Pain behind the m a s k

[Spice..xx]

Through the wind and the rain
she stands hard as a stone
in a world that she cant rise above

_{Dewpaw walked slowly to the Wide Lake. The wide expanse of water seemed endless and it shimmered in the low sunlight. Her small brown and white form bent down to look into the water. Her small tear-stained face looked back, grey eyes swimming with tears. As she raised her head the sun caught the water and her grey eyes gleamed a bright, zesty yellow. Dewpaw let out a small gasp of grief and backed away from the water. Yellow eyes. Just like her mother.}

But her dreams
give her wings
and she flies to place
where shes loved
Concrete Angel[/size]

_{Dewpaw lay down close to the water, not close enough that she could see in it though. The tears gently ran down her cheeks, a silent trickle that ran gently down the slope and into the wide lake. She cast her eyes upwards towards the sky. "Mother, if you can here me, i love you" she whispered, the tears choking her voice. She closed her eyes but the tears leaked through. She kept them closed though. Maybe if she just lay her a while it would all be okay.}[/color]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{Slender paws touched the ground, leaving no imprint on the loamy soil. The young-looking femme shook herself, the world seeming to slow as each graceful, long white hair waved back and forth. She blinked ochre eyes, gazing around until she saw Dewpaw. Her eyes softened, instinctively feeling maternal around the presence of the apprentice. "Dewpaw...," Shimmerflight said softly, sitting down in front of the sleeping femme. The white she-cat's lavender wings spread to balance herself, flapping a bit to shimmer in the faint sunlight of the dream. Azaleas began to bloom around her and the lakeside, and suddenly the air was permeated by the scent of pungent citrus. Shimmerflight tilted her head. So, Dewpaw recently lost someone... the StarClan female said to herself. Shimmerflight rested the tip of her long wing on Dewpaw's shoulder. "Dewpaw, get up..." Her voice sounded vaguely familiar, but it was not her own. It reminded Shimmerflight of someone she used to know back in CloudClan.}

[Spice..xx]

<sub>Dewpaw was in a restless sleep. Images of her mother kept appearing in her head but whenever Dewpaw got close enough to touch her she dissappeared, her lemon yellow eyes staring straight through her.

"Dewpaw.......Get up Dewpaw"

Dewpaws grey eyes snapped open as she heard a voice she recognised. "Mommy?" she said, scrambling to her paws. But it was not her mother that stood in front of her now. A white she-cat with orange eyes and.....what? Dewpaw took a double take. Wings. "Who are you? And why do you have...." she signalled with her tail to Shimmerflights back. "Wings" she finished, eyeing the lavender wings with their silver tips in awe. She looked up into the she-cats orange eyes, feeling humbled by her very presence.</sub>[/color]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{"My name is Shimmerflight, formerly of CloudClan,"ta the soft voice of the femme came out of her maw like a sun-kissed symphony. "I have heard your cries. You need me as your guardian, Dewpaw." The white she-cat dipped her head and touched noses with the apprentice, tilting her head. "As your guardian sent to you by StarClan, I am bestowed with wings to help protect you, just like my mate Dragonwhistler protects Tansykit, your compatriot of CloudClan." The opaline female smiled gently and touched Dewpaw with her lilac-and-ivory-colored wings like a mother holding a child.}

[Spice..xx]

_{Dewpaw nodded slowly, taking it all in. Her eyes filled with tears at the mention of StarClan and she looked up to Shimmerflight. My mother......Lemonzest.....have you seen her? Is she okay? Please tell me!" she cried, her voice raised at the last bit. She looked down, slightly embarrased and looked back up again with a new question. "My Guardian? But what does that mean? What do you do for me?" she asked, her eyes full of questions. She gave a flicker of recognition at the mention of Tansykit and made a note to herself that she must speak to her later about this Guardian business. Dewpaw looked up with all seriousness into Shimmerflights eyes. "Can Tansykit see Dragonwhistler?"}[/color]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Shimmerflight's gentle laugh rang out like a wind chime in a soft breeze. "Calm down, Dewpaw, I'm afraid I left before I saw anyone enter," she said softly, smiling at the apprentice. "As your guardian, I guide and help you until the day you want me, but no longer need me. I can only come to you through dreams so if you need something, you merely need to fall asleep." Her smile seemed to steal the sunshine and place it in a corona around her head.

She paused at the mention of Tansykit. "He has no told me of his experiences with Tansykit, but I have heard that the blind only see in their dreams so I would assume that Dragonwhistler is visible to her."

"Though I am from StarClan and can do many things normal cats cannot do, there will be rules. First, try not to talk a lot about me to other cats. They will get jealous and do something drastic. I fear that I won't have you to guard if you tell your Clanmates about this. Second, I've talked to you about dreams. Third, I can try my best to answer any question you have. Do not be afraid to ask and certainly you can tell me anything. I am here for you, Dewpaw..."</sub>

[Spice..xx]

_{Dewpaw nodded slowly. This was difficult to take in, she felt so young and hopeless. She looked up at Shimmerflight. "Tawnypaw.....does she have anyone? A Guardian i mean. Cos she misses mum too" she said quietly, eyes sad as she thought of the bouncy bubbly cat her sister had been. Now she was a skinny heap of bones who said hardly anything. You didnt notice the change nearly as much in Dewpaw, she had always been quieter. She nodded hard with understanding as Shimmerflight said not to talk of her very much. "But Tansykit? Can i talk to her, cos she'll understand" she said, thinking about the little blind kitten.}[/color]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>"I will have to ask about your sister, but you needed me more than she did. Tawnypaw is a strong cat. I do not think that she will let herself fall to ruins for long," Shimmerflight responded. "As for Tansypaw, yes, I do not mind. I suggest you become good friends. She, too, needs a friend."

The white femme blinked and turned her head. "Someone is calling for you in the real world. If there is nothing else, you should awaken and greet him," the she-cat said, hearing the faint call of "Dewpaw? Dewpaw!"</sub>

[Spice..xx]

<sub>Dewpaw nodded and then reached up to touch her nose to Shimmerflights. "Thank you" was all she said and then she woke herself up.

Dewpaws grey eyes blinked open as she heard a voice call for her. She sat up and recognised the tom next to her to be Oleandergaze. "Hello" she said simply, and licked a paw to wash herself. She was still in awe of Shimmerflight, it seemed so unreal. Dewpaw paused for a moment. Was it real? Had it all just been a dream?</sub>[/color]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{Shimmerflight smiled faintly and faded away, her form becoming that of the CloudClan tom. "Are you okay...? You seemed upset at the Clan Meeting," Oleandergaze said in genuine concern, his voice soft and gentle like the cardinal who whistles in early dawn. The massive brown tom parted the ferns and grasses as he made his way over to her, pensive jade eyes washing over Dewpaw in concern. The light-colored brown male smiled faintly when he saw that she was unhurt and sat down a length or so away, fluffy tail curling around his broad paws. Oleandergaze's orbs softened at the sight of her, feeling him with warmth that the sun peeking though the treetops could never fill him with.}

[Spice..xx]

_{Dewpaw looked up at Oleandergaze. She saw the warmth in his gaze and gave him the first real smile that had crossed her lips in days. The smile faded slightly as he asked about the meeting. "Oh i just.....needed some time alone. I was upset about mother" she said, realising that though she was still extremely upset over her mother it was far easier to hide it than before her talk with Shimmerflight. She felt a pnag of worry. Waht if Tawnypaw thought she didnt care about her mother anymore, if she didnt show as much grief? But she couldnt tell her about Shimmerflight. She couldnt tell anyone. Except Tansykit. Her gaze returned to Oleandergaze and she stood up. "Shall we head back? Everyone will be wondering where we are" she said.}[/color]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Oleandergaze nodded. "I can understand," he said softly. He had lost his parents, siblings, and mentor, not to old age or death in battle, but as traitors who had joined rogues. Well, not his siblings... They had died by his side when he was born and given the name Oleander--the plant that kills all. He was strong though. It was his nature.

The brown tom smiled and turned away from Dewpaw. "Yes, that sounds fine if you are feeling well now...," he said gently, wagging his tail a bit with another gentle smile of his.</sub>

[Spice..xx]

<sub>Dewpaw nodded and smiled, then stood and walked to Oleandergaze's side. She touched her nose to his. "Thank you for coming after me. And yes, i'm fine" she said. She saw the flicker of grief in his eyes and touched his flank gently with her tail as to comfort him. She then began to walk, nest to Oleandergaze. "Lets go" she said and began padding back to camp on snowy white paws.

[ooc]Shall we just post in camp now Aurrers?</sub>

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_((Sure))