It was sprinkling freezing cold droplets, as the pale tom padded onwards. The mud was thick here. He could feel it coating his paws. His usually pristine cream pelt was tangled and messy. His tail dragged on the forest floor. Not that he minded. Fire was dancing in his mind, replaying the events of a few weeks ago. His home had burned. He was a loner again. Lily was…no where to be found. A shiver rippled through him. Desperately, he recalled her face, her voice, the way she laughed, how she smiled. Preserving the memory like that act alone could bring her to him, even though he knew that was impossible. It hadn’t worked with Foxwillow or their kits. He paused, his eyes misting up. Gritting his teeth, he turned his head to the sky. The bell on his collar jingled slightly as he did so. “Why do you take everything?” He meowed hoarsely. It was a small cry. He could barely hear it over the rain. Perhaps he was meant to be angry. To be clawing at Starclan, begging for them to bring her back. But trial and error had taught him that didn’t work. The stars don’t respond when you are in pain. Dead cats don’t look down with pity on the mournful living ones who call out to them. If they did he wouldn’t be here now. He looked down, and trudged on. If Starclan was listening right now, he doubted they were worth his time. Besides, he had left the clans long ago. His old ancestors weren’t keeping tabs.
Lighting cracked open the sky. Duck looked up again. He was completely soaked. The wind was picking up, and on the horizon he could see thicker darker rain clouds coming. Had all this happened while he was talking to the sky? He needed to find shelter, and quickly. Blindly, he stumbled through the forest. Rain crashed into his eyes, stinging them. Wind buffeted again him threatening to topple him over. This was really really bad. There had to be somewhere he could hide! He pressed on against the cold storm. A shape began to appear in his vision. A hollow tree? Whatever it was didn’t matter, he made a mad dash for it. Almost slipping on wet leaves, he made it in. Finally an area that was dry. He huddled against the tree’s back wall, curling up to conserve his body heat. He would just have to wait out the storm here. Not that it mattered where he was anymore. He didn’t have anyone waiting on him.
It was sprinkling freezing cold droplets, as the pale tom padded onwards. The mud was thick here. He could feel it coating his paws. His usually pristine cream pelt was tangled and messy. His tail dragged on the forest floor. Not that he minded. Fire was dancing in his mind, replaying the events of a few weeks ago. His home had burned. He was a loner again. Lily was…no where to be found. A shiver rippled through him. Desperately, he recalled her face, her voice, the way she laughed, how she smiled. Preserving the memory like that act alone could bring her to him, even though he knew that was impossible. It hadn’t worked with Foxwillow or their kits. He paused, his eyes misting up. Gritting his teeth, he turned his head to the sky. The bell on his collar jingled slightly as he did so. “Why do you take everything?” He meowed hoarsely. It was a small cry. He could barely hear it over the rain. Perhaps he was meant to be angry. To be clawing at Starclan, begging for them to bring her back. But trial and error had taught him that didn’t work. The stars don’t respond when you are in pain. Dead cats don’t look down with pity on the mournful living ones who call out to them. If they did he wouldn’t be here now. He looked down, and trudged on. If Starclan was listening right now, he doubted they were worth his time. Besides, he had left the clans long ago. His old ancestors weren’t keeping tabs.
Lighting cracked open the sky. Duck looked up again. He was completely soaked. The wind was picking up, and on the horizon he could see thicker darker rain clouds coming. Had all this happened while he was talking to the sky? He needed to find shelter, and quickly. Blindly, he stumbled through the forest. Rain crashed into his eyes, stinging them. Wind buffeted again him threatening to topple him over. This was really really bad. There had to be somewhere he could hide! He pressed on against the cold storm. A shape began to appear in his vision. A hollow tree? Whatever it was didn’t matter, he made a mad dash for it. Almost slipping on wet leaves, he made it in. Finally an area that was dry. He huddled against the tree’s back wall, curling up to conserve his body heat. He would just have to wait out the storm here. Not that it mattered where he was anymore. He didn’t have anyone waiting on him.
Brightshadow
{A fluffy calico molly with green eyes.}
A fat drop of rain landed square on her nose startling back into reality. it made her nose shiver. She didn't expect to be so viscously torn from her daydreaming. "This rain just won't do." She stared and the sky annoyed with it's outburst. Despite her best glares the rain kept falling, and as the rain started fell faster she quickly decided that it would take far to long to get back to camp. She definitely did not want to get a cough. Her eyes turned to scan the near by brush and trees for any usable shelter.
"Perfect." She mumbled as she caught sight of a hollow tree." It's just the right shape to keep me from this rain!" She quickly trotted over to it. Ducking down to fit into the tree she caught sight of Duck. He surprised her. It was raining to hard to try and find another tree so she decided they'd have to share. "Excuse me." She said as she squeezed in beside him. His fur brought back some familiarity, but she couldn't quit figure out why. It was way to wet for her to smell if he was a clancat, so she hoped her faint memory was correct. It was weird to her that she barely knew him if he was from her clan, but maybe they just always end up on the wrong side of camp.
Brightshadow
{A fluffy calico molly with green eyes.}
A fat drop of rain landed square on her nose startling back into reality. it made her nose shiver. She didn't expect to be so viscously torn from her daydreaming. "This rain just won't do." She stared and the sky annoyed with it's outburst. Despite her best glares the rain kept falling, and as the rain started fell faster she quickly decided that it would take far to long to get back to camp. She definitely did not want to get a cough. Her eyes turned to scan the near by brush and trees for any usable shelter.
"Perfect." She mumbled as she caught sight of a hollow tree." It's just the right shape to keep me from this rain!" She quickly trotted over to it. Ducking down to fit into the tree she caught sight of Duck. He surprised her. It was raining to hard to try and find another tree so she decided they'd have to share. "Excuse me." She said as she squeezed in beside him. His fur brought back some familiarity, but she couldn't quit figure out why. It was way to wet for her to smell if he was a clancat, so she hoped her faint memory was correct. It was weird to her that she barely knew him if he was from her clan, but maybe they just always end up on the wrong side of camp.
Duck
~*~
His whole body stiffened, as he watched the stranger enter his hollow tree. Green eyes narrowed at her. He tried to get a hint of her scent, but couldn't. The rain had washed any hope of that away. At least that means my scent will be masked too. Even in the dim lighting, there was something about this stranger that was familiar. Had he seen her anywhere before? Perhaps they had crossed paths during his previous loner moons. The alternative was...much less appealing. He smiled warmly at her, trying to diffuse any tension. "It's some weather huh? I was lucky to make it here from where I was!" It almost surprised him, how chipper his voice was. On the inside he felt just as hollow as the tree they were in. But none of that was this cat's problem, even if they had met before. In the back of his mind, a little bit of worry was prickling. Surely this cat was a loner like him and not a clan cat right? He hadn't allowed his paws to lead him back to his old clan, surely. Please just be anything else!
"They call me Duck. Er...what's your name?" These words sounded more like the way he felt. They were hesitant, twitchy. His paws kneaded the ground, and he averted his gaze. If she turned out to be clan he might have just given himself away. He knew all too well the way they treated outsiders like himself. She would run him off if she didn't kill him where he sat. He sized her up for a heartbeat. He could see the well-toned muscles under her pelt as if it were a clear morning. She was young, strong, capable. He was older and unpracticed. There was no question of who would win if a fight broke out. He swallowed, hard and then focused his attention back on her with an easy smile.
His whole body stiffened, as he watched the stranger enter his hollow tree. Green eyes narrowed at her. He tried to get a hint of her scent, but couldn't. The rain had washed any hope of that away. At least that means my scent will be masked too. Even in the dim lighting, there was something about this stranger that was familiar. Had he seen her anywhere before? Perhaps they had crossed paths during his previous loner moons. The alternative was...much less appealing. He smiled warmly at her, trying to diffuse any tension. "It's some weather huh? I was lucky to make it here from where I was!" It almost surprised him, how chipper his voice was. On the inside he felt just as hollow as the tree they were in. But none of that was this cat's problem, even if they had met before. In the back of his mind, a little bit of worry was prickling. Surely this cat was a loner like him and not a clan cat right? He hadn't allowed his paws to lead him back to his old clan, surely. Please just be anything else!
"They call me Duck. Er...what's your name?" These words sounded more like the way he felt. They were hesitant, twitchy. His paws kneaded the ground, and he averted his gaze. If she turned out to be clan he might have just given himself away. He knew all too well the way they treated outsiders like himself. She would run him off if she didn't kill him where he sat. He sized her up for a heartbeat. He could see the well-toned muscles under her pelt as if it were a clear morning. She was young, strong, capable. He was older and unpracticed. There was no question of who would win if a fight broke out. He swallowed, hard and then focused his attention back on her with an easy smile.
Brightshadow
{A fluffy calico molly with green eyes.}
She settled in beside him. His warmth kept strengthened her hope of not getting sick. She smiled back at him hoping this situation wasn't too awkward. I can't recall his name I'll just have to try and avoid using it. Hopefully he won't realize. "It really did catch me off guard." She still held out faint hope that this cat was from her clan. No matter how implausible it was.
Duck? That definitely sounded familiar is it a nickname or... She shook the thoughts from her head there's not much she can do about it either way they're kind of trapped in here. Her eyes trailed away to watch the rain. "My name is Brightshadow." She had come to two conclusions. Conclusion one he is a Thunderclan cat and he forgot her name just as she forgot his. This one was her favorite. It was a very small plausible answer but it was still there. Conclusion two He isn't a Thunderclan cat and she had seen him at the gathering or hopefully on the border. I hope I'm closer to the border then I thought.. Especially if the latter is true. It was a very small hope but it was still there. She guessed his reaction would be her answer.
Green eyes widened as Brightshadow said her name. The fur along his spine prickled. There's no way! She's a clan cat? Quickly, he tried again to draw in breathe, hoping to catch her scent. Nothing. She was looking at him now, a question in her eyes. Is she trying to get information before she kicks me out? There was no way to know. His claws dug into the bark beneath him. He wasn't just about to wait around for her to make the first move. "A clan cat? What are you waiting for then. Aren't you going to run me off into the storm? Do your "duty" to your clan." The panic he felt now began to seep into his voice. His expression, however, was determined. If she decided to start a fight he would fight back. Going out into a storm like that alone would be a veritable death sentence. It was either go into this loosing battle, or the elements. His muscles tensed as he prepared to fight.
That's when he was finally able to catch a whiff of her scent. She had dried enough, it seemed, for her smell to come back. Trees, squirrels, mice, moss. It was eerily familiar. He could recognize that smell in any forest. Thunderclan. He held his breathe, his entire body froze. There was now way! He was in Thunderclan territory! A hiss snuck out from between his teeth. He had heard that name 'bright' before. He remembered it now. She had been much younger then. The past twenty moons had grown her up so much. It almost hurt how familiar she seemed now, even if they hadn't really known each other before. She was a remnant of a time long past. One he didn't want to remember. "I remember you now. So there are cats who were stupid enough to stay under Dogbark's leadership." Now his meow held poison, and his glare malice. It was as if all the things he blamed Thunderclan for were standing right in front of him, instead of Brightshadow. "Tell me who's the doomed leader now? I know he couldn't have lasted for very long. No one can in Thunderclan, it seems." All plans to fight vanished. Anger and frustration and guilt were all he could see. He wanted to hurt her deeper then his claws could manage.
All the Blame Born of Sorrow(P)
