Originally Posted by Constellation (Post 330379) As Robinstorm listened to her speak, the tom was absolutely positive that he wanted to help her. After all, helping was what he done best. He never wanted to leave someone in need. Oh no, Robinstorm was not that type of tom. His tail flicked as he looked behind him once--just to make sure there were no listenin ears or watchful eyes gleaming at them. Robinstorm knew he would get in trouble for doing such a thing, but he was a nice tom. He didn't want her to suffer. He knew how harsh being a loner was, but she chose to become one, so he was simply helping her along her way. "Don't worry," he smiled softly down at her, getting up. The sun was going down soon, and he knew this because the sunset was reflecting on his pelt. It made him look much darker than he was, but he was not the pitch black cat that his brother was. "I won't get in trouble. As long as anyone don't find is," he snickered. It was a funny thought to him, but he pushed it aside. His job was to help this feline in need, so he took cautious steps towards her. "Well, I'm glad you got out of there. It doesn't sound like a great place to be." He told her, his whiskers quivering. Every warrior deserved to know how to fight. After all, it meant defense, but this mentor of hers sounded very conflicted. Like they were judgmental to the opposite gender. Robinstorm shook his head. Never in Skyclan did he experienced anything like that. "It's not that far from here, actually. Just a few ways away. If you're up for the journey...Eveningmoon." He flickered his eyes to look at the pretty feline. He stared at her, longer than he intended and he shook his head to get rid of unwanted thoughts. He knew it was wrong to help another clan cat. One that was in a different clan than his own, but that was only a code rule. He was an individual. And, this individual liked to help others. He began walking, making sure that she was following. As the sun continued to set, he knew that it would be easier to reach their destination through the night. No one would be able to make out their dark pelts. The tom continued trending lightly. "Please avoid sticks or anything that makes noise. We don't want those cats hounding us, alright?" He glanced quickly towards her, hoping that she would understand what he was saying. Their destination was ahead of them. A small cave like den that was perfect to sleep in for the night.

Originally Posted by Bad Wolf (Post 338967) @Doodle Horseradish slipped out of camp, his mottled fur smooth and clean, as it usually was. He wanted to look his best, that way, if he met anyone worth his attention, he would have an easier time impressing them and earning their attention back. Plus, who wanted to be killed by some mangy rogue? It was much more surprising when a well groomed cat killed you, not that he killed everyone he met, no. He would see if they were useful first, and he would let them live, unless it served his purposes well to have them dead. As the muscular tom left camp, his large alabaster paws taking him towards the border, he made as little noise as possible, nose up, halfway hoping to catch the scent of one of the many cats he saw as useful, or even some mouse-brained SkyClanner who dared cross into Syndicate territory, as he was in the mood for a little bit of fun. After awhile of walking, the large gray and white tomcat reached the border and stopped, wrinkling his nose at the strong, foul scent of SkyClan, a scent that he knew would always leave bad memories and linger in his mind. That battle had been pure embarrassment for all of the Syndicate, the failure, the betrayals as Syndicate cats turned and helped SkyClan. He hated SkyClan, but still found many of the cats in attractive, though he would never fall for anyone. He would always be fallen for, only to break their hearts. That was what SkyClan deserved, as did many Syndicate cats. And while he was at it, he might as well extend his bloodline, dirty SkyClan's purity they claimed to have. It was a good goal, and easy to reach. Horseradish had noticed how gullible so may cats were, and might as well use it to his advantage. As the fighter stood, staring out at SkyClan's territory with a hungry look in his dark eyes, he slowly became less and less aware of his surroundings, zoning out until he hardly realized the time as it passed, his curved claws sunken into the earth and eyes clouded over by thought as he sat a few tail lengths from the border, the only sign of life his steady breathing and occasional blinking, but other than that, Horseradish was utterly still. And then he was snapped from his thoughts as he realized that the scent ipof SkyClan was growing stronger. Most cats would've spiked up their pelts and curled their lips, but not him. He took a deep breath and began absently grooming his already pristine pelt, waiting to see who it was.

Feathersong trotted through Skyclan territory cheerily, not paying much mind to her surroundings. She had planned on hunting, but really she just wanted to spend some time out of camp. She loved all her friends- and clanmates- but it was nice to have some quiet time every once in a while. It wasn't until she paused and breathed in a deep breath that she realized she was close to the border with the Syndicate. Taking her time to scent the air, she realized that there was another cat nearby- and from the smell of it, definitely a Dusk Syndicate cat. Now, most cats would have been reasonable and thought through their options. The molly knew of the tension between the two groups of cats- especially because of the recent battle. Plus, she had heard stories of how ruthless these cats were, but had never witnessed it herself. The silver and ginger warrior couldn't help but believe they weren't truly bad cats, maybe they just felt that their territory was threatened. She was incredible curious about the Syndicate, and that got the best of her as she approached the cat- thank Starclan it was just one. If there had been a group, she most likely would have been a goner. Not that she had entertained that thought at all, however.

"Hello!" Feathersong called out cheerily to the stranger, her tail waving behind her. She took a moment to be a loyal warrior, of course, and noticed the tom was in fact on the other side of the border. Good, no need for aggression. Then the molly allowed herself to admire the tom himself; he was certainly fit- strong enough to do all the things she had heard the Syndicate cats would do- and well groomed. He had no reason to keep grooming himself, yet that was exactly what the stranger was doing. Other than his obvious strength, he sure didn't look evil. So Feathersong decided right away that of course he wasn't, just like she had suspected. To her, no cat was truly bad. The world was simply too nice to have any evil in it.

Without thinking, she padded towards the stranger until she was just a few tail-lengths from the border. The smile shaping her maw gave away the fact that she was anything but hostile at the moment as she sat down and curled her feathery tail around her paws, tilting her head ever the slightest at the tom. She definitely had questions for him, but figured most of them wouldn't be answered. She also figured the Syndicate cat wouldn't take too kindly to some of the questions she had regarding to rumors the molly had heard. They were all simply awful, so she would just assume they weren't true- otherwise she would be very uneasy in this cat's presence. But he hadn't made a move to attack her yet, had he? That had to be something good at least. Clearing her throat, and remembering her manners, Feathersong introduced herself. "I'm Feathersong, a warrior of Skyclan- in case you couldn't tell." Her eyes twinkled with both interest and friendliness as she waited to hear the tom's name as well.

Originally Posted by Bad Wolf (Post 339008) Horseradish's head snapped up as he heard a voice- the voice of a she-cat, and most definitely not a Syndicate cat's voice, judging by the friendliness laced in the tone. What he saw was a rather stunning silver and ginger molly with a feathery looking tail. He couldn't help but let himself admire her for a moment, before giving a slight nod. “Hi,” he purred, already going into his well practiced disguise, a tom built of lies and based on friendliness, not all the real him, but a second him, since he'd used it so much that he could slip into and preform it with such ease that it was nearly impossible to see through it. He sized her up, and once confident that she wouldn't stand a chance against him in a battle, he allowed himself a small smile and let out a deep purr. Like most SkyClan cats, he found her quite attractive, though he still wasn't sure she would be the right victim, although he already had three others, but the large fighter didn't care much, and would readily take on another, as it could turn out to be yet another fun game. Horseradish was rather curious about her, and maybe she would work well, but there was no reason he shouldn't try, so, pushing away any doubts, here focused his gaze, this time right on her golden yellow ones, his eyes a mask of kindness, something he rather despised, but for the sake of flirting, would pretend to tolerate. Surprise flashed across his face as she moved closer, and he wondered if she knew about the Syndicate, as most cats did. Obviously, she showed no sign of fear as she approached, and he both saw it as stupid, and somewhat admired her for it, as very few approached a stranger, let alone a cat of the Dusk Syndicate, without some sign of fear in their eyes and body language, none of which was evident upon this molly. He shook himself very slowly, to show that me meant no threat, dropped into a comfortable crouch, tucking his forepaws under his chest, looking up at the pretty molly with a curious gaze. Feathersong?” he murmured, testing out the new name, then nodded at her. “That's pretty,” he finished, punctuating this with a yawn, this one unintentional, but it fit what he was displaying well; ease and comfort, so he didn't mind one bit. He thought about her question for a moment, wondering if he should answer this truthfully, then flicked his ears dismissively, still purring faintly. “Horseradish, and I'm a fighter of the Dusk Syndicate,” he responded, still crouching with his fluffy tail tucked neatly over his paws and fur smooth, a sure sign of relaxation, which was actually not a lie at this point. He already felt rather comfortable around her, and if she chose to attack, well, it was her, mistake, her funeral. He was still somewhat surprised at her openness and friendliness, and how little caution she showed. Had he been with anyone else at the time, he would've dragged her into Syndicate territory and asked her the join or die question, as he didn't want to act soft in front of his peers, or his minors, or things could get ugly fast. “So, what brings you so close to the Syndicate? Don't you know how dangerous that could be?” Horseradish questioned in a hushed tone full of concern, his eyes widening and he sat up. “You're lucky it's me and not some ruthless murderer,” the tom whispered, looking over his shoulder as if checking to make sure nobody was coming.

Feathersong could see the visible surprise on Horseradish's face when she had moved closer, but she assumed that not many of her clanmates would approach a cat from the Syndicate- everyone else believed all the rumors that were spread around camp like a wildfire. The way the tom's eyes had skimmed over her pelt hadn't escaped her notice, either, and she was thankful that she had groomed before leaving the camp earlier. Not a piece of fur should be out of place, and she kept herself from checking this. A light laugh escaped her as his compliment. "Thank you," she purred back, her smile widening the slightest bit as she took in the other tom's posture. He certainly seemed relaxed around her, nothing vicious about him. The molly blinked at his name and title. "Fighter?" She meowed quietly in question, but shook her head a moment afterwards. How rude was she to question the titles of the Syndicate; surely he must have thought Feathersong calling herself a warrior was strange. "Nice to meet you, Horseradish," she amended her question with a polite and cheerful meow. While this was a typical thing to say when meeting someone, she really meant it. This tom was quite handsome, and not to mention she was very curious about him and his home. She already found herself enjoying his company, unlike what her clanmates would have thought.

The molly shook her head at Horseradish's warnings, though her smile faded into a slight frown as she followed the tom's gaze behind him. "I didn't really think all that was true," she admitted. "I mean, whats the point in killing cats for no reason? They could live their lives and it wouldn't affect you guys." Though if a cat from within the Syndicate was referring to others he worked with as murderers... then it must be true, right? This worried her a bit as she didn't think that there really would be cats that bad, but then she wondered if perhaps Horseradish was just trying to intimidate her. Wasn't that what the clans did with one another so that they wouldn't be attacked? With the battle not far behind them, Feathersong decided that he might be trying to make the Syndicate look stronger so that Skyclan would be less inclined to attack again. The molly brought her gaze back to Horseradish as there were no cats behind him. "Besides, I could ask you the same question," she pointed out. "You're at the border, even though some of my clanmates could have came out at any moment." She decided it was probably best not to point out the fact that it would make more sense for him to be afraid of her clan, since they had been the ones that won the recent fight. The molly figured that he wouldn't appreciate her pointing this out. "It's a rather odd place to pick for a grooming session," she tacked on a bit humorously, her whiskers twitching as she spoke.

Her expression stayed teasing, if a bit flirty with what she said next. "But yes, I am lucky to have met such a kind, non-murderous cat such as yourself," she meowed with a slight purr. Feathersong wasn't typically a big flirter- at least, she didn't typically start up flirting. She would respond to it, of course- who wouldn't? But normally she let the tom take the initiative. In this case, however, she was fairly certain Horseradish was interested in her- at least, he had called her name pretty and it seemed he thought her appearance was attractive as well. Hopefully the molly wasn't reading things wrong, but in that case she could just play it off as a teasing joke. This tom didn't know her, anyways. For all he knew, she joked around like that with every cat she met. But she was fairly confident that Horseradish wouldn't get uncomfortable with her slightly flirtatious comment, as it wasn't like she was throwing herself at him. And maybe he'd even return the comment with one of his own. If not, that would be fine- nothing let this molly down for long, not even rejection. She had gotten over her ex-mate, hadn't she? So she could handle a tom she barely knew not wanting to flirt with her, no biggie.

Originally Posted by Bad Wolf (Post 339724) Horseradish nodded, flashing her a gentle smile and then turning to study the ground in an embarrassed manor, a trick he often found useful. “Yeah,” he muttered, shuffling his paws slightly, “fighter. It's the rank that defends the Syndicate and learns mostly combat skills,” he replied, being as vague as possible without seeming vague at all, since the name somewhat spoke for itself. He looked back and refocused his amber hues on hers, then quickly looked away, still pulling off the somewhat embarrassed act. “It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Feathersong,” he replied, shaking himself, as if ridding himself of embarrassment that had of course, never really existed, but had been well displayed and easy to think of as real, which was the whole idea, since he knew that if he were in Feathersong's place, he probably would've fallen for it, as many cats did. He slowly went back down into a comfortable crouch, now fairly certain that she was caught, trapped under his spell, though not entirely, nor in the way he had planned. Already, Feathersong seemed like the perfect victim of his affection, which usually was just what a cat wanted, but not with him. You don't want to catch Horseradish's eye, or you do, but not for very long. Nobody really like Horseradish, only who he pretended to be, which didn't bother him, though few even took a chance at being alone with him, not once they actually met Horseradish, which Feathersong had not. Nor had his other victims, as he was a bit of a cheater, and never played fair when he toyed with others' hearts, mind and emotions. Fun as it was, it had its downsides as well, and he could never be sure of how one would react. If the heartbreak would destroy them, or drive to a deep desire for revenge, the latter one being very undesirable, and he would probably have no choice but to kill them if that happened, though he may leave them alive, if he thought that killing them wasn't worth it, and they posed no threat. He was quite confident that Feathersong posed no threat at all, although whether this pleased him or disappointed him, Horseradish wasn't quite sure. But little matter, since that was of no concern until later on, maybe a couple of moons into the future, if not a season or two. It depended on how long he could stand to be around her, this time period varying depending on that cat and their personality. “I'm not sure, but it's not a pleasant thing to live with. One day you've got a friend my your side, the next day, they've been killed, but such is life,” he said quietly, his eyes glazing over with memories as he remembered faintly a best friend of his from kithood. Their death had been devastating to him, and had practically turned him into what he was today. He shook himself, pushing down his memories and refocusing on what was going on now, that being all that mattered. “Mmm… that's true I suppose,” Horseradish meowed, nodding his head in agreement at what the SkyClan warrior said next, his amber orbs darkening for a split second as she spoke. “And yes, but why should I worry about that? I've done nothing wrong, nothing to provoke anyone,” the mottled fighter said, all if which was only half true, since no, he'd done nothing wrong to do with SkyClan currently, though he couldn't say that that was true about the Syndicate, since he had many cats angry at him, for various reasons that he couldn't name. “And that it is, but not much of out territory is exposed to sunlight, and there's other cats everywhere. Here, there's usually fewer cats,” he replied, this being one of the few things he'd told her that was not a lie, as a great majority of what Horseradish said was usually a lie, unless he was speaking with a cat that already knew his true personality. He easily could've asked why she was at the border, not to mention alone, since most cats knew better than to do that, especially after that humiliating battle, which Horseradish still resented the very thought of. He looked past Feathersong, into SkyClan territory, scanning for other cats, almost hopeful at seeing some, then maybe he could put on a show. But when there was none to be seen, he showed no sign of disappointment. “Oh? I'd say that I'm the lucky one,” Horseradish purred, a bit surprised by the flirty air he picked up from what she said, but not about to show it. “You see, I'm lucky to have met such a friendly, pretty she-cat with a name that matches, instead of someone else,” he purred, picking each word careful before he spoke it so that he didn't say anything that seemed ill intentioned or rude. He wasn't known for saying things like that, but it even he slipped up every now and then it said something hurtful, though there were many times when he would've very much liked to say something hurtful, but had to restrain himself and hold on to his friendly and harmless air. Despfeedhow hard that could be sometimes, and he would've much preferred to say something that stung and hurt them, which was what he often did to healers, weak cats that weren't good for anything, as anyone could learn their "skills", and then there would be no reason to keep the weaklings around anymore, and it would be very fun to rid the Syndicate of all those weak links and extra mouths to feed, that being all they were. “It's quite a coincidence– I mean, that both of us just happened to be at the same place, same time,” he purred, knowing that this would only get to her if she believed in StarClan, which he did, but had no father in it. His faith rested solely in the Dark Forest, the Place of No Stars, or whatever everyone was referring to it as nowadays.

Feathersong smiled as the tom seemed embarrassed. His act- not that she knew it was a fake- had completely captivated her, and all she wanted was to know this cat more. Especially since it seemed he didn't fit in with his clan, not if they were supposed to be awful cats. He certainly was a very kind, even sweet tom, rather than ruthless. "That's cool," the molly exclaimed. "In Skyclan, we don't have designated fighters. Just warriors, and we hunt and fight. It must be nice to just concentrate on one thing, though. And you certainly look like a fighter," she tacked on, because Horseradish truly did. He certainly had a lot of muscle, more than other toms in her clan. The grey cat tilted her head as if studying him, before shaking her head. "Well, if I was a part of your Syndicate I don't think I'd be a fighter. I don't have the muscle for it, and I don't really like fighting anyways." A fact that had caused her not to be in the battle between her clan and Horseradish's group. She hated battles, and wasn't much of a skilled fighter anyways, so rather she had stayed back at camp while her clanmates were off fighting.

Feathersong shook her head, but this time sadly. "That's an awful way to live," she meowed softly, eyes brimming with sympathy. "I have so many cats that I care about, I wouldn't be able to live with not knowing if they'd survive in camp another day, since back at camp is supposed to be where we feel safe..." She frowned again, thinking of her own kits, and even their father. Just because things hadn't worked out with the tom, didn't mean that she wanted him hurt. Sure, he had hurt her, but only emotionally. She didn't want him dead. And if any cat had harmed one of her kits, the molly would be destroyed- after destroying the cat who had done it, of course. "How do you all even get along, if you can't trust each other?" She asked after a moment with a shake of her head. "I can't believe you still manage to have enough in your ranks to support and protect you all. That's incredible." The Syndicate must be very strong, then, and she felt a flash of pride that her clan had been able to defeat this strong group of cats. She hid the pride, of course, not wanting Horseradish to feel bad.

Her head tilted once more at what the tom said next. "Well, no, you personally haven't done anything to Skyclan. But... well, you're obviously no idiot. You know things aren't well between my clan and your... group." She wasn't really sure what to call the Syndicate, because they were like a clan but definitely weren't considered one. "If one of our patrols came along, they'd definitely be hostile. And not all of my clanmates are levelheaded. One wrong word and they'd lose their temper, and then attack you." She spoke truthfully, because there had been so many skirmishes with random rogues when her clanmates didn't like something that had been said to them. Her gaze turned back behind Horseradish at what he said next, scanning the darker areas of his territory a bit anxiously. Hopefully no one was watching them right now; she hadn't thought of the other cats in his group as bad, but they definitely seemed aggressive and she'd rather not have a run-in with anyone other than this tom right here. Perhaps she had scored in meeting the only passive cat in the Syndicate. She nodded to his explanation of his grooming spot, turning her attention back to his gaze.

A small smile quickly formed on Feathersong's maw at the tom's flirty attitude, a slight purr building in her throat at his words. All seriousness moment before was gone, the worry about being seen gone as well as she focused solely on the attractive cat in front of her. She giggled when Horseradish called her pretty, her ears pressing back in slight embarrassment and her eyes casting downwards. No cat had called her that since... well, she was refusing to think about him now. They simply hadn't worked out together, and it was okay for her to move on with her life. Perhaps even with this kind tom right here. Her eyes flickered back up to meet the tom's at his final statement, and they flashed with thought. "Yes, what a coincidence... maybe it was meant to happen," she murmured with a shy smile. After all, what were the chances that her paws would just happen to bring her to this spot along the border, where Horseradish happened to choose as his grooming spot? She hadn't even made a conscious decision to come to the border- she simply just walked, and wound up here meeting such a lovely cat. So, the molly thought, maybe it was supposed to happen. Maybe Starclan was helping her move on, and showing her just the right tom to move on with. She looked at Horseradish differently now, her smile growing ever the slightest.

Originally Posted by Doodle (Post 342802) Feathersong smiled as the tom seemed embarrassed. His act- not that she knew it was a fake- had completely captivated her, and all she wanted was to know this cat more. Especially since it seemed he didn't fit in with his clan, not if they were supposed to be awful cats. He certainly was a very kind, even sweet tom, rather than ruthless. "That's cool," the molly exclaimed. "In Skyclan, we don't have designated fighters. Just warriors, and we hunt and fight. It must be nice to just concentrate on one thing, though. And you certainly look like a fighter," she tacked on, because Horseradish truly did. He certainly had a lot of muscle, more than other toms in her clan. The grey cat tilted her head as if studying him, before shaking her head. "Well, if I was a part of your Syndicate I don't think I'd be a fighter. I don't have the muscle for it, and I don't really like fighting anyways." A fact that had caused her not to be in the battle between her clan and Horseradish's group. She hated battles, and wasn't much of a skilled fighter anyways, so rather she had stayed back at camp while her clanmates were off fighting. Feathersong shook her head, but this time sadly. "That's an awful way to live," she meowed softly, eyes brimming with sympathy. "I have so many cats that I care about, I wouldn't be able to live with not knowing if they'd survive in camp another day, since back at camp is supposed to be where we feel safe..." She frowned again, thinking of her own kits, and even their father. Just because things hadn't worked out with the tom, didn't mean that she wanted him hurt. Sure, he had hurt her, but only emotionally. She didn't want him dead. And if any cat had harmed one of her kits, the molly would be destroyed- after destroying the cat who had done it, of course. "How do you all even get along, if you can't trust each other?" She asked after a moment with a shake of her head. "I can't believe you still manage to have enough in your ranks to support and protect you all. That's incredible." The Syndicate must be very strong, then, and she felt a flash of pride that her clan had been able to defeat this strong group of cats. She hid the pride, of course, not wanting Horseradish to feel bad. Her head tilted once more at what the tom said next. "Well, no, you personally haven't done anything to Skyclan. But... well, you're obviously no idiot. You know things aren't well between my clan and your... group." She wasn't really sure what to call the Syndicate, because they were like a clan but definitely weren't considered one. "If one of our patrols came along, they'd definitely be hostile. And not all of my clanmates are levelheaded. One wrong word and they'd lose their temper, and then attack you." She spoke truthfully, because there had been so many skirmishes with random rogues when her clanmates didn't like something that had been said to them. Her gaze turned back behind Horseradish at what he said next, scanning the darker areas of his territory a bit anxiously. Hopefully no one was watching them right now; she hadn't thought of the other cats in his group as bad, but they definitely seemed aggressive and she'd rather not have a run-in with anyone other than this tom right here. Perhaps she had scored in meeting the only passive cat in the Syndicate. She nodded to his explanation of his grooming spot, turning her attention back to his gaze. A small smile quickly formed on Feathersong's maw at the tom's flirty attitude, a slight purr building in her throat at his words. All seriousness moment before was gone, the worry about being seen gone as well as she focused solely on the attractive cat in front of her. She giggled when Horseradish called her pretty, her ears pressing back in slight embarrassment and her eyes casting downwards. No cat had called her that since... well, she was refusing to think about him now. They simply hadn't worked out together, and it was okay for her to move on with her life. Perhaps even with this kind tom right here. Her eyes flickered back up to meet the tom's at his final statement, and they flashed with thought. "Yes, what a coincidence... maybe it was meant to happen," she murmured with a shy smile. After all, what were the chances that her paws would just happen to bring her to this spot along the border, where Horseradish happened to choose as his grooming spot? She hadn't even made a conscious decision to come to the border- she simply just walked, and wound up here meeting such a lovely cat. So, the molly thought, maybe it was supposed to happen. Maybe Starclan was helping her move on, and showing her just the right tom to move on with. She looked at Horseradish differently now, her smile growing ever the slightest.

Originally Posted by Bad Wolf (Post 364034) Horseradish’s lip curled up in a faint smile, revealing sharp teeth, fortunately not stained with the blood of his enemies, for that would've made the Mr. Nice Guy act far harder, if he acted nice, but his teeth were stained with blood. Far harder, so he was very grateful that they were white. It wasn't that he wasn't up to a good old fashioned challenge, but he liked these parts easy, save the hard for what actually needed to be hard, not make things harder than they already were. It didn't make any sense that way, but his way worked just fine, lucky for him. Or it did a good deal of the time, but not always. So unfortunate, when someone saw through his disguise, since that usually spelled the end for them, or at least a very misfortune and sorrowful rest of their miserable lives. “It is, though I wish I'd been taught to ’unt better than I can. I'm not great, you see,” Horseradish purred, a deep rumble in his chest as he spoke, actually rather jealous of that, since hunting had barely been touched in his training, and he'd spent a larger portion of his time fighting and hadn't really the time to try anyways. Beneath his silky flowing coat, his skin was marked with numerous scars from countless battles, some intensional, others unexpected, but nearly all of them won. They were nearly impossible to see because of the thickness of his pelt, though his muzzle was faintly scarred and one ear torn. But even that was half hidden by the length of his fur, for which he was unsure of whether to be grateful for or to despise, the latter one being a useless and petty thing, since it was impossible to change. Luckily, it blunted his enemies claws and often had gotten him the upper paw, protecting his soft hide, but slowed him down more than if he had short fur. This is pointless! Horseradish suddenly thought, feeling frustrated by his mental conflict over something so useless, when he had more important matters to deal with. Really, anything was more important, and he shook his head in embarrassment, eyeing Feathersong as he did so. “It is, but that's ’ow I was raised, and the only way I know to live,” he said quietly, realizing that she'd been speaking to him while he'd been staring into space with an unblinking gaze. “We ’ave a strong leader, keeps us in check. Sure, things still ’appen, but such is life,” Horseradish went on, tail tip flicking. What he couldn't grasp was how the Clans worked, how the survived while living like pampered kittypets, and his they had won. This subject utterly baffled him, and he couldn't see any way around it, how it worked, or anything else, even though he knew a lot about the Clans, that was not one of them. “And no, neither are you,” Horseradish said, contrary to his beliefs, since he feather saw her as foolish mouse-brain with no more sense than a newborn kit, but he dared not say so allowed, since tat would ruin anything she might think there was between them, despite having just met. He had never really fe!t any affection towards anyone, spare his own kits. And it wouldn't change now, not to this SkyClan flea heart. “Right, and the last thing I want is another fight.” That's actually exactly what I want, and I want to win this time. He added silently, smiling wryly at the prospect of returning the favor SkyClan had offered them, and attacking without warning killing without mercy, for that was just what SkyClan had done, and unprovoked at that. All the Syndicate had been doing was defending their territory, and their prided position of power, striking fear in the hearts of the Clans. But no more. SkyClan had disgraced them, and Horseradish hoped they would pay dearly for it. He glanced over at the SkyClan warrior, a hidden hatred in his eyes disguised by a look of curiosity, worn well to make his intentions buried and hatred invisible, although he suspected that she would never see it, not for a very long time. But that was just what he suspected, though it may turn true, it likely would not. “I hope so,” he said, smiling gently, lowering his gaze so his body fell still, making him seem at ease and content, when his mind was whirling with devilish and cruel plans, terrible fates and tragedies that would fall upon his various victims, though he rarely killed throne he wished to harm, but rather those they were close to. That always seemed to hurt more than dying themselves, and he showed no mercy in that manor, and it was really quite unlikely that Horseradish ever would.

Feathersong tilted her head as she thought the tom's words over. "Yes, I guess that's true. I wouldn't like not knowing how to hunt, though if I personally had to chose between hunting and fighting, I'd chose hunting in a heartbeat. Fighting's just not in my spirit," the molly explained, tail swishing gently behind her as her eyes sparkled curiously. She wanted to question Horseradish about so much to do with the Dusk Syndicate- for instance, was it his decision to become a fighter, or did he have no say in the matter? But she figured that more in-depth questions about the Syndicate wouldn't be welcome, just like how she wouldn't go spreading Skyclan information to the other clans. You never knew what could be used against you in battle, so instead of asking more questions the cream and gray molly simply gave a small smile. "I'm sure you're not always fighting, though, so why don't you spend some of your free time teaching yourself to hunt?" Her head had tilted the slightest bit once again, something she typically did when she was curious or thinking something over. This sort of question she was comfortable asking, as it had to do with the tom himself rather than his home. Then, being a bit daring, she offered, "Or, I could spend some time teaching you the basic stuff... I mean, obviously I wouldn't hunt in your territory, or have you hunting in Skyclan, but showing you proper technique surely wouldn't harm any cat." She wasn't sure how he would take her offer for help- would he be one the kind who didn't like accepting help from anyone? A small purr showed that the she-cat hadn't meant any harm, nor offense, in her offer. She simply just wanted to help another cat out- and, if that meant they had to schedule a meeting... that would just be a plus for her.

Her light yellow eyes swept over Horseradish, taking in everything about him while he seemingly zoned out. She didn't mind it so much, she was a fairly patient cat and could wait for his answer. What she didn't like was having to repeat herself often- if she had to rant to another, and they completely zoned her out, then she would take offense to it. But Feathersong didn't know this tom, at least not yet, so she had no clue what was going on in his life. Therefore, she couldn't get upset over him getting lost in thought- what if she said something about it, and it turned out some cat he knew had just died? She'd feel simply awful for being a bit snippy, which was why the she-cat just sat in silence until the other cat came back to focus and noticed her babbles. "Yes, I guess everyone can't imagine another way of life when they've been raised a different one all their life," Feathersong guessed. She imagined that just how she couldn't think of being a Syndicate cat, Horseradish couldn't think of being a clan cat either. The two cats came from two different worlds, they weren't meant to be in the same place, and yet she felt as if they were meant to meet at least. Some cat, perhaps a Starclan one, was showing a kind, good-hearted tom to the molly to help her get over her past heartbreak. Privately, Feathersong believed she would never get over Stephanotis- he had been her first love, after all, and the father to her first litter. But that didn't mean she couldn't move on with someone new, perhaps someone right in front of her...

Feathersong couldn't help herself, she giggled at Horseradish's compliment. "I dunno, I can be pretty stupid sometimes. I have my moments," the molly laughed, slightly shaking her head. Like, the moment she decided to fall for Steph... that was a pretty stupid decision, even if it hadn't been a conscious one. She couldn't help herself but feel the teensiest afraid at the thought of pursuing another relationship... but then again she had to move on some time, right? The feline couldn't go the rest of her life in fear of loving again, someone new was bound to come along, so she quickly let the past go, erasing it from her mind for the time being. Right now, she was with Horseradish, and she would give him her full attention as he deserved it. "Yes, I certainly don't want a fight! Really, what cat does? Not with the possibility of someone getting gravely injured..." The she-cat shook out her pelt, the thought of a fight even getting her nerves to spike ever the slightest. She really, really didn't like battles. Despised them, even. The scent of blood in the air, along with having to watch the life drain from another's eyes... All these things struck fear into her heart, which was the main reason that Feathersong hadn't taken place in the last battle. Not to mention she was still in the nursery with kits at the time, but had she been a warrior she still would have stayed back at camp to 'protect' it during the battle.

The she-cat giggled again at Horseradish's words, raising a paw to cover her maw and stifle the laughs. She really needed to stop doing that; no one liked a cat who laughed too much, and besides she didn't want him to think she was trying too hard- no one liked that cat either. But still, his words had made her feel giddy. Lowering her paw, Feathersong sent a shy smile the tom's way. Carefully, the feline lowered herself so she would be laying on the ground, her paws in front of her and tail placed firmly at her side, twitching every so often in a content manor. Her eyes spoke of how gleeful she was feeling at the moment, shining brightly as they focused on the black and white cat in front of her. "I really am so happy to have met you," Feathersong purred slightly after a moment. "Thank you for being so kind to me," she tacked on, the smile that formed her features now a seemingly permanent feature.

Originally Posted by Constellation (Post 387599) ''C'mon, Amberpaw! You're holding me back!'' Timberpaw complained. He didn't think going on a sun high patrol with his sister was an excellent choice - but why not? He could boss her around. Tell her what to do and what not to do because Timberpaw believed he knew everything. After all, he figured he was the most advanced out his siblings. He wanted to push his siblings to be their best. Which was why he was...rather mean to them. Timberpaw had been running at an alarming pace, his fur fighting against the wind, but feeling well when he felt it coursing through him. The tom slowed his pace, stopping once he got to the border. Across it was the Syndicate. His eyes glazed over in wonder. ''Whoa.'' He never truly seen much of the Syndicate. Rare times his mother brought him and his siblings to see their father when they were kits. At that age, he didn't care much about how the Syndicate looked, and now...he could see it. The darkness of it. Hounding many dark secrets. Timberpaw stopped, sitting down, unconsciously wrapping his tail around his paws as he looked ahead. This was the border. His first official patrol, and Timberpaw would wing it. Now, he only hoped Amberpaw would pay heed and listen to him. Timberpaw's gaze laid sullenly on the other side. One thing he knew; his father was over there. But, Timberpaw was loyal to Skyclan. To his mother. He hoped he wouldn't see the large, intimidating dark orange pelted tom. That wouldn't be a grand sight. Stephanotis wasn't nice when they were kits, but his eyes showed he loved them. And, even so with six moons passing, Timberpaw was pretty sure Stephanotis remained consistent. @Doodle

Amberpaw sighed and then rolled her eyes at her impatient brother, though that was a bit hypocritical of her. The young molly could be quite the impatient one as well- her and Timberpaw were very similar. She often thought that was why they butted heads so often- though, they were also very close. A cat had to be, if they had her family. There was no way she could rely on her father, and she wasn't always sure about her mother- with all the different toms making her run this way and that- so it was nice to have someone to count on. As well as her other siblings; the four of them would always be there for each other, and the thought brought a small smile to the fluffy feline as she quickened her pace to please her brother.

"Oh, yes, I'm holding you back," Amber scoffed, as she couldn't just let her brother say that without some sort of retort. When she realized they were at the border, and that the Syndicate lay just in front of them, she couldn't help but nod at her brother's comment, words dying in her throat. Somewhere over there was her father. The apprentice had some memories of him, of coming to see him every so often. He didn't always give a fatherly feeling... but yet she believed he cared. She had to believe that; if she didn't, then she was sure to slip into a sad slump. She also had quite the strong belief that someday, preferably soon, their parents would be mates once more. Remembering all the family meetings they had, she couldn't help but feel like there was still something there between Stephanotis and Feathersong, like there was still love between them. So, she would hint and push until they finally decided to be together once more.

The mood became very somber, as the two siblings no doubt remembered all their meetings here. Amberpaw felt like it had been too long since they had their last one- after all, Steph's children were apprentices now! Surely he'd want to hear that news, and surely he'd be proud. She hoped so. Amber's heart soared with the hope that she'd make her dad proud, just as it soared with the hope that she'd have a complete family sometime. Unlike what Timberpaw was thinking at the moment, the young she-cat actually hoped that they would have a run in with their father- so long as he didn't have any other Dusk Syndicate cats with him. She wanted to see him again, even if he was a little cold all the time.

Originally Posted by Constellation (Post 391106) Timberpaw gave an disapproving look towards his sister. ''Hey! - Don't get snappy with me.'' The tom huffed, turning abruptly to stare his sister down with a challenging glare. It would had been easier if she learned to just listen instead of talk. Why was it so - entirely - hard for his siblings to listen? He was the eldest! He deserved their respect. Not to mention, many of the others. Personally, they should appreciate a tom such as himself. Rolling his eyes to check on his sister once more, he began to trot off again, maintaining his pace so she would be able to keep up with him. He was a tad soft on his siblings because he was very close to all of them. Though he butted heads a lot with Amberpaw and Sunrisepaw - those two sisters of his gave him a nauseating headache. As they were at the border, Timberpaw couldn't help, but look apprehensively at the other side. His sister's expression was a lot different from his. Timberpaw stayed alert in case anything unpleasant happened. Whereas, Amberpaw looked as if she wanted something unpleasant to happen. Like their father. Thinking of their father always erupted different feelings from the tom. Many of those feelings a longing of something bad. His father was bad news, wasn't he? A part of the tom hated the fact that he was half syndicate. How can being a loyal warrior to Skyclan be so, if he would always be half of what was supposed to be a whole? Why couldn't starclan grant him a different father? Like...Umbraice. The tom was more of a father than their actual one. Though Umbraice didn't feel that way towards their mother. He loved her like a sister, nothing more. Unknowingly, the tom unsheathed his claws, raking them into the ground to create a nasty din. Something bad was about it. He could hear it. He could smell it. No doubt, the large orange cat's presence was around. Lurking in the shadows, until Stephanotis realized that it was his kin that was simply at the border. Stephanotis liked to hang around the place. Simply to find new victims to bring into insanity. He had heard voices, and decided that it was best to act out. Evidently, he found a well-enough hiding spot, despite his large size. The tom glared down at the two apprentices, trotting towards them in a confidence manner. He haven't seen them in a moment. They were a lot bigger than the last time he saw them. They were little cute kits. Wide-eyed and curious. Now, his eldest son might as well be rivaling him in size. The brilliant colored tom approached them, stopping at the end of the imaginary line that separated the two territories. At first, he gave his son a look, before he turned to look at his young daughter. They were still lovely, very beautiful kits. A smile would had appeared on his face if he wasn't always so harsh. ''Never thought I would see the two of you again.'' He says, his voice deep and steady. Those were all the words he could say. Because, he simply didn't know what else to say to them. He did care about them, and he did love them, but he wasn't good with showing emotion. It was out of place to him, so therefore he refused to do it. ''Where are the other three of you?'' He huffed, his voice brisk and sober.

Amberpaw didn't back down, didn't even have the urge to, and if anything Timberpaw's disapproving look fueled her stubbornness. "Yeah, well you were being rude. I wouldn't have to be snappy if you didn't have to be such a bossy furrball." Her eyes were fiery with a challenge, though she wasn't angry- the two of them constantly pushed at each other, as neither were submissive felines, but Amber rarely got truly mad at her brother. If she did, it was typically gone fairly quick. None of her siblings could afford to be mad with one another for long, as they were all they had. A huff of discontent left the apprentice's lips before she followed her brother, making a point of staying very close to him- barely letting him stay in the lead. She dared him to tell her to stay behind him, dared him to protest and say he was the lead of the patrol. After all, didn't he just tell her to keep up? That was only what she was doing. Okay, maybe she was being a bit quarrelsome, but she had always been a bit hotheaded, and Timberpaw seemed to bring that bit of her out better than any other cat. His only rival would be her sister, Sunrisepaw. The two mollies differed a lot on their opinions, and Sunrise's flirtatious ways typically caused an argument between the two of them. Amberpaw simply did not condone leading other cats on, and she couldn't understand why her sister would do that when all of her siblings could see what kind of impact that had on another cat. Their mother was the best example of this; constantly heartbroken from one tom or another.

As Amber looked expectantly over at the Dusk Syndicate territory, her mother remained in her mind. Did Stephanotis ever think about Feathersong? Amberpaw knew for sure that her mother thought about him, at least. She was always talking about him- constantly telling Amber that she must have gotten her hotheaded personality from Steph, or telling Timber that he was a natural leader 'just like their father'. Oh, yes, she thought about him constantly. Amber was positive Feathersong was still deeply in love with the tom- so maybe, just maybe, he was irreversibly in love with her too? Maybe, if she saw Steph, she would ask him. Though, thinking logically, Stephanotis would never just give a flat out answer. He'd probably skip around the question, or if he were to give an answer- it'd be a lie. He'd say he didn't care for her, when he really did. Amberpaw was positive he still loved Feathersong; he just had to.

When a cat appeared seemingly out of nowhere, the young molly's eyes widened- even more so once she recognized the feline as her father. Amberpaw fought to keep herself from calling out to him- he didn't exactly look the way one would think a father would after seeing his kits after moons. No, he didn't even look remotely happy- and a part of her heart broke then and there. Did he not feel the same she did, incredibly happy at seeing her kin? Amber battled with her feelings to keep them unshown. If Steph was going to appear unmoved, then fine, she'd show no emotion either. "You don't seem too bothered by that," Amberpaw remarked boldly, cursing herself when a bitterness shone through her words. She wasn't good at hiding her anger, not at all, and whenever she was hurt anger was the strongest emotion that showed. An ear flicked at his question; at least he remembered that he had more kits than the two currently there. "Sunrisepaw, Vulturepaw and Duckpaw are back at camp," she explained crossly, putting emphasis on their names. Her siblings weren't just 'the other three', they were his kits and Steph should at least know their names. The ginger apprentice blinked slowly as she wondered if he even knew what her own name was. "And Feathersong is back at camp with them," she tacked on a moment later, venturing and searching for a reaction, which would most likely be none at all.

Originally Posted by Doodle (Post 395266) Amberpaw didn't back down, didn't even have the urge to, and if anything Timberpaw's disapproving look fueled her stubbornness. "Yeah, well you were being rude. I wouldn't have to be snappy if you didn't have to be such a bossy furrball." Her eyes were fiery with a challenge, though she wasn't angry- the two of them constantly pushed at each other, as neither were submissive felines, but Amber rarely got truly mad at her brother. If she did, it was typically gone fairly quick. None of her siblings could afford to be mad with one another for long, as they were all they had. A huff of discontent left the apprentice's lips before she followed her brother, making a point of staying very close to him- barely letting him stay in the lead. She dared him to tell her to stay behind him, dared him to protest and say he was the lead of the patrol. After all, didn't he just tell her to keep up? That was only what she was doing. Okay, maybe she was being a bit quarrelsome, but she had always been a bit hotheaded, and Timberpaw seemed to bring that bit of her out better than any other cat. His only rival would be her sister, Sunrisepaw. The two mollies differed a lot on their opinions, and Sunrise's flirtatious ways typically caused an argument between the two of them. Amberpaw simply did not condone leading other cats on, and she couldn't understand why her sister would do that when all of her siblings could see what kind of impact that had on another cat. Their mother was the best example of this; constantly heartbroken from one tom or another. As Amber looked expectantly over at the Dusk Syndicate territory, her mother remained in her mind. Did Stephanotis ever think about Feathersong? Amberpaw knew for sure that her mother thought about him, at least. She was always talking about him- constantly telling Amber that she must have gotten her hotheaded personality from Steph, or telling Timber that he was a natural leader 'just like their father'. Oh, yes, she thought about him constantly. Amber was positive Feathersong was still deeply in love with the tom- so maybe, just maybe, he was irreversibly in love with her too? Maybe, if she saw Steph, she would ask him. Though, thinking logically, Stephanotis would never just give a flat out answer. He'd probably skip around the question, or if he were to give an answer- it'd be a lie. He'd say he didn't care for her, when he really did. Amberpaw was positive he still loved Feathersong; he just had to. When a cat appeared seemingly out of nowhere, the young molly's eyes widened- even more so once she recognized the feline as her father. Amberpaw fought to keep herself from calling out to him- he didn't exactly look the way one would think a father would after seeing his kits after moons. No, he didn't even look remotely happy- and a part of her heart broke then and there. Did he not feel the same she did, incredibly happy at seeing her kin? Amber battled with her feelings to keep them unshown. If Steph was going to appear unmoved, then fine, she'd show no emotion either. "You don't seem too bothered by that," Amberpaw remarked boldly, cursing herself when a bitterness shone through her words. She wasn't good at hiding her anger, not at all, and whenever she was hurt anger was the strongest emotion that showed. An ear flicked at his question; at least he remembered that he had more kits than the two currently there. "Sunrisepaw, Vulturepaw and Duckpaw are back at camp," she explained crossly, putting emphasis on their names. Her siblings weren't just 'the other three', they were his kits and Steph should at least know their names. The ginger apprentice blinked slowly as she wondered if he even knew what her own name was. "And Feathersong is back at camp with them," she tacked on a moment later, venturing and searching for a reaction, which would most likely be none at all.

(Small bump @Constellation)