Saltmeadow Marsh

[lone]

Originally Posted by Nefarious

[ It's a little short but I'm too tired to do anything too long ]

Admittedly the words hit harder than she had expected and she was almost literally left staggering after he finished talking. Her tail lashed and she raised her head to stare directly at him, eyes glinting with tears. "Why not?" she said defiantly. She stepped towards him claws scraping the snow. "You afraid of that word? Afraid that maybe it's true, that maybe he doesn't love me either?" she snapped. Don't say it, don't say it. she bit down on her tongue and glanced over her shoulder towards the border. Her stomach flipped inside her and her paws tingled. "He hits me..." her voice was so low, almost a whisper. Her expression seemed dull and suddenly the fire died out of her eyes "He does. He doesn't love me, I don't love him" she fell silent again shaking out her thoughts for a moment.

Everything that had been said already was like a blow to the chest, winding her and leaving her absolutely speechless. This was one of these moments where she was forced to just stand there, looking dumb with her gaze fixed on her paws. A moment in time where she looked like an apprentice being scolded. Than the she cat shook her head a second time her ears flopping back and fourth before fixing her steel grey gaze on the brown tom again. Her tail curled by her flank once more her ears perked listening for what he would say.

Shiverlight let out a dull laugh, "Somehow we could have made this work? Oh yeah like we could just keep doing this and have that redflight and scorpionsting thing happen all over again?!" she said with a snort. She raised her head and laughed again this time rearing her head backwards "hey, why not bring all of shadowclan this time. Goldenstar and halfgaze! Oh joy why not even bring Fallenstar in it- just for fun!" she snickered her tail lashing with amusement. "Sure it could be kept a secret, no don't worry the patrols won't notice our scent. No no and hey mysterious kits? Why bother checking in on it!" she spat this time her fur bristling and all of guilt fading away in an instant. She laughed again dropping her head and shaking it slowly "tell me, how exactly would that have worked?" she asked this time looking up at him her eyes glazed with amusement, her whiskers twitching as she studied him.

She suddenly stopped joking- her mouth closed up and her ears pinned to the back of her head. She blinked. I'm sorry. the only words she had wanted to hear all day- and perhaps the words she would have to say back. The fur on her back have a slight jerk as a muscle tensed up and released beneath her blue fur. Her paws shuffled and for another minute she simply stood staring at him, instead of amusement, hatred, anger and frustration her gaze was filled with extreme shock and concern. "I- I don't know how to fix this" she breathed, her voice coming out distressed and weakened. "I wanna fix this... But I just don't know how we can..." she stammered looking away quickly her face becomeing flushed. He cares.

It was difficult for Charmpelt, seeing Shiverlight like this. He was used to a snappish, fiery she cat who could pretty much turn his world upside down. She had turned it upside down. But now she was hurting, and the worst part was, he couldn't fix it. How could he? Her mate was in ShadowClan, a tom who he was beginning to picture as the ultimate monster. With gleaming eyes and bloodstained teeth, and fur that was wild and messy. Hearing that he would actually hit Shiverlight, abuse someone in that way, only made him angrier. "He does what?" Charmpelt couldn't even be mad at the ShadowClanner now, furious to hear about her mate. It was easier for him to believe that she was telling the truth now.

Anyone who would hit their mate certainly didn't deserve one. Especially not her. What did he want, was he trying to break her spirit? Charmpelt had already tried doing it with his charm, clearly that hadn't worked. But he would never have thought of abusing the she cat. Or any she cat. Why would someone do that? Everything else she said fell on deaf ears, the tom trying to block out hurtful comments now that he knew what was really going on. She didn't need pressure on her. She needed someone to take care of her. That should be her mate's job, he should be the one listening to her thoughts and her feelings and helping her, not Charmpelt! Once upon a time, this would have been his dream. To play the gallant hero, running in to save the day, a damsel in distress falling in love with him... but of course, it wasn't the fairytale he thought it was.

Standing at the edge of the border, the darkened ShadowClan territory looming behind Shiverlight and the more open-looking territory (not as much as WindClan's, but better) behind him, it suddenly felt like he couldn't do this anymore. "Come... with me. Please? Just for a day, a night, maybe... we could find somewhere outside the Clans. Just for today, it'll be you and me..." The tom mewed, his voice almost pleading as he searched the she cat's expression for any sign of acceptance. This could be a moment that they would get to share. A moment that, for now, he and Shiverlight would have to keep. It could be the last time the two of them got to be together. If her mate was really that strict, there was a good chance the charming RiverClanner would never see his sharp-tongued ShadowClanner again.

Star-crossed lovers. The phrase had never meant much to Charmpelt until now... before now, he'd thought that was overrated. Surely there was some way to overcome those obstacles, they didn't have to be stupid about it! Now that he was, in fact, one of those "stupid cats," it meant so much more. He understood how difficult it could be now. Maybe Shiverlight was right... maybe it would have been impossible for anything like this to work.

[wren]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

It was difficult for Charmpelt, seeing Shiverlight like this. He was used to a snappish, fiery she cat who could pretty much turn his world upside down. She had turned it upside down. But now she was hurting, and the worst part was, he couldn't fix it. How could he? Her mate was in ShadowClan, a tom who he was beginning to picture as the ultimate monster. With gleaming eyes and bloodstained teeth, and fur that was wild and messy. Hearing that he would actually hit Shiverlight, abuse someone in that way, only made him angrier. "He does what?" Charmpelt couldn't even be mad at the ShadowClanner now, furious to hear about her mate. It was easier for him to believe that she was telling the truth now.

Anyone who would hit their mate certainly didn't deserve one. Especially not her. What did he want, was he trying to break her spirit? Charmpelt had already tried doing it with his charm, clearly that hadn't worked. But he would never have thought of abusing the she cat. Or any she cat. Why would someone do that? Everything else she said fell on deaf ears, the tom trying to block out hurtful comments now that he knew what was really going on. She didn't need pressure on her. She needed someone to take care of her. That should be her mate's job, he should be the one listening to her thoughts and her feelings and helping her, not Charmpelt! Once upon a time, this would have been his dream. To play the gallant hero, running in to save the day, a damsel in distress falling in love with him... but of course, it wasn't the fairytale he thought it was.

Standing at the edge of the border, the darkened ShadowClan territory looming behind Shiverlight and the more open-looking territory (not as much as WindClan's, but better) behind him, it suddenly felt like he couldn't do this anymore. "Come... with me. Please? Just for a day, a night, maybe... we could find somewhere outside the Clans. Just for today, it'll be you and me..." The tom mewed, his voice almost pleading as he searched the she cat's expression for any sign of acceptance. This could be a moment that they would get to share. A moment that, for now, he and Shiverlight would have to keep. It could be the last time the two of them got to be together. If her mate was really that strict, there was a good chance the charming RiverClanner would never see his sharp-tongued ShadowClanner again.

Star-crossed lovers. The phrase had never meant much to Charmpelt until now... before now, he'd thought that was overrated. Surely there was some way to overcome those obstacles, they didn't have to be stupid about it! Now that he was, in fact, one of those "stupid cats," it meant so much more. He understood how difficult it could be now. Maybe Shiverlight was right... maybe it would have been impossible for anything like this to work.

Shiverlight was frozen, her paws where numb, her head was swimming and everything was going on so quickly that she couldn't exactly keep track of how she felt about it. He had wanted to fix this, that's what she wanted him to do all along, To fix it, right? And now suddenly she wasn't so sure that it was his problem to fix. She had come into this thinking she was in the right and now she wasn't so sure she was. Her mind worked like clock work, all the gears turning and rotating without faulter. All of her was bent up in her mind, cramped momentarily. Ignoring the tom for the longest minute her gaze switching back and fourth between the borders. He had said sorry when it was me who needed to say those words in the first place. her stomach turned with uncertainty at this discovery. Her mind felt it was too complex and yet it was too unbelievably simply it sickened her. There where no excuses to explain what I've done, I guess I just have to admit to it. finally she raised her eyes back to meet his but when they met there was whole new setting to his stance.

Her tail curled at her side, this was a whole new problem she had to fix. This is your fault now that he knows you mousebrain! the little voice shouted at her. Shiverlight flinched, perhaps she was more scared of her mind than she was of the Riverclanner at the moment, maybe even more scared of her minds venomous comments than her own mates life. She recoiled for a moment as if her mind was something physically in front of her. She dropped her gaze shamefully "it's not what you think" she murmured barely audible over her own mind yelling at her. She had pulled herslef into a void, a rat race where she just chased after explaining her mistakes every single time to no avail. A big ol rat race. there was no time to play pitty party with herself. There was real problems that needed to be dealt with here.

Like before she raised her gaze to meet his and begin to explain what was wrong she was interrupted yet again- Was he serious? He couldn't possibly be serious right now. Dear starclan please forgive me for wanting to go so badly. she paused for a moment and looked back down, a minute ago her mind was full of thoughts. Thoughts as abundant as the stars in the starpelt that gleamed above their heads at night. Yet now her mind was so barren like a desert with no rain, not a spec of life other than the sand that stretched for miles. Empty.
Her cheeks had been flushed as she stared directly at him, unaware that she had been staring with her mouth agap. Like as if she was in a trance her eyes where clouded and her body stiff, her face ridden from emotion except her cheeks that gave her away. "Charmpelt, what about everyone else, won't they know?" she meowed softly, her concern was not even with going but simply the clan mates form either riverclan or Shadowclan that could possibly get involved. Not to mention the recent war that shook the clans to their very roots.

Her tail lashed and she sat down for a moment her shoulders sagging and her paws sinking deeper into the snow until suddenly a small flake of white drifted from above flittering down and landing on the bridge of her nose. She glanced upwards for a moment a small smile spreading across her maw for the first time today. Following it came another few and suddenly big fat fluffs of snow was around them. Not the cold kind, the good kind, the one so light and fluffy it almost made you wanna jump and catch one. "Of course I'll go with you..."

[Barnabas]

Originally Posted by Spiral Whirl

Flarestrike blinked, as he stood up. "Splashpool?" He said, in surprise. His heart started to beat at a rate he thinks isn't normal. He stood up, with out a hint of hesitation he crossed the border onto Riverclan territory. He helped the queen up, however his eyes instantly went to his scars. A sharp pang hit him in the chest, he frowned deeply. "Who did.. did that?" Their were too many he liked. Yes, their was a war but just too many. Even being pregnant she could handle herself. Flarestrike could feel a spark of rage in his chest. It had to be Windclan.. The tom gulp, or Shadowclan. He prayed that it wasn't Shadowclan. He already felt guilty for a lot of things. Flarestrike forced a smile, it would be a bit awkward. For him, at least. She probably hated him.

Splashpool shifted her paws as she stood up. "I was headed back to Riverclan and I was jumped. I don't know what clan they were in. I didn't have a chance." replied Splashpool with a sudden cough. The queen gave her injured leg a quick lick after it had finally started bleeding. 'I'm an accident waiting to happen. I'm going to end up killing myself someday,' thought the queen through a hiss of pain as her leg began to sting.
(My posts will get longer. I can hardly think right now)

[wolfie]

Originally Posted by Megan

Splashpool shifted her paws as she stood up. "I was headed back to Riverclan and I was jumped. I don't know what clan they were in. I didn't have a chance." replied Splashpool with a sudden cough. The queen gave her injured leg a quick lick after it had finally started bleeding. 'I'm an accident waiting to happen. I'm going to end up killing myself someday,' thought the queen through a hiss of pain as her leg began to sting.
(My posts will get longer. I can hardly think right now)

[ it fine, writer blocks sucks. ]

Flarestrike was hesitant to help her, confused why she wasn't.. well mad? He let out a low hiss, his ears flattened to his skull. "I know it was a war and all but, just.." They could have killed her. His claws unsheathed at the thought, he nudged the queen a little. Did she have a cold? "Splashpool, I'm.. sorry about what I did. I shouldn't have left you, I should have just stayed with you. You could have died because of me! Matter of fact, they could have." The tom referred to the kits in his belly. Flarestrike gaze went somewhere else, he was biting the inside of his cheek. It wasn't okay. Windclan and Thunderclan should fight their own battles! Not bring Shadowclan in this, nor Riverclan. Skyclan was smart enough to stay neutral. He took in a deep breath before exhaling. "Thought of.. any.. names?" The question was half-mumbled.

[Barnabas]

Originally Posted by Spiral Whirl

[ it fine, writer blocks sucks. ]

Flarestrike was hesitant to help her, confused why she wasn't.. well mad? He let out a low hiss, his ears flattened to his skull. "I know it was a war and all but, just.." They could have killed her. His claws unsheathed at the thought, he nudged the queen a little. Did she have a cold? "Splashpool, I'm.. sorry about what I did. I shouldn't have left you, I should have just stayed with you. You could have died because of me! Matter of fact, they could have." The tom referred to the kits in his belly. Flarestrike gaze went somewhere else, he was biting the inside of his cheek. It wasn't okay. Windclan and Thunderclan should fight their own battles! Not bring Shadowclan in this, nor Riverclan. Skyclan was smart enough to stay neutral. He took in a deep breath before exhaling. "Thought of.. any.. names?" The question was half-mumbled.

Splashpool looked at Flarestrike with a shrug. "Not right now. I'm waiting for them to be born first. I want to pick names that fit them." replied the riverclan queen, giving her paw a quick lick. Splashpool sat down, wrapping her tail around her paw. "I haven't told my family about them yet. I just don't know what to say to them." meowed Splashpool, puffing the cold from her fur.

[wolfie]

Originally Posted by Megan

Splashpool looked at Flarestrike with a shrug. "Not right now. I'm waiting for them to be born first. I want to pick names that fit them." replied the riverclan queen, giving her paw a quick lick. Splashpool sat down, wrapping her tail around her paw. "I haven't told my family about them yet. I just don't know what to say to them." meowed Splashpool, puffing the cold from her fur.

The only the tom said was, "O-oh." He did forget about family. Flarestrike didn't really think they would like him, if he met them. He was more confused why she wasn't mad. He stayed quiet, letting the silence go on. It wasn't so awkward for him. He was getting used to it, not like he wanted to. He tried to picture them, the kits playing as Splashpool watched them. It was what he always dreamed of, truth be told. Hearing his kit's laughter, sitting next to his mate as he cleans her fur. Flarestrike decided to speak, he would ask it sooner or later. "When.. they are born, what do you think we should do?" He asked. He didn't want them to grow up without their real father nor did he want to join Riverclan. He loved Shadowclan, his loyalty still tied him.

[Barnabas]

Originally Posted by Spiral Whirl

The only the tom said was, "O-oh." He did forget about family. Flarestrike didn't really think they would like him, if he met them. He was more confused why she wasn't mad. He stayed quiet, letting the silence go on. It wasn't so awkward for him. He was getting used to it, not like he wanted to. He tried to picture them, the kits playing as Splashpool watched them. It was what he always dreamed of, truth be told. Hearing his kit's laughter, sitting next to his mate as he cleans her fur. Flarestrike decided to speak, he would ask it sooner or later. "When.. they are born, what do you think we should do?" He asked. He didn't want them to grow up without their real father nor did he want to join Riverclan. He loved Shadowclan, his loyalty still tied him.

Splashpool looked up at him with a shrug even though she actually had something to suggest. "I was thinking of allowing you to take one to live with you and my best friend he's going to say they are his to protect them from their kithood. I don't want them to feel unloyal, because we're mates in different clans." replied Splashpool. 'Hopefully he's not mad about Owlfang saying they are his,' thought the riverclan queen.

[wolfie]

Originally Posted by Megan

Splashpool looked up at him with a shrug even though she actually had something to suggest. "I was thinking of allowing you to take one to live with you and my best friend he's going to say they are his to protect them from their kithood. I don't want them to feel unloyal, because we're mates in different clans." replied Splashpool. 'Hopefully he's not mad about Owlfang saying they are his,' thought the riverclan queen.

Flarestrike nodded, agreeing. It would be for the best, anyway. "Just, maybe when they are old enough let them see each other again? After all, they'll find out sooner or later by us or their selves." He meowed. How would he play it off? It was a bit different because he couldn't pretend one of his friend were the mother of the kit. Why? Well because she didn't born the kit in the camp. Flarestrike would pass it off as finding the kit out in the territory. His expression seem to soften a little from the emotionless expression he carried. Even if he did show he was a tired and sad. He seem happier.

[lone]

Originally Posted by Celestial

Shiverlight was frozen, her paws where numb, her head was swimming and everything was going on so quickly that she couldn't exactly keep track of how she felt about it. He had wanted to fix this, that's what she wanted him to do all along, To fix it, right? And now suddenly she wasn't so sure that it was his problem to fix. She had come into this thinking she was in the right and now she wasn't so sure she was. Her mind worked like clock work, all the gears turning and rotating without faulter. All of her was bent up in her mind, cramped momentarily. Ignoring the tom for the longest minute her gaze switching back and fourth between the borders. He had said sorry when it was me who needed to say those words in the first place. her stomach turned with uncertainty at this discovery. Her mind felt it was too complex and yet it was too unbelievably simply it sickened her. There where no excuses to explain what I've done, I guess I just have to admit to it. finally she raised her eyes back to meet his but when they met there was whole new setting to his stance.

Her tail curled at her side, this was a whole new problem she had to fix. This is your fault now that he knows you mousebrain! the little voice shouted at her. Shiverlight flinched, perhaps she was more scared of her mind than she was of the Riverclanner at the moment, maybe even more scared of her minds venomous comments than her own mates life. She recoiled for a moment as if her mind was something physically in front of her. She dropped her gaze shamefully "it's not what you think" she murmured barely audible over her own mind yelling at her. She had pulled herslef into a void, a rat race where she just chased after explaining her mistakes every single time to no avail. A big ol rat race. there was no time to play pitty party with herself. There was real problems that needed to be dealt with here.

Like before she raised her gaze to meet his and begin to explain what was wrong she was interrupted yet again- Was he serious? He couldn't possibly be serious right now. Dear starclan please forgive me for wanting to go so badly. she paused for a moment and looked back down, a minute ago her mind was full of thoughts. Thoughts as abundant as the stars in the starpelt that gleamed above their heads at night. Yet now her mind was so barren like a desert with no rain, not a spec of life other than the sand that stretched for miles. Empty.
Her cheeks had been flushed as she stared directly at him, unaware that she had been staring with her mouth agap. Like as if she was in a trance her eyes where clouded and her body stiff, her face ridden from emotion except her cheeks that gave her away. "Charmpelt, what about everyone else, won't they know?" she meowed softly, her concern was not even with going but simply the clan mates form either riverclan or Shadowclan that could possibly get involved. Not to mention the recent war that shook the clans to their very roots.

Her tail lashed and she sat down for a moment her shoulders sagging and her paws sinking deeper into the snow until suddenly a small flake of white drifted from above flittering down and landing on the bridge of her nose. She glanced upwards for a moment a small smile spreading across her maw for the first time today. Following it came another few and suddenly big fat fluffs of snow was around them. Not the cold kind, the good kind, the one so light and fluffy it almost made you wanna jump and catch one. "Of course I'll go with you..."

A smile spread across Charmpelt's maw, kind and happy, an expression of wonder spreading across his features with it. Shiverlight was going to come with him. The idea that she was willing to do that - that the she cat so devoted to her Clan, who he never would have thought would do something like that, was actually willing to come with him just for the night. Just for a little bit, they could get away from their Clans. From their duties. Just for a little bit, Charmpelt and Shiverlight could be... together. It was what the Chausie wanted. It was what he'd tried to convince her to do earlier, when he had first met her, when he was just using her for entertainment purposes. Except now, he wasn't "just using her." Now he really, really wanted this to happen. "I know just where to go." No stereotypes, no judgement, no rules. For right now it would be just the two of them away from everything else. Charmpelt knew a spot that was just inside RiverClan territory - but it was well-hidden. It was a tunnel, sort of, that was hard to find and harder to navigate.

He'd spent a few nights there with Jema, and one or two other she cats - but the place was still special. Every time he went back, he wondered if he would bump into the pretty golden feline again. He doubted it. And even if he did this time... what would he do? Shiverlight was special to him, he couldn't just discard her for his first love... the she cat who had broken his heart, and who had left without him knowing. Was she dead? At this point, since she hadn't returned, probably. And the good news was that Shiverlight had fixed his heart - except now, she was going to break it again. When was Charmpelt going to find a she cat he could trust, and one that could hold his interest for long enough?

"Follow me. It's just you and me now," The feline grinned, and for a second, that flirtatious smirk slipped back onto his maw, a smooth tone in his voice as he padded down the border. It wouldn't be long before they were near the end of it, and then Shiverlight would have to cross over into RiverClan for just a second - just until they could reach that little hiding spot where the two would slip down, to spend the night talking and just enjoying each other's presence. That was Charmpelt's idea. He was going to give the she cat the night of her life... before they both had to return to the real world. In this fantasy world, they were mates. In this world, they were the ones who were together - she didn't have another mate. In this fantasy world, Charmpelt would be able to take care of her. They were in the same Clan, they were together, and nothing else mattered. And in this world... it was his kits she was expecting.

Shiverlight was the type of she cat who could argue about anything for hours, as far as Charmpelt knew. She was also fiercely loyal, surprisingly beautiful, and had an attitude that made him laugh. She had the type of personality that took time to get to like... but once you did, there was no going back. She wasn't a she cat who would catch your eye if you saw her in a crowd... she would be off to the side, the type of beauty that took time to get to realize.

Her appearance had underlying beauty, so if you really got to know her - if you really looked at her, looked past the fact she was from ShadowClan, looked past the fact that her words could cut through just about anything (or so it seemed), and looked past her walls... you would find the she cat that Charmpelt had fallen in love with. But it wasn't just that, he had fallen in love with her even with the walls, even with the sharp words, even with her being a ShadowClanner. Charmpelt was in love with Shiverlight - and at some point, he was going to have to be unafraid to show it more.

[Barnabas]

Originally Posted by Spiral Whirl

Flarestrike nodded, agreeing. It would be for the best, anyway. "Just, maybe when they are old enough let them see each other again? After all, they'll find out sooner or later by us or their selves." He meowed. How would he play it off? It was a bit different because he couldn't pretend one of his friend were the mother of the kit. Why? Well because she didn't born the kit in the camp. Flarestrike would pass it off as finding the kit out in the territory. His expression seem to soften a little from the emotionless expression he carried. Even if he did show he was a tired and sad. He seem happier.

Splashpool dipped her head, knowing that real siblings could never really be separated. "They will definitely be able to see each other. I could never truly separate our kits from one another." replied the riverclan queen. She wouldn't want to not be able to see Flarestrike again. Splashpool would never be able to bear the thought of not ever being able to see Flarestrike. She was a devoted mate no matter the cost.