Alongside A Mountain {Private}

[Brilliance]

That settled it.

She didn't have to tell him anything else.

Umbraice quickly camouflaged with their surroundings, slinking away until he was a good distance from camp. He turned his head once just to keep up with Auroraflame, the ebony feline. She had surprised him, that was for sure. She wasn't as sweet as he thought she was. The insult she gave him, made him laugh. He could sense the humor in her, and it made his eyes sparked. The silver tom started to feel a lot more comfortable around the deputy than when the two first meet. ''Okay...if I can't call you a beggar, then what can I call you? How about a vagabond, moocher, or even, perhaps a peasant?'' He threw her back a smirk, before he slowed down his pace to match her evenly. He didn't want to leave her behind, or for her to get lost. Though he doubted she would get lost. The tom was like a navigation system. He's been there before, and he's done it all. That would be an exaggeration. The tom haven't done everything. He's done most, which was why he knew the lands better than most cats. The tom took serious to what she said, and in a joking, nervous manner, he replied. ''But, please, do not claw my ears off. As much as I would love for the world to be silent to me, I enjoy listening to the birds sing and the chatter of other cats.''

The mountain wasn't that far. It was a good distance away from camp, and since it was large, it could be seen from afar. It was the mountain he visit most times to get away from camp, and to perfect his running speed. Especially on tough surfaces. Not most cats could run swiftly on the side of a mountain. Glancing at Auroraflame, he wondered if the ebony she-cat could do the same. The silver tabby's eyes lingered onto her muscles. When she walked, he could see the ripples of them, and he concluded that hard work did pay off. His eyes widened a bit, noticing that he was just staring before he turned them to the front. He cleared his throat, warning her. ''Just going to say this real quick; other animals conceal themselves in the mountain sides. That mean we have to be careful with mountain cats, bears, and...many other lunatic animals.'' The tom made a slight shudder. He remembered one time escaped the jaws of a mountain cat. Those mammals were large and a lot scarier than the smaller cats he known. The tom would probably one day be able to tell her the story, and the scar to prove it, but for now he wanted her to experience a time of freedom.

Umbraice looked around. One thing he did love was the sweet vision of nature. It was welcoming to him as if he were their own kit. The way the breeze felt, the way the rain would patter down, and the way the sun would warm the bodies. It was pleasant for him. And, easy to love. Who wouldn't love nature? The tom knew that those who hated nature, had to hate themselves. Hating nature was hating starclan's creation. Though, he wondered if starclan even created this large bountiful earth..or was there an even higher power than starclan? It was a debatable discussion that he did not want to focus on.

Right now, as he was walking to his favorite place, he could make out the small valley of the mountain. That was the entrance, dazzled by wild flowers and yellowish green grass. ''If you get too tired, we can always go back. Though, I know a good resting place for a small nap, if you're interested.'' When a cat ventures off to this place as much as he did, it was easy to get to know it like the back of your paw. He knew there was a small den, drilled into the side of the mountain that was perfect for shade and relaxation. And, maybe even a nap. He knew that the deputy was tired, but after a fun-thrilled day? He was quite sure that she would be exhausted. He was quite exhausted as well. His muscles ached, but he didn't want to show off this weakness. That weakness that he was tired, and that his body was overriding his mind. Umbraice did not like the feeling. When he was ready to sleep, he would go to sleep. He would curl up in a nice tall grassy area before he was completely knocked. However, if he was too exhausted, he would just collapse wherever he was. He would be pleased, though he often woke up in the middle of the night. Sometimes of a bad dream. Sometimes of the annoying nocturnal animals. Other times to remember his surroundings. The tom was often paranoid at night, and since he slept outside the warriors' den, he knew he would be the only one fending for himself.

Nearing the first large rock, the tom swiftly jumped onto it. From moons of running on the side of a mountain and making precise movements when jumping, he perfected a high jumping streak, where he could hop higher and further than others. Though his landings weren't always perfect. In fact, they needed to be worked on a lot more. The tom was clumsy. He would never admit this to others, but as he was daring, he was clumsy. He fell a lot, probably got bruised more than others. The tom looked around from the rock, staring ahead at the mountain and the valley that awaited them. ''I would advise you to be careful when running or climbing these mountains...they are easy to create a...rockfall.'' He chuckled before he jumped down. And, as if on cue, he almost lost his footing, but regained it. What an embarrassment that was. ''I'm okay!'' He exclaimed out of pure reflex. He quickly closed his maw, before emitting out an awkward chuckle before he turned away from her and walked into the valley, being greeted by the walls of the large mountains.

It was quite beautiful. Nature was beautiful. Landscape was beautiful, and he loved it. The tom stopped in his tracks to stretch, allowing a small yawn to surface. ''This is it. Ahead, you'll find a small lake--it's very beautiful.'' And, it was. A medium-sized lake, accompanied by a waterfall. The waterfall flowed easily, a path behind it. When Umbraice first encountered the depth lake, he thought it was a romantic scene. Somewhere where two cats would admit their love for each other. The tom refused to tell that to Auroraflame. That would just be...weird. And awkward. Haven't he been awkward enough already?

Umbraice walked a bit further into the valley, before he stopped and looked towards Auroraflame. He wondered what she thought of this place, and feared that she might not like it. The tom did not know her fully yet, and he respected and valued her opinion. His tail swayed impatiently, something that often happened when he was anxious as his blue eyes searched her. He couldn't even voice the question, becoming speechless in the process.

@Empress Of Evil

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Noire

That settled it.

She didn't have to tell him anything else.

Umbraice quickly camouflaged with their surroundings, slinking away until he was a good distance from camp. He turned his head once just to keep up with Auroraflame, the ebony feline. She had surprised him, that was for sure. She wasn't as sweet as he thought she was. The insult she gave him, made him laugh. He could sense the humor in her, and it made his eyes sparked. The silver tom started to feel a lot more comfortable around the deputy than when the two first meet. ''Okay...if I can't call you a beggar, then what can I call you? How about a vagabond, moocher, or even, perhaps a peasant?'' He threw her back a smirk, before he slowed down his pace to match her evenly. He didn't want to leave her behind, or for her to get lost. Though he doubted she would get lost. The tom was like a navigation system. He's been there before, and he's done it all. That would be an exaggeration. The tom haven't done everything. He's done most, which was why he knew the lands better than most cats. The tom took serious to what she said, and in a joking, nervous manner, he replied. ''But, please, do not claw my ears off. As much as I would love for the world to be silent to me, I enjoy listening to the birds sing and the chatter of other cats.''

The mountain wasn't that far. It was a good distance away from camp, and since it was large, it could be seen from afar. It was the mountain he visit most times to get away from camp, and to perfect his running speed. Especially on tough surfaces. Not most cats could run swiftly on the side of a mountain. Glancing at Auroraflame, he wondered if the ebony she-cat could do the same. The silver tabby's eyes lingered onto her muscles. When she walked, he could see the ripples of them, and he concluded that hard work did pay off. His eyes widened a bit, noticing that he was just staring before he turned them to the front. He cleared his throat, warning her. ''Just going to say this real quick; other animals conceal themselves in the mountain sides. That mean we have to be careful with mountain cats, bears, and...many other lunatic animals.'' The tom made a slight shudder. He remembered one time escaped the jaws of a mountain cat. Those mammals were large and a lot scarier than the smaller cats he known. The tom would probably one day be able to tell her the story, and the scar to prove it, but for now he wanted her to experience a time of freedom.

Umbraice looked around. One thing he did love was the sweet vision of nature. It was welcoming to him as if he were their own kit. The way the breeze felt, the way the rain would patter down, and the way the sun would warm the bodies. It was pleasant for him. And, easy to love. Who wouldn't love nature? The tom knew that those who hated nature, had to hate themselves. Hating nature was hating starclan's creation. Though, he wondered if starclan even created this large bountiful earth..or was there an even higher power than starclan? It was a debatable discussion that he did not want to focus on.

Right now, as he was walking to his favorite place, he could make out the small valley of the mountain. That was the entrance, dazzled by wild flowers and yellowish green grass. ''If you get too tired, we can always go back. Though, I know a good resting place for a small nap, if you're interested.'' When a cat ventures off to this place as much as he did, it was easy to get to know it like the back of your paw. He knew there was a small den, drilled into the side of the mountain that was perfect for shade and relaxation. And, maybe even a nap. He knew that the deputy was tired, but after a fun-thrilled day? He was quite sure that she would be exhausted. He was quite exhausted as well. His muscles ached, but he didn't want to show off this weakness. That weakness that he was tired, and that his body was overriding his mind. Umbraice did not like the feeling. When he was ready to sleep, he would go to sleep. He would curl up in a nice tall grassy area before he was completely knocked. However, if he was too exhausted, he would just collapse wherever he was. He would be pleased, though he often woke up in the middle of the night. Sometimes of a bad dream. Sometimes of the annoying nocturnal animals. Other times to remember his surroundings. The tom was often paranoid at night, and since he slept outside the warriors' den, he knew he would be the only one fending for himself.

Nearing the first large rock, the tom swiftly jumped onto it. From moons of running on the side of a mountain and making precise movements when jumping, he perfected a high jumping streak, where he could hop higher and further than others. Though his landings weren't always perfect. In fact, they needed to be worked on a lot more. The tom was clumsy. He would never admit this to others, but as he was daring, he was clumsy. He fell a lot, probably got bruised more than others. The tom looked around from the rock, staring ahead at the mountain and the valley that awaited them. ''I would advise you to be careful when running or climbing these mountains...they are easy to create a...rockfall.'' He chuckled before he jumped down. And, as if on cue, he almost lost his footing, but regained it. What an embarrassment that was. ''I'm okay!'' He exclaimed out of pure reflex. He quickly closed his maw, before emitting out an awkward chuckle before he turned away from her and walked into the valley, being greeted by the walls of the large mountains.

It was quite beautiful. Nature was beautiful. Landscape was beautiful, and he loved it. The tom stopped in his tracks to stretch, allowing a small yawn to surface. ''This is it. Ahead, you'll find a small lake--it's very beautiful.'' And, it was. A medium-sized lake, accompanied by a waterfall. The waterfall flowed easily, a path behind it. When Umbraice first encountered the depth lake, he thought it was a romantic scene. Somewhere where two cats would admit their love for each other. The tom refused to tell that to Auroraflame. That would just be...weird. And awkward. Haven't he been awkward enough already?

Umbraice walked a bit further into the valley, before he stopped and looked towards Auroraflame. He wondered what she thought of this place, and feared that she might not like it. The tom did not know her fully yet, and he respected and valued her opinion. His tail swayed impatiently, something that often happened when he was anxious as his blue eyes searched her. He couldn't even voice the question, becoming speechless in the process.

@Empress Of Evil

Ref of Mountain

With her words said, they had left the camp, quick as a flash. It didn't take long for them to slink off into the distance and blend in with the surrounding territory. The sun was starting to set, so Auroraflame's black pelt meant it wouldn't be easy if one were to try following her through the night. It struck the deputy that technically they were going beyond their territory. For a deputy, this wasn't very responsible.
However, the deputy really wanted to just get away from everything she knew and just try to relax and try something new. Remembering back to when they were still in camp, Auroraflame could remember the look on his face when she had insulted him. It had been quite amusing for the ebony she-cat. Most wouldn't have expected something like that to come out of her mouth. But Auroraflame actually quite enjoyed insulting others, although she didn't ever mean any of it. "Well, think about each one logically and compare them with you and me," the black she-cat replied, a smirk of her own starting to grow on her maw. "Vagabond? Considering i'm stuck in camp all day, I think that word would suit you better," Auroraflame snorted, her expression calm yet amused at the same time. "Moocher? I believe you're the moocher here," the ebony she-cat continued. "And peasant? Well if i'm a peasant then what does that make you?" Auroraflame asked smugly, a big smirk now firmly planted on her face. Not only did the deputy know how to insult someone, she knew how to burn someone as well.

The deputy then turned her attention away from the silver tabby and took the time to admire the scenery. The mountain itself was a beautiful thing. It seemed to loom over many things and it was seen as a big figure from a huge distance. It was an amazing sight to be looking at. Auroraflame now understood why Umbraice liked this place. There were certainly things that the ebony she-cat found cooler, but this mountain was still a very nice place. The deputy soon turned her icy gaze back to the silver tom and made an expression that was crossed between weirded out and amused. It appeared that the warrior was looking at her muscles. How funny, Auroraflame thought, though it was a rather sarcastic thought. If the deputy were to be honest, she would say that she didn't really mind others looking at her physical features, however it bugged her when specific cats, (especially toms), looked at her. Although Umbraice was okay, she didn't mind him looking. As long as his gaze didn't linger on her for too long, then she could get rather snappy. When Umbraice mentioned lunatic like animals, Auroraflame felt a small grin growing on her maw. "Lovely! More insane buddies for me!" she remarked. It was half a joke. Of course, she was feeling much more cautious now, however, the deputy could go rather crazy when she was tired. Or just when she felt like it. She did weird, but funny things. That was part of the fun trait she had in her personality.

The longer they were on this mountain, the further down the sun went. It was getting rather hard to see but the deputy didn't mind too much. She could still sense things, and it wasn't that hard to see what was in front of her. She just wouldn't be able to see very far. The mountain was a tall and towering structure, and a beautiful thing to look at. It was a good thing that Auroraflame wasn't scared of heights, otherwise she probably would've fallen face first down the mountain. No, the she-cat was scared of other things. Some more serious than falling down a mountain, and others rather silly. That was just typical Auroraflame.

If the deputy really did get so tired that she wouldn't be able to walk, then she doubted she would be one to stay in a den planted in the side of a mountain. "I can't say I am. I don't like the idea of sleeping in a place that doesn't sound very safe," Auroraflame replied, a small shudder passing through her. The idea of sleeping in a completely new place didn't sound very appealing to the deputy. She'd done it before, when the clan had moved to the new territory, however there had been lots of cats with her that time. If the deputy were to sleep out here in this unknown territory with only herself and Umbraice, she wouldn't be so safe. It wasn't that she didn't trust herself or the tom, she just preferred to be in the presence of her clanmates. She felt safe back in the warriors den, curled up next to her siblings. But if Auroraflame had to ever defend herself in the middle of the night, she probably would prefer that she be the only one there. Then it meant she didn't have to worry about protecting another clanmate, but it also meant that she could feel relieved knowing that her clanmates were safe. Unlike her. However the deputy doubted something like that would ever happen, and she would be quite grateful for the company of another clanmate if one were to be attacked.

"I think I've already figured that out," Auroraflame remarked as he started to jump down. Despite the fact that the deputy had been half asleep when the silver tabby was telling his story, it hadn't meant that she hadn't been listening at all. The she-cat always did her best to listen to her clans. She was always curious for opinions and she didn't want anyone to feel shy or out of place around her. The ebony feline was a welcoming cat. But not so much when it came to cats that came from a place named the Dusk Syndicate. The she-cat was very cautious whenever she went near the border between them. She had a particularly bad encounter with a Syndicate cat so she had become much more colder towards them and less respectful. Concern suddenly flashed on her face as she saw her clanmate stumble on their landing. Relief flooded into her icy blue hues as she saw he was fine and a small smirk grew on her maw once again. "I never asked!" she called back to him, amusement glimmering in her orbs. With that, she carefully followed after him, being very careful with her footing.

Auroraflame's eyes widened in awe as they arrived at their destination. It was a surprising a scene. She had though that what they had seen before was already beautiful, but this beyond beautiful. It was magnificent. This was what the deputy loved about nature. There was so much to see and find and it wasn't hard to feel a sense of appreciation for the world that they lived in. "It's so beautiful," Auroraflame breathed as she looked around. She doubted that if she were to visit this place again she would still be amazed as she was. Her amazement probably wouldn't ever cease.

The ebony she-cat continued to follow the tom as he padded further forward. What else had the she-cat missed. Auroraflame realized her jaw was gaping down and she quickly snapped it shut. It was like she was at a loss of words. She looked at Umbraice, her icy blue eyes seeming to speak all her words for her. There was lots that the she-cat had to say, but she couldn't seem to find her voice. Had this place had the same effect on the silver tom when he first found this place?

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Empress Of Evil

With her words said, they had left the camp, quick as a flash. It didn't take long for them to slink off into the distance and blend in with the surrounding territory. The sun was starting to set, so Auroraflame's black pelt meant it wouldn't be easy if one were to try following her through the night. It struck the deputy that technically they were going beyond their territory. For a deputy, this wasn't very responsible.
However, the deputy really wanted to just get away from everything she knew and just try to relax and try something new. Remembering back to when they were still in camp, Auroraflame could remember the look on his face when she had insulted him. It had been quite amusing for the ebony she-cat. Most wouldn't have expected something like that to come out of her mouth. But Auroraflame actually quite enjoyed insulting others, although she didn't ever mean any of it. "Well, think about each one logically and compare them with you and me," the black she-cat replied, a smirk of her own starting to grow on her maw. "Vagabond? Considering i'm stuck in camp all day, I think that word would suit you better," Auroraflame snorted, her expression calm yet amused at the same time. "Moocher? I believe you're the moocher here," the ebony she-cat continued. "And peasant? Well if i'm a peasant then what does that make you?" Auroraflame asked smugly, a big smirk now firmly planted on her face. Not only did the deputy know how to insult someone, she knew how to burn someone as well.

The deputy then turned her attention away from the silver tabby and took the time to admire the scenery. The mountain itself was a beautiful thing. It seemed to loom over many things and it was seen as a big figure from a huge distance. It was an amazing sight to be looking at. Auroraflame now understood why Umbraice liked this place. There were certainly things that the ebony she-cat found cooler, but this mountain was still a very nice place. The deputy soon turned her icy gaze back to the silver tom and made an expression that was crossed between weirded out and amused. It appeared that the warrior was looking at her muscles. How funny, Auroraflame thought, though it was a rather sarcastic thought. If the deputy were to be honest, she would say that she didn't really mind others looking at her physical features, however it bugged her when specific cats, (especially toms), looked at her. Although Umbraice was okay, she didn't mind him looking. As long as his gaze didn't linger on her for too long, then she could get rather snappy. When Umbraice mentioned lunatic like animals, Auroraflame felt a small grin growing on her maw. "Lovely! More insane buddies for me!" she remarked. It was half a joke. Of course, she was feeling much more cautious now, however, the deputy could go rather crazy when she was tired. Or just when she felt like it. She did weird, but funny things. That was part of the fun trait she had in her personality.

The longer they were on this mountain, the further down the sun went. It was getting rather hard to see but the deputy didn't mind too much. She could still sense things, and it wasn't that hard to see what was in front of her. She just wouldn't be able to see very far. The mountain was a tall and towering structure, and a beautiful thing to look at. It was a good thing that Auroraflame wasn't scared of heights, otherwise she probably would've fallen face first down the mountain. No, the she-cat was scared of other things. Some more serious than falling down a mountain, and others rather silly. That was just typical Auroraflame.

If the deputy really did get so tired that she wouldn't be able to walk, then she doubted she would be one to stay in a den planted in the side of a mountain. "I can't say I am. I don't like the idea of sleeping in a place that doesn't sound very safe," Auroraflame replied, a small shudder passing through her. The idea of sleeping in a completely new place didn't sound very appealing to the deputy. She'd done it before, when the clan had moved to the new territory, however there had been lots of cats with her that time. If the deputy were to sleep out here in this unknown territory with only herself and Umbraice, she wouldn't be so safe. It wasn't that she didn't trust herself or the tom, she just preferred to be in the presence of her clanmates. She felt safe back in the warriors den, curled up next to her siblings. But if Auroraflame had to ever defend herself in the middle of the night, she probably would prefer that she be the only one there. Then it meant she didn't have to worry about protecting another clanmate, but it also meant that she could feel relieved knowing that her clanmates were safe. Unlike her. However the deputy doubted something like that would ever happen, and she would be quite grateful for the company of another clanmate if one were to be attacked.

"I think I've already figured that out," Auroraflame remarked as he started to jump down. Despite the fact that the deputy had been half asleep when the silver tabby was telling his story, it hadn't meant that she hadn't been listening at all. The she-cat always did her best to listen to her clans. She was always curious for opinions and she didn't want anyone to feel shy or out of place around her. The ebony feline was a welcoming cat. But not so much when it came to cats that came from a place named the Dusk Syndicate. The she-cat was very cautious whenever she went near the border between them. She had a particularly bad encounter with a Syndicate cat so she had become much more colder towards them and less respectful. Concern suddenly flashed on her face as she saw her clanmate stumble on their landing. Relief flooded into her icy blue hues as she saw he was fine and a small smirk grew on her maw once again. "I never asked!" she called back to him, amusement glimmering in her orbs. With that, she carefully followed after him, being very careful with her footing.

Auroraflame's eyes widened in awe as they arrived at their destination. It was a surprising a scene. She had though that what they had seen before was already beautiful, but this beyond beautiful. It was magnificent. This was what the deputy loved about nature. There was so much to see and find and it wasn't hard to feel a sense of appreciation for the world that they lived in. "It's so beautiful," Auroraflame breathed as she looked around. She doubted that if she were to visit this place again she would still be amazed as she was. Her amazement probably wouldn't ever cease.

The ebony she-cat continued to follow the tom as he padded further forward. What else had the she-cat missed. Auroraflame realized her jaw was gaping down and she quickly snapped it shut. It was like she was at a loss of words. She looked at Umbraice, her icy blue eyes seeming to speak all her words for her. There was lots that the she-cat had to say, but she couldn't seem to find her voice. Had this place had the same effect on the silver tom when he first found this place?

Umbraice rolled his eyes playfully as he heard Auroraflame explain the difference between them. Though, he couldn’t deny that she was right. Though he would never admit this to her. Instead, he looked at her suspiciously, and his blue gaze glinted. ‘’Ah, so you’ve figured that I don’t spend most of my time in camp?’’ Evidently, the tom did not spend most of his time at the clearing. Most of the time he was out hunting, or out to set a new destination to a place he hadn’t explored yet. Though, he rarely found himself sitting in camp. He was far too active to just sit around and appreciate small talk. Would he actually admit that he was somewhat like a vagabond? A person who wanders aimlessly without a home? A nomad? Surely not! The tom embraced Skyclan as his home. It was nice to know he had somewhere to go to after a long day and sleep and eat. Even if he didn’t spend most of his time there, he was pretty grateful that he still had it. Though, sarcastically, he added, ‘’Oh, forgive, oh great one. I have insulted the future leader, and I shall punished.’’ To add to his dramatic remark, he pinned his ears to his head, wanting to appear innocent.

Ahead of him, he jumped onto another rock, and hopping down from it. The rocks kept him on his feet, and made him playful at heart. He sprang onto the next rock as they traveled along the mountain side. ‘’Now, I have to admit that becoming a rogue doesn't seem all that bad! Especially if you get to live at places like this. Minus the troubles that come along with it.’’ As he jumped onto the next large rock, he stopped to look at the vastness of the lands. ‘’It seems like this place goes on forever…’’He says, more so to himself as he landed on the ground once more. The tom winced at the shock of pain from pulling at one of his sore muscles, but he flicked his tail anyway to make it appear unnoticed.

When the black feline gave him that wide-eyed look when they arrived to the majestic face, all Umbraice could do was stare at her, as if he was gloating. As if he were proud that he discovered such a landscape. Though the place could never be discovered if it were right here all along. Any cat could had visited this place--before or after him. He just found it an enjoyable scenery to take in. ‘’Breathtaking is it not?’’ He let out a deep chuckle. ‘’Trust me, I felt rooted to my place when I first came here. It’s not on my top list of pretty places, but it’s a number on there.’’ He says, and dips his head at her. Out of respect, maybe? As he trotted on, he beckoned at her with his tail.

Within sight another large rock appeared, and being the daring soldier that he was. The tom jumped onto his, and continued to jump onto the other large boulders that were ahead of them. The were neatly filed against the mountains, and he often loved jumping onto them. Thinking of them more as a path. Even though his muscles were sore, he still pushed himself to the limits.

Where was the limit? Where was the limit that told him enough was enough. And, even so, would he listen to that limit talking to him? A long time ago, he remembered his mother telling him, the sky was the limit. He figured as he got older that it wasn’t true. The sky was easy to get to. For Umbraice, the limit was infinite. The limit was when his body was ready to collapse and let go. The limit was where his spirit would leave his flesh and join Starclan. That was the limit to him. It’s possible that he wanted his body to go through extreme measures because he was just that reckless. Albeit the tom knew he could never tell anyone this. He figured that if they got too attached, he wouldn’t be able to let go. On the other hand, he wondered about this term ‘’let go’’ it wasn’t something he wanted to do by choice. Though that didn’t matter much unless he was alone. ‘’Eh, the den is alright, but if it makes you feel uncomfortable say no more! Though your lunatic buddies might miss your company.’’ He joked, slitting his eyes as he sprang himself forward to jump onto the next rock.

Umbraice had to use his mind to focus entirely on the next course. If he allowed himself to get distracted, he would easily fall off. The tom acted slightly aloof at time, especially when he appeared to be daydreaming, but focusing on what he was doing; it was a matter of survival, and jumping on large rocks...was not the most intelligent thing to do. The tom stopped in his tracks, to give the female a look. He then looked up at the almost darkened sky. One thing he knew was that black cats were like shadows. They were unseen in the night, so he had to strain his eyes in order to keep a good look at the deputy next to him. He wasn’t as dark as her, so he could be seen in the night...but she was...in the least, have a better chance at camouflaging than he ever would. With that thought in his mind, the tom thought best for him to stay by the female’s side. He kept a good distance from her, not wanting her to feel snappy at him for becoming too close. One thing he knew? She-cats were confusing. They were also more aggressive--at least the ones he met. He was a respectable tom of both genders, and he didn’t want a female to feel that he was taking advantage of them. It wasn’t his strong point.

‘’We don’t want to be out here for too long. You’re already starting to vanish from my eyes,’’ He joked, hinting at the blackness of her pelt, and how it would blend in with the night. ‘’And, there’s also your big lunatic buddies that would love to pound you--me, into nonexistence.’’ He commented. Grizzlies were one of the most common animals that lived in these parts of the mountains. They were rarely seen since he’s been around, but he knew they were around. The tom unfortunately had some rough encounters with mountains cats, or foxes, or even badgers. Though he managed to get away from them all. As he thought about it...he realized that he was, in fact, the cause to these vicious animals wanting to attack him. He don’t recall anyone telling him to stop taunting that bager, or stop harrassing that mountain cat, or don’t claw at that fox for fun.

The thought was laughable! And, a miracle that he survived for being a pain in the flank. As the thoughts flooded back to him, he realized that it was most likely a bad thing to allow the deputy to be around him. The tom felt that he was a bad influence. A misery that she would realize later, if not now. What a terrible thing! Here he was, hoping he made a new friend that was a lot like him, and now he was scared that he might be the end of them both. To keep it simple and safe, the tom had to reframe himself from torturing the other animals. He had to remind himself to not even go near another animal at this time of day. It was already becoming night, and the deputy was away from camp. She should be at camp, right?

Was this the wrong thing for him to do?

Now, he felt like he should hyperventilate.

No, no, no. That wouldn’t go about doing anything. Besides, she probably thought of him as some awkward cat already. Umbraice did not want to be awkward. He didn’t want to be that one weird cat that everyone bypassed because of how he would react. No. The tom did not usually care what anyone thought of him. Beyond everything, everyone had their own opinions.

Umbraice kept his calm. Though his shoulders were tensed, hard to relax. The felt a sense of relief at knowing that Auroraflame thought the place was lovely. Indeed it was. Who wouldn’t find it lovely? Thinking back on an earlier thought, the tom considered the fact of becoming a loner. A rogue where he could venture off and live anywhere he would like. Why shouldn’t he allow himself to leave Skyclan if he hardly be around? The only times he would ever be around is when he needs to hunt for his clan. That was the one thing he enjoyed doing. Hunting. It was a confidential meeting between the hunter and the hunted. Umbraice loved food, but feeding his clan before himself was his specialty. That reason alone kept him at Skyclan. Even though he wasn’t an important face like many others, he was still a valuable member, and he had to remind himself of it. Every warrior count. Every warrior had something to keep the clan sufficed. Usually after hunting, he would leave for a while and see what part of nature called him.

The amazement that Auroraflame experience made him give a small smile. He was absolutely positive that she seen better, that she experience better than a mountain. It could be that she was amazed at everything she saw. The look in her blue orbs gave that away when she looked at him. Speechless to the core. The tom swayed his tail, gently, satisfied with that response. It would most likely be the same reaction if someone took him to this place for the first time.

Another rock came into view, and the silver tom took the chance to jump onto it, almost falling in the process. His muscles ached, but he refused to let out a yelp, wanting to keep on a brave face. He looked down at Auroraflame, his blue orbs displaying playful fire. The tom sat down on top of the rock, looking up proudly, with his tail neatly askew around his paws. ‘’I claimed these lands, you know! I’m the leader of them all!’’ He exclaimed. Though he was kidding. It would had been a great thought of someone owning these beautiful lands, but sometimes, it was best for nature to stay free, stay unclaimed. However, he was in a playful mood, having to become slightly loose around the ebony feline. He liked her so far, and enjoyed her company. He was intrigued by her sarcastic remarks and humorous jokes, and hoped to unlock that side further from her. ‘’Just letting you know, so if you ever cross me, I deserve to punish you.’’

What was better than two sarcastic felines going back and forth at it? He was positive that she would have something to throw him down from his throne, and make him laugh. In the process, he would do the same to her. For now, he knew that it was more to Auroraflame than just a friendly, sweet face. Definitely way more, and he should had figured that long ago instead of assuming how she was.To him, getting to know her was far better than observing how she was with other clan mates.

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Noire

Umbraice rolled his eyes playfully as he heard Auroraflame explain the difference between them. Though, he couldn’t deny that she was right. Though he would never admit this to her. Instead, he looked at her suspiciously, and his blue gaze glinted. ‘’Ah, so you’ve figured that I don’t spend most of my time in camp?’’ Evidently, the tom did not spend most of his time at the clearing. Most of the time he was out hunting, or out to set a new destination to a place he hadn’t explored yet. Though, he rarely found himself sitting in camp. He was far too active to just sit around and appreciate small talk. Would he actually admit that he was somewhat like a vagabond? A person who wanders aimlessly without a home? A nomad? Surely not! The tom embraced Skyclan as his home. It was nice to know he had somewhere to go to after a long day and sleep and eat. Even if he didn’t spend most of his time there, he was pretty grateful that he still had it. Though, sarcastically, he added, ‘’Oh, forgive, oh great one. I have insulted the future leader, and I shall punished.’’ To add to his dramatic remark, he pinned his ears to his head, wanting to appear innocent.

Ahead of him, he jumped onto another rock, and hopping down from it. The rocks kept him on his feet, and made him playful at heart. He sprang onto the next rock as they traveled along the mountain side. ‘’Now, I have to admit that becoming a rogue doesn't seem all that bad! Especially if you get to live at places like this. Minus the troubles that come along with it.’’ As he jumped onto the next large rock, he stopped to look at the vastness of the lands. ‘’It seems like this place goes on forever…’’He says, more so to himself as he landed on the ground once more. The tom winced at the shock of pain from pulling at one of his sore muscles, but he flicked his tail anyway to make it appear unnoticed.

When the black feline gave him that wide-eyed look when they arrived to the majestic face, all Umbraice could do was stare at her, as if he was gloating. As if he were proud that he discovered such a landscape. Though the place could never be discovered if it were right here all along. Any cat could had visited this place--before or after him. He just found it an enjoyable scenery to take in. ‘’Breathtaking is it not?’’ He let out a deep chuckle. ‘’Trust me, I felt rooted to my place when I first came here. It’s not on my top list of pretty places, but it’s a number on there.’’ He says, and dips his head at her. Out of respect, maybe? As he trotted on, he beckoned at her with his tail.

Within sight another large rock appeared, and being the daring soldier that he was. The tom jumped onto his, and continued to jump onto the other large boulders that were ahead of them. The were neatly filed against the mountains, and he often loved jumping onto them. Thinking of them more as a path. Even though his muscles were sore, he still pushed himself to the limits.

Where was the limit? Where was the limit that told him enough was enough. And, even so, would he listen to that limit talking to him? A long time ago, he remembered his mother telling him, the sky was the limit. He figured as he got older that it wasn’t true. The sky was easy to get to. For Umbraice, the limit was infinite. The limit was when his body was ready to collapse and let go. The limit was where his spirit would leave his flesh and join Starclan. That was the limit to him. It’s possible that he wanted his body to go through extreme measures because he was just that reckless. Albeit the tom knew he could never tell anyone this. He figured that if they got too attached, he wouldn’t be able to let go. On the other hand, he wondered about this term ‘’let go’’ it wasn’t something he wanted to do by choice. Though that didn’t matter much unless he was alone. ‘’Eh, the den is alright, but if it makes you feel uncomfortable say no more! Though your lunatic buddies might miss your company.’’ He joked, slitting his eyes as he sprang himself forward to jump onto the next rock.

Umbraice had to use his mind to focus entirely on the next course. If he allowed himself to get distracted, he would easily fall off. The tom acted slightly aloof at time, especially when he appeared to be daydreaming, but focusing on what he was doing; it was a matter of survival, and jumping on large rocks...was not the most intelligent thing to do. The tom stopped in his tracks, to give the female a look. He then looked up at the almost darkened sky. One thing he knew was that black cats were like shadows. They were unseen in the night, so he had to strain his eyes in order to keep a good look at the deputy next to him. He wasn’t as dark as her, so he could be seen in the night...but she was...in the least, have a better chance at camouflaging than he ever would. With that thought in his mind, the tom thought best for him to stay by the female’s side. He kept a good distance from her, not wanting her to feel snappy at him for becoming too close. One thing he knew? She-cats were confusing. They were also more aggressive--at least the ones he met. He was a respectable tom of both genders, and he didn’t want a female to feel that he was taking advantage of them. It wasn’t his strong point.

‘’We don’t want to be out here for too long. You’re already starting to vanish from my eyes,’’ He joked, hinting at the blackness of her pelt, and how it would blend in with the night. ‘’And, there’s also your big lunatic buddies that would love to pound you--me, into nonexistence.’’ He commented. Grizzlies were one of the most common animals that lived in these parts of the mountains. They were rarely seen since he’s been around, but he knew they were around. The tom unfortunately had some rough encounters with mountains cats, or foxes, or even badgers. Though he managed to get away from them all. As he thought about it...he realized that he was, in fact, the cause to these vicious animals wanting to attack him. He don’t recall anyone telling him to stop taunting that bager, or stop harrassing that mountain cat, or don’t claw at that fox for fun.

The thought was laughable! And, a miracle that he survived for being a pain in the flank. As the thoughts flooded back to him, he realized that it was most likely a bad thing to allow the deputy to be around him. The tom felt that he was a bad influence. A misery that she would realize later, if not now. What a terrible thing! Here he was, hoping he made a new friend that was a lot like him, and now he was scared that he might be the end of them both. To keep it simple and safe, the tom had to reframe himself from torturing the other animals. He had to remind himself to not even go near another animal at this time of day. It was already becoming night, and the deputy was away from camp. She should be at camp, right?

Was this the wrong thing for him to do?

Now, he felt like he should hyperventilate.

No, no, no. That wouldn’t go about doing anything. Besides, she probably thought of him as some awkward cat already. Umbraice did not want to be awkward. He didn’t want to be that one weird cat that everyone bypassed because of how he would react. No. The tom did not usually care what anyone thought of him. Beyond everything, everyone had their own opinions.

Umbraice kept his calm. Though his shoulders were tensed, hard to relax. The felt a sense of relief at knowing that Auroraflame thought the place was lovely. Indeed it was. Who wouldn’t find it lovely? Thinking back on an earlier thought, the tom considered the fact of becoming a loner. A rogue where he could venture off and live anywhere he would like. Why shouldn’t he allow himself to leave Skyclan if he hardly be around? The only times he would ever be around is when he needs to hunt for his clan. That was the one thing he enjoyed doing. Hunting. It was a confidential meeting between the hunter and the hunted. Umbraice loved food, but feeding his clan before himself was his specialty. That reason alone kept him at Skyclan. Even though he wasn’t an important face like many others, he was still a valuable member, and he had to remind himself of it. Every warrior count. Every warrior had something to keep the clan sufficed. Usually after hunting, he would leave for a while and see what part of nature called him.

The amazement that Auroraflame experience made him give a small smile. He was absolutely positive that she seen better, that she experience better than a mountain. It could be that she was amazed at everything she saw. The look in her blue orbs gave that away when she looked at him. Speechless to the core. The tom swayed his tail, gently, satisfied with that response. It would most likely be the same reaction if someone took him to this place for the first time.

Another rock came into view, and the silver tom took the chance to jump onto it, almost falling in the process. His muscles ached, but he refused to let out a yelp, wanting to keep on a brave face. He looked down at Auroraflame, his blue orbs displaying playful fire. The tom sat down on top of the rock, looking up proudly, with his tail neatly askew around his paws. ‘’I claimed these lands, you know! I’m the leader of them all!’’ He exclaimed. Though he was kidding. It would had been a great thought of someone owning these beautiful lands, but sometimes, it was best for nature to stay free, stay unclaimed. However, he was in a playful mood, having to become slightly loose around the ebony feline. He liked her so far, and enjoyed her company. He was intrigued by her sarcastic remarks and humorous jokes, and hoped to unlock that side further from her. ‘’Just letting you know, so if you ever cross me, I deserve to punish you.’’

What was better than two sarcastic felines going back and forth at it? He was positive that she would have something to throw him down from his throne, and make him laugh. In the process, he would do the same to her. For now, he knew that it was more to Auroraflame than just a friendly, sweet face. Definitely way more, and he should had figured that long ago instead of assuming how she was.To him, getting to know her was far better than observing how she was with other clan mates.

"It really doesn't take long to work that out considering you don't smell like most cats in SkyClan. You smell more like rocks and dust," Auroraflame remarked, amusement glimmering in her icy blue gaze. She had already worked it out back at the camp that he didn't spend a lot of his time in camp. You didn't have to know him very well, you just had to have some brains of logic. The deputy had managed to gather from his story that if he had found enough time to find such a pretty place, then he probably spent most of his time somewhere that was outside of camp. He did the exact opposite of what the ebony she-cat did. The she-cat was confined in camp all day whilst Umbraice was free. The deputy couldn't help but feel slightly envious, she quickly shrugged it off though. She had to embrace the fact that she got to serve her clanmates. The feeling still tugged at the back of her mind, although she did her best to ignore it. Auroraflame wasn't perfect, she was bound to have rather negative feelings at times, but that was what made her the cat she was. "Yes you shall," Auroraflame declared teasingly, a soft chuckle coming out.

A playful roll of the eyes was given as the deputy watched the tom with a look of amusement and calmness. "Who said I was going to make you a rouge?" The deputy asked, raising an eye at the silver tabby. "You can have fun with apprentice duties instead! After all, that's what you're going to be doing for the rest if your life now," the ebony she-cat said casually, as if talking about something as simple as the weather. If you gazed into her icy hues you would see that she was joking, but otherwise she sounded rather serious. What the silver tom said next emitted a snort from her. "Well it does. It's not like there's going to be a wall to suddenly stop you from walking any further," Auroraflame chuckled, as she jumped after Umbraice.

"It certainly is," Auroraflame agreed as she stared in awe at their surroundings. This was a perfect display of how beautiful nature could be. Despite it's beauty, her guard was still up and she was prepared in case something were to attack her. The she-cat had been walking around with her claws unsheathed the whole time. The ebony feline had been born with defensive instincts and they were clearly showing through. The silver tabby's next words were ones that she had to agree with once again. "I've seen better, although this is still very nice," she commented. There were places that Auroraflame found much more comforting, and prettier, although this itself was pretty hard to be and she didn't have much more that she could really say about it.

With every jump and leap that the silver tom took, the ebony she-cat followed. She wouldn't ever admit it, but getting across these mountains was quite a challenge. A single mistake could be the result of something bigger. Whether it be that one of them hurt themselves or like Umbraice had done before, cause a rockfall. Neither one sounded good and the deputy would much prefer to avoid both.

Lunatic buddies. The words didn't sound like so much of a joke now as the sky had gotten darker and darker with each passing minute. It sent a shudder down her spine and the deputy was feeling more on the alert than ever. Had it been a good idea to come out here? Sure she had wanted to get out of the camp, but even the territory would've been fine. The eerie atmosphere of this place was starting to get onto the deputy and she was getting more and more cautious. The ebony feline was really doubting herself and starting to deeply regret coming out here. She was grateful that the silver tabby had brought her out, for not many had ever bothered to offer such an opportunity, although she was really starting to rethink her actions. It was kind of too late now. The deputy looked around attentively, lowering herself to the ground slightly so her legs were slightly bent. Just in case something decided to jump out at her, she would be able to leap back at them. "Yeah. I'm sure they would," the she-cat said, her voice distant and only half concentrated as she focused on searching for any dangers.

It was amazing how Auroraflame had managed to change her opinion over this place so quickly. At first it was awe, now it was caution. Of course, there was still a sense of awe in her, however that was pretty far back in her mind right now. The ebony she-cat quickly shook her head softly, as if shaking out all of her thoughts. She had to trust Umbraice. He wouldn't have brought her out here if he wasn't sure that he and her weren't able to take care of themselves. They were both skilled warriors and they knew how to defend themselves. Just relax, she told herself. The ebony feline was perfectly capable of staying calm, as she had been in many panicky situations before, she just wasn't so good at not being so cautious. Unlike Umbraice, the she-cat was quite sensible and normally though things through before doing something. There were a few marks hidden in her fur that were the results of some acts of recklessness, however she was a relatively responsible cat who was careful of what she did. All she had to do was relax and trust herself and her abilities a little bit more, then things would probably be better. You had to at least hope didn't you? The deputy never gave up without hoping first.

The deputy certainly had to agree with the tom's next words. The moon had risen higher and higher and the sky had gotten darker and darker. She was barely visible and you would have to squint you eyes to see the ebony she-cat. It was an advantage against predators, but it wasn't so good for Umbraice. If the tom thought he'd suddenly lost her he might have a heart attack. The thought made her laugh on the inside despite her cautiousness. Sometimes, you just had to find something funny in a bad situation and laugh about it. Auroraflame loved laughter and the affect it could have on you. Laughter always seemed to brighten the mood and take away all the doubts and negative thoughts. The black pelted she-cat found joy in laughter and always did her best to make others laugh. Laughter could do so much and no one seemed to ever realise that. The she-cat had though. It was all about looking on the bright side.

A cold breeze dashed through the air, sending a chill through Auroraflame. Having short fur certainly had its disadvantages when it came to keeping warm. It was great in green-leaf when it was hot and everything, but it was only new-leaf now and being on a mountain didn't help much. The deputy could only feel grateful that they weren't walking on the very top of the mountain. Otherwise they would've had trouble breathing and it would be much colder. From what she had seen on the ground, the deputy was almost certain she had spotted snow on the very top of one of the towering mounds of rocks and dirt. It might've been her eyes playing with her although she was quite sure that that was what she had seen.

The deputy seemed to be taking no notice of the fact that silver tom was doubting his actions. She was too focused on her surroundings. This place might be beautiful, but that didn't mean it wasn't cold and dangerous. At this time, the she-cat wanted nothing more than to go back to camp and curl back up in her warm nest. That would ultimately be her favourite place to be. Her nest. Where else?

Thinking about her nest made a thought cross her mind. Did anyone live in these mountains? By 'anyone' the deputy didn't mean predators and prey. She meant cats. Was there any cat here that called this place home? If her companion hadn't been a part of SkyClan, she was certain that he would've come to live here, but was there anyone else that wanted to live in a place of such beauty? If the ebony she-cat didn't live in SkyClan, she was rather doubtful that she would live in a place like this. As nice as this place was, the female found comfort in other places. She would want to live in amongst the trees, or maybe even underground. The mountains didn't really appeal to her as a home, more or just a nice place that she could visit every now and again. That was how she saw most places. It was hard for Auroraflame to find a place of which she called home, although she didn't have to worry about that. She already had a home. Her home was with her clan mates.

The she-cat then brought herself out of her thoughts and refocused her attention on the silver tabby tom. She felt a wave of relaxation wash over her and she let down her cautiousness down just a little as she chuckled. "That's rather hard to believe," she remarked playfully, her playful nature coming back. Looking around, the deputy was sure she would probably prefer it if these lands were to stay unclaimed for the many moons to come. Some things just didn't need a leader and they just had to live free of commands. "Deserve?" She repeated in a questioning tone. "Don't you think that's a bit too big of a word to use? I think it would be better if you said that you had the 'right' to punish me," Auroraflame stated in a corrective tone of voice, an eye raising as a smug smirk grew on her maw. The deputy always managed to find herself teasing others about what they said. It was just something about the ebony feline where she could pick up something that most would've brushed past. "But even so you have no right since i've done nothing wrong," the deputy declared, glaring playfully at the silver tom.

The deputy chuckled softly before looking away. She stared at the surrounding land with a blank expression. She had just managed to relax so she didn't feel so cautious, yet at the same time she was still rather careful as to knowing what was out there. A sudden scent in the wind caught her attention and she parted her jaws to taste the air. A sense of alarm shot through her as she tasted something rather peculiar. It was a foul stench and soon enough, she could even smell it getting stronger and stronger. Stiffening, the deputy whipped around and saw two badgers a couple of foxlengths. "Umbraice, I think my lunatic buddies are up for a game of tip. How about we run?" The deputy said, her voice surprisingly calm. She sharply turned her icy gaze to the silver tabby before starting to run forward, trying to get away from the menacing creatures that had just managed to spot them. The deputy quickly looked back to check that the tom was following before she continued to climb on rock after rock, always glancing back to check how far the badgers were from them.

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Empress Of Evil

"It really doesn't take long to work that out considering you don't smell like most cats in SkyClan. You smell more like rocks and dust," Auroraflame remarked, amusement glimmering in her icy blue gaze. She had already worked it out back at the camp that he didn't spend a lot of his time in camp. You didn't have to know him very well, you just had to have some brains of logic. The deputy had managed to gather from his story that if he had found enough time to find such a pretty place, then he probably spent most of his time somewhere that was outside of camp. He did the exact opposite of what the ebony she-cat did. The she-cat was confined in camp all day whilst Umbraice was free. The deputy couldn't help but feel slightly envious, she quickly shrugged it off though. She had to embrace the fact that she got to serve her clanmates. The feeling still tugged at the back of her mind, although she did her best to ignore it. Auroraflame wasn't perfect, she was bound to have rather negative feelings at times, but that was what made her the cat she was. "Yes you shall," Auroraflame declared teasingly, a soft chuckle coming out.

A playful roll of the eyes was given as the deputy watched the tom with a look of amusement and calmness. "Who said I was going to make you a rouge?" The deputy asked, raising an eye at the silver tabby. "You can have fun with apprentice duties instead! After all, that's what you're going to be doing for the rest if your life now," the ebony she-cat said casually, as if talking about something as simple as the weather. If you gazed into her icy hues you would see that she was joking, but otherwise she sounded rather serious. What the silver tom said next emitted a snort from her. "Well it does. It's not like there's going to be a wall to suddenly stop you from walking any further," Auroraflame chuckled, as she jumped after Umbraice.

"It certainly is," Auroraflame agreed as she stared in awe at their surroundings. This was a perfect display of how beautiful nature could be. Despite it's beauty, her guard was still up and she was prepared in case something were to attack her. The she-cat had been walking around with her claws unsheathed the whole time. The ebony feline had been born with defensive instincts and they were clearly showing through. The silver tabby's next words were ones that she had to agree with once again. "I've seen better, although this is still very nice," she commented. There were places that Auroraflame found much more comforting, and prettier, although this itself was pretty hard to be and she didn't have much more that she could really say about it.

With every jump and leap that the silver tom took, the ebony she-cat followed. She wouldn't ever admit it, but getting across these mountains was quite a challenge. A single mistake could be the result of something bigger. Whether it be that one of them hurt themselves or like Umbraice had done before, cause a rockfall. Neither one sounded good and the deputy would much prefer to avoid both.

Lunatic buddies. The words didn't sound like so much of a joke now as the sky had gotten darker and darker with each passing minute. It sent a shudder down her spine and the deputy was feeling more on the alert than ever. Had it been a good idea to come out here? Sure she had wanted to get out of the camp, but even the territory would've been fine. The eerie atmosphere of this place was starting to get onto the deputy and she was getting more and more cautious. The ebony feline was really doubting herself and starting to deeply regret coming out here. She was grateful that the silver tabby had brought her out, for not many had ever bothered to offer such an opportunity, although she was really starting to rethink her actions. It was kind of too late now. The deputy looked around attentively, lowering herself to the ground slightly so her legs were slightly bent. Just in case something decided to jump out at her, she would be able to leap back at them. "Yeah. I'm sure they would," the she-cat said, her voice distant and only half concentrated as she focused on searching for any dangers.

It was amazing how Auroraflame had managed to change her opinion over this place so quickly. At first it was awe, now it was caution. Of course, there was still a sense of awe in her, however that was pretty far back in her mind right now. The ebony she-cat quickly shook her head softly, as if shaking out all of her thoughts. She had to trust Umbraice. He wouldn't have brought her out here if he wasn't sure that he and her weren't able to take care of themselves. They were both skilled warriors and they knew how to defend themselves. Just relax, she told herself. The ebony feline was perfectly capable of staying calm, as she had been in many panicky situations before, she just wasn't so good at not being so cautious. Unlike Umbraice, the she-cat was quite sensible and normally though things through before doing something. There were a few marks hidden in her fur that were the results of some acts of recklessness, however she was a relatively responsible cat who was careful of what she did. All she had to do was relax and trust herself and her abilities a little bit more, then things would probably be better. You had to at least hope didn't you? The deputy never gave up without hoping first.

The deputy certainly had to agree with the tom's next words. The moon had risen higher and higher and the sky had gotten darker and darker. She was barely visible and you would have to squint you eyes to see the ebony she-cat. It was an advantage against predators, but it wasn't so good for Umbraice. If the tom thought he'd suddenly lost her he might have a heart attack. The thought made her laugh on the inside despite her cautiousness. Sometimes, you just had to find something funny in a bad situation and laugh about it. Auroraflame loved laughter and the affect it could have on you. Laughter always seemed to brighten the mood and take away all the doubts and negative thoughts. The black pelted she-cat found joy in laughter and always did her best to make others laugh. Laughter could do so much and no one seemed to ever realise that. The she-cat had though. It was all about looking on the bright side.

A cold breeze dashed through the air, sending a chill through Auroraflame. Having short fur certainly had its disadvantages when it came to keeping warm. It was great in green-leaf when it was hot and everything, but it was only new-leaf now and being on a mountain didn't help much. The deputy could only feel grateful that they weren't walking on the very top of the mountain. Otherwise they would've had trouble breathing and it would be much colder. From what she had seen on the ground, the deputy was almost certain she had spotted snow on the very top of one of the towering mounds of rocks and dirt. It might've been her eyes playing with her although she was quite sure that that was what she had seen.

The deputy seemed to be taking no notice of the fact that silver tom was doubting his actions. She was too focused on her surroundings. This place might be beautiful, but that didn't mean it wasn't cold and dangerous. At this time, the she-cat wanted nothing more than to go back to camp and curl back up in her warm nest. That would ultimately be her favourite place to be. Her nest. Where else?

Thinking about her nest made a thought cross her mind. Did anyone live in these mountains? By 'anyone' the deputy didn't mean predators and prey. She meant cats. Was there any cat here that called this place home? If her companion hadn't been a part of SkyClan, she was certain that he would've come to live here, but was there anyone else that wanted to live in a place of such beauty? If the ebony she-cat didn't live in SkyClan, she was rather doubtful that she would live in a place like this. As nice as this place was, the female found comfort in other places. She would want to live in amongst the trees, or maybe even underground. The mountains didn't really appeal to her as a home, more or just a nice place that she could visit every now and again. That was how she saw most places. It was hard for Auroraflame to find a place of which she called home, although she didn't have to worry about that. She already had a home. Her home was with her clan mates.

The she-cat then brought herself out of her thoughts and refocused her attention on the silver tabby tom. She felt a wave of relaxation wash over her and she let down her cautiousness down just a little as she chuckled. "That's rather hard to believe," she remarked playfully, her playful nature coming back. Looking around, the deputy was sure she would probably prefer it if these lands were to stay unclaimed for the many moons to come. Some things just didn't need a leader and they just had to live free of commands. "Deserve?" She repeated in a questioning tone. "Don't you think that's a bit too big of a word to use? I think it would be better if you said that you had the 'right' to punish me," Auroraflame stated in a corrective tone of voice, an eye raising as a smug smirk grew on her maw. The deputy always managed to find herself teasing others about what they said. It was just something about the ebony feline where she could pick up something that most would've brushed past. "But even so you have no right since i've done nothing wrong," the deputy declared, glaring playfully at the silver tom.

The deputy chuckled softly before looking away. She stared at the surrounding land with a blank expression. She had just managed to relax so she didn't feel so cautious, yet at the same time she was still rather careful as to knowing what was out there. A sudden scent in the wind caught her attention and she parted her jaws to taste the air. A sense of alarm shot through her as she tasted something rather peculiar. It was a foul stench and soon enough, she could even smell it getting stronger and stronger. Stiffening, the deputy whipped around and saw two badgers a couple of foxlengths. "Umbraice, I think my lunatic buddies are up for a game of tip. How about we run?" The deputy said, her voice surprisingly calm. She sharply turned her icy gaze to the silver tabby before starting to run forward, trying to get away from the menacing creatures that had just managed to spot them. The deputy quickly looked back to check that the tom was following before she continued to climb on rock after rock, always glancing back to check how far the badgers were from them.

Umbraice took a sly look at the ebony feline, his maw curled into a funny expression as if he were on the verge of laughing or crying. Since he didn’t have anything to cry about, the tom was ready to laugh, but refrained himself from doing so. He looked ahead of him, wondering what time was it right to take her back. As deputy she needed to be back in the clan. Safe, comfortable, happy. Whichever she preferred. On the other hand, the tom couldn’t help, but burst out laughing. She wasn’t like many other cats he had met. She was far more surprising in a manner, and he liked being around her. Gingerly, he bowed his head. ‘’Forgive me once again, great one. I’m truly abusing my power.’’ He joked, just as he was about to add on to what he said beforehand, and at her next words; the tom tensed up.

For he could smell the foul stench of the badger. He got up from his rock, lashing his tail. ‘’Oh, no, not them again!’’ He turned his head once to give them a once over look, flashing a charming grin. ‘’Aww, old friends, old friends. Can’t keep away from me, huh? I know I’m irresistible and all, but c’mon on!’’ He taunted them, laughing. Clearly, he didn’t mean any of this. This was just the fun part; the chase. Umbraice knew he was in no condition to run for a bit, but he literally had no choice. Run. Or. Die. Evidently, he refused to choose the latter, and jumped onto another rock, running after Auroraflame. ‘’I can never turn down a game of tip.’’

The tom was quick to catch up with the deputy, springing with his limbs, and making sure to keep his eye on the badgers behind them. With the female next to him, he casually joked, like it wasn’t a serious matter. They were running from natural enemies. ‘’I think this is all your fault, Auroraflame. You’re buddies became too excited when they heard you were coming.’’ The tom continued to push himself further, but he knew how badgers worked. They were danger prone, and vicious. Some mighty creatures they were. In Umbraice’s opinion, he knew he fought worse. He was attacked by worse. He survived worse.

Night was approaching, that was for sure. He took a look on the side of him, squinting his eyes to make sure that he could see Auroraflame clearly. The tom grunted to himself. They were in the worst scenario, and she was already blending in with her surroundings. This was not a good thing for the tom. He couldn’t allow her out of his sight. He could not allow her to get hurt. She was an important figure to skyclan. If she died, what would become of Umbraice? Above all, this was his fault because he wanted to show her this place. On the other side, she wanted to escape camp as well.

Why hadn’t he just refused her? Why didn’t he just shake his head and tell her another time? The tom felt his heart dropping in fear. Looking back to see their company, he dashed to the side of the mountain. Umbraice extended his claws, feeling the rocky dirt digging into him. Running on the side of the mountain, he sprang forward; faster; quicker. His eyes stayed on Auroraflame. The tom knew what he had to do. The question was: Would she be able to listen to him? From what he gathered about her was that she was quite...strong. Not only in muscle, and perhaps battle, but the she-cat looked as if she wouldn’t listen to a command given to her. Other than Grousestar. Everyone had to listen to him. It should be the other way around. He should be listening to the deputy, but the tom knew this place a lot better. He couldn’t risk her getting hurt at all by these mangy pests. Umbraice called her to her, keeping a steady fast pace on the mountain, ‘’Hey! You know your way back to the camp?’’ As he was looking at her, the tom failed to notice a few slipping rocks, and he almost slipped on one of them. ‘’Whoa.’’ He looked down at his paws, as he quickly leaped up from tripping. A deep sigh of relief escaped his maw, as he glanced quickly towards the black she-cat. ‘’I’m going to stay here and see if I can...get rid of our unwanted company.’’ He says, winking. He doubt if she seen it. Umbraice made an abrupt turn, running towards the two badgers.

The move he made was quite thoughtless. As he never thought about his moves when it came to his clan mates or battle. In this serious situation, his mind seemed to be on some type of lock. Like the only thing he was focused on was getting these badgers to leave and for Auroraflame to get back to camp. He stopped in front of them, his eyes slitted. At first he just stood there, watching to see their next move. When all they did was stare, Umbraice glared. Until one of them took a swipe at him, and the tom yelped in surprise. He clawed at the other’s face, baring his teeth. ‘’Aww, and I thought we could had settled our difference and became friends.’’ He says, jumping back when the other ganged up on him. The tom looked for an easy way out, darting back to the side of the mountain where the badgers would follow after him. As he made a sharp turn, almost slipping from the rocky ground, he felt his breathing staggering. He was panting. He was breathless, but he refused to give up.

The situation reminded him of the time when he was younger--more naive than anything. Although being an apprentice and not exposed to many enemies, Umbraice enjoyed exploring many different places. As he walked to no set destinations, his scent lingered around, changing every so often. From the hint of lemons, to wildflowers, to dirt, to grass, to dust, to rocks--and now his favorite. Pinewood, and wildberries. The scent stick heavily to him. It made others easy to approach him, and he liked that feeling. Knowing that other cats found his scent quite refreshing, perked an interest in him. Smell was everything to the tom. He enjoyed sniffing in others’ scent, though that sounded weird. It was something about a wonderful smell wafting around in the air, and being soaked in for others nearby. A sweet scent was easy to approach. That’s all he knew.

And, because of this a sweet scent almost ended his life. Being a curious apprentice, he followed the smell of cinnamon and flowers. Wandering further from his home in order to get to know this smell. In all honesty, the tom thought it was the scent of another cat. A rogue, possibly? But, it wasn’t. Instead, it was a fox. A fox with a sweet lingering smell that lured him in. At that age,he was only learning. He was shellshocked, just standing there. His fur bristled, but he made no move to attack. He felt that starclan tricked him, and wanted to lure him into this death track. And, as for the fox? It messed him up pretty good. Scarring him, beating him terribly. He was surprised that he even survived that day. The day was also dear to him. It made him long for more adventure. For more heedless movements.

The tom stopped in his tracks, his movements were sluggish, but he managed to turn around to get a good look at the badgers. If he couldn’t run from them...why not try his luck to get them to run from him? The thought was plausible, and he’s been in far greater danger than this one. With a content sigh, the tom had hoped that Auroraflame made it back to camp. For he was a warrior. His life was not important. Though, it was true that Grousestar could choose another deputy, Umbraice doubted that this would ever happen. The ebony feline was doing a grand job handling the clan. Umbraice would never forgive himself if he allowed her to get hurt.

The tom charged forward at the two badgers, swiping at one. Another circled around him, wanting to claw at him. Why had there had to be two? Umbraice knew he could handle one, but now he was just playing the game of life and death. So, far death was winning. The tom hissed, arching his back, hoping to scare the predators away. When it gave another scratch at him, the tom yelped, loudly. Great another scar to add to my collection, he inwardly chuckled. A dark type of chuckle because this situation was not funny. ‘’Starclan, please give me the strength.’’ It was getting darker faster, and he hardly could see, but a wet substance rolled down his cheek. The tom knew it wasn’t tears. The crimson liquid, he could taste on his tongue as it rolled down. In an desperate attempt, the tom lunged forward, fighting off one of them, hoping to kill it. Pouncing was his specialty. It was what he excelled in. As he tumbled around with one of the badgers, he hoped his companion could not seek them out in the night. As of the moment, they were two heaps of fur clawing at each other in a violent manner.

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Noire

Umbraice took a sly look at the ebony feline, his maw curled into a funny expression as if he were on the verge of laughing or crying. Since he didn’t have anything to cry about, the tom was ready to laugh, but refrained himself from doing so. He looked ahead of him, wondering what time was it right to take her back. As deputy she needed to be back in the clan. Safe, comfortable, happy. Whichever she preferred. On the other hand, the tom couldn’t help, but burst out laughing. She wasn’t like many other cats he had met. She was far more surprising in a manner, and he liked being around her. Gingerly, he bowed his head. ‘’Forgive me once again, great one. I’m truly abusing my power.’’ He joked, just as he was about to add on to what he said beforehand, and at her next words; the tom tensed up.

For he could smell the foul stench of the badger. He got up from his rock, lashing his tail. ‘’Oh, no, not them again!’’ He turned his head once to give them a once over look, flashing a charming grin. ‘’Aww, old friends, old friends. Can’t keep away from me, huh? I know I’m irresistible and all, but c’mon on!’’ He taunted them, laughing. Clearly, he didn’t mean any of this. This was just the fun part; the chase. Umbraice knew he was in no condition to run for a bit, but he literally had no choice. Run. Or. Die. Evidently, he refused to choose the latter, and jumped onto another rock, running after Auroraflame. ‘’I can never turn down a game of tip.’’

The tom was quick to catch up with the deputy, springing with his limbs, and making sure to keep his eye on the badgers behind them. With the female next to him, he casually joked, like it wasn’t a serious matter. They were running from natural enemies. ‘’I think this is all your fault, Auroraflame. You’re buddies became too excited when they heard you were coming.’’ The tom continued to push himself further, but he knew how badgers worked. They were danger prone, and vicious. Some mighty creatures they were. In Umbraice’s opinion, he knew he fought worse. He was attacked by worse. He survived worse.

Night was approaching, that was for sure. He took a look on the side of him, squinting his eyes to make sure that he could see Auroraflame clearly. The tom grunted to himself. They were in the worst scenario, and she was already blending in with her surroundings. This was not a good thing for the tom. He couldn’t allow her out of his sight. He could not allow her to get hurt. She was an important figure to skyclan. If she died, what would become of Umbraice? Above all, this was his fault because he wanted to show her this place. On the other side, she wanted to escape camp as well.

Why hadn’t he just refused her? Why didn’t he just shake his head and tell her another time? The tom felt his heart dropping in fear. Looking back to see their company, he dashed to the side of the mountain. Umbraice extended his claws, feeling the rocky dirt digging into him. Running on the side of the mountain, he sprang forward; faster; quicker. His eyes stayed on Auroraflame. The tom knew what he had to do. The question was: Would she be able to listen to him? From what he gathered about her was that she was quite...strong. Not only in muscle, and perhaps battle, but the she-cat looked as if she wouldn’t listen to a command given to her. Other than Grousestar. Everyone had to listen to him. It should be the other way around. He should be listening to the deputy, but the tom knew this place a lot better. He couldn’t risk her getting hurt at all by these mangy pests. Umbraice called her to her, keeping a steady fast pace on the mountain, ‘’Hey! You know your way back to the camp?’’ As he was looking at her, the tom failed to notice a few slipping rocks, and he almost slipped on one of them. ‘’Whoa.’’ He looked down at his paws, as he quickly leaped up from tripping. A deep sigh of relief escaped his maw, as he glanced quickly towards the black she-cat. ‘’I’m going to stay here and see if I can...get rid of our unwanted company.’’ He says, winking. He doubt if she seen it. Umbraice made an abrupt turn, running towards the two badgers.

The move he made was quite thoughtless. As he never thought about his moves when it came to his clan mates or battle. In this serious situation, his mind seemed to be on some type of lock. Like the only thing he was focused on was getting these badgers to leave and for Auroraflame to get back to camp. He stopped in front of them, his eyes slitted. At first he just stood there, watching to see their next move. When all they did was stare, Umbraice glared. Until one of them took a swipe at him, and the tom yelped in surprise. He clawed at the other’s face, baring his teeth. ‘’Aww, and I thought we could had settled our difference and became friends.’’ He says, jumping back when the other ganged up on him. The tom looked for an easy way out, darting back to the side of the mountain where the badgers would follow after him. As he made a sharp turn, almost slipping from the rocky ground, he felt his breathing staggering. He was panting. He was breathless, but he refused to give up.

The situation reminded him of the time when he was younger--more naive than anything. Although being an apprentice and not exposed to many enemies, Umbraice enjoyed exploring many different places. As he walked to no set destinations, his scent lingered around, changing every so often. From the hint of lemons, to wildflowers, to dirt, to grass, to dust, to rocks--and now his favorite. Pinewood, and wildberries. The scent stick heavily to him. It made others easy to approach him, and he liked that feeling. Knowing that other cats found his scent quite refreshing, perked an interest in him. Smell was everything to the tom. He enjoyed sniffing in others’ scent, though that sounded weird. It was something about a wonderful smell wafting around in the air, and being soaked in for others nearby. A sweet scent was easy to approach. That’s all he knew.

And, because of this a sweet scent almost ended his life. Being a curious apprentice, he followed the smell of cinnamon and flowers. Wandering further from his home in order to get to know this smell. In all honesty, the tom thought it was the scent of another cat. A rogue, possibly? But, it wasn’t. Instead, it was a fox. A fox with a sweet lingering smell that lured him in. At that age,he was only learning. He was shellshocked, just standing there. His fur bristled, but he made no move to attack. He felt that starclan tricked him, and wanted to lure him into this death track. And, as for the fox? It messed him up pretty good. Scarring him, beating him terribly. He was surprised that he even survived that day. The day was also dear to him. It made him long for more adventure. For more heedless movements.

The tom stopped in his tracks, his movements were sluggish, but he managed to turn around to get a good look at the badgers. If he couldn’t run from them...why not try his luck to get them to run from him? The thought was plausible, and he’s been in far greater danger than this one. With a content sigh, the tom had hoped that Auroraflame made it back to camp. For he was a warrior. His life was not important. Though, it was true that Grousestar could choose another deputy, Umbraice doubted that this would ever happen. The ebony feline was doing a grand job handling the clan. Umbraice would never forgive himself if he allowed her to get hurt.

The tom charged forward at the two badgers, swiping at one. Another circled around him, wanting to claw at him. Why had there had to be two? Umbraice knew he could handle one, but now he was just playing the game of life and death. So, far death was winning. The tom hissed, arching his back, hoping to scare the predators away. When it gave another scratch at him, the tom yelped, loudly. Great another scar to add to my collection, he inwardly chuckled. A dark type of chuckle because this situation was not funny. ‘’Starclan, please give me the strength.’’ It was getting darker faster, and he hardly could see, but a wet substance rolled down his cheek. The tom knew it wasn’t tears. The crimson liquid, he could taste on his tongue as it rolled down. In an desperate attempt, the tom lunged forward, fighting off one of them, hoping to kill it. Pouncing was his specialty. It was what he excelled in. As he tumbled around with one of the badgers, he hoped his companion could not seek them out in the night. As of the moment, they were two heaps of fur clawing at each other in a violent manner.

A small smile was the only response that the deputy could give in a situation like this. There wasn't any time to be messing about. Despite the fact that the two of them might soon be mauled to death by two foul creatures, the deputy was calm and collected. On the outside that is. On the inside she could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins. This situation, it made her feel rather strange. And the more that she thought about it, the less serious she became about the situation. The fact that they were running away from two badgers, when in the past few moons they had managed to defeat four clans. The thought, it made Auroraflame want to....laugh. Well, I guess you could say that when it came to this ebony feline, there was always time for a laugh. If you feel like laughing then let it out. It really does help others in panicky situations like this one.

The thought was really starting to get to her and soon, a grin had grown on to the deputy's maw, and she was pretty sure it would be a while before it went away. Looking back and seeing the two black and white creatures, Auroraflame realized that, not including the battle against the four clans, she hadn't had an adventure like this in ages. She was actually enjoying it! Rock after rock, the deputy leapt, only occasionally fumbling with her footing.
"Who told you that you were irresistible?" Auroraflame called back to the silver tabby, not turning her head to look at him though. "Because whoever it was, i'm sure there was something rather wrong with their brains," Auroraflame continued, smiling as she felt a cold breeze blowing on her face.

It really was funny how the deputy's opinions, emotions and thoughts over something could change so quickly. But really that was just typical Auroraflame for you. She changed her mind when she thought something different and she wasn't afraid to display what she was suddenly feeling.
As the ebony she-cat kept leaping from one rock to another, not once did she looked back. She didn't want to look back. "Well who wouldn't be excited to be in my presence?" she called back to Umbraice, laughter glimmering in her icy blue hues. By now the moon had risen high up and the sky was at it's darkest. The deputy could hardly be seen anymore.

The she-cat seemed to be taking no notice of how the warrior was struggling to see her amongst the darkness that night gave. That was something that Auroraflame seemed to just love about her fur. It was great when it came to camouflaging, especially during the night time. She would always have the element of surprise when it came to doing something during the night. The only rather bad thing about having black fur was that in the middle of the day, during leaf-bare, she normally had a bit of trouble hunting. If she was lucky she would somehow be able to blend in with something else that was of the same colour as her fur.

By now the deputy was literally skipping on the rocks. She hadn't felt like this in ages and she really was making the best of it. A wide grin was on her maw as she focused ahead of her, landing on each rock with ease. A rock that had a particularly big distance between them suddenly came into view and the deputy lowered herself slightly, preparing to jump. With one big leap, Auroraflame leapt over. She managed to just cling on, her claws scrabbling for something to cling onto. But this was a rocky surface that she was on, so it was much harder to find something. The she-cat refused to look below her, because beneath her was a big drop, and she really wasn't ready to do that. Gathering all her strength, the she-cat managed to spot a large dent in the other wise flat surface. Using all her strength, she put a paw in the hole and used her other paws to lift her up. Finally, she managed to get back up onto the rock and started bouncing away again. It was almost as if she had never fallen down in the first place. That was the thing about Auroraflame, she always knew how to forget about something that wasn't so good, and start being the jumpy cat that she was. The ebony she-cat continued to not look back as she heard the voice of her companion again. "Yeah, I do!" Auroraflame called. She listened carefully as she had managed to gain quite a distance between them by now, she slowed down just a bit, and finally turned her head to check that Umbraice was okay. Looking back, she could see he was fine. "Alright! Have fun!" the ebony she-cat called loudly, hoping he would here.

Smirking to herself, the deputy was almost certain that the silver tabby tom was expecting her to go back to camp. She decided that was what she would make him think. Auroraflame quickly darted to the side and behind a rock so that she was no longer in sight. This was almost like a game of hide and seek, except this one was much more dangerous. The deputy wasn't going to just leave behind her clanmate. What kind of a cat would that make her? No, she was going to follow Umbraice the whole way, making sure he was alright and the moment she sensed that something bad was going to happen, she was going to step in. But no only that, she would also try help trip up the badgers along the way and give the tom a safer distance between him and the foul creatures. Looking around, the deputy searched for a path where she could stay out of site yet still close enough to see her clanmate. Her icy blue gaze quickly landed on a line of rocks ahead of her. She could hardly be seen in the darkness so she wouldn't have to worry about being spotted. Auroraflame really didn't want the tom to worry about her by knowing that she was still around.

As the deputy sprang forward, her thoughts started to wander into the land of curiosity. Why did badgers have to smell so bad? Why couldn't they just smell nice like everyone else? But then again, all predators smelt bad. Maybe they eat something that isn't very good for them, Auroraflame thought. If that's the reason, I hope they don't have bad indigestion, the deputy thought. Repeating her words in her mind, the ebony feline had to quickly suppress a laugh from coming out. Trust Auroraflame so say something so casual in a serious situation. The deputy quickly shrugged the thought away and told herself to concentrate on the situation at hand. The words still tugged at the back of her mind, no matter how hard she tried to push it back, they just pushing forward and she couldn't stop a small smirk from forming on her face.

Suddenly, the deputy halted and slipped in behind a large yet rather loose rock. She was on a slope and she had the upperhand, seeing as she was standing high up than the badgers and she was facing diagonally. Placing her paws on the rock, she peered from behind it, keeping low so her icy blue hues hopefully wouldn't be spotted. The stench of the badgers got closer and closer and the ebony feline waited for Umbraice to run past before she pushed the rock forward and quickly darted behind another one, watching from behind that one. If she was lucky, it would hit where she wanted it to and one of the badgers, if not two would be knocked out. A small smile formed on her maw as she heard a loud noise that was halfway between a grunt and a roar.

Peering out, the ebony feline could just see the faint line of a badger, limping up the mountain. Lovely, she thought, pleased with her efforts. Her moment of celebration only lasted for a bit as quickly afterwards, she continued to move upwards, wanting to assist her clanmate further in his struggle against the foul creatures. This was a game of wits and intelligence. Badgers? They probably had hardly any. The deputy guessed that their instinct only told them to destroy any living thing in site. Wasn't it just disappointing to see that their presence just seemed to wreck the beauty of such a somewhat peaceful place?

The wind was blowing in her direction and a metallic scent was caught on it. Alarm buzzed through the deputy for a moment, before rage suddenly burst in her. Auroraflame's claws were already unsheathed and without a moments hesitation, the deputy ran out from behind the rock, a flame of fury blazing in her eyes. "Did ya miss me?" the ebony feline called. She wasn't quite sure whether the words had been directed towards her clanmate, or to the badgers. But honestly, the deputy didn't care. She was too busy being angry. How dare they lay a claw on her clanmate? Rushing forward, deputy charged at the badger who wasn't fighting Umbraice, for it was lumbering towards the mess of fur, ready to assist it's own buddy in this fight. Running forward and lowering herself, the deputy sprang forward, her unusually sharp claws stretched out as far as they would go. The deputy managed to fling herself on to the badgers back, quickly attraction it's attention away from Umbraice, and on to her. It had been quite a few moons since she had fought anything, and now she was ready to unleash her fury once again. With her ebony fur blending her into the night, it was like she was an assassin.
An assassin of the night.

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Empress Of Evil

A small smile was the only response that the deputy could give in a situation like this. There wasn't any time to be messing about. Despite the fact that the two of them might soon be mauled to death by two foul creatures, the deputy was calm and collected. On the outside that is. On the inside she could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins. This situation, it made her feel rather strange. And the more that she thought about it, the less serious she became about the situation. The fact that they were running away from two badgers, when in the past few moons they had managed to defeat four clans. The thought, it made Auroraflame want to....laugh. Well, I guess you could say that when it came to this ebony feline, there was always time for a laugh. If you feel like laughing then let it out. It really does help others in panicky situations like this one.

The thought was really starting to get to her and soon, a grin had grown on to the deputy's maw, and she was pretty sure it would be a while before it went away. Looking back and seeing the two black and white creatures, Auroraflame realized that, not including the battle against the four clans, she hadn't had an adventure like this in ages. She was actually enjoying it! Rock after rock, the deputy leapt, only occasionally fumbling with her footing.
"Who told you that you were irresistible?" Auroraflame called back to the silver tabby, not turning her head to look at him though. "Because whoever it was, i'm sure there was something rather wrong with their brains," Auroraflame continued, smiling as she felt a cold breeze blowing on her face.

It really was funny how the deputy's opinions, emotions and thoughts over something could change so quickly. But really that was just typical Auroraflame for you. She changed her mind when she thought something different and she wasn't afraid to display what she was suddenly feeling.
As the ebony she-cat kept leaping from one rock to another, not once did she looked back. She didn't want to look back. "Well who wouldn't be excited to be in my presence?" she called back to Umbraice, laughter glimmering in her icy blue hues. By now the moon had risen high up and the sky was at it's darkest. The deputy could hardly be seen anymore.

The she-cat seemed to be taking no notice of how the warrior was struggling to see her amongst the darkness that night gave. That was something that Auroraflame seemed to just love about her fur. It was great when it came to camouflaging, especially during the night time. She would always have the element of surprise when it came to doing something during the night. The only rather bad thing about having black fur was that in the middle of the day, during leaf-bare, she normally had a bit of trouble hunting. If she was lucky she would somehow be able to blend in with something else that was of the same colour as her fur.

By now the deputy was literally skipping on the rocks. She hadn't felt like this in ages and she really was making the best of it. A wide grin was on her maw as she focused ahead of her, landing on each rock with ease. A rock that had a particularly big distance between them suddenly came into view and the deputy lowered herself slightly, preparing to jump. With one big leap, Auroraflame leapt over. She managed to just cling on, her claws scrabbling for something to cling onto. But this was a rocky surface that she was on, so it was much harder to find something. The she-cat refused to look below her, because beneath her was a big drop, and she really wasn't ready to do that. Gathering all her strength, the she-cat managed to spot a large dent in the other wise flat surface. Using all her strength, she put a paw in the hole and used her other paws to lift her up. Finally, she managed to get back up onto the rock and started bouncing away again. It was almost as if she had never fallen down in the first place. That was the thing about Auroraflame, she always knew how to forget about something that wasn't so good, and start being the jumpy cat that she was. The ebony she-cat continued to not look back as she heard the voice of her companion again. "Yeah, I do!" Auroraflame called. She listened carefully as she had managed to gain quite a distance between them by now, she slowed down just a bit, and finally turned her head to check that Umbraice was okay. Looking back, she could see he was fine. "Alright! Have fun!" the ebony she-cat called loudly, hoping he would here.

Smirking to herself, the deputy was almost certain that the silver tabby tom was expecting her to go back to camp. She decided that was what she would make him think. Auroraflame quickly darted to the side and behind a rock so that she was no longer in sight. This was almost like a game of hide and seek, except this one was much more dangerous. The deputy wasn't going to just leave behind her clanmate. What kind of a cat would that make her? No, she was going to follow Umbraice the whole way, making sure he was alright and the moment she sensed that something bad was going to happen, she was going to step in. But no only that, she would also try help trip up the badgers along the way and give the tom a safer distance between him and the foul creatures. Looking around, the deputy searched for a path where she could stay out of site yet still close enough to see her clanmate. Her icy blue gaze quickly landed on a line of rocks ahead of her. She could hardly be seen in the darkness so she wouldn't have to worry about being spotted. Auroraflame really didn't want the tom to worry about her by knowing that she was still around.

As the deputy sprang forward, her thoughts started to wander into the land of curiosity. Why did badgers have to smell so bad? Why couldn't they just smell nice like everyone else? But then again, all predators smelt bad. Maybe they eat something that isn't very good for them, Auroraflame thought. If that's the reason, I hope they don't have bad indigestion, the deputy thought. Repeating her words in her mind, the ebony feline had to quickly suppress a laugh from coming out. Trust Auroraflame so say something so casual in a serious situation. The deputy quickly shrugged the thought away and told herself to concentrate on the situation at hand. The words still tugged at the back of her mind, no matter how hard she tried to push it back, they just pushing forward and she couldn't stop a small smirk from forming on her face.

Suddenly, the deputy halted and slipped in behind a large yet rather loose rock. She was on a slope and she had the upperhand, seeing as she was standing high up than the badgers and she was facing diagonally. Placing her paws on the rock, she peered from behind it, keeping low so her icy blue hues hopefully wouldn't be spotted. The stench of the badgers got closer and closer and the ebony feline waited for Umbraice to run past before she pushed the rock forward and quickly darted behind another one, watching from behind that one. If she was lucky, it would hit where she wanted it to and one of the badgers, if not two would be knocked out. A small smile formed on her maw as she heard a loud noise that was halfway between a grunt and a roar.

Peering out, the ebony feline could just see the faint line of a badger, limping up the mountain. Lovely, she thought, pleased with her efforts. Her moment of celebration only lasted for a bit as quickly afterwards, she continued to move upwards, wanting to assist her clanmate further in his struggle against the foul creatures. This was a game of wits and intelligence. Badgers? They probably had hardly any. The deputy guessed that their instinct only told them to destroy any living thing in site. Wasn't it just disappointing to see that their presence just seemed to wreck the beauty of such a somewhat peaceful place?

The wind was blowing in her direction and a metallic scent was caught on it. Alarm buzzed through the deputy for a moment, before rage suddenly burst in her. Auroraflame's claws were already unsheathed and without a moments hesitation, the deputy ran out from behind the rock, a flame of fury blazing in her eyes. "Did ya miss me?" the ebony feline called. She wasn't quite sure whether the words had been directed towards her clanmate, or to the badgers. But honestly, the deputy didn't care. She was too busy being angry. How dare they lay a claw on her clanmate? Rushing forward, deputy charged at the badger who wasn't fighting Umbraice, for it was lumbering towards the mess of fur, ready to assist it's own buddy in this fight. Running forward and lowering herself, the deputy sprang forward, her unusually sharp claws stretched out as far as they would go. The deputy managed to fling herself on to the badgers back, quickly attraction it's attention away from Umbraice, and on to her. It had been quite a few moons since she had fought anything, and now she was ready to unleash her fury once again. With her ebony fur blending her into the night, it was like she was an assassin.
An assassin of the night.

Umbraice continued to battle with the badger, rolling around in an intertwined heap of fur. The silver tom gave a cackling laugh, finding it funny. As he took a hard nip at the badger, one voice cut through the air, and it made both of them stop fighting to see what was going on. Umbraice let out a growl. Auroraflame was suppose to be back at camp! She was suppose to be sleeping away peacefully at her nest, not here trying to fight off two stinkin’ badgers! Why didn’t she leave this for him to handle? Out of fury, the tom strike at the badger he was fighting, using his claws to make sure the sharp points hit the badger in a memorable way. After all, Umbraice carried a scarred eye, so shouldn’t the badger lose his life? The badger flung across, hitting against a rock, and fell unconscious. Umbraice narrowed his eyes and charged forward at the other badger. He had a hard time deciphering where he should hit the animal, considering that he knew his deputy was also on the attack.

It did not help that it was night time, and her fur was blending in really well with her surroundings. Believing in starclan, the tom lunged forward, hoping that he attacked the front of the badger instead of colliding in with Auroraflame. As he battled with claws, his took a quick glance at the shadow above. ‘’Fun to see you around here when you’re suppose to be at camp?’’ His voice was teasing-like as he looked up to the form of her. His blue gaze boring into hers. That was the only thing he could make out. Her blue gaze. It was such a brightness to see. He smirked, only at a time like this did he have to make the situation fun. ‘’Seems like you couldn’t stay away from me. And, you say I’m not irresistible, hah! Looks like something is wrong with your brain!’’ He laughed as he set another claw to the badger’s face, hearing it hiss at him.

It was weird for the tom to act in such a way. Like he was confident. The tom was usually humble, but every time he was battling; fighting; attacking, his thoughts got the better of him. He felt a pride swell inside him, and it had to burst out. Confidence wasn’t an issue for Umbraice, he just didn’t embrace it as much. The power seemed to activate on its own. Besides that, he enjoyed messing around with the deputy. He knew that back at camp, he would have to act civilized and proper towards her...not his self. At least, that's what he thought. The tom began running around in small circles to confuse the badger. It was enough time for Auroraflame to deliver a killing blow. The badger couldn't focus on both of them. Especially without his companion around to help him. The thought was thrilling, and Umbraice felt a type of exhilaration from the fight. From the battle. He stopped in his tracks, crouching into a hunter's bow before he took another swung at the badger, nodding his head at the scene.

Then, and there, the tom felt like a hero. As if he saved a whole town. But, he hadn't, and he knew this. His eyes darted around for the ebony feline, making out her icy orbs, he took in a few pants as he looked around them. It was already late, and he was still frustrated that Auroraflame didn't go back to camp. However, he was grateful that she was there to help him. As he took a step forward, he was searching if he could find any harm done to her pelt. That was a lost cause, especially since he hardly could see her pelt. So, instead the tom looked away, his eyes going up until they reached the peak of the mountains. He cleared his throat, ''So, are you alright? Nothing hurting, is it?'' He pushed his muzzle into the air, taking small steps around. He couldn't say the same for him. Across his left eye was a scratch. Later it would turn into a scar, and small drips of blood was making it down his cheek. He laughed at the pain. It didn't hurt as much when he first got it, and gradually he accepted it as part of his exotic artwork that was formed onto his body. It would be the one scar he never had to cover up. Plain on his eye.

''Nice fight though. Although, I can admit that we've been in far worse situations.'' He laughed, a shudder surpassing him. As he licked his maw, he flickered his tail, his icy orbs boring into her own. Did he appear sadistic? Menacing? Hard to approach now? The tom stared at her until he saw his own reflection in her orbs. He was quite horrified with himself, but he didn't allow this to show.

Instead, the tom looked away, flicking his tail once more. He padded away, his head slightly bent. ''I think we should head back. Enough adventure for the day.'' He suggested. All he just wanted to do was curl up and sleep in tall grass, or at least near the warriors' den. He knew as well that she wanted sleep. Wasn't the she-cat tired after a long day? He didn't want to keep her waiting for a long day to where she was needed. She was the deputy. She had orders to run, an apprentice to teach, meetings to attend. The tom wasn't assigned an apprentice as of yet. So, he was able to live his life freely and recklessly. He remembered what she said earlier about how he would be training an apprentice for the rest of his days. At this point, the thought didn't seem to bother him. It felt fun that he would be able to teach little paws on how to keep on the right path.

Umbraice would try to. He wasn't the best out there, and he knew that. Somehow it frightened him that if he did take on an apprentice, he would never be able to have as much fun as he used to when he was away from his clan. The tom felt selfish. Choosing his own freedom than helping out the clan...but, on the other hand, who wouldn't? Freedom was something everyone wanted, but could not feel the taste of. Freedom was a sample, not something you could forever obtain. Everyone grasped for it, but it was out of reach. No matter what, there were always rules. Freedom was limited.

The tom wanted to talk to the deputy about many things, but thought best of it. She didn't have to worry about his problems. The whole skyclan practically depended on her for her help and encouragement. He would be one less problem she needed to worry about. He was grateful of fire she held when she saw that he was hurt. It made him realize that she did care--not only for him, but for everyone's wellbeing. Umbraice would had been perfectly fine with taking care of the situation by himself. He had done it before as if it were nothing. And, this was what he wanted to approach her with.

''Listen, Auroraflame. Please...just please be careful. I know you probably don't want to hear this, but...are you crazy?!'' At first, his voice was nice...and calm. He was mellow and collected, but soon his fur began bristling at the thought of almost harming his deputy. Of his deputy putting her life on the line. True, that the badger could do no harm, but in the heat of the moment, how else was the silver tabby suppose to respond? He was the reckless one. He was the one who was suppose to get hurt purposely and get back up out of bravery. That was him. He was that type of tom.

Umbraice reminded himself that Auroraflame could take care of herself. She was strong. She knew how to fight, and that made him breathe in a sigh of relief. But, it was still scary. For, he wasn't the only one who he needed to protect. Clan mates stuck together no matter what. The tom inhaled deeply, closing his blue orbs in the process to calm himself down. Yelling at her would do no good, the two would end up in an argument. After only meeting within a day. Did he really want to argue with his deputy? Not really. He was in no energy to argue. Instead, he found his inner calm self again. The one who liked to joke around and tease. ''Let me reword that...you're definitely insane. You might end up getting me killed if I bring you out here again.'' He remarked, a teasing tone in his voice. Though it was rigid because he had been scared, but he was happy that it was over. And, of course, the two had won.

The tom got up to stretch, hearing the cracks in his bones, and he stiffened up, arching his back in the process. He always felt good after stretching. His blue orbs searched around them. He felt his scarred eye twitch for a moment in pain, and he blinked. Scars made toms look good, didn't it? Umbraice liked to believe this thought. Scars showed off bravery, had stories to tell, made others looked interesting. However, he felt a decrease in his self-esteem, though he would never allow this to show. There were far more worse injuries than an eye with three scar marks on it. It wouldn't do anything good for him to go around sulking about it. The badger had already paid with his life, and Umbraice was still that friendly tom that others could approach. Nothing would change there, and he was quite content with that thought. However, he still didn't feel good about it.

The tom shrugged to himself, shaking out to rid the thoughts as he lightly made a circle around Auroraflame and started trotting away. ''I think it's best if we head to camp, together. You know, before you decided to surprise me once more with you devious acts.'' He tells her, smirking back.

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Noire

Umbraice continued to battle with the badger, rolling around in an intertwined heap of fur. The silver tom gave a cackling laugh, finding it funny. As he took a hard nip at the badger, one voice cut through the air, and it made both of them stop fighting to see what was going on. Umbraice let out a growl. Auroraflame was suppose to be back at camp! She was suppose to be sleeping away peacefully at her nest, not here trying to fight off two stinkin’ badgers! Why didn’t she leave this for him to handle? Out of fury, the tom strike at the badger he was fighting, using his claws to make sure the sharp points hit the badger in a memorable way. After all, Umbraice carried a scarred eye, so shouldn’t the badger lose his life? The badger flung across, hitting against a rock, and fell unconscious. Umbraice narrowed his eyes and charged forward at the other badger. He had a hard time deciphering where he should hit the animal, considering that he knew his deputy was also on the attack.

It did not help that it was night time, and her fur was blending in really well with her surroundings. Believing in starclan, the tom lunged forward, hoping that he attacked the front of the badger instead of colliding in with Auroraflame. As he battled with claws, his took a quick glance at the shadow above. ‘’Fun to see you around here when you’re suppose to be at camp?’’ His voice was teasing-like as he looked up to the form of her. His blue gaze boring into hers. That was the only thing he could make out. Her blue gaze. It was such a brightness to see. He smirked, only at a time like this did he have to make the situation fun. ‘’Seems like you couldn’t stay away from me. And, you say I’m not irresistible, hah! Looks like something is wrong with your brain!’’ He laughed as he set another claw to the badger’s face, hearing it hiss at him.

It was weird for the tom to act in such a way. Like he was confident. The tom was usually humble, but every time he was battling; fighting; attacking, his thoughts got the better of him. He felt a pride swell inside him, and it had to burst out. Confidence wasn’t an issue for Umbraice, he just didn’t embrace it as much. The power seemed to activate on its own. Besides that, he enjoyed messing around with the deputy. He knew that back at camp, he would have to act civilized and proper towards her...not his self. At least, that's what he thought. The tom began running around in small circles to confuse the badger. It was enough time for Auroraflame to deliver a killing blow. The badger couldn't focus on both of them. Especially without his companion around to help him. The thought was thrilling, and Umbraice felt a type of exhilaration from the fight. From the battle. He stopped in his tracks, crouching into a hunter's bow before he took another swung at the badger, nodding his head at the scene.

Then, and there, the tom felt like a hero. As if he saved a whole town. But, he hadn't, and he knew this. His eyes darted around for the ebony feline, making out her icy orbs, he took in a few pants as he looked around them. It was already late, and he was still frustrated that Auroraflame didn't go back to camp. However, he was grateful that she was there to help him. As he took a step forward, he was searching if he could find any harm done to her pelt. That was a lost cause, especially since he hardly could see her pelt. So, instead the tom looked away, his eyes going up until they reached the peak of the mountains. He cleared his throat, ''So, are you alright? Nothing hurting, is it?'' He pushed his muzzle into the air, taking small steps around. He couldn't say the same for him. Across his left eye was a scratch. Later it would turn into a scar, and small drips of blood was making it down his cheek. He laughed at the pain. It didn't hurt as much when he first got it, and gradually he accepted it as part of his exotic artwork that was formed onto his body. It would be the one scar he never had to cover up. Plain on his eye.

''Nice fight though. Although, I can admit that we've been in far worse situations.'' He laughed, a shudder surpassing him. As he licked his maw, he flickered his tail, his icy orbs boring into her own. Did he appear sadistic? Menacing? Hard to approach now? The tom stared at her until he saw his own reflection in her orbs. He was quite horrified with himself, but he didn't allow this to show.

Instead, the tom looked away, flicking his tail once more. He padded away, his head slightly bent. ''I think we should head back. Enough adventure for the day.'' He suggested. All he just wanted to do was curl up and sleep in tall grass, or at least near the warriors' den. He knew as well that she wanted sleep. Wasn't the she-cat tired after a long day? He didn't want to keep her waiting for a long day to where she was needed. She was the deputy. She had orders to run, an apprentice to teach, meetings to attend. The tom wasn't assigned an apprentice as of yet. So, he was able to live his life freely and recklessly. He remembered what she said earlier about how he would be training an apprentice for the rest of his days. At this point, the thought didn't seem to bother him. It felt fun that he would be able to teach little paws on how to keep on the right path.

Umbraice would try to. He wasn't the best out there, and he knew that. Somehow it frightened him that if he did take on an apprentice, he would never be able to have as much fun as he used to when he was away from his clan. The tom felt selfish. Choosing his own freedom than helping out the clan...but, on the other hand, who wouldn't? Freedom was something everyone wanted, but could not feel the taste of. Freedom was a sample, not something you could forever obtain. Everyone grasped for it, but it was out of reach. No matter what, there were always rules. Freedom was limited.

The tom wanted to talk to the deputy about many things, but thought best of it. She didn't have to worry about his problems. The whole skyclan practically depended on her for her help and encouragement. He would be one less problem she needed to worry about. He was grateful of fire she held when she saw that he was hurt. It made him realize that she did care--not only for him, but for everyone's wellbeing. Umbraice would had been perfectly fine with taking care of the situation by himself. He had done it before as if it were nothing. And, this was what he wanted to approach her with.

''Listen, Auroraflame. Please...just please be careful. I know you probably don't want to hear this, but...are you crazy?!'' At first, his voice was nice...and calm. He was mellow and collected, but soon his fur began bristling at the thought of almost harming his deputy. Of his deputy putting her life on the line. True, that the badger could do no harm, but in the heat of the moment, how else was the silver tabby suppose to respond? He was the reckless one. He was the one who was suppose to get hurt purposely and get back up out of bravery. That was him. He was that type of tom.

Umbraice reminded himself that Auroraflame could take care of herself. She was strong. She knew how to fight, and that made him breathe in a sigh of relief. But, it was still scary. For, he wasn't the only one who he needed to protect. Clan mates stuck together no matter what. The tom inhaled deeply, closing his blue orbs in the process to calm himself down. Yelling at her would do no good, the two would end up in an argument. After only meeting within a day. Did he really want to argue with his deputy? Not really. He was in no energy to argue. Instead, he found his inner calm self again. The one who liked to joke around and tease. ''Let me reword that...you're definitely insane. You might end up getting me killed if I bring you out here again.'' He remarked, a teasing tone in his voice. Though it was rigid because he had been scared, but he was happy that it was over. And, of course, the two had won.

The tom got up to stretch, hearing the cracks in his bones, and he stiffened up, arching his back in the process. He always felt good after stretching. His blue orbs searched around them. He felt his scarred eye twitch for a moment in pain, and he blinked. Scars made toms look good, didn't it? Umbraice liked to believe this thought. Scars showed off bravery, had stories to tell, made others looked interesting. However, he felt a decrease in his self-esteem, though he would never allow this to show. There were far more worse injuries than an eye with three scar marks on it. It wouldn't do anything good for him to go around sulking about it. The badger had already paid with his life, and Umbraice was still that friendly tom that others could approach. Nothing would change there, and he was quite content with that thought. However, he still didn't feel good about it.

The tom shrugged to himself, shaking out to rid the thoughts as he lightly made a circle around Auroraflame and started trotting away. ''I think it's best if we head to camp, together. You know, before you decided to surprise me once more with you devious acts.'' He tells her, smirking back.

Hearing the cackling laugh of Umbraice made the deputy want to laugh as well. As she clawed at the badger, putting scratches here and there, a devilish grin quickly grew on her maw. Auroraflame was always one for peace, but she still loved to fight. Whether it be fighting a real threat or just training. She much preferred training, although fighting against a real opponent wasn't that bad either. She got to push her limits and show others what she could do. The excitement of a battle always seemed to energize the deputy up. It was never a nice thing to see blood, or hear the cries of anguish, but being a battle pumped you up. Knowing that you were fighting for your life meant you were always ready to claw whatever was in your path. For a few short moments, the deputy looked across to see how her silver tabby companion was doing. She watched with interest as his opponent was flung across and into a rock, knocking itself unconscious

Something quickly came to her aid as the badger started howling with pain from strikes that weren't struck by her. In the darkness of the night, the deputy could make out the silver fur of Umbraice. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Did he think that she couldn't defend herself? Her emotions of slight frustration quickly went away as he spoke to her whilst they both sent scratches back at the foul creature. "I'm not supposedto be at camp," the deputy said in a corrective tone of voice. "You just asked me if I knew the way back to camp. You never said I had to go to camp," Auroraflame replied smartly. When the ebony she-cat needed to prove someone wrong, she used her logic. Being a very logical cat meant that she picked up small things and used them in her defence. That was the way that this she-cat's mind worked.

Auroraflame had a reply in mind, she just didn't say it. She decided to leave it till after the battle. As her clan mate started to run circles around the animal, the deputy took the chance to jump on the badger and give it a killing blow. The ebony feline crouched down before springing into the air, claws outstretched, ready to land on the back of the large animal. A smile of triumph grew on her maw as she successfully landed. Without a moment's hesitation, the deputy sunk her sharp teeth into the badger's neck, the metallic taste of blood immediately filling her mouth. She felt the animal go limp before it collapsed to the ground. The deputy had to admit that she did love biting things. She would bite whatever she could find the moment she got bored. Unless it was something that could threaten her life. Like poisonous berries. Getting sick of the taste of blood, she took her jaws out of the flesh of the once life filled badger. Her teeth were stained red and so was her fur and paws.

Disgust filled her as she could still taste the crimson liquid tainting her mouth. She was definitely going to wash out her mouth later. Looking around, something shiny seemed to catch the attention of her icy blue hues. It was a small pond. Quickly, the she-cat ran over, parting her jaws in the process. As soon as she was close enough, she shoved her head into the pond. Anyone above the surface would slowly see red tainting the water, spreading further with each passing second. A few moments later, the deputy lifted her head, her fur drenched but clean. She walked back casually to her companion, her teeth glinting in the moonlight as a grin planted itself on her maw. A shallow scratch ran down one of her back legs and delicate droplets of scarlet liquid welled up from it. It was nothing serious though. At least she no longer felt like throwing up anymore. Pain from her wound cut at her, but the deputy ignored it. "I'm fine. You're not though," the deputy said, concern quickly flooding into her blue hues the moment she spotted the scratch on his left eye. She could tell it was going to scar, but looking at her companion, she still felt worried for him.

A cut that she hadn't noticed before was starting to bleed. It was a cut on her lip and blood was trickling from it. She had to admit it made her look rather evil. But then didn't they both? They looked like creeps that were thirsty for blood. Auroraflame could only nod, feeling more exhausted than ever. "Also, my brain is fine. And you're still not irresistible. I simply couldn't let you get hurt. It's my duty after all," Auroraflame said in a matter-of-fact tone before walking passed the tom, set on the path home.

The deputy didn't look back but nodded in agreement. She was tired, her muscles ached and she was ready to collapse on the spot and stay there for the night. Although, thinking about it, she refused to stay in this place for a second longer. It was beautiful, and maybe she would visit some time in the future, but right now she wanted nothing more to do with this mountain. She was injured, tired, exhausted and just sick of it. She wanted nothing more than to return to camp, curl up in her nest and go to sleep. She had had enough excitement to last her for a moon. It seemed that now everything had turned and all that she wanted to do was work. The deputy let out a shallow sigh. Although, she couldn't blame Umbraice for bringing her out here. She was the one who had wanted to come out here in the first place, so she could only blame herself for her desperation.

Thinking about the battle, the ebony she-cat had noticed how the Umbraice had wanted her to return to camp. The thought made her think, did he not trust her to defend herself? Auroraflame was a strong she-cat and an independent one with that. She was perfectly capable of taking care of a problem. As much as she appreciated that he cared for her, she wanted to walk on her path alone. She wanted to be the one to defend herself. This wasn't because she didn't want any help. The ebony she-cat just cared for her clan mates that she didn't want them to have to worry about her. Perhaps it was too much weight for her to carry, but she cared too much for the well being of her clan mates.

The feline longed for freedom. And tonight, she had gotten it. Tomorrow she would be back to tending to duties. It was all part of her life. For a moment, Auroraflame felt rather guilty. She was getting rather upset over this whole incident, but had been ignoring the fact that for the first time in moons, she had been free. Glancing back at her clan mate, the ebony she-cat felt a wave of gratitude washing over her. The badgers were something that no one would've been able to prevent, but her clanmate still took her out here to give her a chance of freedom. He had defended her when the badgers had struck, (even if she still believed she was capable of looking after herself), even if it meant he might be killed. All these emotions and thoughts were pointing towards gratitude.

Her ears pricked attentively as her companion finally broke the silence between them. "Yeah, i'm pretty insane," the deputy replied, shrugging her shoulders casually as a small smile danced on her lips. "Look, if you're blaming yourself for tonight, don't," Auroraflame said, turning her head to face the silver tabby. It was like she could read his thoughts. "I finally got a taste of freedom. So, thank you," the deputy continued softly before turning her head back and facing the front. This was the thrill of life, going on an adventure, getting hurt and then standing back up.

The ebony she-cat smiled and laughed softly. "That sounds more accurate," she chuckled. Not once did she turn her head to face the tom, her icy blue orbs were focused intently on the path ahead. Forget about the negatives and focus on the path ahead of you. That was a phrase that always stuck into the deputy's mind. For a short moment, the deputy glanced at the scratch on her leg. She was rather doubtful that it would scar. It was only a shallow scratch that had droplets of blood welling up on it. It would only take her a week at the most to heal it. Well, to be more specific, to get Ebonypaw to heal it. The deputy knew little about healing. She left all those complicated things to the experts. She didn't have much interest in herbs, although she knew that they could be extremely helpful in a difficult situation. Sometimes it was useful to know a thing or two about another profession.

"I can't agree more," Auroraflame said, her voice tired and exhaustion clearly showing through in her icy hues. She was ready to curl up in her nest and get a good nights sleep. This adventure had been great, but now she just needed to relax and enjoy the company of her clan mates back at camp.

[Brilliance]

Umbraice stalked around in the outskirts of the territory. To him, this was where the best prey laid at. Though this was only an opinion. Many of the cats preferred to hunt in the territory. After all, why hunt along the outskirts? That was dangerous. That was a...stupid move. Umbraice didn't do it because he would be considered daft. Some of the cats thought he would be out usually looking for trouble. Oh no, Umbraice was far from stupid. He preferred to think of himself as a dare devil. It was fun living on unpredictable side! And, that's exactly how Umbraice saw him as. Unpredictable. Entertaining. Comical. Anything along those lines. He had pretty much a good size ego. He wouldn't say he had a large ego. He didn't really like self-centered cats.

Right at the moment, his mind was focused on a nearby starling. The bird the was small, but it was excellent prey to eat. He was hungry. His jaws were watering. Technically, it was wrong to eat prey without bringing it back to the clan first. Also--technically, he wasn't in Skyclan's territory. Hunting along the borders of Skyclan's territory was different. Right? His ears had perked up at this thought. It left him quite baffled, but he shook his head quickly. He didn't have time to think about things.

Right now all he wanted to do was feel that prey between his paws. Eat it. Enjoy it. Then do his real hunting within the clan of Skyclan. Yet, the tom didn't truly care about hunting much. In the distant, he could see the beloved mountain he would escape to whenever he needed some type of adventure. ''No--No. Umbra...stay here.'' He scolded himself, and entered int a hunting crouch as he was well hidden behind shrubs. The little bird was tempting in front of him, hopping along, living in its own world. Umbraice glanced quickly at the mountain he called his own, before settling his gaze upon the small critter again. He had to wait for the right moment to strike. If he didn't, he might as well lose his chance. Didn't he always lose his chance?

The tom was getting quite distracted but he was ready to catch this meal, eat it up, and perhaps escape to his mountain. He forgot entirely about his clan. Sometimes he felt that he didn't belong there. But, it was the roots of his family. Of his mother, who he dearly loved. So, he stayed. The tom glanced back, soaking in the surroundings of the territory of Skyclan before he turned back around, and was ready to attack the small critter.

''Just a little longer...'' He crawled slowly, edging himself from the shrubs, and ready to unsheathe his claws to attack his meal. Yeah, he came to a conclusion. He would eat, then he would be ready to bounce off in the distance. Then, probably come back tonight to sleep it off in the warriors' den if he weren't too lazy.

@Empress Of Evil

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Constellation

Umbraice stalked around in the outskirts of the territory. To him, this was where the best prey laid at. Though this was only an opinion. Many of the cats preferred to hunt in the territory. After all, why hunt along the outskirts? That was dangerous. That was a...stupid move. Umbraice didn't do it because he would be considered daft. Some of the cats thought he would be out usually looking for trouble. Oh no, Umbraice was far from stupid. He preferred to think of himself as a dare devil. It was fun living on unpredictable side! And, that's exactly how Umbraice saw him as. Unpredictable. Entertaining. Comical. Anything along those lines. He had pretty much a good size ego. He wouldn't say he had a large ego. He didn't really like self-centered cats.

Right at the moment, his mind was focused on a nearby starling. The bird the was small, but it was excellent prey to eat. He was hungry. His jaws were watering. Technically, it was wrong to eat prey without bringing it back to the clan first. Also--technically, he wasn't in Skyclan's territory. Hunting along the borders of Skyclan's territory was different. Right? His ears had perked up at this thought. It left him quite baffled, but he shook his head quickly. He didn't have time to think about things.

Right now all he wanted to do was feel that prey between his paws. Eat it. Enjoy it. Then do his real hunting within the clan of Skyclan. Yet, the tom didn't truly care about hunting much. In the distant, he could see the beloved mountain he would escape to whenever he needed some type of adventure. ''No--No. Umbra...stay here.'' He scolded himself, and entered int a hunting crouch as he was well hidden behind shrubs. The little bird was tempting in front of him, hopping along, living in its own world. Umbraice glanced quickly at the mountain he called his own, before settling his gaze upon the small critter again. He had to wait for the right moment to strike. If he didn't, he might as well lose his chance. Didn't he always lose his chance?

The tom was getting quite distracted but he was ready to catch this meal, eat it up, and perhaps escape to his mountain. He forgot entirely about his clan. Sometimes he felt that he didn't belong there. But, it was the roots of his family. Of his mother, who he dearly loved. So, he stayed. The tom glanced back, soaking in the surroundings of the territory of Skyclan before he turned back around, and was ready to attack the small critter.

''Just a little longer...'' He crawled slowly, edging himself from the shrubs, and ready to unsheathe his claws to attack his meal. Yeah, he came to a conclusion. He would eat, then he would be ready to bounce off in the distance. Then, probably come back tonight to sleep it off in the warriors' den if he weren't too lazy.

@Empress Of Evil

With each step that she took, Auroraflame was getting further and further away from the centre of the territory and closer to the edge. Although her paws were quite full, she’d decided to take a break and hunt for a bit. Near the camp, she’d found hardly any prey, which left her with no choice but to go further out. Even though the deputy preferred to stay close to home, she liked exploring new things and getting to know places like the back of her paws. Her ears pricked attentively and her icy blue orbs narrowed as they looked around. No matter where she was, Auroraflame was always looking around, as if she were waiting for something to jump out at her. She sort of was. She didn’t exactly expect something to jump out, she was just preparing for something sudden to happen. She wasn’t scared, but instead, careful. She’d already lost enough in her life and she didn’t need to lose herself.

Suddenly, the sound of leaves rustling reached the inky deputy’s ears and she whipped around quickly, being careful to not make a sound. The scent of a bird hit her nostrils as a soft breeze rushed by. Her lips curled back to reveal a grin that was almost sinister looking. When she was by herself, Auroraflame could be rather….dark. There were two sides to her positive side, the bright side, which was truely happy and bright, or the darker side which had a darker aura to it and it was amusing yet rather annoying with her sarcasm.

Auroraflame crouched down and edged closer. She quickly ducked behind a thick bush and peered through the gaps between the leaves. She spotted a small starling, however, she didn’t spot a certain tom cat a few foxlengths away from her. Her icy hues became more focused as she unsheathed her claws and breathed in the scent that radiated from the bird. The starling was facing away from her, making it vulnerable to her claws. Slowly, she crept a little closer. However, she was focused just a bit too much on the bird that she wasn’t watching where she was stepping. A loud snapping noise broke through her concentration and the deputy looked down in alarm. She quickly lifted her paw up, only to find two twigs lying on the soft grass. Auroraflame looked back up. The starling was gone.

“Fox dung,” She cursed under her breath. Without wasting another second, she shot out of the bush like a dart, all the while searching for any signs of the bird. A dark shape, one that was much smaller than the deputy suddenly came into view amongst the bushes for a short moment. It disappeared quickly but that had been enough for her. Auroraflame dashed after the bird, enjoying the wind blowing against her face as she ran past trees, dodging and twisting past each one of them.

“Come on. Nearly there,” Auroraflame whispered as she ran, her words getting carried away by the wind. Her icy blue eyes were narrowed keenly and she couldn’t stop the grin from jumping onto her maw. There was nothing better than running through the forest at high speeds and running past the trees with ease as the wind blew against you. This was what it was like to be free.