&&_an unexpected obstacle.

[SHADE. :D]

The snowfall had relented now. Though the flakes still fell, the wind was no longer howling and the ground underpaw was visible. The snow fell slowly from the sky, glittering like diamonds. Seven figures ploughed through the snow. The first was sturdier than the other six, blunt-headed and dark-pelted. The second seemed to be made up of patches of ebony, for the white of her coat was not visible against the snow. The last five, walking in a small band, each bore a differing pelt. One smoky black, one silver-striped, one brown tabby, one tortoiseshell and the last so white that the snow claimed it.

Karasu led the six cats across the snowy plains, bumbling along, paws tapping prints into the thick carpet of snow. He kept his dark brush of a tail close to the icy ground. His muzzle was open, a pink tongue lolling from between his jaws. Suddenly he gave a small yelp, as he realised what was ahead. "Are you sure this is the direction you wanted, Miss Aurora?" he mumbled nervously, ears pricked high. Pecankit, the tabby and white, frowned from where she stood in the midst of the other four kits. She felt more at home than she had for moons.

"Why?"

The simple word, one syllable, but at the same time a question, fell easily from the slender she-cat's lips. Her expression was easy to read. She did not trust this fox as far as she could thrpow him. Karasu whined, wriggling his haunches, ears flattening and tongue sliding safely back into his mouth. "The Teeth of the Sky welcome's none." The words sounded odd coming from the young, tmid creature, almost as if he had been taught them. As Karasu stepped aside his meaning became clear. Ahead, the ground became rocky, before dropping away to a chasm, easily eight cat-length's long as far as the eye could see. There was no way that they could cross this.

This was the end.

[Spice..xx]

Mottledkit stumbled along behind Pecankit and in front of Crystalkit, her paws cold from walking in the snow, her teeth chattering. Though the snow was not as heavy now it felt more chilling here, a sense of foreboding was in the air. The tortoiseshell nearly bumped into Pecankit as they suddenly came to a stop. "Sorry" she said, drawing up to stand beside her friend. As Pecankit and Karasu spoke she strained to see in front of her, amber eyes blurring. Shaking her head hard she focused on the path in front of her and her mouth dropped open. "How are we...." she said, stopping short. What were they going to do now?

[/blockquote][/color]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Aurora came alongside Karasu, the she-cat's crown turning left and right. "Yes, I think this is the place," she said softly. Darkness was gripping the tips of the sky. It was a dim afternoon. She sighed softly, wondering what was going to happen next. She knew that when she saw the aurora in the sky, that was going to be their sign.

"I think there's a path there," she said, raising her maw and meowing. She pointed in the direction of a narrow trail half-covered in snow. She unsheathed her claws, clinging to the ice coating the floor beneath her.

She brushed her nose against some fluffy snow, trying to scent out their way. Foreign scents attacked her but she did sense something. "There are cats here," she said suddenly. Aurora swiveled to the others.</sub>

[SHADE. :D]

A cold wind cut through Pecankit's short tabby fur, and she shivered. The slender she-cat pressed herself against Mottledkit, welcoming the warmth of her friend's tortoiseshell pelt and acknowledging her apology with an absent-minded nod. Pecankit took a few steps forward, her sapphire eyes wary. As her paws touched the rocky ground near the lip of the cliff, pebbles crumbled from the ledge. Pecankit jumped back, tail raised and bristling. She looked disgusted and terrified. There was no way they could cross this. The brown tabby looked up at Aurora, frowning in disbelief. How could there be a path? There was nothing but this chasm. The young ochre-coloured she-cat tensed at the black and white loner's next words. "Cats?" she mewed uncertainly. "What do you mean?" Somewhere behind the group, Karasu shuddered, before echoing Pecankit's words.

"What d'you mean?"

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Aurora sniffed the air and turned around, facing Pecankit and Karasu. "When I lived here long ago, I remember seeing the cats here and wondering if I was different than them. My master called them odd Two-leg names, but these were bigger than you or I...or even Karasu. They were like the big cats of the legends," the she-cat said. She looked thoughtful.

"Lynx and bobcat. Those are the two I remember," she said. Her nose wrinkled. "They've been around here. I can smell their trail." Aurora turned to Karasu.

"Can we follow their trail? If the lynx passed through here then surely we can too..."</sub>

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

Crystalkit had been trudging after Aurora and Karusu all day, and what she saw here was not even close to fruit for her labour: an uncrossable drop, and glancing over the side she knew why it was called the 'Teeth' of the Sky. Seeing how far down, straight down, it went Crystalkit recoiled sharply and stood beside Mottledkit. Flattening her ears against the cold, she could still hear Aurora's story - well, if they were still here it must be more than a story, but either way it frightened Crystalkit. She had heard no stories of big cats. She stiffled a whimper as she imagined the towering 'bobcat' or 'lynx'. What did they look like?

Her curiosity did not win over her fear. She breathed in, then out and prepared not to answer Aurora's question. She'd just stay silent. Yes, that was just what she would do.

[/blockquote]

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

<sup>A small kiit, no, a muscular warrior. He was only named to be a kit, but he was much more. Moonkit followed Aurora and the questionable Karasu. He seemed to cause no harm, but perhaps it was only a diversionary technique? Maybe he would help them and right when he'd gained their trust, go in for the kill. But for now, he was forced to trust the young arctic fox, with him being possibly their only chance of survival.

The fox suddenly came to a halt. This is the end. The remark was an instant threat to Moonkit kit, but he quickly realized that the words had a different meaning. Before them were many rocks, then a sudden gap that promised death. His eyes clouded with fear and anger. "No! we travelled all this way away from our homes and loving families to get this?!" Aurora reassured him, though. Apparently there was a path, but it was currently out of sight to the silver tabby, near the back of the group. "Where? I can't see it!"</sup>

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit wrinkled her nose, scenting the cold breeze that cut across her face. She could smell the rank scent of unfamiliar creatures. Were these the creatures Aurora was talking about? The brown tabby and white she-cat backed away a couple of steps, until she was stood beside Crystalkit. The she-cat's striped pelt brushed the white cat's side, and she felt Crystalkit shivering. She guessed her companion was scared - and who could blame her? Pecankit blinked her sapphire eyes, peering down at her paws as she thought. Suddenly she looked up as though she had been stung by a wood ant. "We've come this far," she mewed, voice strong. "We can't just give up. This is just an obstacle. We can cross it. StarClan must mean us to cross it. If we don't try, our families and clanmates will die." Pecankit lowered her chin, embarrased, and blinked, closing her muzzle.

[fernie. (:]

La, la, la...
A tiny figure, tan in colour and spotted black, was chasing snowflakes. Koji, the Canadian Bobcat was running through the snow. The cub loved chasing the tiny white specs of frozen water, but Shimo had told him time and time again not to stray too far or he could get lost. Koji turned his little head and pricked his tuft-topped ears to listen for his wolverine guardian. He stopped chasing through the snow and listened, hard. He couldn't hear the familiar thudding pawsteps of Shimo, so he squinted through the snowstorm. He couldn't see the huge familiar form of his friend either, so he started running back the way he thought he had come. 'Sh-Shimoo? Where are youuu?' he mewled, then fell back, stunned, as he thumped into a wall of snow. Then he gasped, as he saw the huge mound in front of him topple over... right onto him. 'He--' he tried to shout for help but snow fell into his mouth. He could feel more snow falling, crushing on top of him, going in his ears and covering his nose. his paws felt numb already, and he was panicking as he tried to move beneath the snow. He couldn't.

[[Crappy post, I know >.< Didn't know how else to do it, though.]]

[/size]

[kee :]]

Selenekit trudged behind Aurora and Karasu for the whole day. Her paws were numb in the light layer of snow and her silver eyes stayed glued to the ground in front of her. She stayed close to Moonkit for both warmth and comfort as the huge 'Teeth' came closer and closer to them. She felt like a walking robot. Her face was still damp from the tears that she cried so she would sleep the night before. Her dark smoky black fur was matted and wet from snow and frost. She had barely slept because of nightmares about her family and she could barely walk anymore. She just dragged her paws and prayed that she wouldn't fall over from exhaustion.

From what Aurora said, for once, she wasn't afraid of what was ahead of them. Actually, she wanted to go. If a lynx could walk through these Teeth, then they could do. "I say we go. We've gone so far. I'm not going to just turn around," she said quietly, her voice quivered as she shivered, but she didn't feel afraid. For once, she felt as though she wanted to do this. She felt as though she belonged here.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>"You're both right," Aurora said, nodding to Selenekit and Pecankit. The black and white she-cat shook out her pelt and then twitched her ears. She wrinkled her nose and turned to the others.

"I thought I just heard something...," she said softly. She didn't know what it was but maybe if she continued, she'd figure it out. The femme continued walking on the narrow path. The snow drifts were shaky. They could come over at any moment.</sub>

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit pricked up her ears as Aurora mentioned a noise. She could hear it to; well, the echo of it, bouncing from her eardrums. The slender ochre-coloured tabby she-cat crept to where the noise was coming from, and recoiled. A mound of snow was wriggling and squirming, and the young she-cat drew back her lips and hissed ferociously at it. "What is it?" she murmured under her breath. Pecankit then realised, and cursed her stupidity. The she-cat darted forward and dug down into the snow. After a while she uncovered a strange creature that resembled a cat in a very distant manner. Pecankit leapt back, hissing at the creature, striped fur bristling. She did not know whether it had been wise to free the creature - it could be dangerous - but she knew how it felt to be buried beneath feet of snow.

Not particularly comfortable.

[fernie. (:]

Koji gasped for breath as blinding sunlight broke through the mound of snow. He sat there, stunned, for a second, before he leapt up and jumped behind the snowdrift he had been stuck in. His tiny form started shaking, from the cold and from the sight of five un-bobcat like felines. 'I-I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Don't hurt me!' he squeaked, apologizing even though it hadn't been his fault the snow drift had toppled over on him.

[/size]

[kee :]]

Selenekit had been slightly impressed of her recent comment and her bravery to actually speak up for that matter. When Aurora said she was right, a rush of pride ran through her veins and she couldn't help but to hide a grin when Aurora turned around to continue down the path. As they began to walk again, Selenekit realized how dangerous traveling through the "Teeth" would be. She could almost smell death the closer they got to the steep pointy mountains. She swallowed back her fear and kept her silver eyes on the sky. For once the sky was not clouded with gray fluffy mounds of clouds, but instead they were white puffy blotches against the bright blue sky. Yet the glistening snow fell slowly, one flake on her nose and she had to look down so that she wouldn't trip.

Selenekit did not notice at first that Aurora had stopped moving and she continued on to stand near where Pecankit stood when she realized that the mound of snow was moving. The fluffy black she-cat sank back at first in fear but when the snow uncovered what sat in front of them, Selenekit's eyes softened slightly and when the catlike animal spoke in a sincere apology, Selenekit couldn't help but take a step closer to it. She was much larger than the new arrival, and he seemed more like a kitten than a cat her age but his voice and his looks. Selenekit moved even closer to him when he started shivering and pressed herself gently against him for warmth.

"Don't worry, little one. We won't hurt you," she mewed gently, looking up at the others with utter curiosity, yet she smiled ever so slightly. Selenekit had never gotten to know anyone quite so young and she enjoyed the odd feeling of taking care of someone who needed help.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>"A bobcat," Aurora said, blinking at the cute little kitten. Her eyes softened as she turned to the others. She was so used to calling them 'kits' but that wouldn't exactly fit the fact that they were nearly thirty moons. The journey had taken them many, many seasons to finish. She hoped it would be over soon.

"Koji!" The voice that followed the frightened bobcat's was sonorous, intimidating, and a bit comforting if you knew it was coming to defend you.

A black mask appeared out from behind the dune of snow, followed by a frill of tan hair. Tiny ears wriggled from behind this band of beige fur. The creature's black eyes stared down at the six cats confronting his charge. His lips curled into a death-like snarl; his thick claws ground into the icy snow beneath his snowshoe-like paws.

The wolverine's massive frame was revealed as he crawled atop the dune, glaring at the six. His eyes focused on the biggest one of the lot, the black and white cat, before switching over to the dark one nearest Koji. Shimo let out a nasty roar and charged her. His paws thundered on the snow and ice as he barreled down the dune. His glare did not spare the others, talons raised as he straightened his composure over Selenekit and aimed them to make her collide into an icy snow drift.

"What...is the meaning of this?" he demanded coldly, towering over the cats. The bear-like creature kept his eyes constantly zoned in as he kept to his haunches by the bobcat's side. He leaned in and touched Koji gently with his large, wet nose. "Are you okay...? I heard your screams." He faced that cats with a dangerous look in their eye, daring them to say that they were the ones who caused him to yell. Attack first, ask questions later. That's usually how Shimo ran things around here.</sub>

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit let out an angry yowl as the larger creature arrived, pushing Selenekit violently away from the bobcat. She bared her teeth in a snarl, and leapt at the creature. Attack first, ask questions later. That was very much Pecankit's motto, too. She found it hard to slash and bite the large beast, but she tried, anyway. She could already feel Aurora's teeth in her scruff, pulling her back, as she knew would happen any moment. The ochre-coloured tabby she-cat bit down hard, deciding to do the creature as much harm as possible before she was pulled away; or perhaps flung away by the beast.

Karasu watched the scene, lurking behind the cats. He flattened his skinny body to the snow, whimpering and flicking his protrudent ears. The young fox's tail lay in the now, peppered by white powder. He bared his teeth in fear as Pecankit pounced on the wolverine. "Not good!" he began to keen, eyes wide with fear. "Not good, miss, not good!"

[fernie. (:]

Koji jumped away as the black cat they called Selenekit came boldly forward and pressed herself to him. Then he heard a conforting sound. 'Shimo!' he mewled, rishing towards the large wolverine. Then he saw the tension between the large guardian and the six cats. 'No Shimo, they helped me. I got stuck and they helped me. Don't be mean to them!' he said, eyes wide as the cat that had uncovered him jumped on his friend.

[/size]

[kee :]]

As if some sort of maternal extinct leaped in to her mind when she came to the bobcat's side, the same extinct crept into her mind when she saw the large bear-like creature standing on the dune. At first she felt as though she should protect the young bob-cat but when the wolverine said his name, she narrowed her eyes at him coldly and began to walk slowly back into the crowd. But her movements were too late and, suddenly, she felt something hard and sharp against her side. Before she knew what exactly had happened, she was skidding across the snow, making her paws burn, and she flew into a mound of snow. It covered most her body except her head, so she could still breathe. But the blow of the attack had knocked the wind out of her and she was still trying to realize what had happened. Her whole body stung with cold and she felt as though she was frozen to the snow, but at the same time she burned with the stinging pain of where one of the wolverine's claws dug into her side. The cut didn't feel deep and wasn't bleeding much but the open wound stung in the snow and she watched in horror as Pecankit attacked the mysterious creature.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>"Pecankit! Wait!" Aurora hollered, running forward. She hesitated though, for this was something Pecankit had ran into without thinking. She was fighting a wolverine, for ancestors' sake!

Shimo let out a loud snarl and reared onto his two legs as the cat attacked him. However, the beast's thick fur, created to withstand cold and attackers, was more than enough defense for rebuking the she-cat.The wolverine's maw opened, baring large fangs as he turned to raise his claws against Pecankit. At Koji's cries, however, the bear-like creature let out an affirming growl and landed heavily onto his paws.

"Get off of me," he said coldly, staring at the hissing female with an icy sienna eye. Shimo shook his body to get her off of him before thumping over to Koji. The wolverine frowned at the bobkit.

"You had me worried out there. I told you not to wander off," he grunted, placing one heavy paw atop Koji's head. He sighed, worries fading away now that he knew where his charge was.</sub>

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit drew back her lips in a snarl, her ivory teeth bared. The young ochre-coloured tabby she-cat flattened her ears as the wolverine stamped down hard, shaking himself to get rid of her. The tabby went flying through the air, but managed to twist and land on her paws, skidding in the snow. She spat out a small amount of blood - her teeth had grazed her lip when she had been knocked by the large creature. Pecankit padded back to the others, fur bristling and hackles raised. "Why did you hurt her?" she snarled, rage in her voice. "She was comforting you friend!" The young she-cat looked as though she would jump at the wolverine again at the first chance.

Karasu breathed a sigh of relief as Pecankit was thrown free. He hurried to Selenekit's side and sniffed the shallow cut. "Are you alright, miss?" he asked, eyes kind. The young fox still trembled as he glanced at Shimo. He wished he had had someone to care for him like that. But nobody wanted him. And he couldn't go on with the cats. He didn't belong with them. Karasu's tail drooped as he realised how unwanted he really was.

[kee :]]

Luckily, the snow drift that now surrounded Selenekit was not thick and tightly packed, so getting out was an easy task once she was able to move. After her whole body grew numb and she couldn't feel the stinging cut, she managed squirm her way out from the snow's grasp. It took a little time but when she was finally free, she realized that Pecankit was back in the crowd and Karasu was at her side, trembling and asking if she was alright. At first she couldn't speak because she was still regaining her breath but when she finally regained feeling and was able to breathe, she looked down at Karasu and smiled ever so slightly. "Yes, I'm alright," she whispered, but that was far from the truth. Her whole body stung with the cold, she was still covered in snow, and the cut still stung. But that was the least of her worries...

[fernie. (:]

Koji sat down on the cold ground, his body still revovering from being covered in snow. He sighed in relief as Shimo and the cats stopped fighting, and shook his head vigorously to get the last of the snow out of his ears. He looked up at Shimo as he felt his paw on his head. 'I won't do it again, I promise.' he whispered, eyes still wide as he stared at the cats.

[/size]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Shimo nuzzled Koji paternally and faced Pecankit, the wolverine's massive frame towering over the smaller kit. "I hurt her because I heard him crying out," he said gruffly. "You think that I'm supposed to automatically trust some cats who outnumber the only thing I have for family when there are predators out there that purposefully hunt animals that are alone?" The wolverine's lip curled dangerously, baring a large fang. "I don't think so."

"Pecankit, that wasn't very wise," Aurora said disapprovingly. "Make sure you understand the full extent of the situation before attacking..." She understood that Pecankit was just defending Selenekit but that could've killed her. The she-cat came to Karasu's other side and faced the wolverine, coming forward to face him in the eye.

Mottledkit's long-legged form made its way over to Selenekit. The she-cat meowed doubtfully when the MoonClanner said she was alright, but sighed and licked Selenekit over the ear before rubbing against her to melt off the snow. The tortoiseshell EclipseClanner faced the wolverine, flicking her tail.

Shimo scowled slightly but turned his attentions to the black and white she-cat. Instinct washed over him, and he held up his paw to her, the blunt claws gleaming from melted snow as he warned her to stay back. "The name's Shimo. You all look and act like foreigners so I assume you've never seen one of me before. I'm a wolverine." The creature was about the same size as a badger, differing in color and ferocity.</sub>

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

^{Moonkit stared adoringly at the 'bobcat,' as Aurora had called it. "Hey little fella. Are you-" He was cut off by a large creature that reminded him oddly of a badger, but with brown fur. When it attacked Selenekit, the tom sprung into action. No attacks, but fierce defense. He was in front of his injured friend in a flash, licking her wound. "Are you okay, Selenekit? Are you okay?" He then heard Karasu's polite response to her injury and gazed at the arctic fox with sympathy in his eyes. He finally understood that this creature really meant no harm, he just wanted a purpose, a family, a reason to live. He wanted to fit in. Moonkit remembered that feeling from being so differentiated from his sisters. He smiled and gave a slight nod, then returned his attention to Selenekit. "Are...are you alright?" He shot a glaring glance at Shimo for a moment, but was still concentrating on his friend, fearing the worst from the attack.}

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit snarled deep in her throat at the creature's reply. The slender young tabby she-cat snorted at Aurora's words, but nodded curtly in acceptance. Aurora knew best, however infuriating that fact might be. The she-cat padded back to the others, standing beside Mottledkit. The tabby she-cat bared her teeth at Shimo, still furious at the 'wolverine' for hurting Selenekit. The last thing they needed now was more injuries. Pecankit lifted her chin proudly, glaring at the creature.

Karasu quivered at the sight of Shimo stretched up, full-size. The young fox wanted to turn and flee, but he stayed, his paws quivering so that his pawprints became muddled. Karasu dropped his eyes, desperate not to provoke the attack. A wolverine had chased him before, a female. He knew she had just been protecting her cubs, but he hadn't been anywhere near them. The whole experience had been terrifying for the fox, who was still barely five moons old.

[kee :]]

It wasn't that Selenekit wasn't used to Mottledkit being a darling. Always helpful and kind, her EclipseClan had always been a good friend but she had never shown this care for Selenekit. The snow covered she-cat smiled slightly at Mottledkit as she began to warm her up and she could feel the heat returning to her icy body. She almost began to relax when Shimo didn't seem to be a threat but she regretted ever approaching that 'bobcat'. As Moonkit came up, she blinked at his urgent voice but she couldn't help but smile at him and nod. When he began to clean her wound, that also melted some of the snow from her pelt on her other side, so all feeling had returned. When he looked back up at her she smiled reassuringly at him. "Don't worry about me," Selenekit whispered. As Pecankit sat down next to Mottledkit, Selenekit leaned over and while Aurora had her back turned to them, she mouthed a quick thank you to Pecankit, even though she agreed with Aurora. Selenekit was just glad that her friend stood up for her.

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

Now, it wasn't every day - no, Crystalkit had never seen a creature like Shimo. Her eyes widened and fur fluffed up, not once letting the giant 'wolverine', as he called himself, out of her sight. It wasn't Koji she was frightened of. Oh, no. Although the 'bobcat' had a bulkier frame and bigger body, Crystalkit was obviously older than him - at least he still seemed like a young kitten to her, and despite her name Crystalkit was indeed a well-grown warrioress at this point. That aside, though, she was still stuck down by fear at the very sight of Shimo - like any Clancat would be afraid of a badger. She was afraid of this.

Just as she thought that, a small doubt began to nag at her. Like Aurora was still a monestary cat, could they still be considered Clancats? Yes, she told herself, but somehow she felt... left behind. Detatched. Don't we all? They were more Aurora's family now than they were their own, but maybe it only seemed like that to Crystalkit. If she returned, would she ever see her family again? Not her birth family. She had none. This family. She shook herself, turning her eyes back to Shimo. She worried too much. Creeping behind Aurora and Selenekit, she kept her eyes glued on Shimo.

[/blockquote]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Shimo's frown deepened slightly but once he noticed that the cats were probably more on instinct of defending each other than purposing attacking him and Koji, he lightened up with a gentle sigh. "Sorry...," he apologized gruffly for Koji's sake. "I suppose I could have gotten somewhat ahead of myself." His tone, however, relayed that that didn't happen often. His attacks were usually for a sound reason. "What are you six doing out here, well, seven if you include your fox...?"

Aurora turned to Karasu and the others. "Karasu, here, is a friend of ours. He's helping us beyond the glacier. We're here to fight an evil that's threatening our homeland," she told the wolverine. The black and white she-cat's tail curled comfortingly around Crystalkit and the other cats near her.

Mottledkit smiled bashfully and nodded her head to Selenekit. She kept her eye on Shimo and when Aurora spoke, she decided to do the same thing. "What's your friend's name?" she asked tentatively.

Shimo looked down at Koji and opened his mouth to speak. He paused thoughtfully and then returned his gaze to the bobkit. "Well, introduce yourself," he said softly.</sub>

[fernie. (:]

Koji listened to the wolverine and cats talk it out. He looked up at Shimo as his guardian told him to introduce himself. Koji lowered himself further into the snow and looked down at his paws as he mumbled, 'I'm Koji.' he mumbled, then glanced shyly at the cats. He was wondering what the cat named Aurora meant about an evil threatening her home land, but decided not to get involved.

[/size]

[Spice..xx]

Mottledkit leaned in to Pecankit, rubbing her cheek gently against her friends. "You were very brave" she whispered, glancing over at Selenekit to make sure the black femme was really ok and flashed her a smile. She smiled to Koji and dipped her head as he said his name, though she still kept a wary eye on Shimo. "I'm Mottledkit" she said to the bobcat, wondering if the others would introduce themselves too. Her amber eyes flickered back to the glacier, wondering how they were going to cross it. She glanced at Aurora again. Maybe Koji and Shimo could help them cross it.

[/color][/blockquote]