you're under my wing ✧ crow ; cherry

[aero ❥]

voices running through my head
can't go back, can't get ahead

He had been gone a long time. If he had to guess, it was 2 moons. Maybe three. But the tom didn't really care. He had left Vertigoclan, behind with it Crowpaw. He was Crowshroud now. Bigger, older...better than he had ever been when he was with the clan. His muscles rippled under his pelt, his build was bigger, he had grown into his scruff nicely. Vertigoclan didn't appreciate him like they should have. Keeping him from his warriorhood when his time had been long overdue.
But on this lone trek he had grown infinitely wiser. He had wandered the lake territories, seen what he never would have if he had stayed. He had fought, traveling out beyond the clans to farms and the city. But he always came back to the clans.

by the time they catch me
I'll have nothing left


It was almost dawn, twilit sky grey, light brimming on the horizon. His stone green eyes studied the landscape, coming from the north, out of Celestialclan territory, Crowshroud had entered Tempestclan land. He was in a forest, birdsong calling the sun forth playing in his ears. His ruffled fur looked pure black, no direct light to illuminate the brown patches. He slipped through the shadowed floor, not entirely silent. He figured Tempestclan's dawn patrol wouldn't have even left yet, and by the time they got here he would be long gone. The tomcat almost passed a small pool of water, murky around the edges, but decided to stop for a moment. He looked into the center, seeing his vague reflection. The tips of his oddly large fangs peeked from under his lips, eyes solemn. His mind wandered along the rippling water. Did anyone miss him? Wonder where he had disappeared to? He had only told one cat of his plans, and that was Wraithlight. They had become good friends, Crowshroud daring to call him a best friend. They had met a few times after the dark tom had left, catching up and talking about what had since happened. Just enjoying the company of a friend. He was the only one Crowshroud had. That isn't true, Jetfang was there for me. Jetfang had always been there to lift the younger tom when he started to fall. He in fact had been friends with his mother, who passed at his birth. That was the main reason the lone warrior was out here now. To find out the truth about his father.

[MiNTY♥]

never been so used as i'm using you, abusing you, my little decoy

Despite curling up inside a hollow trunk that had fallen on its side, sleep had never consumed her and caused her eyes to gently fall shut. Instead she had forced her eyes to shut to prevent the tears and the stinging sensation they left behind. By shutting her eyes she had hoped to shut the rest of the world out but it did not quite work like that. The happy place of cherry blossoms falling around her and dancing to the ground was now gone, but the call of larks told her that it would be dawn soon and she would not like having to explain to a dawn patrol what had happened, in fact she did not feel like meeting any of her clan mates or talking to them at all. She felt isolated from her clan, as if she had only been kidding herself that she belonged there. The only reason she had not felt so isolated was because one cat made her feel as though she belonged, and now that relationship no longer seemed so sweet, but bitter like tansy.

It was not the light breaking the sky, but the rustle of paws that caused her to open her eyes and sigh, secretly she had been hoping so see hills covered in soft grass and cherry blossoms but that was just a fairytale. Peering out of her hiding place she caught sight of whom was making such a racket to her ears, but he would probably still have been able to sneak up on some form of prey, sadly for him her ears were talented. Carefully she watched him through the small space she entered from, feeling a little bit like a huntress stalking her prey. However, the tom was rather handsome looking indeed and she felt it would be a shame to put a claw to him. His broad shoulders swayed gracefully as he appeared to walk with purpose despite the fact he looked like he was just being a bit nosy. ”What are you doing exactly?” She hissed softly and wrinkled her nose in distaste at trespassers in general, for the one she had met that evening had pushed the wrong buttons. Getting to her paws she picked her way out of her hiding place and shook out her pelt to get rid of any mud and moss that had been keeping her company. At the back of her mind she took note that hollowed out trees were rather cosy places to shelter, and then she prowled towards the tom with a youthful spring in her step. A large portion of her rage had been used during the night during her confrontation with Fadedbreeze, now she felt a little exhausted of being so bitter but one could never tell with her frequent mood swings.

ANCK SU NAMUN OF CAUTION!

[aero ❥]

Since I was little ain't a goddamn thing changed

He looked into his reflection, stone green eyes searching as if there was some thing hidden, waiting to be found. There was not. But he still loomed over nature's mirror, gazing in. It was when an unfamiliar voice drifted into his ears he saw nothing more in the puddle. His eyes still lingered at the surface, but he saw nothing. His complete attention was putting a name to the cat who had entered his presence. Feminine, anyone could pick it out. But he had no memory of such a voice. A younger cat, the grit of age tainted not the vocals. Breathing in, she was definitely Tempestclan. Not a trace of Vertigo lingered about her, no one from Vertigoclan even knew if he was dead or alive except for Wraithlight. And even he, his best friend, knew nothing of his current whereabouts. The muscular black tom turned to face the stranger.

Hit the liquor store, shopping for you
called drunk love, addicted so I'll take two

She had something childish about her, in the way she walked, but she herself looked serious. Her eyes were animated, catching his attention against the backdrop of pale splashes of color her pelt rippled with. Crowshroud couldn't guess with a certainty her age, but there was no harm in saying she was pretty. He flexed, peering at her with a solid expression. The lone warrior wouldn't fight her, if he still vaguely smelled of even the slightest trace like Vertigoclan he didn't want to be the cause of a war. He also didn't want their encounter to come to that. "I was looking into that pool of water." He retorted, a stupid answer but there was no mocking behind it. He padded away from the pool now, surveying her as he walked. "What are you doing out here, all alone?" The tom's voice was deep, rough from not having spoken for some time. His tail flicked, large paws leaving prints in the dirt. He hadn't seen a she-cat in a moon or so, when he had infiltrated Trenton and the farms on the unclaimed lands, he had quarreled and spoken only to toms. It was pleasant seeing a fresh, new face of the opposite sex. He should have been more careful, lingering on clan territory. Who would have known someone would be out before dawn? He paused a moment, flattening his ears and giving a few licks to his ruffled chest. His entire short coat was ruffled, misshapen by the wind and lightly dusted by the forest. His looks obviously were not his first concern. Next to the eye-catching cat he felt indifferent though, judgement didn't bother him as it had in the past. When his tongue had combed over most of his black chest, he brought his eyes up to her again, ears waiting for her next words. He shouldn't have, but Crowshroud wanted a conversation, and inside he hoped she would grace him with one.

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[MiNTY♥]

The response she was greeted with sounded harmless enough and secretly she was pleased that he was not hostile. Just for one moment she felt it would be nice to not putting so much energy into being bitter. It was not as though the tom knew her thus he would have no expectations and she could have reinvented herself right there and then should she have wanted to. Truth was, although she felt different it was still her and she was not being fake. It just felt like whatever she said or did would not affect anyone because she had no one. "Did you find what you were looking for in the puddle?" She could not help but shiver a little when she heard her own voice, it wasn't her usually cheeky tone. In fact it lacked many properties, namely emotion, leaving her sounding equanimous.

Now that she was closer she noticed his fur was rather unkept causing him to look a bit rough, as if he would have interesting stories to tell like an adventurer. For a moment her eyes were open pools of curiosity until he asked about her and then quickly they narrowed. She felt as though she had literally taken a step away from the tom despite the fact she had not moved from where she stood. It was all in her head. Everything felt strange and fresh to her, so much so that she could not explain it. Yet she hoped she at least looked as though she was standing her ground. For some reason she felt as though he would be different to the other cars she knew, either that or she was just desperately seeking a companion. "I got annoyed with my clan mate and felt rather betrayed, so I left him. And I can not stand whom I share a den with so now I am here with only my own thoughts to keep me company. The good thing is my own thoughts are up to scratch, and now you are here." the female growled softly. So long as her camp was filled with others who got on her nerves and pushed the wrong buttons she had no longing to be there other from being told what duties she would be doing that day.

The wind changed direction and his scent was carried in her direction, twisting her nose she gave him a suspicious look. "Your scent is weird, and it alarms me slightly, where have you come from exactly? I'm not the only one out here alone." she asked him directly, confidence present in her every word. It was a mixture of everything thrown together as of he had been everywhere, yet she was sure she had seen him before at some point. Her instinct told her that she had laid eyes upon the tom previously at a gathering but he carried no significant clan scent that would cause her to attack him, and so perhaps her instinct was wrong.

[aero ❥]

Since I was little ain't a goddamn thing changed

I feel numb, I can't come to life
feels like I'm frozen inside, wasting away
since you've gone away

"Did you find what you were looking for in the puddle?" Her monotone voice, her question in general caught him off guard. Not many perceived depth in an action, surely not one as simple as looking into a reflection. When she spoke, his eyes narrowed, as if she had somehow changed in his eyes. It was a rare cat that understood, and she had known he had searched for something in those waters. "No," He hesitated, taking a moment to think about his answer. "I did not." His deeper voice had an edge, a bit of sadness maybe. Still looking at her, he saw her captivating gaze narrow too at his question. . "I got annoyed with my clan mate and felt rather betrayed, so I left him. And I can not stand whom I share a den with so now I am here with only my own thoughts to keep me company. The good thing is my own thoughts are up to scratch, and now you are here." Crowshroud had taken a seat while she was telling her short tale, pale stone eyes falling to the dampened earth. They stared, fixed on nothing, as if the ground had split to open a window to his own similar history before him. She had understood him already better than most anyone had back at home, with one simple observation. Now she told a story of what wasn't far off from a summary of his entire life. He'd felt betrayed by his entire clan, and run off alone. His shadow was his companion, his thoughts their conversation. And here he met her. Though, even keeping it short and sweet, he was able to pick out details. She was betrayed by a tom. A mate? A family member? He wasn't sure why he cared to wonder.

"Your scent is weird, and it alarms me slightly, where have you come from exactly? I'm not the only one out here alone." He figured it was only a matter of time she asked. He didn't mean to, but he looked into her eyes. Not a glance, or even a lingering look. He gazed in, and looked deep. He found his own stone green orbs exposed many emotions, none which were good, or pleasant. But he smiled. He liked the way she was blunt. She didn't work around her curiosity, she asked outright. Though she had the authority to - he was on her territory. The last part, the one about not being the only one out here alone, intrigued him. The black tom wasn't quite sure what she meant. Taking a lung full of air, he settled that telling her his origins wasn't going to harm the situation. She had told her side, it was only fair for him to return the knowledge. "I...was a Vertigoclan cat. I left the clan a few moons ago." The lone warrior looked up at the sky. Streaks of light paved their way across the receding gray. Dawn would be upon them. "I felt betrayed, alone among what was supposed to be my own kin. (He smirked, the term kin not even close to accurate. He had no kin, his father unknown.) They didn't understand, they just didn't care. So I left them. I've been everywhere since." He flexed, feeling like he'd told her too much. But still, something was missing. "My name is Crowshroud." He wouldn't mention he had given himself the name, or his rank complications. He probably would never.

living in a world so cold
wasting away, living in a shell with no soul
since you've gone away

He waited for her reaction to the news. He tried to guess what would come from her next. Would she get defensive, embarrassed? Maybe demand he leave, even. In her eyes he wasn't sure what he looked like, it could be a rogue, a friend, an enemy. A Vertigoclan cat. Did she think he was a spy? How silly. He believed her to be smarter than that. Any cat could see he hadn't been around anyone for quite some time. The tomcat ran his pink tongue over his abnormal fangs, as if he was hungry for the silence to end.

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[MiNTY♥]

never been so used as i'm using you, abusing you, my little decoy

Despite her question initially sounding sarcastic in her head he responded in all seriousness and she widened her pupils slightly. "Oh...that's a shame." She replied simply, sympathy was a foreign emotion to her and expressing it was a great challenge. She knew what you were supposed to say and that you were supposed to make the other feel better, but the way in which she said it sometimes caused a bit of trouble even if, surprisingly, she was not trying to cause it. Watching him with guarded eyes he sat down and started into the ground, it crossed her mind that he may have stopped listening to her but Cherrypaw did not care, she would force her woes upon him anyway. Plus, he asked. On one hand it would have been great to tell him everything and all the little frustrations that were sitting on her shoulders. Yet she knew it was ridiculous to just expect another to instantly like you. Life was a little bit cruel that way in that you had to work at friendships and often she was not very well liked but it was mostly the females she had disagreements with.

The white tip of her tail flicked a little impatiently. Cherrypaw did not like waiting and she especially did not like waiting for others to live up to her standards. In all of her actions she was swift to react to anything that came her way. It was almost as though she lived on her toes but there was always a little bit of time for her to relax every now and then. If you were lucky enough to catch her at the right time there was a chance she would be less hostile than usual and the tom that sat opposite her had in fact been lucky. The fact that he was sitting down showed that he posed no threat but since she had the right to be dominant she held her stance as she interrogated the tom. "Oh good, so you are familiar with the pecking order then." She retorted with a satisfied nod. It was an odd response but that way he understood where he was, what he was doing, and that he was in the wrong. "Most of my clan annoy me, but I have some select friends, but no family. But it wasn't like I got the option of a family so I had to deal." She added not wanting it to seem like she was happy that nobody had cared for him. Overall she could understand why he had left, but personally she was a fighter and that meant she would fight for everything. The fact that she had made enemies made her smile a little because she didn't care and it was fun to argue with them. Then there would be times like these when she would feel alone and regret her actions. Shaking the thoughts from her head she focused on the present and realised that he was intently gazing into her eyes and she stared back, inwardly chuckling a little since it was often a sign of hostility among cats yet quite the opposite to Crowshroud.

"My, you like staring into things don't you?" She observed, wondering if there was any sort of reason for this behaviour. First there had been the puddle, then the ground and then herself. She could see that he was hurt but that made her feel a little awkward, she was no good in these situations. "I'm Cherrypaw - but not for much longer. My life story consists of messing with my clan mates on a daily basis." She told him introducing herself, hopefully making him feel less lonely. From what she saw he didn't get much social interaction.

ANCK SU NAMUN OF CAUTION!

[aero ❥]

Since I was little ain't a goddamn thing changed

And I'm staring at you now
there's no one else around

"Oh...that's a shame." Shame wasn't quite a good word. But he appreciated her sympathy. For an apprentice she seemed strong, and he admired strength. "It is what it will be." He etched a crooked smile.
"Oh good, so you are familiar with the pecking order then." Clearly he wasn't off the hook. He was still a stranger on her territory. It was against the warrior code to tolerate him even being here. But how much in the right was she anyway? Being out here, all alone, not in camp to defend or be on call. He would not mock her, or bring this to attention - it was too pointless. And he liked her company, the fastest way to lose it would be to try to be a smart ass. "Most of my clan annoy me, but I have some select friends, but no family. But it wasn't like I got the option of a family so I had to deal." I had to deal too. They were so alike. Crowshroud didn't understand the cruelty of the world. Kits were innocent, and yet suffered the worst. Their family slain, themselves could die and they didn't even get to experience life. They could be born into a situation they would grow to hate, or their fate predetermined. When you're older, it's no one's fault but your own. You have the power to speak up, to fight. If you don't, you can waste away in your own unhappiness. He had decided to take control of his life, and had left his unhappiness to grieve over his courage. But isn't a kit and the elder cat the same? Kits grow up. The new perspective was biblical to him. It was in fact true kits grew up. Grew up to make the same choices as the elder cat. He settled with a final statement. Life treats everyone with the same unfairness. It wasn't always true, but it would have to do until he could think about it more at a later date.

"My, you like staring into things don't you?" His jaw dropped a little, as if he were going to speak. Nothing came out. His fur crackled as a midnight bonfire would, turning hot. He flushed, and thanked Starclan (Did he even believe in them?) that she couldn't see. He slowly closed his mouth that hung slightly agape, clearing his throat before looking away. His paws tingled, and it felt as if he had swallowed a handful of butterflies. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt that way. If he had ever felt that way. He was just being silly. It was true he wasn't used to social interaction, especially from a female. (Attractive at that.) That explained some of his behavior, but all of it? He shrugged the idea away. "I'm Cherrypaw - but not for much longer. My life story consists of messing with my clan mates on a daily basis." Cherrypaw. She's cute. And according to her not an apprentice much longer! And the point of picking that out...? He decided that it would take all of Starclan to pry the knowledge that he had given himself his own warrior name from his lips. And all the living and the dead to ever tell he had been withheld from his name in the clan. His secret was safe. Breathing in deeply, he smiled, not thinking of how his huge fangs would be painfully on display. "You must be excited." Crowpaw would never have dared grin his toothy grin in front of someone like Cherrypaw. But this was Crowshroud. The 'temporarily' socially awkward self named warrior.

I'm thinking you're the girl I need
I'm just saying it's fine by me
if you never leave

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[MiNTY♥]

never been so used as i'm using you, abusing you, my little decoy

It was at that moment in time she realised that he truly was a cat of few words. She was trying her best to keep the conversation running but it was not an easy thing to do when you weren’t getting much back. Still whatever came into her head she would simply say. Rarely did she consider her words before voicing them and if anybody got hurt? Well that really wasn’t her problem that they were so sensitive. Most of the time she didn’t intend to hurt others but it just seemed to happen. First there would be that atmosphere of unease and distrust. Then sharp words would be shared. One of her mood swings would be thrown into the equation and there she was adding to her long list of enemies. It was usually females she made enemies of anyway and for some reason she could not put her paw on why. The situation she had just imagined was not at all like what lay before her. When she looked at Crowshroud she did not feel angry as if she wanted to hurt him or chase him away. A strange sense of calm washed over her which was entirely unusual considering what she was normally like. The feeling of being calm was a nice one, and she wanted it to last. She did not want it to simply be confined to this meeting. It took a lot for her to admit this to herself but she actually liked this tom. There was just something about him; he was so different from everyone she knew. The way he held himself, the way he talked, the way he talked – when he actually got around to forming words. Overall it made her curious and she didn’t want to let him leave.

Each moment the scene was growing brighter, the sun was slowly rising, little by little, inch by inch. She felt the pressure to get home before it was too late. At this stage she did not want to annoy Voidstar and risk having her ceremony changed. If her mentor was looking for her? Well then that would be his problem because she was ready to make a point of being mad at him. Overdramatic was always fun and could be a specialty of hers if she really wanted it to be. As the heat of the sun graced her mismatched pelt she shuddered and looked over at Crowshroud with a slight panic in her eyes. ”I should probably go.” She told him reluctantly. But I really, really don’t want to. Her actions portrayed her thoughts as she remained fixed to the spot, clearly not intending to or making a move to leave but the good intention was there it was just in the very back of her mind. ”You don’t have anywhere to be right?” She asked with a flick of her tail. He was on his own so why would he? It wasn’t as though he had any better offers. ”I mean I should probably be bringing you to my leader to be told off for trespassing on Tempestclan territory, I mean we are not just talking a run in at the border here, you wandered pretty far in…” She trailed off, not being completely serious in her tone of voice. Maybe, just maybe he would be looking for an excuse to come back to her camp with her. Maybe he would want to stay with her. It felt as though she was going to be sick even though she had not eaten in a while. Almost like sweat was going to drip from her head. Like she was about to start shaking uncontrollably, but she didn’t of course. All she could do was stand before him biting down on her kissers waiting, hoping for some sort of positive response.

ANCK SU NAMUN OF CAUTION!

[aero ❥]

Since I was little ain't a goddamn thing changed

He, too, noticed the sun claiming the sky. The shadows around them were faded, retreating under the rein of day. Slithering back to where the morning light could not reach them. He felt the air heating up, dawn's rosy cheeks to blame. A Tempestclan patrol would soon be snooping around, marking their boarders and looking for trespassers such as himself. He would fight every one of them - but it wouldn't come to that. Crowshroud would take flight instead, head east, into the sunrise. Work his way around the lake, wander the free lands for a few days, and then settle in Zephyrclan territory among a nest of heather for the next moon. Through his time being a 'lone warrior' as he liked to call it, Zephyrclan seemed to check their territory least. The vast, open moor looked all the same, and they seemed to have a sense of comfort when it came to patrolling it. The only danger was that of being scented. The winds there carried far, nothing to mask the scent. But if you were careful like the black tom had learned to be, it was very possible to avoid such misfortunes. As he formed his future plans in his head, he hadn't really considered Cherrypaw. She had been a bit of life's luck that had found him, but everyone knew luck didn't last.

As he looked at her, his heart felt it knew different. He greatly enjoyed her company, and it was in fact unusual for him to admit so. (His loneliness may have played a small part in this feeling.) ”I should probably go.” You speak for both of us. He sighed inwardly. This she-cat was different, not like any he'd encountered before. She was strong, but kind in her own way. Sharp, he could tell if things hadn't went so well between them he wouldn't be dealing with an apprentice but a fierce warrior. What made her special, though, was that she knew his pain and he knew her's. Their backgrounds were not so different. He found comfort in knowing someone could at least relate. ”You don’t have anywhere to be right?” Crowshroud felt the tide begin to change. ”I mean I should probably be bringing you to my leader to be told off for trespassing on Tempestclan territory, I mean we are not just talking a run in at the border here, you wandered pretty far in…” "....and I have to be reprimanded." He finished for her, seeing already what direction the tide was taking him. "Of course, I've never met - Voidstar is it? - but meeting him for the reason of intruding is as good as any." He smiled that savage smile again. "You will escort me to your camp then?" You insane fool! What are you doing?! You can't be taken into Tempestclan! You may never leave! You may be a prisoner! Beaten, punished, killed for all you know! His conscious was howling at him, instincts trying to pull him back. But the warrior had already waded too far in, and the tide was pulling him out. Besides, if Cherrypaw was there, would he really care if he never left? His emotions were sketchy, and he decided to toss them aside. Standing up, he nodded to the she-cat, enveloped by a seriousness of a defeated rogue that was being taken in to pay his toll.
Or a lone warrior that secretly was hoping things would turn out quite opposite.

Insanity is something you cannot break
not something you can throw away
but something you keep with you in a special place
and share with no one in any which way

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[MiNTY♥]

never been so used as i'm using you, abusing you, my little decoy

Relief washed over her and her insides were able to settle down. As he finished her sentence she turned sharply to look at him, her maw opened in order to scold him but then she paused. She couldn’t decide whether or not she had liked someone else finishing her sentences. Of course nobody had ever done it with her for when they saw how rough she was in a daily situation they probably could not imagine getting all cosy with her. Closing her maw hesitantly she was still confused, and she didn’t like being confused but she decided that the sentence had been finished and so there was no reason to add anything to it. His facial expression was cunning and it made her curious. He clearly wasn’t one of those little whining idiots who made a fuss over nothing, he had a certain charm that was hard to place but for some reason it worked with her.

Crowshroud did not appear to be worried in the slightest; in fact he seemed to be rather confident about the situation. Don’t worry, I will protect you now. ”Voidstar is usually fair enough..ish.” She told the tom with a knowing but slightly ominous smile. ”Plus I am totally his favourite, well not really it’s more like I’m his biggest pain on the ass but he will usually give in just to stop be talking if anything else since I get very persistent when I want something.” She purred as she pictured the fur on the black tom’s pelt rising as she, once again, brought up her warrior ceremony. Honestly! It was about due any minute. She kinked her tail over her back, instructing the tom to follow her as she started to push her way through the undergrowth. ”Yes I shall, if we meet anybody stay behind me and keep your mouth shut; you never know who is in a bad mood.” She added while rolling her eyes at her clan mates.

As they journeyed on the undergrowth grew denser and despite the fact the sky was growing lighter the shadows around them grew darker. ”What is it like for you to walk through another clans territory? I mean obviously you don’t have a clan right now but after living somewhere for so long it must seem strange to be somewhere other than there?” She was rambling a little but she didn’t want there to be silence between them. Suddenly halting she scented Jayblue up ahead, he was evidentially guarding the camp and she sucked in her breath. Tail rippling she signalled for Crowshroud to make forward slowly as she padded forwards to face the tabby tom. After exchanging a few nasty comments between one another she tilted her head towards the entrance for Crowshroud and went in, dragging her sharp glare from the tabby that guarded the camp. Her bitter relationship with the tom could wait until later for she was always up for a good argument but this was not the time.

Catching Voidstar’s scent she saw his black outline quickly disappearing above their heads. ”Voidstar!” She called and the outline paused, it seemed to be moons before his green lights turned to face her and gradually they grew closer as he dragged himself back down the tree trunk, clearly not wanting to deal with her at the present. On one hand she wanted to irritate the leader a little but on the other there was something about him that was colder, more bitter than normal and it made her a little more weary than normal. ”And who is this?” He hissed as he stood towering over her, looking at Crowshroud. Gingerly the leader sniffed the black tom while she opened her mouth to explain. ”He is Crowshroud, he wandered a little too far into our territory and I spotted him while I was on my way back to camp from being out with Hailghost. Naturally I was not going to leave him out on our territory on his own.” She growled in response, standing her ground.

Despite his exceptionally bad-tempered demeanour she could still see it in his eyes, he was considering, calculating even. ”He didn’t appear to be doing any harm but he could have been spying on us for all we know.” She added, flicking her tail. His judgement would be final but she could not stop herself from hoping that he would be able to stay. He looked the part of a warrior, exactly like Voidstar was always seeking. ”I also found out that he camp from Vertigoclan many moons ago, but has been on his own for a long time.” As she said this she sucked in her breath. It could mean the tom was going to be turned away but on the other head Voidstar would have her head without any hesitation if he had to find this out at a later date. ”Well Cherrypaw, since you seem to be so ready to take charge of everything you can keep an eye on him while we determine that he is not spying on us . It is obvious enough that he hasn’t been near his old clan in moons anyway. Now go to your nest and give me some peace and quiet for once, and take Crowshroud with you. Consider it an added test before your warrior ceremony.” With that her leader was gone and she was left standing in the clearing puzzled. Voidstar had been acting a bit strange but it was obviously none of her business. On one hand she wanted to be overjoyed that her new friend would be staying but on the other she was suspicious of Voidstar’s intentions. Turning she gazed up at Crowshroud. ”Well I guess I am your ‘sitter’ now.” She teased lightly with a small smile, not sure how to explain what had just happened.

ANCK SU NAMUN OF CAUTION!

[aero ❥]

Since I was little ain't a goddamn thing changed

find me again.

Since she had called him out, Crowshroud had become more careful looking at her. He studied her nonchalantly now, and he was curious about the expression she had. It faded as she spoke. ”Voidstar is usually fair enough..ish.” "Greeat," He breathed, but wasn't any less deterred. Vertigoclan hadn't been overly fond of Tempestclan, and he had heard rumors about the dark leader. That he was merciless and did not feel pity nor pain - that he was powerful and bloodthirsty. A rogue at heart, at blood. It was all nursery tales, the warrior decided. He would access the leader with his own accounts. And I will be having accounts. This amused Crowshroud very much for an unknown reason. ”Plus I am totally his favorite, well not really it’s more like I’m his biggest pain on the ass but he will usually give in just to stop me talking if anything else since I get very persistent when I want something.” The tom-cat smiled, not his savage grin, but a thin concealing one. "Can't wait to see this go down then." He meowed and started following the pretty apprentice. ”Yes I shall, if we meet anybody stay behind me and keep your mouth shut; you never know who is in a bad mood.” He only nodded, and kept moving. They sound like a bunch of goddamn tyrants. The black fur on the back of his neck rose, and then slowly fell. If bad came to worse Crowshroud could not only protect himself but her as well, if any of her...grumpy...clan mates decided to get personal. But that would ruin his chances. Chances? Of getting into the clan. Was that what he was doing.

”What is it like for you to walk through another clans territory? I mean obviously you don’t have a clan right now but after living somewhere for so long it must seem strange to be somewhere other than there?” It might have been a sensitive question at one time, but Cherrypaw made everything strangely okay to talk about. "Well," His brows knotted together in thought. "It does feel a little weird if I think too hard about it. In a way, it feels like I have a free pass to go anywhere I please - like in a way I have a right to be here. But then again, obviously I don't. I miss my homeland sometimes. I miss the slanted high ground and the rocks - the chilled water of the pond." For a moment he was back under the pines, racing between the thick trunks. As they thinned massive boulders spread for what seemed forever before him. Like any daydream he was able to do the impossible; slowing to pad through a path between two particularly tall rocks, he was beside the pond, surrounded by pines and nettles. The flat rocks that tipped gently into the water just as he remembered. "Nothing can replace those things, and the idea of a fen or rolling moor feels alien. I constantly try to relate things around me to Vertigo territory, because that's what I know best, and if it seemed the same...it might not feel so alien."

When the pair came upon Jayblue, for the first time he actually felt like a trespasser. It was real, and his presence mattered. He was seen. It was ages since he felt guilty or as if he had done wrong, and it made him shuffle his large paws. But he kept his head up, not letting anyone see his emotions. Following Cherrypaw, he locked eyes with the guard. It was the hostile distrust - his old friend. He'd seen it in so many eyes, and now he would be seeing it a lot more. ”Voidstar!” She moves fast! The black tom approached, and Crowshroud went stiff. What was his role here? To be respectful? Wary? Hostile? He should have talked more about it with the she-cat before! ”And who is this?” Faintly he recalled the same tone used by Lynxstar one time or another. A leader thing. (Little did he know Lynxstar no longer was even alive.) The warrior held still as Voidstar sniffed him, lip slightly curling involuntarily. ”He is Crowshroud, he wandered a little too far into our territory and I spotted him while I was on my way back to camp from being out with Hailghost. Naturally I was not going to leave him out on our territory on his own.” Hailghost? The name was vague but familiar. Maybe someone had pointed him out at a gathering. Her mentor? Was that the tom that had caused her to run from her clan so upset? Without meaning to, he felt a little protective. Though more important matters were being discussed, and he had so choice but to keep listening.

”He didn’t appear to be doing any harm but he could have been spying on us for all we know.” Inhale. ”I also found out that he came from Vertigoclan many moons ago, but has been on his own for a long time.” Exhale. ”Well Cherrypaw, since you seem to be so ready to take charge of everything you can keep an eye on him while we determine that he is not spying on us . It is obvious enough that he hasn’t been near his old clan in moons anyway. Now go to your nest and give me some peace and quiet for once, and take Crowshroud with you. Consider it an added test before your warrior ceremony.” Cherrypaw must annoy him an awful lot, He thought, since the leader had dismissed the entire situation with an absurd lack of interest. He either just wanted the calico to leave him alone or he trusted her to be able to watch him. ”Well I guess I am your ‘sitter’ now.” She seemed happy, and the 'prisoner' relaxed. "It seems. I would ask for a tour or something but..." He grinned at his sarcasm. 'Prisoners' didn't get tours. And if he had been assigned someone to watch him, that was what he was, no? Certainly he wasn't a guest. Guests got tours. Not that he expected Cherrypaw to treat him like a prisoner, he almost knew she would gladly give him a tour, but he was rather tired. The camp was waking, the sun just reaching the tops of the trees. "We should probably listen to your leader and get some sleep." The tom yawned, trying to recall the last time he had felt a comfortable nest. Just when I thought I'd finally gotten out of the apprentice's den.

You can reply or this can be it and we say they snuggled up to sleep. ;P Either is fine by me!credit

[MiNTY♥]

never been so used as i'm using you, abusing you, my little decoy

Once the leader had left the two cats they were alone in the camp, no doubt there would be others waking up soon but it was quiet for the moment. A part of her wanted to stick around for a little longer, to see that Hailghost had returned safely to camp. She did still care about him but it was very embarrassing to be the only one fully defending your territory especially when you were the apprentice, as her mentor he should have known better. Fadedbreeze had clearly been hostile and a complete pain but he had held back when he spotted a pretty face. Everyone expected the males to be the strongest warriors but how could they be if they went weak at the knees every time they saw a pretty face then how could they be? Cherrypaw knew she was going to be a good warrior and each day she would get even better. She was sick of the maternal reputation females had for being nice to kits, but no cat would attack a lost kit they could not help but take it in and care for it. Kits are innocent and pose no threat to a clan.

”A tour?” She gasped in fake outrage before shaking her as if she was scolding a cheeky kit. ”You mean you want to see all of our camp and territory just so you can run back to Vetigoclan and tell them all about our set up here, no?” She added sarcastically and rolled her eyes. The fact he was supposedly a prisoner could come in handy to tease him with every now and then but as she heard cats begin to stir she had to agree with Crowshroud. ”Yes we should, I mean at least for now I should give everyone a break from my constant teasing.” She joked with a purr. ”But honestly I think we should stay out of their paws for now while the camp is about to be at it’s busiest.” Glancing around she leaped up the trunk around a fox length and slipped into a small opening in the side.

Upon entering one would see her nest at the back of the unusually small den and alongside it were two other nests, sometimes occupied by other cats who weren’t feeling too social. Cherrypaw hands down refused to share a den with Shard’s obnoxious she-kits. She had been lucky to find an empty den that could only hold between two and three cats. It was good how in Tempestclan not every ranking has a set den, one den would not be nearly enough to hold all of the warriors in the clan and so they usually found a group of warriors that they liked and shared with them. Cherrypaw found an empty den and enjoyed the company, but that was just her. ”Well this is my den, you may occasionally find others here but not too often.” She explained and settled in her nest, arranging it around her. ”So just make yourself comfy I guess.” She added before covering her eyes with a paw.

ANCK SU NAMUN OF CAUTION!

[MiNTY♥]

xx closed