Alone but not Lonely

[trissea]

OOC: (OMG FIRST POST!! ;D )

Mousepaw sat restlessly in the middle of the clearing, his ears flicking back and forth. Something had to happen soon, the air was thick with tension. He was alone in the clearing. It was just not that he noticed this was strange. A loud, whirling sound filled his ears with its terrible panicking noise, sand he leapt to his feet, breathing faster. His vision was going black.... or was it? No, it wasn't. The sky was darkening at such a frighteningly rapid pace that the birds didn't even have time to escape. There was a flash of lightning so bright Mousepaw was sure he'd died, and then, things got strange.

In the brightness that lasted a mere moment but seemed to last seasons and seasons, a cat appeared. A thin, lean tabby with eyes gold like the sun. His fur was gray and black. It was Mousepaw's father. He said nothing, just sat. He wasn't even on the ground, just sitting where the still blinding lightning split the air. Then, as suddenly as he was there, he was gone. A noise filled Mousepaw's ears that was so tremendous he was sure the forest must be breaking in half, and all went black. Or white. A swirling mass of colors filled his vision, his head throbbed, his heart raced.... this was what it was like to die...

And then he awoke, panting slightly, eyes wide. Mousepaw looked around... nothing. Well, rather, a few kits were playing, a few warriors eating, and two elders lounging in the sun. It had all been a dream. Thank StarClan for that.

[SHADE. :D]

Cherrysmoke purred as she watched her litter tumbling about in the dust, giggling and squealing. She licked Pansykit between he ears, before returning to watching the small bundles of fur playing, sometimes quite roughly. Her ears swivelled as she heard a muted gasp, and her blue-green eyes turned to fix on Mousepaw. "You okay?" asked the young queen, licking a red-brown paw delicately.

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

Moonkit trotted in alongside his mother and blinked. "What happened, Mousepaw?" he mewed in his tiny, high-pitched kit voice

[SHADE. :D]

Cherrysmoke licked her son's cheek, marvelling at how much he had grown in the couple of moons since his birth. She purred. He reminded her so of her mate, Crescentgaze. She wondered where the silver tabby cat was now, and scanned the surrounding forest anxiously with sharp blue-green eyes.

[trissea]

"Um.. yes, yes, I- I just had a strange dream, that's all. " Mousepaw replied, shaking his head to clear the sleep from his mind. He noticed that Cherrysmoke's mind was elsewhere, and he suspected she was worried about her mate. Would he be so lucky as to one day have a mate that cared so much about him as Cherrysmoke did for Crescentgaze?

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[SHADE. :D]

Cherrysmoke looked back at Mousepaw, blinking slightly. "Good. It's just you were mewing in your sleep." The red-brown queen began to groom Moonkit's ears, breifly wishing for warrior life again. She loved her kits with all her heart and would die for any one of them, but she yearned to be able to hunt and fight and protect her clan again. Not be protected.

[brook]

^{It was then that a gray tabby tom trotted into camp. In his jaws were two mice and a large rabbit. He dropped the two mice on the fresh-kill pile and trotted over to Cherrysmoke. He dropped the rabbit in front of her and licked her ear. "Hello,"he purred and licked Moonkit's ear. He sat beside Cherrysmoke and looked at Mousepaw. "Hello, Mousepaw,"he meowed.}

[SHADE. :D]

Cherrysmoke licked her mate's ear. "Hi," she breathed. "We've been waiting for you, havn't we, you lot?" She purred at her litter, looking up at her mate with pride in her blue-green eyes. "They're growing so quickly. Look at Moonkit. He already has little muscles. And Petalkit's so pretty."

[trissea]

Mousepaw nodded politely at Crescentgaze. "Hello. "
At Cherrysmoke's comment, he realized she was right. Moonkit looked great, with a shining coat and enthusiastic personality, he would make a great warrior. And Petalkit was pretty... very much so. Mousepaw pushed himself to his paws. He was going to find something to do, maybe find his metnor.

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OOC: Who IS his mentor? XD XD XD

[brook]

^{Crescentgaze sat down next to Cherrysmoke and looked at the litter. Yes, they were growing very quickly. Soon they wouldn't be his little angels. He purred and licked each of the kit's heads. "They will be wonderful warriors,"he meowed proudly and looked over at Mousepaw. "Who is your mentor?"he asked the apprentice and took a bite of the rabbit.}

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

Moonkit's tail curled happily and he purred as his father trotted into camp. "Okay, Mousepaw," he mewed, and he lightly leaned his head against his mother. It was nice to tag his parents a lot; he got a lot of attention. That wasn't the reason why he did it though; he simply didn't enjoy rough-housing.

[trissea]

Mousepaw was caught off gaurd. Why was his mentor? He'd forgotten! Embarrased, he admitted. "I- I forget wether I was assigned one, actually." He flicked his tail, and said, "I'm going to find them... okay?"

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[KURI. (happy birfday to me :D)]

Pastelpaw padded into the camp, a mouthful of fresh-kill for Cherrysmoke. "Cherrysmoke?" She mewed, and carfully placed down her pile. She gazed around and noticed Mouepaw. "Hi, Mousepaw."

[SHADE. :D]

Cherrysmoke purred and thanked Pastelpaw, before turning back to Mousepaw. "Reflectstar has been very busy recently. Perhaps he just hasn't found the time to hold you a ceremony. It must be hard being a leader," she commented sympathetically. "Crescentgaze, why don't you take him out for today?"
Cherrysmoke took a bite from a plump vole lying at her paws.

[lonelylove :D]

When Petalkit heard her name, she stepped out of the nursery and towards her mother and father.

Hello, mother. Hello, father.

She gave Moonkit a smile and pounced on his tail.

Hi Moonkit! Wanna play with me?

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[brook]

^{Crescentgaze looked at Pastelpaw for a moment. Couldn't she see that Crescentgaze had just brought Cherrysmoke a rabbit. He narrowed his sea green eyes at her and then looked back at Mousepaw. "Well I have nothing really to do these days so maybe it would be a good idea,"he meowed and shrugged. He then pushed the rabbit away from Cherrysmoke. He had caught it just for her. With a sigh, he took another bite and smiled at Petalkit.}

[lonelylove :D]

Petalkit licked her shoulder self-consisously before she trotted over to her father and rubbed his leg.

Hello, father.

[/size]

[trissea]

Mousepaw nodded at Cherrysmoke thoughtfully. "Yes, I'm sure that's it.. things have been strange lately anyway, I'm sure Reflectstar is pretty stressed." He smiled at Pastelpaw, sitting down and giving his ruffled chest fur a few half-hearted licks. At Cherrysmoke's suggestion and Crescentgaze's agreement, he grinned. "Well, thanks, Crescentgaze! That'd be great!" He took a vole out of the fresh-kill pile and dug into it hungrily, devouring it in moments. He hadn't notised how hungry he was until he'd heard a suggestion of an adventure.

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[KURI. (happy birfday to me :D)]

Pastelpaw shuffled her paws under the warrior's glare, but then she noticed the rabbit sitting at Cherrysmoke's feet. "Oh, you already got her...." her voice trailed off with embarrasment. "Should I take this to Dancingleaf instead? She'll kit soon, so she'd need the energy, right?"

[SHADE. :D]

Cherrysmoke licked Petalkit between the ears, rubbing her cheek against her daughter's pure white flank. Her blue-green eyes glowed as she turned her gaze back on Pastelpaw, eyes faintly amused but understanding he apprentice's embarrasment. "It's quite alright. But yes, I think your right; Dancingleaf will appreciate that."

[Wolf]

Deathwish was sitting a few fox lengths away from the other cats, watching with slight interest showing in his icy blue eyes. He licked a paw and ran it over his white mask lazily.

[brook]

^{Crescentgaze looked down at his daughter and licked her between the ears. "Hello Petalkit,"he purred and stood. "Well Mousepaw I suppose we should go,"he meowed and looked back at Pastelpaw. He had left the half eaten rabbit that he had caught for Cherrysmoke beside her and then she was eating another peice of prey. He narrowed his sad eyes and looked back at Mousepaw.}

[Wolf]

Deathwish felt sad for Crescentgaze but decided not to do anything about it. He stretched, then lay down.

[fernie. (:]

Foxtail came out of the warriors den and looked arond before going to the fresh-kill pile and choosing a small mouse. She went over to a corner of the camp to eat it. The kill pile looked low; maybe she should ask someone to go hunting with her later? She decided she would and gulped down the rest of her mouse. She then got up and walked over to Deathwish. 'Um... do you want to come hunting with me?' she asked quietly.

[Wolf]

Deathwish looked up, shocked. He nodded and stood up.

[lonelylove :D]

Petalkit ran back toward her mother, and shivered next to her mother's forepaw. She waved her tail at Crescentgaze.

'Bye, father!

[/size]

[fernie. (:]

Foxtail backed away a little, before signalling with her tail for him to follow her. 'Where shall we go?' she asked, a little nervously. The day was lovely, the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud to be seen. Newleaf was coming and it was showing; there were new buds and green shoots sprouting everywhere.

[Wolf]

"Where ever you want to. But...Not too far out." Deathwish replied.

[fernie. (:]

Ooc: Continues on territory board...

[SHADE. :D]

Cherrysmoke watchd as Deathwish left camp with Foxtail,and felt a small sting of envy. She wished she could go out on hunting patrol too, or go and train an apprentice. She sighed, alone now that the others had left, except for Pastelpaw and and her kits. She rested her head on her paws and shut her eyes, trying to block out the sights and sounds of the world surrounding her.