[&&]Exploration

[streampaw]

^{Silent paws carried her through the underbrush as the moon shone brightly overhead. Her ears flicked back, but not picking up any sounds, the slightly paranoid feline continued onward. She paused as the cover of the brush began to thin out and sniffed to air cautiously. All she could small was Shadowclan and stale rogue. She slithered into the shadows where she couldn't be seen even out of her cover of thicket and stepped into the shadows. She turned her gaze to the moon as it cast a silver light down onto the ground. She grinned softly and stepped into the gorgeous light. Seeing the cause of the Shadowclan scent, Dawnwind purred and glided out deeper into the light. "Well now, who do we have here?" she purred. "I see Hardsoul, Miragesoul, and... Who are you?" she asked the cat that she had never seen before. She sniffed the ground and picked up Nightfeather's scent. She slithered gracefully and admired her glossy pelt in the silver light of the night. She positioned herself next to Hardsoul, the only cat here that she had even slightly a connection with and sat, curling her gloriously plumed tail around her delicate paws.}

[Fernear!]

[/i] she wasn't deputy nor leader. but she hasn't seen either for a moon or so.

"NightFeather.. I wanted to talk to you away from them." her mandibles slowly opened after her speech to say something, but then they closed. [Mandibles is a list word for me XP] NightFeather and her may soon become very close friends..

Before NightFeather replied to her, MirageSoul had a vague sight of where she was stepping, BlackStar and oddly, AquaEyes were on her mind. Why?

[/size][/ul][/color]

[kitsune]

So, Nightfeather was Hardsoul's mate. That was an unexpected loop in the night's events. Sure, she had called Hardsoul 'love', but Aquaeyes had just assumed that she was being her normal self -- oh, nevermind. He had more important things to think about, anyway. "She does have a way." he agreed, remembering the way Nightfeather had been peering into his soul. No, she couldn't have been doing that, she was only looking for subtle signs of what he was thinking and then assuming a few things... right? right?

"We've been awfully quiet for a long time." Aquaeyes responded, unsheathing his claws and wincing as they scraped against the unpolished floor, kicking up miniscule puffs of dust unnoticeable to the two toms. "I mean, maybe we don't have Blackstar to direct us, but the others will think we're getting weak." His eyes blazed for a moment; although he might not be similar to some of his clanmates, Aquaeyes had inherited the typical love of fighting. "ThunderClan's never deserved that entire strip of land, anyway. The strip of pine trees between the two Twoleg paths. It matches our territory, so we have as much of a right to it as they do!" He paused, wondering if he'd said too much, and then heard the quiet brush of pawsteps against the strange wood of the nest and turned to see Dawnwind.

Aquaeyes studied her a moment, curious as to why she was even out. It seemed that there reakky was half of ShadowClan out that day! "Aquaeyes." He mewed calmly, apparently not too offended that Dawnwing had forgotten his name. After that, he fell quiet, temporarily resuming the role that he usually played in camp.

[kowala]

Nightfeather kept pace with Miragesoul as they wound deeper into the barely lit coniferous forest. Nightfeather's paws hit the ground silently like a wraith; gently sliding over the pine-strewn ground. Watching the other she-cat as she walked the same way as herself made Nightfeather feel odd; she didn't want to think that this other cat, different in almost everyway, could be taking the same path as herself. The thought that Miragesoul could be telling her a piece of information that might change others' lives made her blood boil and her skin crawl. At the same time it made her wary of herself, her surroundings and the other she-cat.
Nightfeather took a look into the she-cat's eyes; it seemed as if the femme was putting much feeling and thoughts through her eyes, almost projecting them toward Nightfeather's mind to process.
Nightfeather then saw Blackstar's dark looking eyes and then a flash of Aquaeye's bright ones. It might have just been a trick of the moons fading light but this made the seductive cat think.
Now why would Miragesoul be thinking about Aquaeyes?
Blackstar I can imagine but Aquaeyes?
Actually, I kinda am thinking myself..
Nightfeather didn't know why but there was just something about Aquaeyes that made a cat look. His silvery pelt and bright eyes made him seem like a Starclan cat; especially in the moonlight, his pelt glowing like that and his eyes reflecting the moon's erie glow made Nightfeather take a mental pause.
You are so different than I, she thought with a confused slash wondering frown.
I can't tell Hardsoul of my thinking, he might get the wrong idea and get the gears turning. He might get territorial.
No tom places me as his territory, I am my own and my own I shall be.
She thought again about Miragesoul beside her and remebered her anticipation to have the deputy tell her about something. Nightfeather decided to take the cautious road and go about it cooly.
"What would you like to discuss with me that you couldn't say around the others? I am eager to hear. It must be important concidering that you had to drag me all the way out here." Nightfeather stopped and waited for the other she-cat to stop aswell. She didn't want to walk aimlessly around the woods at Night; things happen to innocent lives at this time.
Keeping her ground Nightfeather looked directly at Miragesoul and didn't look away, there was nothing to distract her.

[Fernear!]

[/b] her eyes were filled with the sorrow. She could say this infront of the others, but what she was meening to say was much different than she just mewed. MirageSoul couldn't think staright rigth now, the gathering was a little over half a moon away and there was no one to represent the clan.

She may be a worrie wort right now, she may have to find him or.. move on..

[Short post but may be the beginning of ... the plot =P]
[/color][/size][/ul]

[mudmask]

Hardsoul smirked. "There is nothing in the way of us taking the other clans, but it just isn't right. Even my good side takes over on that debate. Blackstar is getting way to territorial." His thoughts merged back to Nightfeather. She had been looking at Aquaeyes. Right now he didn't care. He didn't know why he had mated in the first place. Nightfeather could look at Aquaeyes all she wanted.
"I hate this weather!" >:(He shook a bunch of frost collecting on his ears. "I hate snow! Cats follow your tracks!" He sniffed and shook his head. He flicked his tail towards Aquaeyes. "I think Shadowclan's reign is over. This has gone way to far, losing so many cats. we don't even have a deputy!" He snorted in discust, then was suddenly silent. "Do you hear that?" he asked,in a mystified voice, "Why, I think it's our camp, they're eating some soft kittypet slop! Mice are just to hard to catch now! Blood hasn't been spilt for moons! I think it's time we started to toughen up!" His voice softened, "But wht do you think Aquaeyes, silence is golden? I would love to hear your opinion, I don't believe you are a slop eater, are you?"


((srry, I am hyper today, and I am mad, so im taking it out here))

[kitsune]

Aquaeyes shrugged. "True. Not leader, no deputy, barely a medicine cat. Freshkill is scarce, and our kits are dying just as they're born." He paused there, deep in thought... It was silly of him to think of that. It had happened so long ago: he even had a new name, for StarClan's sake! But he just could not get Sparrowpaw and the kit out of his mind. He sank his claws into the musty Twoleg nest floor and swayed, as if he needed to anchor himself. Finally, he spoke again. "Of course I don't eat rabbit pellets." He responded calmly, eyes flicking down to the floor. "Do I look like a kittypet to you?" he stood up and took a few steps towards the exit, then looked back at Hardsoul.
"My opinion?" The tom asked, pausing again. "I think you just contradicted yourself." he paused, then flicked his ear in a silent apology. "I think that ShadowClan's in a nightmare that won't stop till we get stable again." With that, he shook his head to himself, then walked out into the icy Leafbare night.

[streampaw]

^{She threw her head around in annoyance. "I swear! Sometimes you guys are like kits!" she hissed as she grew tired of the yelling and hissing of the toms around her. Her tail flicked in anger as she unsheathed her claws and dug them into the floor of the Twoleg nest. She glowered at Hardsoul as he rambled on about the weather and the downfall of Shadowclan. "I for one love this cold weather..." she snarled in her head. Aquaeyes was so calm in the midst of all the commotion, she wondered why. Something about his composure calm her, and Dawnwind found herself sitting calmly on the floor, tail curled around her paws. She laughed to herself when Aquaeyes responded, seeing that, knowing Hardsoul, he would get pissed. "Hardsoul, if you feel that all of this is happening, why don't you listen to Aquaeyes and do something about it?" she hissed softly. She thought about her apprentice and how she dissapeared, then Muteheart came into her mind. She really did have a special connection with him, but he left as well. "He probably died, like the hope for Shadowclan's reign did..." Finally fed up with this nonsense, Dawnwind rose to her feet and snarled calmly, "Hardsoul, you need to be a warrior instead of the worthless kittypet you are." With that she turned and began to walk out of the nest. Noticing Aquaeyes only a few fox lengths infront of her, she called out, "Aquaeyes! Wait up!" and trotted off to join him.}

[Mudmask aka Muddy]

Hardsoul snarled at Dawnwind's words. "Who asked you to join this conversation? Go drool over Muteheart and leave me alone! You have to go butting into everyone else business just to get some laughs! But go ahead and frolick in the forest, you will go down with the clan! But if for some reason you don't, you'd better watch your back, and stop putting your nose in the air!" His tail lashed with impatience. Who was she to be talking to him like that?!?! He changed his tone to mocking and cooled off a bit. "But wait, perhaps you didn't get your fill of rabbit pellets, I'm sure there's at least a few moons worth for you in here." He flicked his tail in the direction on the twoleg nest. He thingyed his head and walked past her, his tail brishing her flank, "Maybe when I grow up to your mousebrained maturity, I'll go hunting with you." He threw back his head and laughed. Then he gave her a threatening stare, "But even us 'kittypets' can kill." Then he went into a noncontrollable laughter of evil. Then he turned to Aquaeyes, "I don't think you are stupid enough to go with her, but if you are, I understand that you feel sorry for her. No offense." She gave Aquaeyes a grin and walked back to the twoleg nest, and perched on the wall.

[streampaw]

^{Laughing softly, the she-cat was highly amused at the rage of Hardsoul, she was cruel like that. Turning back to Hardsoul, she snarled softly, "I needn't be invited to anything. And me? Drool over an idiot? I'm going to laugh myself to death! Muteheart's dead anyways!" She flicked her tail softly as she paced back to Hardsoul. "Don't make me laugh. When the clan falls, I'll go off and be a rouge for a while, then come back when the clan is at its prime. Please!" she nsalred with a laugh, "I already watch my back, idiot! All cats should! And I can put my nose wherever I please!" and at that she raised her head high. She laughed loudly this time, a high pitched mocking laugh that sent shivers down one's spine. "As good as your supply of rappit pellets sounds, I'll have to pass. I'm quite full of my own kill right now." He brushed his tail against her and all she did was laugh. I wouldn't go hunting with you if my life depended on it. Unless you were the prey..." She didn't really listen to him, just let the words go in one ear and out the other. "It's good that you kittypets can kill, if you could't then you would be no fun to kill..." she hissed coldly. She rolled her eyes at his words to Aquaeyes and walked back over to him. "Oh! And Hardsoul, you're name's not very fitting... I can't believe that you would fall for an idiot like Nightfeather!" she laughed.}[/sup]

[mudmask]

He ignored her insults. Hardsoul's tone was most unpleasant, "Oh, yes, I see your perspective! You don't need an invatation because no one would ever invite you into one! My bad, so sorry..." He smirked. "You poke your nose in whatever you want Dawnwind, but be careful, I claw without invatation!" He gave her a intimidating look, "Well, I am not Nightfeather, but I'm sure she isn't going to thank you for calling her an idiot. But wait, I'm sure no one would like you because you want to poke and prod in their lives! Dawnwind, when the clan falls, you'll go rouge! You are pityful! No wonder no tom likes you! I wonder..." he said and grinned. Then he started again. "I am not in rage Dawnwind, in fact, I am most at muse from your sense of humor! You call me things that you are! You make us sound identical! You think you are watching your back, but remember, when you strut through the forest with your nose in the air, there is always SOMETHING watching. But your to into the role of little miss can't be wrong! You are so pityfull!" He laughed and stared into space, transfixed in his own thoughts, not caring about a foxdung she cat like her.

[Fernear!]

[/b] MirageSoul was getting fed-up. ShadowClan was falling. She would take actions now. 'Everyone back to camp/' she said in a calm voice as she bounded after AquaEyes.

She stopped beside the tom, every cat she knew right now seemed to be bothered. It would be a full moon tonight, and once again the forest would miss it. It seemed the forest had lost faith in the gatherings, for there were hardly any cats. There was nearly no point in going if no one would. [Hopefully the gathering will be next moon]

'I think it's time to appoint a new hierarchy..' AquaEyes seemed to be the tom who would understad her. She needed someone like that to be around. She would like to be part of a clan with him as her leader. But the other cats in the clan would want their input in this choice. Maybe it ws too early..

StormFrost.. The memory came to her in a flood. He was gone too.. She felt unloved and unneeded. There was hardly a reason for her to stay, only her clan.[/color][/size][/ul]

[Mudmaskk]

:-[Hardsoul stared at his paws. He should have been insulted and furious at Miragesoul for calling him a babbling kit and ordering him to camp, but he really didn't care.
She's not leader! She can't order you to camp!
But this time Hardsoul's thought didn't really matter to him. Then he said something he had never said to anyone before, "I'm sorry Dawnwind. You are not pitifull," He looked Miragesol in the eye for a second, and turned away. He didn't give a mousetail about what they thought of him. He felt like his pride was crushed. His fate was fallen. He would never be anything like a leader, just an old cranky elder. A smile broke across his face as he thought of living in the den, having apprentices pick ticks out of his old coarse fur. "Yes, I said sorry, it is a miracle isn't it?" He laughed and felt better. He called out to Miragesoul, "Well, I bet you have seen it all, haven't you? But your collection of miracles wouldn't be complete if you hadn't seen grumpy Hardsoul say he was sorry!" Hardsoul stood and felt like a new cat had swallowed him and was pretending to be him.

[Fernear!]

[/b] She then began to feel her pelt warm up- She just licked his cheek... She never does that to toms! Maybe she was really over BlackStar...

She looked behind her and saw a few of the cats she had been talking ot for a while. She didn't want to be leader, though there were a few cats she thought would be good for the part.

The moon was now high in the night sky, MirageSoul's tortoiseshell pelt shone brightly with the moon's light. She definetly felt guilty for not being at the gathering. But right now. The leader possition should be decided, would it stay BlackStar or be changed.

As MirageSoul took a few steps forward, somthing sharp pierced her paw. 'Foxdung!' she cried. Though it was only a thorn, it was lodged deeply into her left forepaw. ShadowClan had no medicine cat, she only know of RiverClan's medicine cat SweetFeather.. They had no medical access in ShadowClan right now.

Cherry blood began to fill a small puddle, for MirageSoul stopped from the extensive pain. Her teeth were bared in pain, it seemed the thorn had gone in deeper since it first went in. Her eyes looked up at the moon, then down again. It wasn't the best night anymore..
[/color][/size][/ul]

[kitsune]

Aquaeyes listened to the fading arguments neutrally. His entire world -- the entire frame his life was around -- was in a turmoil: no leader, no deputy, no medicine cat... They were hardly more than a group of rogue cats, trying to hang onto the idea of Clan life that was just fading too quickly to preserve. He simply wanted to curl up in his nest, see what kind of narcotic dreams he could find, see if he could catch a glimpse of Sparrowpaw haunting his dreams again...
At the thought, the young warrior stiffened. No! Aquaeyes could not think about her at a time like that. The Clan would need strong warriors, and dwelling on things that had happened long ago was weakness. There was nothing he could've done about it anyway. No, half of his mind hissed, You could have prevented the whole thing. The night had just turned out much different than he'd expected...
'I think it's time to appoint a new hierarchy..' Miragesoul's voice came unexpected, and he glanced over at her. She was done with her talk with Nightfeather already, then? That was surprising... on second thought, the whole night had been surprising. He should have been rolling with it, by now, but ah well. The tom considered her words: did that mean that the she-cat had given her mate up for dead? If she appointed a deputy - or leader, rather - the clan would probably agree with her. After all, she'd been the one who knew what was going on in Blackstar's head; they'd probably assume that she knew what he would have done anyway.
"Who are you considering for deputy?" he questioned, glacier-blue eyes following her gaze and glancing up at the moon... he could remember his first Gathering, excited and curious. The forest could use more faith, he could agree with that. The Clans had never seemed more divided.
With the she-cat's growl of complaint, Aquaeyes turned his attention from the ghosts of old memories to the present. "Let me help." he offered automatically, slowing his pace down considerably. Thorns weren't that difficult, really, just very frustrating.

The moon continued to glare down, as if reminding them of forgotten times and lost promises.