[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

The Maine Coon chuckled, a purr rumbling in his throat at the younger cat's antics. He was a great deal older then her, but he could remember when he had been her age-- all those moons ago. Things had been better then. Much, much better...and he had loved living in that time. Of course, he hadn't known Owlwing. Or Splotchfeather herself. She probably wouldn't have been a part of the Clans back then, based on the story that the she cat was telling him at the moment about dogs. "Wait-- you remember that? That was a long time ago, if you couldn't even run yet," The tom mewed, his hues shooting open in surprise as she finished-- or cut herself off, more like, but either way it seemed as though she was finished speaking about that. Dogs. Greystep had seen a dog once before, a large, ferocious looking creature with eyes that gleamed and sparked with an inner fire.

And they were always out for blood. For the kill. He wondered why dogs seemed to hate cats so much...what had they ever done? Anything they did, it was in self defense, while dogs chased them and snarled at them, ripping them apart, like they were just any other prey. And then they didn't even eat! If they're going to kill us, you'd think they'd have the brains to eat us too, The tom thought with a snort. Not that he was complaining. If dogs didn't want to eat cats, that was perfectly fine with him. Especially since it meant that he would be safe- or at least, safer. "Well, I suppose if you really want to give it a try...we could give it a shot. But remember, I'm definitely not as good as I used to be. I'm old now." He mewed, nudging the she cat with a slight smile on his maw.

Greystep had definitely opened up a lot more since he had stopped stammering. He was really a friendlier-- and braver-- cat then he looked, though he still wasn't brave enough to take on a bunch of cats at one time. His hues glanced around the territory almost nervously before he sighed and stepped beside Splotchfeather. "To answer your question--" He began, but before he could finish his sentence, the she cat had half fallen into the hole. Greystep's ears went back against his head and he shifted his weight, terror filling his expression before she lifted her paw and appeared to be doing...well...as well as could be expected. Breathing a sigh of relief, the tip of the tom's tail began to twitch back and forth, moving at quick speeds before he continued onwards beside the she cat, smiling as she continued to speak for a moment.

"As I was saying before...to answer your question, I do have an apprentice. He'll be a warrior soon, I suppose." Greystep shrugged a little as he half-sidestepped the she cat who bounced in his way. At her next words, his ears went back again and he looked down at the ground, partly embarrassed...and partly feeling horrible. How could someone not want the young she cat? She was just about everything Greystep would imagine a good daughter to be... though she was a touch energetic for him. Still, he wouldn't leave her now...not after hearing her say that. He would feel awful if he did. "Well, he couldn't have been much of a Dad then. But he did do one good thing-- he helped bring you into the world," He mewed, tapping the she cat lightly with the tip of his fluffy tail.

Splotchfeather ceased her ongoing thoughts to pay full attention to her friend. She nodded her head, ''My mind always been that way. I could remember a lot of things. Such as the last words my mother said to me. Exactly, Splotch stay on that side of the path! Don't you dare follow me! Don't you dare leave your brother!'' She recited perfectly, adding a small hint of authority in her voice that her mother used. Splotchfeather put her muzzle in the air, exaimining the sky. She wondered how long would it be before night befell them. She wondered how long she had been up anyway.
Splotchfeather turned back to Greystep, nodding excitedly. ''Stop saying you're old now!'' She snapped, playfully. ''If you can still laugh, then you're still young. If you noticed that you stopped laughing...then you're growing older.'' She took a look at her paws. ''I know I'll be older soon, but I constantly wonder what will i be doing once I retire to the elder's den.'' She shuddered. It wasn't a thought that she wanted to concentrate on. Splotchfeather just knew that she never wanted to stop being...what was that word Greystep used to describe her? Upbeat... that was the word. She didn't want to lose that trait, even though she was never described as such. It was nice to have another cat say something nice about her for once. Instead of being a constant nuisance around camp because she was so happy.
One thing she did note? These cats needed her. Her singing, for some odd reason, soothed them, and it was the only time where she remained mellow enough to stay in beat. She was happy to do it. As long as she was accepted and made others happy.
''If I'm being honest,'' She begins. ''I think you'll be perfectly fine. Yeah, physically you're older, but spirituality you're young. You seem to be full of heart.'' She was touched about his comment about her dad. Splotchfeather never told anyone how much of a failure she thought she was. For a long time she thought her mother left her because she wanted to be with her brother...Oh Shake, I'm sorry that I was selfish. When they were born, Splotchfeather was definitely close to her mother, but her mother was closer to her brother, it seemed in the calico's mind. She was envious at a young age. As she grew a little older, and at the lost of both her mother and later months her second brother, Shay. She realized that her emotions got the best of her. She tried...so hard to be that rock that Shay looked up to. Yet, she failed him too. But at that time, how can one kit look after another if she hardly knew any survival skills. She depended solely on her mother.
Yet, she was surprised that she was still alive. Breathing.
This made her stronger, and she mask her pain by being optimistic.
''Yeah, I suppose.'' Though it was tainted with reluctance. She thought it was better for her dad to never have met her mother. She thought it would be better to never have been born.
Spotchfeather shook her head, ceasing the terrible thoughts. She wasn't going back that way again, not that anyone noticed. Ever since she was a young kit, she was optimistic! Even if she was let down. It was seldom that she wasn't seen smiling or lollygagging.
''He'll be a warrior soon?'' She skipped to a happier start. ''Ohhhh~Will I be able to meet him? Especially since you trained him, I bet he'll be a great warrior!'' The calico she-cat smiled. Splotchfeather wondered however did the grey tom train his warrior. Did he share a good relationship with his apprentice? Was he scared at first to train the apprentice? Was he stuttering profusely upon being assigned the apprentice? There were so many questions swarming in her head, but she didn't voice them. She didn't want to be rude, but she was happy that he did train another apprentice. She figured he was a loner, and didn't want to be bothered by anyone, yet she broke that. And, she was happy. Splotchfeather glanced at him once again. This cat should had been her father. Even if he had his quirks, he was the one she looked up to...surprisingly. The past was the past, and there was nothing she could do about it. She only prayed to Starclan that he would be around to meet her family...most likely her kits and her mate. If Starclan doesn't forbid it. Even if it doesn't happen, she'd honor him by telling her kits how great of a cat he was, and perhaps even name one after him.