WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

@Empress Of Evil

The brown and white deputy padded out into the territory, hues ever alert and active as he glanced around the moors. Grasses blew in the breeze, never breaking, always bending in the direction that the breeze wanted them to go. For some reason, that sight bothered Shrikecall. Maybe it was because they were just bending. Maybe he wanted to see them fight back, straighten up against it. Either way, at the moment, the deputy was alone-- and the peace and quiet was appreciated. He was tired of hearing constant chatter, and most of the cats didn't seem to be too vigilant. Save a select few, such as Heathertail-- he didn't know the she cat that well, but he knew that they weren't too far apart in age. Ten moons or so, which may seem like an eternity, but compared to him and Blazingstar...well...that was practically nothing. And they both knew it. Perhaps he would get a chance to know the she cat better later on, but for now, he had things to do. For now he needed to focus on the task at hand, not the past or future. And there was no sense in thinking about either for very long...because after all, what good was that going to do? What could he do by thinking about a particular clanmate...nothing, that was what. He needed to focus on the good of the whole Clan, not just her. Though he was willing to protect each individual member, if it were to come to that.

He was praying to StarClan that it wouldn't, though. Not only because that would take up way too much time and effort on his part, but also because he was worried that if it came to that, it would mean the cats of WindClan really were as weak as all the others said they were. And if there was one thing that Shrikecall wanted to do in his lifetime, it was prove the mouse-brains who thought that wrong. WindClan was a strong Clan, they just didn't show it off all the time. Though the Deputy might be bias, not only because WindClan was his own Clan but also because he was the Deputy of that particular Clan, he was guessing he might feel that way anyways. After everything that they had been through-- that all the Clans had been through-- he was beginning to wonder if perhaps, they were all equal.

Perhaps no Clan was greater then the rest, and maybe-- maybe that was the way it was supposed to be.

A light breeze dashed through the air, rustling the long grass. Lilypelt had a small smile on her face. Being out in the territory always calmed her down and it helped her relax. Ever since Gorsefeather had disappeared, Lilypelt had been going through quite a serious depression. Not eating properly, often crying herself to sleep. She doubted Gorsefeather would be come back anytime soon. She missed him dearly. Lilypelt did not blame SkyClan. Oh no. In fact, she was quite glad that SkyClan had come along. She loved her mate and sister dearly and had understood that they supported all the 'change', but she couldn't quite say she had been on their side. She just kept it to herself. Things were back to normal now. Kind of. There was a new leader and deputy, and leaf-bare was coming to an end, but Lilypelt still felt like two massive holes had been torn into her heart. The only family she had had left had gone, with her kits being the only thing left. Lilypelt loved her kits with all her heart and would die for any of them. She couldn't bear to suffer any more loss. The tabby she-cat felt tears started to form in her eyes. No. Stay strong Lilypelt, Lilypelt thought to herself, sniffing before blinking away the water. The warrior stared down at her paws as she padded through the moor. Watching the grass flatten beneath her paws each time she took a step. Looking around, Lilypelt noticed how things were changing. The snow was slowly disappearing and patches of blue peeked through the white clouds. "Leaf-bare is going," Lilypelt whispered, a slightly bigger smile forming on her maw. The beauty of leaf-bare awed her, she must admit. But hunting was never good for the clan in leaf-bare so to know that new-leaf was approaching was a great relief.

The WindClan Warrior looked straight ahead of her and noticed a brown and white cat standing not too far away from her. After examining the figure for a few more moments, the realisation hit her. It was the new deputy, Shrikecall. The word deputy made a pang of sadness hit her. Oh stop Lily! You need to stop thinking of Gorsefeather everytime you think or say something! Lilypelt scolded in her thoughts. It was quite true, everytime someone said something, she would be able to make a reference to Gorsefeather at least once in a conversation. Shaking her head softly, Lilypelt took a deep breath and let it out before padding over to the deputy. Ever since WindClan had been cleared of evil, Lilypelt hadn't managed to socialise much. The most she had done was talk to an old best friend, Pricklewhisker. "Hello Shrikecall!" Lilypelt called as she approached the tom, forcing on a smile.

Oh how she wished she could have a reason to put on a genuine smile.

[spade]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

Shrikecall looked worriedly at the she cat for a moment, his hues glinting with anxiety before he sighed. As always, he had failed at doing what he wanted to do most; make a connection. Make the connection that he was just a warrior, though a warrior with considerably more influence in the Clan; he was still just a warrior. A member of the Clan like everyone else who wanted to make things work out for the better. And it was difficult to do that when cats were always looking at him either as though he were completely strange, or as though he wasn't a good cat. I try, and I try... he thought, his thoughts finally trailing off. He didn't have time for any of that, not if he wanted to patrol the borders. The tom sighed when she cut off her first statement and then began a second, and he figured the two-- while having a significant amount in common-- were not supposed to be the same. She had deliberately changed her second one. But why? What did she think Shrikecall was going to do? Great...is she scared of me now? I'm supposed to be protecting her, not only as a clanmate but as her Deputy-- and if she's scared of me, that's going to make it very difficult. Shrikecall sighed, before his hues flashed in aggravation. Why did everything have to be so complicated all the time? Couldn't, for once, there be a nice simple way out of things?

"I see. Well I do appreciate your company-- y'know, being deputy is a lot lonelier then most cats think. I don't really have the opportunity to make really personal attachments-- it would slow me down in the end. Make it harder for me." Shrikecall mewed. He wanted her to understand that while had nothing against her, they wouldn't truly be able to be friends. He felt a sting of sympathy for the senior warrior, but that was the way things worked in his mind. A moment later, when Heathertail's fur brushed against his own, he could feel alarm bells ringing in the back of his mind. He could almost see everything going down in flames, and he stiffened, muscles tensing as he did so. Don't. Don't. Don't. That was the only word that came to mind, replaying over and over, bothering him and taunting him, making him feel uncomfortable. And a second later he calmed himself and glanced over at the she cat. Maybe it wouldn't be the best idea to have her along. It could get dangerous-- especially if she set the miniature alarm bells to ringing again.

Surprised by the last statement, Heathertail turned, focusing her confused amber gaze on Shrikecall. She hadn't expected the last sentence, and it rattled her a bit. "Slow you down?" she echoed, mulling over the thought in her hown head. She assumed he meant a mate, and by that she definitely didn't consider herself to be anywhere in the realm of qualified for that duty. She was too shy, too scatterbrained, and too nervous when it came to emotions. Sure, once enough layers were peeled back she was a genuine sweetheart, but she got flustered too easily and it frightened her. Not realizing that Shrikecall had probably meant personal connections as frineds, she felt her ears heat up and she glanced at the ground, a little laugh escaping her. "I didn't mean that kind of company," she offered, forcing herself to look at the tom once more, a smile appearing on her face. She hoped that he didn't think of her as just coming out here because he was the deputy of the Clan. She had truly wanted to get to know the real him. How did this go from hunting to... this? she thought, bewildered by the sudden changing of topics.

One thing she had learned from her uncle, and her dad too, and quite possibly a gift passed down from her mother, was the ability to read people. It might be what attributed to her being so shy; she knew when others were uncomfortable or weren't sure what to say to her. And now, looking at Shrikecall, she could see something had set him off. Figuring it was their conversation, all she could do was laugh, the sound like soft little bells in the air. "Maybe we should split up to check the borders? I can take the ThunderClan border, and maybe you check the RiverClan? That way they can both get done, and then we can head back to camp," she offered. Her voice was small though, compared to how she'd been speaking before. Gone was the playful, fun side of her. Now, since the turn of events in the conversation and how she perceived it, Heathertail felt it was best to strictly stay professional with Shrikecall. Maybe I shouldn't have gone up to him in the clearing. Maybe he only invited me out to be polite, she thought, shuffling her paws beneath her as she glanced down, waiting for his response to her suggestion.

[lone]

Originally Posted by Lilly

Surprised by the last statement, Heathertail turned, focusing her confused amber gaze on Shrikecall. She hadn't expected the last sentence, and it rattled her a bit. "Slow you down?" she echoed, mulling over the thought in her hown head. She assumed he meant a mate, and by that she definitely didn't consider herself to be anywhere in the realm of qualified for that duty. She was too shy, too scatterbrained, and too nervous when it came to emotions. Sure, once enough layers were peeled back she was a genuine sweetheart, but she got flustered too easily and it frightened her. Not realizing that Shrikecall had probably meant personal connections as frineds, she felt her ears heat up and she glanced at the ground, a little laugh escaping her. "I didn't mean that kind of company," she offered, forcing herself to look at the tom once more, a smile appearing on her face. She hoped that he didn't think of her as just coming out here because he was the deputy of the Clan. She had truly wanted to get to know the real him. How did this go from hunting to... this? she thought, bewildered by the sudden changing of topics.

One thing she had learned from her uncle, and her dad too, and quite possibly a gift passed down from her mother, was the ability to read people. It might be what attributed to her being so shy; she knew when others were uncomfortable or weren't sure what to say to her. And now, looking at Shrikecall, she could see something had set him off. Figuring it was their conversation, all she could do was laugh, the sound like soft little bells in the air. "Maybe we should split up to check the borders? I can take the ThunderClan border, and maybe you check the RiverClan? That way they can both get done, and then we can head back to camp," she offered. Her voice was small though, compared to how she'd been speaking before. Gone was the playful, fun side of her. Now, since the turn of events in the conversation and how she perceived it, Heathertail felt it was best to strictly stay professional with Shrikecall. Maybe I shouldn't have gone up to him in the clearing. Maybe he only invited me out to be polite, she thought, shuffling her paws beneath her as she glanced down, waiting for his response to her suggestion.

Shrikecall sighed as the she cat echoed the last part of his sentence. He didn't want to have to explain it, knowing that it wasn't exactly the nicest thing he could have said and also not wanting to hurt the warrior's feelings. "Yes...slow me down. I just don't want to be worried about a single cat- or group of cats all the time," He mewed with a sigh. He looked down at his paws, shifting them in the snow and making markings before he glanced back at the light brown warrior. Her next words seemed to send both an electrical shock and a sudden thrill through the tom. He had never thought anything of the sort before...since, like most warriors his age, he was considerably lacking in the romance department. His ears went back for a moment and he looked almost as though he wanted to console the she cat. But what could he say to that? Nothing. That was one of the strangest things that Shrikecall had ever heard in his short time as Deputy-- and definitely one of the strangest that he'd heard in his longer lifetime. For a moment, the tom almost forgot what he was going to say before he shook his head and put on a puzzled expression, cocking his head to one side as he examined the she cat as though she had just done something unforgivable. Though she really hadn't done anything too bad, the tom was uncomfortable.

"I-I didn't mean like that either, I just meant...personal...connections. N-not family connections. Not that type, anyways." Shrikecall felt a shudder go down his spine and the tip of his tail flicked anxiously as he did so, hues glinting with a new, worried light. Right now the last place he wanted to be was with the she cat, and at the same time, she interested him. The sound of her laughter filled the air around them, and Shrikecall stopped and listened. It sounded like...well, magic. Which surprised him, considering up until now he hadn't regarded her as the best of company. Somewhat boring, though he was amazed that she hadn't once brought up anything she wanted. But that sound-- the tom could have stopped and listened to that all day long. And then when she spoke as though she were taking command, the spell that her voice had over him was broken and he looked at her almost as though seeing her for the first time all over again. She appeared to be almost a different cat altogether, though whether that was a good or bad thing, the tom wasn't sure. "Actually, I was hoping--" he began, and then stopped. No, this was the reason he didn't have personal connections...because they would interfere with decisions like this. Instead of finishing his sentence, he cleared his throat and looked the other way. "Yes. I believe that would be the most efficient way to do this." He mewed in a voice that sounded almost completely unlike his own, although there was still a bit of the raw sound in it. He had wanted the she cat to come and check the borders with him, just for some companionship during that time-- but she was right, it would be quicker that way anyways.

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Lilly

Moonpaw's demeanor changed from exghausted yet excited, to ashamed. She hadn't been fast enough, that was true... 40 moons seemed like an awful long time to be an apprentice, and the way Winterwisp had said it made the apprentice shiver a bit. Now more than ever she was determined to make her mentor proud of her and straightened back up, though her heart felt full of guilt for practically failing at her first day of warrior training. Mom would be so disappointed in me, she thought helplessly, glancing up at the sky briefly as she remembered her deceased mother. From what others had told Moonpaw, her mother Birdflight had been an excellent warrior; a fast runner and skillful hunter. She'd died giving birth to Moonpaw, and that along with now her mentors constant badgering, was something she carried around every day with her.

She shook her head and refocused on what her mentor was telling her now. A large rock. As a hare. I can do that she thought, eyeing the rock intently as if it were an actual piece of prey that she could catch at the end. Although it seemed like fighting and agility would need some work, she had practiced her hunting techniques with her uncle since he had been a warrior before being a medicine cat, so Moonpaw felt a little more confident going into this. "Well, you'd start by making sure you're downwind, so the prey doesn't smell you," she stated aloud as she began to move sideways, so that her mentor would know what she was doing. "Then, you wanna make sure you're completely still and flatten yourself, but don't touch the ground." As she lowered herself to the ground, she glanced at Winterwisp to gauge her expression, gulping. "Next, you wanna move forward slowly, then leap," she continued, turning her attention back to the rock. Slowly, the apprentice crept towards the rock, keeping as still as she could (with a few twitches here and there that weren't that noticeable), before... "Gotcha!" Moonpaw leapt from where she was and landed just before the rock, pretending to give it a killing bite and swat it over the head as if it were a real hare.

With one eye raised, Winterwisp stared at her apprentice impatiently, waiting for her to hurry up and start getting back to work. Her pale green hues focused on Moonpaw intently, almost accusingly even. The warrior listened carefully as Moonpaw spoke. She made no big responses, the most she did was give a small dip of her head in agreement. Her eyes stared coldly at Moonpaw as she pretended to kill the 'prey'. "Good. Too bad real prey is much harder to catch considering it isn't lifeless and as stupid as a rock," Winterwisp remarked bluntly, her eyes showing nothing but coldness. "There are a few things you should know about hunting hares," Winterwisp started in a monotone voice, standing up to slowly circle around Moonpaw again. "As a cat your age and size, you need to be careful when hunting hares. One wrong move and it could possibly break your back,", Winterwisp said casually, as if she was talking about the weather. "Not to forget, hares are bound to hear you if you're stomping through the grass. Prey might be stupid, but they aren't completely brainless," the warrior said. "Now, seeing as you know the basics, let's try something harder," Winterwisp said, putting on a smile that looked a little crazy. The warrior didn't smile or laugh normally, and when she did, she looked and sounded insane every single time.

Looking around, she quickly searched for something that would help her. An idea quickly popped into mind. She sniffed the air, though did her best to make it look like she wasn't. She could smell a very faint scent of mouse in the soft breeze. It wasn't a stale one, quite fresh actually, but faint. It probably meant the mouse was far away. "Use your mouth and nose, what can you scent?" Winterwisp asked Moonpaw, her smile gone and the cold look once again back in her eyes. She doubted that Moonpaw would be able to smell it. The black and white she-cat only expected warrior's that were about her age to smell it, not stupid 7 moon old apprentice's.

[spade]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

Shrikecall sighed as the she cat echoed the last part of his sentence. He didn't want to have to explain it, knowing that it wasn't exactly the nicest thing he could have said and also not wanting to hurt the warrior's feelings. "Yes...slow me down. I just don't want to be worried about a single cat- or group of cats all the time," He mewed with a sigh. He looked down at his paws, shifting them in the snow and making markings before he glanced back at the light brown warrior. Her next words seemed to send both an electrical shock and a sudden thrill through the tom. He had never thought anything of the sort before...since, like most warriors his age, he was considerably lacking in the romance department. His ears went back for a moment and he looked almost as though he wanted to console the she cat. But what could he say to that? Nothing. That was one of the strangest things that Shrikecall had ever heard in his short time as Deputy-- and definitely one of the strangest that he'd heard in his longer lifetime. For a moment, the tom almost forgot what he was going to say before he shook his head and put on a puzzled expression, cocking his head to one side as he examined the she cat as though she had just done something unforgivable. Though she really hadn't done anything too bad, the tom was uncomfortable.

"I-I didn't mean like that either, I just meant...personal...connections. N-not family connections. Not that type, anyways." Shrikecall felt a shudder go down his spine and the tip of his tail flicked anxiously as he did so, hues glinting with a new, worried light. Right now the last place he wanted to be was with the she cat, and at the same time, she interested him. The sound of her laughter filled the air around them, and Shrikecall stopped and listened. It sounded like...well, magic. Which surprised him, considering up until now he hadn't regarded her as the best of company. Somewhat boring, though he was amazed that she hadn't once brought up anything she wanted. But that sound-- the tom could have stopped and listened to that all day long. And then when she spoke as though she were taking command, the spell that her voice had over him was broken and he looked at her almost as though seeing her for the first time all over again. She appeared to be almost a different cat altogether, though whether that was a good or bad thing, the tom wasn't sure. "Actually, I was hoping--" he began, and then stopped. No, this was the reason he didn't have personal connections...because they would interfere with decisions like this. Instead of finishing his sentence, he cleared his throat and looked the other way. "Yes. I believe that would be the most efficient way to do this." He mewed in a voice that sounded almost completely unlike his own, although there was still a bit of the raw sound in it. He had wanted the she cat to come and check the borders with him, just for some companionship during that time-- but she was right, it would be quicker that way anyways.

Realizing that Shrikecall seemed to be in the same state she was with this conversation gave Heathertail a bit of confidence, but not much. The she-cat just listened to him, not really hearing the words once more but concentrating on his face. On his composure, the way he moved and walked and the little antics that he possessed. When she was genuinely interested in getting to know a cat, Heathertail loved to observed them. She was much more a watcher than she was a talker. In fact, she would be content to sit in silence with those she cared about all day long then talk the moons away. There was something to be said about a personal connection that was derived from sitting silently with someone, just looking at each other. Something almost... magical, in her eyes. And while her heart longed to accompany the deputy on checking the borders, thoughts in her mind and what he said tried to convince her otherwise.

Heathertail, for a moment hopeful, perked up just a bit as Shrikecall started his first sentence. Then, he cut it off, paused, and began a new one. It was itching away at her to ask what he was originally going to say, but being dominantly shy took that away from her. Instead, she just nodded, mewing "Okay. I'll meet you back at camp," and turned away, starting to head back up the slope towards the ThunderClan border. Her tail drooped just a bit as she concentrated on the pathway in front of her, mind reeling over the conversation she had just shared. Maybe once they were both back at camp she could try to go up to him and apologize for anything she may have done wrong. Despite being a senior warrior, the WindClan molly had not much confidence in her ability to make friends. She was kind of the cat that sat silently and watched, rather than joining in; she was polite and kind when spoken to, but it took a lot for her to start the conversation.

As she rounded the hilltop, Heathertail turned to look over her shoulder at where Shrikecall was, resisting the urge to call out to him. Stupid being shy she thought with a soft growl, turning her head back around and setting off on a brisk pace towards the ThunderClan border. The trees came into view and began to get sharper as she got up to them. She shook her head as if to get rid of the perpetulant thoughts that crammed inside of her brain and tried to concentrated on the border as she came up to it. Something seemed off here, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It was eerily quiet along the border, and the ThunderClan scent was going stale. "What's going on?" she thought, narrowing her eyes as she leaned forward. Suddenly, breathing could be heard, and Heathertail gasped as she spotted a badger emerging from the ground. Quickly, she dashed behind the cover of a nearby rock, heart racing in her chest. The badger hadn't seen her; luckily she was upwind. But why was it out and about? It was still the tail-end of winter. Heathertail cautiously peaked over the top of the rock, watching at the large animal lumbered out towards the border, seemingly limping. "What?" Heathertail whispered to herself, craning her neck to get a better view to see the cause of the bear's limp. There, clamped on, was some shiny metal object, and a few drops of crimson scarlet liquid stained the white blood beneath the badger's foot. The young WindClan warrior was frozen in fear as she continued to watch.

(....so I just got done watching Fox and the Hound, and got inspired xD)

[lone]

Originally Posted by Empress Of Evil

A light breeze dashed through the air, rustling the long grass. Lilypelt had a small smile on her face. Being out in the territory always calmed her down and it helped her relax. Ever since Gorsefeather had disappeared, Lilypelt had been going through quite a serious depression. Not eating properly, often crying herself to sleep. She doubted Gorsefeather would be come back anytime soon. She missed him dearly. Lilypelt did not blame SkyClan. Oh no. In fact, she was quite glad that SkyClan had come along. She loved her mate and sister dearly and had understood that they supported all the 'change', but she couldn't quite say she had been on their side. She just kept it to herself. Things were back to normal now. Kind of. There was a new leader and deputy, and leaf-bare was coming to an end, but Lilypelt still felt like two massive holes had been torn into her heart. The only family she had had left had gone, with her kits being the only thing left. Lilypelt loved her kits with all her heart and would die for any of them. She couldn't bear to suffer any more loss. The tabby she-cat felt tears started to form in her eyes. No. Stay strong Lilypelt, Lilypelt thought to herself, sniffing before blinking away the water. The warrior stared down at her paws as she padded through the moor. Watching the grass flatten beneath her paws each time she took a step. Looking around, Lilypelt noticed how things were changing. The snow was slowly disappearing and patches of blue peeked through the white clouds. "Leaf-bare is going," Lilypelt whispered, a slightly bigger smile forming on her maw. The beauty of leaf-bare awed her, she must admit. But hunting was never good for the clan in leaf-bare so to know that new-leaf was approaching was a great relief.

The WindClan Warrior looked straight ahead of her and noticed a brown and white cat standing not too far away from her. After examining the figure for a few more moments, the realisation hit her. It was the new deputy, Shrikecall. The word deputy made a pang of sadness hit her. Oh stop Lily! You need to stop thinking of Gorsefeather everytime you think or say something! Lilypelt scolded in her thoughts. It was quite true, everytime someone said something, she would be able to make a reference to Gorsefeather at least once in a conversation. Shaking her head softly, Lilypelt took a deep breath and let it out before padding over to the deputy. Ever since WindClan had been cleared of evil, Lilypelt hadn't managed to socialise much. The most she had done was talk to an old best friend, Pricklewhisker. "Hello Shrikecall!" Lilypelt called as she approached the tom, forcing on a smile.

Oh how she wished she could have a reason to put on a genuine smile.

Shrikecall continued over the moors, admiring the snow covered grasses as he went. Although he strongly disliked the feel of snow on his paws, he had already made up his mind that he was going to try and be agreeable about it-- because after all, being rude wouldn't do much good to anyone. Though he wasn't planning on exactly socializing with other cats. What good would that do? It wouldn't benefit the Clan in any way, though as an individual it might benefit him or someone else. He wasn't quite sure. He wanted to believe that things were going to continue on perfectly the way they were, but he knew better then to get his hopes up too high. Shrikecall had gotten his hopes up several times only to have them dashed to pieces each time, and then he was left behind to, well...pick up the pieces. On his own. Not within the past 10 moons or so, though-- as a matter of fact, it had been quite a long time since Shrikecall had tried to make a friend and in his opinion, he didn't have a need for them. They would slow him down eventually and if he spent all his time worrying about one particular cat, he wouldn't have the time to help the Clan that needed him. After a moment, Shrikecall's expression changed as he realized there was a cat approaching him over the hills. For a moment he looked surprised and then his features went back to their natural state.

"It's Lilypelt, isn't it?" He asked as the she cat approached, his tail twitching back and forth as patiently as he could manage. There was a slight smile on his features, though not noticeable enough to have been mentioned, really....and he looked more anxious to be moving on then standing there and speaking, though he knew better then to be rude. He would have time later. By the way the sun was positioned in the sky, he supposed it wouldn't be too much longer before the tom had to stop, but hopefully he would have time to quickly speak to his clanmate and then move on. No more interruptions. "I trust you've been well," He added a moment later, lowering his head in respect for the she cat. There was quite an age difference between them; there was quite an age difference between Shrikecall and most of the cats in WindClan, though he chose to ignore it. At least, ignore it as best he could.

[lone]

Originally Posted by Lilly

Realizing that Shrikecall seemed to be in the same state she was with this conversation gave Heathertail a bit of confidence, but not much. The she-cat just listened to him, not really hearing the words once more but concentrating on his face. On his composure, the way he moved and walked and the little antics that he possessed. When she was genuinely interested in getting to know a cat, Heathertail loved to observed them. She was much more a watcher than she was a talker. In fact, she would be content to sit in silence with those she cared about all day long then talk the moons away. There was something to be said about a personal connection that was derived from sitting silently with someone, just looking at each other. Something almost... magical, in her eyes. And while her heart longed to accompany the deputy on checking the borders, thoughts in her mind and what he said tried to convince her otherwise.

Heathertail, for a moment hopeful, perked up just a bit as Shrikecall started his first sentence. Then, he cut it off, paused, and began a new one. It was itching away at her to ask what he was originally going to say, but being dominantly shy took that away from her. Instead, she just nodded, mewing "Okay. I'll meet you back at camp," and turned away, starting to head back up the slope towards the ThunderClan border. Her tail drooped just a bit as she concentrated on the pathway in front of her, mind reeling over the conversation she had just shared. Maybe once they were both back at camp she could try to go up to him and apologize for anything she may have done wrong. Despite being a senior warrior, the WindClan molly had not much confidence in her ability to make friends. She was kind of the cat that sat silently and watched, rather than joining in; she was polite and kind when spoken to, but it took a lot for her to start the conversation.

As she rounded the hilltop, Heathertail turned to look over her shoulder at where Shrikecall was, resisting the urge to call out to him. Stupid being shy she thought with a soft growl, turning her head back around and setting off on a brisk pace towards the ThunderClan border. The trees came into view and began to get sharper as she got up to them. She shook her head as if to get rid of the perpetulant thoughts that crammed inside of her brain and tried to concentrated on the border as she came up to it. Something seemed off here, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It was eerily quiet along the border, and the ThunderClan scent was going stale. "What's going on?" she thought, narrowing her eyes as she leaned forward. Suddenly, breathing could be heard, and Heathertail gasped as she spotted a badger emerging from the ground. Quickly, she dashed behind the cover of a nearby rock, heart racing in her chest. The badger hadn't seen her; luckily she was upwind. But why was it out and about? It was still the tail-end of winter. Heathertail cautiously peaked over the top of the rock, watching at the large animal lumbered out towards the border, seemingly limping. "What?" Heathertail whispered to herself, craning her neck to get a better view to see the cause of the bear's limp. There, clamped on, was some shiny metal object, and a few drops of crimson scarlet liquid stained the white blood beneath the badger's foot. The young WindClan warrior was frozen in fear as she continued to watch.

(....so I just got done watching Fox and the Hound, and got inspired xD)

(Shrike's gonna be the stalker here xD)
"Right. Back at Camp." He mewed, with a brisk nod. The embarrassing thing was that Heathertail seemed to have taken control here better then he had...which, in all honesty, although embarrassing-- was also quite surprising. He definitely hadn't seen that coming. And he sort of wished that he had, considering that he might have been able to save himself some of the time. Perhaps Heathertail would have made a good Deputy...she seemed to be able to assign orders fairly well, which was something that was certainly an admirable and enviable trait. Though a good Deputy had to be able to do more then that, and the tom was unsure whether she was capable of doing so or not. Sighing, the old tom headed in the opposite direction, not daring to look back for fear of what he might see there. He was tired of seeing heartbreak, and although he was sure that the she cat would be far from heartbroken, he was nervous that she might have another expression that he would have preferred not to see. Betrayal, for instance. He had seen too much of that recently and it felt as though it was going to tear him apart. Shrikecall hated betrayal. To him, there was nothing worse then a cat who would go behind their clanmates' backs and do something wrong like that...the thought of it gave him a sick, twisted feeling in his stomach.

Shrikecall headed towards the border, padding along the edge. The scent of RiverClan was quite strong and uncomfortable smelling, like a bad odor that just wouldn't go away. A shudder went down his spine at the thought and he sighed, wishing that the awful scent would get out of here. But he couldn't really do anything about it...he was right by RiverClan's territory after all, and if there was one thing that he knew about that Clan, it was that they smelled of fish. And musk. And swamp. At least, that was what it smelt like to him. Shrikecall didn't like RiverClan cats, any more then he liked cats from the other Clans, but he did his best to be friendly enough towards them to the point where he was able to tolerate speaking to them at least. Not on friendly terms, and certainly not on more welcoming ones. The thought disgusted him and he shuddered, a sick feeling writhing in the pit of his stomach. He padded along the border until he was satisfied that there was nothing out of order. A half eaten carcass lay half on, half off, but Shrikecall didn't think too much of it. He imagined it was either some cat's idea of a joke or something like that, though he didn't find it at all funny. Not to mention if anything, it was wasteful. Some other cat could have eaten the other half of that carcass, but instead now it was too rotten to be eaten.

Once he was done patrolling the border, instead of heading back to the Camp he decided to go and check the ThunderClan border along with Heathertail-- whatever was left of it. That had been his desire in the first place, although he hadn't spoken it aloud, and besides, it would be an experience to remember... at least, he hoped so. He headed down the border, following the familiar scent of WindClan cats-- not to mention the strong, powerful scent of ThunderClan ones-- down the border until it was beginning to grow more faint. And he still hadn't run into the she cat. He was about to turn around and head back when a flash of brown fur caught his eye and he padded towards it quickly. "Heath-" He began, but he never got any further then that when he saw the badger. A look of terror crossed the Deputy's features, old and experienced though he may be, and he stepped just beside the boulder, separating the she cat from the badger's view. He wondered if it was too far down the border to be chased off, or killed-- and besides, it had that metal thing stuck on it's foot. "Get out of here. Run. Now." He spoke quietly, his hues fixed on the badger the whole time, never once looking back at the she cat, although he was still blocking her. His pelt was touching hers, in fact from the narrow space that he was in he was practically pressed against her, but he was too worried for both of their safety to think much of it this time.

[meraki]

Originally Posted by Lilly

Pushing his way through the camp entrance, tail waving in the air behind him, was Crestpaw. He hadn't been able to locate Hareskip yet toady, figuring his mentor was busy on a patrol, so the young WindClan tom had decided to make himself and his hunting skills useful and scout the territory for fresh prey. The weak leaf-bare sun was just warm enough to lure the more dull minded prey onto the moors, which made for easy pickings for the new apprentice. His hunting techniques, while improving every day, still weren't up to par with going after more challenging prey. In his jaws hung a wiry rabbit that hadn't been able to get very far before he struck, killing it with a swift blow to the head. The brown furred tom padded briskly over to the prey pile and deposited his catch.
From where he now stood, Crestpaw lifted his head and scanned the camp. Most of the camp was awake now; a few kits tumbled about chasing after some of the few fallen leaves that must've blown over somehow from ThunderClan's territory, and an elder that Crestpaw recognized was stretched out in a ray of sunlight. A smile graced the apprentices face as everything seemed to be returning to normal after the evil era. Blazingstar had returned with his lives and had appointed Bramblespeck as his deputy. The fur along Crestpaw's spine rose a bit and he curled his forepaws as adrenaline raced through him. One of the tom's biggest dreams - a secret from everyone in the Clan, really - was to be leader one day. He could almost clearly picture himself standing upon the Breezerock and looking down over WindClan, gulping in their loud cheers. Creststar! Creststar! Creststar! The young tom had closed his eyes, a wide smile evident upon his maw. He felt the sun warm his brown fur and barely noticed the chilly breeze that ruffled it at the same time.
Crestpaw opened his eyes and exhaled, giving his pelt a shake before moving away from the pile of prey in the center of camp. Usually, on a day like today, Crestpaw would take some time for himself and lounge about, but lately his warrior apprentice duties had kept him up and on his paws from sun-up to sundown. Finally, a chance to relax, the young tom thought as he settled down onto a soft patch of grass, the frond sinking beneath his weight. With slow, rhythmic strokes of his sandpaper-like tongue, the tom began to groom his fur, making it shine beneath the leaf-bare sun. He began to let his mind wander to the other cats in camp, and once he was satisfied with his fur, he lifted his head to glance around and survey camp.
Near him in her own patch of grass sat Featherkit. Crestpaw blinked, his blue orbs focusing on the young kit. He'd taken a keen notice to her when he first realized that she was quite different from the other rambunctious pre-paws. The way she carried herself and how she spoke, thoroughly impressed the young tom, and he'd made a mental note to introduce himself soon. He was a avid learner himself, always wanting to suck up any knowledge he could like a sponge, and even he knew it was rare to find a kit that was interested in that topic, let alone anything other than getting into trouble or playing with dead leaves. She seemed to be a bit lonely and her features were a bit scrunched up. Instantly, Crestpaw became concerned and rose to his paws, maneuvering over to where Featherkit was seated. "Hello," he purred, flashing a grin towards her as he looked down, blue eyes bright and sparkling as he settled down next to her, wrapping his tail neatly in front of him.

It confused her. The way many cats, especially elders and warriors, would tell her things like, "Your 'word hunting' is unhealthy. You should get more exercise." This confused her mainly because of the first sentence. There was nothing unhealthy about word hunting, and no way to contract any sort of disease or illness. It clearly wasn't a hazard to anyone's health or her own, so she didn't see why so many people said this. There was no risk of illness tied to a mere game that expanded her vocabulary, so the word unhealthy wasn't a very good choice of vocabulary. Maybe others should try word-hunting out for themselves; see how much it benefits them.
But the other part of the commonly used sentence made sense, although, Featherkit didn't understand why it was said. She wasn't overweight or out of shape, and she was perfectly capable of getting exercise, even if that wasn't really in her daily agenda. Maybe she'd squish that into her daily routine, perhaps run around the clearing? Either way, she didn't need exercise. She was a kit. And as far as she knew, kits weren't supposed to train in any way, shape, or form. Training as a kit meant chasing around inanimate objects and making a fool out of yourself, and never being taken seriously. And those were all options. Just things that most kits did. Not all. Plus, what was the good outcome of tousling with other kits in an attempt to catch a leaf? Nothing. Only a few bruises and maybe the disappointment when you find out one of the other kits ate the leaf. While other kits played around stupidly, Featherkit was actually learning. Learning new words, phrases, and exclamations every day. And they said what she was doing was unhealthy? What she was doing was doing nothing more than improving her vocabulary, and quite frankly, they couldn't tell her what she could and could not do.
Featherkit looked up a bit as she saw her fellow clanmate pad over; an apprentice, actually, by the name of Crestpaw. Thank god it's not some kit, she thought. When Featherkit heard him speak, she turned back t look at him, her features a bit more calm and less scrunched up now, replaced by a little bit of confusion. "Hello," she replied, watching how he padded over to sit down near her. Does he want something? Maybe he lost something. Featherkit thought.
One could say that she simply wasn't used to another cat walking purposefully over to her and sitting down with a 'hello' on their maw. Many just looked at her funny, especially since she became a bit sleep deprived. Ever since then, she was just a bit grumpy. Trying to regain her old kit-like spunk and energy, she asked, "and how are you doing today?" In a friendly manor. She hated how not used she was to this, and she began to wonder if what the elders and warriors were saying to her were right; maybe she should try to spread out and talk to more cats; make some friends.
Right now, the idea of having more cats to have friendly conversations with sounded rather pleasant. Featherkit sat up from her previous position, turning to look at Crestpaw. She knew that making eye contact and sounding interested in what the other was saying was key when having a polite and friendly conversation. At least; that was what she'd always been told. Maybe she really was supposed to lay down, avoid eye contact, sound bored and act like she didn't care. No, that would be under the classification of rude, and she knew that a lot of cats disliked the rude. Some more than others.
Either way, she went with her gut, and sat straight up, looking happy and friendly. It wasn't hard to fake looking happy, in fact, all one needed to do was smile with their eyes, perk up their ears, and sound peppy and enthusiastic. This wouldn't have been the first time she had to do this; but if it meant she had the chance to make a new friend, first impressions were key. Even if the cat that came over probably came over because she looked unhappy.

[Slash-GNR]

@Wolfybro

Flameblossom grunted as he called her 'princes'. She didn't like the nickname. She related it to kitty-pets, which she didn't like much either, but she could tolerate them. She then stopped as he did and looked out upon the field. She had to admit, it was very beautiful. However, she pinned back her ears at his last words. "I know how to hunt," she stated back to him. She didn't know if he meant for it to be an insult or not, but she just wanted to get even with him on the nasty commentary. She then stalked off around to the trees in search for a rabbit to catch.

[graves]

Originally Posted by Slash-GNR

@Wolfybro

Flameblossom grunted as he called her 'princes'. She didn't like the nickname. She related it to kitty-pets, which she didn't like much either, but she could tolerate them. She then stopped as he did and looked out upon the field. She had to admit, it was very beautiful. However, she pinned back her ears at his last words. "I know how to hunt," she stated back to him. She didn't know if he meant for it to be an insult or not, but she just wanted to get even with him on the nasty commentary. She then stalked off around to the trees in search for a rabbit to catch.

Spireflare didn't reply to this comment,infact he just stared straight ahead and rolled his eyes. He wanted to spit something back,to insult,but couldn't bring himself to. He wasn't in the mood. What was with this shecat? Didn't she know that she should respect toms? Usually when he was rude cats would shy away instead of spitting back rude words so this was new. He went of in a near by direction,allowing his paws to sink into the thick blanket of snow underneath as he kept his maw open for any scent,tasting the air.