SkyClan Territory

[Doodle]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

"Alright," Was Palmettoleaf's good-natured, calm remark to her more irritated response. He wasn't going to push any further. He'd gotten the information that he wanted, at least most of it, and his leaf-green eyes sparkled with amusement at hearing her huff of annoyance. He was, quite obviously, annoying her more then he wished to. And he didn't want to bring her wrath down upon him, so the tom would leave it be for now. It would keep her from blowing up in his face and storming out. Something that he definitely didn't want to happen. Marblestrike was an interesting cat, the type of cat that you would hear warnings to stay away from as a kit and young apprentice. Those types of cats existed all over the place, and Palmettoleaf thankfully had never listened to the warnings. He was a friend to those types of cats, or at least he tried to be. Though in the past his sucess hadn't happened quite the way he had imagined it.

"Marble. Got it." If that was the nickname she wished to have, that was the one she would have. It was something like making a spoiled child... give her what she wants. Everything but being alone. Though Palmettoleaf could tell she wasn't necessarily the type to be someone who was used to being spoiled. Especially from what she had told him before. When she changed direction, the fur on the back of his neck bristled slightly in annoyance. Was she just trying to get away from him? And if she was, what could he do about it. A bothered twitch of his tail came as he followed after her, that annoyance showing plainly in his leaf green eyes. "Mind telling me where we're going, Marble?" He asked. Well, she had given him a nickname to use. There was no reason why he shouldn't call her by it. Especially because he seemed to like the nickname very much. It seemed to fit her, though not quite as well as Marblestrike... that name was the perfect one. It seemed to show her nature, or at least it showed the nature that she showed to everyone else. He knew she had to be a good cat. He just knew it.

And besides, not everyone who was snappish was an evil cat. Why would they be? Here in SkyClan, to him at least, everyone had everything they could want. Palmettoleaf's thoughts turned to the other cats who were in the Clan. Would they have approached him if he were a cat like Marblestrike? Chances were, there were a few "good Samaritans" who would have done so. But he probably would have pushed them away. Palmettoleaf wondered if he had met a cat that reminded him of himself - would he have stuck around? Now, the tom surprisingly had a hard time with other cats who were similar to him. They made him feel as though he were less then he were.

Other cheerful cats he could get along with, no problem, but a cat who shared four or more of his traits... oh boy, that could bring Palmettoleaf's energy level down very quickly. Especially if they were hyper as well, Palmettoleaf liked a friendly spar as much as the next cat, but... it could get quite annoying after a while. With a cat who was cheerful and optimistic all the time, it was hard for Palmettoleaf to feel like he could be himself. He always felt less then them, somehow.

(Sorry about the wait!)

Marblestrike's ears flitted backwards for a second upon hearing Palmettoleaf voice her nickname... as well as her previous name. Perhaps she should have just told him to stick to Marblestrike; Marble made her think of her old home. Those memories certainly weren't poor ones- they were really good ones, which was the problem. Even if she had decided to leave on her own, and even if she knew that she would probably never go back, she did still miss her family and previous territory. She would often find herself wondering about her mother as well as her littermates, as well as questioning the possibility of having more siblings that she had yet to meet. If she thought too long about it, she found herself longing to be back home and to re-establish those bonds she had with her family. She wanted to catch up with everyone and be back with them. But at the same time, this battled with her want to explore. Not to mention she was part of the clan right now; she couldn't just up and leave. Sure she wasn't particularly loyal to Skyclan, but if she did decide to leave then she would surely let Grousestar or Auroraflame know. The molly couldn't just disappear on the clan. Even though she wasn't close with anyone here really, besides a select few, the feline was sure that some cats would worry or even look for her and she didn't want them wasting their time. But as soon as the emotion was shown, her ears snapped back up so as to hide her thoughts, and she didn't say anything else on the matter to the tom behind her. Instead, she focused on his question.

"You'll see," she answered over her shoulder, glancing at Palmettoleaf and picking up the annoyance on his face. Marble's whiskers twitched in amusement as she turned back around to watch where she was going, picking up the pace a bit more so they would reach their destination faster. Their walk beforehand had already placed them closer to the stream, so it wouldn't be much longer before they arrived. It was a bit away from the camp, but that was what the splotched cat liked about the spot. It was a far enough distance that not many of her clanmates came over here, so she could stay there for half the day or even longer without having anyone intrude. Plus, it was far enough inside the territory that she didn't have any run-ins with rogues or the Syndicate cats.

Marblestrike spared another glance back at the cat accompanying him. "Do you not like knowing everything, Palmettoleaf? Does it bother you not having control of this situation?" Her tone was slightly teasing, but she was definitely pushing him. The molly was a very testy cat, and didn't really mind crossing boundaries that would wind up making others angry or frustrated with her. It didn't matter much to her, not when she didn't really want to be with them in the first place. A few heartbeats later, they had reached the spot she had been looking for and she paused in her pace to throw another comment behind her to the tom. "Well, it doesn't matter because you know now. Here we are." After, she didn't waste any time in bee-lining for a large rock along the side of the flowing water, perching herself at the top that hung over the stream. She settled down into a crouch, a slight purr of happiness even rumbling in her throat. This was her happy place, where she went to get away from any troubles or annoyances. It was kind of ironic for her to bring Palmettoleaf here, as he was currently one of those 'annoyances' since he wouldn't let her be. But with the calming bubble of water and buzz of bugs around her, combined with the warm soak of sun on her fur as she laid, the molly couldn't find any irritation. Not that it was ever that far off, but for the time being she was simply happy and content.

[lone]

Originally Posted by Doodle

(Sorry about the wait!)

Marblestrike's ears flitted backwards for a second upon hearing Palmettoleaf voice her nickname... as well as her previous name. Perhaps she should have just told him to stick to Marblestrike; Marble made her think of her old home. Those memories certainly weren't poor ones- they were really good ones, which was the problem. Even if she had decided to leave on her own, and even if she knew that she would probably never go back, she did still miss her family and previous territory. She would often find herself wondering about her mother as well as her littermates, as well as questioning the possibility of having more siblings that she had yet to meet. If she thought too long about it, she found herself longing to be back home and to re-establish those bonds she had with her family. She wanted to catch up with everyone and be back with them. But at the same time, this battled with her want to explore. Not to mention she was part of the clan right now; she couldn't just up and leave. Sure she wasn't particularly loyal to Skyclan, but if she did decide to leave then she would surely let Grousestar or Auroraflame know. The molly couldn't just disappear on the clan. Even though she wasn't close with anyone here really, besides a select few, the feline was sure that some cats would worry or even look for her and she didn't want them wasting their time. But as soon as the emotion was shown, her ears snapped back up so as to hide her thoughts, and she didn't say anything else on the matter to the tom behind her. Instead, she focused on his question.

"You'll see," she answered over her shoulder, glancing at Palmettoleaf and picking up the annoyance on his face. Marble's whiskers twitched in amusement as she turned back around to watch where she was going, picking up the pace a bit more so they would reach their destination faster. Their walk beforehand had already placed them closer to the stream, so it wouldn't be much longer before they arrived. It was a bit away from the camp, but that was what the splotched cat liked about the spot. It was a far enough distance that not many of her clanmates came over here, so she could stay there for half the day or even longer without having anyone intrude. Plus, it was far enough inside the territory that she didn't have any run-ins with rogues or the Syndicate cats.

Marblestrike spared another glance back at the cat accompanying him. "Do you not like knowing everything, Palmettoleaf? Does it bother you not having control of this situation?" Her tone was slightly teasing, but she was definitely pushing him. The molly was a very testy cat, and didn't really mind crossing boundaries that would wind up making others angry or frustrated with her. It didn't matter much to her, not when she didn't really want to be with them in the first place. A few heartbeats later, they had reached the spot she had been looking for and she paused in her pace to throw another comment behind her to the tom. "Well, it doesn't matter because you know now. Here we are." After, she didn't waste any time in bee-lining for a large rock along the side of the flowing water, perching herself at the top that hung over the stream. She settled down into a crouch, a slight purr of happiness even rumbling in her throat. This was her happy place, where she went to get away from any troubles or annoyances. It was kind of ironic for her to bring Palmettoleaf here, as he was currently one of those 'annoyances' since he wouldn't let her be. But with the calming bubble of water and buzz of bugs around her, combined with the warm soak of sun on her fur as she laid, the molly couldn't find any irritation. Not that it was ever that far off, but for the time being she was simply happy and content.

The tom shook his head, chuckling lowly to himself. "Define 'control,'" He mewed with his always light tone. It wasn't easy to make Palmettoleaf mad. But, he did have to admit, he didn't like not being in control. He didn't like the feeling of not having Marblestrike following him, or at least walking beside him, and it made him speed up just a bit to walk beside her. When they arrived in the area, Palmettoleaf's green eyes took everything in. The water... the rock... the trees around, everything. SkyClan was the most beautiful of all the Clans. How could anyone not want to live here? No wonder there were former loners in their Clan, they just couldn't stay away. A pleased sigh escaped the feline, and he padded up to sit beside her. "So this is where you were bringing me, hm?" His leaf green eyes took in the scenery for another moment before he settled down in an almost bread-loaf like stance, his expression never changing.

Truth was, the warrior was very pleased with his success with this cat. Yes, it would appear that Marblestrike was beginning to change her mind about him being annoying. Why else would she bring him to such a serene place as this? It almost made him want to stop questioning her and, for a while, he was silent. Thinking. What had happened to the feline beside him to make her so irritated? What could have possibly caused her to act like... this? Palmettoleaf knew there had to be a reason, there was always a reason. Outside influence? Or had she experienced some traumatic event, had someone she loved been hurt or something? He was tempted to ask, but he knew that since she had been so kind in bringing him here, that probably wouldn't be a proper 'thank you.'

More then anything else, it seemed to hint that he was just hanging around her to annoy her. And that simply wasn't true! The multicolored tom lazily stretched out, one of his paws hanging off of the edge of the rock in a way that screamed laziness. Every part of him appeared to be lazy at that moment, and while that might not be true most of the time... it was now. Something about this area made Palmettoleaf not want to work anymore. It made him just want to curl up and stay still, quiet, calm forever. It made him feel as though nothing could possibly go wrong here. "I can see why you like it. You know, there are so many pretty areas in the territory - you really have to look for them, though. How did you find this place?" The tom was truly curious. Besides! It opened up more conversation topics, something that he felt the two of them badly needed.

It wasn't easy, making a new friend and sometimes even if you did your best with them... things just didn't work out. It had happened to the tom time and time again, and he wondered if it had happened to Marblestrike. It would explain her being... afraid. Was she afraid? Was that why she was so grumpy, she just didn't want to let other cats in again? That was what happened most of the time, fear tended to take over the mind and make it a scary place instead of a safe one. Palmettoleaf couldn't imagine that happening to him. He loved making friends. He loved living in SkyClan, and trying to make other cats feel safe and secure and comfortable. He loved just sitting, watching the sunset or sunrise, and even in the middle of the day the sky tended to be such a beautiful shade of blue.

Palmettoleaf yawned, his ivory fangs and light pink tongue revealed for a moment before he closed his maw again. It was the perfect time of day for a nap. But, he also wanted to listen to what Marblestrike might have to say. Perhaps he would be able to make her a friend now?

[Doodle]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

The tom shook his head, chuckling lowly to himself. "Define 'control,'" He mewed with his always light tone. It wasn't easy to make Palmettoleaf mad. But, he did have to admit, he didn't like not being in control. He didn't like the feeling of not having Marblestrike following him, or at least walking beside him, and it made him speed up just a bit to walk beside her. When they arrived in the area, Palmettoleaf's green eyes took everything in. The water... the rock... the trees around, everything. SkyClan was the most beautiful of all the Clans. How could anyone not want to live here? No wonder there were former loners in their Clan, they just couldn't stay away. A pleased sigh escaped the feline, and he padded up to sit beside her. "So this is where you were bringing me, hm?" His leaf green eyes took in the scenery for another moment before he settled down in an almost bread-loaf like stance, his expression never changing.

Truth was, the warrior was very pleased with his success with this cat. Yes, it would appear that Marblestrike was beginning to change her mind about him being annoying. Why else would she bring him to such a serene place as this? It almost made him want to stop questioning her and, for a while, he was silent. Thinking. What had happened to the feline beside him to make her so irritated? What could have possibly caused her to act like... this? Palmettoleaf knew there had to be a reason, there was always a reason. Outside influence? Or had she experienced some traumatic event, had someone she loved been hurt or something? He was tempted to ask, but he knew that since she had been so kind in bringing him here, that probably wouldn't be a proper 'thank you.'

More then anything else, it seemed to hint that he was just hanging around her to annoy her. And that simply wasn't true! The multicolored tom lazily stretched out, one of his paws hanging off of the edge of the rock in a way that screamed laziness. Every part of him appeared to be lazy at that moment, and while that might not be true most of the time... it was now. Something about this area made Palmettoleaf not want to work anymore. It made him just want to curl up and stay still, quiet, calm forever. It made him feel as though nothing could possibly go wrong here. "I can see why you like it. You know, there are so many pretty areas in the territory - you really have to look for them, though. How did you find this place?" The tom was truly curious. Besides! It opened up more conversation topics, something that he felt the two of them badly needed.

It wasn't easy, making a new friend and sometimes even if you did your best with them... things just didn't work out. It had happened to the tom time and time again, and he wondered if it had happened to Marblestrike. It would explain her being... afraid. Was she afraid? Was that why she was so grumpy, she just didn't want to let other cats in again? That was what happened most of the time, fear tended to take over the mind and make it a scary place instead of a safe one. Palmettoleaf couldn't imagine that happening to him. He loved making friends. He loved living in SkyClan, and trying to make other cats feel safe and secure and comfortable. He loved just sitting, watching the sunset or sunrise, and even in the middle of the day the sky tended to be such a beautiful shade of blue.

Palmettoleaf yawned, his ivory fangs and light pink tongue revealed for a moment before he closed his maw again. It was the perfect time of day for a nap. But, he also wanted to listen to what Marblestrike might have to say. Perhaps he would be able to make her a friend now?

Marblestrike rolled her eyes at the tom, not responding to his question. She did notice, however, that he picked up the pace in order to walk by her side- either in an attempt to be flirty and closer to her, or more likely because he really didn't like not having control of the situation. She turned her gaze onto Palmettoleaf as he came up next to her on her rock. "No," she answered, putting as much sarcasm into her reply as possible. The molly studied the other cat's expression; he definitely seemed to appreciate her spot. She just hoped that didn't mean he would be coming here often. This was her spot to relax in if she ever just needed to be away from the clan. It was a big part of what kept her sane while she lived with so many others. If he were to start showing up every time she came to spend time here... she'd definitely lose her temper more so than she did now.

She turned back around to gaze upstream, paying less attention to the cat beside her. The slight purr in her throat had gone away; she never purred much anyways. The small one she did give would have spoken volumes to anyone who really knew or understood her. Marble listened to Palmettoleaf's talking, giving a small sigh at his question at the end. She should have known he would ask; hopefully the short answer she would give would suffice and he wouldn't ask any more into the details. The molly closed her eyes briefly, lost in old memories, before the popped back open to survey her surroundings once more. Her gaze stayed locked on the water and opposite shore as she finally replied. "This was the first spot that I found any clan cats at. They took me to camp after finding me here."

Her eyes closed once again, but in order to play it off as nothing she rested her chin down on her paws, which were slightly hanging over the edge of the rock. She made it seem as if she was simply resting and relaxing, rather than getting lost in the past. It was hard not to think about everything when she came here, but it still brought her a lot of comfort- even if it came with a bit of guilt.

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

It hurt more that Azulpaw hadn't said anything at all. She had been ready for him to yell at her, but... all she had recieved was silence. And it hurt a lot. Not like anything could be done about it though, and Asterpaw decided to move on with life. Push her feelings aside. And it could be done, it just took some effort... monumental on Asterpaw's part, but she did her best. And she did manage! She had pushed them aside! They were just still there. Strong. Hard. The feline couldn't swallow the awful lump she felt in her throat, the feeling that her life was going to be over, all those horrible things... she couldn't swallow them down. An imaginary scenerio played out in her head, where he had been the one she came to. And she had told him. He had helped her, and... things went differently from there. She told him she really, really liked him... and he told her the same. And from there they fell in love, and ended up as mates - and there was no Alabasterpaw and Bluepaw. They were gone. Out of the picture. But that was imaginary, and this was reality. The reality of the situation was that things were going so much worse then she could have ever thought. And it stung her as though she were being killed over and over again, it stung her more then anything else, yet she had to deal with it. Part of Asterpaw wondered if she had ever made him feel this way.

She knew she'd hurt him before. But had it been this bad? Had she really caused him so much emotional pain?... was she causing it even now? But those questions were pushed aside at his smile and question. Oh I'm sure she is. Has she given you any death threats recently? Was what she would have preferred to ask, but the blue feline knew better then to say something like that. It would be stupid. Very extremely stupid to say something like that, and besides! This should be happy from now on. It had been a while since they had been together, so good conversations. Good topics. Maybe she should tell him how things really were. How overbearing Bluepaw was, how scared she was of him, how much she wanted to get out of it... and hesitation showed in her grey-green eyes before she finally sighed and spoke.

"Yep! We do all sorts of things together. And he does a lot for me, I think he really wants me to be happy! He tries, anyways!" It was all she could do to keep from crying, and she hesitated for a moment before continuing. Still her thanks hadn't come from before, and she felt bad about it, so she might as well add this on. He... doesn't really like to play that much, though. I never really got to thank you for before, for - standing up for me. That was nice." Was that why she had started crushing on him?

Nope, no, he had always done that. Had she just always had a crush on him? There was no way of knowing, but it hadn't been there one day and then it had. Whatever the reason. Whatever the cause, it was there, and Asterpaw wasn't able to stop it. It was so much better to get to talk to Azulpaw now. She almost felt better just being around him. Because StarClan only knew how much she had missed him. It was almost like going through an emotional death, only easier. The she cat sighed and did her best to look happy and alert as she watched the tom. And then her idea to play had come, and she had brought it up, and now he was taking her up on it. "Professional is one word for it," She mewed with a playful roll of her eyes. "Either way I come in first at something. Gotcha there," Her eyes twinkled brightly as she recalled him telling her that he was always the best. She could be number two, but he was the best. If she won, she was the best at that, and if she had to fall from the tree... well, it was easy to be the best at that! Depending on what kind of a tree-falling competition it was, how hurt or how not-hurt you could be. She wasn't really in the mood for getting hurt that evening, especially because Bluepaw would go on the warpath the next day. And he was even scarier when he was like that. It made Asterpaw nervous. She wished he could listen to her instead of having her be like a trophy wife, but... it seemed that that was all she was. A trophy for him. To put up on a pedastal and brag about, and then snap whenever any other cat wanted her. Why? Because he was just like that, and Asterpaw absolutely hated it. Seeing him take off, her eyes flashed and she laughed momentarily before she chased after him.

"I never said 'go,' you little cheater!" It was a joke. And the laughter showed in her voice... this had been what she needed, she needed to laugh. Needed to play. Needed to be able to joke around with him as she had before the days of Alabasterpaw and Bluepaw's terrifying reign. They seemed to have a dark cloud over the she cat's head - and Azulpaw's too. Reigning them in. Telling them no.

Who do they think they are? I should be able to have friends regardless of whether Alli and Blue want me to or not!

That defiant thought passed through her head before she thought of Bluepaw hurting her over that. And the thought passed just as quickly as it had come, leaving her feeling somewhat weaker and more defenseless. But she pushed onwards, towards the tree... she could see it... she was almost there... and she brushed up against it, not even realizing where Azulpaw was. It didn't matter. Whether he had gotten there first or not didn't matter, none of this mattered, because either way she had won something. Asterpaw couldn't read minds, and if Azulpaw had held back and let her win, she would never know. Right now she was proud of herself. Had she been able to read his mind, she probably would have been angry with him for treating her like she was broken. But... he would have been right. She was. Broken and fragile and delicate and she needed to be treated as though she had to be wrapped up in 'caution' stickers. Because Asterpaw had been broken more then she would ever admit, out loud, that was. She would never admit that she was a broken cat out loud. It was hard for her to face facts herself. Others could tell that she was broken, but she wouldn't tell them that. They could figure it out on their own or they didn't need to know at all and besides, Asterpaw wasn't really looking fowards to thinking about the fact that she needed help for her brokenness.

She didn't.

She was fine.

She had always been fine and she would always be fine.

Alabasterpaw didn't matter, it didn't... none of it did... because she was fine. And she didn't need a victory to prove that. She needed no one, or at least she wanted to believe that. But I need him. In her mind's eye, she could see Azulpaw... she knew that she needed him, and she wasn't too stubborn to admit that. She did need him. More then she would let on out loud, but she had told him this before and she would say it again. I need you. How she wished she could just let go and say those words, but she couldn't. She wouldn't let go. It was too hard and she was too scared of the rejection that might come. What if he laughed at her? What if he rejected her? What if he thought she was weak and stupid and helpless?

Nope, no chance. She never stood a chance with a tom like him. Maybe before she had become a murderer, but now? If he ever knew... if he ever found out... no, Asterpaw's life had changed to a dark one of fear and secrets and lies. A dark one of deals and going behind her future significant other's back. A dark life of betrayals. She felt as though she had betrayed everyone in her life in that moment. No one needed her. She was the one who needed other cats. She was the one who needed Azulpaw. He didn't need her, and he never had. And he never would, now. Her fantasy was just that - a fantasy.

He didn't need her.

He didn't want her.

Nobody did.

As Azulpaw caught up to the she cat, a bit out of breath than normal. He had never been this way, and he wondered why that was even happening. He wasn't even going his fastest, yet she still won. She still beat him. And, apart of him felt happiness that she finally beat him at something, but being the competitive tom that he was...he hardly found himself giving up. As he caught up with her, panting. He looked up, his yellow eyes drained, but filled with the slightest bit of humor. “You either got faster, or your sister crushed some of my essential bones.” The humor was dark, but wasn't it true? He may have became a tad weaker upon the impact of Alabasterpaw, and he tried his best to maintain a stable condition. But, all those times he refused a visit to see Ebonyfrost. He healed within time. That's what he liked to believe.

He painted, sitting down on his haunches for a moment to catch his breath. “I...guess...I'm the one...jumping out of a...tree.” Or, maybe that one time he jumped out of a tree on purpose because he was mad at Asterpaw. He completely did it out of despite, but he didn't remember why. Maybe, he was mad at Asterpaw for no reason.

“Just let me catch…my bre...ath.” Slowly, he breathed in and out until he was at a steady rate. His heart was thumping for no reason. And, all of a sudden he felt very sleepy. But he didn't want to turn in for the night yet. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Azulpaw hardly got to play with Asterpaw and he wanted every second to be joyful. Though her expression said otherwise. She looked so...out of place. When he finished catching his breath, feeling that he was on a normal amount of breathing. He turned to look at her, blinking his eyes. “You alright, Asterpaw? Don't tell me you're backing out now?” He raised an ‘eyebrow’ at her, staring at her questioningly.

Then, the grey tom circled around the tree, allowing his tail to graze up on the cold bark. It was quite the big tree, but not the biggest of trees he had climb. Most definitely not the biggest one he had fell out of before. It was a nice height, and probably wouldn't harm them if they did choose to jump out the tree. He dug his claws into the bark. “Heh, look at that,” he said, breathlessly. It sure was a beautiful night. So pure and full of stars, and the brightness of the moon. Its light could be seen through the branches of the trees. “The moon’s light.” He briefly glanced toward Asterpaw. “You coming up?”

It was obvious that the tom had been oblivious to Asterpaw’s change of mind and her heart. His main priority was keep up with their crumbled friendship. He didn't want to talk about Alabasterpaw. Or, Bluepaw. Not even Silverpaw, or the rest of their little gang. He wanted to talk to Asterpaw. Knowing how she was doing, what she had been up to for the last days, and the most important factor; how she had been feeling. The tom scrambled up tough bark, clinging onto each branch as he made his way up. He liked to be at the top. Where he was unseen. Where he was unheard. Besides that, it was beautiful to be up there at this time of day. Where it was easy to see the soft white light, and the shadows of their surroundings dancing in the darkness.

As the grey tom reached the top branch, he wrapped his tail around the sturdy object, breathing in his moon bathed surroundings. With a gentle wind running, he couldn't help but realize how far they had made it. Whenever he was on the top branch of the tree, he loved observing things below him. Especially making fun of his clan mates if he seen them do anything he found idiotic. He just hoped that he could stay up there long enough before Alabasterpaw noticed he was missing. He was starting to “like” her. He made others believe there was a chance that he would “love” her. He even made her believe that he would. But, maybe...he should had. Asterpaw would have Bluepaw, and he would had been alone if he had the guts enough to leave Alabasterpaw. Surely, she would had tortured him possibly more than she was doing already.

Azulpaw blinked his eyes, but he stayed still as he sat on the branch. For once his mind was at a longing peace. Especially since he at a place that brought him to serenity. “The day you come in first, would be the day Bluepaw becomes the leader of Skyclan-- just saying. And, we both know that's impossible.” He purred, but he had came to like the fire that Asterpaw fueled. Especially since they always seem to challenge each other. But, games were getting old. They were growing up, living an untamed life. Azulpaw felt the breeze ruffling his fur. “Admit to second place. At least you'd be the first place loser.” Because, everyone knew that second place was first place loser. He purred as he mentioned it. They both were competitive, that was the easiest thing to note. One might had been more competitive to the other. But this was only because Azulpaw liked to win. At anything. And, everything.

Especially when it came to his friend, Asterpaw. Playing with her was the highlight of his day. Even though it was night. And, everyone was sleep. It was still a good thing that he managed to catch her in this...peculiar moment. Why was she out so late? Maybe, he should had asked her, but his mind had been so occupied with other things. He didn't know what to think or do, but he knew he should had been by Alabasterpaw’s side. It was the right thing to do. Maybe, she would wake up and know that he is gone.

Or...he could sit here and enjoy a little bit of the company that Asterpaw was giving him. Azulpaw suddenly looked down, slightly getting up to calculate if he did fall...how much pain would he be in? Not every cat was brave enough to jump out a tree. Then again, it was quite the stupid thing to do. Jump out of trees? What birdbrain would do such a thing? It was dangerous. Anything could happen. Even Azulpaw knew this. Yet, it was starting to become a favorite activity of his.

But, why?

Maybe, because it was a memory of an inside joke that he would always share with his blue furred friend. The only thing Azulpaw hoped was that him and Asterpaw would be able to manage a deep fond friendship. That no one. Not even Alabasterpaw and Bluepaw could hinder it. Change it. Morph it in any way possible. That it would stay constant, and change for the better. Make it stronger. More dense. More durable. Using a paw, he flicked it below. “You dare me?” He turned to her, purring.

Oh, man! The best part had to be jumping out of the tree. Besides that, he had lost the race...so, didn't he have to jump out of the tree? It was game, probably a joke-- but he was serious. He was ready. “Remember when you used to threaten to push me out of a tree?” He laughed, looking down into the darkness. “Well, today might be your lucky day! Why don't you give me a little force?” He tilted his head, looking towards her as he unclenched his tail from the branch. It flicked in the air as he bent down even more to imagine the great fall. They say, a cat always land on their paws. At first...it wasn't like that with him. But, maybe with practice, it will be. He'll become a professional! At jumping out of trees! Yeah, that probably still sounded stupid and reckless to other cats, but this was a game that he played with Asterpaw. No one around them would had gotten it.

Was it normal for a cat to willingly jump out of trees? Perhaps not. Maybe others would had thought they were insane or something. Suicidal, or some sort. Azulpaw was depressed-- surely. But, it was unknown to him that he was feeling that. Jumping out of a tree gave him an euphoria type of feeling. It made him feel alive. Completely alive. But, as a sudden memory flashed into his mind.

The day of the battle. The day where Skyclan won victory over the Dusk Syndicate. The very day where he tried to escape the wrath of the demented white cat. The day he remembered the way she bashed his head into a tree, almost knocking him unconscious. The day where he thought he was going to meet his creator. With that sudden memory in mind, Azulpaw backed up. Wrapping his tail lightly around the branch again. He let out a small sigh. “Or, we can just stargaze. Sleep here tonight, if you'd like.” He was vulnerable at the moment, and he didn't know why. He just knew that maybe- just maybe- it wouldn't be so bad to sleep out here tonight. Curled up into a tree. No one to think about looking up to see a napping feline. “I mean! It's up to you though. You can go back to...Bluepaw, Asterpaw. But, I just don't feel like sleeping in a crowded den.” He shrugged, but he didn't dare look at his companion. All playfulness was lost from his vibrant yellow hues, which had grown dark and full. Lost in color for a moment. Every pain he remembered Alabasterpaw caused him...was it showing health issues? That couldn't possibly be, but as he remembered the sudden loss of breath, or the thought of every little thing in nature reminded him of being thrown around by his future companion.

[RedHead]

{ @The Eye Of The Storm } (sorry this is late ^^)
Lemon had decided to venture farther into Skyclan territory, farther than he'd been. When he had bumped into Auroraflame, she had tried to convince him to come back to Skyclan. But he needed some more time to think before making that decision. And it was a big decision, life-altering for he golden tom. He was now slowly padding through the territory, his lemony colored eyes flicking about. He had missed the trees dearly while he was being held captive in a Twoleg house, and now, he always held great gratitude for them. Lemon sniffed, taking in the scents around him. So many Skyclan dents, which he could all still recognize. He had an amazing memory, and remembered pretty much all of the names of the cats in his clan still. He knew that there were probably a lot of new additions, but at least he knew most of them, right?

[lone]

Originally Posted by Doodle

Marblestrike rolled her eyes at the tom, not responding to his question. She did notice, however, that he picked up the pace in order to walk by her side- either in an attempt to be flirty and closer to her, or more likely because he really didn't like not having control of the situation. She turned her gaze onto Palmettoleaf as he came up next to her on her rock. "No," she answered, putting as much sarcasm into her reply as possible. The molly studied the other cat's expression; he definitely seemed to appreciate her spot. She just hoped that didn't mean he would be coming here often. This was her spot to relax in if she ever just needed to be away from the clan. It was a big part of what kept her sane while she lived with so many others. If he were to start showing up every time she came to spend time here... she'd definitely lose her temper more so than she did now.

She turned back around to gaze upstream, paying less attention to the cat beside her. The slight purr in her throat had gone away; she never purred much anyways. The small one she did give would have spoken volumes to anyone who really knew or understood her. Marble listened to Palmettoleaf's talking, giving a small sigh at his question at the end. She should have known he would ask; hopefully the short answer she would give would suffice and he wouldn't ask any more into the details. The molly closed her eyes briefly, lost in old memories, before the popped back open to survey her surroundings once more. Her gaze stayed locked on the water and opposite shore as she finally replied. "This was the first spot that I found any clan cats at. They took me to camp after finding me here."

Her eyes closed once again, but in order to play it off as nothing she rested her chin down on her paws, which were slightly hanging over the edge of the rock. She made it seem as if she was simply resting and relaxing, rather than getting lost in the past. It was hard not to think about everything when she came here, but it still brought her a lot of comfort- even if it came with a bit of guilt.

Sitting up on the rock, for a moment Palmettoleaf thought they might actually just become friends here and there. She seemed more willing out here. Or, at least... she had. But, at her sarcastic tone, Palmettoleaf became aware that she was still the same cat. She hadn't magically changed. And even if she had, he wasn't going to be the one to try and change her. That wasn't his job, or at least, not how he thought of it. Would it be nice if she were kinder, and friendlier, and had all sorts of perfections? Yes. Who wouldn't want that? Marblestrike, the she cat's own name came into mind, but he pushed it aside. Even she would want to be her idea of perfect. Flaws were just part of life. Everybody had them. Not everybody was really able to embrace them. To him, Marblestrike seemed to be the type of cat who would want to embrace her flaws, and life, to the fullest. "Mm. So, you don't mind if I come here, like... all the time then?" The tom asked, his own voice innocent and struggling to keep the teasing out of it.

"Oh, I see." Palmettoleaf still had a million questions now, and he wanted to ask every single one of them to Marblestrike - but at the same time, he would have preferred to stay silent. Are you still friends with them? Do you like them? You think they like you? Do you wish they hadn't found you and you could have just stayed out here? Would you have liked someone else to find you? But he wasn't going to ask his questions. If anything, the tom was beginning to realize that it was just rude to keep on asking Marblestrike things when she obviously didn't want to answer. His large green eyes seemed to hold all of the unspoken questions behind them when he turned them on her, but Palmettoleaf still wouldn't ask. It wasn't good manners. And, he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable! No, that was the last thing that the tom wanted. His goal here was to make her his friend, and while he wasn't quite sure how that was going... not so good by the looks of things, if honesty was important... one thing he was sure of was that she was beginning to like him. She was beginning to trust him?

She was beginning to want to be his friend? While some cats might accuse Palmettoleaf of having a one track mind, he preferred to think of it more as having a goal in mind. That was a better way of putting it, wasn't it? Having a goal in mind instead of a one track mind? Yes, yes, Palmettoleaf would think of it that way. His green eyes stared at her for a moment, narrowing just the slightest bit as he scanned her body for any sign of visible hostility. Surely she wasn't... angry with him in any way, right? Palmettoleaf wondered if his remark earlier had made her frustrated. But she should have gotten that he was kidding, if there were any cat that would have gotten it he definitely would have thought it would be her! Yes, of course she had, right? The feline was just paranoid. Very highly paranoid.

Originally Posted by Constellation

As Azulpaw caught up to the she cat, a bit out of breath than normal. He had never been this way, and he wondered why that was even happening. He wasn't even going his fastest, yet she still won. She still beat him. And, apart of him felt happiness that she finally beat him at something, but being the competitive tom that he was...he hardly found himself giving up. As he caught up with her, panting. He looked up, his yellow eyes drained, but filled with the slightest bit of humor. “You either got faster, or your sister crushed some of my essential bones.” The humor was dark, but wasn't it true? He may have became a tad weaker upon the impact of Alabasterpaw, and he tried his best to maintain a stable condition. But, all those times he refused a visit to see Ebonyfrost. He healed within time. That's what he liked to believe.

He painted, sitting down on his haunches for a moment to catch his breath. “I...guess...I'm the one...jumping out of a...tree.” Or, maybe that one time he jumped out of a tree on purpose because he was mad at Asterpaw. He completely did it out of despite, but he didn't remember why. Maybe, he was mad at Asterpaw for no reason.

“Just let me catch…my bre...ath.” Slowly, he breathed in and out until he was at a steady rate. His heart was thumping for no reason. And, all of a sudden he felt very sleepy. But he didn't want to turn in for the night yet. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Azulpaw hardly got to play with Asterpaw and he wanted every second to be joyful. Though her expression said otherwise. She looked so...out of place. When he finished catching his breath, feeling that he was on a normal amount of breathing. He turned to look at her, blinking his eyes. “You alright, Asterpaw? Don't tell me you're backing out now?” He raised an ‘eyebrow’ at her, staring at her questioningly.

Then, the grey tom circled around the tree, allowing his tail to graze up on the cold bark. It was quite the big tree, but not the biggest of trees he had climb. Most definitely not the biggest one he had fell out of before. It was a nice height, and probably wouldn't harm them if they did choose to jump out the tree. He dug his claws into the bark. “Heh, look at that,” he said, breathlessly. It sure was a beautiful night. So pure and full of stars, and the brightness of the moon. Its light could be seen through the branches of the trees. “The moon’s light.” He briefly glanced toward Asterpaw. “You coming up?”

It was obvious that the tom had been oblivious to Asterpaw’s change of mind and her heart. His main priority was keep up with their crumbled friendship. He didn't want to talk about Alabasterpaw. Or, Bluepaw. Not even Silverpaw, or the rest of their little gang. He wanted to talk to Asterpaw. Knowing how she was doing, what she had been up to for the last days, and the most important factor; how she had been feeling. The tom scrambled up tough bark, clinging onto each branch as he made his way up. He liked to be at the top. Where he was unseen. Where he was unheard. Besides that, it was beautiful to be up there at this time of day. Where it was easy to see the soft white light, and the shadows of their surroundings dancing in the darkness.

As the grey tom reached the top branch, he wrapped his tail around the sturdy object, breathing in his moon bathed surroundings. With a gentle wind running, he couldn't help but realize how far they had made it. Whenever he was on the top branch of the tree, he loved observing things below him. Especially making fun of his clan mates if he seen them do anything he found idiotic. He just hoped that he could stay up there long enough before Alabasterpaw noticed he was missing. He was starting to “like” her. He made others believe there was a chance that he would “love” her. He even made her believe that he would. But, maybe...he should had. Asterpaw would have Bluepaw, and he would had been alone if he had the guts enough to leave Alabasterpaw. Surely, she would had tortured him possibly more than she was doing already.

Azulpaw blinked his eyes, but he stayed still as he sat on the branch. For once his mind was at a longing peace. Especially since he at a place that brought him to serenity. “The day you come in first, would be the day Bluepaw becomes the leader of Skyclan-- just saying. And, we both know that's impossible.” He purred, but he had came to like the fire that Asterpaw fueled. Especially since they always seem to challenge each other. But, games were getting old. They were growing up, living an untamed life. Azulpaw felt the breeze ruffling his fur. “Admit to second place. At least you'd be the first place loser.” Because, everyone knew that second place was first place loser. He purred as he mentioned it. They both were competitive, that was the easiest thing to note. One might had been more competitive to the other. But this was only because Azulpaw liked to win. At anything. And, everything.

Especially when it came to his friend, Asterpaw. Playing with her was the highlight of his day. Even though it was night. And, everyone was sleep. It was still a good thing that he managed to catch her in this...peculiar moment. Why was she out so late? Maybe, he should had asked her, but his mind had been so occupied with other things. He didn't know what to think or do, but he knew he should had been by Alabasterpaw’s side. It was the right thing to do. Maybe, she would wake up and know that he is gone.

Or...he could sit here and enjoy a little bit of the company that Asterpaw was giving him. Azulpaw suddenly looked down, slightly getting up to calculate if he did fall...how much pain would he be in? Not every cat was brave enough to jump out a tree. Then again, it was quite the stupid thing to do. Jump out of trees? What birdbrain would do such a thing? It was dangerous. Anything could happen. Even Azulpaw knew this. Yet, it was starting to become a favorite activity of his.

But, why?

Maybe, because it was a memory of an inside joke that he would always share with his blue furred friend. The only thing Azulpaw hoped was that him and Asterpaw would be able to manage a deep fond friendship. That no one. Not even Alabasterpaw and Bluepaw could hinder it. Change it. Morph it in any way possible. That it would stay constant, and change for the better. Make it stronger. More dense. More durable. Using a paw, he flicked it below. “You dare me?” He turned to her, purring.

Oh, man! The best part had to be jumping out of the tree. Besides that, he had lost the race...so, didn't he have to jump out of the tree? It was game, probably a joke-- but he was serious. He was ready. “Remember when you used to threaten to push me out of a tree?” He laughed, looking down into the darkness. “Well, today might be your lucky day! Why don't you give me a little force?” He tilted his head, looking towards her as he unclenched his tail from the branch. It flicked in the air as he bent down even more to imagine the great fall. They say, a cat always land on their paws. At first...it wasn't like that with him. But, maybe with practice, it will be. He'll become a professional! At jumping out of trees! Yeah, that probably still sounded stupid and reckless to other cats, but this was a game that he played with Asterpaw. No one around them would had gotten it.

Was it normal for a cat to willingly jump out of trees? Perhaps not. Maybe others would had thought they were insane or something. Suicidal, or some sort. Azulpaw was depressed-- surely. But, it was unknown to him that he was feeling that. Jumping out of a tree gave him an euphoria type of feeling. It made him feel alive. Completely alive. But, as a sudden memory flashed into his mind.

The day of the battle. The day where Skyclan won victory over the Dusk Syndicate. The very day where he tried to escape the wrath of the demented white cat. The day he remembered the way she bashed his head into a tree, almost knocking him unconscious. The day where he thought he was going to meet his creator. With that sudden memory in mind, Azulpaw backed up. Wrapping his tail lightly around the branch again. He let out a small sigh. “Or, we can just stargaze. Sleep here tonight, if you'd like.” He was vulnerable at the moment, and he didn't know why. He just knew that maybe- just maybe- it wouldn't be so bad to sleep out here tonight. Curled up into a tree. No one to think about looking up to see a napping feline. “I mean! It's up to you though. You can go back to...Bluepaw, Asterpaw. But, I just don't feel like sleeping in a crowded den.” He shrugged, but he didn't dare look at his companion. All playfulness was lost from his vibrant yellow hues, which had grown dark and full. Lost in color for a moment. Every pain he remembered Alabasterpaw caused him...was it showing health issues? That couldn't possibly be, but as he remembered the sudden loss of breath, or the thought of every little thing in nature reminded him of being thrown around by his future companion.

"Awe, poor sweetheart." Asterpaw grinned at Azulpaw, for a moment, just like her old self. Just playing and teasing. Until a horrible thought struck her - had she? Had Alabasterpaw done something like that? It wouldn't have surprised her, but she was determined not to say anything about it. Nothing. At all. Had things been different, by some miracle had they been together, Asterpaw would gladly have made sure he was okay. "Yes!! I - I mean, yes, I'm - fine. Totally fine. Not backing out. Never been better, you?" She was an idiot. An idiot. At least Azulpaw wasn't catching on, which partly surprised her - he had always been smart - but then again, Asterpaw was herself. His best friend... or, were they still best friends? They were at least close, right? Still close? Right. Even though she was pretty sure he didn't need her, or want her anymore. And why would he want her company when he could have her sister's? Alabasterpaw must have something pretty special to have gotten his attention. She wished she could have gone to Azulpaw in the first place. All of this could have been avoided.

What did Alabasterpaw want with him, anyways? Why would she have feelings for him? The blue feline climbed up the tree after Azulpaw, her soft grey-green eyes remaining soft and playful and just the slightest bit worried as she did so. It was beautiful up here. Absolutely beautiful. She could have just stayed like this forever, living in this tree... no Bluepaw... no Alabasterpaw... maybe Azulpaw would stay up here with her, and then she would really be happy. It had been a while since she had felt true joy. Tonight was the first night in a while, that was. And even this happiness was tainted with 'what ifs' and problems. 'What if' a lot of things, to be honest. What if Bluepaw came? What if Alabasterpaw came? What if one of them fell? What if something else happened? All those questions weren't helping any. Asterpaw knew she needed to trust. But it was hard, especially when so much had happened recently. The face of the dead cat kept popping into her mind. She didn't have a right to think about him. She shouldn't be. She had taken his life, and she wished it had been the other way around. Obviously Azulpaw would have been fine without her - he had a new friend in Alabasterpaw. She had never disliked her sister more. She even hated her at times. But she couldn't hurt Alabasterpaw... she couldn't... she would never be able to. Even with all that had happened, she couldn't fight against her half-sister. They were bonded by blood and that was a strong bond indeed. The tom's comment made her smile, although she wasn't sure whether he was kidding or not. Once she would have believed that yes, indeed, there was no way Bluepaw could have been leader. Now? She wasn't so sure. No part of her was sure. Her grey-green eyes flashed with worry as she imagined a new world - a world in which Bluepaw was leader. Would Alabasterpaw be deputy? Would she be deputy? She already knew what Bluepaw's first task would be, getting rid of his former so-called best friend. That day all those moons ago had changed everything. It had been a changing point for everyone. It had been the point where good had become bad, alliances had changed, and now they were changing again.

The two cats Asterpaw had thought would never be allies were together. They were together. A long time ago she had told Azulpaw to "go and be with her sister" - but she had never once thought that he had actually considered it. Obviously that wasn't true. He had considered it, and now they were together. Now her chance was gone. Asterpaw had a HUGE crush on him, and there was nothing she could do about it. Besides, she had her own committment that she had made. To Bluepaw. Perhaps Azulpaw felt the same way she did, frustrated about it. Asterpaw climbed up the tree next to him, sitting with her tail hanging over the branch as she smiled at her companion.

"Yeah, I dare you to," A playful purr rumbled in her own throat, even though her thoughts were screaming at her to STOP HIM. Don't let him get hurt. Don't let him fall. Please don't let Azulpaw get hurt. Those were the only things crossing her mind, as light and playful as she wanted to be. Her grey-green hues shone with excitement as she watched him, that purr still rumbling in her throat. "Well, I wouldn't want you to get hurt! So no, I'm not going to push you out." She had that tone that sounded almost like a mother scolding her kits, or giving them the final word on something. It was firm, but had a caring tone in it. She knew Azulpaw didn't like being treated as though he were weak. But this was different. This was something else. There was real danger involved, she wasn't just being paranoid! Was she? Sometimes it seemed as though Asterpaw didn't care for anyone. Sometimes she wanted to seem that way. It was easier then getting attached, it was easier to deal with. And when she was younger, that had always been her feelings. She had acted playfully all the time, never showing care unless someone was in danger. Like the day in the territory. The day at the Training Plateau. Although after that nearly deadly attack, (at least for Azulpaw), Asterpaw had found she cared about him very much. And she had stopped trying to hide it. Now, being older, those times rarely came. Asterpaw wasn't as scared to show her emotions. Or at least... some of them. She wished she could be a "normal" cat.

With "normal" friends. And be free, free to feel like she could say what she wanted without Bluepaw getting angry. She had been telling the truth... it scared her. He could be a scary cat sometimes, and it made Asterpaw nervous. Was she about to say or do something that would get on his nerves? Set him off against her? Her companion's next words sent a prickle down her spine. An uncomfortable prickle, but it felt almost good at the same time. Them? Sleeping up here? Together? It would give her a night away from Bluepaw, and how close he got sometimes, like he was trying to suffocate her with his love... it would give her a night away from having to see Azulpaw and Alabasterpaw and feeling all those unwanted feelings - jealousy, mainly, but also as though she were getting stabbed right in the heart with hundreds of thousands of little pins. Little claws. Slowly killing her. And, she would be with her best friend. Her former best friend? Were they still best friends anymore?

He doesn't need me. He doesn't want me. He doesn't care about me anymore. He doesn't want me to stay. He's just being nice.

Asterpaw felt her throat choking up and she cleared it so that he wouldn't see her upset. This was the first time in a while they'd gotten to just be. Without drama. Without problems. There had been some drama, granted, but now they could just be here without any problems. Why did everything she loved get taken? Why did all good things have to end? And why did the bad things seem as though they never ended? Eventually their darkness would come to the light. Everything dark faded away to light at some point. But, where was Asterpaw's light? Why hadn't it come to rescue her already, to take her away from Bluepaw, away from stupid crushes and keep her held close and safe? Why wasn't it there already? Why had it let her cause more darkness? Whatever the reason, Asterpaw wasn't so sure about spending the night here with Azulpaw. "No." She answered. A good, simple answer, and why couldn't it just stay at that? Because her and her stupid mind and her big mouth decided to add more, that was why.

"I want to stay here, with you, Azulpaw."

Even if it breaks me knowing this can't ever work.

"Maybe we can find the north star,"

She spoke in a soft whisper, moving over until her blue pelt was pressed against his. She half-melted against him, just enjoying this while she could. And wishing it could be this way forever. But all good things came to an end, and soon morning would come. Asterpaw wished she didn't have to sleep. Wished she could stay awake all night just talking to him. Wished she could tell Azulpaw everything. Wished she hadn't gone to Bluepaw. Wished things were different. Maybe someday, they would be different. All Asterpaw wanted to do was tell him how she felt right then, but... no. It was wrong. These feelings were wrong. She belonged to Bluepaw, she was his - his slave, in a way. She felt like a slave. She didn't love him. But, Bluepaw wasn't all bad. There were the good times every once in a while, and yet, even after all that he had done to try to make her feel comfortable, she still wasn't that thankful.

Maybe, protecting Azulpaw wasn't what she needed to be doing. Maybe he could protect himself, or Alabasterpaw - his new love - could protect him. Yet it made Asterpaw feel better to be doing something. Even if that 'something' was giving herself away.

[Doodle]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

Sitting up on the rock, for a moment Palmettoleaf thought they might actually just become friends here and there. She seemed more willing out here. Or, at least... she had. But, at her sarcastic tone, Palmettoleaf became aware that she was still the same cat. She hadn't magically changed. And even if she had, he wasn't going to be the one to try and change her. That wasn't his job, or at least, not how he thought of it. Would it be nice if she were kinder, and friendlier, and had all sorts of perfections? Yes. Who wouldn't want that? Marblestrike, the she cat's own name came into mind, but he pushed it aside. Even she would want to be her idea of perfect. Flaws were just part of life. Everybody had them. Not everybody was really able to embrace them. To him, Marblestrike seemed to be the type of cat who would want to embrace her flaws, and life, to the fullest. "Mm. So, you don't mind if I come here, like... all the time then?" The tom asked, his own voice innocent and struggling to keep the teasing out of it.

"Oh, I see." Palmettoleaf still had a million questions now, and he wanted to ask every single one of them to Marblestrike - but at the same time, he would have preferred to stay silent. Are you still friends with them? Do you like them? You think they like you? Do you wish they hadn't found you and you could have just stayed out here? Would you have liked someone else to find you? But he wasn't going to ask his questions. If anything, the tom was beginning to realize that it was just rude to keep on asking Marblestrike things when she obviously didn't want to answer. His large green eyes seemed to hold all of the unspoken questions behind them when he turned them on her, but Palmettoleaf still wouldn't ask. It wasn't good manners. And, he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable! No, that was the last thing that the tom wanted. His goal here was to make her his friend, and while he wasn't quite sure how that was going... not so good by the looks of things, if honesty was important... one thing he was sure of was that she was beginning to like him. She was beginning to trust him?

She was beginning to want to be his friend? While some cats might accuse Palmettoleaf of having a one track mind, he preferred to think of it more as having a goal in mind. That was a better way of putting it, wasn't it? Having a goal in mind instead of a one track mind? Yes, yes, Palmettoleaf would think of it that way. His green eyes stared at her for a moment, narrowing just the slightest bit as he scanned her body for any sign of visible hostility. Surely she wasn't... angry with him in any way, right? Palmettoleaf wondered if his remark earlier had made her frustrated. But she should have gotten that he was kidding, if there were any cat that would have gotten it he definitely would have thought it would be her! Yes, of course she had, right? The feline was just paranoid. Very highly paranoid.

Marblestrike's head snapped up at Palmettoleaf's words, her eyes opening very widely as he voiced just what she didn't want him to do. "No!" She blurted out immediately. "I mean- yes! Yes, I do mind," she rushed, her tail waving behind her. She realized too late that the tom was kidding, and relief pooled in her eyes. "Oh," she murmured, glancing away in slight embarrassment but not in any way going to apologize for her outburst. At least he knew that she wouldn't appreciate him intruding, even if she hadn't shown so in the best way. Since when did she care what he thought, anyways? Since when did she really care what anyone thought, really? It had been a long time since she tip toed around another cat, careful of hurting their feelings or angering them, and she never wished to go back to that lifestyle again.

All the molly did was nod at the other's simple statement, but she could practically hear the questions in his voice. She fully expected him to ramble them off- nothing had been keeping him from asking her questions before, anyways- and was surprised, but very appreciative, when he didn't. She'd rather avoid talking about how she wound up in Skyclan if possible. No one knew that story, not even her best friends, and she would like to keep it that way. Her eyes flickered closed again. Big blue eyes widened in horror. "What are you doing? Stop!" Her shrill voice did nothing to stop the larger cat. All the tiny cat could do was watch on dreadfully, waiting for the outcome she dreaded most. Sadly, it was the most probable one as well.

A shiver overtook Marble at the short memory, and she violently shook her head to clear it. She stood up, her pelt still feeling irritated with discomfort. The feline needed to do something to keep herself from remembering; something she didn't normally struggle with while here by herself. Perhaps it was because of Palmettoleaf next to her... it was always a bit hard for her to be around a tom, just the two of them. Even with her best friend, Blazingcomet, flashbacks would still come to her. Of course, he didn't know of her past and she didn't want to burden him with it as well. She also didn't want him to get the wrong idea and think she wasn't comfortable with him- he was her best friend, and she might not show it well, but she fully trusted him.

A swim would do a good distraction, certainly. Without a second thought, Marblestrike bunched her hind legs and leapt forward, clearing the edge of the rock the two had been laying on. She fell into the stream with a loud splash and immediately opened her eyes under the water, watching any surrounding minnows swim away in fear. A few short seconds later her head popped back above the water and she took in another breath- she had been so rushed to get into the stream and away from her thoughts that she hadn't taken in enough air beforehand. This certainly wasn't one of her most graceful leaps into the water, and probably had caused the tom above some fear, but it wasn't like she was intending to impress Palmettoleaf. Blinking water from her eyes and shaking her head to get a bit of it out from her ears, she looked up to see what her companion was doing.

[Jingle]

Originally Posted by Chameleon

Cucumberpickle nodded slightly disappointed oh. That doesn't mean I am going to be deputy. he pulled a thorn out of his paw pad," umm..
Yeah. I was just trying to get away from camp to clear my head and I guess I fell asleep. And it's impossible that anyone who dealt with me an apprentice wouldn't hate me." He meowed still doubting his former mentors words.

"I try to be a very forgiving tom." Jigglefoot replied, German accent thick. There was something about Cucumberpickle that had changed- maybe he had grown up since their time apart.

"Would you like to join me in some hunting?" he asked.

[monfang]

Originally Posted by Nighty

[I'm pretending like something happened to Sage along the lines of getting carried off by a hawk/eagle or something]
Cliffheart padded along, staying near the end of her tail. He came rather close to crashing into her when she stopped and the dusty tom limped forwards to see what was the hold-up. What he saw was not what he had been expecting. To see his mate like this, his Star, like this; it was heart wrenching. He had never seen her so emotional, and seeing her like this broke his heart more than it already was. He had an injured Son, a son in the stars, and now one with a shattered heart. He didn't know how to play the strong one, but he knew he wasn't good at much, yet his family loved him anyways. He pressed into her side, nuzzling her firmly in the neck, careful to watch the fresh scars. He remembered the time that they had come out here, when he was hurting, when he was in pain. Now the roles had switched, and the conversation of the past came to mind. "Scorchedpetal..my sweet shining Star..."
"You don't always have to be strong. We rely on each other in our darkest moments. We are like Twin Stars. So maybe all you need right now is your Twin Star." he purred softly to her. "You are strong, and just because you falter doesn't mean that you are not strong anymore. You will always be one of the strongest cats I know." He sat down, gently pushing her down beside him using his tail. He laid his head on top of hers, a purr rumbling deep within. "It is not entirely your fault. We feed off each other, your fault is my fault. Your victory is my victory. We share in our mountains and valleys. We are One." (haha Disney quote) "Sagekit was neither your fault nor my fault. You couldn't have done anything about it. You were in the medicine den, and I was out hunting for us all. There was nothing we could change." He tried to comfort her, knowing they were empty words. It was just saying that it wasn't her fault. He knew with this grief she could do just like he did when he felt like this and find some excuse and blame it on herself still. He knew what it felt like.

{ Illness }
Scorchedpetal tried to hear his words bit her heart shoved them away. "I should have been there... I-I should have looked care of him! Beachkit would be fine and Sagekit would still be alive had I not gone out to fight!" She said, and she began to feel more tears fill her eyes. "This whole time you worried you'd be the bad parent.... but I feel like I am..." she said, and turned her head, her pained gazed from him. It was too much for her to think about. Was this really her fault? What if being away put Sage into depression? Making him sick? She definitely wasn't helping herself ease the pain. Now she feared alot, stuff that Cliff felt- she feared Cliffheart would leave her, that her remaining kits would die, that her family would fall apart, and she'd be alone.
"Cliff, I am so sorry.... this is all my fault..." she meowed softly. She let cool tears fall onto her paws. Oh how she thought, she thought that she was the worst mother alive, the worst mate, the worst cat. Why did Cliff love her? How? She couldn't see how he could love a cat like her. She just didn't get it.
And for the first time in her life, Scorchedpetal was truly depressed, hurt zero and her heart was broken. Not just because her son died, but because she let that tom get into her head, she let her son get hurt, she let her mate risk his life for her, she let herself get hurt, almost killed. It was her fault. And she began to question her own stars.

"I made a vow to StarClan to protect my clan, and it costs me my son,
almost both. It nearly cost me you... What kind of vow did I make?"

[Red_Feather]

@Flameleaf
RedFeather, a red furred she-cat with one blue eye and one green eye, lied in the grass with the sun warming her fur.