{these days of grace}thistledown

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i56.tinypic.com/6945r8.jpg ] SUNLIGHT dappled the ground as heavy paws walked the well worn path, narrow though it may be, with silence and deadly grace. Held up by the large paws and muscular pillars was a handsome male tiger, his pelt rippling subtly, the black stripes always seeming to be in motion as the muscles moved. Eyes of vivid gold pierced the shady undergrowth that flourished beneath the dense canopy. Following the hunting tiger like a banner was a long black striped-ringed tail. In all Blazeheart appeared to be a fine specimen of what it meant to be a member of TigerClan. Powerful, graceful, silent, deadly. Normally during these high noon hours, this particular tom would be slinking through the undergrowth in search of decent prey. At the moment however he had a different quest on his mind. Right now it was patrolling that was Blazeheart's duty. Being the TigerClan deputy, he made regular trips around the territory between the sunhigh and evening patrols just to double-check the borders and make sure nothing unusual was missed. He didn't necessarily doubt the ability of the warriors he sent on the patrols but it was good for the mind to get out of camp and simply take some time to know the land. LEAPING with ease across a narrow and shallow creek, Blazeheart paused to listen. Around him the forest was alive with noise. Birds chirped, a breeze rustled the ferns, somewhere nearby a deer grazed unaware of the close predator. For the moment Blazeheart let the deer be and continued along his path, wandering toward the section of territory not bordered by another clan. This border was one he frequented almost daily, always on the look out for loners or rogues sneaking meals from clan territory. It had also happened on occasion that a kit was abandoned on this border by a poor mother. Those were Blazheart's least favorite finds, and not because he had a soft heart for orphans. Most of the orphans were kits of other sorts, not tigers by blood. He was always loath to take them to Dragonstar and groaned inwardly every time one was brought into camp by a patrol. THOSE kits were often kept, and even the ones that were tigers would always have Blazeheart's disapproval. They were loners and rogues by blood and thus it was in their nature to be traitors and disregard the warrior code. All of this he naturally had to keep quiet since Dragonstar was a rogue by blood. Blazeheart never spoke his opinions aloud, knowing that if he wished to keep his position he had to mind his tongue more often than not. It was a pitiful thing, having to take orders from a leader that seldom spoke a word to any other cat in the clan. It went to prove Blazeheart's theory that rogue and loner kits made poor warriors. A true leader was amongst his warriors, doing the work with them, communicating with them to encourage trust and inspire loyalty. SNORTING to himself as he approached the unattended border, Blazeheart began his trek along it. He hadn't gone thirty tail-lengths when he came across a scent that brought him up short. DRAGONSTAR. STOPPING, Blazeheart inspected the scent. It was old, perhaps this morning or late last night. Twitching his ears the TigerClan deputy looked around. No one in sight. Deciding this was worth investigating, if it was a loner Dragonstar had pursued he would have to be alert for it to try an get across the border again, Blazeheart followed Dragonstar's scent away from TigerClan's interior lands. He passed another small creek and came upon a clearing where Dragonstar's scent meshed with that of a few loners. The foliage in the clearing was disrupted, grass ripped up in some places and even the fading scent of old blood. Satisfied whomever Dragonstar had found had been properly dealt with, Blazeheart was about to go back toward the territory when a scent made him freeze. A lioness. A LionClan lioness. WHIPPING around, the deputy stalked toward the place where the old scent was strongest. Right next to it was a strong pool of Dragonstar's scent. THE fur on the back of Blazeheart's neck began to rise and a low growl rumbled in his chest. His jaw tensed and his amber eyes turned dangerous. WHAT was this? Tagged;; Thistledown Word Count;; 721 Background Song;; "Just Like You" by Three Days Grace Notes;; ^^

[`echo !?]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/thistletable2.png] [scrolly:h(306),w(216),sy]WITH heavy paws and a silent yawn, the gray/blue tiger trudged on throughout the brush. His head slung low and his muscles rippling carefully as he stepped carefully. He was careful where he placed his paws, trying to keep the sound level of those massive paws as low as possible. His nose twitched with precision as he scented for anything odd within the area, his golden eyes shifting back and forth. NOT out for any particular reason, except with the aim to just explore the area further rather than hunt or patrol at the moment, he moved on, tail streaming behind him as he caught the scent of something odd. The scent of a rogue leopard and the scent of that crazy coot- Copperpelt. But obviously the rogue had left by now, the scent was days old. The coot must have sent her away, there was no blood so obviously he didn't fight her. The tabby tiger was always a gentle one. THISTLEDOWN turned his head and his ears perked, mouth opening to scent the air further as he caught the smell of his former mentor. WHAT was the older tiger doing? With soft, curious pawsteps, he planned to sneak up on the other, lowering close to his stomach. Eyes focused as if he was stalking prey and his mentor was an unsuspecting deer, he continued on, silent, watching him through the bushes. Why did he seem so angry? He could see the tense-ness in the larger tiger's jaw, and he could feel the tension in the air rise. He didn't dare make himself known yet. [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i56.tinypic.com/6945r8.jpg ] BLACK-tipped ears twitched as Blazeheart turned his head barely a whisker's wideth. The stale smell of Dragonstar and the foreign lioness twisted in his nose but instinct told him he was no longer alone. If it was Dragonstar, he would be compelled by the warrior code to confront his leader and demand an explaination. If it was a common enemy they had faced, they would have quickly parted ways. They wouldn't have stayed long enough for their scents to be this strong for hours afterward. Blazeheart's long hooked claws slid out and sank into the grass, flexing as he waited. Nothing moved. It wasn't Dragonstar. The leader was known to slink through the shadows but he surely couldn't be so shameful as to think if he stayed hidden that Blazeheart would go back to camp and leave it be? Opening his mouth, Blazeheart breathed in, drawing the scents around him over his scent palate. THISTLEDOWN. A soft sigh escaped the tom, silent and unnoticable. "Come out Thistledown, no need to hide in the shadows like you have something to hide." LASHING his tail, Blazeheart turned away from the accusing scent. No need to spread this through the clan. Thistledown was his former apprentice and a fair companion, but until he spoke with Dragonstar about this incident, he would not spread it amongst the clan. Thistledown would no doubt keep the secret but still, Blazeheart was wary. Was Thistledown in on this? Why else would the blue tiger come out this far when not many apart from specifically instructed patrols, Blazeheart and apparently Dragonstar seldom did? Lashing his tail to and fro, Blazeheart padded toward where he saw a bare flicker of movement, a flicker of blue-grey fur. "YOU'VE gotten better since your time as my apprentice, much quieter," Blazeheart commented, slipping through the ferns and reclining on his haunches, keeping himself between the clearing and Thistledown without making it look like he was. This had to be contained and investigated before it spread and caused true damage to TigerClan. Blazeheart would not allow the clan to be led by a loner that was messing around with a lioness of all things that was also in a clan. It would mean war and potential destruction and bloodshed. For now...for now Blazeheart would focus on damage control. If Thistledown had come here without Blazeheart, he may have found the area and then...well, who knows what would have happened. He knows Thistledown owuldn't have told anyone, save maybe himself, but still...Blazeheart was glad to have found it first. Tagged;; Thistledown Word Count;; 425 Background Song;; "Neon Moon" by Brooks & Dunn Notes;; Not a good post, I'm sleepy and still trying to get into Blazeheart's character

[`echo !?]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/thistletable2.png] [scrolly:h(306),w(216),sy]THISTLEDOWN'S ears laid back against his skull when he realized he'd been found, stepping slightly out of the brush with carefully aimed paws. He should have just come out before his former mentor had noticed him, it would have been much more gratifying and a much less of a blow to his pride. PUFFING out his cheeks and chest, he sat down in view and shook his fur, eyes shutting just briefly. While his tail wrapped around his paws, he opened his mouth and spoke. "I have nothing to hide. I was going to sneak up on you," he corrected Blazeheart in an almost playful manner, his right ear twitching with the tone in his voice. But- his thoughts were running wild at the moment. WHAT was Blazeheart doing over here? It was not often that the other would stop and grow so angry at the edge of the territory that did not border any other clans. He didn't get to voice his confusion and somewhat concern though, as the other tiger complimented him. BEAMING with pride, he let out a rumbling purr, whiskers twitching with gratitude. He loved compliments- but they could be considered a liability for him due to the fact the eagerly fed his ego. "I'VE been working on it. I remember you telling me I was too noisy and clumsy," he reminisced, yet quickly changed the subject, trying to turn it into something playful, his furry eyebrow raised, a grin forming on his jaws. "SO, what's got you so worked up? You looked like you were about to pounce on that dirt. Ants?" he questioned curiously, not quite assuming it was ants, more suggesting than anything. He suspected it had been a scent- due to the fact he had scented Copperpelt and that other cat (otherwise he would have probably not thought of that). But if his mentor appeared to be wanting to avoid it, he would not bug him for an answer. ((Eep, this is terrible XD I need to work on my writing. XP)) [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i56.tinypic.com/6945r8.jpg ] BLAZEHEART wasn't fool enough to believe his praise would fully distract Thistledown. The younger warrior had an easily inflated ego, one Blazeheart had seldom fed during their apprentice unless praise was due. He hadn't totally starved Thistledown of praise, but he wasn't one of those mentors that only focused on encouragement. After all, an apprentice had to know where they were going wrong before they could do anything properly. Simply feeding them praise created weak warriors that still had no idea where they were going wrong. Thankfully, it seemed Blazeheart had found a good balance of praise and punishment between his two apprentices. The first had been Thistledown and the second, Cedarstripe. In all, the clan praised him for turning out fine warriors, though Blazeheart thought little of it. Apprentices were apprentices and they required teaching. "YOU were as clumsy as a deer on three legs," Blazeheart rumbled, not an aggressive growl simply his normal rumbling voice. It was a voice that intimidated many a kit and embolded many a warrior, giving them confidence because if it was one thing Blazeheart portrayed it was confidence and control of almost any situation. WHEN Thistledown mentioned the scent, Blazeheart pondered for a minute if he should share his suspicions with Thistledown. Thistledown was a cat that would take secrets to the grave, especially if told by his former mentor not to share. He had seen many times when Thistledown was a fantastic confidant. It would be worth having someone know, having someone to help keep an eye on Dragonstar in search of suspicious behavior. If Dragonstar refused to tell Blazeheart why he had been with a LionClan lioness, he would have to handle things himself. It was a position Blazeheart was used to, after all his claws weren't blood-free, but it wasn't one he favored. "A scent has unsettled me," Blazeheart informed his former apprentice. "It is something I will need...to discuss...with Dragonstar." TAKING a step to the right, Blazeheart swept his tail and pushed aside a fern so that Thistledown could move into the clearing. It was an invitation without words for Thistledown to invesitgate for himself what unsettled his mentor so. Every cat in TigerClan knew that anything that unsettled Blazeheart was something to be noted and made cautious of since he was a cat of few cautions. He feared little and even when he did, he would face it without hesitation. This too he would face, though its handling would have to be done with great care. Tagged;; Thistledown Word Count;; 418 Background Song;; "Here I Am" by Bryan Adams Notes;; ^^

[`echo !?]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/thistletable2.png] [scrolly:h(306),w(216),sy]THISTLEDOWN knew he wasn't going to get further praise from his mentor than what he had received moments before, so when he heard him say he had been clumsy, he wasn't surprised in the least. He had been really clumsy as an apprentice. But Blazeheart had been tough on him when he was an apprentice- not that he had expected special treatment or anything better. Or anything less for that matter. HE had wanted a tough mentor ever since he realized they were going to become apprentices, then warriors. He had even gone to Dragonstar to make sure he got someone hard around the edges- someone who wouldn't go easy on him. Of course, he hadn't requested anyone, he just asked if he could make sure he got someone who would do their best to work him hard. He didn't want to be soft, he wanted to be the best he could be, and show it to ev-ery-one. "YEAH, I was pretty clumsy," he agreed with an amused smirk on his face, whiskers pulled back, as if he was silently laughing. "But at least I wasn't as bad as you when you're grumpy," he added playfully, but allowed the subject to be changed before he made the older grumpy by saying that- or something. YET, he had not expected for the other tiger to say that. Something had unsettled him? That was rare- and definitely a concerning matter. His ears went back against his head in surprise at what what Blazeheart said, slinking forward, close to the ground. Moving through the opening that the other's tail held open for him, he started sniffing at the ground. It was stale... but there was something there... Rogues.. and.. DRAGONSTAR? What had he been doing over here? With a glance at Blazeheart, he returned to sniffing, knowing that that couldn't be the only thing. That wouldn't have troubled his former mentor in that way... wait, that! There it was! A lioness? But surely his leader and a lioness couldn't have been here together... Sniffing harder, he could tell- they'd been there the same time. And for quite some while for the scent to stay this long. WITH his fur rising on his back and bristling and his ears against his head still, he looked back to Blazeheart. What was going on? [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i56.tinypic.com/6945r8.jpg ] BURNING amber orbs followed Thistledown as the Maltese tiger slunk forward with his belly close to the ground, passing Blazeheart and moving into the clearing. Turning his orange and black frame, Blazeheart took a few steps so that he too stood in the clearing as his gaze tracked Thistledown's investigation of the area. He knew that his words had surprised Thistledown, they would surprise anyone. TigerClan's deputy was known for his unshakable attitude, for his confidence in the situation and how to handle it without causing additional damage to anyone in a delicate position. For his former apprentice of all cats to hear that Blazeheart was unsettled by his findings, well, it was obvious it was not without due cause. At least with Thistledown, this encounter wouldn't necessarily be spread throughout the clan like a wildfire in the depths of a dry summer. That would simply be too soon to spread the sorts of rumors something like this could produce. The situation was still too unknown. THE question in Thistledown's eyes was as clear as the blue in the warrior's fur when he looked at Blazeheart. Reclining on his haunches, Blazeheart wrapped his black-banded tail around his side so that it laid just over his front paws. He kept his gaze steady and his face clear of his stormy, wary thoughts. "THIS is...unusual, though not unheard of," Blazeheart said calmly, almost going into his former teaching mode, as though Thistledown was still Thistlepaw and lived in his shadow. "Other clan cats have assisted in fighting loners or rogues before when they find only one warrior defending the border. However, they do not traditionally linger. This is only one sighting, only scents, and the first I've smelled of such a lioness near our borders." Sharp gold orbs found Thistledown's gaze. "Think of this as a training exercise Thistledown and tell me, what is it you think we should do?" BLAZEHEART knew what he should do and he also knew what he wanted to do. The two went hand in hand more or less but it never hear to recieve input from outside sources. Thistledown, even since his apprenticeship, had been a tiger of good sense and powerfully strong loyalty. He was also exposed to the general warrior population of TigerClan more than Blazeheart and the relationship of warrior to warrior was different than that of warrior to deputy. Thistledown would think more along the lines of what the general population of the clan would want done if it was one of them that came across this place and found this unsettling scent. It would influence Blazeheart's decision, perhaps solidifying his decision or making him rethink it, but it never hurt to hear another voice. Tagged;; Thistledown Word Count;; 453 Background Song;; "Hell" by Disturbed Notes;; short because it's early in the morning, i'm still half asleep and i've been awake for about 24 hours straight xD

[`echo !?]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/thistletable2.png] [scrolly:h(306),w(216),sy]THOUGH Thistledown was worried at this finding, he did not plan to tell anyone- wondering if Blazeheart knew that. He had to, if he trusted him with this kind of information. WITH ears back still, he wondered, why shouldn't he tell anyone? No- he would not betray his former mentor like that, nor would he want a general panic. The clan would probably banish Dragonstar or something crazy and that would put Tigerclan at too much risk with the other clans at their border. With his tail lashing slightly, he reclined back, sheathing and unsheathing his claws, tearing up some of the grass at his paws. HE hid his loss for words, trying to relax his tail by curling it tightly around his legs, just above his front paws- not wanting it to get in the way of his claws. He listened to the orange tiger, surely feeling like an apprentice again. It felt like he had shrunk- like he was smaller again and had just been given a task he would have thought to been hard back then. With a brief moment of thought, he decided on his answer- "We should not tell anyone right away..." He paused, thinking about it. "I don't think we should not say anything to Dragonstar as well. Not right away at least. We must know if Dragonstar is just a traitor.. or more. We should wait- and see if he comes back to this spot. If he does not, we'll mention it to him right away. But what good comes with telling him now? He'll just deny it, or come up with some excuse. We'll never know if he was planning it again. We could have a leader who is betraying the clan and warrior code more than we expected, but we won't know for sure unless he does it again... right?" He was unsure if that was the kind of answer Blazeheart wanted. In all honesty, he wanted to face his leader right away, demand to know what was going on. But what did one measly, stale scent prove? It's him repeating the action that will prove their suspicions. [/scrolly]

[Bast]

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[atrb=background,http://i56.tinypic.com/6945r8.jpg ] BLACK rimmed auds perked as the blue-grey warrior gave his answer. Outwardly, Blazeheart appeared to merely be listening. To the untrained eye, or to someone from outside of TigerClan, it would almost look like he was frowning upon Thistledown. To those that knew him however, especially those that he had trained, they would know that it was not so. Blazeheart was not a cat to show much by way of outward emotion. He wasn't as closed off as Dragonstar but he wasn't exuberant in praise, punishment or otherwise unless it was absolutely necessary or the situation was especially dire. Thistledown, as one of the cats to know Blazeheart the longest, would see the faint flicker of approval in his former mentor's bright amber gaze followed by a very small nod of assent. It was barely noticable, save for to the eyes of those closest to him. Though such felines were few and far in between, they did exist and Blazeheart knew Thistledown was used to his mentor's subtle approval. After all, if anyone asked him who his deputy would be if he became TigerClan's leader, there was never a contest. THERE were few cats Blazeheart would battle alongside with and trust to watch his back. "THERE is good sense in your plan," Blazeheart said at last, the very tip of his tail twitching at its resting place on his front paws. "I won't put additional patrols here, in case these meetings continue. We need proof, not necessarily to disrupt anything quite yet. The next time Dragonstar goes on a patrol, I would like you to accompany him. If you would like, have another warrior along as well but tell no one of what has been found here. Between the two of us, we will keep an eye on our leader, for his own safety of course. He must not know and Dragonstar is perceptive so you must guard yourself well. When you are near him, don't even think of this meeting, he will see it in your eyes, distrust, no matter how much you try to hide it." TO some it would seem like Blazeheart was going a little far to tell Thistledown not even to think of this place near Dragonstar but he knew it was true. Dragonstar was an alert leader, dangerously perceptive and intelligent despite the handicap of his rogue blood. At times, Blazeheart almost found it worrying to think that if his leader had been born a clan cat, his intelligence may have been even greater. Still, despite the rogue handicap, Blazeheart was not one to under estimate those under his observation. It was not a mistake he was going to let Thistledown make, not with something so delicate. Thistledown had learned a lot from Blazeheart, but there was still a vast difference between the two toms and there always would be. Steadfast and loyal to the point of death, Thistledown had not bloodied his claws without an order or neutralized a potential threat without consulting a leader. Those were the things deputies had to do if they truly wished to ensure the wellbeing of the clan. After all, Dragonstar would never do it, too detached from his clan to plot such things, much less authorize them. It was simply easier to skip all the hassle and have the problem handled without bothering the 'leader'. RISING to stand, Blazeheart swept his tail from left to right as his amber gaze tracked around the clearing. "The moment you find a hint of anything out of place, wait until the dead of the night to find me and tell me. The clan does not need to know about this just yet." ORDERS given, Blazeheart turned and moved into the undergrowth. With a flick of his orange and black tail, he disappeared into the ferns, bushes and towering trees. Tagged;; Thistledown Word Count;; 640 Background Song;; "Dirty Little Secret" by All-American Rejects Notes;; ^^