prospect of rising from pleasant dreams to trek through the icy morning, when he could easily be on a warm midday patrol. Could it have anything to do with their new deputy, whose deputy ceremony he had been present for, and who he approved of fine? Titianfoot organizes the patrols now. Have I flirted with her lately? Did I annoy her? Did I forget to do something she asked? He wondered faintly, whiskers twitching. He seemed to be doing more and more dawn patrols lately, more than his fair share, it seemed. The waking call at sunrise was starting to feel more like a punishment than a duty. Or does Cometstar suspect that some cats will come looking for their missing queen and kits...? Fatesong seemed a little odd, showing up out of nowhere. The black queen had arrived not more than a few days ago, bearing three newborn kits, Rowankit, Dewkit, and Veilkit. Surely the clan would find fault with Titianfoot for bringing four rogues into the clan, but he couldn't; they needed cats, and if that meant new blood would flow in the clan, then fine; they would be raised as clan apprentices and perhaps he would even mentor one of them.

After the dawn patrol Jaspersun had returned to take a nap in the warrior's den, where his nest had resided for only eight moons now. It was warm and cozy and the moss was fresh, so he was looking forward to sleeping longer than he did, which didn't feel like more than a few minutes, and probably wasn't more than half an hour. The length it took to hunt a rabbit, in his mind. Umbrefang had been resting as well, though the two hadn't spoken, as they'd never had much in common. Jaspersun wasn't sure if his companion was sleeping too or not when he woke, hearing the deputy's call. Another border patrol? He sighed, giving his striped fur a hefty shake. Better him than an older, more tired warrior, at least. This would mean it was also Crystalpaw's second patrol of the day, as she had accompanied her mentor at dawn. She was his first apprentice, and he was extremely proud to be mentoring her so soon after becoming a warrior.

He nodded, too sleepy to be witty or flirtatious at that moment. Instead, he was simply polite to the newly appointed deputy. "I'll get Crystalpaw." He murmured soberly, but added in a slightly grim tone, "Though I warn you she won't be pleased." He gave a slight smile, just a ghost of affection for his apprentice, and turned to fetch her from the apprentice den with a quick yawn. It was a short walk, and though the warm air should have made him sleepy, he instead felt more awake as he ducked his head into the apprentice den. It took his green eyes a moment to find the pelt of his apprentice, and was glad when he did. "Crystalpaw, wake up. Titianfoot wants us to go on another border patrol." He padded to her and gave her a slight nudge with his paw, apologetic smile on his young face to be waking her so soon after their last patrol.

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[Swift ✱]

Crystalpaw

In this beautiful life,
there's always some sorrow.
And its a double-edged knife,
but there’s always tomorrow

She was running, running. She couldn't stop. She had to get away from what she had seen. She closed her eyes momentarily. She felt her little paws thudding the ground, racing. Like her heart; beating wildly. She had to get away. Why? Mother... Father she thought spitefully. It wasn't fair. Now she was all alone. A little cat in a big world. Dangers, her mother had told her-when she was alive- many dangers. Crystalpaw stopped and collapsed on the ground, hyperventilating. She couldn't get the image out of her mind. She tried to think of something else, but it all reminded her of Mother. The scene kept palying and replaying in her mind. She felt a paw nudge her side. It was annoying. But, she didn't remember that happening. She frowned and opened her eyes slowly, cautiously.

"Crystalpaw, wake up. Titianfoot wants us to go on another border patrol."

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She suddenly jolted fully awake, springing up onto her paws. Her eyes held an untrusting look, a sorrowful look. She was in the apprentices' den. In CelestialClan. It had only been a dream - no, a nightmare. But she felt safe now. Or slightly. She would never be safe. She knew that her father would find her. She knew. But still it played in her mind. Dread filled her, tearing at her, wrecking her. Filling her mind with the horrible images of her mother's death and her father's blazing eyes that were filled with hatred.

Her eyes focused on something. It was her mentor, Jaspersun. She got up wearily. She still felt tired, even though she had slept the whole night through. Her muscles ached. They screamed out for her not to move, she ignored it. Boarder Patrol She felt a little twinge of excitement, but it quickly fadded, pushed out by her other emotions. Any other apprentice would have been embarrassed to have to be woken up; Crystalpaw didn't truly care. She found herself actually wanting to go. She might as well have been running all that way, not in a dream. She felt exhausted. She needed to sleep, but she walked over to Jaspersun while keeping her blue eyes on the ground of the den. She refused to look up. She refused to speak. She refused... she wish she could stop thinking of her mother. She wanted to refuse to think about her, but it wouldn't work. Crystalpaw nodded at Jaspersun, trying not to look too tired. It was a Border Patrol, she could make it there and back with out falling asleep on her feet for StarClans' sake.[/blockquote]

[lily ♫]

ooc: i'm getting rid of umbrefang. continue without me or include someone else. sorry!