x tears / fears / && a [nightwatch];

[SHADE. :D]

The night was gloomy. Then, that was to be expected, seeing as the world stood on winter's threshold, ready to step into the chill white season. Yet for now, autumn still tugged insistantly on. But the trees were almost bare, they're branches reaching up into the sky like skeletal arms. Few leaves clung to the branches, those that did limp and crumbling. The ground was slippery with wet, dead leaves, and beneath them a second layer of leaves. These had disentigrated. Nothing seemed to break the darkness, but for a beam of shimmering moonlight. In this one circle of light, cast on the sighing grass, a kitten was visible. Her slender body was covered in ochre fur, this cut across with darker stripes. These were thin and dark, contrasting deeply from the creamy brown of her undercoat. Her chest and paws seemed to glow in the half light, yet this was simply because of the snowy colour that furred them. The kitten's eyes stared blankly into the darkness, they're dark blue depths churning with thoughts and emotions.
Pecankit had stalked off alone, her pawsteps heavy and jaw set. She was furious. Aurora had no right to name her useless, to name them all useless. She was so high-and-mighty. The tabby kitten swiped her peachy tongue over one small paw, temper still bubbling in her throat. The she-cat sighed. Longing clutched at her heart. She wanted to go home. She missed her family, her mother, her father, her brothers and sisters, her grandfather... Pecankit could not prevent a dry sob escaping her mouth. The tabby shook her head. She should not be crying. Not again. This was her destiny. But as she thought this, a voice crept into her mind. But why me?
Pecankit curled up, her chin rested on her paws. Her expression was dejected. She felt so alone. She liked Mottledkit and Crystalkit, but she barely knew Selenekit and Moonkit. Selenekit stuck with Moonkit, Crystalkit trailed Aurora like a lost lamb and Mottledkit was injured. Pecankit's own wound still sang with pain when she moved it. Without knowing it, without even feeling her consciousness slipping, Pecankit drifted into dreams. Yet not even her dreams could protect her from her fears and loneliness. Hazelpaw and Mousepaw loomed out of the darkness, their faces burning with rage. Suddenly they leapt at eachother, fighting, tearing off eachother's fur. "No!" Pecankit's voice was lost in the words and yowls ripping from her sister's mouths. "Stop it! Please!"
Pecankit woke. She was not sure what had happened, but her cheeks were damp. Her sisters were fighting. Or had fought. She knew, this time, it was not just a dream. Pecankit broke down in sobs that she could not force away. It was all her fault.
Everything was her fault.
She was useless.

[SHADE. :D]

// Anyone?

[blackfoot]

[{I'll post as soon as Trick is accepted! =)}]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{((Um...this is for the plot o.O Unless you and Shade worked something out))}

[blackfoot]

[{oh }]

[SHADE. :D]

// It is for the plot, but it's okay, Storm, don't be embarrased. ^^

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

^{Moonkit padded back from his training with Aurora to find the other kits. He noticed Pecankit and caught up to her. "Hullo, Pecankit," he mewed. He hoped the kit wouldn't be angry towards him for have winning, thinking he may boast. No, the silver tabby wasn't like that, but these other kits didn't know him well, so he could be sure. "How are you doing?"}[/sup]

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

[ooc] Heh, I love how you described Crystalkit! She really seems like that, now that I look at it. ^-^

Crystalkit blinked open her eyes, her fur standing on end. Her dream stuck vividly in her mind, as if it was some burr that had caught in her fur. She had dreamt of home. She had seen the CloudClan camp so vividly that it left her speechless. But then, what came after frightened her most: The whole camp was empty. Not even a scent drifted by her nostrils. Then, as if night were falling - although the sky was as blue as ever - the camp turned black. Not all at once, but slowly, a definate blackness crawling over each leaf and den. She stood, frozen in confusion. What was happening...?
That was when she had woken up. Shivering, she blinked a second time as her eyes adjusted to the dark. This was nothing like the nursury, the same one she'd seen eaten up by night in her dream. Instead of warm and safe, this was cold and damp. She felt little security here, knowing only that Aurora and the others could protect her, not a whole Clan. "Hi, Moonkit," she whispered, her voice hoarse. [/color]

[SHADE. :D]

Her wide sapphire eyes stared blindly into the distance. They looked like two lamps, just staring expressionlessly. Her mind was clouded with thoughts of her sisters as they fought, ripping out eachother's fur and clawing at the flesh. And all because of her. Pecankit jumped as a voice startled her out of her reverie. She turned, suddenly aware of the dampness on her cheeks. Pecankit took a moment to recognize Moonkit. His clean, short, sensible silver fur, his high cheekbones and wide eyes. "Hi, Moonkit," she murmured, swallowing a sob. She hoped that her voice did not sound as unhappy to Moonkit as it did to her. Pecankit then caught another scent, though she felt no familiar flash of pride at her skill. Crystalkit stepped up beside Moonkit, her large blue eyes looking decidedly miserable. Pecankit thought maybe she could slide back into the shadows, but as she took a small step back, she noticed Moonkit still looking at her. Pecankit swallowed, deciding to answer the tom's question. "I'm fi..." she hesitated. "I'm okay," she finished, looking at her paws.

// Hehe. ^^

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

<sup>The silver tabby's blue eyes showed pity, but he tried his hardest to hide. He was a quick learner, Pecankit tried to hide her sensitivity. He didn't want to make her feel horrible. But Moonkit's caring personality was hard for him to restrain. He repeated her step, trying to help her, like a therapist. He sat with his tail wrapped around his paws, preparing for a possible outburst of sobbing. He knew it could be possible, especially with what had happened earlier. He silently preyed to StarClan that Aurora's figure would not appear to scold her for losing control once again. But StarClan, like SerenityClan, seemed so far away, beyond the reach of a kit's tiny paws. Did StarClan still walk with them? Or had they wandered too far for their anscestors to come into contact? Did StarClan even remember them, or care that they were to be brutally pitted against a huge force of evil, that could lead to death?

Moonkit began to wonder...did SerenityClan remember them? Did they care he was missing? Or did they just keep going on with their lives, not giving a hoot to the absent kit? A tear began to form upon his bottom eyelid, but he quickly wiped it with a paw and straightened up again. "Wou-would you like to talk about it?" he finally mewed to the BrightClanner. Their Clans could be rivals, but the kits didn't have to be. They could carry on caring about each other, until the day came that their Clans would be pit against each other in battle. That didn't happen often, besides the fact that MoonClan and EclipseClan were always fighting for only StarClan knows what reason. But nothing could be perfect. Nothing.</sup>[/sup]

[SHADE. :D]

The kitten had been staring determinedly at her paws, desperately trying not to let out all the sorrow pent up inside of her. When she next forced herself to look up, large blue eyes almost blank, she noticed Moonkit had moved a step closer, in tune with her step back. Pecankit swallowed, her eyes flickering to lock with the grey kit's. Misery was swimming through they're blue depths, like minnows in a river. Pecankit looked down. She wasn't the only one who was homesick, or felt lonely. Moonkit obviously did as well. So did Crystalkit. Yet Selenekit and Mottledkit had not given much of an impression of homesickness. In fact, Mottledkit in particular acted as though she hated her home. And Selenekit... She was usaully so distant it was hard to tell. Pecankit looked up again, sadness flooding her eyes as her boundaries collapsed. She felt choked, and as Moonkit stammered out a question, found her voice would not come. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Pecankit tried hard not to cry in front of Moonkit and Crystalkit. "N-no," she mewed shakily, then found her bearings. "Nothing to talk about," she added, her voice lit with a tinge of her usaul stubborness.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>She had no need to eat again at the moment. She wondered what Ash and Jet would say to this. Her eyes saddened and then closed. She did miss them, but she needed to focus on her mission, even if she didn't like what was going on.

Aurora sighed heavily, letting her warm breath seep around the large dead rabbit in her maw. Entering the den, she sat the rabbit down, licking her chops as she raised her head. "I'm back...and food's here," she said softly, flicking her tail in a half-greeting. Her scarred eyes turned to Moonkit, for it was his Clanmate who had given her those marks, and then to Pecankit, for it was her Clan who had been given her heart. The monastery-born female turned away in silence, her lithe black and white frame disappearing from sight.

She curled up outside of the den, her tail flickering pensively, like a metronome. Ochre eyes opened, framed by flecks of white against black fur. She wondered about the kits but could care less if they liked her or not. She wasn't there to baby them. Aurora sighed, shaking her head as she nestled it in her pelt.</sub>

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit blinked angrily as Aurora entered the den. She turned away, flopping her head onto her paws. She tried to ignore the tempting scent of fresh kill in her nostrils. She didn't want to eat anything Aurora had caught. And she wasn't hungry anyway. Pecankit sank her small, hooked claws into the den floor. She screwed up her face for a moment, then opened her eyes. Her face uncreased. Outside, she thought she spotted a flash of dappled fur. But she knew she was just imagining things. It had happened before. It wasn't Hazelpaw, or Leopardflight. Pecankit could sense the feelings coming from Aurora, and bit her tongue to stop herself spitting at her. She couldn't help but dislike the she-cat. She was so patronizing. Pecankit twitched in irritation, her shoulders slumping.

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

"Aurora..." Crystalkit started, but cut off abruptly as Aurora left the den. Sighing, she picked up a small vole and padded over to Pecankit, lying down beside her with her chin on her paws. "Want to share?" she asked quietly, pushing the vole towards her. "It's okay if you don't, but I was just..." There. She did it again. She had just cut off in the middle of her sentance, due to the fear that almost swallowed her whole. "I had a dream, too," she changed the subject quickly. "I dreamed that..." Pause. Wait. "I dreamed that the CloudClan camp was being eaten up by all this blackness," she whispered. "Everything was black. Even the ground..." she shivered, wanting to press up against Pecankit. She looked down on the ground. Everyone wanted to go home. What was this mission all about? None of them even understood why they had been pulled away from their homes, by a loner no one had even spoken to.

[/color][/blockquote]

[sorrowfrost]

_{Sorry guys, im not up to posting much at the moment, once again im really sorry but I have this odd depression feeling and if im not really needed here I would prefer not to post in this thread, where ever they go next I will, but I have some issues to sort out for now, once again, so sorry.}

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{((*sigh* ...Fine...sure...))}

[SHADE. :D]

A shiver racked Pecankit's hunched shoulders. The tabby turned to face Crystalkit, her blue eyes faintly interested. Pecankit stretched her slender forelegs out before her, revelling in the feeling. But it provided only a moment of satisfaction. Then worry crashed down on her in waves and waves of distress. Pecankit pricked up her ears to listen to what Crystalkit was saying. Oh. So she wasn't the only one having strange, freaky dreams. Pecankit shuddered. "I dreamt my sisters, Hazelkit and Mousekit, were arguing..." she hesitated, then continued, voice shaking. "O-over... Over me..." Pecankit shut her eyes as tears filled them again. She opened them again only when the tears slipped away. Pecankit sighed. "I hate myself for causing my family so much pain."

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Unable to sleep again today, because you fill my heart to overflowing
Is this the pain called love?

Nihility. She didn't care what they thought of her. Not all the time.

Aurora had dreamt, too, but the kits wouldn't want to hear her. They had enough to bear. She longed to go ahead. If they wanted to go home, why didn't they do it? What was the point of crying continuously? She did not understand.

The she-cat remembered Rowyn, Jet, and the others who she had loved. Why was it that she longed to care for someone but the task was impossible. Hollow, Sage, Ash... She shook her head, looking up towards the sky. A melodious humming arose in her throat and she began to sing softly, "If these thoughts were changed into light all over the world, perhaps even the night would become dazzling. Love is like a white arctic night, robbing me of sleep. Even pride surrenders... I want to gently convey to you this pure white love... The dawn breaks, silently murmuring that one too-short word that can't be expressed by words..."

She broke off, pulling herself to her feet. She shook herself, sniffing the air. Fox scent, rather fresh, perforated the air. She frowned and twitched her tail and ears. "Again...?" she whispered. Aurora turned to the den and hastily leapt upon the mud and dirt.

"Ki--!" she hissed and then paused in dipping her head in. because they technically were apprentices despite their names."Crystalkit, Moonkit, Pecankit, hurry and cover yourselves, Mottledkit, and Selenekit in the mud and dirt from the den!" She was so dirty, her white pelt was now a thin shade of sienna as she rubbed against the mud to hide her scent. She also pushed some muck against the majority of the den, giving the illusion of an abandoned den that hadn't been aired out in a while.</sub>

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

^{Moonkit's eyes widened in alarm when Aurora suddenly rushed back into the den. He recognized the rank stench that signalled a certain predator. His gaze slowly drifted to his injured tail, then to Selenekit, then to the rest of the kits. He pushed mud and dirt over the quiet kit he was so close to quickly, then helped the others with Mottledkit. He then burrowed into the soft soil, closing his eyes to the dirt around him. There were a few holes close to his mouth so he could breathe, though. The SerenityClanner waited silently; their fates were in the paws of StarClan...if they were there....}[/sup]

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

Crystalkit gasped. Aurora didn't explain why they had to hide, but by the scent coming from the outside of the den she could tell it was urgent. She opened her mouth, trying to identify the stench - those snapping, wide jaws, the huge white teeth... Fox! Her heart suddenly full of panic, she began to worry as she hid herself in the dirt. What if the fox saw the vole? Would it know she was there? What if it finds Pecankit or Moonkit or Selenekit or Mottledkit? The little once-silver kit's coat was now a pale brown. With her pelt so light, there was little she could do. Crystalkit wanted desperately to wail out to StarClan, but she knew if she did the fox would definately get her.

[/color][/blockquote]

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit twitched her ears in irritation as thoughts buzzed annoyingly through her head. The brown tabby kitten sighed, dropping her head onto her paws. The she-cat looked, not caring to hurry, as Aurora entered the den again. She blinked at the black and white loner, frowning angrily as she ordered her around. Pecankit got to her paws, slowly shaking the aches from her body. The kitten padded after the others, smearing her pelt with mud. She did not bother to cover much of her coat in the muck; she was too distracted by her warring siblings. The kit crouched beside the others, eyes doleful, not really concentrating on the danger they were in.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Aurora flattened herself near Crystalkit, whose pelt seemed to be the most outstanding. She held her breath, permitting only a few breaths as the scratching of leaves and the sniffing of wet fox nose was heard outside. She swallowed and faintly opening her eyes, seeing the bristly pelt of the fox as it paced around outside the den. It was younger than the ones the kits and she had fought before, but that meant nothing on the battlefield.

The animal's nose ran across the opening of the den, sniffing faintly and then more vigorously. Suddenly, it began pawing at the opening like a rabbit-hunting hound! Aurora's claws unsheathed ominously and then lashed out, connecting with soft black flesh that gashed open to bloody pink. The fox howled in pain and retaliated by trying to bite at the phantom paw that had swiped at it. Seeing that Moonkit was closer and she didn't want to expose Crystalkit less the fox start to dig and enter, she pssted at the tomkit. "Remember the cattail!" she whispered.</sub>

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

^{Moonkit's world spun and he was back in the dark clearing with Aurora, the fox's paw becoming the cattail. But he knew what was really happening, and that he had to fight for real. No silly mistakes. Dropping into the hunter's crouch, he leapt at the fox with unsheathed claws, hooking flesh and ripping it from its place. Scarlet blood slowly stained the ground as the SerenityClanner attacked once more. Before he knew it jaws snapped at him, barely missing his body. They attemted to clamp once more, but again failed. The silver kit's eyes widened in fear, and he stood petrified, just out of the predator's reach.}[/sup]

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

Crystalkit strained to see behind Aurora's dirt-covered body, but she couldn't move more than a mouse-length without exposing herself to the foxes. She managed to press herself to the ground and watch from under Aurora's legs. Remember the cattail? she thought, confused. What in StarClan was Aurora talking about? But, in less than a heartbeat, she knew exactly what was going on. Moonkit ripped at the fox with gleaming claws. Blood spilled out, and Crystalkit could have touched the pool with her paw if she had wanted to. The CloudClan kitten had the urge to cheer the silver tomkit on, but fear still choked her throat and froze her body. There was no way he could drive the fox out all alone! She rolled in the dirt even more in a frantic attempt to cover her pelt.[/color]

[sorrowfrost]

_{Fear was clearly shown upon her features, she had no chance against them. She feared for them all, she worried alot and hated taking risks. Facing the unknown was so scary for her, she would never be brave enough to do any of this so why did StarClan even call upon her for this? Small and fragile figure shivered beside her companion, gaze move to Moonkit and she hardly managed to stay quiet, Moonkit was her only friend here, if he died, what would she do? Fear kept her in place, quietly watching it all, no help in any way. An odd urge to attack washed over her, though Aurora had said to stay hidden, her heart was torn between who she considered her best friend, and the one she held respect for. A near silent sigh escaped her as guilt replaced her fear, she was no use to anyone.}

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Silently cheering at Moonkit's ability to strike the fox, Aurora unsheathed her claws and slashed out at the distracted fox. The red- and black-furred creature yelped as the she-cat's claw yanked and hooked into its eye, yipping in pain as it withdrew and ran off.

Aurora came to her feet. "Good job, Moonkit," she told the tom. "If you hadn't distracted the fox, there would have been no way I could have slashed at it." The white and black she-cat purred proudly, ruffling the tom's hair affectionately.

"All right, let's regroup," she told her apprentices, shaking herself off. "There is a stream not far from here. We can use the water to clean ourselves up, rewrap and investigate our wounds, and see where to go from there. Sound like a good idea?" She smiled at her charges.</sub>

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit watched, her eyes widening, as Moonkit sprang forward. Whatever he was supposed to be doing, it did not look like it had worked, and if it had, Moonkit was looking surprisingly terrified. The tabby kitten was on the verge of leaping to the silver tom's side, when Aurora drove away the fox. Pecankit sprang from the mud, shaking it out of her fur. She opened her mouth about to say something, but then shut it again. The kit's fur bristled furiously and her mouth tightened in anger; for two reasons. One - Aurora had put Moonkit in danger - two - the rest of them had been made to lie there, as though they could do nothing. Useless, like Aurora said. Pecankit hissed, screaming inside her head. How could Aurora call them useless, then let only Moonkit fight? Pecankit turned away, blue eyes burning.

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

Crystalkit nodded, her features still frozen with fear. She gave her chest a lick, but coughed as the stale taste of dirt ended up in her mouth. Her pelt was uneven shades of brown now; both dark and light. She watched silently as Pecankit turned away, wanting nothing more than to curl up and sleep. But, for both obedience to Aurora and fear that the dark nightmare would come back, she looked around blankly. Her heart was beating faster than it ever had before, and her knees threatened to collapse under her.

[/color][/blockquote]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{Aurora sighed, impatience tinging her voice as she turned to Pecankit and Crystalkit. She saw the uncertainty in Crystalkit's eyes and the fury in Pecankit's. Aurora's own scarred orbs rolled. "Is there a problem, Pecankit?" she asked softly, her tail curling around her tail. She seemed to put two and two together than nothing she did would seem right to the BrightClan cat. "You seem to be angry with me." She ran a paw over her ear, tilting her head.}

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit was sorely tempted to let all her thoughts and feelings pour from her mouth, singeing the black and white fur of Aurora. But the tabby kitten forced herself to swallow them, lifting her head with difficultly. The brown she-cat shook her head. She would act grown up now. Like Aurora wanted. Pecankit blinked, but the anger did not leave her dark blue eyes. "No," she mewed, but the single syllable sounded forced and tight, not easygoing as it should have been. Pecankit pushed past Aurora, into the outside. There she stood, paws quivering with anger. The tabby gritted her teeth. She would live up to Aurora's standard.