xx. moving [ON]

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

The sun rose steadily into the sky, a tiny ball of flame in comparison to the seemingly endless blue. Although there were no clouds today; the wind still blew cold, bringing teasing traces of leaf-bare with it.

The six cats travelled steadily into the swampy marsh, every pawstep falling into soft, cold soil. All of their paws were covered in mud at one point or another. Puddles of gray-green water were scattered everywhere, some small enough that when the time came, they would freeze into ice. Exotic plants grew around these pools, and moss was abundance everywhere.

Crystalkit trudged through the Great Marshes, and despite the grim determination set on her face, she continued stopping to pull a paw out of a stubborn slab of mud, or to lick her sore pads. She wasn't used to walking so far for so long, and the cold made it even worse. She wasn't sure if the water was okay to drink, either. "How much farther?" she mewed to Aurora. Crystalkit paused to lick a white paw, then scampered to keep up.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

No cloud today. Perhaps I should sing once more, Aurora thought, humming a gentle song. Her maw opened and she softly sang,

"An extraordinary beauty in the North...
The most beautiful being of the world
From her first glance the tree bows before her
From her second glance the mountain falls into ruins
But there aren't such an tree or a mountain
what we can laud more than this beauty."

At Crystalkit's question, she blinked and paused, barely registering where they were until reality hit her in the face with Pecankit's furious glares, Moonkit's nihilitic glances, Mottledkit's drifting looks, Selenekit's disdainful expressions, and Crystalkit's pitiful eyes. Aurora sighed and turned her head, musing for a moment. "I suppose we could stop her for now," she conceded. She turned to check the water. While some of it was murky and frozen, she did find a couple pools of cool, fresh springwater. "Thank goodness," she murmured, lowering her maw for a quick drink. Aurora swallowed and then turned to the kits. "Over here. Sit on the moss and take a rest." She flashed a gentle smile that she knew wouldn't be returned and turned to the murky water to try and wash off the worst of dirt and blood. Her muscles twinged and she winced.

[sorrowfrost]

xxx selenekit

Emerald gaze caught glimpses of her paws every now and then, spheres lifted to survey the condition of her companions, how much longer could they go on before exhaustion caught up with them? Petite frame was forced to pause midstep to catch the question. Within her mind she agreed with her companion, she was tired of traveling, she just wanted to go home where she was warm, where she was safe. It wasn't that she didn't trust Aurora, but after the recent attack on them she didn't feel secure, though trained, Aurora couldn't protect them from everything, and though Moonkit was doing well, he too was only a kit, her only friend.

Relief flooded her gaze at the prospect of rest. Carried on numb paws she moved towards the moss, she didn't really care where they rested, so long as she could. A strong throbbing was breaking through the numb feeling in her pads and she seized slightly. Muscles were tense and relaxation seemed impossible, who knew what could threaten them next. So much was expected from them, they were kits yet held the responsibility of so much more. Selenekit didn't dare mention her complaints to anyone, especially Aurora, they would assume her more weak then they probably already did.

[SHADE. :D]

Left, right. Left, right. Neverending. Pecankit sighed as she stared down at her white paws. The she-cat watched their rythym. Left. Right. Left, right. It never stopped. She had to follow Aurora, or she knew she'd never make it home. The tabby was no longer the size of a kitten. Her legs were long and slender, her pelt a creamy ochre. She was the age of an apprentice, not a helpless kit. Pecankit trailed at the rear of the group, watching the tails of Moonkit, Selenekit and Crystalkit bob up ahead. Pecankit shifted Mottledkit in her mouth. She had not let any other carry her friend. The tabby continued to pull the tortoiseshell kit with her. The she-cat had fallen into a kind of coma. There was no certainty that she would wake. Catching up with the others, Pecankit gently laid Mottledkit down on some moss. She then dat, resting her aching shoulders and neck. But still, a moody expression adorned her face. Worry and anger fought in her blue eyes, and her jaw twitched.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Taking their silence for gratitude, the femme spoke up. "I have another exercise for you when you are rested. This one will decide one thing for all of you: pass or fail. If you fail this test, I'm sending you home...all of you, all of us, because it would mean that we are unfit to complete this mission and that we should let others take our place."

The white and black she-cat stretched and cracked her back and neck, feeling better and ready to run. She opened her maw and clamped it around a large swamp flower, a simple white and yellow thing with barely any scent. She laid it at her paws and looked at all of them. "Now, you may do anything, and I mean anything, it takes to get this flower. I will do whatever it takes to defend it. This means that some of you will bleed, get muddy, get wet, whatever, but you need to get this flower. How you do that...is up to you."

Aurora smiled and turned away with the flower in her maw, leaping off to land nimbly on a large mossy boulder. She flicked her tail in a fashion of Come and get me...</sub>

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit climbed to her paws, twitching irritably as her wounded shoulder twinged. She shot Aurora a look that clearly said, I'm too old for a game of cat and mouse. The tabby licked Mottledkit's face, checking that her heart was still beating. The mottled kitten's sides still slowly rose and fell, which slightly reassured Pecankit. As the brown tabby turned, she caught sight of Aurora leaping up onto a rock, the flower in her mouth. Pecankit rolled her eyes; though it was tempting to snatch the flower, she was pretty sure Aurora had made it impossible for them to get it. Just another test to make us feel useless... Nevertheless, Pecankit prowled around Aurora, leaping at her and attempting to snatch the flower stealthily from her.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{Aurora's back was towards Pecankit, but those footfalls couldn't have been more distinct. The black and white she-cat smiled faintly and side-stepped just as the BrightClanner lunged past for the flower. "Be creative with it. Don't just jump at me," the femme said dryly, hopping onto another nearby rock with an idle flick of her tail. "You must feel each step, each movement as if it was your own. Time my steps and only then can you succeed..."}

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

Crystalkit was no longer 'kit' sized - she was now about the age of a new apprentice, but that still was not enough - she had always been small, and would stay that way. Besides, Pecankit and Moonkit were already reaching warrior age, with long limbs and graceful bodies. Aurora still towered above them all, of course, but Crystalkit wasn't stupid - she had always known Aurora would be larger.

After drinking quietly, Crystalkit heard the black and white she-cat's challenge - she had to try to get the flower, and a pretty one at that, from Aurora. Clear blue eyes blinked up at Aurora, trying to register what advice she had given Pecankit. Drawing in a long breath, she sad and watched Aurora. Her mind told her to move, to run, to do something, but her body only let her stare up at Aurora pitifully. Forcing herself to jump up onto a nearby boulder, she bunched her legs and sprang up - but she must have misjudged her leap, for she only gripped the rock with her front paws as her hind legs flailed behind her. With a loud thump, the silver tabby kitten fell onto the mossy ground.

[/color][/blockquote]

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit landed heavily, skidding on all four paws but managing to keep her footing. She felt her pads sting as she took a step; she had grazed them in her long skid over the harsh ground. The brown tabby sat back on her haunches, bristling at Aurora's dry tone. She let the others have a go at retreiving the flower, though as she watched Crystalkit's attempt she knew it would not work. Pecankit's sapphire eyes flared breifly with defiance - if Aurora dared to scold the sensitive Crystalkit, she would feel Pecankit's claws. No question.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Aurora glanced down and blinked, reaching down with her lengthy forearm to bat at Crystalkit. "Gotcha," she said softly, ochre eyes twinkling. Once again, she picked up the flower in her maw and deftly hopped away. "Focus your strength in your back legs, for they are the ones who propel you the most. Running, leaping, dodging. They are essential muscles to tone," the femme said. She turned to Pecankit, poised in flight. Seeing the she-cat's bristling expression, Aurora smirked faintly and leapt away, a beautiful blur of black and white holding onto monkey vines above a bubbling patch of murky swampland.

((*poking Shard and Sorrowfrost*))</sub>

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

^{What a brief rest it was when it did occur. Aurora's sudden challenge wasn't much of a surprise to the tom, the only part that succeeded in being new was the objective. A plan quickly formulated in Moonkit's head and he put it into action. As the loner was distracted by Crystalkit, the SerenityClanner snuck around and leapt upon the she-cat's neck. He extended his forepaws, claws unsheathed to grasp, but began to slide. Before he knew it, he was dangling from her throat, young claws dug into the back. Not wishing to put the femme in pain, he sheathed his blades and landed with a thud upon the ground.}[/sup]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{Aurora scowled and lunged away, dodging Moonkit's sly move narrowly. She frowned as her silky white and black hair shredded in her wake as she disappeared among fronds of overhanging ferns and ivy in a hollowed-out tree high above the others. She frowned deeper, narrowing her ochre eyes. Her mouth curled tighter around the flower as she lifted her paw onto another thick vine and began walking across like a tightrope artist, peering down at the others on the swampy areas below. She blinked brightly and padded away lazily.}

[sorrowfrost]

(Sorry was snowed in at my dads and only have 5min)

xxx selenekit

A light sigh was released though she kept her objections to herself. Dainty paws carried her around the rock, gaze settled on Aurora who now walked high above, she could retrace the she-cats steps, or attempt to find her own way. Deciding quickly she retraced Aurora's path to the rock, though her first attempt landed short, soft gaze had hardened into concentration, following Aurora's every move. Summoning her anger and using such energy she propelled herself onto the rock though slipped and lost, debating between falling and jumping she lifted her paws and landed with a soft thud. So she had failed, she could try again...

[SHADE. :D]

As Selenekit and Moonkit both failed in their attempts, Pecankit rose to her paws again. She felt new strength flood her young limbs, and her sapphire eyes soared with the challenge. This new energy was fueled her her rivalry with Aurora, and as she planned her attack carefully in her head, Pecankit glared at the black and white loner. The brown tabby leapt, yet skidded stealthily beneath Aurora's paws. As she did so, she made to snatch the flower from Aurora's teeth. She hoped her sly move would word, and a fierce sense of defending her dignity flooded her.

// Sorry for the crappy post. xP

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{Aurora blinked and looked down, watching as Pecankit leapt after her. The loner nimbly turned and leapt from her place, frowning as the she-cat chased her. Aurora turned and bounced onto a mossy rock that was a little island in the middle of a bubbling, gross-smelling pool of muck. The child of the monastery smiled enigmatically, wondering if Pecankit would continuing her chase even on the slippery mud paths. She had nearly gotten the flower though. Aurora did have to give her credit for that.}

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit gave a hiss as Aurora slipped through her paws. The kitten yowled as her white paws sank into the mud. She pulled them out, burning with embarrasment and feeling as foolish as a scolded kit. The tabby wiped her paws clean on the grass, turnming to glare at Aurora. She loathed the stupid little smirk on the loner's face. Always so... Just so... Pecankit spat, turning around to march back to Mottledkit. This game - for that was what it was - was stupid, stupid and pointless. The brown tabby flopped down beside her tortoiseshell friend, checked her heartbeat and then fixed her sapphire eyes mutinously on Aurora. She hoped Moonkit or Selenekit might get the flower; she doubted Crystalkit would come very close, but maybe.

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

Crystalkit watched as Pecankit lept at Aurora, her temper obviously firing up again. She was no longer a kit, and it seemed weird to adress her as one. She was almost warrior age now along with Moonkit and maybe even Mottledkit. Crystalkit still kept her small frame but was also growing larger, but her eyes remained those of the helpless young kit she had always been. Blinking slowly, the silver tabby watched as Aurora landed nimbly on the rock. Breathing in a deep breath, Crystalkit mustered up all her courage and jumped after her.

Splash!
White paws flailed at the mud, struggling to keep the little tabby afloat. She was sinking, and sinking quick, into the brown sludge. "Help!" she called, pushing towards shore. Suprisingly Crystalkit found that she could touch the bottom with the tips of her claws, but that didn't seem to make a difference - all the splashing around she was doing was draining her limbs. Panic and fear clutched at her chest as she sunk deeper.

[/color][/blockquote]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{"I am your enemy, Crystalkit," Aurora whispered, lowering her maw and her voice became as menacingly as if a badger had spoken through her. The femme lifted up her claws, yanking them downward as they knotted in Crystalkit's fur. Her ochre eyes narrowed as the she-cat smiled, pressing her wet nose against that of Crystalkit's. "You...would be dead," she hissed, tail flicking back and forth. "The others will do nothing. They aren't from the same Clan you are. What difference to them does it make if you live or die ? What are you to them, Crystalkit? To me?" A fang poked out of the she-cat's mouth dangerously and her mouth opened as she cackled softly. Her claws tightened around Crystalkit's scruff. "I have lived your life six times over. I could kill you before you blink. What will you do then? What will happen then? Will you become stronger now that you know what the consequences are? Will you stay worthless in the eyes of those around you? Will you make a difference. The time is now, Crystalkit. Live...or die. Your failure decides the fate of everything around you." She was standing on the flower with her back paw, her claws clasping it in a firm jail.}

((Yay for psychological warfare!!! XDDDDDD))[/sub]

[SHADE. :D]

Aurora's words were too much for the already riled Pecankit. The tabby found herself yowling in rage, flying at the smug loner. She barreled into her side with all of her strength, stepping fiercely on her paws. The light tabby gave Crystalkit a few nudges to help free her from the mud, before whipping around to glare at Aurora. "It's not her fault!" she screeched. "It's not her fault, or mine, or his, or her's!" She gestured around at them all. "This is your fault, your fault for singling her out! Your fault for not teaching us equally! Your fault for playing stupid games with us!" Pecankit twitched with hatred. "Crystalkit is just as strong as any of us, your just targeting her! You think your so special! So different from us! Well, guess what? Your not!" Pecankit small paws stamped hard on the grass, her sides heaving with excursion.

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

Cystalkit had no choice but to go limp in Aurora's jaws. The black and white loner's words felt like ice on her pelt as she was gently lowered onto the grass. Crystalkit's body turned to stone as Aurora spoke of death and how quickly she could bring it to her - that did nothing for her already paranoid view on life, to be sure. Crystalkit couldn't tell if the cold mud was making her shiver or if it was the menacing echo of Aurora in her mind. Either way, she was slightly glad when Pecankit stood up for her - but most of all she was frightened. It took her a few moments to realize what Aurora had meant. If Aurora had been a cat who wanted her dead, she would have been dead. But the next part. "Y-y-ou're w-r-rong." she stammered, coughing up a bit of mud. "I-I would n-never let Pecank-kit or M-Moonkit or Mottledkit or S-Selenekit d-die." Her azure eyes that had just a few moments ago been pitiful and pleading were now hard with determination to save her newfound friends. "I-I don't-t c-care if I d-die for them."

[/color][/blockquote]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Aurora's dangerous glare towards Pecankit could have broken pack ice on a river. "Be silent," she said coldly, her maw turned to Crystalkit before she picked up the flower and advanced up on her. The femme tilted her head. "And for me? Would you die for your enemy? Do you love everyone, though you will be called noble and hypocritical? You are different than the others, as they all are. You take different teachings into heart, though...I will break you all down first before anything else happens." Silver claws flashed up into the air. The focus was on the flower exercise anymore; it was now psychological warfare. The monastary cat was willing to kill them to show them what could happen.

"This is no game," Aurora said softly, ominous as ever. "There are some, however, who think life is such..." The femme turned her ochre eyes to the two she-cats. "If the two of you were killed right now, who would mourn? Who would go home and tell their Clan? What will happen? Would the mission go on? I can answer that: yes, there are some who would mourn, but we will continue this mission for your sake and go home when we have won, for the sake of the one's we had lost, because that is what this journey is about: teamwork." She lowered her claws. "Everything you have lies on blind faith, on trust. Without this now, if you do not trust me and your compatriots, we are going home because you all have failed. I will teach you self-discipline, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, loyalty, piety, and wisdom. However, you are different and so must learn differently than the others." She lifted her paw and rested it on Crystalkit's head, her face creasing into a tiny smile.</sub>

ooc:[[*cue scathing Pecankit comment here...*[/sub]

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit gave a large yawn as Aurora began to speak. Her ears were flat, her brown tabby fur still bristling. She returned the loner's glare with just as much fire in her sapphire eyes, not flinching at the anger in her eyes. The kitten stood, tense, her limbs set, her teeth grinding. She would not listen to Aurora's words; she was trying to get into their minds. Pecankit stamped down hard with a white forepaw. She would not let Aurora get into her mind; it was for her and only her. The slender she-cat raised her furry eyebrows as Aurora spoke of benevolence and loyalty. "Pah," she spat, eyes narrowed and nose wrinkled. "And you have showed us these how? You like to sound so big and tough, but really your no stronger than us." Pecankit turned away in disgust, striped tail raised in a proud stance.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>"I'm here, aren't I?" Aurora replied frostily, eyes of topaz cutting to Pecankit. "And where on earth did you get that idea from? I don't believe that has ever come out of my mouth." She raised her paw to bat Pecankit's ear. "Now, if you will be silent..."

She turned her head to Crystalkit. "If you are feeling like Pecankit, fine, I will treat you all equally: same training, day in and day out, even though each of your capabilities are so much more. That is why you were chosen. You are the epitome of your personalities. There is no such thing as equal training unless you have equal personalities, which you don't...so I won't teach you like that. Each of you will learn differently. You have different skills that everyone must utilize together, to be a phalanx, to protect one another."</sub>

[FIREH!!]

_{The slender kit stood and shook the dirt from her pelt. She let out a soft gasp at the sight of Aurora holding Crystalkit by her scruff. When she dropped her, however, she relaxed. Selenekit padded over to her and sat down. She nodded to her words and meowed, What if two of us want to be trained together? She asked.}

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

Crystalkit felt her heart rate slow ever so steadily as Aurora's mew became stern rather than cold and more like the kind loner she knew. "So..." she meowed quietly, trying to work things out in her mind. "We must all work together; even though we have different strengths and weaknesses?" She breathed out again and dipped her head. "I understand." Her white frame stood up, her bright azure eyes passed over the flower silently. She slowly reached out her paw and hooked one of the petals on a slender claw.

[/color][/blockquote]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

^{"Though I won't let you get by that easily," Aurora said softly, laughingly, as she placed her paw over Crystalkit's, the one that was inching under the flower. "I am life, remember...?" She pulled the flower away with an all-knowing smile and then turned to Selenekit. "I wouldn't have a problem with that, but unfortunately, no one asked. I suppose you are training together now." The femme twitched her tail and turned to the three she-cats and Moonkit.}

[FIREH!!]

_{Selenekit was taken back. She was expecting an outburst, but did not get one. So if I wanted, say, I could ask you if I could train with Pecankit? She asked quietly, thinking. If that could happen, maybe they could all start working together, and there would be less tension.}

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{"Yes, I would allow that," Aurora said patiently, turned her elegant head towards the she-cat. "But there is no factor of trust. We believe that we have no reason to trust one another. You all are from different Clans. I am a loner from a land far away, being called home once more. I am older than all of your combined. We are females with only one male." Her eyes flickered to Moonkit at this before returning to Selenekit. "You five are led by a femme who has let the ones she loves down." Rowan. Jet. Jonathan. Hollow. Sage. Ash. She licked her paw idly. "And I am leading five who have lost the ones they love."}

[FIREH!!]

_{Selenekit dropped her head. Oh, She mewed quietly. But what if there was some trust between cats here? She flashed a glance at Moonkit. What if someone did trust another? Would you allow it? She dropped her gaze once more, nervous about speaking out.}

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

Crystalkit let out a small squeak as Aurora put her enourmous paw atop her small one. The young tabby knew that Selenekit and Moonkit shared a special bond, and she knew Pecankit and Moonkit a little bit. But what would happen when they all had to grow apart? How would they be able to live in seperate Clans, after already being through all this together? Would Mottledkit even make it? "But I haven't lost anyone I love," she protested quietly, swallowing the lump in her throat. She turned her gaze to the ground, silently listening to Aurora. "Why are we here, anyway? What do we have to do?" her meow was so soft that she would be surprised if Aurora could hear her.

[/color][/blockquote]