Painful Patrol

[Rainefrost]

It was impossible to deny Thunderclan was beautiful this time of year. The snow had completely melted, revealing brilliant wildflowers and new-leaf green grass. Ah, life was good in Thunderclan. Or at least, that's what he cared to believe at the moment. Sure, danger and death was looming just around the corner, but wasn't it always? Better to enjoy life now than waste it worrying. And speaking of enjoying, his day would be much more enjoyable with some company. Well, I guess patrolling the borders could be a bit boring.
Rainefrost sighed to himself, pausing for a moment to take in the scents. Blooming flowers, mice scuttling in the underbrush, and the faint scent of cats. His vibrant emerlad eyes scanned the horizon.

Fernstar...
Why can't I stop thinking about her.....

Rainefrost's sore paws walked him gradually along the borders of Thunderclan, sending a wisp of dust into the air with each delicate step. His ears were pricked as he glanced forward at the large expanse of land on the inner border. He had alot of land to cover today; not to mention the serious headache that was making it worse.
He also felt pretty pathetic. Probably the only cat that encountered a fight with a fox; and nearly lost. He limped as he walked, wincing from a deep gash in his shoulder. The grass about his limbs flurried with each idle movement he made, irritating the cuts which were just considering the idea of healing.

Soon enough, it was dark. The light of the moon - which by now had lifted its brow above the hills - fell in shafts across the area, blotted and intersected by the milling clouds. The pallid light flung itself over the form of the young tom, depicting the dull glow of his coat. He hadn't realized it had taken this long to patrol; it was obvious because of his rest breaks and big appitite problems.
His fur rippled as the wind cast it’s cold fingers through them.
The place just felt so... empty. There were no birds, no crickets, no cracking of twigs or rustling of leaves. There was just the wind, sighing hollowly through the tall grass.
He was beginning to feel on the lonely side of things; a feeling that was not only hurting, but uncomforable as well.
He halted and spent a few moments in akward slience, when suddenly, he thought of Fernstar. Why? He wasn't sure. It made him feel a bit calmer though. Whenever she was around, he had always felt better than before.
He shouldn't be thinking at a time when he could just as easily go back to camp and see her again. So, he decided to do just that.

He trotted, half-limping, and leaped gracefully on a somewhat large rock in his path. A sharp pain shot slowly through his shoulder, causing him to mew in distress. He lurched sideways and, half scrambling, half falling, he slithered off the rock and collapsed on the ground below.

[kowala]

Mudstorm sat alone in her small moonlit meadow, so far she was the only one who knew about it. There was a perfect circle of trees outlining the thick lush grass, spring and summer flowers bloomed in random patches inside the circle. The moonlight cast an eerie glow in the small meadow and from where she sat, it looked like Mudstorm was a ghost. Her stripes shone a very light metallic beige and her pelt glowed a soft white. She heard the sharp, quick wail and reacted, ancient sadness exaggerating her very graceful moves. She floated into the scene like a ghost and looked down at the warrior who lay in a heap before her, her mind flashed memories she couldn't shake, He looks exactically like him, she thought. Pain stabbed her heart and she slumped down beside him, Rainefrost... How did you get these wounds?

"He looked just like you," she whispered agony twisting her voice, "No one knows him... My brother..." twisting her mind the memories did, churning her stomache.

Mudstorm made a somewhat protective stance beside/over Rainefrost as she licked his wounds, saving the larger one in his shoulder for last. Something moved in her periferal vision, she looked its way, it must have been her ghostly appearence that caused it to bolt. Mudstorm looked more carefully at the spot where the creature had been and she saw the faint almost ghostly trail of cobwebs, Just what I need, she though, she got the cobwebs came back and wrapped Rainefrost's shoulder in web.

"I will not wait for you to wake up!" she hissed, not in anger but in sadness as she turned away and glided to her vacant meadow. "Brother..." Mudstorm sighed.

[Rainefrost]

Rainefrost opened one eye cautiously, recalling the familar voice of Mudstorm, but he didn't see her. The webs on his shoulder were making him feel less pain, and he wished he could show his gratitude properly. Slowly, he got to his unsteady paws and glanced around. No one.

The thick, black blanket of night didn't help his sight at all, either. Where had she gone?
Wait.... he thought. Thanks to my stupid vision, I couldn't even think of going back to camp alone! I wish I could find out were Mudstorm is, or Ferstar maybe....
He scowled to himself and continued to look around sightless. It was just too dark.

[kowala]

Once again Mudstorm stood in her moonlit circle, a place where she could forget. "I should have stayed, I should go get him," she moaned, "Why am I so cruel? Starclan, what happened to me?"

Still moaning Mudstorm hurriedly but gracefully glided back to where Rainefrost should be, "I can't let any cat see me like this.." she muttered, frowning, "Rainefrost," she called, her voice was trying to coax him from the shadows, into the moonlight. "Rainefrost, follow my voice, follow my shadow..." she felt like a siren, calling for him to follow her into the night.

Mudstorm scowled in the dark trying to get enough courage to step out of the shadows to lead him to safety, "He seems like he will get hurt, stumbling half blind through the forest." Her whisper barely even loud enough for her own concience to hear. She lightly placed her dainty paw in the moonlight and she was once again turning into a ghost; her hazle pelt turned to a soft white and her chocolate brown stripes turned a metallic beige. Again her now dull but still striking green eyes carried that same ancient sadness that they had before. "Come," she said, voice swamped with agony, WHY AM I SO DARN UPSET?!, Mudstorm thought as she glided under the moonlight not waiting for Rainefrost to follow, he just could not see her face, twisted in agony like that. It always happened every night, she would crumble under her emotions, slip out of camp and go to her meadow. She returned every morning but she hoped that Rainefrost wouldn't tell Fernear about this, She will take everything from me... My apprentice, my image, my friends, I will look like a complete traitor in everyones eyes.

Mudstorm started to sing softly, hoping that Rainefrost would hear and follow, her words were shredding her soul, so... painfull and so... sorrowfull her song was. Even the tune was not even the slightest bit up-lifting.

She was hurting.
She knew that.
I have to make it stop.
Forever.

[Rainefrost]

Swiftly, Rainefrost angled his ears toward the gentle sound of Mudstorm's voice. He began walking unsteadily in the direction in which it came from, hoping that he would find his way without interference.
After a few pawsteps, he came into the moon's bright light, his pelt having some sort of unique glow. He gazed around until he saw Mudstorm's beautiful eyes glimmering off the stars.

"Mudstorm... I.. I don't know how to thank you enough," he said quietly. He nuzzled her affectionately on the cheek in gratitude.
"Shall we find our way back to camp now?" he suggested, lifting his head to look at the moon once more.

[kowala]

Mudstorm stopped singing as she felt the sudden warmth on her cheek, all the memories faded from her mind, the last image she saw was her brother smiling at her whispering urgently while trying to muffle his laughter, "Go Mudstorm! Quickly, go home!"

Mudstorm quickly snapped out of her trance and the sadness in her eyes lifted away and she shuddered as if something terrible and heavy had just been taken off her shoulders.

"Yes. Yes Rainefrost, we shall find our way." Mudstorm started to walk down the moonlit path, I know these woods better than most cats. I always have, she thought as her face twisted up in discomfort, how come I don't remember where to go? She lashed her tail in annoyance and she soon reconised a certain bush of berries. Mudstorm could practically hear the *click* as her mind processed a mental map of their possition.

Ha. Ha. We'll get home soon enough...

I hope.

[Rainefrost]

Emerald eyes widened in feat and confusion. Ears pricked for any signs of another cat's presence, but heard none. His mouth was open in panting. Fear pulsed through his veins, and he looked at Mudstorm. "Do you see something?" he asked, noticing her lost glance toward the bush of berries. He looked in the same direction, but saw nothing but many, many rouge branches of tiny, colorful shapes.

He began walking toward it, and stood about two leaps away. From there, he was still able to smell for intresting scents, though his nose was full of dust.
Nothing special caught his attention, except for the faint scent of a twoleg.

[kowala]

"I only remember some things by reminding myself of my suroundings," Mudstorm stated blankly, and frowning at him, scenting his fear for less than a heartbeat, "Are you ok?" she asked concerned. Mudstorm put her full-forced gaze on Rainefrost, I hope he's not afraid of me... her mind thought up, suddenly her heart beat was so loud in her chest she thought that even Rainefrost could hear it. He saw my haunted appearence, he saw my pain... Mudstorm frowned even more awaiting Rainefrost's reply impatiently. "Is your shoulder hurting you? I could... I could..." she thought for the moment puzzled. It's not what I could do, it's what I can do.

[Rainefrost]

Looking back at Mudstorm, angling his ears upward to hear her words. "I'm alright, thank you," he assured, then gradually made his way back to her. Suddenly, he stopped, pricking his ears even more. The crickets settled, revealing a loud, steady heart-beat. It wasn't his own, so he assumed that it was the she-cat's that stood in front of him.
"My shoulder... you shouldn't worry. It's feeling alot better since you used the cobwebs on it," he said gently, his eyes seeming to glow in the bright moonlight.

Briskly, his curiousity got the best of him, and he asked uncontrolibly: "You could what, Mudstorm?"

[Fernear!]

[/i] she thought to herself. Her heart beat lightly and slowly, she was now getting almost fifteen horse lengths away, her eyes took her head towards Silverpelt. Three stars were clearly visible. it seemed that he past cats were welcoming her for the night. She would like to talk to someone at some point tonight.[/color][/size][/ul]

[kowala]

Mudstorm looked straight at Rainefrost widening her eyes in nevousness, "I-I-I-I could, umm, well..." Mudstorm heard a sound some length away, she turned and looked at Fernear finding her escape, "Rainefrost," she said gently, "I want you to do something for me." Mudstorm gazed at Fernear, please take care of him, she thought, "Rainefrost, please go with Fernear over there and get some help, I don't want your shoulder to get infected. So please go, for my sanity." She smiled weakly and sprinted out of the clearing, taking on her ghostly features once more, sadness clouding her gaze.

[Rainefrost]

Rainefrost curiously watched as Mudstorm sprinted away. I wonder what's wrong he thought. I hope it wasn't... my fault...

Emerald eyes glanced in the direction of the forest to see Fernstar. He smiled nervously, and angled his ears forward as he limped over to her. "Greetings, Fernstar," he remarked kindly, dipping his head politely as a small bow.

[ Sorry for the shortness. I'm a little short on time. ]

[Fernear!]

[/b] she greeted. She saw behind him was mudstorm sprinting off, I wonder why.. Mudstorm isn't like that usually. Fernstar then turned her gaze to Rainefrost's shoulder, " What happened to our shoulder?" she asked with concern in her voice.

[Sorry for the shortness, heading to school soon.][/color][/size][/ul]

[kowala]

Back in her meadow once more Mudstorm thought about what had just happend.

"I-I-I-I could, umm, well..." Mudstorm heard a sound some length away, she turned and looked at Fernear finding her escape, "Rainefrost," she said gently, "I want you to do something for me." Mudstorm gazed at Fernear, please take care of him, she thought, "Rainefrost, please go with Fernear over there and get some help, I don't want your shoulder to get infected. So please go, for my sanity."

she frowned, thinking about her last walk with her brother...

Stormcloud looked at his twin with excitement, Mudstorm was chatting happily but he wasn't listening. Oh Muddie, he chuckled, he started to let her soft highish voice seep into his mind, absorbing her words...
"... And when I went on that patrol I really messed up. A squirrel flung by me and I freaked! I swear my muzzle was as red as the berries on that bushle over there. Oh ya and yesterday I was---" Mudstorm slipped and started to fall into the very deep and leithal gourge below, she screamed shrilly. Stormcloud quickly grabbed her scruff and hauled her our of the lip, "Storm!" Mudstorm shrieked, "Oh my gosh! I was about to fall into that gourge!" Stormcloud smiled and shook his head in amusement but is slowly dissolved into seriousness, "Mudstorm, I will never let you fall, even if saving you takes me to Starclan. I proimise you.."[/color][/i]


Mudstorm's thoughts were crushed when a sound came from the trees directly infront of her, she stiffened and frowned, ancient sadness taking over her gaze, Now I'm not alone, she thought.

Oh.
My.
Stars.

She saw a tom about her height and about the same markings the colour resembled hers. His eyes were still the playfull green.

He looked just like you...

He looks exactically like him...

Oh.
My.
Stars.

Mudstorm started to hyperventilate, she sucked in a mouthfull of air and shrieked, stopped short and shrieked again. She was facing her brother, her brother... was dead, so someone needed to explain quickly to Mudstorm before she fainted, oops too late. And with that she fell, letting darkness spred like black ink along her mind...[/size]

[Rainefrost]

Rainefrost gave a tender-hearted smile. "Oh, it's nothing really. I just-"
He was speechless for a moment, slashing his tail gradually back and forth behind him. I can't tell her what really happened he thought. If I did, she wouldn't think of me a warrior, but a defenseless, lost kittypet...
He met her gaze once again, and sighed deeply. "I just got into a fight with a fox during patrol..."