Alongside A Mountain {Private}

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Empress Of Evil

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

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

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

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

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

Umbraice was ready to attack. Only a little longer before he knew the right moment to strike. Striking was the easy part to him, but moving? That was the part he dreaded. Not every cat were light on their paws, as he weren't. Whenever he moved, he felt his paws would stomp around. The tom knew he sucked at stalking prey, but at the same time...hunting was never truly his thing. It was something that he was obligated to do. Something he had to do. Everyone in the clan, besides the queens and elders had to part take in the activity. After all, how else would the clan eat? They worked differently than most animals. This was what Umbraice had observed. While many other feral species worked together to bring prey down, the prideful feline worked alone to hunt their prey. Wasn't it better for their to be plenty than one?

His eyes locked on the starling for a moment. He was ready to pounce. This was his chance to attack it, and have a chance at a quick meal before he hightailed out of there and towards another adventure. He thought about whether or not he would make it out of alive. Tomorrow wasn't entitled to him, and he was lucky enough to escape all other dangerous situations--wasn't starclan on his side? The tom delicately stretched his claws out, emitting out a silent yawn. He was ready to make his move. That bird was too tempting not to be caught.

And, as he was about to lunge at with a powerful leap, he stopped in his mid stride. The bird had flew away. His ears twitched, but his expression contorted into something of annoyance. ''Who in their right mind would scare my food away!'' He growled under his breath. He caught another scent of a feline. Definitely one from Skyclan. But, who could had been roaming around the edge of the territory? Hardly any cats would prefer to hunt here. The tom was aggravated the moment, and he took in a deep whiff to get a clear scent. Maybe he could teach this cat a thing or two.

As a grim expression crossed his features, and as he turned to follow the trail of the cat, one ebony cat shot passed him as if she were going at the speed of life. It caught Umbraice off guard for a moment, allowing him to stand there and just blink his eyes a few times. He knew the cat that ran past him was definitely an ebony feline. Maybe one he got to know recently. If that were her, what was she doing all the way out here? Instead of thinking it through, Umbraice picked up his legs, and he bolted straight ahead, following after her.

As he neared her, keeping up with her pace, the tom looked over at her, just to make sure she was the feline he was thinking about. Auroraflame...that was her. The deputy of Skyclan. Why was she all the way out here? Didn't she have duties to tend to? The tom quickly looked back ahead, seeing as the bird continued to stay in flight. If they can get close enough, they would be able to jump high enough to catch it. ''Auroraflame!'' He called, his voice panting as he continued to run. But, he didn't dare look at her. He had to remain focus ahead of him. Aside from that, it didn't stop him from being the tom that he was. ''Thanks for scaring my prey away!'' He snorted. ''Do you always have to be so clumsy?'' He couldn't be mad at her, yet inwardly he was a bit aggravated. Though he kept his tone on a playful base. ''That was m--Meal for the clan!'' Not my meal. Though it was my meal...until she came along. Can't get in trouble about that. The tom felt his heart pounding from the embarrassment of that state, and he let out a low sigh. Yeah, she was a higher rank than him. The tom didn't want to get in trouble.

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Constellation

Umbraice was ready to attack. Only a little longer before he knew the right moment to strike. Striking was the easy part to him, but moving? That was the part he dreaded. Not every cat were light on their paws, as he weren't. Whenever he moved, he felt his paws would stomp around. The tom knew he sucked at stalking prey, but at the same time...hunting was never truly his thing. It was something that he was obligated to do. Something he had to do. Everyone in the clan, besides the queens and elders had to part take in the activity. After all, how else would the clan eat? They worked differently than most animals. This was what Umbraice had observed. While many other feral species worked together to bring prey down, the prideful feline worked alone to hunt their prey. Wasn't it better for their to be plenty than one?

His eyes locked on the starling for a moment. He was ready to pounce. This was his chance to attack it, and have a chance at a quick meal before he hightailed out of there and towards another adventure. He thought about whether or not he would make it out of alive. Tomorrow wasn't entitled to him, and he was lucky enough to escape all other dangerous situations--wasn't starclan on his side? The tom delicately stretched his claws out, emitting out a silent yawn. He was ready to make his move. That bird was too tempting not to be caught.

And, as he was about to lunge at with a powerful leap, he stopped in his mid stride. The bird had flew away. His ears twitched, but his expression contorted into something of annoyance. ''Who in their right mind would scare my food away!'' He growled under his breath. He caught another scent of a feline. Definitely one from Skyclan. But, who could had been roaming around the edge of the territory? Hardly any cats would prefer to hunt here. The tom was aggravated the moment, and he took in a deep whiff to get a clear scent. Maybe he could teach this cat a thing or two.

As a grim expression crossed his features, and as he turned to follow the trail of the cat, one ebony cat shot passed him as if she were going at the speed of life. It caught Umbraice off guard for a moment, allowing him to stand there and just blink his eyes a few times. He knew the cat that ran past him was definitely an ebony feline. Maybe one he got to know recently. If that were her, what was she doing all the way out here? Instead of thinking it through, Umbraice picked up his legs, and he bolted straight ahead, following after her.

As he neared her, keeping up with her pace, the tom looked over at her, just to make sure she was the feline he was thinking about. Auroraflame...that was her. The deputy of Skyclan. Why was she all the way out here? Didn't she have duties to tend to? The tom quickly looked back ahead, seeing as the bird continued to stay in flight. If they can get close enough, they would be able to jump high enough to catch it. ''Auroraflame!'' He called, his voice panting as he continued to run. But, he didn't dare look at her. He had to remain focus ahead of him. Aside from that, it didn't stop him from being the tom that he was. ''Thanks for scaring my prey away!'' He snorted. ''Do you always have to be so clumsy?'' He couldn't be mad at her, yet inwardly he was a bit aggravated. Though he kept his tone on a playful base. ''That was m--Meal for the clan!'' Not my meal. Though it was my meal...until she came along. Can't get in trouble about that. The tom felt his heart pounding from the embarrassment of that state, and he let out a low sigh. Yeah, she was a higher rank than him. The tom didn't want to get in trouble.

The ebony deputy felt as if she were flying whilst she ran. Even though she’d never flown before, surely this was what it felt like? She barely had the time to place all four paws on the ground before two of them would lift up and carry her forward. At this point, she running closer and close towards the border. Soon enough, she would be out of SkyClan’s territory. She didn’t notice this however, as she was too busy enjoying the moment. If she did manage to come across a new territory, Auroraflame would probably get distracted and do some exploring. Although she was a very careful cat, she was quite curious too and always liked to do a bit of exploring. Knowing as many places as possible meant that she had one more place that she could run to for safety. Or even, it could be a possible shelter if the clan were to ever evacuate their territory and camp. After all, there was nothing wrong with having a back up plan.

A large boulder suddenly came into view and the starling dodged around it with ease, considering it was flying and it did have a small body that was lighter than the deputy. Auroraflame narrowed her eyes in concentration and when it seemed like she was going to crash into the boulder, she dug her front claws into the ground, skidded slightly and then let the momentum carry her back legs around, swinging her around so that she narrowly missed the boulder. She then continued on her way, as if nothing had happened. The only sign she gave that anything had happened, was the small smile of satisfaction on her maw.

Auroraflame didn’t look back once as she ran. Therefore, she didn’t see a certain silver warrior from behind. It was only when she heard someone calling her name that she turned her head to see who it was. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Umbraice chasing after her. Wait, why was she so surprised? Of course he was going to be he. It was very like the tom to hunt near the borders. The ebony she-cat should’ve seen it coming, but she hadn’t. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to worry about him. The only thing she had to think about was why he was even chasing her in the first place. Maybe he wanted to catch the starling? Yeah right, like that would happen. She was way ahead of him.

Her muscles were now starting to burn and Auroraflame feared she was going to slow down. Surprisingly, this starling was giving her a good chase and it was really starting to tire the inky deputy. But her determination to catch this bird and not let Umbraice catch up to her was driving her forward. How long would the tom boast for if he got in front of her and caught the bird? Auroraflame didn’t want to find out so to avoid that, she continued running and even tried accelerating a bit.

As the tom spoke again, she decided to answer. “You’re welcome!” She called back cheerfully, turning her head to flash him a smile. The smile of course, wasn’t exactly a real one. Why would she smile around a cat like Umbraice? But then again, it wasn’t very hard to smile around him. He was quite an amusing cat, although she would never admit that in front of him. She turned her head to her icy gaze was on the starling again and she shot forward even faster. “Me? Clumsy? That wasn’t clumsiness! I was concentrating very hard! I was just looking at the wrong object!” She yowled back at him, the determination on her face never fading. The she-cat waited for a response and she quickly received it. Although she didn’t look at him when he spoke, she didn’t need to. She’d heard him stumble with his words and this made her rather suspicious. “Right….” She muttered quietly, wondering what he had really meant to say. To her, it normally wouldn’t matter who caught the piece of prey as long as it was caught. However, things were rather different when it came to certain cats like Umbraice. She liked being better than him.

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Empress Of Evil

The ebony deputy felt as if she were flying whilst she ran. Even though she’d never flown before, surely this was what it felt like? She barely had the time to place all four paws on the ground before two of them would lift up and carry her forward. At this point, she running closer and close towards the border. Soon enough, she would be out of SkyClan’s territory. She didn’t notice this however, as she was too busy enjoying the moment. If she did manage to come across a new territory, Auroraflame would probably get distracted and do some exploring. Although she was a very careful cat, she was quite curious too and always liked to do a bit of exploring. Knowing as many places as possible meant that she had one more place that she could run to for safety. Or even, it could be a possible shelter if the clan were to ever evacuate their territory and camp. After all, there was nothing wrong with having a back up plan.

A large boulder suddenly came into view and the starling dodged around it with ease, considering it was flying and it did have a small body that was lighter than the deputy. Auroraflame narrowed her eyes in concentration and when it seemed like she was going to crash into the boulder, she dug her front claws into the ground, skidded slightly and then let the momentum carry her back legs around, swinging her around so that she narrowly missed the boulder. She then continued on her way, as if nothing had happened. The only sign she gave that anything had happened, was the small smile of satisfaction on her maw.

Auroraflame didn’t look back once as she ran. Therefore, she didn’t see a certain silver warrior from behind. It was only when she heard someone calling her name that she turned her head to see who it was. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Umbraice chasing after her. Wait, why was she so surprised? Of course he was going to be he. It was very like the tom to hunt near the borders. The ebony she-cat should’ve seen it coming, but she hadn’t. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to worry about him. The only thing she had to think about was why he was even chasing her in the first place. Maybe he wanted to catch the starling? Yeah right, like that would happen. She was way ahead of him.

Her muscles were now starting to burn and Auroraflame feared she was going to slow down. Surprisingly, this starling was giving her a good chase and it was really starting to tire the inky deputy. But her determination to catch this bird and not let Umbraice catch up to her was driving her forward. How long would the tom boast for if he got in front of her and caught the bird? Auroraflame didn’t want to find out so to avoid that, she continued running and even tried accelerating a bit.

As the tom spoke again, she decided to answer. “You’re welcome!” She called back cheerfully, turning her head to flash him a smile. The smile of course, wasn’t exactly a real one. Why would she smile around a cat like Umbraice? But then again, it wasn’t very hard to smile around him. He was quite an amusing cat, although she would never admit that in front of him. She turned her head to her icy gaze was on the starling again and she shot forward even faster. “Me? Clumsy? That wasn’t clumsiness! I was concentrating very hard! I was just looking at the wrong object!” She yowled back at him, the determination on her face never fading. The she-cat waited for a response and she quickly received it. Although she didn’t look at him when he spoke, she didn’t need to. She’d heard him stumble with his words and this made her rather suspicious. “Right….” She muttered quietly, wondering what he had really meant to say. To her, it normally wouldn’t matter who caught the piece of prey as long as it was caught. However, things were rather different when it came to certain cats like Umbraice. She liked being better than him.

Umbraice rolled his eyes. She was such a competitive feline. Couldn’t she at least...just once talk to him like a normal feline would instead of trying to appear as if she could outdo him? One thing for sure was that Umbraice was a beast whenever he was put up to a challenge. He wouldn’t allow her to win without a fight, so he ran as fast as his legs would go. To the point where it felt he was being lifted off the ground. Like he was flying. ‘’Tsk, tsk! Focusing and looking at the wrong object is not concentrating.’’ He said, picking up his pace further just to keep in line with her. It was easier to talk to her, and easier to catch his meal before she did and actually send it back to Skyclan. Then, that would be the end of him trying to go to his favorite place. Ruined by the deputy. What a nice thing.

Does she always have to ruin others’ fun? Well, this wasn’t true. Umbraice never thought he would meet a fun feline such as Auroraflame. She was such...nice company? Was that the word he was looking for? Probably not, but he figured she was too cheerful. She was too excitable for him. Truth be told, he used to watch her from a distance. Just observing her movements and catching on to tidbits of her personality. Now, that sounded stalkerish, but Umbraice was far from a stalker. He always thought about asking her to be his friend. Maybe they could hang out...but then, he would back away, and leave the territory for a while to clear his head.

Everything certainly changed for the both of them that fateful day. More so, for him than her. Umbraice shook his head, feeling that he was losing his edge for becoming too lost in his thoughts. He couldn’t allow her to win. That starling was his. ‘’Can’t you go hunt somewhere else?’’ Realizing that his voice probably sounded harsh than he intended, he quickly cleared his throat and said, ‘’I mean, don’t you usually hunt within the territory? What brought you all the way out here?’’ He asked, almost ready to tilt his head, but as he continued to run, feel the earth beneath his paws, the tom stopped. He couldn’t show any expressions as he ran through the earth. It was just a never ending passionate moment for him. Nature was truly amazing to him.

‘’Go catch a finch or shrew or something! That bird is mines!’’ He narrowed his eyes playfully, but even he was somewhat serious about the entire thing. That was his catch, the key to keep him full while he continued to explore the exotic beauty of the mountain. With Auroraflame here, she would mess all that up for him. And, though he enjoyed her company a lot, the tom didn’t want his moment ruined to visit the place so dear to him.

So, he continued to speed up, allowing himself to pass her by. The bird was ahead, still flapping its wings, and going higher into the air. If it reached too high, it would be out of their reach, and therefore a meal gone. Umbraice couldn’t allow that to happen. With his stomach growling, he looked around, trying to find some other approach to the idea. There were hardly any trees in this...somewhat open field area. If the tom didn’t know any better, he predicted that the bird was heading towards his beloved mountain. The mountain that made him, and the mountain that would eventually be the bane of his existence.

The silver tabby looked back, throwing a smirk at Auroraflame as he kicked up dust behind him. Time to venture into this mountain that he knew all too well, and that Auroraflame was getting to know. Throwing his head back once more, the tom yelled, ‘’Remember the memories we made here?’’ Well, the memory they had here. Which was somewhat pleasant, despite almost being killed by two badgers. Umbraice shook his head for a moment, shuddering at the thought, but as he sunk into his surroundings, going through the valley of the mountain, he almost slowed his pace to admire the gorgeous view. It was such a sight to see, and one that would always take his breath away whenever he was near it.

He continued to run, trying to detect the scent of the bird...long gone now. Coming to a complete stop as he seen the large familiar rocks he loved to jump on, he shook his head. Now was not the time for him. Losing his meal...because of the ebony feline. Of course, he blamed her for everything. After all, if she hadn’t came, he would had a meal by now. ‘’Oh, nice going Auroraflame! Lost my meal! Now, what am I going to eat?’’ Truth be told he was frustrated at the moment. That could be seen as he paced around--something he only did whenever he was nervous, in deep thought, or frustrated. Though his voice sounded frustrated, it wasn’t directed at her. More to himself for being caught in the moment. Yep, that was it.

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Constellation

Umbraice rolled his eyes. She was such a competitive feline. Couldn’t she at least...just once talk to him like a normal feline would instead of trying to appear as if she could outdo him? One thing for sure was that Umbraice was a beast whenever he was put up to a challenge. He wouldn’t allow her to win without a fight, so he ran as fast as his legs would go. To the point where it felt he was being lifted off the ground. Like he was flying. ‘’Tsk, tsk! Focusing and looking at the wrong object is not concentrating.’’ He said, picking up his pace further just to keep in line with her. It was easier to talk to her, and easier to catch his meal before she did and actually send it back to Skyclan. Then, that would be the end of him trying to go to his favorite place. Ruined by the deputy. What a nice thing.

Does she always have to ruin others’ fun? Well, this wasn’t true. Umbraice never thought he would meet a fun feline such as Auroraflame. She was such...nice company? Was that the word he was looking for? Probably not, but he figured she was too cheerful. She was too excitable for him. Truth be told, he used to watch her from a distance. Just observing her movements and catching on to tidbits of her personality. Now, that sounded stalkerish, but Umbraice was far from a stalker. He always thought about asking her to be his friend. Maybe they could hang out...but then, he would back away, and leave the territory for a while to clear his head.

Everything certainly changed for the both of them that fateful day. More so, for him than her. Umbraice shook his head, feeling that he was losing his edge for becoming too lost in his thoughts. He couldn’t allow her to win. That starling was his. ‘’Can’t you go hunt somewhere else?’’ Realizing that his voice probably sounded harsh than he intended, he quickly cleared his throat and said, ‘’I mean, don’t you usually hunt within the territory? What brought you all the way out here?’’ He asked, almost ready to tilt his head, but as he continued to run, feel the earth beneath his paws, the tom stopped. He couldn’t show any expressions as he ran through the earth. It was just a never ending passionate moment for him. Nature was truly amazing to him.

‘’Go catch a finch or shrew or something! That bird is mines!’’ He narrowed his eyes playfully, but even he was somewhat serious about the entire thing. That was his catch, the key to keep him full while he continued to explore the exotic beauty of the mountain. With Auroraflame here, she would mess all that up for him. And, though he enjoyed her company a lot, the tom didn’t want his moment ruined to visit the place so dear to him.

So, he continued to speed up, allowing himself to pass her by. The bird was ahead, still flapping its wings, and going higher into the air. If it reached too high, it would be out of their reach, and therefore a meal gone. Umbraice couldn’t allow that to happen. With his stomach growling, he looked around, trying to find some other approach to the idea. There were hardly any trees in this...somewhat open field area. If the tom didn’t know any better, he predicted that the bird was heading towards his beloved mountain. The mountain that made him, and the mountain that would eventually be the bane of his existence.

The silver tabby looked back, throwing a smirk at Auroraflame as he kicked up dust behind him. Time to venture into this mountain that he knew all too well, and that Auroraflame was getting to know. Throwing his head back once more, the tom yelled, ‘’Remember the memories we made here?’’ Well, the memory they had here. Which was somewhat pleasant, despite almost being killed by two badgers. Umbraice shook his head for a moment, shuddering at the thought, but as he sunk into his surroundings, going through the valley of the mountain, he almost slowed his pace to admire the gorgeous view. It was such a sight to see, and one that would always take his breath away whenever he was near it.

He continued to run, trying to detect the scent of the bird...long gone now. Coming to a complete stop as he seen the large familiar rocks he loved to jump on, he shook his head. Now was not the time for him. Losing his meal...because of the ebony feline. Of course, he blamed her for everything. After all, if she hadn’t came, he would had a meal by now. ‘’Oh, nice going Auroraflame! Lost my meal! Now, what am I going to eat?’’ Truth be told he was frustrated at the moment. That could be seen as he paced around--something he only did whenever he was nervous, in deep thought, or frustrated. Though his voice sounded frustrated, it wasn’t directed at her. More to himself for being caught in the moment. Yep, that was it.

“It is!” Auroraflame insisted. “I guess….” She trailed quietly to herself. She knew that it wasn’t, but she didn’t want to admit that to the tom. She was too proud to admit it to him, but she would be fine with it if he were any other cat. The she-cat had a strange competitive feeling towards the tom and she was determined to beat him in everything that they did together. The inky deputy didn’t know how Umbraice might feel about her wanting to beat him all the time, but it didn’t matter much to her unless it was upsetting him greatly. After all, proving to someone that they could be just as good, or even better, was entertaining for her. It spiced up her life and made going by everyday a little more interesting than it could be. Only a few cats sparked her competitive attitude more than the average cat, and when they did, she didn’t let them go that easily.

Most cats got to see the positive and cheerful side of her. The one that was happy and relatively responsible. Some cats got to see the weirder side of her, the side that wasn’t so polite and responsible for everything that she did. Then, there was her daring side which subtly made its way into her cheerful personality each day. It was the one that stopped her from ever refusing to a dare and it made her all the while braver. Then there was her dark side which only came out when she wasn’t in a good mood. It was something that no one wanted to come across. Auroraflame was a complicated cat and her personality could vary very easily depending on her mood.

Can’t you go hunt somewhere else?

The words struck her and she had to suppress a flinch. It wasn’t just her personality that was complicated but the control she had over her anger was also complicated. At times, it would take forever to anger her, but at other times, it would only take a short amount of time. That comment was enough to break through her walls and poke at her like sharp claws. The tone he’d used had made him sound harsh and she wasn’t very happy about that. “No,” Auroraflame called back, using that snappy and annoyed tone of hers. She turned her head to give him a sharp glare and her icy hues hardened as she did so. Luckily, his next words convinced her to soften up and not be so grumpy about his previous statement. She turned her head back around before she opened her jaws to reply. “What do you mean? I always hunt in the territory!” She replied. Somehow, the she-cat had managed to take no notice of her surroundings and how close she was to leaving the territory.

“No thanks! I think I would prefer to just catch this!” Auroraflame said happily. If she really was going to catch this, then she would have to focus harder. This starling was playing hard to get and she wasn’t enjoying that. The she-cat quickly glanced back, only to see that the tom was gaining on her. Gritting her teeth together in determination, she sped up even more. It was hard to believe that she could go any faster than she already was, but somehow she was managing it.

The surprise jumped into her eyes as she watched the silver tabby overtake her. Her eyes narrowed and she growled playfully. “Game on,” She muttered to herself, letting a small smirk grow on her maw. She pushed on even harder to the point where she was basically running her very hardest. The Bombay was doubtful that she would be able to go any faster. Finally, she caught up to him and ran alongside the tom. She refused to lag behind even though her muscles were burning like mad. She wasn’t sure how much longer she would be able to run for.

“I-What?” Auroraflame questioned in a bemused tone. Memories? Here? It was then that she finally checked her surroundings and she realised that they had entered the mountainous range they’d been in not too long ago. Her icy orbs widened as once again, she was enraptured by the beauty of the mountain. The mountain range was very beautiful, yet at the same time, extremely dangerous. The mountain had displayed just how dangerous it could be with one adventure. “You mean the one where two badgers nearly killed us? I don’t think I could ever forget that,” Auroraflame snorted, chuckling softly. Certainly, the experience had been dangerous, but it had given her a thrill that excited her. It was fun while it’d lasted.

As a warm breeze blew by, the deputy realised something. The scent of the bird was completely gone by now. Auroraflame closed her eyes for a short moment as she let the annoyance bubble in her. Oh it’s just one bird…. That could’ve fed maybe two cats, Auroraflame thought, sighing loudly. Her eyes opened and her ears pricked attentively at Umbraice’s voice. “What you’re going to eat?” Auroraflame repeated, letting her disbelief sing through. “I should’ve known that a cat like you wouldn’t think to contribute a piece of prey to the clan,” Auroraflame snapped. She could sense the frustration in his tone and she wasn’t aware that it wasn’t directed towards her. Grumpily, she stalked off in another direction to him. “It wasn’t my fault you were distracting me with all the nonsense coming out of your mouth," Auroraflame called back, closing her eyes to relax for a short moment. She was in a beautiful environment, so she might as well enjoy it while she could.

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Empress Of Evil

“It is!” Auroraflame insisted. “I guess….” She trailed quietly to herself. She knew that it wasn’t, but she didn’t want to admit that to the tom. She was too proud to admit it to him, but she would be fine with it if he were any other cat. The she-cat had a strange competitive feeling towards the tom and she was determined to beat him in everything that they did together. The inky deputy didn’t know how Umbraice might feel about her wanting to beat him all the time, but it didn’t matter much to her unless it was upsetting him greatly. After all, proving to someone that they could be just as good, or even better, was entertaining for her. It spiced up her life and made going by everyday a little more interesting than it could be. Only a few cats sparked her competitive attitude more than the average cat, and when they did, she didn’t let them go that easily.

Most cats got to see the positive and cheerful side of her. The one that was happy and relatively responsible. Some cats got to see the weirder side of her, the side that wasn’t so polite and responsible for everything that she did. Then, there was her daring side which subtly made its way into her cheerful personality each day. It was the one that stopped her from ever refusing to a dare and it made her all the while braver. Then there was her dark side which only came out when she wasn’t in a good mood. It was something that no one wanted to come across. Auroraflame was a complicated cat and her personality could vary very easily depending on her mood.

Can’t you go hunt somewhere else?

The words struck her and she had to suppress a flinch. It wasn’t just her personality that was complicated but the control she had over her anger was also complicated. At times, it would take forever to anger her, but at other times, it would only take a short amount of time. That comment was enough to break through her walls and poke at her like sharp claws. The tone he’d used had made him sound harsh and she wasn’t very happy about that. “No,” Auroraflame called back, using that snappy and annoyed tone of hers. She turned her head to give him a sharp glare and her icy hues hardened as she did so. Luckily, his next words convinced her to soften up and not be so grumpy about his previous statement. She turned her head back around before she opened her jaws to reply. “What do you mean? I always hunt in the territory!” She replied. Somehow, the she-cat had managed to take no notice of her surroundings and how close she was to leaving the territory.

“No thanks! I think I would prefer to just catch this!” Auroraflame said happily. If she really was going to catch this, then she would have to focus harder. This starling was playing hard to get and she wasn’t enjoying that. The she-cat quickly glanced back, only to see that the tom was gaining on her. Gritting her teeth together in determination, she sped up even more. It was hard to believe that she could go any faster than she already was, but somehow she was managing it.

The surprise jumped into her eyes as she watched the silver tabby overtake her. Her eyes narrowed and she growled playfully. “Game on,” She muttered to herself, letting a small smirk grow on her maw. She pushed on even harder to the point where she was basically running her very hardest. The Bombay was doubtful that she would be able to go any faster. Finally, she caught up to him and ran alongside the tom. She refused to lag behind even though her muscles were burning like mad. She wasn’t sure how much longer she would be able to run for.

“I-What?” Auroraflame questioned in a bemused tone. Memories? Here? It was then that she finally checked her surroundings and she realised that they had entered the mountainous range they’d been in not too long ago. Her icy orbs widened as once again, she was enraptured by the beauty of the mountain. The mountain range was very beautiful, yet at the same time, extremely dangerous. The mountain had displayed just how dangerous it could be with one adventure. “You mean the one where two badgers nearly killed us? I don’t think I could ever forget that,” Auroraflame snorted, chuckling softly. Certainly, the experience had been dangerous, but it had given her a thrill that excited her. It was fun while it’d lasted.

As a warm breeze blew by, the deputy realised something. The scent of the bird was completely gone by now. Auroraflame closed her eyes for a short moment as she let the annoyance bubble in her. Oh it’s just one bird…. That could’ve fed maybe two cats, Auroraflame thought, sighing loudly. Her eyes opened and her ears pricked attentively at Umbraice’s voice. “What you’re going to eat?” Auroraflame repeated, letting her disbelief sing through. “I should’ve known that a cat like you wouldn’t think to contribute a piece of prey to the clan,” Auroraflame snapped. She could sense the frustration in his tone and she wasn’t aware that it wasn’t directed towards her. Grumpily, she stalked off in another direction to him. “It wasn’t my fault you were distracting me with all the nonsense coming out of your mouth," Auroraflame called back, closing her eyes to relax for a short moment. She was in a beautiful environment, so she might as well enjoy it while she could.

Umbraice felt his fur grow hotter. Did she really just say that? Think he wanted the food for himself? As she said it, Umbraice felt a stab at his heart for some odd reason. He didn't want to be deemed as selfish because he wasn't, but Auroraflame made him feel that he was selfish, but his scenery made him think far from that. This mountainous glory was all that he needed to calm him down. It made him happy to visit such a place, and live. Actually live instead of rot in that clan that he felt was keeping his life on hold. Honestly, he felt the warrior code was too strict. You can't do this, you can't do that. It's forbidden to do this, it's forbidden to do that. It made Umbraice crazy for a moment as he thought about all the rules he had to follow, but out in this open? This gorgeous deep part of nature, Umbraice didn't have to follow any rules. He was his own cat out there.

The silver tabby was ready to retort at Auroraflame for insulting him in such a way, but instead he coolly shrugged it off. “Technically I wasn't hunting on Skyclan's territory. It was the outskirts, so that could had been my meal if I wanted to eat it.” Maybe, he should had kept his mouth shut. The tom always made things worse at time when he decided to say something. Auroraflame would retort back, and they would be in a battle until one of them gave up. Umbraice was pretty stubborn, and he figured Auroraflame was too despite that cheerfulness she displayed. The tom shook his head, he didn't feel like arguing, so he tried to quickly reverse the conversation to something more...relaxing.

The tom had chuckled upon remembering the two badgers that almost killed them. It was their lucky day to him! Even if he managed to get a scar across his eye that was more noticeable and pink, but not caked with blood. His entire pelt was littered with scars, but those were invisible to the eye since the tom kept himself clean. “Those badgers would had killed you if it weren't for me!” He boasted proudly as the two of them walked through the valley of the mountains. So majestic these mountains stood with their pointed tops touching the skies. Umbraice never been to the top before but he vowed to go up there… One day. The mountain tops were painted with frostiness that looked like snow, nonetheless it was beautiful and for a second he wondered if it would be cold if he set a paw on top. Or, if any other cat did set their paws on top of that tainted peak. “And, I don't even believe you have me a thank you?” The tom ran up a bit, trotting faster. He threw his head back teasingly to taunt Auroraflame. “Next time stay back and let the real heroes handle the job. Wouldn't want it future leader getting hurt, now would we?” Umbraice was only joking, but a part of him knew it was true. Danger things lurked in these parts of nature because it belonged to every species not just cats. Cats didn't live in these parts, and territory was--clearly--open for all.

“What made you even come this far anyway?” He asked. The tom huffed. Distracting her? He would never do such a thing! But it was still surprising to know that the deputy of Skyclan was on this side of nature. He figured after their first adventure, she wouldn't travel outside the clan again. Yet, it had to be a big risk for her. A deputy was suppose to remain in their clan to look after their clan mates, and here she was. Outside the clan, and in the nature he dearly loved, with him as her companion. “I thought you would be busy with sorting patrols or whatever,” his voice was dull, not a hint of care in the world as he talked to her. Not that he found her job a disappointment. He figured that Auroraflame loved her job. She was an excellent deputy from what he seen afar.

Yet, this tom had a hard time paying attention. He was constantly lost in his own world about what he would do--now, he was sharing part of his world with Auroraflame. He figured she must have been confide in the territory of Skyclan and no knowledge of what could be...outside those scent markers. Then again, he could be wrong. The tom shot Auroraflame a quick look before turning back in the direction in front of him. He took a gander at his chest fur to smooth it flat. ‘’I have you know that the nonsense that comes out this mouth is all excellent knowledge. Everything I say can be important--you never know.’’ He shouted back, his voice more playful than anything else. He breathed in the crisp scent, trotting along the rough terrain below him. Dusts of rocks falling from the side, and flicking his ears forward, he could hear the rushing of the waterfall.

‘’Well, since we’re here again. I don’t think badgers are the only predators we need to worry about.’’ He slunk forward, keeping his trail as light as possible to not attract other animals. ‘’I say we explore deeper! You wanna race to the waterfall?--’’ The excitement was easily seen in the tom as his blue orbs glowed with anticipation. But, as he thought about that, he figured Auroraflame might be tired from losing his catch. His meal. His stomach had rumbled. ‘’Or, we can hunt here first. See if we can catch anything edible--and you won’t be able to run my food away again.’’ He huffed once more, casting her a sideways glance at the she cat.

Umbraice was pretty salty that she had lost his starling. A starling was good, and it was rare for a tom like him to pass them by. They were such a treat in his opinion, one that he wished to have currently, but he still felt that Auroraflame lost his meal. He flicked his tail, and took a turn, motioning for Auroraflame to follow him. This side of this lushful land held small overgrowth of trees, knitting together by vines and plenty soft moss on the ground. There were surely some animals there that they could deem prey. He didn’t know what Auroraflame might do, but Umbraice lived by his own rules when it came to not being in Skyclan, and he was terribly hungry, so he would eat whether disapproved by Auroraflame or not. It was just...something about setting the ebony feline on edge that sparked and amused him.

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Constellation

Umbraice felt his fur grow hotter. Did she really just say that? Think he wanted the food for himself? As she said it, Umbraice felt a stab at his heart for some odd reason. He didn't want to be deemed as selfish because he wasn't, but Auroraflame made him feel that he was selfish, but his scenery made him think far from that. This mountainous glory was all that he needed to calm him down. It made him happy to visit such a place, and live. Actually live instead of rot in that clan that he felt was keeping his life on hold. Honestly, he felt the warrior code was too strict. You can't do this, you can't do that. It's forbidden to do this, it's forbidden to do that. It made Umbraice crazy for a moment as he thought about all the rules he had to follow, but out in this open? This gorgeous deep part of nature, Umbraice didn't have to follow any rules. He was his own cat out there.

The silver tabby was ready to retort at Auroraflame for insulting him in such a way, but instead he coolly shrugged it off. “Technically I wasn't hunting on Skyclan's territory. It was the outskirts, so that could had been my meal if I wanted to eat it.” Maybe, he should had kept his mouth shut. The tom always made things worse at time when he decided to say something. Auroraflame would retort back, and they would be in a battle until one of them gave up. Umbraice was pretty stubborn, and he figured Auroraflame was too despite that cheerfulness she displayed. The tom shook his head, he didn't feel like arguing, so he tried to quickly reverse the conversation to something more...relaxing.

The tom had chuckled upon remembering the two badgers that almost killed them. It was their lucky day to him! Even if he managed to get a scar across his eye that was more noticeable and pink, but not caked with blood. His entire pelt was littered with scars, but those were invisible to the eye since the tom kept himself clean. “Those badgers would had killed you if it weren't for me!” He boasted proudly as the two of them walked through the valley of the mountains. So majestic these mountains stood with their pointed tops touching the skies. Umbraice never been to the top before but he vowed to go up there… One day. The mountain tops were painted with frostiness that looked like snow, nonetheless it was beautiful and for a second he wondered if it would be cold if he set a paw on top. Or, if any other cat did set their paws on top of that tainted peak. “And, I don't even believe you have me a thank you?” The tom ran up a bit, trotting faster. He threw his head back teasingly to taunt Auroraflame. “Next time stay back and let the real heroes handle the job. Wouldn't want it future leader getting hurt, now would we?” Umbraice was only joking, but a part of him knew it was true. Danger things lurked in these parts of nature because it belonged to every species not just cats. Cats didn't live in these parts, and territory was--clearly--open for all.

“What made you even come this far anyway?” He asked. The tom huffed. Distracting her? He would never do such a thing! But it was still surprising to know that the deputy of Skyclan was on this side of nature. He figured after their first adventure, she wouldn't travel outside the clan again. Yet, it had to be a big risk for her. A deputy was suppose to remain in their clan to look after their clan mates, and here she was. Outside the clan, and in the nature he dearly loved, with him as her companion. “I thought you would be busy with sorting patrols or whatever,” his voice was dull, not a hint of care in the world as he talked to her. Not that he found her job a disappointment. He figured that Auroraflame loved her job. She was an excellent deputy from what he seen afar.

Yet, this tom had a hard time paying attention. He was constantly lost in his own world about what he would do--now, he was sharing part of his world with Auroraflame. He figured she must have been confide in the territory of Skyclan and no knowledge of what could be...outside those scent markers. Then again, he could be wrong. The tom shot Auroraflame a quick look before turning back in the direction in front of him. He took a gander at his chest fur to smooth it flat. ‘’I have you know that the nonsense that comes out this mouth is all excellent knowledge. Everything I say can be important--you never know.’’ He shouted back, his voice more playful than anything else. He breathed in the crisp scent, trotting along the rough terrain below him. Dusts of rocks falling from the side, and flicking his ears forward, he could hear the rushing of the waterfall.

‘’Well, since we’re here again. I don’t think badgers are the only predators we need to worry about.’’ He slunk forward, keeping his trail as light as possible to not attract other animals. ‘’I say we explore deeper! You wanna race to the waterfall?--’’ The excitement was easily seen in the tom as his blue orbs glowed with anticipation. But, as he thought about that, he figured Auroraflame might be tired from losing his catch. His meal. His stomach had rumbled. ‘’Or, we can hunt here first. See if we can catch anything edible--and you won’t be able to run my food away again.’’ He huffed once more, casting her a sideways glance at the she cat.

Umbraice was pretty salty that she had lost his starling. A starling was good, and it was rare for a tom like him to pass them by. They were such a treat in his opinion, one that he wished to have currently, but he still felt that Auroraflame lost his meal. He flicked his tail, and took a turn, motioning for Auroraflame to follow him. This side of this lushful land held small overgrowth of trees, knitting together by vines and plenty soft moss on the ground. There were surely some animals there that they could deem prey. He didn’t know what Auroraflame might do, but Umbraice lived by his own rules when it came to not being in Skyclan, and he was terribly hungry, so he would eat whether disapproved by Auroraflame or not. It was just...something about setting the ebony feline on edge that sparked and amused him.

As the inky deputy calmed herself down, she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for what she had said. She hadn’t exactly sounded very kind while she was scolding him. Perhaps she should apologise for her harsh words. But, the more she thought about it, the less willing she felt to do it. Although her words weren’t the kindest words she could’ve used in such a situation, she had probably done the best thing she could’ve done. It wasn’t right if he planned on making a catch and feeding himself before he fed the clan. There were queens and elders that needed the prey more than he did. Of course, they all needed to eat, but he was a warrior. Umbraice could survive without prey for just a little longer and let the other cats of his clan eat first. Now the she-cat wasn’t very sure about what she should do. Should she apologise or let the words sink in?

She stayed quiet, still debating over what she should do, but the decision was soon made for her as the silver tabby responded. It was clear now that she was not going to apologise. “Even so, the elders and the queen should be fed before you. They need it more than you do,” Auroraflame said calmly, pushing the anger in her as far back as possible. There was no need to snap, or else the warrior might be even less willing to listen to her. Well, less likely to listen to the warrior code. The ebony she-cat sighed, sometimes she found herself wondering if the tom even remembered the warrior code, considering he seemed to spend most of his time away from the clan’s camp.

At his next words, the she-cat couldn’t help but smile. “Oh please, I’m perfectly capable of defending myself,” Auroraflame said, snorting in amusement as her tail twitched. She may have been angry just a moment ago, but it was to not smile at him when he made it so easy. But it wasn’t very surprising for her, to see that her emotions changed so easily and so quickly. It was a habit of her’s and happened nearly all the time whenever she was angry. “Me? Thank you? Never. You would’ve had to face two badgers had I not crushed one of them with a boulder. You should be thanking my quick thinking,” Auroraflame responded with a proud tone of her own, a teasing look in her icy hues. Although she was simply teasing and joking, she was quite proud of her quick thinking. There were times where she would come up with a brilliant idea just after her opportunity, but that time she had managed to think quickly. “I think I count as a hero. Plus anyway, what kind of a future leader would it make me if I don’t even fight to defend my clan mates?” The she-cat continued, pleased with her choice of words. She knew she would fight alongside her clan mates during every battle when she was leader, but she was going to make a start now. Although she could’ve run back to camp and find some cat to come and help them, she had stayed behind and fought alongside him. A foolish move, that at the same time was quite brave of her.

“I was hunting. Then you distracted me and kept me from seeing where I was. To the point where I had lost sense of my location,” Auroraflame responded. “I may be the deputy but I’m still a clan cat just like any other,” The inky she-cat reminded, ears flicking. Did all her clan mates think of her like that? The cat that was supposed to stay in camp all day and just organise patrols? Well, it didn’t really matter what any of them thought. She knew what she did. She tended to duties just like any other cat in the clan and she simply had a few extra things that needed her attention. “I don’t spend all day organising patrols you know. I’m just like you,” Auroraflame continued, in a matter-of-fact tone, tail flicking his ears as she padded passed him. “Well, maybe not quite you. Rather, the average clan cat,” She said, smirking back at him.


While these mountains may have nearly been the death of her a moon or so ago, the she-cat was more grateful than she seemed that the tom had been so kind as to share this landscape with her. It was different from anything she’d ever seen before and that managed to spark up curiosity in her. She had grown up in one territory, and lived out the rest of her life in another, but this territory was different from both of them. Whilst both of them were a forest with lots of lush, green trees and bushes, this had lots of space and was very open. Was this how the WindClan cats lived? The she-cat had only been to their territory once, to free them of their evil leader’s reign, but she was pretty sure she had been fighting in moorland.

The she-cat wasn’t one to normally lose focus and have a hard time paying attention. Being the deputy, she found herself with a lot of problems that needed all needed her attention, so she was basically trained into focusing on more than one thing at a time. “Well, I certainly have to disagree on your nonsense being knowledge, but I can’t deny that anything you say might be important,” Auroraflame said, chuckling quietly. The ebony deputy had grown to learn that even those who normally spoke nonsense, or were very quiet, were always bound to have something useful pop out of their mouth eventually. Personally, the she-cat wasn’t a big fan of listening to those who annoyed her, but she was learning to deal with it anyway. She couldn’t help the fact that she could be rather impatient at times. It was only a matter of time before she finally mastered the art of patience.

“I don’t think any animal would even dream about coming anywhere near us after last time!” Auroraflame purred, icy blue orbs sparkling with amusement. The memory was still fresh in her mind, as if it had just been yesterday. She suppressed a shudder from running through her as she remembered the foul breath of the badgers and the crimson stains on the rocky ground. At the tom’s suggestion, the she-cat was immediately tempted to agree. But, she hesitated to give a response. She should probably get back to camp…. But at the same time, she really didn’t want to shoot down an opportunity to explore the mountain range a bit more. “Alright!” She finally agreed, bounding forward cheerfully.

Had this been any other cat, the she-cat would’ve very likely agreed to go hunting first. However, she knew that if they both ended up chasing the same piece of prey again, they would most likely lose it, therefore causing conflict between the to. If anything, perhaps it was best to not hunt at all while Umbraice was nearby. “Right, which way are we heading?” She asked, turning her head back to face him again. The deputy had only been here once before, meaning that she wasn’t very familiar with the landscape. She wanted to act confident, as if she knew this place like the back of her paw, but she knew that she didn’t know it that well. Meaning that she was relying on the silver tabby to lead her through this unfamiliar territory.

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Empress Of Evil

As the inky deputy calmed herself down, she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for what she had said. She hadn’t exactly sounded very kind while she was scolding him. Perhaps she should apologise for her harsh words. But, the more she thought about it, the less willing she felt to do it. Although her words weren’t the kindest words she could’ve used in such a situation, she had probably done the best thing she could’ve done. It wasn’t right if he planned on making a catch and feeding himself before he fed the clan. There were queens and elders that needed the prey more than he did. Of course, they all needed to eat, but he was a warrior. Umbraice could survive without prey for just a little longer and let the other cats of his clan eat first. Now the she-cat wasn’t very sure about what she should do. Should she apologise or let the words sink in?

She stayed quiet, still debating over what she should do, but the decision was soon made for her as the silver tabby responded. It was clear now that she was not going to apologise. “Even so, the elders and the queen should be fed before you. They need it more than you do,” Auroraflame said calmly, pushing the anger in her as far back as possible. There was no need to snap, or else the warrior might be even less willing to listen to her. Well, less likely to listen to the warrior code. The ebony she-cat sighed, sometimes she found herself wondering if the tom even remembered the warrior code, considering he seemed to spend most of his time away from the clan’s camp.

At his next words, the she-cat couldn’t help but smile. “Oh please, I’m perfectly capable of defending myself,” Auroraflame said, snorting in amusement as her tail twitched. She may have been angry just a moment ago, but it was to not smile at him when he made it so easy. But it wasn’t very surprising for her, to see that her emotions changed so easily and so quickly. It was a habit of her’s and happened nearly all the time whenever she was angry. “Me? Thank you? Never. You would’ve had to face two badgers had I not crushed one of them with a boulder. You should be thanking my quick thinking,” Auroraflame responded with a proud tone of her own, a teasing look in her icy hues. Although she was simply teasing and joking, she was quite proud of her quick thinking. There were times where she would come up with a brilliant idea just after her opportunity, but that time she had managed to think quickly. “I think I count as a hero. Plus anyway, what kind of a future leader would it make me if I don’t even fight to defend my clan mates?” The she-cat continued, pleased with her choice of words. She knew she would fight alongside her clan mates during every battle when she was leader, but she was going to make a start now. Although she could’ve run back to camp and find some cat to come and help them, she had stayed behind and fought alongside him. A foolish move, that at the same time was quite brave of her.

“I was hunting. Then you distracted me and kept me from seeing where I was. To the point where I had lost sense of my location,” Auroraflame responded. “I may be the deputy but I’m still a clan cat just like any other,” The inky she-cat reminded, ears flicking. Did all her clan mates think of her like that? The cat that was supposed to stay in camp all day and just organise patrols? Well, it didn’t really matter what any of them thought. She knew what she did. She tended to duties just like any other cat in the clan and she simply had a few extra things that needed her attention. “I don’t spend all day organising patrols you know. I’m just like you,” Auroraflame continued, in a matter-of-fact tone, tail flicking his ears as she padded passed him. “Well, maybe not quite you. Rather, the average clan cat,” She said, smirking back at him.


While these mountains may have nearly been the death of her a moon or so ago, the she-cat was more grateful than she seemed that the tom had been so kind as to share this landscape with her. It was different from anything she’d ever seen before and that managed to spark up curiosity in her. She had grown up in one territory, and lived out the rest of her life in another, but this territory was different from both of them. Whilst both of them were a forest with lots of lush, green trees and bushes, this had lots of space and was very open. Was this how the WindClan cats lived? The she-cat had only been to their territory once, to free them of their evil leader’s reign, but she was pretty sure she had been fighting in moorland.

The she-cat wasn’t one to normally lose focus and have a hard time paying attention. Being the deputy, she found herself with a lot of problems that needed all needed her attention, so she was basically trained into focusing on more than one thing at a time. “Well, I certainly have to disagree on your nonsense being knowledge, but I can’t deny that anything you say might be important,” Auroraflame said, chuckling quietly. The ebony deputy had grown to learn that even those who normally spoke nonsense, or were very quiet, were always bound to have something useful pop out of their mouth eventually. Personally, the she-cat wasn’t a big fan of listening to those who annoyed her, but she was learning to deal with it anyway. She couldn’t help the fact that she could be rather impatient at times. It was only a matter of time before she finally mastered the art of patience.

“I don’t think any animal would even dream about coming anywhere near us after last time!” Auroraflame purred, icy blue orbs sparkling with amusement. The memory was still fresh in her mind, as if it had just been yesterday. She suppressed a shudder from running through her as she remembered the foul breath of the badgers and the crimson stains on the rocky ground. At the tom’s suggestion, the she-cat was immediately tempted to agree. But, she hesitated to give a response. She should probably get back to camp…. But at the same time, she really didn’t want to shoot down an opportunity to explore the mountain range a bit more. “Alright!” She finally agreed, bounding forward cheerfully.

Had this been any other cat, the she-cat would’ve very likely agreed to go hunting first. However, she knew that if they both ended up chasing the same piece of prey again, they would most likely lose it, therefore causing conflict between the to. If anything, perhaps it was best to not hunt at all while Umbraice was nearby. “Right, which way are we heading?” She asked, turning her head back to face him again. The deputy had only been here once before, meaning that she wasn’t very familiar with the landscape. She wanted to act confident, as if she knew this place like the back of her paw, but she knew that she didn’t know it that well. Meaning that she was relying on the silver tabby to lead her through this unfamiliar territory.

Of course. Umbraice knew she believed this. A part of him never understood the warrior code in the first place. Which was why he ventured out a lot. Well, part of it. He was a very athletic tom. He liked to see the challenges that nature threw at him. And, plus it stimulated his brain. His mind became much more logical when it came to strategic work. As he padded forward, his paws hitting the rocky terrain, he curled his tail, flicking it from one side to the other. ''Because my life matters so little. Gotcha. I'll remember that.'' Perhaps, he was being petty at the moment. Her words had triggered him the wrong way. Elders and queens needed to eat before him. However, he knew all this! Obviously, he knew this. He grew up confined in the surroundings of Skyclan. If that wasn't boring enough, he didn't feel like following rules sometimes. Yet, rules were important so he respected them. ''But, on a serious note - I know that elders and queens need to be fed before me. No need to recap that for me, thank you very much, m'lady.''

Umbraice lifted his muzzle into the air, sticking out his tongue for a moment to get a hint of the wind's direction. Alright, that was good. He twitched his ears at Auroraflame's words, but continued to walk without looking at her. He snorted at them, then entered to a short laugh. ''Oh, are you sure? Last I could tell you were a damsel in distress.'' His tail lashed with amusement, throwing her a humorous look in his gaze. One moment she was reprimanding him about the warrior code, then she was laughing along with him the next. Joking with him. Umbraice liked when she would just learn to chill with him instead of worrying about her duties all the time. Yes, he knew she was the deputy and all - but would it hurt to bend the rules a little bit? Not break them...Umbraice could do that. ''Pfft, I'm the one who sacrificed a this handsome face just to protect you, my queen.'' Umbraice knew he was lucky that she was there, because he was pretty sure that he couldn't handle two badgers alone. Had she not been there to crush them with that boulder, then he would had been a dead feline. One thing that would help him remember that fight was the fact he received two gashes across his eye. Every time he blinked, he could imagine the disappearance of his flesh; raw and ugly, but he did little to show he noticed this.

Her next words made Umbraice study her for a moment. He was quiet, but he was appreciative of her quick thinking. That was nice - for a molly. But, he refused to thank her because he didn't have to. Outside the boundaries of Skyclan, he didn't have to listen to her. He lived by his own rules out her. What she said was the truth. She was the future leader of Skyclan. She had to protect everyone because that's what leaders do. They protect their clan with their lives. But, Grousestar was the leader. Warriors died for him, laid their lives on the line for him - yet he had nine lives. Or, close to it. That's what Umbraice didn't understand. Loyalty was important to the clans, but warriors had one life. Umbraice sighed in his head. The warrior code - or anything to do with warrior life dampened his mood, so he threw the thought out his head. ''You'd make a great leader someday.'' He sounded serious in the moment. That was the least he could do to compliment her. He didn't need her head growing bigger than it already was. ''But, not a hero. That's my job.'' He purred, establishing his humor once again. Auroraflame could stay preparing herself to be leader, but Umbraice preferred being the hero. He preferred saving the lives. Not just doing regular boring warrior duties.

Umbraice stopped abruptly, swiftly turning his head to stare at the inky feline and giving her a charming grin. ''Oh, I distracted you, eh?'' His voice was one of knowing. One where the boy used to misinterpret a girl's words. Because, he knew by what she meant when she told him that he distracted her. Umbraice loved messing with the molly. She was fun company...when she wasn't about work. ''I believe all the ladies say that. Though it's no excuse if I distracted you or not. I don't allow a cat to distract me.'' He said. Maybe, that was an exaggeration. Umbraice could get distracted, but not easily. After that, he held a smug expression on his face, but didn't dare to look towards Auroraflame as he continued walking - now trotting through this lovely scenery. He heard her comment, but he chose not to acknowledge it. Of course, she was a average cat - but a cat with power. Out here, at least, she didn't hold that power. Out here, she couldn't control him. Out here, they both could be free. His eyes trailed her form when she padded past him. He nose twitched. ''Of course not. I'm one of a kind.'' He snickered, and picked up his pace to pad alongside her.

Then, silence had settled between them. Auroraflame seemed to have been taking in the scenery, so Umbraice stayed ahead. He didn't jump along the rocks that accompanied the mountains. Instead, he stayed next to his new friend. Was that what he should call her? The tom was pretty sure they were friends. At least, he liked to think they were. They weren't extremely close. And, they had tend to argue more than others. Was that even a way to start out a friendship? Umbraice shook his head. The best thing he could do was wing it. How bad could it possibly be?

Umbraice felt his paws ready to start sprinting. He was ready to run through these mountains as he did frequently. It was uncanny that most of the cats didn't question his loyalty to Skyclan. Especially since he wandered aimlessly a lot nowadays. Then again, not many known him to travel to this exotic place. This feline beside him did. Yet, she didn't judge him on this. He wondered why. Her next words made the tom give an exaggerated huff. ''I'm offended! First, might be important? Everything I say is important!'' His tail flicked one way to the other. ''You know, being leader means you have to listen to all your clan mates. Everything they say is important. And, there would be a lot of cats expecting you to listen to them.'' He didn't know how she would do it. Umbraice didn't like many cats questioning him much. They were annoying. She must had found that annoying. ''Well, it's your life though. So, good luck with it.'' He purred, teasingly.

''You can say that again!'' Umbraice returned her excitement, thinking of their last adventure - and first one - when they set a journey into that place. It had started a their friendship. A well, complicated...relationship. Umbraice's eyes glowed with mischief and a knack for adventure. He had asked her to get lost with him in this place. However, it was an expression. Umbraice believed he knew this place like the back of his paws. This was his second home. Auroraflame didn't answer straightaway. Which meant...she was likely to reject the idea. So, Umbraice looked away from her, forming a more stoic expression to dissipate his embarrassment for asking in the first place. ''Ah, I know you have a lot planned back there. And, you should probably go back to doing your dep - '' Wait - what? Did she really want to go? Umbraice turned back to her quickly, giving a soft grin before he jumped up.

''C'mon! Have you ever tried berries before?'' He asked, picking himself into a slow running speed. It was an indication that he was about to set himself off, however he wanted to maintain a conversation with her. ''This forest has the best berries! Though, there is likely that yewberries are also in this forest, so be aware of those. But, I know the best berries! And...it'll make up for you losing my meal.'' He deadpanned, but her a knowing smirk before he ran off, hoping she was behind him. This forest had many exotic types of food. Some of which Umbraice experimented, others...he was still iffy about. Though he hoped Auroraflame wasn't afraid to try new things. This was a fun experience. Something that could only stay between them. It was like a secret. And, no one else would be able to get into it.

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Constellation

Of course. Umbraice knew she believed this. A part of him never understood the warrior code in the first place. Which was why he ventured out a lot. Well, part of it. He was a very athletic tom. He liked to see the challenges that nature threw at him. And, plus it stimulated his brain. His mind became much more logical when it came to strategic work. As he padded forward, his paws hitting the rocky terrain, he curled his tail, flicking it from one side to the other. ''Because my life matters so little. Gotcha. I'll remember that.'' Perhaps, he was being petty at the moment. Her words had triggered him the wrong way. Elders and queens needed to eat before him. However, he knew all this! Obviously, he knew this. He grew up confined in the surroundings of Skyclan. If that wasn't boring enough, he didn't feel like following rules sometimes. Yet, rules were important so he respected them. ''But, on a serious note - I know that elders and queens need to be fed before me. No need to recap that for me, thank you very much, m'lady.''

Umbraice lifted his muzzle into the air, sticking out his tongue for a moment to get a hint of the wind's direction. Alright, that was good. He twitched his ears at Auroraflame's words, but continued to walk without looking at her. He snorted at them, then entered to a short laugh. ''Oh, are you sure? Last I could tell you were a damsel in distress.'' His tail lashed with amusement, throwing her a humorous look in his gaze. One moment she was reprimanding him about the warrior code, then she was laughing along with him the next. Joking with him. Umbraice liked when she would just learn to chill with him instead of worrying about her duties all the time. Yes, he knew she was the deputy and all - but would it hurt to bend the rules a little bit? Not break them...Umbraice could do that. ''Pfft, I'm the one who sacrificed a this handsome face just to protect you, my queen.'' Umbraice knew he was lucky that she was there, because he was pretty sure that he couldn't handle two badgers alone. Had she not been there to crush them with that boulder, then he would had been a dead feline. One thing that would help him remember that fight was the fact he received two gashes across his eye. Every time he blinked, he could imagine the disappearance of his flesh; raw and ugly, but he did little to show he noticed this.

Her next words made Umbraice study her for a moment. He was quiet, but he was appreciative of her quick thinking. That was nice - for a molly. But, he refused to thank her because he didn't have to. Outside the boundaries of Skyclan, he didn't have to listen to her. He lived by his own rules out her. What she said was the truth. She was the future leader of Skyclan. She had to protect everyone because that's what leaders do. They protect their clan with their lives. But, Grousestar was the leader. Warriors died for him, laid their lives on the line for him - yet he had nine lives. Or, close to it. That's what Umbraice didn't understand. Loyalty was important to the clans, but warriors had one life. Umbraice sighed in his head. The warrior code - or anything to do with warrior life dampened his mood, so he threw the thought out his head. ''You'd make a great leader someday.'' He sounded serious in the moment. That was the least he could do to compliment her. He didn't need her head growing bigger than it already was. ''But, not a hero. That's my job.'' He purred, establishing his humor once again. Auroraflame could stay preparing herself to be leader, but Umbraice preferred being the hero. He preferred saving the lives. Not just doing regular boring warrior duties.

Umbraice stopped abruptly, swiftly turning his head to stare at the inky feline and giving her a charming grin. ''Oh, I distracted you, eh?'' His voice was one of knowing. One where the boy used to misinterpret a girl's words. Because, he knew by what she meant when she told him that he distracted her. Umbraice loved messing with the molly. She was fun company...when she wasn't about work. ''I believe all the ladies say that. Though it's no excuse if I distracted you or not. I don't allow a cat to distract me.'' He said. Maybe, that was an exaggeration. Umbraice could get distracted, but not easily. After that, he held a smug expression on his face, but didn't dare to look towards Auroraflame as he continued walking - now trotting through this lovely scenery. He heard her comment, but he chose not to acknowledge it. Of course, she was a average cat - but a cat with power. Out here, at least, she didn't hold that power. Out here, she couldn't control him. Out here, they both could be free. His eyes trailed her form when she padded past him. He nose twitched. ''Of course not. I'm one of a kind.'' He snickered, and picked up his pace to pad alongside her.

Then, silence had settled between them. Auroraflame seemed to have been taking in the scenery, so Umbraice stayed ahead. He didn't jump along the rocks that accompanied the mountains. Instead, he stayed next to his new friend. Was that what he should call her? The tom was pretty sure they were friends. At least, he liked to think they were. They weren't extremely close. And, they had tend to argue more than others. Was that even a way to start out a friendship? Umbraice shook his head. The best thing he could do was wing it. How bad could it possibly be?

Umbraice felt his paws ready to start sprinting. He was ready to run through these mountains as he did frequently. It was uncanny that most of the cats didn't question his loyalty to Skyclan. Especially since he wandered aimlessly a lot nowadays. Then again, not many known him to travel to this exotic place. This feline beside him did. Yet, she didn't judge him on this. He wondered why. Her next words made the tom give an exaggerated huff. ''I'm offended! First, might be important? Everything I say is important!'' His tail flicked one way to the other. ''You know, being leader means you have to listen to all your clan mates. Everything they say is important. And, there would be a lot of cats expecting you to listen to them.'' He didn't know how she would do it. Umbraice didn't like many cats questioning him much. They were annoying. She must had found that annoying. ''Well, it's your life though. So, good luck with it.'' He purred, teasingly.

''You can say that again!'' Umbraice returned her excitement, thinking of their last adventure - and first one - when they set a journey into that place. It had started a their friendship. A well, complicated...relationship. Umbraice's eyes glowed with mischief and a knack for adventure. He had asked her to get lost with him in this place. However, it was an expression. Umbraice believed he knew this place like the back of his paws. This was his second home. Auroraflame didn't answer straightaway. Which meant...she was likely to reject the idea. So, Umbraice looked away from her, forming a more stoic expression to dissipate his embarrassment for asking in the first place. ''Ah, I know you have a lot planned back there. And, you should probably go back to doing your dep - '' Wait - what? Did she really want to go? Umbraice turned back to her quickly, giving a soft grin before he jumped up.

''C'mon! Have you ever tried berries before?'' He asked, picking himself into a slow running speed. It was an indication that he was about to set himself off, however he wanted to maintain a conversation with her. ''This forest has the best berries! Though, there is likely that yewberries are also in this forest, so be aware of those. But, I know the best berries! And...it'll make up for you losing my meal.'' He deadpanned, but her a knowing smirk before he ran off, hoping she was behind him. This forest had many exotic types of food. Some of which Umbraice experimented, others...he was still iffy about. Though he hoped Auroraflame wasn't afraid to try new things. This was a fun experience. Something that could only stay between them. It was like a secret. And, no one else would be able to get into it.

At his response, the ebony deputy let out a purr of amusement and rolled her eyes. “Well, at least that’s one thing you’ve gotten right today,” she teased. The she-cat didn’t notice how the tom wasn’t in quite the joking mood that she was in. He was seemingly more serious about his words than the deputy thought and she didn’t realise it. His words had sounded joking to her and that was enough for her to think that he was wholeheartedly joking on the matter. “No problem. I guess it’s part of my job as the deputy to be reminding my clanmates of the rules,” Auroraflame said, giving the tom a small smile. Of course, the she-cat didn’t have the ability to make her clanmates follow the warrior code, but she could certainly remind them to try their best to listen. The warrior code was an important part of warrior life and should be followed by everyone. Auroraflame payed close attention to the warrior code but even she knew she wouldn’t follow obey every rule for every single second of her life. As an apprentice she’d eaten prey when she wasn’t supposed to, and even then she had been well aware of that rule in the code. Still, she wasn’t perfect.

Soon enough, everything was chill again as the two took on a less serious topic. The two seemed to change the seriousness of a conversation so easily, and that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. One moment they could be arguing over a serious topic and the next they could be throwing friendly insults at each other. “Get your eyes checked,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes playfully once again. “Handsome face? I’m not sure what you’re talking about. All I can see if a pile of dirt,” Auroraflame said, frowning and acting as if though she was completely confused. She had to admit, his face wasn’t entirely bad looking. The deputy suddenly seemed to realise what she was thinking and push the thoughts to the back of her mind, frowning at her thoughts. She shook her head and swept the thoughts away. For a few seconds, the she-cat looked at the scars across his eye. To be honest, the deputy never really took notice of the scars on his eye. Even when she did, she didn’t judge him badly in any way. She thought scars were pretty cool, although the story behind them weren’t necessarily quite a cool as seeing the scar. She had a scar on her right arm. It wasn’t very visible, since it was on her inner arm. It was the result of a dare.

The she-cat wasn’t expecting any ‘thank you’s to come out of his mouth. It would be nice if she did get one, but she certainly wouldn’t be surprised if she received nothing. “Thanks,” she said, a smile growing on her face. The deputy was never really good at dealing with surprising compliments. She would kind of just stand or sit there awkwardly and smile. She didn’t have much to say except for thanks. It wasn’t like she could just say, ‘thanks, you too’. That wouldn’t make any sense. Then there would be the moment where there was silence whilst she waited for someone to say something. "Alright. I could live with that," Auroraflame agreed, nodding her head. The she-cat didn't mind if she wasn't the hero. She didn't mind if she wasn't the one to save everyone's lives. She'd never been the one to want that kind of attention. She would prefer to be the leader than the hero. She liked leading. Of course, there was that pressure that she would stuff up somewhere and somehow, but that was all part of the journey. She didn't like the sound of being the cat held responsible when something put the clan in danger. That didn't sound pleasant but there was nothing she could really do about it. It might happen and she would just have to be prepared to face it if or when the time came. She would be strong about it. Perhaps that's why she liked being a leader. It made her feel stronger.

"Yeah. It's pretty hard not to stare at that ugly face of yours," Auroraflame said coolly, shooting him a smirk before she looked away and focused on everything in front of her. "Oh? Is no one beautiful enough for you? Are you insulting the she-cats in our clan?" Auroraflame gasped in a shocked tone. She was quite obviously mocking him, since she rolled her eyes afterwards. The deputy didn't care who the tom found ugly and beautiful. That wasn't any of her business. Unless he somehow managed to attract her attention and curiosity. The she-cat might go about poking her nose in places she shouldn't if she got a little curious. She liked knowing the opinions that her clanmates had of each other, whether it be a good opinion or not. It made her feel knowledgeable and social. Of course, she would never tell someone who disliked them, after all, that would be wrong. Unless they had the right to know. "Well, it's not necessarily a good thing," she teased. Him? One of kind? Well yes, he was indeed one of a kind. Everyone was, but Umbraice was especially. He was different from most of the cats that she knew, and very honestly, she didn't think that was a bad thing.

The deputy was indeed admiring their surroundings. It was beautiful. Even though this was the second time she'd been in this territory, she was still awed by its beauty. It was certainly different from SkyClan's territory. SkyClan's territory, and the one she was so used to, was covered with trees that stretched high up towards the sky, covering a large amount of it. Here in the mountains though, trees would be here and there and they were much shorter. They didn't cover the sky and you could see all of it clearly. You could see everything easily. It was like WindClan's territory, where you could spot a rabbit off in the distance. It was very open.

The tom managed to capture her attention again as he spoke. "Yeah right," Auroraflame responded teasingly, snorting and rolling her eyes. "You're right that I do have to listen to them, but it doesn't mean it's necessarily important," she corrected. Umbraice was right, she often did have to listen to what her clanmates had to say. For most of the time she was very willing to listen. She liked knowing things so that she could one, feel more knowledgeable and two, so that she could save this information for the future; in case she needed to solve her clanmates problems. Of course, there were times where she didn't want to listen. She was the deputy and she had a lot of responsibilities on her paws. Sometimes she just didn't have the time, and at other times, she just wanted to have some time to herself. Still, she would listen to her clanmates, no matter what her mood was like. Except for the times where she was in a very foul mood. "I've done a pretty good job with living so far, so I should be alright," she responded with a shrug.

Adventuring was fun. Dangerous. But fun. As a little kit she'd dreamed off escaping to places beyond the borders of SkyClan's territory, and learning every little secret that there was to be found about the territory. It would make her feel smarter and safer, knowing that there was another place she could always evacuate her clan to in times of danger. But of course, she'd been quite an obedient child, and that meant she didn't want to break the rules by going over the border. But after being cooped up in camp with nothing particularly exciting to do, she was very willing to escape the territory and explore. And Umbraice had been the one to show her the way. For that, she was grateful. "No, I want to go," she declared. Excitement glittered in her eyes. A couple of moons had passed since their last adventure and while she'd planned to stay back in camp for a while and enjoy the comfort of home, she now found herself longing to run and explore some more.

A grin spread across her face as he started a slow run. Her brisk walking pace was enough to make sure she kept up with the tom, but she was guessing that he would start sprinting soon, so she prepared herself for the moment that he decided to shoot off. "Only juniper berries. And that was when I was sick. Otherwise....no, I haven't." The deputy had never been one to try out berries. She had been taught from a young age, not to eat things she'd never seen before without the reassurance that it was safe to eat. "Alright. I'll try a berry or two. But if you make me eat deathberries, you'll need to be prepared to face my wrath," she warned. The thought of eating deathberries send shivers running through her. She had heard of what deathberries could do. They were called deathberries for a reason after all. She didn't want to try them anytime soon.

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Empress Of Evil

At his response, the ebony deputy let out a purr of amusement and rolled her eyes. “Well, at least that’s one thing you’ve gotten right today,” she teased. The she-cat didn’t notice how the tom wasn’t in quite the joking mood that she was in. He was seemingly more serious about his words than the deputy thought and she didn’t realise it. His words had sounded joking to her and that was enough for her to think that he was wholeheartedly joking on the matter. “No problem. I guess it’s part of my job as the deputy to be reminding my clanmates of the rules,” Auroraflame said, giving the tom a small smile. Of course, the she-cat didn’t have the ability to make her clanmates follow the warrior code, but she could certainly remind them to try their best to listen. The warrior code was an important part of warrior life and should be followed by everyone. Auroraflame payed close attention to the warrior code but even she knew she wouldn’t follow obey every rule for every single second of her life. As an apprentice she’d eaten prey when she wasn’t supposed to, and even then she had been well aware of that rule in the code. Still, she wasn’t perfect.

Soon enough, everything was chill again as the two took on a less serious topic. The two seemed to change the seriousness of a conversation so easily, and that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. One moment they could be arguing over a serious topic and the next they could be throwing friendly insults at each other. “Get your eyes checked,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes playfully once again. “Handsome face? I’m not sure what you’re talking about. All I can see if a pile of dirt,” Auroraflame said, frowning and acting as if though she was completely confused. She had to admit, his face wasn’t entirely bad looking. The deputy suddenly seemed to realise what she was thinking and push the thoughts to the back of her mind, frowning at her thoughts. She shook her head and swept the thoughts away. For a few seconds, the she-cat looked at the scars across his eye. To be honest, the deputy never really took notice of the scars on his eye. Even when she did, she didn’t judge him badly in any way. She thought scars were pretty cool, although the story behind them weren’t necessarily quite a cool as seeing the scar. She had a scar on her right arm. It wasn’t very visible, since it was on her inner arm. It was the result of a dare.

The she-cat wasn’t expecting any ‘thank you’s to come out of his mouth. It would be nice if she did get one, but she certainly wouldn’t be surprised if she received nothing. “Thanks,” she said, a smile growing on her face. The deputy was never really good at dealing with surprising compliments. She would kind of just stand or sit there awkwardly and smile. She didn’t have much to say except for thanks. It wasn’t like she could just say, ‘thanks, you too’. That wouldn’t make any sense. Then there would be the moment where there was silence whilst she waited for someone to say something. "Alright. I could live with that," Auroraflame agreed, nodding her head. The she-cat didn't mind if she wasn't the hero. She didn't mind if she wasn't the one to save everyone's lives. She'd never been the one to want that kind of attention. She would prefer to be the leader than the hero. She liked leading. Of course, there was that pressure that she would stuff up somewhere and somehow, but that was all part of the journey. She didn't like the sound of being the cat held responsible when something put the clan in danger. That didn't sound pleasant but there was nothing she could really do about it. It might happen and she would just have to be prepared to face it if or when the time came. She would be strong about it. Perhaps that's why she liked being a leader. It made her feel stronger.

"Yeah. It's pretty hard not to stare at that ugly face of yours," Auroraflame said coolly, shooting him a smirk before she looked away and focused on everything in front of her. "Oh? Is no one beautiful enough for you? Are you insulting the she-cats in our clan?" Auroraflame gasped in a shocked tone. She was quite obviously mocking him, since she rolled her eyes afterwards. The deputy didn't care who the tom found ugly and beautiful. That wasn't any of her business. Unless he somehow managed to attract her attention and curiosity. The she-cat might go about poking her nose in places she shouldn't if she got a little curious. She liked knowing the opinions that her clanmates had of each other, whether it be a good opinion or not. It made her feel knowledgeable and social. Of course, she would never tell someone who disliked them, after all, that would be wrong. Unless they had the right to know. "Well, it's not necessarily a good thing," she teased. Him? One of kind? Well yes, he was indeed one of a kind. Everyone was, but Umbraice was especially. He was different from most of the cats that she knew, and very honestly, she didn't think that was a bad thing.

The deputy was indeed admiring their surroundings. It was beautiful. Even though this was the second time she'd been in this territory, she was still awed by its beauty. It was certainly different from SkyClan's territory. SkyClan's territory, and the one she was so used to, was covered with trees that stretched high up towards the sky, covering a large amount of it. Here in the mountains though, trees would be here and there and they were much shorter. They didn't cover the sky and you could see all of it clearly. You could see everything easily. It was like WindClan's territory, where you could spot a rabbit off in the distance. It was very open.

The tom managed to capture her attention again as he spoke. "Yeah right," Auroraflame responded teasingly, snorting and rolling her eyes. "You're right that I do have to listen to them, but it doesn't mean it's necessarily important," she corrected. Umbraice was right, she often did have to listen to what her clanmates had to say. For most of the time she was very willing to listen. She liked knowing things so that she could one, feel more knowledgeable and two, so that she could save this information for the future; in case she needed to solve her clanmates problems. Of course, there were times where she didn't want to listen. She was the deputy and she had a lot of responsibilities on her paws. Sometimes she just didn't have the time, and at other times, she just wanted to have some time to herself. Still, she would listen to her clanmates, no matter what her mood was like. Except for the times where she was in a very foul mood. "I've done a pretty good job with living so far, so I should be alright," she responded with a shrug.

Adventuring was fun. Dangerous. But fun. As a little kit she'd dreamed off escaping to places beyond the borders of SkyClan's territory, and learning every little secret that there was to be found about the territory. It would make her feel smarter and safer, knowing that there was another place she could always evacuate her clan to in times of danger. But of course, she'd been quite an obedient child, and that meant she didn't want to break the rules by going over the border. But after being cooped up in camp with nothing particularly exciting to do, she was very willing to escape the territory and explore. And Umbraice had been the one to show her the way. For that, she was grateful. "No, I want to go," she declared. Excitement glittered in her eyes. A couple of moons had passed since their last adventure and while she'd planned to stay back in camp for a while and enjoy the comfort of home, she now found herself longing to run and explore some more.

A grin spread across her face as he started a slow run. Her brisk walking pace was enough to make sure she kept up with the tom, but she was guessing that he would start sprinting soon, so she prepared herself for the moment that he decided to shoot off. "Only juniper berries. And that was when I was sick. Otherwise....no, I haven't." The deputy had never been one to try out berries. She had been taught from a young age, not to eat things she'd never seen before without the reassurance that it was safe to eat. "Alright. I'll try a berry or two. But if you make me eat deathberries, you'll need to be prepared to face my wrath," she warned. The thought of eating deathberries send shivers running through her. She had heard of what deathberries could do. They were called deathberries for a reason after all. She didn't want to try them anytime soon.

All throughout their conversation, Umbraice didn’t know whether to feel offended or complimented. Obviously, the deputy carried humor with her, a trait installed within himself, but his moodiness was flicking faint flashes from earlier. When he lost a kill, and was reprimanded by Auroraflame because the clan came first. The warrior code was always with him throughout his kithood and apprenticehood. He knew all the concepts to be selfless, protective, and courageous. He was one of those warriors who needed to pass down his knowledge to his apprentice. It wasn’t hard to follow the rules, but most times it dampened his mood, so the great outdoors. Where he wasn’t confined within his territory...the rules didn’t matter here. The warrior code didn’t exist in these parts, which was a part of why he loved it so much. The freedom, the victory, the knowledge of knowing you can follow your pursuit to happiness without any limitations. Umbraice could not be angry at Auroraflame for enforcing the warrior code on him, but he was a tad annoyed, and still a bit hungry.
Perhaps, he was doing them both a favor for leaving the territory of Skyclan for a little while. A bit stress work can be! And, he knew he wasn’t just thinking for himself. Out here, in this open glorious field, he was able to be a little silly. Like a class clown. He was a humorous tom to get to know, and a little goofy. Umbraice passed alongside the she cat, his head high and chest stuck out to appear majestic in a manner. Auroraflame had admitted he was right, and like any other male, Umbraice soaked in that moment because his ego was fed rather than his stomach, but it was shattered upon their next topic of conversation. It was bruised greatly when she called him ugly. Literally, the tom stopped in his spot, staring at the Molly with an incredible fierce look in his pale blue eyes. Until his expression morphed into one of ‘are you being serious?’ Umbraice took his time to gather his feigned pain that she caused emotionally, and he flicked his tail upward as he trotted past her for a moment. “That must be sarcasm, huh?” He threw back at her, letting out a short laugh. She was such a jokester! He needed his eyes checked? Nu uh! She must had been as blind as the color of her pelt because this silver tabby knew no tom had anything on him! He wasn’t full of himself, or conceited in any way. He was simply being a tom, which was a reasonable excuse as to why his boyish personality would take over most times. “I think you’re the one who needs their eyes checked! Blind as a bat, arentcha? Tsk tsk Auroraflame, you gotta do better than that.” Umbraice laughed it off. It was a playful banter, ones that he enjoyed. He didn’t know Auroraflame’s inner thoughts of what she truly thought of him, and she didn’t know how he thought of her. So, instead of indulging on this, the tom continued to pride around like his ego never been scarred. “And, I thought you were the nice one!” He shook his head, disapprovingly, a hidden smile of amusement tugging on his muzzle but he didn’t dare allow her to see it.
Instead, he allowed her to take in the view. The beauty that he saw when they walked through this lavish vista. It certainly was the best thing ever. He knew without a doubt that Auroraflame was enjoying the view as well. It made him soak in this proud moment once more because he brought a feline to one of his sacred places - and she liked it. Scratch that. Umbraice hardly ever brought anyone with him. Anyone. This was his place. The place he went to relax, to run, to play, to sleep. This was his turf when he needed a break from clan life. He didn’t see the joy in bringing someone into this scenic territory. Let alone a she cat.
He had gave her a sincere compliment, a hint of a playful tone to jab at her. From the looks of it, she wouldn’t be that bad of a leader. Maybe she would lead Skyclan to greatness. After all, Grousestar was getting old. He just hoped Auroraflame would be ready for the responsibilities and not run away from it when the time came to step up. Personally, Umbraice had no interest or remote desire to lead a clan. Especially if his heart isn’t always in being with his clan. On the other hand, he wouldn’t think second thoughts to protect those he loves. Umbraice considered himself a hero not a leader. Complete difference. He’d save a life, but he wouldn’t want to lead one. “Do you...do you...think you’re gonna be ready when the time comes?” Umbraice asked. From her outside appearance, the ebony cat looked so calm. Almost excited as they set out for another spontaneous adventure. She didn’t look like if she would ever show some type of stress or negative emotion. Like she would let it all bottle up until that one moment where she would allow her anger to take over. The one sad reality about life was the fact no one could tell when patience ran its course. Whether this or that would happen now or later. Anything unexpected, and your life would change forever. Umbraice had to learn that it was okay when life didn’t go as one planned it to be. Life was spontaneous but you could make it work with new arrangements. When she agreed to allow their roles to be enacted, Umbraice gave a glimmering smile. “Just making sure you understood our roles in this society. Can’t have you going around taking credit for my work. You be leader. I be hero. Got that? Good. Glad we both agree, your highness.” The silver tabby let out a snort, the humor in his tone present and evident as he addressed this to Auroraflame.
The two continued to walk about, Umbraice’s head was turned to stare at the statues rocks that he loved jumping on. Each rock was different and unique. Made with a rough style that no one would understand like Umbraice did. His ears had flicked to Auroraflame as she - one again - insulted him. This time the tom scrunched up his nose but he doubt she saw it since her own head was focused on the aesthetics. “Again with the ugly word,” the tom narrowed his eyes. He knew she was joking (he hoped she was joking!). “I have feelings, you know.” He allowed his eyes to roll up at the sky and he muttered something about she cats and their insensitivity. Then, he smirked, looking around the area to make sure they were alone. As sly as he could be, the sneaky one slipped himself into a fighting crouch. “Do you want to fight? Are you asking for a fight? You may be the deputy in Skyclan, but we’re not in skyclan’s territory anymore. So, you know what that means? I can kick your ebony rear-end,” with this being said, being the goofy cat he was, Umbraice had lifted his own rump into the air and swung it about with his tail swishing into a dance like a snake. He had leapt her way, using a gentle paw to jab at her before taking the initiation to begin running away. He left her next remarking question unanswered, simply providing a wink when she asked such about whether he thought Skyclan she cats were ugly. He let out a boisterous laugh, swatting at a butterfly as it flew past him.
While Auroraflame hung back to enjoy the views of this regal place, Umbraice continued to run with the metabolism of a small kit exposed to its outside surroundings. It was something about this place that brought out his playful vibe. He continued to bat at the air, occasionally reeling himself upwards onto his hind legs before jumping once more to start another lap. He whirled around, bending his front half down while his rump shook in the air. He gave Auroraflame a knowing look, licking his jaws. “Let’s go slowpoke, you’re holding me back!” He called towards her before leaping back around and running once more.
Places like this, you needed to run. All worries and issues pushed to the side like they never mattered in the first place. The vastness the land held, the beauty, the admiring nature surrounding them both? Why didn’t Skyclan just live here? Why couldn’t these mountains be their lovely home? Umbraice imagines convincing Auroraflame to move the clans to this area once she became leader, but it was a foolish thought. He didn’t want to give up his sacred place for many of his clan mates to ruin it. This was his stressed detoxin. Selfish as it may sound, it was just how he wanted to keep things.
Finally, he began to slow down. Coming into a more mix of running and walking. He took a quick glance toward his companion, keeping his ears turned her way so that she saw he was listening to her. “Interesting. Never tasted berries before? Sucks to be you, then.” Umbraice remembered those days of only relying on freshkill as his source of protein to thrive off of, but berries weren’t horrible. The right ones. The ripe ones. “But,” he started, pausing for a dramatic effect, “We’re gonna get you straightened out. Trust me, once you eat berries you’re gonna be addicted.” He purred, licking his lips as if the substance was already in his possession. Umbraice laughed obnoxiously when Auroraflame ‘threatened’ him about feeding her deathberries. Umbraice knew deathberries resides in this area, but he also knew never to cross them. Their crimson color was as light as blood, something easy to stay away from. Umbraice snickered, “No promises.” Were his only words. Said in a sneaky manner as if he was planning to secretly take her life. “I can’t face your wrath if you’d be dead! What, you’re gonna haunt me from the ground? Oooh! I’m so scared!” Umbraice pretended to shiver and let out a few whimpers to add to his act. Afterwards, the tom brushed his tail against the deputy’s side, beckoning her to turn with him. “We'll be there in no time.” He assured her. “You’re gonna love the berries by the way. They’re super sweet, so you might get a little hyper. Plus, I get to show you this dark cave. It’ll scare your pelt off!” Long forgetting the tension of when he first saw her, the grumbling of his stomach was silenced by the excitement in his voice. Auroraflame was still new to all this, but perhaps she would enjoy it every once in a while when she wasn’t busy with the clan. Secretly, he knew the clan would always come first. Secretly, he wanted a friend to explore this land with.