Feeling Insecure (open)

[}M.idnight]

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[atrb=background,http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv245/Midnight_kitteh/clouded_leopard_2-1-1-2.jpg] [scrolly:h(175),w(170),sy] The sky had just started turning into a dark blood red color, signalling dusk was here, but the jet black clouds just east threatened to engulf the bright colors of the sunset. A cold, hard wind blew from the northern skies. Several, several lengths away, a single figure stood, tossing a look over her shoulder down at the camp where she called home. Turning slowly away from the seen, the clouded leopard walked a path, leading, hopefully, to a quiet place and so she could be alone. The past few days were rough on the leopard apprentice. She had no clue why but everything felt like it was going against her; training, her friends, even StarClan themselves. A tear slipped quietly down her muzzle and into the ground below her paws. With her head hung low and tail dragging into the dirt and debris, all she really felt like doing was curling up in the farthers reaches of the territory. For the first time since her family was exiled and or left, she felt so lonely and scared. She looked up at the sky, just as the last small bit of the sun were being swallowed up by the horizon and the clouds. And then it all went black. Crescentpaw dropped her gaze and sat down on a small mound of dirt. She felt so small, so unnoticed. As the tears started to fall again, despite her attempts to stop it, she lowers herself to the ground and curls up, paws and tail over her face. She hoped desperately that someone or something would change her mood and mindset. She was absolutely miserable. Character(s): Open Word count: too low for me to want to count Background song: Exit Ghost by Faderhead Notes: Sad post to match sad mood. :/ [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i44.tinypic.com/sdk9at.jpg] AT this very moment in time, Adderstrike wanted nothing more than to rake his claws along Jadeclaw's spine. The spineless male had complained of being unable to handle an apprentice for this reason and that reason, claiming that after two moons he was unable to make any headway with Crescentpaw. Naturally the leader had looked to amend the situation, for the benefit of the apprentice but the other warriors were all unwilling to take the young clouded leopard under their wing. Adderstrike, still recovering from the loss of his own apprentice to a sudden bout of greencough had finally spoken up, tired of hearing cats pass the apprentice around like a piece of freshkill. He'd agreed to take the apprentice under his teaching despite the hot temper everyone knew to simmer close to the surface on this particular leopard. Adderstrike may be hot headed but he took care of his clan and Crescentpaw deserved better than a bunch of warriors and a leader bartering to try and make someone take her under their wing. STRIDING through the blood-red dusk, the Persian leopard certainly looked as dangerous as his reputation led everyone to believe. His amber eyes glowed hotly like still-burning coals, the play of dark and light above him casting flames across his sleek golden pelt. He strode with purpose through the territory, tail tip twitching with irritation. There would be no ceremony to announce Crescentpaw's change of mentor, just Adderstrike giving her the news. He didn't look forward to it one bit, despite the fact that the clan liked to think that he lived to make them miserable. It wasn't true. Adderstrike was fierce and strong and fast and he could fight a verbal battle just as well as a one with claws and fangs but his clan his to protect. Just because...just because of Crescentpaw's family, she was no different. How do you tell someone that their mentor didn't want them? That their mentor didn't care enough to try any longer than two moons to make progress? How do you take a new apprentice when you just buried the last one? ADDERSTRIKE stilled at the though, standing on a fallen log that bridged a rippling stream. Looking down at his shifting reflection, Adderstrike felt his stomach roll and tasted bile in his throat. He may have argued with Shellpaw a lot and struggled with the hardheaded tom but Adderstrike had never hated him. Never wished him dead. Now the young tom was gone, whisked away to StarClan before Adderstrike could do anything against it. Not that there was really anything he could have done. Adderstrike's rounded ears laid back against his skull and he closed his eyes, a sigh rushing from his lungs. Now Wrenstar was ill from the same disease that had stolen Shellpaw and was struggling with it. The young leader had admitted to Adderstrike that StarClan had refused her when she went for her lives and now...now she was dying. For real and the medicine cat was making no headway. Opening his golden eyes, Adderstrike looked out at the sunset, blazing like wildfire in the sky while black thunderheads tried to rush night's coming. 'THE sky is bleeding,' Adderstrike thought sourly. STARCLAN was making LeopardClan pay its dues, in blood. THE sun vanished below the horizon, fleeing the encroaching night. Darkness engulfed the territory and Adderstrike with it. Soon he would have to go to the Starcavern and become Adderstar when Wrenstar finally...finally lost her fight to live. She would die and take her dishonesty with her. Where she would go, Adderstrike had no idea. He only knew that she was going to leave him very much alone, still mourning his own apprentice and now with another that he couldn't find. Taking a deep breath, Adderstrike let it out slowly and left the stream. Paws back on solid ground, the leopard started hunting, hunting for his unknowing new apprentice. REALLY, finding Crescentpaw wasn't too hard. The LeopardClan deputy found her sitting alone in the dark, head ducked, probably crying if the salt-scent in the air was any indication. Adderstrike hesitated, well hidden in the undergrowth. She didn't know he was there. He could surprise her but for some reason he hesitated. She looked pathetically sad, miserable and alone. The normally burning gaze of the deputy softened and a soundless sigh escaped him. He sure had been sighing a lot...then again, he wasn't too happy right now either. Not really mad, not anymore, but sad and feeling very alone. Wrenstar had lied and now was dying, leaving him with a clan to lead. Shellpaw was gone right when Adderstrike had started making progress and now Adderstrike had to figure out how to make it all work. By himself. With a clan that didn't really like him because his temper was as aggressive as the snake he was named for. MOVING slowly and silently through the dark, the young tom approached Crescentpaw from behind. Leaning forward, he bumped his nose against her, right between her shoulder blades, a gentle tap. Drawing back, he watched her carefully. "Misery loves company, Crescentpaw. It's dangerous otherwise." Adderstrike reclined on his haunches and curled his dappled tail around his paws. Tagged;; Crescentpaw Word Count;; 892 Background Song;; "Let Me Go" by 3 Doors Down Notes;; she seemed so sad </3 so adder's gonna make it better

[}M.idnight]

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[atrb=background,http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv245/Midnight_kitteh/clouded_leopard_2-1-1-2.jpg] [scrolly:h(175),w(170),sy] The leopard apprentice felt a touch between her shoulders and was slightly pushed forward. She knew she was safe by the scent that accompanied the leopard and informed her that this was a friend, not an enemy. She turned her head away, dragging her paw over her face and muzzle, trying to rid herself of her tear streaked fur, but it was useless. She turned her head up to meet the eyes of her clan mate. She offered the deputy a half hearted grin before dropping her gaze back down again. 'What is he doing here? Come to take me back to camp, and punishing me for sneaking off like that?' She closed her chocolate brown eyes and thought. Maybe he was here to deliver a lecture on why not to leave camp alone and at night. She sighed softly and rose to a sitting position. She glanced sideways at Adderstrike, debating on what he was going to do or say to her, but he sat down and wrapped his tail around him. "Misery loves company, Crescentpaw. It's dangerous otherwise." He sounded so different. Normal he was a hotheaded tom who, when he needed to be, was very aggressive, but now he seemed sympathetic somehow. That was uncommon for him. Now she really looked up at him. She found mood was almost mirrored by the look on his face. She reached out and touched his flank with the tip of her tail, but she was too choked up from earlier to speak just yet. Her rounded ears flattened slightly back, she gave the leopard tom a sympathetic look. She knew he was probably still hurting over losing his apprentice to greencough. It was a nasty disease and not merciful. She looked up at the blacked out sky, wondering if Shellpaw was watching them right now. Character(s): Adderstrike Word count: 308 Background song: Painting Flowers by All Time Low Notes: Aww Adder :3 [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i44.tinypic.com/sdk9at.jpg] WHEN the young apprentice turned to face him, Adderstrike was certain a blind cat could have seen the misery and worry in her dark eyes. Even as night fell around them, wrapping around them in an almost gentle fashion, her misery wasn't hidden by the darkness. Adderstrike knew what she expected. She expected to be lectured or hauled back to camp for some form of punishment perhaps from Jadeclaw or Adderstrike himself. On a normal day in a normal mood, Adderstrike probably would have made that fear a reality. He never had had much patience for those that crept out of camp on their own, especially when it came to kits or apprentices. Didn't they realize that rule was in place for their safety? They weren't strong or smart or fast or durable enough yet to deal with the dangers that could befall any of them outside of camp. That was the whole point of having a mentor after all, to teach you these skills to survive. How many times had Adderstrike been woken in the middle of the night to rescue kits that had roamed from camp? How often had he woken to smell Shellpaw or Mossheart leaving camp and had to go chase them down? Now look at them, both dead, perhaps not because they roamed from camp but still. Camp was the one place where you could be safe and protected. WARRIORS weren't protected. Nobody guarded them. They had to guard themselves and others at the same time. It was difficult, perhaps the hardest part of being a warrior. Why couldn't kits and apprentices value the protection their elders wished to give them? Was it so hard, really, to let someone else worry about the things that went bump in the night? THE frustration of this train of thought dug into the golden deputy making him flex his claws and clench his jaw. Looking away from Crescentpaw, Adderstrike tried to swallow the anger. Apprentices and kits were young. They didn't know, didn't understand what lengths the clan went to protect them. They were diamonds in the rough, to be sure, but they were still precious. Couldn't they at least abide the rules of their elders and betters for once? And what of the cats that died protecting them? Didn't they mean anything? It was like spitting in their faces, like saying their sacrifices were pointless if the apprentices and kits they guarded were just going to wander off and die anyway. The anger he tried ti will away felt lodged in his throat, like a sharp jagged rock, growing more painful every time he tried to swallow it down. His gold gaze flicked back to Crescentpaw and strangely slithered away a bit. SHE was hurting for good reason. Adderstrike had just sat through several hours of warriors bickering about what to do with her. Jadeclaw didn't want her and Wrenstar was too ill to offer any real solutions. Did she know? That her mentor had been looking for an out to training her? From the sad look in her eyes, she may very well have known better than anyone. FORCING his claws to sheath, the tom forced out a deep breath so that he didn't lash out wrongly at Crescentpaw. He may have a horrid temper but there were times when Adderstrike would try to rein it in. It was just...so hard...like trying to move a mountain or put out a forest fire with nothing but dry kindling all around. MEETING her gaze, Adderstrike knew he might as well say it straight out and get it over with. The sooner he said it, the sooner she would be back in camp with the other apprentices, far safer there than out here at night. "Jadeclaw is no longer your mentor. I am." Adderstrike stood up, clearing his throat for a moment and glancing around. "Come on, let's get you back to camp. We start training tomorrow." WITHOUT looking back at the apprentice, the Persian leopard started walking away. He moved with brisk silent steps as he trotted back the way he had come. He'd had to follow Crescentpaw quite a ways from camp to find her so it would most likely be a tense, awkward trek back to camp but Adderstrike had endured such things before, and had a lot more recent events lately. Everyone pitied him and felt bad because his second apprentice had died. Strangely, while Adderstrike missed Shellpaw and felt bad for the young snow leopard's death, he had yet to truly feel sad about it so all the consoling and pitying looks were pointless. Cats died everyday, it was part of clan life. Heck, Wrenstar was well on her way to following him to the grave. Adderstrike could only hope taking Crescentpaw under his wing would have some benefit, preferably deflecting the pity the others felt was necessary to bestow upon him. The only problem really with this whole trek back to camp was that Crescentpaw might refuse to go or worse, she might ask questions. Questions Adderstrike didn't really want to answer. Tagged;; Crescentpaw Word Count;; 866 Background Song;; "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden Notes;; ok so his intentions are good but adder's not good at comfort...

[}M.idnight]

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[atrb=background,http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv245/Midnight_kitteh/sunda-clouded-leopard-newest-cat-1-2.jpg] [scrolly:h(206),w(142),sy] The clouded leopardess sat motionless, too scared of breaking the silence that hung around the two cats like a heavy curtain. She wanted the silence to break, but not by her doing. She didn't even know if her tongue could form any coherent words, so she was leaving the talking up to Adderstrike. She glanced at him, hoping he'd say something, anything at all, but as soon as he did, she wished he didn't. Her heart sank to the lowest part of her chest it could find and it must have broke, for she could feel a sharp pain pierce her ribs. Another mentor come and gone. 'Why?' That was the only question she could ask herself. Her mind reeled and heart beat becoming more rapid. She had a feeling that her previous mentor didn't care about her or her training, but she didn't think he'd leave her. She looked up at the tom beside her and just stared at him. So many things ran in her mind. Was she really that unfavorable of an apprentice that she was always being tossed around by everyone? She tried to sigh, but her breath caught in her throat. She turned her head away as her new mentor turned to walk back to camp. Crescentpaw had no desire to go back, not now at least. She dug her claws deep into the earth below her paws, pushed herself to a standing position and yelled, "What exactly is so wrong with me?" Her eyes changed from dark pools of misery to fiery orbs. Fury rose in her chest, making her fur stand on end. Her ears pressed flat against her skull and her claws extended and bury in the ground. "Tell me that, Adderstrike." She spat the words at him as he walked away. Letting out a low growl, the apprentice turned in the opposite direction and took off, paws pounding hard against the ground. "I'm not going back with you!" Were the last words she spoke before disappearing into the undergrowth. 'Who does he think he is? And why does my clan hate training me so? This is my third mentor now.' Character(s): Adderstrike Word count: 366 Background song: This Means War by Nickelback Notes: Oh snap xD [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i44.tinypic.com/sdk9at.jpg] THE sound of Crescentpaw yelling brought Adderstrike to a stop, one paw raised to take a step back toward camp. His rounded ears twitched to catch her words and he surely didn't miss the accusation and misery in them. Why her indeed. No one was allowed to talk about it of course. Not to her of all cats at least. Her parents, Adderstrike barely remembered them before the whole fuss. Moonshadow had been quiet enough and Adderstrike could remember sitting next to her a few times during clan meetings. Stormcrescent he might have patrolled with once or twice but neither of them had been more than a blip on Adderstrike's radar throughout his apprenticeship and early warrior career. Then of course they'd been found guilty of murdering a clanmate. Personally Adderstrike questioned the whole business, seeing as neither had seemed quite vicious enough for such an act. Still, killing a clanmate was a capitol offense and had resulted in their immediate exile, leaving their kits stuck in the middle. Looking over his shoulder at the quaking, angry young apprentice, Adderstrike almost felt sorry for her. ALMOST. BEFORE he could open his mouth and get her to shut up and stop crying about things she couldn't fix, the clouded leopardess turned on her heel and was gone, shouting back that she wouldn't go back with him. When she was gone into the undergrowth, for a moment Adderstrike just stood there and sighed. Why did she have to be so difficult? So nobody wanted to mentor the kit of clankillers but that really wasn't that big of a deal anymore! Adderstrike would train her and then who cared what happened after that? Go figure the one time he steps up to do a nice thing and save the apprentice from being tossed around like a piece of antelope hide, he gets nothing but trouble for it. WHEELING around with an agitated huff, Adderstrike started running. Of course little Crescentpaw wasn't hard to follow. Being unhappy and blinded by such unhappiness, she left a path so obvious and clear-cut that a blind cat could have followed it. Being an adult warrior also helped since Adderstrike was much faster than even the most upset of little annoyances. If she was in her right mind, Crescentpaw probably could have lost Adderstrike since the bigger tom had stood for a few moments and more or less given her a head start. An older apprentice probably could have and would have lost him since Adderstrike would have normally just huffed and went back to camp, leaving the cat to be eaten by whatever stalked the woods at night. Too bad Adderstrike actually did care about the well being of his clan. They might not think it but Adderstrike did whatever he could for any of them. Finally, Adderstrike glimpsed the odd pelt of a clouded leopard and ran faster, muscles burning pleasantly from the little workout the young cat was giving him. When he got close enough, quick as the snake hew as named for, he sprang. CAREFUL to have sheathed claws, the deputy tackled the younger cat. Using his superior experience and weight, Adderstrike effectively pinned Crescentpaw under him, paws placed strategically to keep her down. One was pushed between her shoulder blades, more or less pushing her nose in the dirt though he wasn't so cruel as to keep her from breathing. The other paw was pressed on her flank to keep her from kicking and wriggling like a trapped rabbit. Pressing uncomfortably close, Adderstrike loomed over the younger leopard, maw very close to her ear. "LISTENING to me you little brat, I've had a long day mostly comprised of keeping you from being passed around from warrior to warrior like a piece of meat so a little gratitude would be nice." Adderstrike kept his voice low and rumbling, a constant growl underlining his words. "Quit moping around and acting like nobody cares about you because, big shocker, nobody cares about anybody. Everyone is self-centered and foolish so get used to it, suck it up and move on. You live your life and you work your hardest and make them see you, don't sit around crying because nobody will hear that." Unsheathing his claws, he let them dig in a little. Not enough to draw blood of course but enough to make a point. "And don't you dare ever run away from me again. Got it? I can make your life hard or I can make it very easy so I would suggest not pissing me off." SHOVING perhaps a bit harder than was necessary, Adderstrike straightened up and stepped back from Crescentpaw. In his anger he seemed to light up in the night, the rising moon dancing off his golden pelt. His eyes were lit up like twin tongues of fire, flickering and agitated, fixed right on Crescentpaw. Behind him, his tail twitched in an irritated fashion and everything about his posture and tense muscles said that Adderstrike was in one of his foulest moods and Crescentpaw's whining wasn't helping. "YOU listen to me and you listen good," Adderstrike rumbled, "there's nothing wrong with you that's not wrong with the rest of the clan so stop thinking you're special and get over yourself." Tagged;; Crescentpaw Word Count;; 897 Background Song;; "Blow Me Away" by Breaking Benjamin Notes;; for some reason i just love an angry adder <3

[}M.idnight]

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[atrb=background,http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv245/Midnight_kitteh/sunda-clouded-leopard-newest-cat-1-2.jpg] [scrolly:h(206),w(142),sy] The female apprentice didn't care where she was going, or if her mentor was following. All she knew was that she was running. She only realized she was being pursued when she hear paws behind her and a weigh pressing her to the earth beneath. She coughed a bit, struggling to get back up, but her efforts were futile. Adderstrike was not letting her up, at least not without a lecture, which he gladly gave to her in a mixture of growls and hisses. She tried blocking out his words as best as she could, but with him so close to her, she had no choice but to listen to his snarky lecture. As he went on, she felt his claws start to dig into her pelt, but not hard enough for blood. She winced, but bit her tongue against showing any discomfort to the beyond angry deputy. When he finally got of his soap box, she felt the pressure worsen as he shoved her, but lessen as he removed himself from her shoulders and flank.. She felt better, but still lied there on the ground, avoiding him and the even longer trek back home. After staying like that for a long while, she finally pushed herself up into a sitting position. Tossing a hateful glance at her new mentor, she began smoothing her pelt and removing the dirt and other debris. She was intentionally taking her time doing this. Finally acknowledging the leopard tom's presence, she looked at him, hatred and anger burning in her eyes still. She stood and gestured with a paw towards camp. "Lead the way, oh mighty one," She growled and looked away with a bored expression. She knew that she might be risking her life screwing with Adderstrike like this, but she hardly cared at all right now. She just wanted to hurry up and get home, forget about this entire day, curl up and sleep. She didn't even want to train, not if it meant demeaning comments or his fiery attitude. She actually didn't wait for him to take the lead, even if she told him to. Padding ahead of him, chin held up high and tail erect as she took lead. She didn't even look back, just kept walking, and this time, in the direction of the camp. Crescentpaw didn't want to be tackled again and forced to eat more dirt and grass. Hell, she didn't have the stomach for anything anymore. "Hey, hurry up will you?" She grumbled, still not looking back. Character(s): Adderstrike Word count: 428 Background song: Kiss It Goodbye by Nickelback Notes: i freakin love Adder! <3 [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i44.tinypic.com/sdk9at.jpg] IT was no secret in the clan that Adderstrike had a hot temper. In fact, his temper was legendary. The few patrols that crossed his path from other clans, caught trespassing, they had all felt the sting of his claws, fangs and tongue. A lot of cats had strong tempers that were about as pleasant to deal with as a cornered porcupine but not all of them had what Adderstrike had. He had the power to back up his harsh words and now he had the rank to back him. The funny thing about Adderstrike's temper was that, while he yelled and got violent, it took a lot to actually make him see red. This condescending little brat of an apprentice, oh she was pushing it. Pushing it so far that Adderstrike could hear his blood pounding in his ears as his heard hammered in his chest. Long hooked claws kneaded the soft ground underfoot and every muscle in his body was tensed to the point of pain as he tried his hardest to swallow the urge to sink his claws into Crescentpaw and show her what it really felt like to be hurting, to give her something real to complain about other than her illusion of whatever it was that was in her head. THESE last days had been living hell for the young deputy. Wrenstar falling ill and then confessing that she didn't even have multiple lives, the whole issue with Jadeclaw not wanting to mentor the moody apprentice before him, Shellpaw falling ill and dying. Adderstrike put up a brave face for the clan, coolly shrugging off their questions or using his barbed tongue to chase them away. Keeping patrols and hunting expoditions running while keeping tabs on the apprentices being trained, it was wearing him thin. His temper was shot and he was so far from in the mood to put up with Crescentpaw that he swore he could hear his sanity creaking, ready to snap and go into a full on red-eyed rage that he hadn't had in a very long time. NO one, not a single cat in LeopardClan had ever seen Adderstrike truly mad. They saw him irritated and annoyed, they saw him grinding his teeth and twitching his tail, they heard him hiss and growl. They didn't know Adderstrike in a true rage. In a true rage, there would be blood. Lots of it. Little Crescentpaw was just itching to get a taste apparently and with all the strain he'd been under as of late, Adderstrike was very nearly ready to skin her alive and call it quits. 'HEY, hurry up will you?' A sharp hiss snaked its way from Adderstrike as he whirled to glare at the impertinent little brat. His claws dug deep into the ground to stop from lunging at her like an enemy. If he tackled her now, he'd probably lose it. "I see why they pass you around," he growled at last, speaking through gritted fangs. "To think, I thought a brat like you might be worth something in the end but now I see what their fuss is. I don't blame Jadeclaw now. No wonder the others didn't want you. Get back to camp and by StarClan if I find out you leave or don't make it back, I'll flay you alive." ADDERSTRIKE'S tongue was just as dangerous as his claws and fangs when it came down to it. When he was unable to use his fangs or claws, like with clanmates, he turned to words and he knew how to cut deep. He didn't even care anymore that he'd come out here initially to comfort his new apprentice. Who would waste their time on a brat like this? At least Shellpaw...he had known when to hold his tongue. He had been able to see when Adderstrike's temper was getting dangerously hot. Adderstrike had too many new open wounds to be dealing with a brat like this. His barriers were shaking and his minimal patience were worn thin leaving his touchy temper to take over at the littlest comments. Well he was done. Sick and tired of her after five minutes. He had been thinking he could help her, protect her maybe from the scorn the clan threw her way when she wasn't around to hear. He thought he'd been doing her a service, taking her as his apprentice so soon after Shellpaw for no other reason than to save her from a mentor that would ignore her. LeopardClan couldn't afford that and Adderstrike knew he would train her. He'd train her well, whether she liked it or not, but tonight Adderstrike had to lick his wounds and think about what to do before he exploded and hurt someone. GIVING a frustrated snarl, the tom turned away from Crescentpaw. It was almost impossible to wrench his angered self away from her but he did so. Surprisingly, rather than taking off running or leaping into the trees, Adderstrike chose to walk. He slid between ferns and thick undergrowth with ease, his mind trying to find something to zero in on and attack. He needed to hunt. Not even hunt. Mutilate. Before he turned around mutilated Crescentpaw. Some might think it sick but everyone had their ways of coping with anger and well, Adderstrike had inherited Hookedclaw's horrible temper. Hookedclaw had been known to bring in prey missing limbs or so violently scratched up it was frightening. Adderstrike seldom took part in that practice, save for when he was on the edge of losing his cool completely with no hope of turning back and he never brought back what he tore apart. Usually he left it for scavengers or kicked it across the border for rogues to eat. Brightstar had found out once and frowned on the practice but it was better than ripping into his clanmates like he so often wanted to. Tagged;; Crescentpaw Word Count;; 1006 Background Song;; "Indestructible" by Disturbed Notes;; he is so mad right now....i'm scared...

[}M.idnight]

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[atrb=background,http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv245/Midnight_kitteh/sunda-clouded-leopard-newest-cat-1-2.jpg] [scrolly:h(206),w(142),sy] The apprentice listened to Adderstrike, more scolding and lecture, but she deserved it, she knew it, but she didn't want to show it. She knew full well of her mentor's power but she didn't care, hurt and raw on the inside, maybe if she pushed him far enough, he'd kill her. That would be one way to see if her family were still alive or not. She shook her head slightly. This was the wrong kind of thinking, something her father had experienced as an apprentice like she was now. And her mother... Her mother used to help her father through everything, even the severe nightmares he suffered from. Her pace started to slow, only a bit, so as not to anger the tom anymore, her tail starting to droop down and her head hung low once again. Her heart sunk as she thought about her family. Her parents were never seen again, by her or the clan, after being wrongfully exiled. She desperately wanted to know if they were alive and well, or watching over her in the stars. If they were, they were with Solarkit, or as he wanted to be called when he grew up, Solarblaze. Thinking about her brother and parents, got her into thinking about Cloud, her sister who chose to walk the path of a loner. She wondered were she was too. Dead somewhere, or thriving, only Starclan knew, She remembered all the trouble Cloud and she would get into. but the clan was kinder back then and they loved them so they could do no harm really. A sad smile reached her maw and made her laugh softly to herself. "Oh Cloud, I miss you so much. I want to got back to that time, where things were much easier." She looked around for her deputy and mentor but he had ventured off. 'I'm glad he's gone, but for some reason, I just can't help this feeling. I need to apologize to him, even if I get no apology back. After I'm the one who provoked him into the state he is now.' She sighed once again. She dropped her gaze back down to her paws. "Maybe I should just wait to tell him? Right now, I've messed up too much for him to listen to me again." She muttered to herself, hoping Adderstrike wasn't around to hear her. Character: Adderstrike Word Count: 406 Background song: Can't Catch Tomorrow (Good Shoes Won't Save You This Time) by Lostprophets Notes: Guilty kitty ): [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i44.tinypic.com/sdk9at.jpg] STALKING through the undergrowth, moonlight dappling over his pelt, Adderstrike didn't bother to think about Crescentpaw anymore. He didn't really care if she went back to camp or not. Not at the moment at least. Later he'd worry about it because it was instinctual, like something embedded deep in his bones since he was a kit. There wasn't a cat in this clan that Adderstrike didn't keep an eye on just out of habit. They were his responsibility after all, especially with Wrenstar fading fast. Still, anger burned too hot in Adderstrike's blood to let him even think about ensuring that Crescentpaw really went back to camp. He honestly didn't care. Let her wander around in the dark and get eaten, one less annoyance for him to worry about. One less cat to drive him insane on a daily basis. One less snot-nosed brat moping around camp like their life was some massive tragedy. StarClan only knows how many cats had worse lives than Crescentpaw and didn't bother whining about it. Everybody had skeletons in their shadows that rose up to remind them of all the times they'd screwed up. Family secrets, those were practically a requirement for clan life. Where did Crescentpaw get off thinking she was some special case? Puh. Dumb brat. A cracking twig brought Adderstrike to a stop, rounded ears perking up. Somewhere in the night, a bird cried out what sounded like a warning. Under his well kept pelt, Adderstrike's muscles tensed. The red drained from his vision, replaced by a shot of adrenaline. In an instant his mind was clear, his ears and eyes sharp. An intruder? Breathing in the tense night air, Adderstrike smelled the stink of illness and starvation. A loner for sure. A sickly one by the smell of it. Sliding through the undergrowth, belly close to the ground, the deputy tracked the scent despite the distaste he felt at the stench. At long last, Adderstrike found himself at the edge of a dried up stream bed carved into the landscape. Peering through the ferns along it, Adderstrike's stomach clenched at the sight before him. LAYING on the long-dry stones was a mangy looking old snow leopard. Moonlight spilled over the snow leopard's dirty pelt from the ribbon of sky clear of trees due to the dry stream. Even from here through the gloom of night, the young tom could see ribs clearly visible through the matted once-silver fur. The other cat, a tom, was sprawled over the stones as though he had tripped and fallen into the stream bed. Looking him over as he slowly crept to the ledge at the very edge of the stream bed, Adderstrike felt his stomach roll. It was breathing, but shallowly, shadows fluttering on its flanks where the ribs pushed against the skin. The cat's fur at one time might have been sleek and clean sterling silver but now was matted with mud and other filth. For several long minutes, Adderstrike simply stood regarding the cat until the cat's eyes opened. They were a disturbing milky yellow, not the healthy glow of a normal cat's. Adderstrike's lip curled at the sight as the unfocused pupil rolled almost aimlessly in the cat's socket. It's maw opened and a strange gurgling noise came forth followed by wheezing. WITH slow steps, the golden deputy slid down into the stream bed and slowly approached the ill cat. It continued wheezing and gurgling as if it was trying to talk or breathe, Adderstrike couldn't tell which. It didn't even bat a milky eye when Adderstrike loomed over it. Leaning forward, Adderstrike took hold of the cat's throat. It didn't twitch a muscle to resist. With a neat, almost practiced yank, Adderstrike broke the cat's neck. The head flopped to the ground, neck bent at an unnatural angle, the milky yellow eye staring blankly at the moon over Adderstrike's head. Adderstrike stepped back from the cat, the taste and texture of ash coating his mouth. It felt like he'd swallowed cinders when he bit the cat. 'I should bury him, before someone else finds him,' Adderstrike thought dully, thoughts of Crescentpaw totally forgotten. AS Adderstrike moved forward to grab the cat and drag it out of the stream bed to bury, he was brought up short by the cat...vanishing. LEAPING back in shock, golden eyes wide, Adderstrike stared open-mouthed at where the ill dead cat had lain. There was nothing but stones and the sour taste of ash in his mouth. Adderstrike's claws unsheathed, scraping the smooth stones under his feet. Gold eyes flicked upward. The nearly full moon glared down at him like the blank eye of the dead cat, accusing and judging. Adderstrike took a step back, rounded ears flattening against his head as he shrunk low like a kit being reprimanded by his parents. His eyes flicked down to the stones the cat had laid on. HAD that been...a StarClan vision? WITHOUT a second thought, Adderstrike turned tail and leaped out of the stream bed. Without looking back he started to run, retracing his steps, wanting to put as much distance between himself and that dried up stream as possible. Tagged;; Crescentpaw Word Count;; 895 Background Song;; NA Notes;; i'm thinking he might run crescentpaw over, trip over her o something...

[}M.idnight]

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[atrb=background,http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv245/Midnight_kitteh/sunda-clouded-leopard-newest-cat-1-2.jpg] [scrolly:h(206),w(142),sy] After walking for what seemed like a eternity to her already aching paws, she stopped to sit down. She had noted that her mentor had disappeared a long time ago; it was probably for the best. She had pushed him to his limit, almost to his breaking point and nearly had been left to the mercy of his claws, or worse, the creatures of the night. Just thinking about that now made fear start to boil in her belly. Fear seeped through her pelt, causing it to stand on end and made Crescentpaw jumpy and easily spooked. Ears flattened back against her head and brown eyes widened with horror. 'What if Adderstrike left me? What if he's waiting at camp to see if I actually return? Maybe he's left me out her so I could get eaten because I aggravated him too much.' She was really regretting her actions, now that she was alone in the dark. She looked around, easy and not to noticeable, but quickly becoming more frantic and rapid. Jumping to her paws, she dashed around the little clearing she was in. Her heart rate rose sharply and her breaths coming in as shallow gasps. "I'm going to die out here and my mentor isn't going to care. I messed up big time now..." She muttered into the air. She jogged further down the path towards the camp, but she couldn't help looking over her shoulders every so often. The clouded leopardess hating acting so paranoid, but she couldn't help it now. "Adderstrike!" She called out before she could stop herself. Hell he might not even come to her after her little scene. She suppressed a groan; this is going to suck... She picked up her pace, taking long, gentle strides through the forested area. She kept calling out her mentor's name, hoping that he'd forget his anger and come find her. "Adderstrike..." Her voice was now raw from the strain on her vocal cords. Her pace was now a slow limp after tripping over a rock a while back. Nothing felt broken or sprained, but it hurt to put much weight on it. 'How am I going to explain this to him?' She thought with a sigh. She looked around again, confirming that she was, indeed, still alone. Fear still pulsed though her and only intensified at the sounds of branches and twigs breaking in the distance. She froze, unable to think of what she needed to do. Character(s): Adderstrike Word Count: 420 Background Music: "Poor Jack" - The Nightmare Before Christmas Notes: ;P [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i44.tinypic.com/sdk9at.jpg] ADRENALINE thundered through Adderstrike's body, burning in his veins and sending his heart into a wild race. Really he wasn't even sure where the fear came from, just that it was so potent he could practically taste it like lightning along his tongue. It tasted sour and bitter like ashes and it sang through every fiber of Adderstrike's being. Whatever he had just witnessed, it was bad. Very bad. Deadly. That was all his mind could focus on as his paws flew across the dark ground, barely noticing where he was going. All he really knew was that he was going away from that dried up stream bed and whatever specter haunted it. If you ever asked him, Adderstrike wasn't afraid of ghosts. Didn't believe in them. StarClan was one thing but random ghosts? Didn't happen. That meant that whatever Adderstrike had just seen, it was from StarClan, a sign of some kind. The mere thought of what that sign could mean made the young deputy run ever faster, desperate to escape it if he could. 'ADDERSTRIKE!' THE sound barely registered in said leopard's ears for a few moments until he forced himself to stop running. Skidding with his forward momentum, Adderstrike nearly slid into a tree trunk with his sudden halt. Rounded auds perked up atop the young tom's head as his golden eyes swept the shadowy undergrowth. That sounded like...Crescentpaw? Light golden eyes widened as a second wave of fear swept through him. What if something got her? What if she was hurt? HEART in his throat, Adderstrike took off running again, following the calls of his name. He prayed to StarClan nothing had gotten her. That snow leopard in the dry stream...it was a death omen but he begged for it not to be hers. Surely if it was, it would have been a clouded leopard, right? For some reason that logic didn't soothe the tom, it only made him run faster. StarClan acted in odd ways, ways mortal cats didn't always understand. Maybe the type of leopard didn't matter? Adderstrike leaped over a fallen log barring his path, following the latest echo of his name, neverminding the twigs that snapped under his paws or the ferns that whipped at his face. A branch caught him sharply on his cheek, stinging painfully but going mostly unnoticed as the deputy hunted for his new apprentice. He had to find her. He wouldn't fail... FUNNY how in his desperate quest to find his wailing apprentice, Adderstrike very nearly ran her over. HE crashed through a screen of ferns into a small moonlit clearing. Just as his vision cleared of fern fronds, the deputy spotted Crescentpaw, wide-eyed and frozen in the heart of the clearing. Leaning back and skidding to a halt for the second time that night, Adderstrike barely managed to avoid colliding with the young she-leopard. In fact, when he finally came to a full stop he was barely a tail's length from her, maybe less. Breathing hard, Adderstrike looked around wildly for whatever had her wailing like that. No ghosts. No looming, sickly snow leopards. Not even a fox hissing at her from the shadows. When it sank into his adrenaline-drunk brain that there was no enemy to fight, nothing threatening Crescentpaw, it was amazing the wave of relief that swept through him. A shuddering breath escaped the panting deputy and his muscles loosened to the point where he very nearly sagged to the ground. Dropping back on his haunches, shoulders hunching as he tried to catch his breath, Adderstrike looked around again just to make doubly sure that nothing was going to leap out and try to kill them. Heart still pattering in his chest, he found nothing dangerous, no glowing eyes in the nighttime gloom. FINALLY forcing himself to take deeper breaths, Adderstrike fixed his gaze on Crescentpaw. "Wh...what? What were you yelling about?" Adderstrike demanded, although somewhat breathlessly. His limbs were shaking fine little shivers as the adrenaline seeped out of his system. His claws dug into the soft ground to keep his front limbs from sliding forward so that he was lying down. He had to keep upright just in case something was out there waiting to make the younger leopard a snack. WITHOUT a doubt Adderstrike looked a mess. Normally he was sleek and in control and aware, always sure of himself and never disheveled or frantic looking. At this moment in time, that was not Adderstrike. It was like the moonlight pouring through the trees stripped it all away. His eyes had a frantic, wild flicker to them as they flitted about in search of unseen enemies. His limbs shook, mud splattered his paws. The short, sleek gold fur normally so well groomed was ruffled, bristled along his shoulders in a way that, for him, normally spoke of anger. Right now it spoke of fear, as if someone had truly given him the fright of his life. Even now, Adderstirke felt like he should be running, fleeing something he couldn't name. He could still taste the bitter tang of ashes in his mouth. Drawing his gaze away from the shifting night shadows, he looked at Crescentpaw. Tagged;; Crescentpaw Word Count;; 885 Background Song;; "Oogie Boogie's Song" from the Nightmare Before Christmas Notes;; fingers....so....cold....

[}M.idnight]

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[atrb=background,http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv245/Midnight_kitteh/sunda-clouded-leopard-newest-cat-1-2.jpg] [scrolly:h(206),w(142),sy] As the sounds of crashing undergrowth grew closer to her, her claws extended into the ground, her muscles bunched in case she needed to make a quick escape even if her paw was messed up a little bit. Her heart hammered in the young clouded leopard's chest, almost sounding as if her heart would break through her ribs cage. Dropping into a crouch, she prepared herself for the next step. Moments later, a wide eyed and crazy furred Adderstrike came bursting into the clear where she was. Relief instantly flooded her body and forced to her sit on the ground. Her eyes almost started to well up after the trauma she had just felt. She looked at her mentor and her facial expression softened. She had noticed a cut just across his cheek, a pang of sympathy reached her. 'Looks like both of us were hurt on this adventure.' She limped toward him and, uncontrollably, pressed her cheek against the leopard's chest, trying to calm herself and maybe even him a little bit. She purred slightly before stepping back and looking up at the golden pelted cat with ebony spots. "You came back to me. I was so scared of being left alone again." She paused, composing her thoughts and forming an apology. If there was anytime to do it, it was now. "Adderstrike, I just wanted to tell you... My behavior earlier was..." Her words got twisted on her tongue, making her feel embarrassed and foolish. She flicked her rounded ears back and looked down at her paws. "I wanted to say how sorry I am for earlier. It was wrong of me to do anything that I did. Will you forgive me?" She looked expectantly up at him, hoping he wouldn't yell at her again. She didn't like the yelling or the hurt she felt afterwards. She took another step back, this time moving her paw wrong and sending a wave of sharp pain through her. She suppressed a hiss and gritted her teeth, hoping Adderstrike would hardly notice after his frantic run. She looked up at the moon above them, light bathing them faintly. There seemed something odd about the sky and the way the world felt to her right now. Shaking the thought she looked back at her new mentor, giving him a half smile. Character(s): Adder Word Count: 393 Background Music: N/A Notes: <3 [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i44.tinypic.com/sdk9at.jpg] IT was no secret that Adderstrike was not a first time mentor. Heck, by StarClan's law you couldn't even become a deputy unless you had one apprentice at the very least. His first apprentice, Mossheart, had been a quiet young tom always ready to listen and more than willing to learn. Frankly, compared to the mess Adderstrike was making with Crescentpaw and his rocky relationship with Shellpaw, Mossheart was perhaps Adderstrike's only success, up until greencough stole him away. In general though, the deputy wasn't sure what to do with an apprentice on an average day. None of them thought like he had as an apprentice. They lacked aggression, had no fire in their bellies, no real drive to prove everyone wrong. They had no desire to make noise, make waves, force the others to see them. Earlier when Adderstrike had told Crescentpaw to work hard and prove she was just as good, told her to force them to see her, that was perhaps his strongest advice to apprentices he trained. Don't be docile and sweet, don't roll over and let the world walk all over you. Stand up with your head held high and force them to acknowledge you. In general, that was all he knew he could teach. The other things, fighting and the like, those were so individualized that really it was up to the apprentice to figure out what worked best for them. The way Adderstrike would never be the way Crescentpaw would fight. You'd think though, after two apprentices, he'd have some idea of what he was doing. Not true in the slightest. Especially with Crescentpaw, Adderstrike found himself floundering like a first time mentor. WHEN the young clouded leopardess came toward him, the deputy didn't miss her limp, a limp she hadn't had earlier. His gaze zeroed in on it and his mind whirred, both hoping it wasn't anything serious and wondering how they'd make it all the way back to camp without him carrying her like a kit. The thoughts were shushed when he unexpectedly felt Crescentpaw press her cheek against his chest. Adderstrike arched his neck to look down at the top of the younger leopard's head, literally shocked to silence by the action. As Crescentpaw stammered out her apology, Adderstrike could only stare. It was as if a totally different cat was sitting in front of him. Gone was the brooding, angry young leopard. In its place was something akin to a frightened kit, someone that didn't want to be alone anymore but didn't know how to ask for company. Strange how things worked out like that... LETTING out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding when the apprentice moved back, Adderstrike looked down at her, not quite sure what to say. Words weren't his strong suit, never had been. Fangs, claws, battles, those he mastered and refined to an art. When he was angry, his words were firm and barbed, just as dangerous as any claw or fang. When he wasn't angry, Adderstrike didn't speak much. He turned into this cat that observed rather than spoke unless given due reason. Plus, he never really had been that great with handling fragile situations unless they regarded life and death decisions. FINALLY, the young deputy just let out a sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. His heart slid out of his throat and settled back in the area where it was supposed to be and its rapid beating slowed down. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked at Crescentpaw. Both of them were a mess and drained from a long hard day. "YOU were supposed to go back to camp so you wouldn't be out here by yourself," Adderstrike said finally, voice tired and overall looking as weary as a cat two hundred moons older. Looking to the side, Adderstrike struggled with his own apology. Very, very few cats ever heard Adderstrike utter an apology and to say the least he was rusty in the act of it. "I shouldn't have lost my temper. I should have known better." Sighing again, Adderstrike dragged himself to his feet. "Come on, let's get back to camp before something really comes out to cause trouble." PRESSING his nose to Crescentpaw's flank, the young tom waited for her to rise before beginning to herd her back toward camp. He walked beside her rather than ahead of her, on the side she limped on. Adderstrike wasn't the type to coddle anyone so he let her walk under her own power, unless she should need him for support but he would let her make that call. She was old enough to know her limits and would sooner or later have to learn when she needed help and when she didn't. If she had the guts to rile him up to a near blood-rage, she could very well decide when getting back to camp was too much for her. Of course, Crescentpaw was a bit old for Adderstrike to be carrying like a kit but he could without a doubt still carry her on his back if it came to that, though he doubted it, unless her paw was worse than he thought. Tagged;; Crescentpaw Word Count;; 899 Background Song;; "The Impossible" by Joe Nichols Notes;; complete

[}M.idnight]

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[atrb=background,http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv245/Midnight_kitteh/sunda-clouded-leopard-newest-cat-1-2.jpg] [scrolly:h(206),w(142),sy] Crescentpaw flicked her ears in embarrassment. She knew she was supposed to head back, but she just couldn't for some reason. She looked up at the leopard tom and forced a weak smile. "I did, but I started to freak out and got lost." She looked at her paws and continued, "That's when I called for you. I'm sorry, Adderstrike." She looked around the area, still making sure that there was nothing life threatening around them. A small sigh of relief escaped her when she was sure all was clear around the two. She stood up as soon as her mentor said they were leaving. She put her injured paw on the ground and tried to put weight on it. Pain shot through her and forced her off it. She looked up and saw that he had already gained a little bit of lead way and hobbled over to his side. "I don't know how many times I have to say this, but I'm sorry for what happened earlier this evening." She muttered in a small voice. She limped slowly beside him, not saying much. She didn't want to aggravate the leopard male next to her again. She was too focused on the trees and undergrowth around her, making sure they were still safe, even though she was sure Adderstrike would protect her if anything attacked. She misjudged her step and she landed on her injured paw, letting out a tiny squeak of pain and took a deep breath, sending her into her mentor's side. She looked up at him, ears flatten back and another apology forming on her tongue. Character(s): Adder Word Count: 277 (very lame) Background song: N/A Notes: Sorry it took so long for me to reply to this D: [/scrolly]