I Dreamed I Was Missing

[cinder]

Brindlefoot trotted down the slim passage, both of her sides brushing the walls. She had squeezed into the smallest passege that she could find in hopes of illuding any possible persuit. As she came out into the small cavern, she slowed her pace and listened for any sounds of feet behind her. There were none.

Brindlefoot sat down and took a breath and let her body relax. She let the muscles down her back and down into the rest of her body let go and go a little bit lax. The tip of her tail tapping lightly on the cold hard floor of the cavern. Her eyes closed for just a moment then opened to take in her surroundings.

The cavern was medium sized; big enough to fit half a dozen cats into. Though it was dark, she could see that the walls were slick with water and there were small columbs beginning to drop down from the celing. There was a small puddle up against the wall that was farthest from Brindlefoot, and there was a splash now and again as a drop of water fell into it.

Bindlefoot sat and thought of all that had happened within the last few days. They had been moved from their forest home (even if it was not theirhome, trecked till she thought her paws were going to fall off, and then ended up here in a dark and dripping cave. Then her mind switched gears and moved to a different line of thinking. What was her place in all of this? She doubted that she had an impact on the path of the journey at all. For that matter, she doubted that anyone would even notice or care that she was missing.

[lily ♫]

It hadn't really hit her until she'd found her clan leaving the refuge that VertigoClan land had become for them after their own territory had been flooded out, and by now Orioleflash was anything but calm. She felt lost and out of place, especially hidden away in the caves. Her body and her mind ached desperately for even the sodden moors, their windy embrace something that was now only in the past. Of course she had cried, but only in solitude. Afterall, the small calico was never one for emotions, especially in front of others. Shuddering at the thought of it, the ZephyrClan she-cat shook herself lightly before continuing her lonely walk through some of the cave's tightest tunnels. The deeeper she seemed to go, the more desperate she was to turn around and go back to where she belonged.

A sigh escaped her lips between her clenched teeth, forming more of a hiss than a regular exhale of air, and the calico couldn't help but mutter beneath her breath. "StarClan, why'd this happen to us?" Was her complaint as she rolled her eyes, her annoyance quite obvious upon her multicolored facial features. It was then that she caught the scent of a female clanmate, carelessly dragging in the cool damp air in between her jaws, picking it apart lazily with moons of practice. Brindlefoot. She thought before padding forward. The caven narrowed into more of a tunnel and Orioleflash thought to herself, 'StarClan, please don't let me die here.' She was a brave she-cat, though such an enclosed space was enough to put her on edge.

As her paws carried her and the tunnel finally widened into an open cavern and Orioleflash blinked at the pool of water, eyes widening slightly as she padded up to stand next to her clanmate. "What, they get sick of you too and decide to kick you out like they did to me?" Orioleflash muttered, glancing at the brindled female before letting her saffron yellow eyes focus on the water's rippling surface. "Reminds me of the lake back home. Y'know, home home." She admitted, stressing the word 'home' as she repeated herself, shaking her head from side to side before drawing in a deep breath. "So." She started, but didn't continue. Instead she stepped forward, placing a paw in the cool water and allowing a shiver to chase itself down her body from her head to her tail. "Brr." Orioleflash stepped back before glancing at her clanmate. "It's so cold it almost shocks you. Hopefully the chill won't set into our bones." She muttered, returning her gaze to the pool once more.

[cinder]

Through her musings and roaming thoughts, Brindlefoot picked up the faint scent of another cat. She parted her jaws just slightly to let the scent into her mouth and across her scent glands. She was only half paying attention, this process was natural to her by now. Within just a moment she knew that it was Orioleflash; a beautiful calico warrior with bright saffron yellow eyes. Brindlefoot sat and waited for her arrival. As she scented the air she could smell the stress on the she cat. But then again that was a scent that almost all of the cats carried on their pelts these days. She didn't have to put much thought into why it hung there in the coats of her clanmates, why would it not with all of the things that had happened in past moons? We have only been run out of our home by water, chased into the camp of another clan, and then moved again from there to be dumped in this. Why should anyone be stressed?? She muttered to herself.

Orioleflash had come into the cave over by the pool, Brindlefoot could see the colors of her pelt dance as she moved into the space. Orioleflash padded up to stand next to her where she sat with her tail now curled around her paws. "What, they get sick of you too and decide to kick you out like they did to me?" Orioleflash's eyes flicked up and then back to the pool before her paws. "Reminds me of the lake back home. Y'know, home home." She was quiet for a moment and then spoke again "So" but then decided against whatever she had been about to say. Orioleflash stepped forward and put a paw in the water. "Brr." "It's so cold it almost shocks you. Hopefully the chill won't set into our bones."

Brindlefoot turned her eyes from the pool to the pretty cat standing beside her, eyes questioning. "No, more like I got tired of them and left. I just needed some quiet, the sound echos to much in these caves and it gives me a headache. Who kicked you out? Do you wanna talk about it?" Brindlefoot thought back to Oriole's comment about the cold settling into their bones, and wondered if maybe they should be mor concrned about it settling into their hearts.

[lily ♫]

At the other she-cat's words she snorted. "Sweetheart, I get sick of them every day of my life." The calico replied, shaking her head from side to side and locking her saffron gaze upon Brindlefoot. "Oh yeah?" Orioleflash asked when she mentioned a headache. Frowning slightly, she shrugged. "Sorry if I make it worse, then." She muttered quietly, flicking her tail irritably. As Brindlefoot asked about who had kicked her out, Orioleflash laughed bitterly looking down at the smooth contours of the cave floor. "No one specifically, they just don't find me the best cat to ber around." The calico admitted, her words turning as bitter as her heart felt. "Hell, even my own mate seems to be avoiding me." She whispered, shaking her head lightly before focusing on the other she-cat. "So, what's up with you, then? Besides the headache?"

[cinder]

Brindlefoot's ears flicked backwards and her head dipped slightly at the harsh tone in Orioleflash's voice, she hadn't meant to offend the she-cat. I didn't say that you made it worse, you do not. I do not mind your being here at all. Brindlefoot sat quitely for a few moments looking at the other cat as she studied the floor of the cave beneath her paws.

"No one specifically, they just don't find me the best cat to ber around. Hell, even my own mate seems to be avoiding me. So, what's up with you, then? Besides the headache?" Brindlefoot could hear the bitterness in the other cat's voice, and wondered what had happened to her to make her feel that way. She pulled her mind back on track to answer Orioleflash's question.

"It's not like it matters if I come up missing, no one notices anyway. The only ones who take any notice of me are toms. I'm not that great at making friends I guess. I don't know what my place in this whole journey is. Everything is moving so fast..." Brindlefoot trailed off and then shut her mouth quickely realizing that she had probably shared too much.

[lily ♫]

The calico snorted lightly in response to Brindlefoot's comments, her own ears adjusting as the other she-cat looked slightly offended. 'Oh well. Orioleflash thought to herself, for she was much more irritable than usual. She had no StarClan-forsaken way to get away from these damn cats no matter where she went. Taking in a deep breath, the ZephyrClan she-cat tried to calm down, reminding herself that Brindlefoot was in a nearly identical situation (well, absolutely identical, really) and with a rolling of her eyes, Orioleflash exhaled a bit loudly, lamely allowing her attention to focus on the other she-cat once more.

As she opened her mouth to answer just as snappily as before, Orioleflash stopped, her eyes widening as she recognized the hurt that her clanmate felt too. No one noticed if they disappeared, hell, even if they did it was a good thing in most cases! Friends were hard to come by, especially now as the clans were so haphazardly thrown together, smashed, really, all inside this network of cavern. She closed her mouth, sighing quietly before glancing back up at Brindlefoot with her saffron eyes lit up with an understanding light. "I know what you mean." She admitted, looking back down toward the water. "I've barely even had a friend since I was apprenticed. I-I just don't know how to anymore!" The calico cried, exasperatedly. She shook her head. "I was almost there, so close! And then the flooding happened, and Runningfox came back. I've changed so much, and it's all been unintentionally!" Vented the she-cat, drawing her rant to a close as her muscles tensed and she grew even more nervous than usual.

[cinder]

Brindlefoot sat quiely for a moment, suprised by her clan mate's outburst. She had not expected Orioleflash to open up to her like that, she had seemed so guarded and defensive. Brindlefoot looked at her paws as she spoke, not sure how that other cat would react to her words.

It sounds like we are in the same situation. I don't have another cat to worry about like you do with Runningfox, but I understand. You have it worse off than I do I think. Maybe we don't have to be as alone anymore though. Maybe we could be... friends... I mean if you wanted to that is.

Brindlefoot scuffed her paw on the ground, still looking down, not sure that she wanted to see the look on the she-cat's face. Brindlefoot had never been comfortable with this kind of thing, and was afraid of rejection. She anxiously awaited the answer, hoping that it was the one that she so desperately wanted.