ThunderClan Territory

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by The Little Robin

“Ever since I was a young kitten, I’ve found rain to calm my nerves and help me relax in the darkest of times.” Autumnleaf murmured, her eyes trailing down to her reflection in the water and all she saw was the reflection of a cat that once had it all - a mate that loved her, kittens that looked up to her, parents that were proud of her, friends that adored her. The tom’s voice was somewhat calming to her ears, deep and soothing in a way that she could not describe. He wasn’t energetic or hyper like some cats that she’s met, he was quiet and it helped with her and the process of settling down from her small breakdown only moments ago. “It is always nice to go for a walk in the hunting grounds..” She said, a small pained smile on her maw as she lifted her head and gazed up at the trees that towered over them. Cold, light raindrops fell onto her face, but the warrior hardly flinched as she was used to the feeling from past walks out here. The small bobtail glanced over at the other warrior, who stepped closer to her and gazed into the clear pond before them. She looked to the water once more, the image of them on the surface occasionally rippled by the touch of a raindrop from above. The forest was quiet and it sent the she-cat into a deep sense of thought where time seemed to stop around her.

The long-furred warrior breathed in the familiar scents around her, from the smell of Thunderclan and the scents of faint animals trails to even the rain that poured down onto them in a steady, light rainfall. She brushed her paw over the soft, damp grass in front of her, thinking back to the days where things made more sense, but she shook her head a little, knowing that there was no purpose to think about that now. Autumnleaf looked down into the water again, blinking back at herself and in her mind, she seemed to ask herself so many questions that would never be answered, far from in a positive light for that matter. The warrior’s ear twitched to the male’s words, remembering again that she was not alone, which was a surprise and rare sight within itself. He was looking at her, she could see that now. The she-cat could only imagine what he thought - such a helpless, sad creature that she was. Autumnleaf slowly lifted her head to turn and look at him now, for once staying and meeting eye-contact with this fellow warrior. His words surprised her, in a way that you wouldn’t normally think. There was lifelong sorrow and pain within her gaze and the tom had looked long enough to see those sour emotions. “It seems that I’ve lost the sense of adventure and happiness in my eyes from my younger moons.” She remarked, almost turning away from him again, but deciding not to, “You are already different than most cats - you see the pain in others and not just ignore it like they do. I don’t know if I should commend you or feel sorry for you.” She didn’t know why she said such things, but they just flowed from her parted jaws like they always did when she was like this.

His next question, however, made her lower her head, close her eyes and give a small chuckle. “That’s one way to put it.” She simply said and turned her head back to the forest in front of them, her whiskers twitching ever so slightly. For a moment, the she-cat didn’t know what to say about the subject. She was surprised he had even asked, not offended in any way, but just surprised. Once again, she had to make a choice - did she tell him about her misfortune or did she just tell a simple tale of just her so-called friend’s Risingmoon and Swiftcry and call that the reason she was like this? The choice made her grow silent for a moment before she gave a small exhale of breath. “Much has happened to have this much pain and hurt in one’s gaze.” Autumnleaf said, looking at him once again, her ear flicking once. The golden-furred female felt bad for talking like this, but the words just happened and they often caused opportunities to fly out of reach. She lifted one paw and looked at the small paw pad for a moment, feeling weak and vulnerable around most cats - she was no strong, battle-scarred warrior. Sure, she had scars, but not from other clans in the heat of battle - more like, emotional scars on her heart and soul. “I’d tell you my story of sorrow, but what’s the use? You’ll either get bored or grow uncomfortable.” Her tone was cold and harsh for a moment and it wasn’t intention towards him, it was more towards herself and the others that all walked away. To be honest, she wouldn’t be surprised if she never saw him again after this moment that they both shared.

What was she doing out here? She even asked herself this question and the warrior knew that it could be several explanations for such actions like this one. It could be because she wanted to punish herself even more due to these mistakes that she’s made, putting her out in the cold and harsh world. Or maybe it was because rain calmed her and out here was when she knew that she could be alone to think and wallow in sorrows. Maybe she hoped that there would be someone out here that could take her away from this place or even perhaps she thought about just heading out of the forest to find a new home. There were many reasons that were possible to why she was out here, in the rain. Autumnleaf saw him stand up and she almost expected him to leave, but instead, the tom-cat just shook his fur that was soaked from the rain, small droplets of water hit her pelt from him, but she didn’t react to it. “It’s alright.” She simply commented, “Most cats in the clan don’t like water, we certainly aren’t water-lovers like Riverclan.” She mentioned and tilted her head slightly at him for a moment, smiling at his chuckle. “Perhaps I was meant to be in Riverclan this whole time.” She said with a lighthearted chuckle of her own. The she-cat heaved herself to her paws, stretching out her legs before turning to the tom. “Come with me.” Autumnleaf simply said, “I know a place where we can wait out the storm.” She trotted off in a direction, flicking her bobtail for him to follow. A few moments passed as they moved through the woods in silence before she halted in front of a tree that was tore in half, torn and battered in appearance.

“This tree was struck by lightning a long time ago, there’s a hollow in it here where we can take shelter.” She explained to him and parted some bushes that gathered around it, padding into a small hollowed space at the base of the tree and sat on her haunches, giving a small sigh as she went silence again for a moment or two before the warrior looked at him again. “My name’s Autumnleaf, by the way.” She said, blinking at the tom-cat and then turning her head to the rain that poured outside, her bobtail flicking back and forth as she did so.

“Ah, that's another way to think about the rain,” Stonestream was surprised at her voice. The way she spoke of the rain when most cats didn't like water. Except for Riverclan-- that clan had always confused him most times. It wasn't like Stonestream was scared of the water. He didn't like the rain, but this she cat spoke of the rain like it were the best thing ever. It slightly amused the tom. “As a comforting friend. I like to believe that the rain helps mask the pain others feel.” As in crying when it was raining. Hiding tears when it rain. Stonestream found himself crying constantly in the rain when it came to the love he lost. Sometimes he would purpose aimlessly walk while it was raining to clear his mind. The rain was an understanding friend, one that knew of your pain that others didn't think was anything wrong. Upon seeing this she cat, Stonestream knew it had to be something wrong with her. Well, not wrong. It wasn't like the she cat was doing anything out of place, but he was more concerned at the fact that she was out here in this rainstorm, that would no doubt turn into something severe in no time. Stonestream gave her a light smile, keeping his gaze on the pond to stare at his reflection. He looked at her own, before flicking his eyes upon himself, heaving a small sigh. “Eh, I was just trying to pass time. It seemed like the skies were agreeing with me.” He gave a gentle chuckle, blinking his orbs as he looked above at the sky-- or, at least tried to make out anything above, but since the skies were becoming darker and much more cloudy, he couldn't make out anything.

The stillness invited itself between them, and Stonestream sat there comfortably, his broad body drenched even though he shook himself to rid the water. Evidently, it didn't work as more rain poured upon him, so he gave up and waited until he would be in the Warriors den. He was waiting on a cue from the female next to him. What type of cat would he had been if he left her out here. Alone? Stonestream figured that she most likely could fend for herself, but the tom was keen on keeping her company. He knew a pained look when he seen one. Losing his mate brought him into a constant state of depression, so he understood where her pain was coming from. After all, what cat sits out in the rain...and, enjoys it? It was certainly a first to Stonestream. The ton knew he could be cuddled up into a ball, sleeping and dreaming of the daughters he had and the mate he loved without so much as a care in the world, but dreams only lasted so long. Everyday the tom would be disappointed to know it was a dream and the fact that they were still dead. Reality had dawned on him. He blinked slowly, upon hearing the words that came from her, Stonestream tilted his head for a moment, listening to her words as she spoke to him. She had been that way since her younger years. He allowed his eyes to slowly roam her pelt, judging that she wasn't that much younger than him. “You lost your happiness and sense of adventure at the same time?” The tom echoed. “That don't sound too good being used in the same sentence, if I'm being honest.” His voice was deep, lowering it just so she could hear him. Stonestream had been quite the adventurous tom himself, loving the different things that Leopardcloud participated in when it came to him. It had been the happiest moments of his life, but even those times ended because everything ended at some point. But Stonestream was one of those toms that liked to fight the limitations. He didn't like to be bounded by boundaries. Leopardcloud would had called the tom as headstrong as a badger, and possibly he would had purred to agreeing with that. “Oh, it's a gift.” He purred, chuckling. “It's a lot easier to see when you had been through it. And, though I don't want to assume or judge you or anything… I can tell you have been through it. A lot of it, in fact.” Stonestream bowed his head for a moment towards her. He didn't know what she went through, but he knew it was a pain that she was hiding within herself. It was growing bigger by the day, eating her up on the inside while no one was watching her.

Truthfully, Stonestream had seen her around before. They were warriors of Thunderclan. They were in the nursery together as kits, albeit didn't know each other or cared for one another. They were apprentices training together, but had their own friends and associates that they talked to-- still not really acknowledging each other. Though he figured he became a warrior before her-- she was still there. Through it all as he had been, and not he was talking to her? And, he didn't even know her name. Stonestream would had felt stupid, but in fact, it made him feel genuinely light inside. He couldn't fathom the feeling correctly, but something was there that made him, well, needed to say the least. At her words, as depressing as they were, the tom gave the bobtail a small smile, hoping to crack some type of positivity out of her. “Aw, don't be such a downer.” He flicked his tail, gazing at her with his muddy green gaze. “Our toughest moments makes us the strongest. And, I know you are stronger than the sadness that is bending you. Don't allow it to break you.” Oh, he knew much about sadness. He knew much about how it could shape, morph another feline with its antagonistic ways. It ate them up, leaving them as an empty shell that had been starving in the first place. He didn't know much about this she cat, and he figured she hadn't learned to leave the past in the behind. It made many bitter just thinking about it because it was out of their possession to grasp and change. He wondered if that's what this she cat wanted to do, but he shrugged off the thought.

He watched as she stared at her paw pad, her expression numb. Stonestream gazed at her solemnly, letting out a soft sigh. Something was extremely eating her up. He noticed it in her frail bones. Her skinny appearance. She seemed to not be eating, and was instead feeding the sadness that laid within her heart. She looked all fur and bones, and it made Stonestream uncomfortable for a moment. It had been the opposite when it came to him. All he did was feed his depression after the loss of his mate, putting on more pounds than he intended to. He had always been a much stockier tom, and only grew well muscled as the moons went on. He exercised most of that sadness off, and he hoped to stuff the sadness within this she cat so she could be a much healthier weight. “Oh? I love stories.” Stonestream purred, deeply. He ignored the fact that she thought he would feel uncomfortable or he would leave. The contrary, Stonestream was extremely curious as to what happened to make her a shell in a body she once knew. Every depression had a story of sadness behind it, whether or not it made him uncomfortable, Stonestream figured he would stick around. “It's no harm in trying.” He smiled towards her, hoping it would at least put some emotion of kindness within her. Not that she wasn't kind. Much more down than anything, and he understood that.

The only thing that had been making the tom uncomfortable was the water. It was raining, soaking his pelt. His fur clung to his skin, but he tried his hardest to stay with the female. He didn't want to leave her for the desperation of warmth. She was a clan mate, and Stonestream was loyal to his clan mates. “Tell me about it,” Stonestream boomed a laughter upon her comment about Riverclan. The water was good to drink, but swimming in it was a no mark for Stonestream. “Riverclan, eh? I suppose you like eating fish too, hm?” He teased, a purr rumbling in his throat. He found her to be nice company, and definitely worth the fact that he was drenched in the rain. He jumped up when she suggested they got somewhere much warmer. That she knew a place. It was good that she knew a place. Stonestream wasted no time in following her, trying to keep up with her steps within the heavy rain. He blinked his eyes in the downpour, but continued once more as he managed to keep up with her despite the pouring.

As they reached a much warmer place--a hollow within a tree, Stonestream allowed her to hop into the small place first, being the gentlemen that he was. Then he quickly shook himself like a dog before stepping into the hollow himself. He was able to make himself comfortable, taking a few ganders at his pelt to dry himself off. “That storm is gonna become horrible.” He rolled his eyes, albeit a small smirk was along his maw. “How long do you think we would have to wait in here?” He asked her, then looked back out as the rain continued to poor. He imagined that Riverclan cats must be having the time of their life in this weather. “So, Autumnleaf, you say?” He booms, bringing his attention back to the crestfallen she cat. “I'm Stonestream. It's a pleasure to become your acquaintance.” He gave a slight bow of his head, keeping his eyes upon her with a delicate-- yet, charming smile.

[Captain]

Originally Posted by Constellation

“Ah, that's another way to think about the rain,” Stonestream was surprised at her voice. The way she spoke of the rain when most cats didn't like water. Except for Riverclan-- that clan had always confused him most times. It wasn't like Stonestream was scared of the water. He didn't like the rain, but this she cat spoke of the rain like it were the best thing ever. It slightly amused the tom. “As a comforting friend. I like to believe that the rain helps mask the pain others feel.” As in crying when it was raining. Hiding tears when it rain. Stonestream found himself crying constantly in the rain when it came to the love he lost. Sometimes he would purpose aimlessly walk while it was raining to clear his mind. The rain was an understanding friend, one that knew of your pain that others didn't think was anything wrong. Upon seeing this she cat, Stonestream knew it had to be something wrong with her. Well, not wrong. It wasn't like the she cat was doing anything out of place, but he was more concerned at the fact that she was out here in this rainstorm, that would no doubt turn into something severe in no time. Stonestream gave her a light smile, keeping his gaze on the pond to stare at his reflection. He looked at her own, before flicking his eyes upon himself, heaving a small sigh. “Eh, I was just trying to pass time. It seemed like the skies were agreeing with me.” He gave a gentle chuckle, blinking his orbs as he looked above at the sky-- or, at least tried to make out anything above, but since the skies were becoming darker and much more cloudy, he couldn't make out anything.

The stillness invited itself between them, and Stonestream sat there comfortably, his broad body drenched even though he shook himself to rid the water. Evidently, it didn't work as more rain poured upon him, so he gave up and waited until he would be in the Warriors den. He was waiting on a cue from the female next to him. What type of cat would he had been if he left her out here. Alone? Stonestream figured that she most likely could fend for herself, but the tom was keen on keeping her company. He knew a pained look when he seen one. Losing his mate brought him into a constant state of depression, so he understood where her pain was coming from. After all, what cat sits out in the rain...and, enjoys it? It was certainly a first to Stonestream. The ton knew he could be cuddled up into a ball, sleeping and dreaming of the daughters he had and the mate he loved without so much as a care in the world, but dreams only lasted so long. Everyday the tom would be disappointed to know it was a dream and the fact that they were still dead. Reality had dawned on him. He blinked slowly, upon hearing the words that came from her, Stonestream tilted his head for a moment, listening to her words as she spoke to him. She had been that way since her younger years. He allowed his eyes to slowly roam her pelt, judging that she wasn't that much younger than him. “You lost your happiness and sense of adventure at the same time?” The tom echoed. “That don't sound too good being used in the same sentence, if I'm being honest.” His voice was deep, lowering it just so she could hear him. Stonestream had been quite the adventurous tom himself, loving the different things that Leopardcloud participated in when it came to him. It had been the happiest moments of his life, but even those times ended because everything ended at some point. But Stonestream was one of those toms that liked to fight the limitations. He didn't like to be bounded by boundaries. Leopardcloud would had called the tom as headstrong as a badger, and possibly he would had purred to agreeing with that. “Oh, it's a gift.” He purred, chuckling. “It's a lot easier to see when you had been through it. And, though I don't want to assume or judge you or anything… I can tell you have been through it. A lot of it, in fact.” Stonestream bowed his head for a moment towards her. He didn't know what she went through, but he knew it was a pain that she was hiding within herself. It was growing bigger by the day, eating her up on the inside while no one was watching her.

Truthfully, Stonestream had seen her around before. They were warriors of Thunderclan. They were in the nursery together as kits, albeit didn't know each other or cared for one another. They were apprentices training together, but had their own friends and associates that they talked to-- still not really acknowledging each other. Though he figured he became a warrior before her-- she was still there. Through it all as he had been, and not he was talking to her? And, he didn't even know her name. Stonestream would had felt stupid, but in fact, it made him feel genuinely light inside. He couldn't fathom the feeling correctly, but something was there that made him, well, needed to say the least. At her words, as depressing as they were, the tom gave the bobtail a small smile, hoping to crack some type of positivity out of her. “Aw, don't be such a downer.” He flicked his tail, gazing at her with his muddy green gaze. “Our toughest moments makes us the strongest. And, I know you are stronger than the sadness that is bending you. Don't allow it to break you.” Oh, he knew much about sadness. He knew much about how it could shape, morph another feline with its antagonistic ways. It ate them up, leaving them as an empty shell that had been starving in the first place. He didn't know much about this she cat, and he figured she hadn't learned to leave the past in the behind. It made many bitter just thinking about it because it was out of their possession to grasp and change. He wondered if that's what this she cat wanted to do, but he shrugged off the thought.

He watched as she stared at her paw pad, her expression numb. Stonestream gazed at her solemnly, letting out a soft sigh. Something was extremely eating her up. He noticed it in her frail bones. Her skinny appearance. She seemed to not be eating, and was instead feeding the sadness that laid within her heart. She looked all fur and bones, and it made Stonestream uncomfortable for a moment. It had been the opposite when it came to him. All he did was feed his depression after the loss of his mate, putting on more pounds than he intended to. He had always been a much stockier tom, and only grew well muscled as the moons went on. He exercised most of that sadness off, and he hoped to stuff the sadness within this she cat so she could be a much healthier weight. “Oh? I love stories.” Stonestream purred, deeply. He ignored the fact that she thought he would feel uncomfortable or he would leave. The contrary, Stonestream was extremely curious as to what happened to make her a shell in a body she once knew. Every depression had a story of sadness behind it, whether or not it made him uncomfortable, Stonestream figured he would stick around. “It's no harm in trying.” He smiled towards her, hoping it would at least put some emotion of kindness within her. Not that she wasn't kind. Much more down than anything, and he understood that.

The only thing that had been making the tom uncomfortable was the water. It was raining, soaking his pelt. His fur clung to his skin, but he tried his hardest to stay with the female. He didn't want to leave her for the desperation of warmth. She was a clan mate, and Stonestream was loyal to his clan mates. “Tell me about it,” Stonestream boomed a laughter upon her comment about Riverclan. The water was good to drink, but swimming in it was a no mark for Stonestream. “Riverclan, eh? I suppose you like eating fish too, hm?” He teased, a purr rumbling in his throat. He found her to be nice company, and definitely worth the fact that he was drenched in the rain. He jumped up when she suggested they got somewhere much warmer. That she knew a place. It was good that she knew a place. Stonestream wasted no time in following her, trying to keep up with her steps within the heavy rain. He blinked his eyes in the downpour, but continued once more as he managed to keep up with her despite the pouring.

As they reached a much warmer place--a hollow within a tree, Stonestream allowed her to hop into the small place first, being the gentlemen that he was. Then he quickly shook himself like a dog before stepping into the hollow himself. He was able to make himself comfortable, taking a few ganders at his pelt to dry himself off. “That storm is gonna become horrible.” He rolled his eyes, albeit a small smirk was along his maw. “How long do you think we would have to wait in here?” He asked her, then looked back out as the rain continued to poor. He imagined that Riverclan cats must be having the time of their life in this weather. “So, Autumnleaf, you say?” He booms, bringing his attention back to the crestfallen she cat. “I'm Stonestream. It's a pleasure to become your acquaintance.” He gave a slight bow of his head, keeping his eyes upon her with a delicate-- yet, charming smile.

It gave her slight comfort that he didn’t really say anything rude about her thoughts about rain, being what they called a ‘pluviophile’ ever since she could see. However, his words about the storm masking the pain of others made her feel like maybe, just maybe, that he understood this more than she had previously assumed. She lifted her head and looked at him for a moment, her whiskers twitching in silence. The long-furred warrior said nothing to him though and turned back to the water, watching as raindrops caused slight ripples in the reflection of their forms. Autumnleaf knew that many cats didn’t think like her, most claimed her to be unstable and strange in various sorts. She could see him look at her reflection in the water now and then, making her wonder what he was thinking - what did he think of her? That was what the american bobtail always thought when she was with someone. What did they think of her? It had always been something important to the female, knowing that others weren’t uneasy and uncomfortable. When they were, however, especially because of her, it was the worst feeling in the world in her eyes - one of them, at least. Her eyes flickered over to him when he spoke once more and she gave a curt nod about passing time. It made her question her own motives of coming out here once again, why didn’t she just sleep the day away in the den like others do? Autumnleaf felt like she knew the answer, but it never truly came to her in the right time.

There was a comforting, almost soothing silence between them were they just sat there and stared at the water. She was used to being alone when she was like this and it was a rare feeling that she hardly knew now, the sense of having someone by her side. How long had it been since she knew the true comfort of someone being there for her? How many moons had passed where she just sat here or hunted for the clan? How many missed opportunities had gone by in the span of time where she had been grieving over her past and the memories that lurked there in the dark? Autumnleaf closed her eyes for a moment and just for a moment, she could hear the beat of her own heart, thumping quietly away in her chest. She knew, deep down, that the way that she was handling this was wrong - pathetic, even. But did she do anything about it? No. And she wondered if she would never be the cat she once was. The thought itself, the memory of her youth where she wasn’t this way, it almost made tears form in her eyes. Although, she refused to cry in front of others, all the ones that she cried in front of found her uncomfortable to be around. The tom-cat’s sudden reply made her ears perk and she looked at him for a quiet moment before giving a small, almost sarcastic, huff. “It isn’t good to lose those things at the same time.” She agreed with him, knowing that things could be worse, but they definitely could be better right now. He was honest, that was what she picked up from his personality, but she wondered if he would go too far with it or not - some did, others did not. She listened to him in silence as he explained his thoughts about her going through a lot and not judging or assuming anything about her. “I would say that I’ve been through a lot, but if I do, I’ll be deemed as selfish because others have gone through worse situations than I have.” Autumnleaf murmured, solemnly shaking her head.

Autumnleaf gave a lightened inhale of breath and closed her eyes once more, growing used to having him here now with the light raindrops that fell onto their fur from the sky above them. The american bobtail gave a small yawn and stretched out her paws, her body feeling slightly stiff from sitting in one place for such a long period of time. His words, however, made her freeze in her actions and her eyes opened, looking at him for a moment. She shouldn’t be so surprised that someone would call her that again, though it struck a nerve somewhere deep within in. Though, she did not show it nor did she put much thought into such - he knew nothing of her past and what would bring up bad memories to her. Autumnleaf was certain that this tom meant only good fun and help her, which was rare in itself. “You are right.” The long-furred warrior murmured, but looked at him once more with a dull, almost irritated expression, “Though, I am not broken - not yet. If I was, I would not be here any longer.” As the words left her parted jaws, she almost immediately said sorry because, well, dark talk such as hers made others extremely uncomfortable. Multiple times throughout this, she considered getting up and walking away - hating to depress other cats and make them feel awkward, trapped even in a sense that only she knew.

“Perhaps then I will tell you my story if you would wish to hear it.” She simply said when hearing him claim that he loved stories, “It is your choice whether or not that you want to know about why I was the way that I am.” The warrior gave a small yawn once again, feeling just a little bit tired at the moment, but she refused to sleep now. From his rumbling purrs to the deep chuckles that this other warrior gave, Autumnleaf couldn’t help but wonder what he hoped to gain by being here with her - certainly not to just help her, I mean, who would do such a thing? All the cats that she knew only stuck around because they pitied the weak, sad thing that was Autumnleaf of Thunderclan. She looked at him, again, when he said that there was no harm in doing this, giving her a small smile that confused her to a point that she didn’t know what to believe. This had to be a joke, right? Cats didn’t care about her, neither did they wish to truly help or hear her out. It all made her think too much about this and the warrior didn’t know what to believe about the world that she grew up in anymore. “No, I suppose there isn’t.” Autumnleaf mentioned, her bobtail twitching back and forth.

Even with her long, thick fur, the she-cat could start feeling rather cold and a small shiver ran of her spine from the cold raindrops and harsh winds that came with this storm. It always took awhile for her to have a true reaction to such things like this. She could tell that her companion was feeling the unforgiving cold too and the warrior felt bad, feeling like she was guilt-tripping him in staying here where he could freeze. A small huff of amusement escaped her at his words and a small, half smile even crept to her maw. She eyed him with a raise of an eyebrow when he spoke again, this time with a teasing tone in his speaking. “I’m not sure - never tried one.” Autumnleaf said, replying to the tom about the mention of fish with a small teasing smirk of her own. She found it amusing at his excitement and bounding attitude when she suggested the spot that they could go to for warmth and comfort. She only wished pain on few cats and he was surely not one of them, hating to see this warrior out in the unforgiving rainstorm.

“I’m honestly not surprised - the weather has been quite bad for the past moon or so.” The warrior murmured as they both settled in the hollow of the tree that was burned and scarred by a lightning strike from long ago. His question about how long they would be here was unsure to her, knowing that even if the storm ended that she was in no rush to return to camp. “I’m not sure.” She answered, honestly, “It depends on how rough this storm is going to be when it fully shifts over the forest.” Autumnleaf breathed in the scent of ash and inbound rain that made the she-cat relax and even let a slight purr rumble in the base of her throat. She glanced at him when he said her name and she nodded to the tom-cat, confirming such. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.” She replied, dipping her head to the tom that she now knew as Stonestream, before turning her head and looking out at the storm in silence for a few moments. The long-furred warrior thought about something for a long while before giving another sigh. “Earlier, you told me that you loved stories - I could tell you one, if you wish.” The she-cat offered, not looking at him when she said this, but sounding serious in tone.

[AbsurdJinx]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

[/CENTER]

Amberflame had already guessed that Minkpaw was likely not to think of her training in a real situation - that was difficult to do, naturally you should do whatever came first. Whether that be run, hide, or fight. Some cats froze. Amberflame hated it when that happened, seeing them just staring as though they were looking at nothing. She glanced down at her young apprentice, seeing them scramble upwards. "Okay. I tell you what, we'll try this once more and then be done for the day." You might not be ready, but I am. We've done quite a bit today anyways. A little hunting, the borders, and now fighting. She didn't want to completely wear them out for tomorrow. Her plan? First the two would go over what they had learned that day... too bad they couldn't answer questions. It would make Amberflame's job easier. It seemed she would just have to teach through trial and error, and as for review... she guessed she could just jump right in and hope they remembered. "Ready?" She asked, crouching down into a fighting stance and trying to find Minkpaw's more vulnerable areas.

Minkpaw could answer `yes` and `no` questions. They always focused really hard when it came to yes or no questions - except for understand?, they despised that question. And anything Amberflame asked... they didn't listen to Amberflame. So maybe questions in general asked by Amberflame weren't exactly good ideas. Minkpaw frowned after learning they'd only get one more chance before the session ended. They had been having fun! They were excited for tomorrow, though, and whatever their mentor had in store. Perhaps tomorrow Minkpaw would be much calmer, more like themselves, due to the fact that they won't be as excited about being an apprentice. Minkpaw, lost in thought, heard words fall from Amberflame's mouth, and they automatically began to nod. They dropped into a playful position, far different from Amberflame's fighting crouch. Their tail waved joyfully and wildly behind them, and their eyes were darting everywhere in excitement. They nearly bounded away from Amberflame to investigate a dancing flower.

[lone]

Originally Posted by AbsurdJinx

Minkpaw could answer `yes` and `no` questions. They always focused really hard when it came to yes or no questions - except for understand?, they despised that question. And anything Amberflame asked... they didn't listen to Amberflame. So maybe questions in general asked by Amberflame weren't exactly good ideas. Minkpaw frowned after learning they'd only get one more chance before the session ended. They had been having fun! They were excited for tomorrow, though, and whatever their mentor had in store. Perhaps tomorrow Minkpaw would be much calmer, more like themselves, due to the fact that they won't be as excited about being an apprentice. Minkpaw, lost in thought, heard words fall from Amberflame's mouth, and they automatically began to nod. They dropped into a playful position, far different from Amberflame's fighting crouch. Their tail waved joyfully and wildly behind them, and their eyes were darting everywhere in excitement. They nearly bounded away from Amberflame to investigate a dancing flower.

The one thing Amberflame had done more this session then any other time since she had become a warrior, possibly in her life, was roll her eyes. Either inwardly or visibly. And she had been annoyed for quite a while. If only Minkpaw realized how much they were bothering their somewhat short tempered, not exactly pleasant mentor. Maybe then they would calm down some and just give the multicolored, pretty warrior some space. "Okay. Minkpaw, fix your crouch before we start." The warrior demonstrated her own fighting crouch again, hoping that they would catch on. If they didn't? It would be something to work on later. There wasn't really a need to punish them for something they didn't understand. So, Amberflame would be nice. A moment of hesitation before she added - "Please?" Something new. Something different. Something that seemed to show even such a logical mind as Amberflame's could soften... like the sun warming ice. Annoyance showed in her hues when Minkpaw nearly bounded away - could they concentrate for five seconds? Yes, the warrior might be harsh, but she had experienced things that she didn't want her young apprentice to go through. And so? Everything Amberflame did, she was hoping that it would be for Minkpaw's own good sometime in their future. Though, at the rate things were going... she doubted it.

[AbsurdJinx]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

The one thing Amberflame had done more this session then any other time since she had become a warrior, possibly in her life, was roll her eyes. Either inwardly or visibly. And she had been annoyed for quite a while. If only Minkpaw realized how much they were bothering their somewhat short tempered, not exactly pleasant mentor. Maybe then they would calm down some and just give the multicolored, pretty warrior some space. "Okay. Minkpaw, fix your crouch before we start." The warrior demonstrated her own fighting crouch again, hoping that they would catch on. If they didn't? It would be something to work on later. There wasn't really a need to punish them for something they didn't understand. So, Amberflame would be nice. A moment of hesitation before she added - "Please?" Something new. Something different. Something that seemed to show even such a logical mind as Amberflame's could soften... like the sun warming ice. Annoyance showed in her hues when Minkpaw nearly bounded away - could they concentrate for five seconds? Yes, the warrior might be harsh, but she had experienced things that she didn't want her young apprentice to go through. And so? Everything Amberflame did, she was hoping that it would be for Minkpaw's own good sometime in their future. Though, at the rate things were going... she doubted it.

Minkpaw displayed shock when Amberflame kindly asked them to improve their position. Their eyes widened and their jaw dropped in disbelief, their waving tail slowing to a halt. They could only stare at Amberflame as they struggled to understand what had just happened. And then they noticed the irritation in their mentor's eyes, and realized she was only being polite to get Minkpaw to do what she wanted. They decided that since Amberflame set her pride aside to use her manners, the least they could do was obey. Minkpaw, their shocked features morphing into determined ones, did their best to copy Amberflame's fighting stance. Once they decided they had done their best in creating a clone of the position, they stilled as to signal to their mentor that they were prepared. Their eyes were narrowed with determination, and for once they were ready to be serious.

[lone]

Originally Posted by AbsurdJinx

Minkpaw displayed shock when Amberflame kindly asked them to improve their position. Their eyes widened and their jaw dropped in disbelief, their waving tail slowing to a halt. They could only stare at Amberflame as they struggled to understand what had just happened. And then they noticed the irritation in their mentor's eyes, and realized she was only being polite to get Minkpaw to do what she wanted. They decided that since Amberflame set her pride aside to use her manners, the least they could do was obey. Minkpaw, their shocked features morphing into determined ones, did their best to copy Amberflame's fighting stance. Once they decided they had done their best in creating a clone of the position, they stilled as to signal to their mentor that they were prepared. Their eyes were narrowed with determination, and for once they were ready to be serious.

A half-smile, half-smirk settled on Amberflame's features as her apprentice did just as she had asked. It wasn't perfect - it was their first day, after all - but they had at least listened to instruction instead of being playful as normal. "Good, Minkpaw! Now - block my attack." The praise had lasted only a few short minutes, but it was pure and unfiltered praise... which was the best kind. And with her instructions, Amberflame leapt at the smaller cat. She was hoping they would remember how to block her from last time as she aimed (once more) to pin Minkpaw's haunches to the ground. This was an attack that, honestly, was useful for anyone. After all, without the power to spring fowards in battle, what could a cat really do? Not much. Amberflame had noticed WindClanners doing this, another popular technique for them seemed to be dodge in, leave a blow, dodge out. Cowards. But even so, Amberflame would practice this one until Minkpaw was able to see it coming, before she moved on. Or - perhaps tomorrow she would work on some new things with them. After all, a cat needed multiple techniques - and especially one as expected to get in trouble as they were. Amberflame knew that her young apprentice was bound to get into trouble, it was only a matter of time - and she was not looking fowards to the frustrating and humiliating experience and talk afterwards.

[lone]

Bright blue eyes were alert and friendly as Winterstorm padded through the territory. There was always some sort of a spring in her step - whether it was excitement or habit that caused it, however, was unknown. The white feline took a look at the territory around her - right now it was beautiful. Green-leaf had always been one of the she cat's favorite times of year, despite the heat. That and leaf-bare - with her white pelt, she almost blended right into the snow and was able to play tricks on quite a few cats. Her eyes sparkled and snapped with excitement as she headed towards a part of the territory that was perfect for pulling one of her favorite pranks - well, it might not be the funniest, but it was entertaining.

There were loose branches that snapped back quite easily, and one of Winterstorm's favorite things to do was to pull a branch back, hide in the shrubbery around it, and let go when there was a cat coming - generally resulting in that branch whipping fowards with such force it would lash them in the face, or the chest, or somewhere else. The funniest part was that they had no idea it was her. No idea anyone was watching. It was also a good place if she wanted a laugh about someone tripping over a root. Oh, no worries - they were never hurt. But it was still funny and caused the white feline no end of amusement, if she were being honest.

She carefully took hold of one of the branches, pulled it back, and sat in the bushes with the branch in between her teeth. It tasted odd, but that was okay! Winterstorm had never been one to pull back because of a weird taste, or minor problems like that. You had to be careful when you were around her - it was difficult to know when she was being serious, and when she was winding up for a prank to happen.

@Random Melchester

[Random Melody]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

Bright blue eyes were alert and friendly as Winterstorm padded through the territory. There was always some sort of a spring in her step - whether it was excitement or habit that caused it, however, was unknown. The white feline took a look at the territory around her - right now it was beautiful. Green-leaf had always been one of the she cat's favorite times of year, despite the heat. That and leaf-bare - with her white pelt, she almost blended right into the snow and was able to play tricks on quite a few cats. Her eyes sparkled and snapped with excitement as she headed towards a part of the territory that was perfect for pulling one of her favorite pranks - well, it might not be the funniest, but it was entertaining.

There were loose branches that snapped back quite easily, and one of Winterstorm's favorite things to do was to pull a branch back, hide in the shrubbery around it, and let go when there was a cat coming - generally resulting in that branch whipping fowards with such force it would lash them in the face, or the chest, or somewhere else. The funniest part was that they had no idea it was her. No idea anyone was watching. It was also a good place if she wanted a laugh about someone tripping over a root. Oh, no worries - they were never hurt. But it was still funny and caused the white feline no end of amusement, if she were being honest.

She carefully took hold of one of the branches, pulled it back, and sat in the bushes with the branch in between her teeth. It tasted odd, but that was okay! Winterstorm had never been one to pull back because of a weird taste, or minor problems like that. You had to be careful when you were around her - it was difficult to know when she was being serious, and when she was winding up for a prank to happen.

@Random Melchester

Foxthorn, unfortunate for him, was padding through the territory, weaving around trees and jumping over small branches. The Tom was snickering softly to himself, glancing back over his shoulder occasionally as he picked his ears, listening to Roarclaw's whining shouts that he was going to kill him dead the next time he could. Foxthorn laughed to himself as he left his brother behind, turning back to continue walking with a spring in his step.

Gosh, pranking was so fun! Especially on your siblings. Oh, Roarclaw never saw it coming, and Foxthorn was left wondering how long it would take to wash out the new blue color in his fur, thanks to his little blueberry trick. Foxthorn loved wrapping one part of a vine around one tree, and then wrapping the other end around another. Then, grab a leaf filled with berries, put it on the vine, pull the vine back and let go at just the right moment and- BOOM! Some unlucky cat got splotches of red, purple or blue all over their fur. Foxthorn liked the combination of all three, honestly.

With a smirk, the unsuspecting Tom was heading toward the part of the trees where Winterstorm was hiding, unbeknownst to him. Foxthorn was too busy basking in his pleasure and amusement, not to mention his glory. He'd always thought of himself as the master pranker, whenever his sister wasnt around, at least, because Splashheart would destroy him in a prank battle. Still, Foxthorn was pretty good at pranking, himself. And now was he walked, still grinning to himself, he was wondering what his next prank would be.

[lone]

Originally Posted by Random Melchester

Foxthorn, unfortunate for him, was padding through the territory, weaving around trees and jumping over small branches. The Tom was snickering softly to himself, glancing back over his shoulder occasionally as he picked his ears, listening to Roarclaw's whining shouts that he was going to kill him dead the next time he could. Foxthorn laughed to himself as he left his brother behind, turning back to continue walking with a spring in his step.

Gosh, pranking was so fun! Especially on your siblings. Oh, Roarclaw never saw it coming, and Foxthorn was left wondering how long it would take to wash out the new blue color in his fur, thanks to his little blueberry trick. Foxthorn loved wrapping one part of a vine around one tree, and then wrapping the other end around another. Then, grab a leaf filled with berries, put it on the vine, pull the vine back and let go at just the right moment and- BOOM! Some unlucky cat got splotches of red, purple or blue all over their fur. Foxthorn liked the combination of all three, honestly.

With a smirk, the unsuspecting Tom was heading toward the part of the trees where Winterstorm was hiding, unbeknownst to him. Foxthorn was too busy basking in his pleasure and amusement, not to mention his glory. He'd always thought of himself as the master pranker, whenever his sister wasnt around, at least, because Splashheart would destroy him in a prank battle. Still, Foxthorn was pretty good at pranking, himself. And now was he walked, still grinning to himself, he was wondering what his next prank would be.

Pawsteps drew the white feline's attention to an approaching cat. Foxthorn - though at this moment she didn't know that. Her entire focus was on waiting, waiting for him to get close enough so she could let go... a smile played on her lips, though she didn't dare let it grow too wide for fear that she wouldn't be able to keep her hold on the branch. Time seemed to pass in days before Foxthorn was close enough for her to let go... and once she did, she let it snap. Quickly. Now, Winterstorm wasn't usually clumsy, but this time the force of the snapping branch being released had sent her stumbling backwards and into a thicket.

Great. She was barely able to see the branch speeding along toward it's target now! This wasn't going to be anywhere near as good as it would be if she were closer. Why'd she have to be so clumsy this time? Annoyance showed in her blue eyes as she tried to release herself as quietly as possible - biting back a muffled yowl as she felt something pick her. "Ow," she muttered under her breath, giving a soft huff as she gave up in frustration. Oh well. Maybe the other cat would come to her aid - though she didn't want to draw his attention yet. She could barely see glimpses of fur and part of his facial expressions through the trees, and her blue eyes snapped as she awaited the impact that was sure to come within a few seconds.

All of this had happened in a moment - her stumbling backwards, that was. And now she was going to have to wait for her hard work to pay off. Sometimes her tricks got her in trouble, so this was nothing new, although it was certainly irritating. Too bad she didn't have a companion with her at the moment who could get her out of trouble faster then anything else. That would be a handy thing to have, though Winterstorm did realize she might not have the fun of getting caught... which, while she partly hated it, gave her a thrill all the same.

[Random Melody]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

Pawsteps drew the white feline's attention to an approaching cat. Foxthorn - though at this moment she didn't know that. Her entire focus was on waiting, waiting for him to get close enough so she could let go... a smile played on her lips, though she didn't dare let it grow too wide for fear that she wouldn't be able to keep her hold on the branch. Time seemed to pass in days before Foxthorn was close enough for her to let go... and once she did, she let it snap. Quickly. Now, Winterstorm wasn't usually clumsy, but this time the force of the snapping branch being released had sent her stumbling backwards and into a thicket.

Great. She was barely able to see the branch speeding along toward it's target now! This wasn't going to be anywhere near as good as it would be if she were closer. Why'd she have to be so clumsy this time? Annoyance showed in her blue eyes as she tried to release herself as quietly as possible - biting back a muffled yowl as she felt something pick her. "Ow," she muttered under her breath, giving a soft huff as she gave up in frustration. Oh well. Maybe the other cat would come to her aid - though she didn't want to draw his attention yet. She could barely see glimpses of fur and part of his facial expressions through the trees, and her blue eyes snapped as she awaited the impact that was sure to come within a few seconds.

All of this had happened in a moment - her stumbling backwards, that was. And now she was going to have to wait for her hard work to pay off. Sometimes her tricks got her in trouble, so this was nothing new, although it was certainly irritating. Too bad she didn't have a companion with her at the moment who could get her out of trouble faster then anything else. That would be a handy thing to have, though Winterstorm did realize she might not have the fun of getting caught... which, while she partly hated it, gave her a thrill all the same.

Foxthorn was still mentally praising himself for his latest prank, so caught up that he didnt even hear the whish of air. He did however see something fly toward him, and his head snapped up just in time to see a branch flying right at his face. Foxthorn let out a small squeak of surprise, and before he had time to even think about trying to dodge, the branch hit him right in the face, causing the Somali Tom to stagger back in surprise.

It hurt, no doubt about that, but Foxthorn was too surprised at the moment to think about the stinging, throbbing feeling across his muzzle. He did reach up a paw to rub his nose, praying it wasnt broken. It took a moment for him to be able to smell anything, honestly, but when he did he caught a whiff of a familiar scent. The Tom shook his head, dazed, before ducking under the still-swinging branch to come forward, looking around with wide green eyes, fur bristling faintly.

When he did finally catch sight of Winterstorm, she was... Stuck in a thorn bush? Foxthorn blinked for a moment, wondering if his mind was playing tricks. He had just gotten whacked with a branch after all, which, by the way, still stung. It took a few seconds, but Foxthorn was finally able to speak, sounding confused. "What the heck just happened?" At this point, he wasnt sure whether she had done this or not. Maybe someone else had pranked both of them, by hitting Foxthorn with a branch and then shoving Winterstorm into a thorn bush. Foxthorn shook his head again, trying to clear his head, which was starting to hurt a little. And his ears were ringing. Trees..