{we'll all have perfect wings}windclaw

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] LONG sharp claws dug into the bark of the old oak tree as Cloudclaw climbed upward. The tree itself was one of the oldest trees in the territory, towering high above the others and still going strong. No storm had broken it, no lightning struck it down, no fire rendered it to cinders. Under his paws, Cloudclaw could feel the sun-warmed bark, feel the roughness of it against his paw pads. It was a beautiful sensation. The muscles of his limbs felt strong and sure as he hauled himself skyward, fighting gravity's pull to find a high up perch. Of all the things in Cloudclaw's life, this was perhaps the one thing he was certain of. No limb had ever given way under this silver-furred leopard nor a bad step sent him plummeting to the ground. Climbing, of all the things a leopard could do, was Cloudclaw's speciality. He had a love affair with high up places and views of grandeur. IN fact, his mother had named him Cloudkit because she saw the dreamer in him, saw the fantasies and fancy in his pale yellow orbs. When he'd been named a warrior, claw had been added to his name to show the strength he held when he climbed and the sure-footed manner with which he traversed the place between ground and sky. When Cloudclaw wasn't busy hunting or patrolling for Wrenstar and the clan, he most often walked the branches of the trees, moving from tree to tree with the ease of a squirrel. His leaps would be sure, his footing undoubted, his gaze sharp and aware. WHEN his paws hit the ground though, Cloudclaw was a totally different feline. His gaze would be distant and foggy, unsure of himself. His steps would waver, his mind unsure, his memories uneasy. Cloudclaw would remember a single night that had ruined him for life. He would wonder and question about what things would be like if it had never happened. Up in the leafy embrace of the trees, his mind cleared like a breeze sweeping away the morning mist. That was why he tried to keep to them as much as possible. It wasn't easy though. He couldn't hunt in the branches and patrols from high above weren't generally considered effective. Most of his day was spent prowling the foliage, pondering and wishing for things he couldn't have, wondering why he couldn't be more sure of himself and second guessing every decision. Cloudclaw hated it. It was like a sickness, a sickness he'd lived with since he woke up tangled in reeds and crusted in frost with babbling voices all around him, asking if he was okay. Since that moment he had never been truly okay and he probably never would be. At least, not while he was on the ground. SPRINGING onto a sturdy branch with the ease of a bird spreading its wings, Cloudclaw began to walk amongst the branches. Sturdy oak branches held him aloft, supple pine branches bent but did not break, the odd walnut or maple trees waved as he approached. From tree to tree, Cloudclaw slithered through the branches like a silver serpant. This was easy, this made sense. With each branch he moved through, he gradually moved higher until he ended in an oak tree again. A large sturdy branch proved a fine perch for the leopard warrior. Laying down so his tail and paws draped over the edge, Cloudclaw laid his head on his paws and let the weak autumn sunlight filter through the branches and soak into his fur. Tagged;; Windclaw Word Count;; 596 Background Song;; "Don't Laugh at Me" by Mark Wills Notes;; <3

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] Moving along the edges of Leopardclan had become a habit of hers when she had nothing better to do. She liked the silence here, the reminder of days when she would prowl with just her sister at her side, searching the brush for food. As much as she loved clan life she missed the danger that clung to a cat living on their own, the doubled chance of being attacked by a group of rogues, or killed by the very beasts you hunted. Out there the world was an untamed place, absent of laws and hierarchies. One could get lost in the depths of those thrills. And Cloudclaw found herself missing it whenever she caught her reflection and looked upon the scars that slashed through her pelt. They were her constant reminders of the life she’d once led, and still on occasion yearned for. Not that she didn’t love being a clan cat too. The one thing she’d wanted more then anything else, even out there when she looked for danger. Was knowing that someone, somewhere was there for her and her sister. And the clan offered that. It sheltered them and cared for them, loving them as family even though they’d been born as outsiders. She may now and then pine for the wilderness she’d given up, but all of that paled in comparison to the home she now shared with so many others. Sucking in a breath she smiled, taking in the scents of her clan. Now, familiar to her and welcomed upon her senses as the smell of home. While her eyes danced hungrily over her surroundings, narrowing just the slightest in an attempt to see the fine details of the foliage around her. Sometimes it annoyed her that she could no longer see as well as she once could, she was grateful that her eyesight didn't get worse, but she often wished it was as good as it had once been. Closing her eyes for a moment she breathed in and sighed, letting the air in and out of her lungs as her claws softly played with the soil beneath her feat. Outwardly she appeared serene, a cat enjoying the sweet scents of the world around her. But inside she was a rolling storm cloud, packed with energy and ready at any moment to strike at unsuspecting victims with flashes of burning power. Beneath her smooth coat her muscles tensed in the desire to pounce on something, and her nose raked the air for the scent of danger, the promise of getting to unleash her energy onto the world. Unfortunately though, no such scent reached her today. Instead she was met with the usual as she slipped through the plant life, ferns and various flowers brushing against her fur before boredom caused her to halt completely in her trek. "Nothing." She grumbled halfheartedly, sitting with her tail curled about her paws. She couldn't return in this state, all riled up as she currently was. It would do her no good to start another fight, and she certainly didn't need to add anymore scars to her collection. But oh, did she want to fight. She yearned for it, her muscles aching for it. Feeling she had little choice she began looking around for anything to occupy her time that could possibly help calm her. Finding a tree, not really caring what type though she guessed it was an oak, she began raking her claws over the bark, her nails digging in and out of the wood as she worked her front legs into a rhythm scratching and clawing. The motion itself somewhat helped, it at least moved her muscles. But Windclaw she would need to do it till she felt exhausted if she wanted it to get the fight out of her. None the less she worked at it, glaring at the wood with an intensity that made her blue eyes seem vacant and cold.

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[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] A rough scratching sound invaded Cloudclaw's dreamings, at first subtle and quiet and then loud and intrusive. Face scrunching up as he dragged himself from the grip of sleep, the silver leopard blinked bleary yellow eyes open. Sunlight pierced his eyes like an enemy's claws making him blink a few times before the world came into focus. He felt open air below his paws and the single sturdy branch holding his body weight. It was a beautiful feeling to him, waking up in the cradle of a tree's embrace. To other cats it might be startling or even a tad uncomfortable but Cloudclaw felt right at home. He'd been almost certain the scratching sound was just in his dream or maybe caused by a woodpecker or some other annoying bird but when he finally raised his head, Cloudclaw realized the sound hadn't stopped. Rouded ears twitched as the tom looked around. What was making that annoying noise? Finally it occured to the tom to look down. PEERING through the leaves of the oak the young warrior shifted this way and that to try and find what was making the scratching noise. It at last occured to him that he was just too high up. Rising from his curled up position, Cloudclaw began to make his descent through the oak's sturdy limbs. When he was still a good ways up he caught sight of something tawny and black down below. For a moment he wondered if it was the strange little cat he'd met before until he saw spots and the size of who was down below. Crouching low on a branch several feet over the she-cat's head, he recognized her as Windclaw, a warrior from the clan that he didn't know a lot about except for rumors. Rumors that she was a fight-starter, mean to the core and a former loner. Cloudclaw mentally shrugged. Everybody had their reasons for everything, she probably did too. FOR a few moments he simply crouched above her and watched as she shredded the bark and soft wood of the oak's trunk. Her blue eyes were intent and focused with almost frightening sharpness. It almost looked like she wasn't really there. Was she angry at someone and taking it out on the tree? Maybe she was just bored? Cloudclaw didn't often have to sharpen his claws so he couldn't imagine she'd be doing it just because. "UMM...what are you doing?" Cloudclaw asked at last, innocent curiosity in his voice as he leaned over the branch and looked down at his fellow clanmate. CLOUDCLAW knew he was known for being a quiet soul so he hoped she wouldn't think he was a loner or something since she didn't really seem to be paying attention to the real world. He smelled like LeopardClan, that much was for sure so hopefully that would penetrate her mind before she attacked first and asked questions later. Cloudclaw was not that much of a fighter, preferring to stay out of sparrs and scuffles when they happened around camp. When it came to fighting rogues, loners and unwelcomed cats from other clans he would do it because he had to and he did well enough to keep himself alive but against a cat with any real skill or desire to kill him, he probably wouldn't survive. He was known for his climbing skills and his ability to bring down big game with relative ease. Other than that, Cloudclaw doubted she'd even know who he was. That'd probably be her first question, probably snapped or snarled. He'd bet a full day's worth of hunting patrols on it. On the inside, he sighed at the thought of his encounters with other cats being so predictable, but that was what happened when one didn't go out amongst his clanmates. Tagged;; Windclaw Word Count;; 634 Background Song;; "Cave In" by Owl City Notes;; <3

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] Windclaw was so lost in the task she'd given herself, that the world seemed to have dropped back, leaving just her and the tree. Continuing her movements she could feel the rolling balls of energy that danced over her muscles, and wondered how long would it take for her to grow tired. Exhaustion was her goal. It was the only way she could make sure she didn't spring without thinking, and cause another fight to break out. Her battles might be all well and good if she met with a loner or rogue, but it wouldn't do well in her standing with the clan if she beat up another member. At first when the voice spoke, she wasn't quite sure she'd heard it. And later, when she looked back she figured the only reason she didn't notice the tom earlier, was most likely because of her single minded intensity. Though she wouldn't openly admit to her own fault for not paying attention to her surroundings, when she should have been. At that moment though her shock at hearing someone speaking was enough to make her jump back from the tree as though it was the one that had spoken. Using her front legs to kick off, she landed a few feet from where she'd been standing earlier and instantly scanned her surroundings. A deep growl rumbling up from her belly, and slipping through partly clenched jaws. Her blue eyes were wide, and by the time she remembered that the voice had come from above her, she'd scanned almost every inch of her surroundings. Lifting her gaze up the length of the now somewhat mutilated tree, she was more then a little startled at the silver male that sat on a brunch looking down at her. Why hadn't she noticed him before? How had she allowed him to get so close without smelling him, or hearing him? Angry at herself for her folly she fell into a fighting stance, paws spread to give her the best grip on the earthy ground. "Who are you?" She snarled. With a breath, she could smell Leopardclan on him, but that wouldn't stop her smacking him a new one if she felt the urge too. Something told her she should probably know who he was, considering she didn't know or see many leopards with silver pelts, but alas she couldn't even really see his face. At this distance, some of his features were just the slightest bit blurred. Narrowing her eyes she tried to focus, on his features. Her words a low rumble in her chest, and her body still ready for battle. Adrenaline pulsed through her, and all that she'd done to try and calm herself was forgotten. Questions were not her policy, usually it was fight first. But with him being in the tree she couldn't do anything unless he came down and she doubted he'd do that. "I don't think you understand how lucky you are to be in that tree."

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ooc: hehe, poor wind doesn't know how predictable she can be.

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[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] PERKING his ears up in surprise, Cloudclaw stared down at the tawny-pelted she-cat. He understood the not knowing who he was, it wasn't always as simple as knowing all the cats in the clan. What surprised him was the aggression and agitation in the she-cat's piercing blue eyes. What could possibly have her so worked up that she'd start mutilating a tree and then threaten a clanmate? A fight with a mate? Disagreeing with another warrior? Unwanted assignment from Wrenstar? Cloudclaw knew all of these things happened but in all honesty, when faced with them, he simply endured and moved on. He didn't go around shredding up respectable trees so it was hard to find the rational behind someone else doing it. Oh well. It really wasn't his business what she was doing or why. "WELL, it's nothing to get mad about," Cloudclaw muttered, reclining on his haunches upon his chosen branch. A fluffy silver and black spotted tail came to curl around his paws, drooping over the edge of the branch, though he kept it out of the she-cat's reach, just in case. "If you don't know how to climb or something, surely someone can teach you. Being up in a tree isn't that hard. In any case, it's nothing to be so rude about." THIS she-cat looked too old to be an apprentice so surely she was a warrior. It was seemingly impossible that a cat, a leopard of all things, could go through an apprenticeship and become a warrior without being taught how to properly climb a tree. Cloudclaw wouldn't teach her, naturally, what if he taught her wrong? What if she fell and got hurt? He'd be blamed and all the more in trouble. Also, in his own mind, he wasn't that great of a climber, no matter how many times he was told he seemed to walk through the limbs better than he walked on land. Those that claimed it were just mousebrained or too busy daydreaming to really see what a klutz he was. He knew he could climb, but not any better or any worse than anyone else as far as he was concerned. If this she-cat needed to learn how to climb, she'd have to teach herself or find a competent older warrior to mentor her on the finer points of balancing, finding good footing and all the rest that Cloudclaw had spent days on with his mentor many moons ago. "AS for my name, I don't think I want to tell you if you're going to be as snarky as a porcupine without its quills." CLOUDCLAW stood up and leaped easily onto a higher branch before resettling himself, this time in a crouch. Curling his tail around his side, the tom peered down at the she-cat below, pale yellow eyes cool and calm. He was completely at ease, cradled in the embrace of a tree, high above a she-cat that could potentially claw his fur out. Especially if she didn't know how to climb or even climb well, he would be quite safe. Any warrior knew how to escape dangers in the trees if they only had a sure enough step. If this she-cat wanted to pick fights, Cloudclaw would probably stay well out of her way, both here and in camp. Fighting wasn't his preferred occupation, he didn't mind it occasionally when it was just friendly sparring but this she-cat almost looked like she was out for blood. Plus, she'd probably have Cloudclaw missing patches of fur in moments. They'd have to rename him Baldpelt or something. The mere thought made him grimace. Fighting enemies was different than fighting clanmates and neither one particularly tickled his fancy in the slightest. Tagged;; Windclaw Word Count;; 620 Background Song;; "Against the World" by Superchick Notes;; <3

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] When his words reached her she felt a pang of surprise. Letting her head tilt to the side she blinked up at him. don't know how to climb? Where did he get that foolish idea? Of course she knew how to climb, though thinking back to her own words she realized where some confusion might have found it's way in. None the less, she didn't know if she should be offended, that he thought at her age she didn't know the basics of being a leopard, or if she should just ignore the comment entirely. "I can climb." she huffed, her posture moving just the slightest from primed and read to defensive. And unlike the clan cats she hadn't had anyone to teach her. She'd had to learn on her own, with only the occasional help from a passing loner. Thinking back she could only remember all the falls she'd been unfortunate enough to experience. Luckily she hadn't been as rash as a kit, otherwise she would of started by trying to climb as high as she could get. And a fall from the tops of the branches, promised a full grown leopard an injury, forget a kit. "And I wasn't angry, I was aggravated.

[/color] her eyes seemed to intensify as she glared up at him "I still am". [/color]

For days now she'd been itching for a fight. She could feel it, crawling under her skin and through her muscles. She'd only come out here in hopes of cooling herself down, to keep her from causing another altercation. Although naturally hot headed, these hot flashes of temper were not to her liking. They weren't frequent, thankfully, but they still got her in a load of trouble if she couldn't control them. And the presence of this curious tom, though seemingly harmless wasn't making her feel any better.

Like a cat trapped she dropped the aggressive posture entirely and began to pace, occasionally lifting her head to look up at him. Blue eyes intense, like they were studying him. She could climb up there...but if she did fight in the trees, then one of them would probably be coming back to camp with a lot more then just scratches. Plus it was stupid to think she could take another leopard in the trees, especially one that seemed to be so at home just sitting on a branch.

"I'm Windclaw." [/color]She finally stated, letting her gaze drop so she could see where she was walking. "If you're not going to tell me your name, I might as well give you mine. Since we seem to be at a standstill."[/color]
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[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] TWITCHING his whiskers as he watched her pace, Cloudclaw studied her body language from his high perch. She was agitated, just like she'd said and just like he'd thought. Her muscles were coiled tight under her tawny pelt, the black spots rippling as the tense muscles moved over powerful bones. Her blue eyes flashed with danger, giving Cloudclaw a glimpse of a fierce spirit lurking under the beauty. On a normal day, Cloudclaw would have glanced at her and walked away, knowing he didn't want to get mixed up in someone so aggressive and apparently driven. Driven toward what, he had no idea but he doubted it was anything overly beneficial. Either way she was so wound up but he had no idea why. Crouching low on his branch perch, Cloudclaw swept his tail through the air and met her blue gaze with his own pale yellow orbs. WINDCLAW. THE name suited her. The stray thought wriggled through Cloudclaw's mind as he continued to quietly watch her. She had the look of someone caged, pacing to and fro. Several paces one direction, brisk turn, several paces the other way. Narrowing his eyes a bit, Cloudclaw pondered what could have her feeling caged. Boredom? Too much energy and not enough to do? Hmm... SWEEPING his tail from left to right, looking around at the surrounding terrain. Dense forest, creeks in the bottom of ravines. There was a clearing not far away. Maybe she needed to spar? Cloudclaw debated on whether he should test the theory or not. If he did and was wrong, she'd probably think he was insane. If he did and he was right, well, at least he helped a clanmate. The problem was, since Cloudclaw was no stranger to others thinking him odd, she would probably shred his fur if he was right. Taking a deep breath, Cloudclaw made his choice. Glancing down to make sure she was facing the other way in her pace, he bunched his muscles. THE only sound of his leap from the high branch was the sound of his claws scraping the bark. He launched himself off of his perch and dropped through the air like a streak of silver, a spear of light dropping from the green and brown overhead. When he hit the ground he was a few feet from Windclaw and had to drop himself into a deep, low crouch to absorb the shock of his impact. The impact itself rattled Cloudclaw a little, his paw pads stinging slightly. It was a farther drop than he'd thought. Shaking it off mentally, Cloudclaw looked over his shoulder and caught Windclaw's eye before turning and...running. BOUNDING through the undergrowth, Cloudclaw hoped she'd chase him. It would give her something to focus on other than her apparent lack of anything to do. If he could lead her to the clearing, maybe she'd be up for sparring? Or he'd keep running and see if she could run as fast as her name implied. He was primarily a climber but all leopards were fair runners so hopefully he'd be able to hold his own. If his theory was wrong, she'd think he was insane and leave. In seconds he would stop running and find some way to stay out of camp and then continue avoiding her so she wouldn't point out his apparent insanity to anyone else. Tagged;; Windclaw Word Count;; 562 Background Song;; "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind Notes;; <3

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] She’d been hoping for a name, some form of identification, to clue her into who this tree lurking tom might be. Unfortunately he seemed unwilling to give her one, despite having shared her own. So what if she was a bit grouchy, that had nothing to do with him...not personally, unless of course he insisted on sticking around and talking. In which case he would quickly become the most likely target to relieve her pent up energy, much as the tree had been. "Well? Come on then, aren't you going to say something? A name perhaps?" At that moment the leopardess was side stepping on of her simplest rules, never turn your back on anyone. Raised as she was with only her sister and no clan, in the wilds of rogue and loner territory, you learn which behaviors meant survival, and which got you killed. Knowing full well that for small stretches of time she faced away from him, if she continued pacing, she still kept moving back and forth . She didn't think he'd attack her, he didn't seem the type. Especially since he'd had ample time to do so earlier, the first time he'd surprised her. But at least the pacing was doing something to calm her, instead of standing there defensive and looking silly. Listening to the sound of her paw pads scraping against the foliage strewn floor, and feeling her muscles moving along her body, was helpful and somewhat relaxing. Though, no where near enough to get the edge off. Turning once more, she could feel his eyes on her, and her shoulders bunched as they did instinctively whenever someone stood behind her. Determined not to glance back at him. She was once more caught by surprise as instead of a voice reaching her ears, she was met with the sounds of claws scraping against wood. Ears perking, she turned her head just in time to watch a streak of silver fall to the ground with a cushioned thump, her blue eyes expressing her bewilderment as they stared at the tom in wide eyed surprised. All at once mixed signals clattered into her brain, a thousand different trains of thought clawing past each other to find dominance. Did he fall? Is he attacking? Why would someone willingly leap from all the way up there?

[/b] and of course well isn't he a strange one. to think that he'd so far managed to surprise her twice in such a short time. Either she was getting out of touch, or her aggravation was a lot higher than she'd first anticipated.

"What did you do that for?" She snapped, only to have him lock eyes with her for a moment before shooting off into the brush.

At first she didn't quite know what to do. Having had her aggravation momentarily replaced by confusion. She just sort of stood there watching as he darted off into the brush. First he comes falling of a tree, then he just runs off, why? Figuring she wasn't going to learn anything interesting just by standing there over thinking the situation, she let her bunched up muscles go and was off, her body easily gliding through the forest. Though nowhere near as fast as a Cheetah, Windclaw had speed that quickly made up for her moment of hesitation. And in no time she could see him ahead of her, a silver streak through the greenery.
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[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] CLOUDCLAW was a creature of the trees. Atop the trees or cradled in their sturdy branches, he could do anything. His steps were sure, his decisions quick, his eyes alert. Everything was easier there in those precarious heights. On the ground though, Cloudclaw wasn't quite so coordinated. The foliage seemed too close, the ground uneven, the sky too far away. Still, he wasn't necessarily slow. He might not be cheetah-fast but he wasn't a snail either. So, Cloudclaw tried to keep up a good pace as he heard the foliage rustle behind him. It had worked. Windclaw was following. Now the problem was, what was he going to do when she caught him? Fight? Ask why she'd followed? Nothing sounded incredibaly intelligent at this point in time. Why did he even do this if he didn't know what he was going to do next? Jeez, this was stupid! SHAKING his head to chase off the unwanted thoughts, Cloudclaw leaped over a fallen log and veered to the right. Leaping across a narrow ravine, the young snow leopard nearly lost his footing on the other side, landing too close to the edge. Dirt rained down into the ravine as he had to scramble to find solid ground when the earth shifted under his back paws. Once all four paws were once again earthbound, Cloudclaw took off again, knowing he'd just lost a lot of ground. Windclaw, if her name was any indication, was a quick she-cat. He was pretty sure he'd heard of her being as swift as she was irritable but that could have been any cat in the clan since all leopards were apparently really irritable if his past experiences were anything to go by. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it was just an observation on Cloudclaw's part since he was apparently a more...quiet...speciman. Either way, he had a feeling that when Windclaw caught up to him she was going to skin him alive. She'd snarled when he'd jumped, demanding to know why he'd done it, so apparently he'd scared her which probably didn't help his case at all. To him it hadn't been that terrifying. Dropping from the trees felt like flying, probably the closest any leopard would get to flying anyway. Sure, it had been a bigger drop than he'd assumed but it wasn't that bad. Already the sting was wearing out of his paw pads only to be replaced by the numbness that came with running for a long distance. AT long last, Cloudclaw burst out of the forest and into a clearing. Dashing to the other side from where he entered, Cloudclaw spun around. He wouldn't have to wait long, Windclaw had practically been on his tail when he'd dashed away from the clearing. Well, okay maybe not that close. He had gotten the jump on her probably because he surprised her, but still, she didn't seem like it would take her long to chase him if only to figure out what the heck was wrong with him. CATCHING a glimpse of tawny through the foliage, Cloudclaw whipped around and plunged back into the woodland, leaving the clearing in a rustle of fern fronds. He'd have to taunt her a little to keep her interested, keep her hunting. He hoped his hunch was right and she was bored, otherwise the entire clan would think he was as crazy as a mouse running into a fox's den. Maybe crazier. Probably crazier. The sound of pawsteps behind him made him run faster. Yep, crazier for sure. Still, he couldn't deny it felt sort of good to just run, even if he felt like a rabbit running from a mountain lion. The burn in his lungs, the feeling of his muscles stretching and flexing, the adrenaline rush, the sound of his heartbeat beating fast in his ears, it wasn't so bad. VEERING to the left, Coudclaw sprang over a boulder that barred his path and splashed through a shallow creek just to fade his scent. He didn't think it would work too well but hey, he wasn't sure how far behind she was and he wasn't about to look. Tagged;; Windclaw Word Count;; 692 Background Song;; "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" by Creedence Clearwater Revival Notes;; if you'd like to have her catch him, feel free :)

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] Charging forward Windclaw became like the breeze, a swift streak of soft tawny fur that vanished and reappeared as she wove in and out of the foliage. An expert at running through the littered forest floor she slipped easily over fallen branches, piles of leaves, bushes with little to no effort. Her body making only the softest of sounds as leaves brushed along the length of her body, and her soft pads crunched delicate leaves and twigs beneath her quick steps. Running had always been her element, and although he'd gotten a head start she was well on her way to catching up, though what she'd do to the tom once she'd caught him was still up for a mental debate. Yes, others would argue that she was not the nicest of cats, but she was curious about this one and his odd behavior much more now then she was annoyed. If he'd stayed in the tree she probably would of been itching to get at him, only because he'd managed to surprise her that first time. Now that he'd done it twice, she was more curious than she was angry, with just a touch of aggravation to make this little chase one of the most exciting things she'd done in a wile. Scrambling through a clearing, she sniffed the air and let her eyes dart one way and then another, just to make sure he wasn't hiding, before pressing on. By now she was close that even the splashes of mud and water couldn't hide him from her, mostly because she could see his silver fur flashing like moonlight through gaps in the leaves. Any minute now she'd be on him. But what then? She was still undecided about what she wanted to do with him. He'd managed to annoy her, but she found herself wanting to talk to him more than she wanted to tear at him with her claws. Which was unusual for her. Usually when something got on her nerves it was fight and snarl first then ask questions later. None the less she figured her first task at this moment was to slow him down or stop him. Otherwise she wouldn't get a chance to do either. Determined to catch him Windclaw pushed forward, her body speeding up as her muscles worked at full capacity. A burning sensation, welcomed though it was on someone who enjoyed running, began to spread like fire up her front legs and along the rest of her muscles. Usually she could run a lot longer before the burning started, but she had been tearing up a tree only moments ago in an attempt to tire herself out. And though she hadn't completed the task, she was running primarily on adrenaline at the moment. Hopefully that would be enough. Keeping her eyes on him, she could feel the distance between them closing as her strides lengthened and she bounded forward. Playing out a couple scenarios in her head she decided on the one that would be quickest and least damaging and prepared to perform her capture. Or rather, what she hoped wasn't a failed attempt at a capture. Sucking in a breath she leveled herself a bit to the side. At the moment she was behind him, his tail within swatting distance, but with another couple strides at full speed she was level with his side. She could hear him breathing and when she looked at him her eyes caught the muscles working beneath his long silver fur. Now was her moment, and she hurried into it, moving quick so as not to fall behind, she pushed down on her paws and then jumped, propelling herself in his direction. At first she felt like she might miss, but then her upper body made contact with his lower half and her whole weight pushed at him, working to knock him off his feet and send them both tumbling to the ground, a tangle of limbs and silver and tawny fur. With the air knocked out of her from the impact she still managed to maneuver so that she had him somewhat pinned to the ground and unable to move. N-now then..." she panted turning her head to look at him, her blue eyes flashing with what could only be translated as playfulness. "...a name would be very much appreciated after all of that."

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[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] AS the she-cat drew nearer, Cloudclaw could feel that with each stride she was closing the gap between them. He hadn't thought it would take long. After all, compared to some leopards, Cloudclaw was clumsy when all four paws were on the ground. He was much more of a tree-walker than a ground-walker. Plus, being a snow leopard his pelt was denser than some. His silver pelt, while flowing over him like molten moonlight, kept heat close to his body and made long distance runs in any season other than winter particularly punishing. At the moment he didn't feel too bad but he knew once he stopped, he would probably go jump into the nearest creek to cool himself down. The thought was shooed from his mind as he felt a strange prickling against his side. After a moment he realized what it was. Her breath. He tried to pour on a little more speed, tried to veer away from her and shake her off but he was already in an enclosed area, trees too close and he moving too fast to jump between them without crashing into one. THE barest whisper of leaves and grass moving told him she sprang and half a heartbeat later he felt her weight collide with his hindquarters. With a yowl, he went tumbling to the ground as she knocked his back legs from under him. They tumbled in a hodge podge mess of tawny and silver, rolling through the undergrowth. The air was shoved unpleasantly out of Cloudclaw's lungs and exploded out of him in a gust huff as he landed under Windclaw. HIS back legs were twisted and pinned under her weight while his upper body was flipped on its back and his belly facing up. If he really, really wanted to he could struggle free, she didn't have her claws sunk into his pelt or anything to hold him down, simply holding him with her weight. The thing was, he wasn't particularly thinking of escape. Instead he focused on sucking in air like a fish out of water. Going limp against the ground, he tried not to think that she was...really pretty up close. If he thought that, he'd start stuttering and look like an idiot. "N-NOW then...a name would be very much appreciated after all of that." OPENING his pale yellow eyes again, Cloudclaw looked up at Windclaw and was struck by the playfulness shining in her bright blue eyes. He'd never seen another leopard with eyes like hers. Expressive. Wild. Genuine. There was something raw in them that he couldn't place. Most cats when he looked them in the eye, he could see the falseness in them. Wrenstar with her cordial behavior. Icefur with her pushy loudness. Littlepaw with his complaints about a mentor that had never done him wrong. Strangely though, not hers. It had him staring for a moment before he could get his brain working again and was able to choke out his name. "MY...my name is Cloudclaw," he told her, meeting her gaze evenly for a moment before looking away. "Feel better now?" he asked, flicking his gaze back to hers for a moment before looking at a blade of grass growing about an inch from his nose. "You looked restless earlier..." SHE'D probably laugh and say he was reading too much into things but, at least if the look in her eyes a moment ago was anything to go by, she wasn't as angry as he'd anticipated. Maybe he'd been mixing up his irritable leopards? It was likely, they all acted so similar it was almost depressing. Oh well. Shifting a bit, Cloudclaw tried to move so the root from a nearby tree wasn't digging into his spine quite so much. It didn't work so well with Windclaw still pinning him so he went still again. Tagged;; Windclaw Word Count;; 642 Background Song;; "Just the Girl" by the Click Five Notes;; awww he thinks she's purdy!!! <33

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] Finally, a name. And a nice name to, Cloudclaw, now that she'd heard it she vaguely remembered it, being said by other clan members. You hear a lot of names that way, though she tended not to listen to what others were saying around camp, since she didn't like gossip very much and that's usually all it was. Now though she listened, her round ears shifting as he spoke again. For a while back there she had been really bad, but the run had drained her of a good portion of that pent-up energy, and the slight exhaustion settling into her bones was doing wonders to improve her mood. At least now she didn't want to skin him alive which was an improvement. "I was...bored, other cats prefer to avoid me when I'm bored. And yes I feel a hundred percent better, thank you." Studying him now, or rather staring at him intently, she was able to make out the finer details in his features, which had eluded her while he was in the tree. She hadn't moved, not yet, and so her body still pinned him down. A precaution just until she was sure he wasn't just going to run off again. She planned on moving soon, especially since she wasn't to comfortable having landed awkwardly half on her side and half on her feet, with her back twisted in a position that despite it's flexibility was growing increasingly uncomfortable. After she was satisfied that she'd studied him enough she tilted her head to the side just the slightest bit, before speaking again. "I'm going to get up now. You aren't going to try anything right?"

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The question didn't seem to require an answer because not long after she said it she stood up and walked far enough away so that she had enough room to stretch. Once she'd finished she sat down and watched him. The gaze was as always intense, but at least now it didn't have that anger and aggravation. Now she seemed to have calmed down, though that playful spark was still dancing in the blue gaze. "So how did you know I wouldn't attack you? Or were just hoping I wouldn't?" [/color]

She knew her reputation around the clan, and how sometimes she could be impossible to deal with. It wasn't her fault though. She just liked the action, that rush of adrenaline that came from using your muscles. He was just lucky that she hadn't tried to scratch him, and that the run had been enough to feed her hunger and solve the mood she'd been in. [/size][/color][/scrolly][/div][/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] "I'M going to get up now. You aren't going to try anything right?" CLOUDCLAW purred in amusement as the tawny-pelted she-cat finally got off of him. Standing up, he stretched out his front legs and arched his back, feeling the vertebra adjust a few times with a couple of soft pops. After that odd landing and being twisted up under Windclaw, it felt nice to finally stretch himself out again. Finally having the kinks worked out of his supple spine, the silver-pelted tom reclined on his haunches and regarded Windclaw as she asked him how he knew she wouldn't attack. That did draw a laugh out of Cloudclaw, albeit a slightly uncertain one as he looked at his paws and twitched his ears. Curling his fluffy tail around his paws, Cloudclaw met Windclaw's intense blue gaze. For some reason the playful spark in her gaze was strangely soothing, as if she was telling him it was okay. It had been a long time since he'd even felt something similar to that. Most cats were too busy telling him how he was wrong or judging him for not straying or taking risks. She probably would join their ranks later once she got to know him but for now it was kind of nice. "IT was a guess," Cloudclaw admitted a bit sheepishly. "I know I can't think straight a lot when I can't climb...I figured the same was said for other cats with different things. You just looked like you need to move and do something so...I guess I don't mind being prey." NOT many warriors, especially male warriors, would say that. They had too much pride or something like that. Really, it didn't bother Cloudclaw much. A clanmate was restless and needed to vent. Windclaw had practically been shouting it. He'd figured she wouldn't hurt him because they were clanmates and even if she did, he doubted she'd kill him unless she was secretly a traitor or something. She didn't have the aura of one though so Cloudclaw had felt...a tiny bit safe playing the part of bait and leading her on a little sprint through the territory. Besides, it wasn't like they'd been bothering anyone so Wrenstar couldn't be mad that they'd disrupted a patrol or a hunt or something like that. For Cloudclaw that meant most of his bases were covered as far as safety. SLIDING his front legs forward so that he was laying in a sphinx-like pose, the yellow-eyed warrior looked over at Windclaw. "Do you...get restless like that a lot?" HE wasn't sure why he asked. Maybe just to make conversation or something but he felt genuinely curious about Windclaw. She was...different. How he wasn't sure. There were plenty of energetic cats in the clan, she surely couldn't be the only one that tended to lean toward aggression when she got riled up either. Regardless, she had a different air about her than the other clan cats. He could faintly remember rumors about her when he was an apprentice but at the time he'd still been recovering from losing his brother too much to pay much attention to her or any rumors. At that time he'd been shut down so thoroughly that even his own mentor had begun to give up on him. It hadn't taken much for Longwhisker to decide he wasn't worth putting much hope in. Cloudclaw had been too wrapped up in his failure, in his depression. Things like losing your proverbial second shadow tended to override whatever the clan was going through. So, in short, Cloudclaw knew next to nothing about Windclaw except for her reputation for being a bit aggressive. Tagged;; Windclaw Word Count;; 610 Background Song;; "Through Heaven's Eyes" from Joseph: King of Dreams Notes;; i have high hopes for these two ^^

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] His next words, and his laughter sparked a laugh from her own throat. "You guessed?" She said, her tone almost chiding, as she shook her head in mild disbelief. She was grateful he'd done it, but to risk getting clawed up on a guess seemed either very brave or very silly. None the less she couldn't help but admire the fact that he'd acted instead of just staying in the tree where he was relatively safe. It was because of his decision that she was calm now, almost on the verge of being docile, instead of raging through the forest like she'd gone rabid. "I don't know whether to call you lucky, or reckless. The rest of the clan would of tried everything in their power to avoid me. I don't think any of them would have dared even consider what you'd done." And for some reason that simple act had done something too her. He'd done something no one else had bothered to do, he'd helped her, and risked himself in the process. Yes, she probably wouldn't have caused him serious damage, but she could have hurt him, and any injury could just as easily turn serious. She liked him for that. Liked him a lot more then she generally liked anyone. Flopping down so that she lay half on her side, Windclaw studied him for a moment longer, wondering what the difference was between him and the others of the clan, as though she could see some physical sign that would help her decode the true reason behind his decision to do what he did. And to try and explain the relief she felt that he'd done it. Her ears perked up slightly at his question, and she seemed to consider it, without taking her eyes off of him. Finally, after a short pause, she gave a light shrug of her shoulders. "Yes," she said rather simply "but only when I don't have anything to do for long periods of time." Turning her head, she found herself looking away from him, into the trees that led in the direction of the territory she'd wandered as a kit. "It's usually not that bad though, I guess today was just an off day." Turning back to him, she tilted her head just the slighest bit, a hint of a smile coming on. "How about you? Do you normally spend most of your time in a tree?" Normally she wouldn't ask, leopards climbed trees, it was one of the things you learned to become a warrior. But whether she was imagining it or not, she felt that the Cloudclaw in front of her and the Cloudclaw that had looked down from the branches were two different cats, two different personalities. One of them sure of himself and where he was, the other one not so much. ooc; sorry it took a bit, had a busy weekend. :3 [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] LOUNGING almost lazily across from the tawny leopard, Cloudclaw couldn't help but feel content. Not many cats in the clans were ones he could just sit and talk to so casually. He would feel unsure, feel trapped by their almost accusing gazes. They knew he'd killed his brother. Remembered from being kits or apprentices, the morning warriors descended upon the forest in search of two lost kits only to find one half frozen on a riverbank and no trace of the other. They remembered his days, weeks, of shell-shocked silence in the wake of his brother's death, remembering thinking him a freak or a wimp when he finally came out of it because he would do nothing against orders or the warrior code, afraid to take charge because the last time he did, it ended in the death of his kin. That was why with cats like Wrenstar or even at first, Windclaw, he felt unsure of what to say and how to act. He knew what the clan expected from him but didn't know if that was how he felt or wanted to be. Some days it was right on the money, other days he felt stronger, bolder. WITH cats that had no memory of his mistake, he was still unsure, but he was more confident. When he'd saved a drowning Kiya, he had felt alright with her even though she snapped and snarled and growled and was generally of a bad temper. She was young and whether she liked it or not, she was blind. The world was cruel to her, perhaps crueler than she'd let on. Windclaw also, born a loner and talked about by the clan, he doubted she was even in the clan during his little mess up. She may have heard about it but she didn't seem like the sort to listen to those things. So, when she looked at him Cloudclaw felt like she saw him instead of his mistake, because she had not seen the wreckage of it. 'HOW about you? Do you normally spend most of your time in a tree?' PERKING his ears at her question, Cloudclaw sat up a bit. "When I can. It was the one thing no one had to teach me." The one thing Longwhisker couldn't gripe, complain and yell about when he struggled with Cloudclaw's training. "It was the one place no one could catch me when I was an apprentice. They all wanted to be the best hunters and fighters so if I was up in the trees, I was out of their way and they'd leave me alone. In a way, things are simpler when I'm up in the trees. Nobody can stop me because nobody can walk in the trees as well as I can so...nobody bothers to try." REALIZING what he'd just spewed out and how stupid he must have sounded, the snow leopard laid his ears back against his skull for a moment before resting his head again on outstretched forelegs. Windclaw probably thought he was stupid or a sissy because he wasn't the best fighter or hunter. At least those could be respected. All he could do was climb and walk through trees. Not very impressive, any cat could do it, barring perhaps the blind. She herself seemed to be a she-cat of action and obviously aggression and nervous energy. Now though, to look at her he wouldn't have known it. Well, her eyes still lit up and flickered every time she spoke or said something and while it was special to him, normal cats probably wouldn't notice. Other cats, Cloudclaw had noticed, were blind to a lot. "EH...sorry, I get carried away sometimes," Cloudclaw apologized, feeling dumb for bending her ear about such a silly thing as climbing. She probably wouldn't understand how a cat could be fog-brained on the ground and crystal clear in the trees. It barely made sense to him. Tagged;; Windclaw Word Count;; 655 Background Song;; "One Headlight" by the Wallflowers Notes;; it's fine