clinging ON FOR LIFE.

[SHADE. :D]

we're still clinging on for life.

pecankit

Pecankit battled her way through the thick snow, just one small, ochre-coloured shape in the seemingly endless white. The sno was so deep that it buffeted her chin with every step. She had to raise her paws high to take a step. Her shoulders and haunches ached fiercely. The scent of wolf was strong and putrid in her nostrils, and she knew that if they were caught, it would be impossible for them to run or fight. They would be killed. But this was where they had to go.

Pecankit prodded the snow cautiously with a paw. She knew that, hidden beneath the coating of white, there were holes. Some so deep that, if you fell, you would be lost forever. Most were deep enough that you would either die of starvation or be suffocated by the snow. Pecankit prayed that it would happen to none of them. They all had to get through this journey. Even though she had argued with each cat here, she held them all close to her heart. She had never had better friends, not even back in BrightClan. Though she couldn't imagine never going home, she didn't want to leave her friend, either.

[/size]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

You never left me

<sub>"Doing well, Pecankit," a strained voice said. Aurora plodded heavily after the she-cat and the massive wolverine with the bobkit on its back. The white and black femme smiled tiredly at BrightClanner before mewing encouragements to Mottledkit, Moonkit, Selenekit, and Crystalkit. Each cat, in her opinion, had gotten stronger over the many moons that it had taken to get this far. Hunting skills had evolved and they started to be able to catch their own prey constantly without having to bother Shimo about food. Teaching Crystalkit about herbs was difficult due to the lack of them. Aurora was flagging but she did her best to continue on for the sake of the kits she had started to see as her own.

The snow was weak and thin, and Shimo crashed through a lot due to his immense girth, mostly wading through the drifts with a little kitten atop his head. The beast's wounds were healing from the encounter with the wolves, and he had agreed to lead them through the tundra to Harmony's Fingers. He kept his eyes on Karasu as well until he finally asked the young fox to join him. "Karasu...you cannot go home with these cats. Your place is here," Shimo said, pulling himself out of the snow and shaking his frost-resistant pelt. "Would you...like to stay with Koji and me?"</sub>

Aurora
The rising sun
Will always speak your name

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

Crystalkit stepped with the utmost caution over the barren tundra-lands, suddenly aware that any wrongly-placed pawstep could lead to certian death. Aurora's smile encouraged her, however, as they trudged on in the cold north. The place Aurora was leading them too couldn't be far now, could it? They had spent their apprenticehood and more out here, everyone they had known would be warriors by now. Crystalkit worried deeply about what they would face at their final destination, but she knew that thinking about it would only slow them down when they were this close to their goal...

... this close to thier destiny, even.

[/blockquote]

[Spice..xx]

_Mottledkit[/font][/size]

The multi-coloured femme trudged her way through the snow, trying to place her pawsteps in those who were in front of her or walking in the open space Shimo had left with his huge form. She was beggining to get tired and she was freezing, her dizzy spells returning and the bluriness to her eyes was becoming more and more frequent. A particularly fierce dizzy spell hit her and she stumbled, right into a snowdrift. Coughing and spluttering she wrestled her way put, shaking hard to rid herself of the white snow clinging to her pelt. This was hard. And who knew how much longer they would have to go on?

Her ears pricked as she listened to everyone else talking, trying to make sense of who everone was through blurry eyes. Finding Auroras black and white form she slipped and stummled towards the female until eventually she was beside her. "Do you think it will be much longer until we can rest?" she asked the femme raggedly, tiredness clouding her voice. She slid as a dizzy spell overcame her again, falling sideways into Aurora. "Sorry Aurora, I'm sorry" she said, blinking hard and trudging onwards again.

[/sub][/blockquote]

[fernie. (:]

koji.

Koji sat atop Shimo's head, scanning the pure white tundra as Shimo made great big footsteps in the deep snow. He gazed at the group of cats around him, and wondered what their stories were, what families they were leaving behind, like Pecankit. Aurora, she was a very mysterious cat and if he admitted it she intimidated him just slightly. Koji absently patted his paws on the top of Shimo's broad head, humming quietly as he lost himself in thoughts. He looked down at Karasu as Shimo asked if he would like to stay with them, and wondered what his answer would be.

[/size]

[SHADE. :D]

pecankit

Pecankit padded on. Her paws did not sting as much as they used to when they touched the freezing snow. The light brown tabby she-cat turned her head as a faint voice sounded behind her. She could make out the shape of Aurora; well, the darker patches on her coat at least. She nodded, but she wasn't sure if the older she-cat would even be able to see her due to the height of the snow. Pecankit could see Shimo clearly, the little shape of Koji on his head. Her opinion about the bobcat and wolverine had changed. They had just been trying to protect eachother. She didn't know what it was like to grow up here in the arctic, not like the young bobcat.

She could only see Crystalkit and Mottledkit, their two shape's battling through the deep snow. She could see Crystalkit was struggling, being the smallest of all of them, but she couldn't understand why Mottledkit kept slipping and stumbling. The tortoiseshell cat was the largest of all the kits, with her long limbs. Pecankit halted until she was at Mottledkit's side and pressed up against her friend. Even though they had fallen out so many times, the tabby could not bear to see the tortoiseshell so unsteady.

[kee :]]

Selenekit

What seemed to be an endless stretch of snow was much more than that. Below the deep snow, there had to be land. Right? Well to Selenekit, one of the smaller cats of their group, there felt like there wasn't actually a bottom to the snow. Her paws went down to what seemed to be the hard, more packed snow, but that came up to her shoulders. She had to lift her legs above her chin and her shoulders ached from working so hard. At one point, she tried to shuffle through the snow, but she ended up getting stuck and Moonkit had to help her out of the hole she had made. Everyone was struggling in the drifts of endless white tundra and everyone was tired of it.

The blob of dark gray had taken her place at the very back of the group. It seemed as though that was her home now, at the back but she really didn't mind all that much. It wasn't like she was falling behind. In front of her, she could see the tabby body of Pecankit, the mottled body of Mottledkit, the larger black and white outline of Aurora, a wolverine with a bobcat on it's head... She couldn't really see Crystalkit all that well, though. The little white she-cat really did blend in with the snow. Somehow or another, all of them were actually tripping through the tundra, though Selenekit had to wonder how everyone, including her, managed. She kept stumbling and falling face first. But this trip had taught the group not to give up. And amazingly, we were all still here.

[SHADE. :D]

karasu

He was shivering. Violently. He wondered how he had managed to get himself into this mess. Oh, yes, he remembered. He'd just wanted some food. He'd been hungry. Karasu shuddered beneath his thin, half-grown coat and glanced jealously up at Koji, riding high on Shimo's furry back. The young fox felt utterly alone. Nobody seemed to care what happened to him. The cats had some mysterious quest of their own, and Shimo and Koji only cared about what happened to eachother. Karasu wondered if his mother was still out there, still searching for him. He wondered if she wanted to kill him, as she had killed his brother. He gave a tiny, barely audible sniff of misery. Who would stop her if she did find him?

Karasu jumped as Shimo's voice sounded close to his ear. He skittered away several fox-length's, his fur on end. The scene in the cave had frightened him. He had learnt to tread lightly around the wolverine, Crystalkit and Pecankit, all of whom seemed to carry explosive tempers. Karasu swallowed, his insides turning to ice. You cannot stay with these cats... He couldn't be alone! What were they going to do, cast him out? Were they scared that his mother might come and find them? Did they think she'd kill them, too? Karasu's ears flattened at what Shimo's next words. "Stay... Stay with you? I... I don't kn-know... Y-you don't want m-me around, d-do you?" He tried to steady his juttering voice. He didn't want to seem weak to the huge creature.

[/size]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

You never left me
<sub>Her hazel eyes darkened in sadness as she watched the winter barrage Mottledkit. She wondered what damage the fox had wrought internally in the girl as she turned around and padded over to the EclipseClanner. Aurora said softly, nuzzling the tortoiseshell "Soon, Mottledkit," and bringing her up to all paws with the help of Pecankit. "Thanks Pecankit." Though the two had quarreled many times and they disagreed on how things should be run, Aurora knew that she could count on Pecankit to take charge in a situation. She smiled weakly at all of them, shuffling around to make sure Moonkit and Selenekit were going on good too before looking at Shimo's back as he plowed along.

The wolverine paused for a brief moment before a tiny smile creased across his face. "Karasu, you'll be a good addition to the family. Koji and I'll protect you," he said gruffly. The creature towered over the fox but he leaned down and brushed his colossal jaw against that of the fox's in an affectionate way.</sub>
Aurora
The rising sun
Will always speak your name

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

Moonkit

Strangers by day
Lovers by night
Knowing _it's so wrong
But feeling ^{so right}[/center]

Beside Selenekit, protectecting her from any danger, was the silvery form of Moonkit. If any of these outsiders suddenly flared out at her, he would be there. He would give his life for her. The tom moved a bit away, not wanting to be overprotective and treat her like a helpless kit. No matter what her name suggested, he knew quite well that she was a strong warrioress, inside and out.

His blue-gray eyes drifted to the MoonClanner's dark figure. His stomach flipped, and as his thoughts drifted back to his home, he began to feel quite downcast, and a bit guilty. He knew his mother and siblings must be worried about him, but what would happen to Selenekit? She would have to return to her Clan, and he would go to his. But would that just be the end? Would they never see each other again and go on as enemies? But how could he ever fight her? He couldn't. He didn't have the will. So what would he do? The warrior code said that your first loyalty should lie in your Clan. But Selenekit...he couldn't do it. She wasn't just his best and only friend.

He loved her.[/size][/blockquote]

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

They were all so quiet. Crystalkit had noticed this now. Moonkit was gazing at Selenekit so subtly in such a way that if they had stayed back in their Clans they might recognize it, but that wasn't the case so it was worth nothing to them now. Maybe in moons to come they would look back - because it was almost impossible to forget something like this, a journey to save the Clans themselves - and they'd know why Moonkit was looking like that.

Of course, Crystalkit hadn't even noticed Moonkit. She was so caught up in her own stumblings and missed steps that she could hardly think, let alone glance behind her. The wind was horrible and it buffeted her from all sides. She couldn't wait for this to be over-! It was so horrible, and they would have to come back through all this tundraland, too. She missed the first stages of their journey. It had been a true adventure back then, but now it was more like... more like..
... a fight for their lives, maybe?

[Spice..xx]

_Mottledkit[/size][/font]

Mottledkit smiled and brushed her cheek gratefully against Pecankits as her friend helped steady her eratic dizzy steps. "Thank you. Just a bit dizzy" she murmered. With the slight warmth of Aurora and Pecankit beside her the tortoiseshell femme began to feel slightly better, her eyes blurring less than usual. She walked along in silence, trying to glance ahead of her but barely being able to see through the blizzard of snow that blocked their path. She wondered to herself how they would get through this, when were they going to get out of this horrible snow?

When would it end?

[/sub][/blockquote]

[kee :]]

SELENEKIT

She had been so caught up in lifting her paws and not tripping over the thick snow that Selenekit didn't realize for a few minutes that eyes were upon her and that her best friend was so close to her. His scent drifted to her nose and she breathed in deeply. She had spent so much time with Moonkit and everyone on this journey. Almost her whole entire life she spent traveling with these cats to save the Clans and she hadn't grown really close to all of them. Only Moonkit. Her curious light blue eyes drifted over to him and when she saw that he was looking at her, her stomach did that flippy thing and she felt like she was going to barf for a moment. Then she got really hot and looked away. Why was she feeling like this?

Well, she had spent this whole journey with him from the start. She had invited him to sleep next to her on the very first day they arrived and every day since they have slept next to each other, no matter where they were camping out for the night. They had always been there to protect each other and they always would be. Right? Well, when they would be finished with their journey, Moonkit would go back to SerenityClan and Selenekit would return to MoonClan. They would be enemies and have to fight each other in battle to be loyal. No. Selenekit would never fight Moonkit in a million bazillion years. Did Moonkit feel the same way about as she felt for him? He was her best friend, since she wasn't really close to Mottledkit, Crystalkit, or Pecankit, and she loved him.

She really really loved him.

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

Moonkit

Strangers by day
Lovers by night
Knowing _it's so wrong
But feeling ^{so right}[/center]

The silver tabby averted his gaze as Selenekit's eyes met his. He busied himself by looking down at his body, and recalling the past journey. He remembered being so shocked and confused by the dream, and then those glimmering silver pawprints that led him to Jay's Hollow as a kit. He was so little then, and here he was now. He'd become a large, muscular warrior, full-grown and battle ready. He wasn't that little defenseless child anymore, curled up and protected by his mother's side.

Even when the MoonClanner looked away, he didn't return his gaze to her. Nonetheless, his thoughts swarmed her. What would they do when they returned home? He loved her, he couldn't leave her. Would they become rogues, struggling against the Clans so they could be together? No, he couldn't do that. He bit his lip, then finally spoke. He had to tell her sometime. "Selenekit," he began slowly, "Selenekit, what will we do when we go home? I mean...I can't leave you..."[/size][/blockquote]

[kee :]]

SELENEKIT

Selenekit was almost surprised when she looked away and Moonkit didn't look back at her. But for some reason, she was relieved that he didn't look at her. For some odd reason, when those two shining eyes were upon her she felt as though she had to look perfect and not trip over her own feet. Even when he wasn't looking at her, she was stumbling quite a lot. So for the next couple of moments, she tried to push Moonkit, their past, and their future out of her head so she could focus on the present. Also known as, this trip and picking up her own feet. Suddenly, the snow got deeper than she expected and the dark gray she-cat lost her balance, then making herself fall into the silver tabby beside her, just as he said her name the first time.

But she didn't move back to the distance they were walking between each other before. Her dark pelt brushed against his silver one but she didn't apologize. She listened silently, and her emotionless face turned into a grim frown and she looked up from the snowy white ground. Slowly, Selenekit turned her head to look at Moonkit. Her sad icy blue eyes said it all but there was no way she wanted to leave MoonClan and she didn't want Moonkit to have to go somewhere he didn't want to go. Using the lightest weight she could, she gently set her head against his shoulder, burying her muzzle into his neck. She breathed in his scent. It was very comforting but it made her loose her train of thought. "I can't ever leave you either, Moonkit," she whispered into his fur, icy tears beginning to stain Moonkit's fur.

"Because I love you, Moonkit."

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

__ -fangirl squeal- Moonkit and Selenekit! <3333

[[xoxo] shard. :)]

Moonkit

Strangers by day
Lovers by night
Knowing _it's so wrong
But feeling ^{so right}[/center]

That very moment seemed to last for a lifetime. It dragged on forever, yet for but a second, her there, leaning upon him as her legs gave way, his muzzle rested lovingly upon her head. It was out now, no more of that stressing worry that the other may not like them back. "I love you too, Selenekit." As the tears slid from her eyes, his gave way to his emotions as well. The liquid streamed from his optics. How would they ever be able to be together?

He loved her, he couldn't leave her. It hurt him, and he knew it would strongly impact his relationship with his family, but he had to do this. "Selenekit...I can't leave you," he said once more. Moonkit took a pause, as if taking one last moment to lock in hs decision. Yes, he would do it.

"I'm going with you."[/size][/blockquote]

[kee :]]

S E L E N E K I T

When he said that he loved her, Selenekit felt all the walls and boundaries fall. They had both admitted their feelings to each other so there was no use in hiding in embarrassment or worry that one could not love the other back. Even though she was so happy and overwhelmed, that the tears came and also did her lovers. Selenekit really didn't want to see Moonkit cry, because it just made her feel even worse. She nuzzled his neck, burying her neck even deeper into his silver fur. The tears eventually stopped because her mind was wandering with different ideas to stay together.

They could become rogues and never have to go home to their Clans. Since everyone probably thought they were dead, her Clan wouldn't even notice. They probably wouldn't notice that she was alive. Which leads to the next option. She could always go to SerenityClan. Even though she was born in EclipseClan and lived in MoonClan, it would work right? Or they could both go to MoonClan. Moonkit would have to leave his family, which would be heartbreaking of Selenekit. She couldn't bare to see Moonkit have to leave because of her. When he said that he would go with her to her home, she looked up at him with a confused face, her icy blue eyes still telling him she was deep in thought. "But what about your family? Wouldn't they miss you?" she mewed, her eyes saddening. "I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do, Moonkit," Selenekit promised as she brushed her muzzle against his.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

You never left me
<sub>She clucked her tongue disappreciatively towards Moonkit and Selenekit. "We can't stay to chat. We must make it beyond the Tundra Path," Aurora said. They had no time to waste by standing around talking, especially since Moonkit and Selenekit were starting to get left behind. She didn't want to the two cats to be left out here in the Ice Lands where animals weren't as forgiving as Shimo, Koji, and Karasu.

The white and black she-cat turned, seeing the end of the Tundra Path coming. She swallowed, wondering what awaited them then. She turned to Shimo and bowed her head. "Thank you for guiding us. May the ancestors keep watch over you," she said kindly. The wolverine nodded his head. "Stay safe," the gruff creature said, pausing in his steps to let the cats go ahead.

"Harmony's Fingers isn't that far off!" he said. "You won't miss it. At the end of the Tundra Path is the massive towering glacier with three minarets. Watch out for the snow pits. Everything is constantly melting and refreezing. Keep vigilant!" The massive creature waved an equally-large paw at the cats. "Take care now..."</sub>
Aurora
The rising sun
Will always speak your name

[SHADE. :D]

pecankit

As she padded on, white paws throbbing, pressed against her tortoiseshell friend, Pecankit could hear snatches of conversation between Moonkit and Selenekit. She flattened her ears, not wanting to intrude on their privacy. But she had a pretty good idea what they were talking about. She had noticed how they looked at eachother - they all had. She just wondered what the two would do when they had to part ways. The brown tabby she-cat shivered violently beneath her tabby striped coat. It looked like they had pretty much reached the end of the Tundra Path. Pecankit turned to Koji, Shimo and Karasu, as they said their goodbye's to their new companions.

The slender she-cat touched noses with Koji, the little bobcat. "One day they'll all be scared of you, too," she smiled down at him. The tabby mewed a goodbye to Karasu, the small fox, and then looked measuringly up at Shimo. "Look after them, won;t you?" she mewed, her sapphire eyes serious.

[fernie. (:]

koji.[/font][/size]

Koji scrambled hurriedly down from Shimo's back to touch noses with Pecankit. Despite what had happened between him and the cats, he knew that he would miss them. His eyes threatened to fill with moisture but he shook his head violently and smiled grimly at the tabby feline. "Yeah, right!" he said aloofly. But then he put on a genuine smile. "Thanks. For telling me all about your family and stuff. And sorry if we didn't make you feel very welcome." he said, his pointed ears pricked.

[/size]

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

Crystalkit turned and watched Aurora bid their guides farewell. The Clancats really did have to do this on their own, didn't they? She shivered, and just as the silver tabby thought it would be best just to stay put and not wave them off, she changed her mind and trotted over despite her grim shyness and, most of all, embarassment. She looked at Aurora for a moment, then back to Shimo, Koji and Karusu. "Thank you," she meowed steadily. "You helped a lot." with that she dipped her head to each of them in turn, which was surprisingly formal for her, before turning to study the horizon. How far until they got there? So much had already happened between them all, from the fox attack to the training with the flower. She didn't even remember how they beat the fox, they had all been so little...

... Oh, yes. Mottledkit had sacrificed her conciousness to beat the fox as Crystalkit looked for shelter.
And the flower. Everyone else had worked hard - while Crystalkit fell into the goop that Aurora had jumped about so easily.
Oh, and when Pecankit got lost in the snow. Aurora and Mottledkit risked their lives to try and find one she-cat. Crystalkit found shelter.
All the others found Shimo and Koji and were greatful for them. Crystalkit attacked him.

She was useless!

[(aurora) of the problematique]

You never left me
<sub>"Sure thing," Shimo said softly. He started when Crystalkit approached him. He towered over her, blinking slightly. "I..." He paused for a moment. "Thank you..." He bowed his head and nudged her forward. "Go on. Aurora shouldn't kept waiting." He smiled gently and turned away, the massive frame swaying as he began the trek back home. "Come, Karasu..."

Aurora kept padding on. She no longer looked like the mother of the group even through her age. She was, what, about one hundred moons now? The team had been with her for so long. She had lost track of time, merely focused on her goal. Everyone had probably forgotten about them now. The elder she-cat struggled onward through the heavy snow drifts, vowing to make it to the towers of ice known as Harmony's Fingers.</sub>
Aurora
The rising sun
Will always speak your name