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Post by xx. Fallen .xx on Sept 16, 2009 20:47:48 GMT -5
Fallingstar shook her head, thoughts buzzing through them endlessly. She got up, stretching her stiff legs. Apprentices to be named, assessments to be made, hunting patrols, border patrols, fox on the territory. she listed. There was more, she knew, with Leaffall deepening, greencough starting, and prey running lower. Leading a clan wasn't easy. Trotting out of her den before another warrior could inform her of something else gone wrong, Fallingstar glanced around camp and headed for the entrance. "Just a walk, maybe some hunting." the leader informed the guard briskly, who nodded and waved his tail in temporary farewell.
Dim sunlight filtered through the leaves of the thin canopy above her, striking down brightly on patches where no bushes or trees grew. A grey cloud passed over the sun, throwing the territory into semi-darkness. Sighing, Fallingstar's mind wasn't really on her surroundings, her paws sloshing carelessly through puddles from the previous night's rain. The cream-colored she-cat wandered aimlessly, before long finding that her mud-covered paws were taking her to the Great River. The edges of the water were tinted green, below them the drowned forms of grasses and reeds that once lined the edge of the riverbank. The rain had swollen the river, it's water rushing downstream in torrents faster than usual. Dimly, Fallingstar spotted a watervole scuttling between some reeds that had survived the mini-flood, and dropped instinctively into a hunter's crouch. Creeping forward, the she-cat delicately placed one paw in front of another, trying to rid her mind of other thoughts and for once, concentrate on something simple, like hunting. Fallingstar pounced. Muddy water splashed everywhere as she landed, her prey sodden and dirty before it was even dead for a heartbeat. Mildly disgusted with the mess she was in and the condition of the fresh-kill, Fallingstar stepped towards the edge of the river in hopes of washing some of it off. She waded through water, stepping on half-flooded land to get to a place where the water looked clearer. I wonder how long this prey will last, before it leaves for it's den. This one's pretty plump, so maybe it'll last a little longer than -- A loud yowl of surprise cut her thought rudely in two, and Fallingstar was hit by a wave of water before she registered that it was her own. One mis-step, on a patch of green that looked alike to all the rest she was walking on, but actually just grass and nothing underneath. The watervole was blown out of the OceanClan leader's jaws by another, huge wave, pushing the she-cat under. Fallingstar churned her front paws, pushing herself up for air. Foxdung, the shore! she managed to think as a brief glimpse above water revealed that she had already been swept halfway to the LeafClan edge of the river. But she only had time to gulp in a little bit of precious air before another stunning wall of water brought her under again.
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Post by Phoenix on Sept 17, 2009 5:52:07 GMT -5
Cougarblaze [/color][/center] When you've lost so many
Is it worth living? [/color][/center] The brown tom padded down towards the shore of the river. His heart still felt like it had been torn open even though it had been moons since Silverlake died. Even though time had passed the loss of his mate and their stillborn kits felt as fresh as it had that night. They had been so happy, thinking they were going to be parents. Things had seemed to be going fine, and then she gave birth to the kits far to early, and she had died.
All his clanmates thought he was intense and scary, but Silverlake had seen beyond that. She had reached out to him and had seen the sad cat he was. Heartbroken by the loss of his sisters and mother. Only she had been able to see the real him. No one else had even tried, and now that she was gone, he was all alone in the world.
He looked at the river and noticed how swollen it looked, he would have to tell Brightstar when he got back, they wouldn't want any cats loosing their footing in their. After all even the strongest swimmer could drown if they were caught off guard. All of a sudden a terrified yowl pierced the air. His eyes scanned quickly, looking for the source of the noise. He saw a cream cat flailing in the river. It looked like whoever it was needed help.
Without thinking the warrior jumped to his feet and shot towards the river. He waded through the overflow, carefully feeling the ground with his paws. Suddenly the ground gave way beneath him, he floundered but his long powerful strokes kept him above water. He swam strongly towards the she~cat, fighting against the current. As he reached her he grabbed her scruff in his teeth and turned to swim towards shore. It was harder to swim now, and he dropped underwater momentarily, but he quickly pulled himself back up. Pulling through the water with all his power his feet touched solid ground. He let go of the she~cat and she got to her feet. Padding onto dry land Cougarblaze shook water off his fur and sat turned to face her. [/color][/blockquote] |
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Post by xx. Fallen .xx on Sept 17, 2009 14:55:00 GMT -5
Fallingstar held her breath, not sure which way was up. Water pounded in her ears, her semi-long fur a deadweight for swimming. Recalling her own lessons when she was an apprentice, Fallingstar churned her heavy paws in the direction she thought was up. She burst through the surface again, and just before another splash drove her under, the she-cat felt strong jaws clamp shut on her scruff, felt the water billowing beneath her as another cat's paws paddled and stirred them. Momentarily, Fallingstar was too stunned to move. StarClan? Am I dead already? she thought, bewildered. But her instincts kicked in once more as her head went under the surface, foam spraying everywhere. Kicking out with her hind legs, Fallingstar saw the LeafClan shore drawing closer. A smaller wave crashed into the leader's face, and she swallowed a mouthfull of somewhat muddy water, choking on it. Swim, mouse-brain, swim! she told herself harshly, and at last welcome land touched her reaching paws.
The teeth on her scruff released, and Fallingstar staggered to a stand. She bent over and coughed up some river water, warily watching it trickle back to its origins. For the first time she turned and saw her rescuer, a broad-shouldered brown tabby, his fur plastered to his muscular frame. She saw a spark of recognition flare in his surprisingly yellow eyes, and was slightly embarrassed to have to ask his name.
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Post by Phoenix on Sept 17, 2009 16:24:27 GMT -5
Cougarblaze [/color][/center] When you've lost so many
Is it worth living? [/color][/center] His yellow eyes watching the she~cat Cougarblaze realized who he had rescued, Fallingstar, leader of Oceanclan. He began grooming his tail quietly. He saw the question in her eyes and knew she was wondering who he was. Sitting up straight he met her green gaze steadily. [/color] "I'm Cougarblaze,"[/b] He said resting his tail over his feet,[/color] "You know you really should be more careful, didn't you know the river had flooded? It's easy for a cat to fall in, and when the river is this strong like this it's hard for even experienced swimmers to swim in."[/color][/b] He looked over at her hoping she wouldn't take that as an insult. He didn't exactly want the Oceanclan leader mad at him, that wouldn't be good.[/color][/blockquote] |
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Post by xx. Fallen .xx on Sept 17, 2009 16:57:42 GMT -5
Fallingstar nodded, meowing, "Nice to meet you... and thanks for jumping in for me. That was really brave." Her ears feeling hot, she added sheepishly, "Yeah, I do need to be more careful." Fallingstar shook her sandy-and-white fur, sending water droplets spraying everywhere, even though she tried not to get Cougarblaze more wet. The grass below them was soaked, but Fallingstar didn't really feel like moving to a drier spot, farther away from the LeafClan warrior. A distant rumble of thunder made the she-cat look up at the rapidly darkening sky, the first droplets of rain splattering down and making her previous attempt at drying herself useless. Her muscles ached, and to risk another swim across the river was suicidal. "Fox-dung." Fallingstar cursed, a second roll of thunder enforcing her words.
Shadows lengthened, colors faded to grey. "Do you want to find somewhere to weather this out? I'll go around the river when it's through.." the leader asked, uncomfortably aware that this wasn't her territory, and that if Brightstar found her, there 'may' be some bigger-than-minor problems. Yet she wasn't in a hurry to leave, using the rain as an excuse. Maybe I'll find out some more about him. Fallingstar hoped, glancing again at the LeafClan tom for his answer.
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Post by Phoenix on Sept 18, 2009 15:08:42 GMT -5
Cougarblaze [/color][/center] When you've lost so many
Is it worth living? [/color][/center] "Nice to meet you... and thanks for jumping in for me. That was really brave."
Cougarblaze looked up at her and shrugged in acknowledgment of her words. He had done for her what he would do for any cat in danger. The only cats who deserved to die were those who killed. That was his belief, and he stuck by it. Even though he himself had killed he wouldn't sway when it came to that. He looked up at her when she spoke again. [/color] "Yeah, I do need to be more careful."[/color][/i] He nodded at that and spoke in his deep voice, "Many cats are not, and many deaths could have be prevented if only cats were more cautious."[/b] He didn't flinch away as she shook herself dry, he was already soaked and couldn't get any wetter than he was. He heard the rumble of thunder and looked up at the darkened sky.[/color] "Fox-dung."[/color] The silent warrior didn't react to the Oceanclan leaders' curse. Things like that didn't phase him. He didn't react to a lot, it took a lot to get much of a response out of him. He watched as her green eyes flick towards the flooded river and cloud with worry.[/color] Do you want to find somewhere to weather this out? I'll go around the river when it's through.."[/color][/i] He nodded his head to her words and got to his feet. His muscles rippling under his soaked fur he tilted his head down the territory. There were rocks that way that would provide shelter from the rain. Turning to walk down to to them he said calmly,[/color] "Follow me."[/color][/b][/blockquote] |
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Post by xx. Fallen .xx on Sept 18, 2009 16:05:36 GMT -5
Fallingstar trailed in Cougarblaze's pawsteps as he traced his way through LeafClan territory. The patter of rain on leaves was more than audible now, and she could feel the rain striking her pelt unforgivingly, piercing through to her skin. Well, I got what I wanted, right? the leader thought to herself. Something to take my mind off of clan matters. This has certainly done so. Cougarblaze led them to a fallen tree, its insides hollowed out and big enough for five cats to fit into. Fallingstar crawled in, a reflective puddle of water forming instantly beneath her sodden paws. "This is nice.." the she-cat meowed, not sure what to say to break the silence. Avoiding the tabby's piercing gaze, she looked down only to meet it again in the shining puddle.
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Post by Phoenix on Sept 21, 2009 19:26:44 GMT -5
Cougarblaze [/color][/center] When you've lost so many
Is it worth living? [/color][/center] The large tom sat down in the log and wrapped his tail over his feet. The water quickly dripped off him forming an ever growing puddle below him. He looked out at the pouring rain and watched as a flash of lightning lit the sky only to be quickly followed by a cash of thunder. The loud noise almost drowned out the Oceanclan leader's words.
"This is nice.."
He glanced over at her and watched as her head dropped to avoid his gaze. He was used to that, not many people had the courage the meet the gaze of a cat like him. Who had killed his own father, who was so intense. He looked over at her gazing into the puddle below her and sat listening to the rain pounding relentlessly on the log. He sat and waited for her to say something. |
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Post by xx. Fallen .xx on Sept 22, 2009 19:07:29 GMT -5
The silence stretched, longer and longer until it seemed it would snap deafeningly in two any heartbeat. Fallingstar couldn't think of anything; she considered asking how prey was running, but that was such a common question that she dropped it. Come on, think of something!!! she urged herself, her pelt prickling uncomfortably. Something that's not stupid, like your last comment. "Just curious," she began, wanting already to take it back as Cougarblaze turned to face her. "Do you have an apprentice?" Fallingstar steeled herself, trying to raise her eyes to meet his, and he was halfway into his reply before she managed to lift her head, but the movement was too conspicuous and the she-cat had no choice but to follow through, surprised at how fast their gazes locked, how fast her own legs turned to jelly beneath her.
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Post by Phoenix on Sept 23, 2009 15:13:26 GMT -5
Cougarblaze [/color][/center] When you've lost so many [/color][/center] Is it worth living? [/color][/center] Couagrblaze sat their, content with the silence. He wasn't one to fill the silence. He preferred to just sit and think. The Leafclan warrior could see that Fallingstar was a different story, that the silence was almost deafening for her.
"Just curious, Ddo you have an apprentice?" [/i] Cougarblaze turned to meet her green eyes and saw her hesitate before lifting her head to meet his yellow eyes. He saw her half shiver when their eyes locked and for a minute he was lost in her eyes. Realizing he hadn't answered her question he nodded his head slowly, breaking the trance. "Yes I do. Shypaw, one of Brightstar's daughters."[/b][/size][/blockquote] |
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Post by xx. Fallen .xx on Sept 23, 2009 19:50:32 GMT -5
Fallingstar nodded dimly, her gaze still frozen. It was like something had clicked, an invisible ray that locked the leader's green eyes to Cougarblaze's yellow ones. She vaguely remembered that it wasn't polite to stare, but her mind reasoned that technically, the LeafClan warrior wasn't breaking his gaze, so that meant she didn't have to break hers. Fallingstar was startled by the intensity of those eyes, burning holes straight through her head, their yellow pigment dense and bright. She felt her heartbeat rise, and it pounded in her chest until she felt that Cougarblaze must hear it by now. Her earlier unease vanished, gone like dew on a hot greenleaf day; Fallingstar no longer tried to top the echoing sounds of rain pounding on hollow wood, the thunder and lightning crackling in the distance. Subconsciously, the she-cat didn't want to be the first to look away, her mind figuring that she might somehow win his respect if she could hold those burning points of flame a few heartbeats longer...
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Post by Phoenix on Sept 25, 2009 5:37:19 GMT -5
Cougarblaze [/color][/center] When you've lost so many [/color][/center] Is it worth living? [/color][/center] When her eyes had met his he had barely been able to choke out his apprentice's name. Her beautiful green eyes had captivated him. What surprised him was that she hadn't looked away from him yet. She was meeting his gaze steadily without any signs of looking away. More lightning flashed across the sky and there was a crash of thunder, but it didn't break the spell. Both cats were still staring at each other, like they weren't able to look away. Cougarblaze wanted her to look away, the way his heart was pounding and his ears were ringing, that wasn't right. It couldn't happen, not now, not ever. But he also didn't want her to. He wanted to keep staring into those beautiful green eyes. He gazed back, daring her to look away but also praying she wouldn't. [/color][/blockquote] |
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Post by xx. Fallen .xx on Sept 25, 2009 17:56:20 GMT -5
No no no, the warrior code, remember?! Fallingstar pleaded with herself, desperate. I can't do this. She wrenched her gaze away, found herself staring at wood on Cougarblaze's left side, her memory of those eyes so vivid that she could almost see them again, staring back at her from the bark of the hollowed tree. Instantly, the she-cat wished she hadn't broken her gaze, and she inhaled sharply as it dawned on her what they were doing here, how wrong it was yet how right it felt. She was lost for words.[/color]
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Post by Phoenix on Sept 27, 2009 17:08:20 GMT -5
Cougarblaze [/color][/center] When you've lost so many [/color][/center] Is it worth living? [/color][/center] Cougarblaze almost sighed in relief and yowled in anger when she looked away from him. Then the sensible part of his brain kicked in again. Mousebrain. [/i] It hissed at him. What are you doing here? With the leader of Oceanclan staring into each others eyes like a love struck couple. Not only is she not a member of your clan but have you forgotten Silverlake?[/i] The warrior actually visibly flinched at that. Silverlake, she had been his mate. The only cat he had ever loved. She had died a few moons ago along with their unborn kits. Her death was still raw in his heart and even hearing her mentioned caused him both physical and mental pain. But just a moment ago, when his and Fallingstar's eyes had been locked, the pain of losing her had dulled and moved a little closer to the back of his mind. He hadn't forgotten her, and he never would, but the pain of loosing her had been momentarily numbed. And for the first time since she had died the warrior had felt something other than pain and heartbreak. He had felt... he didn't know what it was. But when his eyes had met Fallingstar's he had felt something, something more than he should have.[/size][/blockquote] |
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Post by xx. Fallen .xx on Sept 30, 2009 19:10:49 GMT -5
Fallingstar's heartbeat fell in rhythm with the rain's rapid pounding on the wooden log, and she could hear the water sloshing into the mud as it washed down from the sky. She lowered her eyes to study her slowly drying paws, her pads beginning to feel soft and wrinkled from their constant contact with water. Her jaws opened a whisker, then Fallingstar closed them again. Her mind was foggy, dark like the sky when she had followed this LeafClan warrior to their temporary refuge. This warrior that she was now compelled to spend time with, to edge closer to. "It's cold..." Fallingstar whispered, her mouth moving with a mind of its own, her muscles involuntarily crouching down. Her green eyes watched with a horrible hunger sparkling well hidden behind her pupils as Cougarblaze stood up, but her mind screamed in agony and dismay. What have you done?!
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