{we'll all have perfect wings}windclaw

[VALACIE]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] Windclaw may not have been one to listen to rumors and small talk, but when someone spoke to her directly, or told her a story she always listened as intently as she could. And this moment was no different. Having asked a question and received an answer in return she let her head rest on her paws as her ears leaned in his direction. The way he spoke about being in the trees was new to her. She didn't really recognize a similar feeling in herself, at least not at first. To her climbing trees was just another ability she could do, something she'd learned and didn't really think twice about. And yet here he spoke of that same activity as though it was everything, like the tree was his home more than the ground he'd been born on. The only time she ever felt anything even remotely close was when she was fighting. In that moment, when you don't know whether your going to live or die, she felt at peace. Though she'd never told anyone about it. She figured they wouldn't understand, and so she couldn't help but marvel at the fact that he'd just shared something like that with her, since they'd only just met. When he finished she lifted her head again and watched him for a moment in silence, her blue eyes blinking slowly. "You don't have to apologize" She said simply, her tail flicking as she glanced momentarily up at the trees. "It's easy to get carried away when it's about something you like to do." She paused then and smiled, before speaking again. "I've got something like that...sort of...well I like to fight." She felt that his though made more sense. Being in the trees elevated you above everything, and she could kind of see why it would be calming. Her enjoyment came from almost dying, which was silly even too her. She just loved that thrill of going into a situation without thought a worry, that blank slate that usually appeared in her head whenever she got into a fight. Sometimes other cats marveled at her luck, since she didn't think about strategy when fighting, she just let her body do what it wanted, unhindered by unnecessary thought. "When I get into a fight, I blank out. It's like I'm not there...like I'm watching from somewhere else. I love that feeling, because it makes me feel strong. I feel like I could win without being a hundred percent there. It made me feel like I could protect my sister even though we were by ourselves. " Her smile turned into a grin and that spark in her eyes intensified, looking almost primal as her mind touched over the memories of the many fights she'd been in. Most of which had occurred before she'd come to the clan. Of course she almost never came out unscathed, a price that came from that same feeling of detachment. Often, when the fight was over, she'd look down at herself and marvel at the blood that flowed freely from her wounds and the spark of pain that was just beginning to register. Her pelt was littered with scars now, some big and eye catching like the one across her snout, and other hidden beneath her sleek coat. [/scrolly]

[Bast]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i54.tinypic.com/2dqnlau.jpg] [scrolly:h(284),w(220),sy] CLOUDCLAW couldn't help but smile a little when Windclaw explained her love of fighting. It was a weird thing to smile at, he knew that, but he couldn't help it. Even the intense, raw gleam in her eyes didn't bother him like it should have. Anybody else would have stood up, called her sadistic, and left. It should have bothered him that anyone would seek out bloodshed, especially since he wasn't that big on the whole fighting thing, but oddly it didn't. It suited her. Everything about Windclaw was a warrior. She would have been a warrior with or without LeopardClan, that gleam in her wild blue eyes told him so. There was wild energy, cool power, all simmering under the surface of a scar-flecked tawny and black pelt. It shone brighter than the stars in vivid blue eyes and was spoken like a promise in every word she said. It wasn't sadistic or sick or disturbing. It wasn't shameful or weak or disgusting. It was Windclaw and that was okay with him. CONSIDERING he'd never talked to her before in his life, it felt weird to feel so content. Normally it took a lot for Cloudclaw to feel content with anyone, even the cats he'd been in the nursery with. Cloudclaw always felt guilty, being friendly with other cats and knowing he'd stolen the chance at such friendships from his brother, all because he had to prove himself to his mother for a stupid reason. Right now though, Cloudclaw didn't feel guilty. He felt at ease with this she-cat with sapphire eyes that burned like wildfire. "BEING able to protect someone, that's a real gift," Cloudclaw told the tawny she-cat with his gentle smile and kind yellow eyes lit with the quiet pain he'd carried since he was a kit. "And it's plenty or reason to fight." IT was better than what he did, slinking through life with his belly to the ground and ears laid flat. It was shameful and pitiful and he knew someday Thornkit would shake his head when Cloudclaw joined StarClan's ranks. The problem was, he didn't know what else to do. He forgot what it felt like to be a kit and think the world was his, to stand with his head held high and know he could do no wrong even when it was hard to succeed. That sensation, it disappeared after Thornkit died. Cloudclaw couldn't help but be a bit jealous of Windclaw, being successful in her quest to protect her sister. At least, as far as he knew she was. She had plenty of physical scars but as far as emotional or mental scars, hers differed greatly from Cloudclaw's. "IT may sound weird but...I'm glad you are the way you are," Cloudclaw told Windclaw. "It's good to know there are cats like you. Gives hope to cats like me I guess..." CLOUDCLAW'S voice trailed off as he again flattened his ears to his head and looked away. Under his fur, his skin felt hot as he blushed. She'd probably think he was weird, talking like that. Who said things like that? Honestly, sometimes it was like a bug had crawled into his head and eaten his brain at some point in his life. He never knew what to say or when to stop talking before he made himself sound like an idiot. Tagged;; Windclaw <3 Word Count;; 561 Background Song;; "I Dare You To" by Shinedown Notes;; <3 [/scrolly]

[VALACIE]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] His smile surprised her, it was unexpected and yet she welcomed it more then she’d thought she would. It sparked something inside of her, and she couldn't help but marvel at how accepting it was. Unable to stop herself she returned his smile with one of her own. “Thank you." She said, her voice lowering to an appreciative mumble. No one had ever looked at her that way, and she really wasn't sure how to react to a situation like this. "It sounds much nicer when you say it that way." And it did. It made her feel like her fighting wasn't that bad, if it had been sparked from the need to protect her sister, a task she had almost failed. Turning her head, she let her eyes focus on something else; the grass or the trees, anything. She felt like her eyes were going to start expressing what she felt building in her chest, and the feeling itself was so new she wasn't quite sure she wanted anyone to see it. Not until she understood it herself. And for once, Windclaw felt normal. She was calm almost docile, and that too was new for her. Usually by now she could feel the energy beginning to build up. That growing need to run and claw and fight. But for now there was nothing inside of her but a steady calm, like the sky before a storm. Turning back at him she tried to see what it was about him that had her so calm, but all she saw was a brief flash of pain in his eyes. She wanted to ask what was laying beneath the surface, what secrets he had hidden inside. And on any other day she would have done just that, except today she found herself hesitating. Her ears perking forward as she saw him prepare to speak. His next words made her silence last a little longer only because she'd never thought anyone would say anything like that to her, ever. How could someone know how she acted and yet think that? Blinking in surprise she felt the skin beneath her fur grow just a little warmer, and was thankful that the blush was hidden from his view. "I...no one's ever said that to me before." Something flashed in her blue eyes, a spark of the feeling that was causing her sudden rush of emotions. Seeing him turn away she scooted a little closer to where he lay, her head moving to rest on her paws so she looked up at him. "You don't have to look away. I like what you said, thank you." She said, smiling softly. Reaching out, she pawed playfully at the air beside him. "You know, I don't think I've ever felt this calm before." ooc: *cries* the rewrite is never as good as the original. Sorry it took so long, I hate loosing posts and having to do them again. [/scrolly]

[/quote]

[Bast]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i54.tinypic.com/2dqnlau.jpg] [scrolly:h(284),w(220),sy] HEARING Windclaw shift closer, Cloudclaw didn't dare look up. His skin burned under his fur and he wished he could sink into the ground and vanish. Talking to she-cats had never been his forte, even before Thornkit died. It was like they were a different species! He'd never known how to handle them, what to say or what to do. Wrenstar's quiet aggression, Icefur's overbearing chatter, even his own mother's pity and sorrow when Thornkit died. It was smothering and uncertain, as if one wrong move could end him completely. It was almost like someone had thrown him into a stormy sea without any promise of land. When he heard Windclaw speak though, confessing she liked what he'd said and that she'd never felt so calm, well, she did more for him right then than an entire sympathetic clan had when he'd been a grieving apprentice. Pale yellow eyes looked up from the ground and found the intense blue of Windclaw's clear gaze. IT was like he'd finally found the eye of the storm. FOR a moment, the snow leopard let himself smile and be proud that he was the first to soften those intense eyes, to compliment her in a way that apprently meant a lot. He let himself be happy that he could make her happy, simply because it was a rare thing to find happiness. Her contentment was also rewarding to him. Coming from a cat that seldom was at peace with himself, it was great to know he could bring peace to someone else. AND then the embarrassment caught him again and he looked away again, still blushing under his pelt. "Is calm...a good thing?" Cloudclaw asked, looking back at her after a moment, genuine curoisity in his voice. WINDCLAW was a she-cat of strength, speed, power, adrenaline, constant motion. He couldn't imagine she would appriciate a moment of calm simply because cats like that, from his experience, tended to be impatient and angry with cats that made them slow down. Still, Cloudclaw liked to think she was different than all that. MAYBE...maybe she didn't mind so much? They were so different, she always in motion and he always wanting to stand still because some days it just hurt too much to keep movnig. She'd overcome her weaknesses in order to save her sister. He had succumbed to his weakness to save his brother. She empowered herself. He crumbled at the slightest breeze. Beyond that though, what if they weren't so different? Nobody saw him. They saw his lack of confidence and his stumbling, stuttering and indecision and scoffed at it. They saw her aggression, her fierce eyes, her energy and feared it. For all they were different though, there were the small things that made them the same in his eyes. She had seen the cat confident enough to leap from a tree and lead her on without a fear of her hurting him. He'd seen the storm in her eyes and now he saw the peace of its passing. The clan didn't see it, but they did. The thought kept the soft smile on his maw. REACHING out a paw, he rested his paw beside one of hers. The silver and black of his pelt contrasted sharply with the golden tawny and black of hers. Her pelt was sleek and looked as soft as a raven's feathers. His was thick and dense, course to the touch but soft as down under. He felt silly but somehow alright, meeting her blue gaze with his own calm yellow. "THERE'S beauty in it, if you just look for it," Cloudclaw told her, somehow not clamming up like he'd thought he would. Tagged;; Windclaw <3 Word Count;; 614 Background Song;; "The Show Goes On" by Lupe Fiasco Notes;; that stinks >.< i hate when that happens [/scrolly]

[VALACIE]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] She had to consider his next question carefully. Calm, was a rare visitor when it came to Windclaw, and so she wasn't quite sure how she felt about it. For the moment her ferocity, the wild and primal need to claw through her existence, was absent and truthfully she felt like they'd stripped her of her pelt. The personality she was used to was dormant and new one was in it's place, one that thought clearly and felt the soothing rush of blood moving at it's natural pace through her veins. And yet, the personality she knew was still there, pacing in the depths of her, waiting. Closing her eyes Windclaw let her breath leave her lungs before drawing in another one. "I think it's good." She finally said, her eyes opening to look at him. She had to remember that she wasn't out in the wild anymore. She was in a clan and she had other cats to depend on, even if they didn't necessarily like her. She could afford to calm down more, though considering how alien she felt now she wasn't sure if she ever wanted to experience such calm again. Still, she couldn't help but welcome this new serenity, partly because she felt he'd brought it to her and partly because he'd smiled a very bright smile. She'd seen the sadness in him, and the fact that he smiled like that had to be a good thing. Although she had no idea why anyone would smile just from looking at her. Turning her head down, to keep him from seeing the feelings that bubbled in her gaze. A vivid mix of so many different emotions ranging from confusion to admiration to starclan knows what else. She focused on their paws, and found herself captivated by the difference between them. His silver fur, she felt, made her's look plain...average, as most leopards she saw had the same tawny and black coloring. Not to mention just looking down at her paw and she couldn't help but trace her eyes up her leg, to the locations where she knew scars lay. Her battle scars It was hard to imagine beauty hidden anywhere inside of her, or the calm that she felt, and yet she couldn't help but blush. Why, she didn't know, it just flowed through her. Instantly she tried to shove the feeling away, uncomfortable with the flare of warmth beneath her skin as her head turned to focus her eyes elsewhere. "Why are you so nice?" She muttered, the question flowing from her. All these feelings, all this odd behavior from her and he'd somehow caused it. She felt inside that she didn't mind it, but still, how could he do what her sister had tried for years to accomplish? "How come I feel so calm around you?" ooc; iccky post. muse is tired. [/scrolly]

[/quote]

[Bast]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i54.tinypic.com/2dqnlau.jpg] [scrolly:h(284),w(220),sy] "WHY are you so nice?" THE question struck Cloudclaw making him blink in surprise and look at Windclaw curiously. Nice? He'd been called a lot of things in his life, anything from weird to shy to soft-spoken to just plain freakish but not many called him nice. He got along alright with everyone else but that was namely because he stayed the heck out of their way. Maybe though, he was nice to Windclaw because she was like him. Nobody was nice to her just like not many regarded him with any kind of respect. He didn't deserve their respect, not after killing his own kin and being too cowardly to stand up and look the world in the eye afterwards. Windclaw though, she didn't deserve that kind of treatment. She was strong in her own way. She met everyone's gaze and if they didn't like it, she didn't care. Cloudclaw could respect that, though he'd never be that way. The habit of ducking his head or shying back was just too engrained in him now. Windclaw didn't have that problem. It was either meet her eyes or meet her claws. "HOW come I feel so calm around you?" WINDCLAW'S second question made the silver tom purr in amusement. Regarding Windclaw, he withdrew his paw and stood up. Giving his two-toned pelt a brisk shake, he whisked his tail behind him, the end curling just slightly. Yellow eyes flickered to a tree just behind Windclaw. The only warning the she-cat had was the tensing of his muscles barely visible under all the dense fluffy fur. He launched himself over the tawny she-cat, long hooked claws digging into the bark as he hauled himself up the trunk and onto a low-hanging branch. Settling himself to lay in the cradle of the tree's arms, he let his tail hang down. It barely brushed the top of her head. "I don't know the answer to either of those things," he admitted, laying his head on his forelegs and looking down at his blue-eyed companion. "But I doubt it's me that causes any of it. It's all in your mind and how you see me. You don't see me as an enemy like apprently all the other cats in the clan, so you don't feel like you have to defend yourself all the time. At least, that's the only thing I could think of." Shrugging a bit, the tom twitched his black tail tip to flick at Windclaw's ear. "And I'm nice, I guess, because...it doesn't get you anywhere if you're mean and angry all the time or just sad and lonely." HE'D never admit that lonely was his typical setting in life. It wasn't like he was friendly with many warriors. He didn't have an apprentice. Wrenstar used to compete with him when they were apprentices, though he'd been unaware of her hostility toward his rule-abiding ways at the time. He sometimes hung around Midnight's den but only because the black leopard was patient and tolerant of Cloudclaw's ways. Other than that though, Cloudclaw kept to himself up in the trees or slinking through the woodland in search of prey or a quiet haven. The only thing close to a companion he'd found before finding Windclaw was a little lone blind caracal he'd found drowning in a river. That probably didn't even count since she'd been quite aggressive. It hadn't bothered him though, he'd liked the fire and drive she had, even if it was a bit misguided. "PLUS...I don't think my brother would want me to be mean to the first cat that actually looked me in the eye without thinking I was completely worthless," Cloudclaw said, peering down at Windclaw, not really thinking about what he'd just said. Tagged;; Windclaw <3 Word Count;; 627 Background Song;; "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day Notes;; these two are more adorable than i expected xD [/scrolly]

[VALACIE]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] On some level Windclaw didn't think she'd receive an answer to either of her questions. How ever badly she might have wanted him to give her an answer, she knew that some things just didn't have any clear cut responses. Which only made her ponder yet another question. Why had she even asked them in the first place? Yes, she was well aware of her own failing quality to just blurt whatever was on her mind, regardless of the reactions her words might cause, but she had never been one to blurt pointless questions. Questions without definitive answers were for philosophy, they were for those who over thought a situation. A trait Windclaw did not posses. Looking at him she watched, waiting, and curious as to what his next words might be. Who knew, he might actually come up with an answer, as unlikely as that possibility seemed. After all he was stranger then most other cats she'd met. Of course the last thing she'd expected of him was to see him leap over her. Instinctively she ducked her head against the ground as she felt the breeze from his passing ruffle her fur. Wide eyed she listened to the sound of nails on bark as inside she felt her blood surge with a spark of adrenaline. Silently hoping that she didn't go into another tantrum she turned her head sharply, letting her eyes slide up the trunk of the tree until they rested on him. He really does like the trees better, she mused shaking her head and turning to face forward again. She didn't mind that her back was to him, as she hadn't minded earlier. Instead she listened, her head tilting back to look up as his tail brushed the top of her head. "That's as good an answer as any I suppose." She said softly, chuckling as her eyes flicked from his tail to his face. "It's a lot better then what I was expecting to get at least. And what are you doing back up there?" She made a soft purring sound, her eyes narrowing slightly "Are you being cautious in case whatever is making me calm will wear off?" She chuckled jokingly and in one move turned her body, letting herself lounge on her back so she could better look up at him. Extending a paw she swiped playfully at the tip of his tail, her eyes looking up at him with that same flashing spark. "They consider you worthless?" She questioned her head tilting to the side. "If I were you I wouldn't take much stock in what they say. No matter what you've done or how you act...no one is worthless." She said, thinking back for a moment. Her sister had told her that when they'd first been accepted. Back then she'd hoped that Windclaw would mellow out with age and acceptance would come easier the longer she was within the clan. Of course that hadn't happened and most of the members were still cautious and fearful around her, but she didn't mind. "And it sounds like your brother cares about you." She said, letting her legs fold so her paws rested against her chest. It reminded her of her sister, who would probably be pacing and wondering what trouble she'd managed to claw her way into. ooc: -huggles them- [/scrolly]

[Bast]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] CLOUDCLAW purred softly at Windclaw's kind words. She didn't think he was worthless, that had to be a plus. Not to mention she seemed in good humor right now so it was easy to talk to her. Twitching his fluff tail as her paw swatted at it, he smiled a little, flicking it so that it brushed her ear teasingly. For some reason, probably the same mysterious reason for her unusual calm, Cloudclaw felt relaxed around her. For as wild and unpredictable as she seemed, Windclaw wasn't nearly as bad as he had imagined when he'd looked down before and saw her tearing up a defenseless tree trunk. At the moment he'd thought her temper was one to be avoided, feared and wary of. Now though it didn't seem so bad. IN a way, he could really see where her name had come from. She was fierce like the winds of a windstorm that could rip trees from the ground and kill a cat with ease. At the same time though, she was capable of immense calm if given the chance for it. She could be as gentle as the breeze over the meadows, caressing the grass and making music with the leaves of the trees when at a moment's notice she could snap those branches and roar in rage. There was something enchanting, even charming about the unusual qualities of her persona. 'AND it sounds like your brother cares about you.' ALL at once the wind was sucked out of Cloudclaw's sails. His tail fell limp in the act of twitching too and fro and a heaviness seemed to settle over the silver-pelted tom. A lump formed in his throat and made it hard to swallow, his pale yellow eyes staring at the rough brown bark between his paws. His claws extended and sank into the bark, flexing and extending nervously. "UM...I guess he did," Cloudclaw said finally, swallowing down the painful lump in the back of his throat. "He died when we were kits. It was my fault...he drowned." He swallowed hard, carefully looking just at the bark and not down at Windclaw. He didn't want to see the accusation and disgust in her pretty blue eyes. And he didn't want to watch a potential friend walk away like everyone else had. "I don't know if you were in the clan at the time...probably not...but it was a big deal at the time...Not so much anymore. Nobody really remembers him since we were just kits but they remember me afterwards...I kinda went to pieces. Midnight says its why I can't seem to walk straight anymore or look anybody in the eye. Shock or trauma, something like that." He shook his head and laid his head on his forelegs, feeling like a complete idiot. HE should have just said that his brother died, plain and simple. If she asked why he could have said greencough or a battle, something normal. Not murder, accidental as it may have been. Murder was murder. He'd never...spilled his guts to anyone like that though. He may not have told her every detail but it was more than he'd told anyone. Why? She'd probably leave now and never look at him again. Wrenstar and all the others barely looked him in the eye. They would try but it would be fake and that hurt more than anything else. CLAWS sinking into the bark, Cloudclaw sighed. "I'm an idiot. Forget I said anything." STANDING up, the silver tom turned on the branch, paws deftly balancing as his tail curved back and forth to keep him upright on the narrow branch. Long hooked claws sank into the bark and he began to climb. The higher he went the farther he'd be from Windclaw, his stupidity and his big mouth. He could stay in the tree til she left and then maybe a bit longer. The trees wouldn't judge him, wouldn't condem him, not like his reflection or every leopard he looked at that might remember. Remember two silver kits that lived in each others shadows until the day one was gone because the other was ambitious and didn't think before he acted. Climbing as high as he could, Cloudclaw found a new branch to perch on, higher up than when he'd met Windclaw, and laid on it. Resting his head on his forelegs, he didn't dare look down. He'd see a tawny and black pelt moving away from him. His claws sank into the bark and his pale yellow eyes hid behind closed lids while a sigh fled his lips. JUST another mistake. Tagged;; Windclaw <3 Word Count;; 767 Background Song;; "Daimond Eyes" by Shinedown Notes;; poor depressed cloudy >.< -cuddles windclaw- go make it better!

[VALACIE]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] She'd struck it. That sadness that she'd seen before...the loneliness, she'd found it. And she hadn't meant to. She'd been hoping that her mouth had finally decided not to get her into trouble. And yet here she went, stepping into something she shouldn't have. Sure others could easily shake the blame off to not having known before hand, but Windclaw felt that she should have at least sensed something was wrong. Or that she should have watched the words that tumbled out of her mouth more carefully. Of course all of that was to late. Looking up at him she could see the transformation, and she could sense his whole essence changing. This topic, these memories, were what darkened his past. And the more he told her the more she felt her insides turn to ice. So unlike the white hot fire that usually blazed through her veins, this feeling chilled her, and made her shiver. She could not imagine the burden he carried. And just hearing him speak she could picture the reactions of their fellow clan members to that event. Although she had never been in such a situation she could almost picture their faces and hear their words, it made her understand him just a bit more. She now knew why he was the way he was, and yet she hadn't wanted to find out this way. Instinctively she wanted to say sorry that she'd brought it up. She could not imagine what it would be like to loose her sister, the one family member she had left. Looking up at him she sat in silence. She had no shortage of things to say, she felt all the words fumbling for escape in her throat. But for once she couldn't get them out. She saw him now in a new light. It was not a darker light. She did not want to walk away, instead now she felt she could see him clearer, understand him better. In a sense they were alike. More alike then she'd ever imagined, despite their different personalities. She wanted to tell him all that, and to tell him that she didn't mind, and that his past did not matter to her. She wasn't the type to change her opinion of someone just because something before her time had been brought to the forefront. Yes, it was tragic that he'd lost his brother. She knew what it was like to loose someone and she almost knew what it was like to loose a sibling. But she wasn't about to ignore the fact that she'd felt calm, for the first time in such a hectic lifetime. She wanted to tell him all of that, and to make him go back to the way he'd been before she accidentally brought up his brother. But before she could speak she heard the sounds of his last words fading around her, and his claws scraping against the wood of the tree. Scanning the branches for him she could see that he was moving upwards, further into the treetops, reaching the point where her vision began to struggle. By the time she'd heard him stop moving she couldn't see him anymore and the more she squinted to bring into focus the blurred canopy of green the more her eyes began to hurt. Figuring she wouldn't see him even if she squinted till her eyes popped out, she brought her head down and tried to think of what she should do. She knew she wanted to keep speaking to him, and she wasn't about to yell up at him. Part of her was tempted to just walk away, leave since he clearly didn't think she'd act any differently from the others who'd shunned him. And leaving seemed so much easier then climbing up after him. She had seen how he moved up there, and she had worked hard to keep from climbing because her sight made it difficult to see the ground once she got up high enough. But she knew she had few other options. Getting to her feet she moved towards the tree he'd climbed up earlier. Looking up, she eyed the green above her suspiciously, one paw lifting slowly as though she expected the tree to topple onto her. She didn't fear the heights, though she'd never been one to like having her feet off the ground. "You can do this." She growled, sucking in air and then surging up the side of the tree. She may not have been as quick or as graceful, but her strong legs pulled her up easily and once she'd steadied herself on a branch she began to climb. Her muscles rippling beneath her pelt as she moved, her pelt easily disappearing within the dappled sunlight of the trees. Every now and then she stopped to look and see how close she was getting, before continuing on. Her final stop though, was the branch below his, just to the left of him. She could see him clearly now, and clutching the branch like her life depended on it she settled and curled her tail around her paws. "It wasn't your fault." Was the first thing that came out of her mouth, though she could have sworn she'd thought up something better. Breathing a bit heavily she turned a rather intense gaze in his direction. "I'm sorry I brought it up. But you didn't have to run...I wouldn't have blamed you." She wanted to get closer, but this was as high as she was going to go. She was surprised she'd made it this far up. ooc: longer than I anticipated...whoops... [/scrolly]

[Bast]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] SADNESS gnawed at Cloudclaw's insides, threatening to swallow him. It was always bad when he thought about it. It made him remember the hopelessness of the days that followed Thornkit's death, the blame, the looks in his parents' eyes, the looks of his clanmates. Their pity. Their sorrow. Their blame. Their judgment. He'd seen it all when they thought he was lost in his stupor. It hadn't helped at all. Midnight had been an apprentice then and he'd helped a little but really now that he thought about it, Cloudclaw couldn't remember a thing the black medicine cat had said. Something soothing and wise probably but he'd been to deaf to hear it. He'd been too busy hearing what everyone else wouldn't say. He'd killed his brother. It was his idea. He told Thornkit the river was safe, the ice was thick, they were light, it would hold. All those lies. All those bad choices. All those mistakes. Why did his brother have to pay? Sure, Cloudclaw paid now with all his unsure glances and second guesses, but in the end it would never equal what Thornkit had paid. A scrape of claws on bark an the rustle of leaves made Cloudclaw blink. Slowly, unsure, he raised his head. The rustling stopped. Had it been the wind? His branch hadn't moved and the tree hadn't swayed...Slowly he peered over the edge of his branch. YES...it had been the wind...so to speak. 'IT wasn't your fault. I'm sorry I brought it up. But you didn't have to run...I wouldn't have blamed you.' THOSE words burned as if she'd stuffed a red-hot coal down his throat. Cloudclaw looked away from her intense blue gaze. He was touched that she'd climbed all the way up here, surprised to say the least, but touched. No one else would have. They would have blushed and walked away, sorry they asked and pitying him in their heads as they went on with their lives as if he didn't exist. He shouldn't exist. Thornkit should. He'd been quiet and respectful and a bit shy but apprenticeship would have made him strong. Apprenticeship only made Cloudclaw weak, constantly under fire when Longwhisker lost his patience and his temper blew through the treetops. That was usually when Cloudclaw would run and climb the tallest tree he could find. Nobody would come looking. "IT was my fault though, that's the...sad part...I guess," Cloudclaw said, looking out at the horizon through the trees and leaves around them. "And you didn't know, I forgot you didn't. Most do. I forgot...I usually don't let down my guard like that...I always know what I'm supposed to do, what I'm supposed to be to them. A bumbling idiot is easier to forgive than a cat that smiles and can actually act like he didn't kill his own kin." IT was a bitter truth that Cloudclaw lived by. It was easier for his clamates to let him slide through life if he acted like he didn't know what he was doing. Half the time he knew but he couldn't decide. Do what was safe or do what would be effective if a bit eccentric? Normally he went with what was safe so that nobody would get hurt. He'd cling to the warrior code because it was there for a reason and it had to be right otherwise it would have changed. Wrenstar had always shook her head at it when they were apprentices. Everyone had. They thought he couldn't think on his own. Sometimes he couldn't because he knew he'd be wrong and get someone killed. In the trees when it was just him, it didn't make a difference. If he misjudged an fell, nobody would really miss him. He didn't have any kin in the clan anymore, he'd never had an apprentice and he didn't have any close friends. So, in the trees it didn't matter. THEN it hit him. CLOUDCLAW looked down at Windclaw and then down past her. They were a long way up, well within Cloudclaw's comfort zone but...He stared at Windclaw. "WHAT...are you doing up here?" he asked, dumbstruck for a second, the sadness evaporating as he stared at the tawny she-cat. "Nobody ever climbs up here when I go this high...not even Longwhisker when he was mad..." Cloudclaw blinked dumbly. "Why did you come up here?" A simple question but important to him. He hadn't lied, no one ever chased him up a tree. Longwhisker would sometimes pace under the tree and snarl threats until he was blue in the whiskers but then he'd leave and Cloudclaw would stay until late into the night before sneaking back into camp to face his mentor's wrath in the morning. The fact that Windclaw had followed him was...unusual... Tagged;; Windclaw <3 Word Count;; 795 Background Song;; "Call Me" by Shinedown Notes;; <333

[VALACIE]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] She felt sad to hear him say those words. She didn't believe it was his fault, she knew that things happened. Kits make mistakes. In the wilds where she'd come from anything could kill you, any one mistake could be your last. Looking at him now she tried to put order to what she was thinking. And all the while making sure that she didn't look down at the green blur that lay beneath them. How far the ground was, how long since she'd been in a tree? And even when she'd climbed frequently she didn't think she'd ever gone this high before. How he managed to so was beyond her understanding. "You should meet my sister then. She'd be much better at understanding all this than I am." She kept her eyes narrowed in his direction, her voice carrying just the slightest edge to it. Truth was, Windclaw was horrible at comfort. She didn't know what to say. Her words were better suited at causing outrage and sparking battles. How was she sure what she said was the right thing...tasks like that were better suited to her sister. She wasn't going to pretend she understood everything, after all she didn't know what happened that day, nor did she know much about him other then the feelings she felt and the fact that she'd met him only moments ago. And yet here she was, climbing a tree in an attempt to apologize. Sighing she worked at softening her gaze, but only managed a slightly pained expression "I almost lost my sister once. It's why we came here. And I always think that if she'd died it would have all been my fault. And she does the same sometimes. She's always blaming herself for the way I am...she's like you kind of, cause she figures I wouldn't have turned out so violent if I hadn't been protecting her." Shrugging "I know neither of those is anywhere near as bad, but when I think about it I did almost get my sister killed." "I guess what I'm trying to say is...you have to let it go. The more you tell yourself that it was your fault the more you and other people are going to think it is. " She grew silent for a moment before closing her eyes. She didn't want to look anywhere because she was faced with the horrible sight of all that blurred greenery. "I know I shouldn't pry, and that I'm horrible at this talking thing, but next time don't leave. You said so yourself I'm different, and so my reactions aren't going to be what your used to." Deciding that she'd talked enough she got quiet and only opened her eyes at his next question. "To tell you the truth I have no idea. I'm not a climber, since I can't see half of the branches or even the ground." She grumbled "I think I came up here because I now consider you a friend. And I wasn't about to let you hide up here after all that. I'm pretty sure friends don't do that." And then she smiled, "Though if you agree to be my friend, once we get on the ground your going to have to pay me back for this climb." [/scrolly]

[Bast]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] IT was hard to hear Windclaw, not because of the wind or any particular noise in the real world but because of the noise in his head. She said she had to let it go or others would agree it was his fault. Why fight what was true? The silver leopard didn't dare say it though. If he had decided not to cross that frozen river, Thornkit never would have followed him. If Thornkit never followed, the ice wouldn't have broken under their weight. Thornkit wouldn't have been swept away unable to break the ice. Cloudclaw didn't even understand how he'd been able to survive. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair. He'd blacked out and just happened to hit the shore, some how break the thin ice and reach air probably in some sort of unconscious flail, a last ditch attempt to find oxygen. There had been times as an apprentice when Cloudclaw had wished he had never broken through. There had even been times when the winter was upon them again and the ice was just forming that he would sit on a riverbank for a long while and wonder what it must have felt like to just...be swept away, as though you didn't matter because the river didn't care because it had no mercy. He'd thought about it long and hard until frost settled on his coat or the snow piled high and the moon shone bright when he'd left camp at dawn. PUSHING away the oppressive thought and putting away his thoughts, not wanting to upset Windclaw, he peered down at the tawny she-cat. She...she couldn't see the ground? Cloudclaw looked past her. He could see it well enough except for the branches barring his path. Did she..have poor vision? It seemed unlikely given the intensity of her eyes not only in color but in their focus but...the scars barring across her face...It saddened Cloudclaw but he didn't let it bother him. She was still fierce and strong and beautiful. He'd already 'befriended' one bad tempered blind cat, why not add an equally as feisty nearly blind cat? GIVING a weak smile at her threat, Cloudclaw gave a soft rumbling purr. "If you mean running again, you've seen how slow I am. Sparring I haven't done in ages." LEVERING himself up to stand, he looked perfectly at home. Dappled sunlight lit up his silver pelt making it dance and almost sparkle as muscles rippled under its denseness. His paws were deftly balanced, tail lashing rhythmically to keep him balanced with ease. His claws didn't even dig into the bark anymore. As a wind blew through the higher up branches, it ruffled his fur and made the tree sway a bit but Cloudclaw had long since learned how to move with the tree and had no problem hanging on. He turned his face into the wind, feeling it caress his whiskers and the soft fur of his face, yellow eyes closed for a moment before he openedh is eyes again and looked down at Windclaw. "GUESS we'd better get down then, if you're wanting to cause trouble for again," Cloudclaw said, tensing for a moment before springing diagonally onto a branch just a little lower than Windclaw's and to the left. Getting up trees was easy, getting down took a bit of care. Normally freefalling was Cloudclaw's preferance but from this high up it would easily break his leg if not his neck. WAVING his tail so it brushed the tree trunk near Windclaw, Cloudclaw looked back over his shoulder. "And yes, I consider you a friend." HE tried not to think about anything after that, focusing instead on systematically zig-zagging down the tree taking it a branch at a time. Every so often he would pause and pretend to idly be looking for his next perch but really he was testing Windclaw's field of vision. He didn't want to accidentally abandon her high up in some tree if she couldn't safely get down. He didn't make it obvious, just every now and then paused so she could see where he'd landed. He had no doubt she could spot him from a mile away amongst so much brown and green even if he stood on the ground and looked up at her. Cloudclaw reached a height about ten feet from the ground, he let himself freefall. He leaped from the last branch and streaked through the air toward the ground. WHEN his paws hit the ground, he curled his body in so that instead of landing on all fours like a normal cat, he chose to roll to the ground. The wind was knocked out of him as his soft sides connected with the ground but it was far from an injury-inducing fall. He rolled over the grass and ended up around where Windclaw had been lounging when he'd leaped into the tree. He flipped himself onto his back and laid on the ground looking up at a patch of sky through the canopy. Cloudclaw sighed softly, half wishing he was still up there, but that was always how it was with him. Tagged;; Windclaw <3 Word Count;; 856 Background Song;; "Crash & Burn" by Savage Garden Notes;; <33 and so it begins ^^

[VALACIE]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] Watching him Windclaw tried to imagine just what was going through his mind. Her words, she doubted, would make anyone feel better. They had felt harsh and to the point...not what someone usually wanted to hear when they were upset. Being spoken to in soft voices, and hearing words of encouragement and comfort were what others usually wanted to hear. Sadly, no such words existed for Windclaw. She did not know how to express softness without having it sound forced or awkward on her tongue. To think that she might have even a margin of success at reaching him, even just a little bit, was something she couldn't even bring herself to consider. Looking down at the branch beneath her paws she perked her ears up as he spoke, marveling at the fact that he had at all. In her imagination she pictured him just slinking off through the trees, moving from branch to branch with that easy grace that he possessed. She'd thought that he might leave her here and that would be the end of it. But instead he was speaking to her, and the more she listened the better she felt, realizing that he wasn't angry at her and that he was going to leave. Looking back up at him she grinned, happy. "Then we shall figure out something else to do. Doing something I know I'll win wouldn't be very fun." She purred, a chuckle rumbling through her. Staring rather unabashedly at him as he got to his feet, she remained in her position and just watched him. "I guess." She was still clinging to her particular branch with the same intensity in which she'd been watching him. When he started moving she hesitated. Once again struck by how easy he made it all seem. "Show off." She mumbled playfully, before getting to her own feet. Unlike him she found that she had little grace in her movements. Instead she was slow and overly careful even in a task as simple as standing. Once upon a time she would have bounded from branch to branch without a fear, her eyes keenly taking in every detail of the world around her. But that time had gone. And with it her desire to be in the treetops. Looking down she blinked at the blurred image that lay beneath her. A mass of black, brown and green that seemed to want to swallow her whole. "I forgot about this part." And she had, not once on her way up did she put a thought to how she was going to go back down. Slowly, like a kit, she began her decent, her eyes keeping a determined focus on the silver Cloudclaw. Unlike the greenery around them, he was clear...one spot of focus in a smeared image. And when she wasn't looking for her next perch she was watching him. In a way she envied him. He moved as easily up here as she did on the ground, and now that she was out of her element she felt uneasy. A sensation that she hadn't had the pleasure of feeling in quite a while. It seemed that this day was full of those. The feelings that were once alien to her...and she didn't like it. Didn't even fully understand it all. And all those feelings from earlier only seemed to intensify as he'd called her his friend. That statement alone had made her heart do weird things in her chest, and her skin burn under her fur. Though somehow she managed to hide it all, outside of the smile that she flashed him in return. Once she made it close enough to the ground that it came into focus and she could gauge her distance, she chose a moment and leaped. Much as he had. Landing on her feet in a crouch, she felt her body shake as it absorbed the impact, her body's landing muffled by the cushion of leaves that covered the forest floor. Not moving she remained that way for a few moments, imagining herself reconnecting with the soil and the earth. It was like she'd been away from home. When she finally stood her legs were once more sturdy and firm and the grace that had so abandoned her amongst the trees had returned. Walking a few short paces she felt like liquid. Her steps carried her up to him and her eyes met his, studying him as though trying to see what ticked inside, before smiling. "Don't ever make me climb a tree again." Though she smiled there was a hint of danger to her voice, like a rumble. And of course there was something else hidden beneath her words. She would climb up again if he gave her no other choice, she'd go after him again. But he'd have hell to pay once they got back down. "Now how about a walk?" She'd gone up in his tree, now she'd very much like to get her bearings on what she supposed she could consider 'her ground'. [/scrolly]

[Bast]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/ev9nox.png] AFTER a moment of laying on the ground, the silver tom rolled over so that he was sprawled on his side. Pale yellow orbs watched Windclaw as she got up and stood. It looked like she was...reconnecting with the earth or something, all four paws firmly planted in the soil and blue eyes focused and clear again. He'd seen a flicker of unease in her up in the branches but down here she was certain and confident. His oppisite. Cloudclaw's paws always felt big and unbalanced and clumsy on the ground. His bones felt heavy and his steps unsure. Down here, loners and rogues could skulk through the darkness and disaster could happen at any moment. The only soothing thought was that everyone in the clan knew better than to ask him what to do, knew better than to depend on him because StarClan knows he had no idea what to do in such events. UP in the trees he always felt lighter than air, sure of his steps. Poor Windclaw had been the other way around. Down here she ruled the forest with confident strides and swift sprints and strong muscles. In the branches she had clung like a kit to the branch and he'd seen a hint of awe in her eyes when he'd been figuring his way down. He ignored that part, knowing for certain no one admired him or was in awe of him. He was nothing special. If she had her keen eyesight, she'd be able to do it too, probably even better than him. 'DON'T ever make me climb a tree again.' LOOKING up at the tawny beauty he could hear the playfulness and threat warring in her voice. The sound made him grin a little foolishly, but he nodded in agreement anyway even though he knew it probably wouldn't happen. When he was in a certain frame of mind, he wouldn't come down for anyone. The forest could be burning around him and he'd stay up in the tree waiting for gravity to drag him down and carry him to StarClan. Heck, in the right mind frame he wouldn't even notice the fire as it turned his fur black. No need for Windclaw to know that though, she'd probably pitch a fit about the dangers of trees and how she wouldn't climb up to save his sorry cloud-gazing tail. Oh well. She cared enough to make the threat and strangely that was enough for him. THE offer of a walk wasn't as fun as it should have been but he smiled anyway and rolled to his feet. Giving his pelt a shake to get rid of any debris clinging to it, he grinned cheekily at Windclaw. "Lady's first," he offered grandly. HE'D much prefer to be walking through the trees but Cloudclaw squished that thought and just hoped some tree roots wouldn't leap out and try to snag him. He'd get thrown to the ground with ease and get his nose squashed or something. Then Windclaw would know for sure what a fool he was. Oh well. He could hope and pray to StarClan for it not to happen. Tagged;; Windclaw <3 Word Count;; 526 Background Song;; "Firefly" by Owl City Notes;; <33

[VALACIE]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/part1.png] [scrolly:h(222),w(400),sy] Once she was satisfied that she'd gotten her point across she didn't hesitate to move past him at his invitation. Retuning his grin with one of her own she flicked her tail so that it bopped him on the side as she passed. Her head turned just the slightest so she that she could look at him from the corner of her eye. "I know your not a fan of walking." Her eyes momentarily moved to his feet, which she half expected to go into revolt and knock him off balance themselves. Without so much as a root to help. "But, it seems like a suitable form of payment for having climbed that tree for you." That wild glint had returned, as feral and insistent as ever. The climb, though she'd disliked almost every minute of it. Had revived inside of her the spark that had become a raging fire earlier in the day. She once more felt the need to do something, to vent and sink her claws into whatever she could find. As a result, though she didn't veer off to assault another tree, she did seem livelier with just the barest hint of 'pep' in her stride. "So, now that we're friends. You wouldn't happen to know what exactly it is that friends talk about, would you?" The question was half in play and half out. Windclaw had little to no friends and so the whole concept of doing something that two or more could enjoy was lost on her. Usually she just did whatever she liked and she could care less if another cat was enjoying themselves. Which is what usually happened when she got into a fight. But this time she wanted to do or say something that they both could laugh at. It's what friends did, or at least what she thought they did. Plus she didn't want to say the wrong thing again. Not just because she didn't want to have to climb up after him again. But because she'd felt bad for having brought up something so painful. [/scrolly]