{forget forgotten}open

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i42.tinypic.com/351h3ph.jpg] TECHNICALLY, she probably wasn't supposed to be out of camp. Not at a time like this in weather like this. It was somewhere near moonhigh in the dead of night but there was no moon to show the time. The moon was hidden behind thick, heavy black clouds that rolled and growled over the open Savannah CheetahClan called home. The wind blew so hard the tall prairie grasses were bent double on themselves, nearly laying flat against the ground, rippling like the whitewater rapids of a river. Skinny trees that dotted the landscape creaked dangerously as the wind battered them, whipping the branches to and fro, Overhead the clouds swirled darkly and if she looked closely enough, the lone warrioress could see the shapes of warring cats, snarling and clawing at one another. The thought of such an image in the sky made a shiver run down her spine. STANDING alone in the darkness of this stormy night, rain lashing her fair form was none other than Dawnflower, the last cat anyone expected to find outside of her nest on such a violent night. Thin and fair, slender as a flower's stem and smaller than most she-cheetahs, no one would expect such a nighttime venture from her. Even Dawnflower hadn't expected it since the snarl of thunder normally made her cringe and flickers of lightning played havoc on her nerves, making her jump at every dancing shadow. In her eyes, those snarls and shadows were very real and very deadly. Still, for as typical and flighty and frightened as she always was, there were still a few surprises hiding in the young warrior. One of the big ones at the moment was that the howling wind wasn't blowing her away like a leaf that had fallen from a branch. Being as thin and small as she was, it was truly amazing that all four paws could stay on the ground, much less wade through the long grasses bent double by the wind's force. LOOKING around with miserable brown eyes, Dawnflower could only wonder what in StarClan's name she was doing out here. She truly didn't know. She was afraid but not just of the storm and the noise and tricks it played on her mind. She was afraid to go back to camp, to double back and go back to the safety of her warm nest and clanmates. Out here, exposed by the grasses being pushed down, she felt alone, like the last cheetah alive. Darkness swirled all around her and rain lashed at her thin-pelted frame like a million stinging bees. Her eyes roved hopelessly, friend and foe, real and imaginary all the same in the storm's violence. Her ears rang from the massive crashes of thunder that shook the ground she stood on and she wanted to cry but no sound would come out when she tried. She wasn't lost, not really. She had walked out here willingly, under her own power, but she didn't know why. Sleepwalking, no doubt. She had just know that one moment she was dreaming of following her brother and the next she was here, woken by a crash of thunder the instant Sting had leaped to attack her. CROUCHING low, the warriors tried to utter some sound of distress, if only to let out some of the termoil and fear bubbling up inside of her. No sound came out. Squeezing her brown eyes shut, rounded auds pressing back to her skull, Dawnflower tried to find something pleasant to think of. Nothing came. Just the flash of fangs, the sound of a snarl, the feel of hot breath on her neck. Dawnflower curled in on herself, capsizing under the force of the wind and weather and her memories. THE contrast between the delicate CheetahClan she-cat and the world around her was...frightening almost. Delicate, thin and small, Dawnflower looked so breakable no one dared to handle her. They kept a distance from her, afraid to touch her lest she shatter. Her smiles, fleetingly rare and seldom wholehearted, were like rays of sunshine captured in a living creature but they seldom dared to show from the storm clouds in her mind. With the wind pressing on her, the rain forcing itself on her and the thunder trying to impress its might on her, it looked as though she would truly break apart right then and there on those open plains with no one to help her. She simply shrank smaller, pressing her fair frame to the slimy wet ground and trying to make herself as small of a target as possible in the inky night. She was so wrong. CheetahClan she-warriors were supposed to be fast and confident and strong, not delicate and soft and weak. They weren't supposed to sleepwalk through their nightmares and let a mere storm overpower them. Dawnflower knew that, and yet, she couldn't stop it. Wave after wave of rain poured over her, determined to beat her down like the waves of the ocean against a cliff. Tagged;; open Word Count;; 854 Background Song;; "The Con" by Tegan and Sara Notes;; poor scared dawn </3

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/Animal/rapidfire2-5.jpg] [scrolly:h(222),w(370),sy] Rapidfire did not like the rain -or any form of water for that matter- but that didn't stop him from spending longer then was advised out in a storm. It was the thunder that excited him. The crash that filled his ears, loud and violent in the open savanna, was like a jolt of fresh energy. If there was thunder he didn't care about the rain, or the flashes of light that sliced the sky like claws. Padding out of the confines of the camp Rapidfire could feel the approaching rumble of thunder through the pads of his feet. It wasn't that far off and the ominous look of the clouds that were gathering in the horizon promised quite a storm. He could run in that storm, dance through the bent grasses as the wind pushed and pulled him in a thousand different directions. When he had been nothing but a young apprentice, there had been a storm shortly after he'd gotten his first mentor. It had been a violent, sky wrenching affair. The thunder so loud it had shook the young Rapidpaw's body so hard he'd thought it would break him. He'd fallen in love with it then. The loud crash of the thunder felt like the world was surging with life. Usually peaceful golden fields were thrown into a maelstrom of life that made his heart pound. Before him stretched a gloomy sight. The grass which shown gold in the hard light of sunlight was dimmer, pressed hard against the ground by the whipping winds. He moved slowly, testing the air with his senses. He could smell the rain, and the lighning as they mixed with the scents of his home...somehow makeing them stronger and more precise. That was another thing he loved. Out here, with the sky ripping itself to pieces around him he felt like his senses were more acute. Selecting a spot a good distance from camp, Rapidfire settled back onto his haunches, his tail curling securely around his paws. He was a striking cheetah, seeming to glow in the gloom of the approaching storm. His fur was a soft golden color, ringed with brown and his markings were dark and clear. His gaze was as always, slightly unusual. Not the type of look that was easy to get used to, especially considering the strikingly different shade of his eyes. Over his lifetime his eyes had helped him to hide what he didn't want other to see, and made it easy to unerve and even shock those he spoke to. They seemed not to connect one eye expressing one thing while the other showed something different. At the moment they both had a look of tranquility not common on his features. Looking up at the sky he waited with bated breath for the show to begin. It was only moments, but it felt like years before the sun seemed to crack and bleed down in a torrent of water. In seconds his thin pelt was soaked through and his body felt like it was being struck by hard little rocks. It rained hard and thick, making it hard to see. But Rapidfire was to confident to care about loss of something so trivial as vision. He had his nose, and though some of the scents washed out in the rain he still knew his way around, enough to be able to find his way on the little he could see. Getting to his feet he lifted his head high and started off. It was a light jog, his sturdy muscles tightening to keep him upright as the wind berated his sides. At every strike of thunder he'd stop, freezing in his tracks and turning his head up to the sky as the boom shook the ground beneath his paws. He continued this process, walk and stop, walk and stop, until something drew his attention. He'd had to skid to a stop to keep from crashing into the shape huddled in the grass, a small quivering thing. Clearly frightened at the ferocity of the storm. At first he thought it was an apprentice, they were so slight in build, but as he moved closer he recognized the female as another warrior he'd seen around camp. Or at least he thought she might be a warrior, he didn't much pay attention to clan goings-on. Of course knowing that she was a warrior he was having trouble hiding the contempt in his gaze. A warrior quaking in a storm? What was the clan coming too. Still she was plainly frightened. "Are you alright?" The question was barked in mild irritation, hopefully loud enough to be heard above the raging storm. Not as soft and gentle as it should have been. But then Rapidfire considered this his alone time and now he was going to have to help someone. Someone who had no right being so frightened in the first place. The rain made it hard to see and the wind and the noise would no doubt make it difficult to hear, so he moved as close as he dared, bowing his head to bring it down low and close to where hers lay. Starclan be dammed if she swiped at him he'd leave, he did not come out here to earn new markings on his face. ------------------------ count: 893 tagg: Dawnflower notes: hope it's okay I popped in :3 music: none [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i42.tinypic.com/351h3ph.jpg] IT was pretty common knowledge that of every cat in the clan, Dawnflower was the most spineless. No one really knew the true reasons why, but they were aware that she was an anomaly of the worst kind, made more to be a medicine cat than a real warrior. She was dainty and tiny, fragile and more or less mentally broken, and yet there were times when a strange strength could be found in a she-cheetah so small and broken. She kept living where many would have fallen and stayed down. Each day she woke from nightmares and struggled with training her apprentice. She patrolled the borders endlessly since her paranoia made every whisper of movement or sound important. Other than that though, she was weak and easily forgotten, written off as a liability to the clan with disregard that broke weaker cats. She was the meek and the trodden on, head bowing lower with every insult and disregard but legs locked to keep her standing. Now, quaking in the storm’s wrath, she just wished for silence and stillness. Usually stillness and silence made her wary, especially when training with Monarchpaw because it was a sure sign the apprentice was plotting something since she was still for no other reason. Dawnflower longed for it though, just so she could have a moment to pull herself together and go back to camp. Perhaps her only solace was that there was no one crazy enough to be out in this violent weather so, no one was there to witness her shameful fear. ‘ARE you alright?’ THE words brought a strangled sound of fright from the young warrioress. Dark brown eyes snapped open and she instantly recoiled, paws scrabbling madly in the mud underfoot. Mismatched eyes, one burning amber and the other icy blue, glowed through the storm’s gloom mere inches from Dawnflower’s nose. Fear shot through Dawnflower with alarming speed, like a shot of pure energy or being shocked by lightning. Her tail fluffed up in alarm despite the heavy rainwater soaking her pelt. Without thinking, Dawnflower turned tail and bolted, no thought process required. She just ran, paws slipping and sliding at first as she tried to find purchase on the slick ground. After a few scrambled steps though, she found her stride and like every cheetah ever born, she flew over the wind-swept plains despite the rain lashing her face and stinging her eyes. Fear fueled her flight, sending her in any direction that was away from those looming bright eyes. Unfortunately, nature had never granted Dawnflower especially great speed. As far as cheetahs went with running, she was fairly average and even less so in the rain and heavy weather and like all cheetahs, she couldn't maintain top speed for long. Within minutes, she was forced to a clumsy sliding stop, panting and shivering in the cold rain and wind. EARS pressed back against her skull, she looked around frantically for those strange eyes. No unnatural creature loomed out of the storm with glowing mismatched eyes. Trembling from whiskers to tail tip, Dawnflower kept looking frantically around, hear hammering in her chest and lungs heaving from a combination of her run and her fear. It took a minute for her brain to catch up with her and remind her that those eyes, they weren't unnatural. There was a cat, a warrior, in the clan with those eyes. A tom, she thought, which would explain the deep voice that had growled like the thunder. A fresh wave of shame washed over Dawnflower at the realization. It hadn’t been a monster looming over her, not one of her nightmarish imagined beasts of the night. Just…just a fellow warrior. An irritated fellow warrior, but a fellow warrior nonetheless. Muscles tensed with fear loosened for a moment before a rumbling snarl of thunder made her jump, her own foolishness dawning on her. How could she be so stupid? Of course it was just a clanmate! Who else would be out here? TOO bad that Dawnflower could already answer that question. Lots of things went bump in the night and Dawnflower knew all too well who one of those things was. Her own flesh and blood, still very much alive, lurked somewhere in the swaying grasses, either within or beyond the CheetahClan border. Whether anyone knew it or believed her, Dawnflower knew. She knew the violence and cunning of her brother. It was the root of her fear, always had been, even as young kits she had feared her brother and struggled to keep him happy and show him that being loved was more important than being powerful. He'd never believed her. Either way it was the root of her fright, why she fled when a clanmate of all cats in the middle of a storm asked her if she was okay after she literally sleepwalked her way out of camp. The shame and embarrassment alone made Dawnflower want to disappear right into the ground and never show her face again. She knew that cat with the odd eyes, Rapidfire or something like that, if only faintly. He was a much stronger fighter than she was and strutted like a peacock fanning its tail. There wasn't a worse cat in the clan that Dawnflower could have freaked out on. MISERABLE dark brown eyes squeezed shut as the petite cheetah stood in the wind and rain. By morning or sunihgh at the latest everyone in camp would be hearing the tale of how Dawnflower had fled like a rabbit running from a wolf at the sight of one of her own clanmates. Just thinking about it made her stomach squirm uncomfortably. It would be just another thing to make Monarchpaw ashamed to be seen near her and everyone else would have something else to chortle about because "dear little Dawnflower got scared" at a concerned clanmate. Feeling numb in her embarrassment, the slender she-cat sat back heavily on her haunches, feeling miserable and dreading when the tom would get back to camp to spread his tale. He'd probably say he'd bravely gone out to look for her out in the violence of the storm and all she'd done was run like a rabbit with its tail set on fire because she was that paranoid. He'd tell them how he found her hunched over and quaking in the storm and tried so kindly to help her just to see her run away faster than a twister sped over the plains. Oh she would never hear the end of it. Tagged;; Rapidfire Word Count;; 1109 Background Song;; "If You're Going Through Hell" by Rodney Atkins Notes;; nah i don't mind at all ^^

[darkwatcher]

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[atrb=background,http://i39.tinypic.com/24eauee.jpg] Now, why on earth would Tearstar be out in such weather? The rain was beating down so hard, it was no wonder that any cats, cheetahs or otherwise, outside would be wise to fear drowning. The wind was strong enough to sweep a young cat off their paws, and thunder roared ominously above, while lightning lit up the thick black clouds. Only fools, madcats, and insomniacs would stray from their warm nests in weather like this. Tearstar was an insomniac. Well, not by nature. For the first twenty or so moons of his life, the leader of CheetahClan had slept soundly, although he'd always been an early riser. Now, though, whenever the nightmares came around again, the Asiatic cheetah could be found pacing around the territory, trying desperately to forget the awful dreams. Tearstar shuddered at the memory-two leopards, lying side by side, one horribly mutilated, and a grinning young cheetah standing beside them. No wonder he'd had nightmares for the rest of his life. Wading through the tall grass, the lithe cheetah narrowed his eyes as he saw two figures ahead of him. I didn't know anyone else was as crazy as me, to go out in this weather. They appeared to be Clanmates, which was good; Tearstar would have hated to run into an enemy in the middle of a storm. It was too dark to tell, or for him to see who they were, but they looked like they were talking. Tearstar sat down, watching them. Ah, it was good to have Clan members on good relations, although why they'd chosen to talk in the middle of a thunderstorm, he didn't rightly know. It did seem a little odd, didn't it? Although he supposed that he was out here, so he really shouldn't be talking. Just then, one of the cheetahs bolted away, and he knew who it must be: Dawnflower. Well then, he knew that they weren't talking. For some reason, the young warrior had a tendency to run whenever you tried to talk to her. Unlike most, though, he knew why. Funny how they both shared a rogue brother. Actually, it was a night much like the first after...the incident. Oh, how young Tearstripe had tossed and turned, unable to sleep a wink. Despite his good intentions, Whispergrass hadn't really helped very much. Actually, he hadn't helped at all. Tearstar shook his head. How could he? After many winters, the sorrow was still as strong as if his love had died yesterday. In the darkest depths of sadness and fury, he'd wished it upon her, her and that filthy leopard. But to have it come true.... The lone cheetah shook his head and walked on. Tagged;; Dawnflower, Rapidfire Word Count;; 469 Background Song;; A song called Burn, by some random group I can't remember Notes;; First post with the table! WOOT!

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/Animal/rapidfire2-5.jpg] [scrolly:h(222),w(370),sy] He probably could have been a little more subtle. Seeing how well this was all playing out, maybe if he’d made some warning noise beforehand she wouldn’t have looked at him like he had three heads. She moved faster then he’d expected from someone so frail looking. He’d kind of pictured her getting ready to run only to be swept up by the winds and dragged across the grasslands. Instead she scrambled away from him with a look of utter terror on her face and then she was off, disappearing into the gloom of the storm. He almost said good riddance. He hadn’t come out here to play rescue and to be quite honest his pride had been just a tad wounded by the look of utter terror on her face. He was pretty positive he knew what had caused it. His eyes were frightening to some in good weather. He didn’t even want to think what they’d be like now glowing beneath the flashes and booms. Looking down at where the she cheetah had been just moments before he considered his options without any real hurry. They were still well within Cheetahclan territory, so it's not like she was a short sprint from the border. They might have their share of danger on clan land but it was nothing compared to what could be had outside of it. Still she looked down right terrified and leaving her out her in that state was irresponsible of him to say the least. Still he'd come out here to run, and to feel the thunder under his paws, not to help someone. He considered just leaving her be, but even he couldn't ignore the twinge of guilt that clung to the tail end of that thought. If he went back and something happened he'd feel responsible. Sighing, Rapidfire kicked at the dirt in aggravation. Soaked to the bone and irritated he got to his feet and took a moment to get his bearings. Not far behind him he could see the silhouette of someone else, peering into the shadows of the rain he tried to make out the shape. It was hard to see anything with the distance between them and since they didn't appear to be moving any closer Rapidfire decided to just ignore it for now. Whoever was watching could at the most be useful later. Maybe if they both disappeared there would be at least a witness to what had happened. Waving his tail briefly in a gesture he hoped was visible. Turning away from the other shape in the storm he looked in the direction she'd run towards. Things that were that frightened usually didn't think about running in zig zags or being evasive. They just ran. So it was safe to say she'd be heading straight ahead. There was only a few minutes between when she'd taken off and when he'd finally started running. Taking at least a minute to get himself into the motion of running in the middle of a thunderstorm with wind knocking him from both sides, Rapidfire was soon moving at his top speed. He'd always been fast, and his legs pumped relatively easily over the flat ground, his tail whipping behind him, yanked -somewhat painfully- by the wind. Surging forward he had to fight the urge to close his eyes to protect them from the wind and rain, but if he did he'd have almost no warning when he finally did find her. It wouldn't do them any good if they crashed into each other. He saw her ahead just as he felt his stamina begin to wain. His energy level had dropped considerably now and he'd slowed into a quick sprint his strides longer in hopes of giving him more distance. The rain had made running fast difficult and the wind was a burden but it had exhilarated him non the less. Despite feeling like he had to do this and not really wanting too, he was at the most glad for the excursion and the sting in his muscles. Slowing down he approached more slowly this time, easing himself through the soaked grass before stopping a short distance away. At which point, guessing he was at least partly visible he let out a bark of warning...hoping that the noise would be enough to alert her of his presence and not enough to scare her off again. "If you're going to run again...don't." He yelled above the winds, hoping they carried his words. "Can I come closer now? Or are you still as frightened a rabbit facing a lion?" ———————————— count: 793 tagg: Dawnflower&tearstar notes: ladeeedaaaa music: Light On - David Cook [/scrolly]

[darkwatcher]

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[atrb=background,http://i39.tinypic.com/24eauee.jpg] Tearstar gave a small smile as he noticed the other cheetah wave his or her tail at him. It was good to be noticed. Shaking the horrible thoughts he'd been thinking out of his head, the leader of CheetahClan followed them, though at a discreet distance. It really wouldn't do to frighten Dawnflower any more. Poor warrior, she was so fragile. Almost like himself, although his disposition was more towards going into a suicidal depression than running away. Despite all his faults, Tearstar really wasn't the sort to run away from a conflict. Besides, he was curious. Therefore, he followed his Clanmate after Dawnflower, though at a discreet distance. They ran quite a ways, the rain pelting down around their heads. Tearstar was fast, but he decided to reserve his energy. Who knew? He might end up having to step between the two if they argued. He sighed. I hate arguments, especially when I'm in the middle. Well, it seemed unlikely, anyway, so moot point. Dawnflower was more likely to run again. Actually, what he was worried about was that both of them would, in the storm, miss the boundaries and continue right onto another Clan's territory. So the tom ran rather more slowly than his normal pace, keeping well behind whoever he was following. Tearstar had more stamina than most, so he wasn't all that tired when the figure stopped. They'd found Dawnflower. He smiled as the cat spoke: I'f you're going to run again.. don't. Ah, now he knew the voice; it was Rapidfire. Personally, Tearstar had no great love for the warrior, but at least he was going after Dawnflower. Sitting back, he watched the two. Can I come closer now? Or are you still as frightened as a rabbit facing a lion? At that, he frowned. Just like Rapidfire to be rude to a Clanmate. Really, I have to speak to him about that. And maybe punish him. No, Tearstar wasn't really the punishing sort. It was a wonder that he ever managed to keep discipline. Probably the only reason that CheetahClan was as organized as it currently was was that everyone knew Tearstar was too nice to punish them, and made an effort to not break the rules too many times. That, and the fact that his medicine cat was a dragon. It was true. Although it probably wasn't a nice though, Slittedwing could be pretty scary. Tagged;; Dawnflower, Rapidfire Word Count;; 422 Background Song;; The aforementioned Burn Notes;; I have no notes

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i42.tinypic.com/351h3ph.jpg] DAWNFLOWER had no idea how she was going to face the clan come morning's light. Already, echoing in her ears, she could hear Rapidfire telling another tale of her cowardice. She'd gained a little bit of respect when she got an apprentice but it had been minimal at best and already she could see it sliding away as Rapidfire reminded the clan what a useless coward she was. Miserable dark brown eyes flicked up to see a figure striding toward her with long loping strides through the storm's gloom. Her stomach twisted into painful knots as Rapidfire approached, his miscolored eyes glowing in the gloom. She wanted to run again, she really did. She almost did until she heard him speak, smooth strides coming to a stop several feet from her. 'IF you're going to run again, don't.' FOR a moment, the warrioress tensed and very nearly disobeyed. She wanted to get far away from Rapidfire because he was one of those cats that could hurt her. Hurt her worse than she already was. Sting had left her with so many scars and the mocking that followed her through the clan only layered hurt on top of hurt until Dawnflower wasn't sure what she was anymore. Monarchpaw's scorn, the clan's indifference, it stung. Constantly. Haunted her, followed in her footsteps, clung to her like her own shadow. The last thing she needed was the chance to let someone make it worse, someone like Rapidfire. 'CAN I come closer now? Or are you still as frightened a rabbit facing a lion?' THE tom's words made Dawnflower's auds perk up. Her dark brown eyes met the mismatched orbs of Rapidfire. Surprise colored her expression but was quickly wrapped up in wariness. Raindrops trailed from her ears and forehead, parting along the bridge of her nose to follow the 'tear stripes' cheetahs all had that flanked her nose from the corner of her eyes. Her eyes watched him through the darkness, unsure of what to do. Let him come closer and risk making a bigger fool of herself or run and hope he never caught her? The second option was impossible. Of course he would catch her. Catch her and hurt her. Taunt her like all the others. Laugh at the fragility of her build, at the fear in her eyes and restlessness she always possessed. He would hurt her. Her mind knew that. The problem was his voice seemed...less rough when he spoke the second time. Still demanding but for some reason it made Dawnflower hesitate. She could tell him to go away and leave her alone but then...then she'd be all alone in a storm and cold and lonely. Her spotted tail waved in indecision as she tried to figure out what to do. She knew what her mind wanted her to do but what her heart wanted her to do was confusing. AFTER a long silence with nothing but the wind and rain between them, the she-cheetah finally made her decision. Ears pressed back against her delicately formed head, Dawnflower stepped forward toward Rapidfire. Careful steps. Small steps. She was unsure, that fact was practically screaming in her posture. Her head was drawn in and her fragile body seemed almost to want to cave in on itself if only to make her a smaller target. Still, she moved forward, narrowing the gap between herself and her clanmate. She kept her dark brown gaze fixed on him because if she looked away she'd loose her courage and run again. She met the mismatched gaze and tried to straighten herself out a bit, tried to raise her head but she was so used to crawling in on herself that it was hard to do, harder than it should have been. Ears still pressed flat, Dawnflower scrambled to find her voice. "I'M not...I'm not a rabbit." THE words were...unconvincing to say the least. Every muscle in her body was tensed to flee even as she forced herself to stand still barely a tail length from the tom. She met his gaze but badly wanted to look away again, afraid his mismatched eyes would bloom into soulless amber and he'd turn into Sting and try to kill her. As long as that one blue eye glowed through the darkness, Rapidfire was as safe for her as anyone in the clan. Not very safe but better than...better than her brother. "I'M sorry I ran, it was stupid." APOLOGIES came so easily to the young she-cheetah. As far as she was concerned, her whole life as one big apology. Apologizing every day because she could stop Sting, couldn't turn him away from a path of cruelness and blood. Apologizing because she survived when better warriors died in his rebellion. Apologizing because she was too weak to tell her tale. Sorry that she took up space and food and others' time. Tagged;; Rapidfire Word Count;; 837 Background Song;; "One Last Breath" by Creed Notes;; i like rapidfire for some reason...

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/Animal/rapidfire2-5.jpg] [scrolly:h(222),w(370),sy] There was a brief moment when he thought she really might run off again. Everything about her screamed fear and she looked about ready to bolt off a second time, despite probably not being able to get very far. He'd never seen a warrior so full of fear, worse then a kit or an apprentice. Even they had their own breed of bravery. The fool's courage as Speckleeyes used to say before he was struck down by the rogues. Not this Cheetah. She seemed the furthest thing from warrior material he'd ever seen, quaking before him like he was going to strike her. Which he might of...that fear was bothering him. It felt wrong and necessary he wanted to knock it off of her like it was a shadow perched on her shoulders. He managed not to. Instead he tightened his claws in the dirt and sat as straight as one could with the heavens beating down on you. If she persisted to behave like a rabbit, easily spooked and quaking, then he would treat her as such. He remained as still as possible like the least movement on his part would cause her to disappear. Finally she began moving towards him, though the first words she said to him surprised him. Before he realized what he was doing he was laughing "Are you sure?" He snorted, shaking his head as though to shake out the laughter and the rain. "You remind me a lot of a rabbit, small and shaking. You darted off like one too." She was closer now and recognition seemed to settle in as he took in her face and the rest of her fragile frame. Dawnflower. The name was synonymous with a lot of things in his head. He wasn't the type to listen to whisperings that didn't involve him, but he'd heard a lot told about the small cheetah that stood before him. And none of it was really very good. He could kind of see why. Still, if she was so easily frightened what was she doing out here? Eying her rather unabashedly, almost rudely Rapidfire shrugged off her apology as one would water. "I don't like apologies." He said brusquely, his tail swishing next to him. "Plus it wasn't stupid. You were clearly frightened, and I spooked you. Or rather -" his eyes focused on hers "my eyes did. Right?" She'd only run off after she'd seen them so it seemed a logical enough conclusion. "Either way, no harm done." He smiled. His voice, his whole manner screamed pride. He held his head high despite the wind and rain pelting him, his smile seemed to have a permanently glued smugness to it. And he looked down at her. He looked down at everyone so it wasn't really much to do on her part, but it was enough to drive other clanmates up a tree in aggravation. Rising to his feet he moved at a slow glide across the wet grass. A flash of lightning seemed to thrust the world into grey brilliance as another boom shook the ground, but Rapidfire payed none of that any heed. In fact he seemed to fit into the storm, perfectly at home in the chaos. Doing a lazy circle around her he cocked his head to the side before nodding back in the direction they'd come. "Well, let's go then. I'll escort you back to camp. It's what you need right? Help...an escort?" She was so much smaller than him, everything about her was remarkably delicate, making him wonder who the wind didn't shatter her...or lift her straight off her paws. Lifting his gaze his eyes scanned the gray world around them, another bright flash illuminating the silhouette he'd seen earlier. Seemed whoever he'd seen earlier had chosen to follow. He just hoped they didn't spook her off again. If she did run off a second time then he'd let her. He'd tried, played his part as rescuer (perfectly in his mind) and that's all he needed to know. ———————————— count: 697 tagg: Dawnflower&tearstar notes: music: Let it Burn - Usher [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i42.tinypic.com/351h3ph.jpg] NEVER before in her life had Dawnflower wanted to disappear so much in her life, and that was saying something. She hung in the background all the time, disappeared in plain sight. For some reason, her methods weren't working now under the distasteful scrutiny of Rapidfire's mismatched gaze. There was contempt in every line of his sleek, powerful body. She wished the wind would blow her away for real, the way Monarchpaw once mentioned it might someday. Oh how she wished it would. Sadly though her delicate feet remained firmly planted on the ground against her wishes. She didn't dare run again though, even when Rapidfire said she was exactly like a rabbit. Her only response was her rounded ears laying back against her head in shame. Why did everyone have to point out how...pointless she was? They always acted like they never got scared, never felt jumpy, never had enemies hiding in the brush. Maybe they didn't but Dawnflower did. She remembered things too clearly and most of the time all she could remember was Sting giving the order for a bunch of random rogues to rip her apart. They'd had fun doing it and left her feeding her blood to the soil she laid on, certain she'd bleed out. She remembered the pain and the isolation after waking up in Slittedwing's den, torn up and bloody, held together by herbs and cobwebs. No one had asked why she was so torn up, too busy licking their own wounds from Sting's raid. FEW cats knew Dawnflower's story, knew why she had become so scared. She knew it was pathetic to fear her brother but she had pent moons under his paw, told she was worthless day after day. He'd always said she was nothing but a pretty face and so easy to break it wasn't even funny. Well, on that day, he'd proven her right. Dawnflower had taken moons to try and scavenge up some confidence, to try and not flinch when her clanmates reached out to touch her or jump when they brushed past her. By the time she had enough guts to try, everyone had stopped listening, stopped looking, stopped asking. Now she was trying not to cower under the undivided attention of one of the clan's most confident warriors and she knew what he was thinking well enough. Another Dawnflower mess that had to be cleaned up. Another blunder, another fright. Her tail twitched behind her, nervously flicking to and fro as misery washed over her like waves on the shore. 'WELL, let's go then. I'll escort you back to camp. It's what you need right? Help...an escort?' SOMEWHERE in the vastness of StarClan, the young she-cheetah knew her ancestors were wailing in misery at her worthlessness. A fellow warrior was trying to escort her back to camp. Not to be polite or because they'd just so happened to bump into each other. No. He was doing it because it was a story to tell, probably some sick victory in his mind. Something to hold over her head to remind her she was weak, just like Sting always had. When the words left his mouth in fact, Dawnflower flinched away from him violently, actually taking a step back. Deep down she knew she should get mad. Some sort of pride should be roused by Rapidifre's degrading comment. She should rear up and defend herself with sharp words and independence but...she couldn't. The words got stuck in her throat, effectively silencing her. She swallowed hard, feeling like a large rock had lodged itself in her windpipe. It hurt but the pain gave some clarity, if only a little. "YOU...you can't help me." The words came out before the she-cheetah could even realize what her brain had wanted to say. Her jaw snapped shut as soon as the last word rolled off her tongue and she looked away sharply, almost as if she expected to be struck. THE dream she had been having while she sleepwalked out of camp reared its head in her mind, Sting and his rogues chasing her. No matter how hard she ran in the nightmares, how far she went, it didn't matter. He always caught her and gave the order to have her slaughtered like common prey, like she meant nothing despite all the affection she'd tried to give him. He'd walked a dark road and she'd been the only one that saw it. She'd seen it and tried to curb it with kindness and companionship and love but in the end he had lashed out like an angry viper and left Dawnflower's veins pumping the venom, never strong enough to kill but more than enough to cripple. Strangely she felt like that now, trapped by Rapidfire and his imposing presence, ensnared by the judgment in his mismatched eyes. He thought she was a rabbit, mere prey to be slaughtered in the end. The clan all thought the same about her and Sting had thought no different. That knowledge stung sharply, like a wasp sting on her heart, throbbing hurt and loneliness. Even her own apprentice still shied away even though Monarchpaw knew her tale. Why did she even bother anymore? The clan couldn't help her and her own fears kept her prisoner while warriors like Rapidfire lorded over her and reminded her that she was weak every time she began to feel strong again. It had helped, telling Monarchpaw the truth. It had made her feel less worthless but now whatever confidence the encounter had gained her was swiftly breaking down to dust under the glowing gaze of her clanmate. "JUST leave me alone. You're the same as me so stop talking down to me!" It was the first time in moons Dawnflower had actually somewhat raised her voice. Not shouting like a normal cat but loud for her normal whisper. Before she could lose her nerve, she spun away from him and started walking. If Sting was out there somewhere on the plains hunting for her, Dawnflower would for once rather take her chances with him instead of Rapidfire's judgment. The tom earlier, when he'd said his eyes scared her, Dawnflower hadn't missed it. She knew the scorn and gossip about him as well as he knew hers. Others were afraid of his eyes and marked him for them. He was no different than her and yet somehow he could get away with standing tall while she caved in. He sought attention while she fled from it. They were exactly the same but oh so different and for some reason it made Dawnflower nauseous. Tagged;; Rapidfire Word Count;; 1140 Background Song;; "Skin" by Sixx AM Notes;; <3 dawnflower

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/Animal/rapidfire2-5.jpg] [scrolly:h(222),w(370),sy] There was a mild glimmer of surprise at her outburst, if it could be called one. Though it was fairly clear that it was unusual given what he'd been told of Dawnflower. Rapidfire seemed to look on her with new eyes. There was something under all that fragile silence, she might not know it but he could see a glimmer of potential in her. It was enough to spark intrigue in those mismatched eyes. Her words had the opposite effect of what she'd hoped no doubt. Instead of causing him to turn away, give her up as a lost cause. Rapidfire seem to dance forward on his paws, a playfulness lighting in his eyes. "Ah so she has some fight in her after all!" He chuckled, clearly pleased. "They say I'm annoying, I never gave it much thought. But there must be some truth if I managed to get the rabbit to shed her skin and bear her fangs. Even just a little bit." Coming up beside her he grinned, bringing his head down so he was level with the smaller cheetah. "Is this better pet? I won't talk down to you....if you tell me how it is we are so a like." His grin was almost predatory, though he'd no doubt bared that smile to prey it was a look he showed often to those that perked his interest. "Maybe then I can decide whether you'd do better on your own." He was invested now. Out here in the wide grass fields with no other cat in sight except for the silhouette in the distance Rapidfire had little but the storm and his companion to keep him occupied. And the storm had lost it's flavor , eclipsed by the little puzzle beside him. ———————————— count: 307 tagg: Dawnflower&tearstar notes: It's short and icky...but I'm at school so. music: [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i42.tinypic.com/351h3ph.jpg] WHY did he keep calling her a rabbit? OF all the questions that could have come to the she-cheetah's mind, that was it. Completely unimportant and silly but there nonetheless. Rabbits were fast and if you looked at them the right way, they could be almost attractive if they were mangy and mangled. They had soft pelts that some cats used to line their nests and of all things Dawnflower could respect their survival skills. The thing was though, Dawnflower wasn't a rabbit. She wasn't especially fast. She was small but didn't necessarily consider herself pretty and her fur was no softer than any other's. Still, it seemed to be Rapidifre's fixation as his odd eyes zeroed in on her. In fact, when they did, she certainly felt like a rabbit and chose to bite her tongue on the question. His gaze fixed on her as he danced alongside her but Dawnflower kept her eyes on the muddy ground, ears pushed back against her delicate skull. It was a very primitive, kit-like way to think but maybe if she didn't see him, he wouldn't see her. HIS intensity wasn't helping either. Being under his attention even though he was out of touching distance was like being crowded by ten cheetahs on all sides. She could practically feel his blue and amber gaze burning her pelt as he pranced around asking how he was like her and saying this and that and the other. Dawnflower tried to make herself deaf to it, tried to disappear in plain sight as hard as she possibly could but it just wasn't happening. Each time she peeked in his direction out of the corner of her eye, he was still there plodding along beside her. Rapidfire's attention made her feel crowded and cornered even though nothing but wide open grassy plains were spread out before them and a sky of empty clouds hung overhead. It was making her skin crawl but each time she took steps to the side to put space between them, he would simply take that many steps closer. Her tail waved behind her like a wary serpent and her brown eyes flitted to and fro in search of escape but wherever she went he would see her and follow. "LEAVE me alone!" Dawnflower begged, fine shivers beginning to crawl down her spine. In her mind's eye Rapidfire's blue eye flickered to amber and Sting was in his place. A heartbeat later it was gone and one eye still blazed blue and the other amber. Dawnflower's heart scrambled in her chest, trying to find a rhythm but ending up with a mindless galloping that denoted fear. "I don't know what I meant, just go away!" She was starting to sound more panicked now, leaning toward hysterical. If she had been able to, she probably would have bolted again but there was nowhere to bolt to. Camp was in the other direction and Dawnflower felt more than just one set of eyes boring into her pelt. OUTBURSTS from the even tempered warrioress were unheard of. Even when Monarchpaw was at her worst, Dawnflower endured it with patience and sad, weary smiles. Smiles so fragile a breath of wind broke them. Now though, she just wanted Rapidfire to go away. Monarchpaw she was comfortable with because she had to be. Him, him she viewed like she viewed a venomous viper. Dangerous. Sneaky. Not afraid to hurt her. She knew he was one of the rougher of the warriors, less prone to obey Tearstar and more likely than not to do his own thing. Dawnflower knew without a doubt the source of his rebellion was the ridicule about his eyes and the scorn that their color was some kind of omen. She couldn't just say that though. He would laugh and wave her off as insane and...and leave. The hope that thought brought lit in Dawnflower's eyes as she looked over at the mismatched tom. If she told him what he wanted, he would leave her alone. It might be all over camp that she was insane or stupid but that was common knowledge. At least he'd leave her alone. He'd lose interest. "WE'RE the same because the clan singles us out. They want to break us. They broke me and you fight them so they think you're not broken too. They told me I'm useless and it's true so I accept it but you don't want to believe them so you fight them. That's it, that's all I meant now please just leave me alone." THE words came out fast and trembling in spots, as if they were all clambering to get out of Dawnflower before she lost her nerve. She didn't dare look Rapidfire in the eye when she spoke, dark brown orbs flitting here and there, paws rooted to the ground again. Her tail swayed between her thin hind legs and it genuinely looked like a good wind would blow her petite frame away. If it did, she'd be grateful for it. "I'M no worse than you and you're no better than me so stop acting like it. I won't break because the wind blows or someone sneezes at me but I'll disappear because that's safe. I don't want to talk because nobody listens. You talk too loud so someone has to hear even if they don't listen and you make a fuss about things that don't matter to make them think you're strong but you can't fool the things that are like you but you know I'll never say anything so just leave me alone!" BY the second rush of words she was practically begging and shaking like a leave in the wind from nose to tail tip. She didn't meet his eyes now because of the anger she would find there. Her thin body was braced for a strike, for the sting of claws or slicing pain of fangs. She wouldn't tell. Wouldn't even tell Slittedwing and if he knew anything about clan gossip he would know that. Dawnflower never told. As far as some cats knew, she might as well have been mute. Only a few cats bothered remembering that as an apprentice she was bubbly and bright, full of questions and as sweet as a summer blossom. Now they just saw a hollowed out she-cat that seldom spoke a word and moved through the world as if she expected her own shadow to strike her down. She had an innate sense of danger, able to sense it long before anyone else and had next to no friends. The clan always saw her alone or sometimes witnessed Monarchpaw reaming her out over something or another like their roles were reversed. For a cat that never spoke, she'd probably spoken more to Rapidfire than she had spoken to anyone in days, the words tumbling out like they'd been piled up waiting for someone to just ask the right question with open ears so they could come rushing out like a beavers dam in a river that breaks and the water gets loose. Tagged;; Rapidfire Word Count;; 1230 Background Song;; "Don't Laugh at Me" by Mark Wills Notes;; if they get together and have kits one of them is going to be Rabbitkit xD

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/Animal/rapidfire2-5.jpg] [scrolly:h(222),w(370),sy] There was credit in the fact that Rapidfire listened without criticism. Some of her words stung his pride like the bite of nettled in his fur, but they rand with a truth he oftentimes preferred to ignore. They were alike in some respects he supposed. Clan life was not as easy for either of them as it would be for a normal cat, undamaged and born with everything as it was supposed to be. But beyond that he saw no similarities. He chose not to bow under the pressure and weight of the clan's disapproving stares. All because of his eyes they considered themselves better then him. Well he refused to believe it. Still he considered her words carefully. It seems he'd managed to pester his way past her gentle and docile demeanor, or at least chip the surface enough to catch a glimpse of something not so docile underneath. Sure her outburst was most likely the sum of equal parts fear and nerves but at least it had triggered something. As far as he knew this little rabbit was more of the type to slink off in silence, cringing from even her own clan members. Still there was one flaw in her thinking. "You're right, we are the same. You and I are different and they see it, but I also see a difference in us that make us like fire and water." He stood and paced, his eyes never leaving her but for a few fleeting moments to watch his step in the steadily falling rain. "I fight them because I believe myself better then them. They are not warriors. Warriors should look upon every member of the clan as an equal, they should not look upon a member with contempt because Starclan chose to make his eyes like fire and ice. They should not look down upon you because you seem small and fragile. And yet they do, so I look down upon them." His head lifted as he eyed her, a glimmer of fire burning golden and blue fluttering across his mismatched gaze. "I looked down upon you because you are just like them. You see the differences and not the unity. You see the two eyes and not the face they rest in." He settled back on his haunches. "So you see rabbit. Maybe you are more like them then you are like me. Do you think any of them would put up much of a fight if berated constantly by their clan mates/ I may feel at times like I don't belong but I do more then my share and I could care less who's paws I step on in the process." he grinned then "I've stepped on your paws and I can say that you are not as broken as you might think," He got up again, restless as thunder rolled beneath his paws. Moving as close as he dared his eyes catching hers and holding them. "Someone holding what your eyes say you hold should be dead, not walking around broken. No you are not quite so broken. At least not from what I can see." His tail flicked slightly and he lifted his head, puffing out his chest proudly. "So Dawnflower, if I am wrong and you are as broken as you say. Then I should escort you back to camp. It would go against my duty to leave you here no matter how much you mutter and stomp your paws." Rapidfire had not felt so energized in days. This clan mate whom he'd barely noticed in passing intrigued him and if she insisted on walking around aimlessly then he would follow. He didn't want his new rabbit friend to get eaten or harmed in the storm. Let her criticize and insult him as much as she liked he didn't care. He was invested now and he'd see this strange night through. ———————————— count: 661 tagg: Dawnflower notes: omg that would be so cute. xD and I think I knew a guy like rapid in highschool... music: Awake and Alive - Skillet [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i42.tinypic.com/351h3ph.jpg] EVERY word Rapidfire spoke felt like getting stung by a bee, each sting landing on new skin. She flinched back from him more than once, lightning overhead making his odd eyes flash strangely in the night's gloom. There was probably not another cat on the planet with eyes like his. Both of them were intense and commanding, one icy blue and the other bold amber. They clashed perfectly, if that made any sense. He was right, they were like fire and water, but every time he blinked Dawnflower expected his blue eye to bleed gold. Each time he blinked she expected to find Stingclaw, aggressive and angry looking for someone to take his aggression out on. He was no different, Rapidfire. Not really. Stingclaw had raved about equality too and not caring who he stepped on to get to the top. He'd looked down on the clan. Listening to her clanmate rave now, pacing like a caged beast, it scared Dawnflower, sent chills down her supple spine and made her cower. Her claws dug into the soft ground as she tried to hold on and keep from being blown away by Rapidfire's tirade. "STOP talking like that!" Dawnflower cried at last, squeezing her eyes shut and shrinking back as far as she could from him. Her narrow belly brushed the mud but she didn't care. She pressed herself flat against the ground as if Rapidfire's anger was a physical weight pushing her down. "You sound just like him! Words like that just lead to blood!" She wouldn't open her eyes now, she kept them screwed tight. If she looked up it would be Stingclaw, angry and hateful with eyes of matching gold wanting blood for some pointless trifle. "There isn't equality in the clan and there never will be! How many cats have to die and bleed before cats like you realize it? You just want to hurt someone so they know how you hurt! They'll always judge! They'll turn away no matter what you say and if you don't say anything at all you disappear but at least no one dies that way!" THE words wouldn't stop. They tripped over one another trying to escape the little she-cheetah as she cowered against the ground, all the words she could never say to Stingclaw, all the words she'd kept inside in the moons after his betrayal. They burned her throat like fire but they kept coming out, the floodgate opened, desperation and tears she'd held in so long clogging her throat and still she spoke, afraid and loud and almost hysterical. "MAKING them bleed, it's not the answer. That was always his answer Rapidfire! Always my brother's answer! He wanted blood for everyone that made him mad or sad or tried to tell him no. He didn't care, didn't care who he killed or who he stepped on and it killed so many. It wasn't worth it! I couldn't bleed for all of them and I won't bleed again so just stop it!" Her eyes snapped open, desperate and afraid, shaking from whiskers to tail tip. She looked up at Rapidfire. When she spoke this time, she spoke slower, forcing the words to come out right. "You say...you say I'm like them but I'd rather be like them than be like you and him. I don't want to bleed anymore because you think everyone is wrong. I've bled enough." IN all the clan, Slittedwing was probably the one cat that knew exactly where each and every one of Dawnflower's scars was. Her pelt, short though it was, hid most of them except for the more extensive ones on her belly but no one ever got close enough to see. The clan stood back and watched her from afar when they bothered to take notice. Toms could appreciate the supple, delicate frame and would sometimes think how nice it would be to have such a pretty little thing tailing them around but otherwise no one bothered to get close. Monarchpaw had seen once, when she'd plopped down next to Dawnflower to eat, she'd spied some of the scars crisscrossing her pelt because she'd been laying on her side and Monarchpaw had happened to see her belly. Monarchpaw hadn't asked. DAWNFLOWER squeezed her eyes shut again and held her head low, awaiting some sort of blow from Rapidfire. It wouldn't surprise her in the least and despite what she'd said, she would bleed again. She always bled. Stingclaw had always prowled after her when he was in foul moods or knocked her around when they were apprentices and kits. Always said they were just training or something along those lines and Dawnflower had never said otherwise. She'd let her brother take his anger out on her and tried her hardest to love him anyway because maybe he'd leave the clan alone. It hadn't always worked but sometimes it had. Stingclaw had gotten a lot of pleasure out of reminding Dawnflower she was useless. "I don't see blue and gold when I look in your eyes. I wish I could because I bet they're beautiful but I can't. I see just amber because your eyes are like his! They hate and they burn and in the end somebody's going to get hurt." As she spoke this last piece, her voice shook like the rest of her, dark eyes turned upward to look at the mismatched eyes. "I don't want your help, I've had enough of your kind of help. Just go away." Tagged;; Rapidfire Word Count;; 961 Background Song;; "Hanging By a Moment" by Lifehouse Notes;; not gonna lie this post made me really sad

[VALACIE]

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[atrb=background,http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/Rapta/Animal/rapidfire2-5.jpg] [scrolly:h(222),w(370),sy] He was surprised. Truly surprised to the point that his eyes widened and when he looked at her it was a searching look. It felt like a cloud of darkness, blacker then the storm breaking over their heads, had rolled over them. It poured black, stinging rain, it's lightning slices of flesh and muscle in the sky. Despite what others thought there was no magic in his eyes, but he didn't need magic to sense that something inside of her had burst forth and that something was black and ugly. Her words stung like hard rain against his pelt and he sucked in a breath as he listened taking in each word and weighing it. The story was like flesh brought to the bones of whispers. Her outburst was like cold water freezing him from the paws up, a frigid river set to take him away. He sat back down and watched her in silence, the cool pride in his eyes melting into a distant look, a thoughtful look. Blood. She thought he'd shed blood. She feared him because he reminded her of her brother, and the comparison alone made his skin crawl. If his pride could have been damaged that blood would have been enough to send him reeling. Instead he just sat, silent and thoughtful, his eyes loosing their fire and growing ominously still. Once more he was at that point where he didn't know what to do with the warrior in front of him. This fragile, quaking thing that thought herself broken and yet with each word she threw at him proved herself otherwise. What could he say after hearing so much horror, such tragedy? Should he leave? If that's what she wanted he was hard pressed to do it. But he knew already that he wouldn't What if he'd broken her? He could have easily been the last straw in an already unstable nest. What if he left her out here and she crumbled, and the concern was real. Moving he laid down, plopping onto his side and turning his gaze out at the bending grass. Her words rolled over him and into him and around him. He was sinking in the accusations in the voice of fear. He barely noticed when she'd stopped. And even then her voice hung between them in that same black cloud, taking the shadowed shape of a cheetah with a blood thirst that seemed unquenchable. It's shape growing heavier and more solid with each moment of passing silence. Perhaps now he should leave. Only now he felt this sadness deep in his chest. Sadness was new to him. He hadn't felt it much since he'd learned to quell it's rising. Sadness was not for those like him, who exuded confidence. Sadness made you think thinks that broke you and made you weak. But it was there, familiar in it's emptiness. Sadness that she had taken to believe her own words. That she saw things the way she did. Sadness and a touch of anger that someone had come in and damaged her to such an extent. When he turned to look back at her it became clear that the eyes that burned so brightly, flashing with playfulness also held no barriers. The emotions she'd ignited were as clear in that gaze as though they'd taken shape and stood between them. "I'm sorry." The words felt empty to his ears, like he felt empty. And they floated in the silence between them. "I'm sorry you see him when you look at me." he turned away from her and looked out at the grass again, his gaze blank and empty. "But I am not him. I will not shed my clan's blood. Ever." His voice grew soft, almost to low to hear beneath the driving rain and rumbling storm. "I could walk back into that camp right now and if they chose to kill me I would let them." He shrugged "I have fought for them, I have hunted for them, I've kept their borders safe. Sometimes I don't think I belong but I would never shed their blood." He turned to her and his eyes were sad once more. "Your words..." he struggled as though it pained him to speak "...hurt. And yet I would sooner leave this clan behind then strike you for it." There was no pride him then. He fought with his clanmates yes, argued with them and bickered and made threats. But not once had he struck another. Not once had he drawn his claws in want of blood. He wanted them to change and if they didn't so be it. He'd be loyal to them, he'd be loyal to the warriors despite their distaste. If his personality rubbed him the wrong way then that was their problem, if his eyes disquieted them then so be it. "I saw enough Cheetah blood to last me a life time when I followed the warriors to the remains of my mentor. I saw enough of dead clan mates when I looked at the golden grass splattered with red. And I will make sure I see no more if it can be helped." In one sudden move he was on his feet. Tail swishing he turned and looked back towards camp. He'd lost his taste for this storm. "You wish to be alone, then have your loneliness....rabbit. " He glanced over his shoulder and the fire was back in his gaze, like a wall had come up between them. ———————————— count: 943 tagg: Dawnflower notes: I feel like all my guys come out to be jerks. music: How you Remind Me - Nickleback [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i42.tinypic.com/351h3ph.jpg] SAD brown eyes watched Rapidfire walk away but for all the words she'd spoken tonight, Dawnflower couldn't make the right ones come out. She couldn't call him back. The words got stuck in her throat like someone had forced her to swallow a jagged rock and then asked her to cough it back up. It was painful but it wouldn't come, leaving an uncomfortable lump in the back of her throat. She let it be there. It was a familiar enough sensation so she simply swallowed it back and looked away from the leaving tom. She felt bad. Horrible even. She'd accused him of things he didn't deserve. He wasn't Stingclaw, or Sting or whatever he called himself now. Cats as...cruel as her brother, they were rare, relatively speaking. Only a few elders had had a handful of tales about such cruel cats and only a couple of those cats had been cheetahs at all. Of those cheetahs even more of them had been random rogues. She had no right to say Rapidfire would turn into the next Stingclaw. So he stood up for himself, so he bickered and fought with everyone. Had Dawnflower really become so...reclusive that she forgot what normal clan life was? What it was like to interact day after day with her clanmates? Evidently she had. She had never been combative, even as an apprentice before Stingclaw really pushed her down, but she could remembering smiling quietly while two apprentices bickered over some hopelessly pointless topic, finding amusement and entertainment in it rather than seeing bloodshed as a product. HAD Stingclaw warped her so badly? Even when he wasn't looming over her shoulder anymore? RAPIDFIRE didn't deserve what she'd said. Dawnflower said that he was cruel, said he would kill someone, hurt his clanmates. No one deserved that. She should have known better. Silence was always safer, just accept it and go on. Accept what they said, all the silly nicknames and stupid knocks on her size. When she did stand up and speak for herself someone always got hurt. It used to be her clanmates at Stingclaw's paws but now it was by her own. She should have known better. It was always safer to just shut her mouth. WITHOUT thinking, Dawnflower stood up. She looked a mess, drenched to the bone and splattered with mud. She didn't care though. Muscles bunched along her supple form and in a heartbeat she was on the move, running after Rapidfire. She might be smaller than him but she was light and swift enough for her own purposes. She ran past him and skidded to a halt in front of hm, delicate paws sliding in the mud so that she nearly got sent sprawling to the ground. At the very last minute the dappled cheetah managed to save herself and straighten up. She looked at him and her throat constricted but she forced herself to take a deep breath and look at the ground as, contrite and apologetic as an apprentice caught doing something they obviously knew was wrong. "Y...YOU didn't deserve that Rapidfire." She dragged her gaze up to his, raising her head just a little. Standing in front of him she felt small and insignificant, judged and condemned all in one. Honestly though, it wasn't that different from being in front of anyone else. "And your eyes aren't his. I know that. It's just...hard to see sometimes." Before she could lose her nerve, Dawnflower leaned forward and pressed her nose against his cheek right under his blue eye. LATER when she thought about this incident, Dawnflower would curse her own behavior because what she did next did nothing but make her look like a shy apprentice with a crush. She turned and bolted through the wind and rain before Rapidfire could lash out or get mad. Sure he'd been more or less accommodating through the night but Dawnflower wasn't testing her luck. It would be dawn soon and they both needed to be back in camp. Dawnflower was tired and knew her run was far slower than it should have been but it was the best she could manage with the wind battering her from all sides. It was popular belief a good wind would blow her a way and while her paws stayed on the ground it didn't mean she didn't accidentally drift one way or the other when a really good gust caught her. She didn't care though, she needed distance between her and Rapidfire before he decided to get mad and chase her down. He'd probably call her a hypocrite which was probably true but maybe if she left him in the dust he'd forget the whole thing and not let it be the newest bit of gossip around camp? She couldn't really say she liked him per say, he was aggressive at the best of times and belittled her when he talked but Dawnflower had to do some sort of damage control. This had been the best she could come up with and now it left her blushing under her fur and knots curling in her stomach again. WHY did she always have to make a fool out of herself? If she wasn't tripping over something she was stammering, if she wasn't stammering then she was missing a kill. If she wasn't missing a kill she was saying stupid things to her clanmates. When would she finally figure out how to be normal again? As an apprentice she'd been alright, more or less, but now she was just...a mess. She didn't know what to say and so she said the wrong things. She got scared at the lightest touch and felt pain in her dreams so badly it took her a while when she woke up to figure out if it was real. Why was she so messed up? Was it all Stingclaw or was she always this...wrong? Maybe Stingclaw had been right all along and she was just...weak? The thought made Dawnflower want to throw up as she ran. She liked to think that if it hadn't been for Stingclaw she might have amounted to something eventually, been a queen if nothing else. Now no tom would come near her without pity in their eyes and even then they kept a distance. She couldn't fight and seldom killed prey, her own apprentice was physically stronger than her. Dawnflower closed her eyes tight as she ran, the wind and rain lashing at her sides. Why did she have to be like this? Tagged;; Rapidfire Word Count;; 1128 Background Song;; "Broken" by Lifehouse Notes;; <3