True friendship [OPEN]

[tumainii]

Silentsnow:: Speaks:: Thinks::

[/size]

Why had all this happened? What did they do to deserve this? Was it from all the years of fighting one another; was Star-clan angry with them? Surely nothing they could do would make them so angry as to flood their home with muddy water. No, no, this was just something that happened, something very unfortunate but all part of nature. Sad dark blue eyes casted themselves to what was once Zephyr-clan, and although not as bad at the others was still inhabitable. With no food left for her clan to hunt they were forced over here to Virtigo-clan. All she could feel was stress, being around so many cats, cats who had been enemies no less, with no real place to escape was starting to give her a panic attack. So she kept close to the edge but that didn’t come without a consequence she was near the waters at nearly all times and so her fur seemed to always be damp. Not that most of the cats in the clan were not having this issue but, she could start to feel fever coming on and knew she had better go inwards and try to dry off for at least a few days. If they even stayed there that long.
She slowly and stiffly picked herself up from the tightly coiled ball she placed herself into and took a deep breath. The normally shy and quiet cat this place stuck with so many others was truly hard for her to adjust to. Still, not wanting to look like she could be taken advantage of or like a waste of space for her clan she held her head high keeping her ears perked forward. But her tail twitched side to side quickly with nerves as she began to look for a warmer place to rest. Her eyes darted all over but rather then looking for a place to sit she found herself looking all of the cats over to hostility. Her confidence started to fade and her ears lowered more and more.
As she looked over to her left she collided with something sturdy and quickly looked over all confidence gone, her tail sweeping next to her and her ears laid fully back. With great relief she found it was just a pine tree, she pressed her side up to it and laid back down her all her paws tucked under her and her tail wrapped around. She put her head to the ground and looked at the tree rather than all the cats. Somehow it was calming but she could still smell them, hear them, and sense them all around. At least it was a little drier here but she still refused to uncoil and dry off by licking the water away. Her fur was sticking out in all places due to over active nerves, it wasn’t pretty site since the she cat usually kept her fur sleek and clean. She closed her eyes tightly ‘Oh, what I wouldn’t do to just have a friend, or at least have the confidence to make one.’

[/div]


Words: 515

[Moogle]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=CellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, width: 350px; height: 450px; background-color: #e1e1e1; border: 3px solid #36afb1, btable][STYLE=float: left; width: 100px; height: 100px; background: url(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/939/wandererposticon.png); border: 1px solid #36afb1;] [/style][STYLE=font-family: impact; font-size: 35px; text-align: center; color: #36afb1; padding: 0.5px;]WANDERER[/style][STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 11px; text-align: center; color: #36afb1; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 10px;]my echo, echo is the only voice coming back. Shadow, shadow is the only friend that I have.[/style]

[STYLE=width: 310px; height: 300px; background: transparent; border-top: 1px solid #36afb1; border-bottom: 1px soild #36afb1; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #36afb1; padding: 10px; overflow: auto;]Under normal circumstances, rain was wonderful. It cleared and cooled the air, making long journeys easier. But this rain had been unrelenting for days now. The storm clouds overhead worried her. They hadn't broke in a while. Wanderer had seen them and walked under them for a day or two before arriving in the Clan territories... Only to find every cat had fled to higher ground. As the water continued to rise, she thought it best to follow suit and headed for the mountains herself. She had no fear of water, but she knew better than to tempt angry water spirits. They'd wrap around her and pull her under just for being in the way of their wrath. The water spirits have been disrespected somehow, she mused, paws sinking into the moist ground while she looked for the best place to cross the expanse of water that separated her from the crowd of cats she could see in the distance. Perhaps one of them had upset the spirits. Well, it didn't matter anymore. Water spirits were fickle, and had short memories. Once they'd finished raging, the transgression would be forgotten. There was a spot up ahead where a flat rock stuck out into the water. Though it was submerged, she could still see the gray stone. That'll do. After a moment of hopping from one tuft of sodden grass to the next, Wanderer was standing on the rock with water swirling around her paws. "Please allow me safe passage, I mean no disrespect," she murmured, gazing down at the muddy water for a moment before jumping in, using her wide paws to paddle through. The current nearly swept her away. Instead of fighting it, she swam with the flow, slowly making her way to the island of land where the Clans were taking refuge. She knew they disliked outsiders, but surely they wouldn't mind one cat that wanted to help. This was going to be a big journey if they decided to leave, and Wanderer didn't want to miss out on that. Eventually, the tabby she-cat managed to pulled herself out of the water and onto the muddy bank, shaking out her fur with a quiet laugh. She was all dirty now, but that could be dealt with later. Right now she wanted to have a seat and rest for a bit. She could introduce herself later. There was a pine tree off to the side. It looked strong, despite the tempest that had raged for days. "Ah, the spirits of the earth are kind indeed," she mewed, making her way toward the tree. The bark was soaked, but she still managed to claw her way onto a low branch, knocking loose a few bundles of needles in the process. But the view from her new perch was wonderful. Raising herself into a sitting position, Wanderer set to work drying her fur. A small thud drew her attention. Yellow eyes blinked down at the she-cat who was now laying against the pine. She looked awfully lonely. Perhaps she would want some company. "Hello there," she meowed cheerfully, waving her tail in greeting, "I'm called Wanderer. What's your name?" [/style]

[STYLE=font-family: Century Gothic; font-size: 9px; text-aling: center; color: #36afb1]credit goes to Lunar of OTE and BTN[/style]

[tumainii]

Silentsnow:: Speaks:: Thinks::

[/size]

Fur stood on end when a voice called out a hello, her head moved all around staring at any cat close enough but it didn’t seem like anyone was talking to her. “I’m called wanderer. What’s your name?” Finally Silentsnow’s head flicked up to the branches of the pine tree to see a brown tabby she cat with yellow eyes looking right at her. Her own dark blue ones blinked for a second “I-I’m…I’m Silentsnow…” she spoke softly. Her fur laid back down, she took a quick look over all the others again before scampering up the tree herself.
Not being able to recognize the tabby pelt or name she quietly asked “W-which clan are you from?” but as soon as she sat down the full scent of the she-cat, wanderer, found its way to her own sensitive nose. She wasn’t clan cat at all, just as her name suggest she must have been loner. At least she was friendly enough to say hello to her, clan or not, she wasn’t about to pass up a chance to think about something other than all the cats surrounding her. She might even become a friend, but would they be separated as soon as the clans were able to go home? Clan cats never seemed fond of rouges…
She looked over at the cat but instead of correcting her question she decided to leave it be and let her answer.

[/div]

Words: 238
Comments: Ahhh it’s so short I’m sorry!! ;~; next one will be better!

[Moogle]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=CellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, width: 350px; height: 450px; background-color: #e1e1e1; border: 3px solid #36afb1, btable][STYLE=float: left; width: 100px; height: 100px; background: url(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/939/wandererposticon.png); border: 1px solid #36afb1;] [/style][STYLE=font-family: impact; font-size: 35px; text-align: center; color: #36afb1; padding: 0.5px;]WANDERER[/style][STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 11px; text-align: center; color: #36afb1; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 10px;]my echo, echo is the only voice coming back. Shadow, shadow is the only friend that I have.[/style]

[STYLE=width: 310px; height: 300px; background: transparent; border-top: 1px solid #36afb1; border-bottom: 1px soild #36afb1; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #36afb1; padding: 10px; overflow: auto;](( That's fine, Tumainii c: )) Wanderer decided to switch her focus from her leg to her chest. After all, the faster her body dried, the sooner she'd get warm. Not that she'd stay dry for long, given how wet the weather was. A drop of icy rain dripping down in her ear while it was unprotected, causing her to flinch and bat at her ear in an attempt to shake out the water. "I-I'm...I'm Silentsnow..." My, my, she's a timid one, isn't she? "W-which Clan are you from?" Which Clan? Oh, of course. From the looks of it, there were several Clans gathered together here. Silentsnow probably didn't think a loner would dare turn up at such a gathering. A few more raindrops found their way through the needles and dripped onto her forehead, slowly trickling into her eyes. "I'm merely a traveler. Having heard of the Clans, my curiosity decided that I would seek them out and learn what I could about them," she explained, wiping the water from her face with one paw. Once her eyes were clear again, she continued. "But given the current situation, I fear there will be no time for talk." The brown tabby tilted her head slightly with a sad smile. She hated that these cats were suffering and she couldn't do a thing to help them. Sure, she could try to hunt for them, but what good would that do when there was no prey to be found? The water was too dirty and the flow too swift for fishing, even if she was decent enough at it to catch anything. That's when she realized she should have broken her own rules and turned back the way she'd come as soon as she saw the storm clouds overhead. With all these cats around, they would be hard-pressed to find anything to eat. Oh well, she was used to going hungry every now and then. She'd cope.[/style]

[STYLE=font-family: Century Gothic; font-size: 9px; text-aling: center; color: #36afb1]credit goes to Lunar of OTE and BTN[/style]

[tumainii]

Silentsnow:: Speaks:: Thinks::

[/size]

"I'm merely a traveler. Having heard of the Clans, my curiosity decided that I would seek them out and learn what I could about them, but given the current situation, I fear there will be no time for talk." Silentsnow flicked her own water droplets from her ears just by simply twitching them before speaking “Oh, I see…” she said softly “Yes, o-our situation isn’t good right now. “ she agreed her stutters getting less frequent “There are four clans in whole, usually we are spread out around the lake.” She explained pointing her pink nose to what was once a calm body of water, but now a torrent of unforgiving mud. “But, we are all gathered here on Virtigo-clan territory now due to the weather.”
The weather, when was it going to stop? Was it ever going to let up and allow the clans to go home? Or were they going to have to find another place to live. The very thought made tears well up in her blue eyes, this was her home and no other place could replace it. All of her memories were here, good and bad alike.
“I’m not sure what our clan leaders are going to do…” she said softly. She sighed quietly and looked down at the mingling clan cats. Everyone looked miserable as far as she could tell, cold, wet and hungry. It never made for a good mix and she was surprised that a fight hadn’t been brought out yet.
‘I guess that’s another worry, would all the cats riot? After days of hunger and being in a cramped place tension and emotions would run high.’ She shook her head to banish the thoughts, it was to scary to think about, she could hold her own in a fight, but against all of the rival clans? It seemed like suicide.
“Anyway, so you came here to learn about clan life?” she asked tilting her head a little “What kind of questions did you have? Maybe I can answer them…?”

[/div]

[Moogle]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=CellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, width: 350px; height: 450px; background-color: #e1e1e1; border: 3px solid #36afb1, btable][STYLE=float: left; width: 100px; height: 100px; background: url(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/939/wandererposticon.png); border: 1px solid #36afb1;] [/style][STYLE=font-family: impact; font-size: 35px; text-align: center; color: #36afb1; padding: 0.5px;]WANDERER[/style][STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 11px; text-align: center; color: #36afb1; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 10px;]my echo, echo is the only voice coming back. Shadow, shadow is the only friend that I have.[/style]

[STYLE=width: 310px; height: 300px; background: transparent; border-top: 1px solid #36afb1; border-bottom: 1px soild #36afb1; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #36afb1; padding: 10px; overflow: auto;]"There are four Clans in whole, usually we are spread out around the lake. But, we are all gathered here on VertigoClan territory now due to the weather." The young warrior's eyes showed the sorrow she couldn't From speaking with Silentsnow, the loner could tell her own worries were not unique. Wanderer had never understood the ties that bound cats to certain places. Why would anyone stay put when there were so many places to see in the world? She understood the pain brought on by leaving loved ones behind, of course, but no matter where one went, they'd always have that place in their heart. Lost in her own thoughts, she missed Silentsnow's mention of the Clan leaders. "What kind of questions did you have? Maybe I can answer them...?" Oh, right. Her reason for coming in the first place. She'd temporarily forgotten, caught in the whirlwind of thoughts. "I already know each Clan has a leader and a second-in-command, but who talks to the spirits for you? Or does everyone speak with them?" Although, if they did have at least one cat that communed with the spirits, they might not be in the situation they all found themselves now, so perhaps they didn't. She paused for a moment before adding, "Is it true the Clans assign an older cat to teach a younger how to hunt and defend themselves?" That was one of the rumors she found most interesting. Usually, mothers taught their kits how to survive, but Wanderer had been informed that the Clans did things differently. However, she hadn't gotten any details from the old tom that had claimed to have crossed paths with a Clan patrol in his youth. Since he had insisted that he'd seen all three of the cats off single-pawed, Wanderer wasn't sure if his information was reliable.[/style]

[STYLE=font-family: Century Gothic; font-size: 9px; text-aling: center; color: #36afb1]credit goes to Lunar of OTE and BTN[/style]

[tumainii]

Silentsnow:: Speaks:: Thinks::

[/size]

Silentsnow smiled warmly as a few questions dripped out of Wanderers’ muzzle. The silver bangle cat waved her tail back and forth calmly. She was feeling more confident around this new comer, though she was still very worried about what all the other clan cats would think of her sniffing around, would they be hostile? She was especially worried of cats who were all about clan laws and of course the leaders with their deputies. Speaking of clan law was it ok to answer questions about her clan? She looked out to her clan for a second and decided it was ok, after all what harm would it do? Telling her a few things here and there surely wouldn’t come back to claw her in the nose.
“Yes we have a cat that talks to Starclan, they double as our medicine cats. Each clan only has one though, and of course an apprentice when the time is right.” She didn’t know much about medicine cat life other then they left to speak to them every new moon, usually they talked to leaders about issues revealed by Starclan, though she felt this information wasn’t important, at least not to Wanderer, so she conveniently left it out.
“And the other is true to, we assign cats a mentor at six moons. Their names change too, “she added finding this information strangely interesting “For example when they are kits they could be named ‘Fire-kit’ or ‘Frost-kit’. After being apprenticed it would be changed to ‘Fire-paw’ and ‘Frost-paw’. They are taught battle moves, best ways to hunt mice or rodents, birds and if the clan calls for it, fish, and of course just basic ways of clan life, like how they don’t eat unless their elders do first.” She looked over at the mass of cats again and then Wanderer was she considering joining? Was that why she wanted to know about them? Maybe, but maybe not, the idea was exciting though. Some cats might not like when strays joined in a clan but she personally didn’t mind. As long as they did their part and kept mouths feed, kits safe then why should it matter? Others would call her bad blood though, she wasn’t clan material simply because she wasn’t born into it, didn’t seem right.
"What made you want to seek out the clans, just the questions?"

[/div]

[Moogle]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=CellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, width: 350px; height: 450px; background-color: #e1e1e1; border: 3px solid #36afb1, btable][STYLE=float: left; width: 100px; height: 100px; background: url(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/939/wandererposticon.png); border: 1px solid #36afb1;] [/style][STYLE=font-family: impact; font-size: 35px; text-align: center; color: #36afb1; padding: 0.5px;]WANDERER[/style][STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 11px; text-align: center; color: #36afb1; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 10px;]my echo, echo is the only voice coming back. Shadow, shadow is the only friend that I have.[/style]

[STYLE=width: 310px; height: 300px; background: transparent; border-top: 1px solid #36afb1; border-bottom: 1px soild #36afb1; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #36afb1; padding: 10px; overflow: auto;]Such complicated names. But there is a certain beauty in them, she mused, listening to the warrior's explanation with her head tilted slightly. Now the warrior's strange name made sense. It dawned on her that warrior names had great meaning, much like her own name. Just from the other she-cat's name, Wanderer could guess she was most likely a withdrawn young cat, but gentle. Oh, this could turn out to be fun, guessing a cat's personality based on their name, especially if it was as accurate as Wanderer predicted it would be. Being an apprentice sounded like hard work, though. Having to wait to eat after a long day of training must be tough. She understood the significance of feeding elders first, since they couldn't hunt for themselves, but a young cat might not. "What made you want to seek out the clans, just the questions?" Wanderer let out a mrrow of laughter. "For the most part, yes. I have seen many places in my life, and few things can surprise me. But when word of the Clans reached me, it piqued my curiosity. My desire for knowledge led me here. I wish to learn all that I can, so that I may pass on the memories of the past to the next generation before I join the other traveling spirits," she replied, turning her gaze to the sky for a moment. It raged like a great gray beast, growling and threatening even more rain. Too much more and the last sanctuary the clans had would become unlivable. "Say," Wanderer began, shifting her focus to Silentsnow once more, "what do you think will happen next? We are all running out of options." Though she wasn't a Clan cat, she had unwittingly put herself in the same situation. There was no going back without drowning, after all, and without knowing the territory she couldn't move on in this weather. Perhaps she could be of use here, at least. She hunted during storms all the time. To be honest, they were never storms like this one, but surely there couldn't be that big of a difference.[/style]

[STYLE=font-family: Century Gothic; font-size: 9px; text-aling: center; color: #36afb1]credit goes to Lunar of OTE and BTN[/style]

[tumainii]

Silentsnow:: Speaks:: Thinks::

[/size]

She listened with curiosity, she had never met a loner who would willing come in to clan cat territory, but then again as she thought about it, she had never truly met a loner before. A cat who’s backyard was the world itself.
“I wish to learn all that I can, so that I may pass on the memories of the past to the next generation before I join the other traveling spirits.” Such a simple wish, and yet in this small wish Silentsnow grew a new found respect for this she-cat. She was different in a way, it seemed like clan cats were territory paranoid, but she only wanted to share, to give and receive knowledge. Silentsnow wasn’t sure how old this cat was, but she looked pretty young, and if she was correct then Wanderer had a understanding beyond her youth. She envied her a little, she wished she could be like her. But maybe in a small way she was, she only needed to grow. After all she was only 14 moons old, still a very young female. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise to meet a loner like this, a chance for her to develop her own character and help determine what should be put first and what should be put second.
”Say,” Her voice snapped her back to the present and she felt a small twinge of embarrassment for having stared at her ”What do you think will happen next? We are all running out of options.” Silentsnow sighed quietly and looked downwards to all of the clans and then to the angry waters next to them. As much as she hated to admit it, Wanderer was right, options were running low and even though the mere thought left her with tears welling in her eyes, she couldn’t see any other option but to leave this place, their home.
“So many memories here… it is hard for all cats I’m sure. But slowly, one by one, I think we all must come to the conclusion that this area isn’t habitable anymore…” she said softly so no other cats would catch her words and think bad of her for wanting to leave this place. She knew while some cats would probably enjoy and welcome the new experience, others wouldn’t like it in the least, while the remaining wouldn’t like it but understand that it had to be done.
“The prey is low, and there isn’t a dry spot to sleep on…if we are smart,” She looked over to Wanderer “We will leave, and try to find a new home. Somewhere maybe even better then here.” once more she looked over to the clan cats “My only worry is that not all of them will be willing to leave this place, and not that I can blame them, this is the only territory we have known for season and seasons. It’s our home.” Wait, had she said “we” she looked at the loner, maybe she had miss spoken, she wasn’t bound to these clans after all she could come and go as she pleased.
But to be sure she tilted her head a little and asked “What will you do?”

[/div]

FINALLY.
I’m sorry this took so long, this week has been one hell of a week. But I made sure it was long for you to not disappoint :3

[Moogle]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=CellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, width: 350px; height: 450px; background-color: #e1e1e1; border: 3px solid #36afb1, btable][STYLE=float: left; width: 100px; height: 100px; background: url(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/939/wandererposticon.png); border: 1px solid #36afb1;] [/style][STYLE=font-family: impact; font-size: 35px; text-align: center; color: #36afb1; padding: 0.5px;]WANDERER[/style][STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 11px; text-align: center; color: #36afb1; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 10px;]my echo, echo is the only voice coming back. Shadow, shadow is the only friend that I have.[/style]

[STYLE=width: 310px; height: 300px; background: transparent; border-top: 1px solid #36afb1; border-bottom: 1px soild #36afb1; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #36afb1; padding: 10px; overflow: auto;]Raindrops trickled through the pine needles, dripping down around her. Wanderer had chosen a a relatively safe spot below a thick branch, and water still managed to drip down and soak her paws. Oh well. It was better than being blinded. She knew by now she couldn't afford to be picky. Every other cat was probably as wet as she was, if not more so. She listened to Silentsnow's response with rapt attention, nodding slowly with approval. Cats were always reluctant to leave familiar places behind, so it was good that some of these Clan cats already seemed to have their minds set on leaving. Wanderer hadn't noticed that the other she-cat had been staring, most likely because she had a tendancy to do the same thing when lost in thought. "The prey is low, and there isn’t a dry spot to sleep on…if we are smart, we will leave, and try to find a new home. Somewhere maybe even better then here." The young warrior's concern was obvious, not just for herself, but all the cats gathered here. It was truly bad news, but Wanderer couldn't ignore the spark of excitement. It would be dangerous... But it would also be a chance for these cats to truly see the world. Maybe not as she did, but it was a start. "What will you do?" That was a good question. To be honest, Wanderer never gave such a thing much thought. True to her name, the lone she-cat simply traversed the land in which ever direction she wished. Well, aside from backwards. She never returned to a place she had already visited, and she didn't plan to, if it could be helped. "I have not decided," she replied, wrapping her tail around her paws. "But if the Clans do indeed leave their home, I would like to follow them for the time being. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime journey, and I do not wish to miss it." Above them, the thunder rumbled once again, causing the tabby she-cat to look up in concern. It was already raining. Surely it wasn't going to get worse. "And perhaps my experience can be of use," Wanderer added with a smile, looking bright. After all, she knew what to expect on the open road; the Clans did not. I wish I knew where they could go, Wanderer thought sullenly, taking care not to let the emotion replace the cheerfulness in her eyes. She had passed through many prosperous areas in her travels, yes, but none large enough to support so many lives. And any place that was large enough had too many twolegs or other dangers. This will be trickier than I predicted. [/style]

[STYLE=font-family: Century Gothic; font-size: 9px; text-aling: center; color: #36afb1]credit goes to Lunar of OTE and BTN[/style]

[tumainii]

Silentsnow:: Speaks:: Thinks::

[/size]

More thunder rumbled, from the corner of her eye she saw some cats jump and look up, but Silentsnow didn’t flinch as she listened to Wanderer.
‘She wants to come with?’ She questioned silently, a cat willing to come in the clans. Not just a cat but a cat who might become her friend in the long run, her whiskers twitched with joy but they stopped soon after. Yes a cat with some experience on the road might be very useful indeed but what would the clan leaders think?
“We would have to talk to all four leaders…” she said softly “Before you can travel with us. I personally don’t see a problem with it but others might for this or that reason.” Some clan cats didn’t like outsiders joining in for fear or mixed blood, or bad blood. Some of these clan cats, especially the older ones were very concerned with blood lines. “That or follow from afar.” She said offering another suggestion. If Silentsnow introduced Wanderer to her leaders, would they be mad at her? Somehow she didn’t think so but it stayed in the back of her mind, the last thing she wanted to be considered was a traitor. But what was she thinking! Nothing had been said yet, there was not definite in their moving “But, perhaps I’m getting a head of myself.” She mused flicking her tail like a whip to get some rain water off of it “I don’t know if we are moving just yet so I guess all this planning will just go to waste.” Still if Wanderer planned to stay with them for any amount of time they probably needed to find the leaders anyway, she sighed softly, it made her stomach turn “But if you want to stay to wait for our leaders decision we should probably go find them anyway. I don’t want them to think I’m smuggling you in.” she said with a light humor but she probably meant it more then it sounded.

[/div]