constellations strung up like !BARBED WIRE!

[(aurora) of the problematique]

×× Astralhaze ××
--::[On your shoulder, out the storm I rode]::--

[/size]
<sub>Heavy footsteps pattered on the dark grass. It was hard to believe that they belonged to such an ethereal child. She, however, was bogged down with something much more mortal. Two kits rolled around in her stomach, kicking and playing. They were so eager to come out. She couldn't believe that this was happening so soon. Had it really been two or three Gatherings since she found out she was pregnant.

She nearly stumbled into the water, and she remembered how she had met and fallen in love with the BrightClan deputy. She couldn't believe this was happening. Her father would be so disappointed; he had been fiercely loyal to the Clan. It pained her when she thought about what he would think, but she had to keep on. She had made this decision, and she would take responsibility for it.

The shrine wasn't far as Astralhaze now crossed the border into BrightClan. She panted heavily as she finally passed beyond the shrine's protective agents and entered the dark depths. She dropped down in her nest, breathing deeply. "Lastfalling...," she whimpered. She hoped he would visit tonight.</sub>

[kee :]]

Lastfalling

There was something that was calling to him that night as the tired Deputy lie restless in the warrior's den. Everyone was asleep now and even the kits had stopped whining and squeeling. Everything was silent. Most nights, when he could sleep, Lastfalling usually took long walks out to the shrine, where he would sleep. The shrine always seemed to calm him down with all its familiar smells. But it wasn't only that he was restless and awake that told him to get up and move around, but that someone was calling his name in his brain. Saying it over and over again.

Lastfalling... Lastfalling I need you... At first it sounded like his mother, then his father, then even Cinnarbarcloud. Everyone that had been or is close to him was calling his name in the wind. But Astralhaze's voice stuck out most. It wasn't a whisper, but more like a scream in the distance. Thats when Lastfalling couldn't take it anymore. Something wrong was going on at the shrine. The spirits were calling his name. Panicking, he jerked awake but as quietly as possible, shot out of the warriors den and out of camp.

To his dismay, his shrine had to be built at the edge of camp, near the CloudClan border, where no one would find it. So the journey was a tiring long one. But his long legs didn't stop. He had to get there before the spirits stopped talking to him. Because once they stopped calling for him, he was too late. Now, they were louder than ever. Somehow, weirdly enough, even though he was positive his mother was still alive, because he could feel it, her voice was one of the loudest as well. Why was she calling his name when he was sure she wasn't dead?

He was panicking even more, his breath coming out in short gasps and he could even feel tears rolling down his cheeks. He could smell the shrine, the CloudClan border, and Astralhaze now. Astralhaze. She had been coming to visit him about twice or so a moon and the spirits would wake him when she got there and he would come. But they never yelled for him and said that he was needed. They just said come, or here, or something short and nice like that. But this was serious. Astralhaze was in trouble.

"Astralhaze? Astralhaze!" Lastfalling yowled, bursting through the shrine entrance. It looked the same as usual, small and sweet smelling and cozy. This was the place where he dreamed of Astralhaze having his kits. He trotted quickly over to where she lay and sat down beside her, licking her ears and face. "I'm here. I'm here..." he whispered, nuzzling her cheek.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

Karenai de ichirin no hana
:: [[Hollowstripe]] ::
Don't wilt away, single flower

<sub>Another tom had awoken subconsciously, as if his mind was linked to that of his former mentor. He began to pant slightly when he saw the deputy run out, and Hollowstripe came to his paws. He narrowed his eyes and wandered outside, mewing balefully. "Lastfallin'?" he whispered. "LASTFALLIN'!" Someone in the warriors' den told him to shut up, and he winced, flinching and twitching. He scowled slightly and turned to the exit of camp, following his former mentor.

"Come out, come out wherever y'ar!" He giggled slightly as the chase ensued. He seemed to have endless stamina. As crazy as he was, Hollowstripe was one of the fastest and most enduring runners of the Clan.

"Lastfallin', ya shouldn't run away from me..."</sub>

×× Astralhaze ××
--::[On your shoulder, out the storm I rode]::--

[/size]
<sup>"Lastfalling! Oh my love!" Astralhaze nuzzled him as he ran into the shrine, licking her comfortingly. She meowed an "I love you" and ran her tongue over his ear. "You came..." She smiled gently but suddenly her ears perked. She lifted up her majestic head and gasped.

"Lastfalling, someone else is out there...," she whispered, trying to see past the trees but unable to. A dark shape moved from tree to tree hauntingly.</sup>

[kee :]]

Lastfalling

It felt good to be with Astralhaze again, like a piece of him was back in place again. She had grown much bigger lately. And Lastfalling had a feeling that the spirits were calling him because it was time. His love also looked much more tired than she used to. He pressed against her, nuzzling her and telling her how much he loved her, too. "My possessions called me, love. They want us to be together," he murmured, smiling really big. Flicking his ears forward, he looked down at her stomach. "Is it-"

But he was cut off by the sound of bushes rustling and twigs cracking rapidly. The bracken and ferns surrounding the shrine were very thick, so it was difficult to see out side there little den. But Lastfalling knew who was there. He knew the voice very well, and the smell. Ever since Hollowstripe had become a warrior, the crazy tom hadn't really stayed friends with. Lastfalling had tried to help him before it got to crazy, but he couldn't help everyone, now that he had Alderpaw to train. It was Hollowstripe's brain that Lastfalling worried about. If the voices were still strong, there would be danger.

His bright yellow eyes met Astralhaze's hazel ones. "It's Hollowstripe. Please stay here, Astralhaze. He's my former apprentice and he's very dangerous," the black and white deputy whispered, standing up and peering out the entrance. Lastfalling came back over to his mate and pressed his muzzle against hers. "I won't let him touch a hair on your pelt." He tried to be reassuring, but he was very nervous when he exited the shrine and padded through the trees toward the shadowy figure.

"What is it Hollowstripe?"

[(aurora) of the problematique]

Karenai de ichirin no hana
:: [[Hollowstripe]] ::
Don't wilt away, single flower

<sup>His head tilted left and then right. Another giggle escaped him as Hollowstripe leaned forward, his muzzle sliding out from the shadows as serrated teeth parted the line of his lips. "Hi...," he whispered breathily, the scent of pigeon heavy on his tongue.

He jerkily turned to the shrine, smiling at it. "Someone's in there... Can I kill th'trespasser? Father says I patrol really really good so I just wanted t'know if I could do that fer ya 'cause they held a secret from ya." He leaned in more, brushing his face against Lastfalling's ear. "That's a CloudClanner in there. I gotta get rid o'it."</sup>

×× Astralhaze ××
--::[On your shoulder, out the storm I rode]::--

[/size]
_{"Lastfalling?" Astralhaze stood up on wobbly paws and walked out to the entrance, blinking in worry. The beautiful she-cat saw the wraith simply by his eyes, and she gasped, drawing back slightly. She swallowed a lump in her throat, curling her tail around her paws as he heard what the tom named Hollowstripe was saying.}

[kee :]]

Lastfalling

Along with Deputy business, having an apprentice, and Astralhaze it had been quite a trouble to also keep an eye on Hollowstripe. Only after about ten seconds with him, th black and white tom realized that his condition or whatever he had going on in his brain, was getting worse. He was a powerful, strong tom, remembering all the training time they spent together and with a whacked out mind, he could do a lot of damage without meaning it. His voice, his words were scary enough. Shivering as he felt the cold breath in his ear, Lastfalling took a step back, toward his shrine. "I can deal with the CloudClanner myself, so just go back to camp and get some sleep. Maybe tomorrow we can go hunting and I'll take Alderpaw. You can tell him all the fun stuff we did when you were an apprentice. OK?" he said softly, his face trying to hide all the fright behind the mask. He could hear his mate behind him and hoped Hollowstripe wouldn't. Astralhaze was in no condition to fight back. Lastfalling wasn't going to loose his mate to his former apprentice and friend.

His friend with the voices in his head.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

Karenai de ichirin no hana
:: [[Hollowstripe]] ::
Don't wilt away, single flower

^{"NO!" he cried. "I'm tired o' lettin' ya protect me! I want t'fight fer ya this time." With his legendary speed, Hollowstripe dashed past Lastfalling. His demonic blue eyes glittered with twisted schizophrenia as he shot for the she-cat behind his former mentor. He cackled with glee as his muscles crouched and launched him into a spectacular stream-lined lunge. He landed on the female's shoulders and tackled her, claws digging into her skin. "Ya won't attack m'mentor, ya trespasser!" he roared, biting and assaulting the she-cat viciously.}

×× Astralhaze ××
--::[On your shoulder, out the storm I rode]::--

[/size]
_{She let out a scream as she was leapt upon by the phantom cat. With a shudder, her body convulsed and she felt the birthing wave hit her head-on, adding to the pain. Astralhaze screamed for both mercy and Lastfalling as the helpless queen was attacked. A black and white kit slipped from her depths. Astralhaze unsheathed her claws and weakly tried to defend herself as she pleaded for Lastfalling to save her.}

[kee :]]

[[ "No." For a second, his voice seemed calm and stern but just after that one word was blurted from his mouth, all masks were dropped. As he tried to spring to block the entrance, he realized that the phantom looking tomcat was just as fast as he remembered him. No, faster. Before Lastfalling could even turn around, Hollowstripe was lunging for Astralhaze. "NO!" the black and white tom roared, bounding right for them. Hollowstripe was on her now, clawing her and biting her. Hurting her... No. Not his Astralhaze. No one can hurt her. Yellow eyes were glowing with a flame of anger that he didn't know he possessed as he lunged for his former apprentice. The blow when he hit him was intended not to be too forceful, but enough to make him fall back. His paws pinned the black and gray tom down and his yellow eyes glared into the electric blue ones of his apprentice. Lastfalling kept his claws sheathed though, making sure not to hurt Hollowstripe, even though his anger burned for him more than any other cat. "Are you blind?" he growled, "Can you not see that she isn't any threat?" He got off Hollowstripe after a second and trotted over to where Astralhaze lie and thats when he saw the kit. His kit. And under these circumstances, it was odd for a cat to smile, well wasn't it? Not for Lastfalling. He couldn't keep the grin off his face. It was a mirror image of him.

Lastfalling looked at Astralhaze and his smile disappeared. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" He searched her for cuts or injuries but kept an eye on Hollowstripe, telling him to stay away in his glare. He ended up at Astralhaze's side, a small black and white kit between his paws getting cleaned. Talk about multi-tasking. The Deputy was able to watch Hollowstripe, groom a kit, and whisper loving words to his mate while nuzzling her cheek. It would all be okay, wouldn't it?

[(aurora) of the problematique]

Karenai de ichirin no hana
:: [[Hollowstripe]] ::
Don't wilt away, single flower

^{"She's a trespasser!" Hollowstripe yowled as he was knocked away. The tom crashed into a rock and rolled onto his paws, fur spiking up dangerously. "She's a traitor. I hear her speakin' lies t'ya! I swear I do!" The tom began to slowly circle them, panting heavily as he glared. "Are ya blind t'see that!" This time he barreled into Lastfalling to try and save him. In his head, he was conjuring images that Astralhaze was attacking him. "Can ya see that she's just makin' ya lower y'ar guard?" he demanded, coming between her and the deputy. He hissed at the she-cat. "Nice try, she-cat. Y'ar not gonna fool Hollowstripe, no, no, no!" He crouched down with a hiss, his mouth curled into a victorious grimace.}

×× Astralhaze ××
--::[On your shoulder, out the storm I rode]::--

[/size]
_{She felt like she had become boneless, pain sweeping through her just as another kit slipped away from her. Astralhaze struggled to kiss her mate's cheek before pulling her kits close to her. "I'm fine. Just some scratches here and--Lastfalling!" Her voice nearly screamed itself away as the mad cat tackled the deputy and then turned to her. The she-cat's beautiful eyes were flecked with fear as Hollowstripe attacked her and her brood. She crouched down over them to protect them. "Lastfalling, you can't sheath your claws with him!" she cried out.}

[kee :]]

[[ Lastfalling really didn't want to attack Hollowstripe. They had been close during his apprentice moons, because Lastfalling was the only one who could help the young tom to control the voices. Lately, he had become much busier with Astralhaze, Alderpaw, and just plain being the Deputy. It had become worse. The son of Ghostlystar wasn't listening and Lastfalling was getting angrier and more frustrated every time the cat came back for more. He had been keeping close to Astralhaze, pushing both kits against her and helping their mother clean them off as best as he could and as fast as he could. He was listening to the crazy cat's words though, letting them sink in every harsh blow until finally he was disconnected from his family. Hollowstripe had knocked into him, pushing him farther into thorn bracken bushes. His pelt was covered, luckily none of them pierced to far into his skin. But the stinging sensation in his paws was unbearable. Lastfalling stood and shook himself off, before turning to look back at his family being attacked by his friend. He wasn't going to protect that cat anymore. He was hurting his mate and their newborn kits. Astralhaze was right, he had to fight him off.

This time when the larger tom pushed Hollowstripe away, he used all the force he could and dug his claws into his side which made his skin rip when he fell away. Lastfalling hoped it hurt. He hated fighting, so much, but not when it was for some strong reason. So Lastfalling decided to make the reason fully clear to Hollowstripe. He felt that all barriers were needed to be dropped. "Stay away from my family!" he roared. His skinny lithe almost dainty looking self didn't seem like it could possess such loud harsh words. Well, it did. Ignoring the stinging pain in his paws, he padded back over to Astralhaze and instead of wrapping himself around her, he stood in front of her. His ears were pinned back and his claws were ready for action if Hollowstripe decided to attack again.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

Karenai de ichirin no hana
:: [[Hollowstripe]] ::
Don't wilt away, single flower

^{He froze, nearly losing his momentum. The tom looked up, electric-blue eyes widened in his belief. "Y'ar family? Ya...y'ar betrayin' y'ar Clan...fer that?" Hollowstripe's fur stiffened. "I'll never forgive ya!" The tom let out a loud yowl and charged at Lastfalling. He no longer was coherent and rational. He only saw in colors, the good was bright and the bad was dark. Everything that his former mentor was was dark. He had to fight him. He was being told to fight him. A scream of angry anguish ripped from his throat as his claws unsheathed to attack a cat he no longer recognized.}

×× Astralhaze ××
--::[On your shoulder, out the storm I rode]::--

[/size]
_{Pain beyond the womb was seeping into her and she felt blood pool in her throat. Astralhaze mewed helplessly, coughing and hacking. Oh StarClan, it hurt so bad. She pulled herself to her paws and grabbed her two kits, moving them back to the Shrine away from the fighting.}

[kee :]]

[[ It was like he was caught. Frozen for a moment. Astralhaze, his one and only love was back toward the Shrine, coughing and her face was full of pain. Something was wrong. Could it wait? He couldn't ask since Hollowstripe was ready to attack again. Guilt didn't work with this tom, so Lastfalling decided that he had to show the younger warrior who the boss was. There was something in his eye though. The look scared Lastfalling and somewhere, he believed that Hollowstripe was a bigger threat than he thought. He was dangerous when he was like this. And Lastfalling knew that he would have to defeat him before returning to Astralhaze's side to help her. If he did, they would loose both their lives and the lives of their kits. So that was that. He made his choice.

He was stealthily able to dodge the first blow, but he tripped over some roots and stumbled off the the side a bit. The pain in his paws hurt even more now and it was getting harder and harder to ignore it. Regaining his momentum, he stood to face Hollowstripe again. "Is that all you got?" Lastfalling taunted, not really thinking how much those words could effect his former apprentice. There was too much going on to actually think

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

[ooc]:// -ish eatin' popcorn- ;o; It's so dramatic!

[/blockquote]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

Karenai de ichirin no hana
:: [[Hollowstripe]] ::
Don't wilt away, single flower

<sub>A shriek of laughter rippled through him like the malignant madness creeping into Hollowstripe's brain cancerously. "Ya tellin' me I'm not doin' enough?" he cried out, his vicious smile ripping at the corners of his mouth. Serrated fangs bared as the speedy tom zoomed towards his old mentor mercilessly.

"Oi, Lastfallin'!"

Claws ejected. Teeth collided.

"WHY SO SERIOUS?"

He screamed another haunting laugh as the tom leapt onto Lastfalling's shoulders and began his attempt at ripping the fur away.</sub>

[kee :]]

[[ That's the problem with Lastfalling. He never really thought before he spoke. He was so determined to protect Astralhaze at the kits that the anger issues of his former apprentice meant nothing to him. Only that his family was safe and out of harms way. That thought was almost ripped from his brain when he saw how vicious Hollowstripe looked. He looked as though he was going to rip right through the Deputy. And the young warrior pretty much did that. He was fast, too fast for Lastfalling to react to. And when I said ripped through I was being literal. Hollowstripe had been on him for about a second and fur was flying, stinging pain was piercing and he smelled blood. Already. It was bad odds. Shaking him off didn't work, so he dropped down to his belly, making the claws go in deeper, but he was able to escape. He stood shaking himself off for a second before taking his turn at charging toward Hollowstripe. Everything hurt but he didn't care. He was too angry to care. "You're dead Hollowstripe," he yowled, springing onto Hollowstripe's shoulders like he had done to his mentor and began clawing and biting wherever he could. He wouldn't let this cat win.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{ooc;// I've been given permission by Kee to finish Lastfalling off.}

Karenai de ichirin no hana
:: [[Hollowstripe]] ::
Don't wilt away, single flower

<sub>"I was dead when I was born."

That haunting voice seemed otherworldly as Hollowstripe knocked back Lastfalling. The black and gray tom fell to his paws and snarled, his claws curling out through scarlet and sable fur. The speedy male lunged and leapt onto the deputy, his sharp serrated fangs plunging into Lastfalling's shoulder. Tendons snapped and bones crunched under Hollowstripe's terrible, terrible grip. He let out a howl that seemed to rise from the depths of Hell, Lastfalling's broken neck as a trophy.</sub>

×× Astralhaze ××
--::[On your shoulder, out the storm I rode]::--

[/size]

<sub>She screamed during the fighting scene, unable to move from her two kits. "You're a monster!" Astralhaze exclaimed, her control slipping completely. She was no longer herself. She couldn't realize what was happening except for the fact that this creature had just slain her mate.

A black shape leapt in front of her, and she lashed out. However, her blow was blocked by a lithe sable paw. "Don't attack me, miss. I'm not y'ar enemy." Ghostlystar's bright-blue eyes peered out from the darkness of the shrine. The black tom hissed softly and turned his head. "M'son, Hollowstripe, has finally lost it." The lithe tom stood over Astralhaze and called out to his son before walking forward slowly. The she-cat looked up at him, tears billowing from her eyes.

"Y'ar a fool. Do ya know what ya've done?" he roared. Rage consumed him and he lunged for Hollowstripe.

"Father!" Hollowstripe screamed for mercy, the voice from his youth returning.

"Y'ar no son o'mine!" Ghostlystar bellowed, tackling Hollowstripe. They began to tussle violently until the smaller black and gray shape underneath the leader's larger form twitched and then fell limp from asphyxiation.

The blue-eyed leader turned away and touched his nose to Lastfalling's. "I'm sorry, old friend. May StarClan greet ya like a leader." He walked past the black and white corpse, walking towards Astralhaze. "I know about y'ar affair wit m'deputy and I won't let Stormstar know about this...business if ya keep quiet as well."

Astralhaze nodded mutely and then licked the kits. "We'll need an excuse... Rogues?"

"Yes, we were attacked b'rogues. Here...take a kit, the black'n'white one. She looks like him. I'll take th'one who looks like ya."

The she-cat touched each kit's ears. "I'll take Loonkit... The other can be Albatrosskit."

Ghostlystar nodded and picked up the silvery tom. "Run t'CloudClan. Good luck, Astralhaze." He turned and withdrew into the ferns with the tomkit. He had to get the kit to camp soon before he died from exposure and hunger. His back faced the running she-cat as he carried the young Albatrosskit in his maw back to BrightClan camp.

When this task was done (the kit given to Northrain), he returned to the glade and dragged Hollowstripe's body to the Lake, pushing the corpse in and making it sink among the loam and reeds. He dragged Lastfalling back by the scruff to camp and yowled for a Clan meeting.</sub>[/color]

Seven kings will ride on the wind up towards the mountains high

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Ghostlystar

And the only sound that will break the air is the warrior's bitter cry