Fit for a Q U E E N , [open!]

[ωнιskuяz]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/2e1rn0h.jpg] [scrolly:h(249),w(230),sy] A low, deep growl resonated up into the air and bounced between the trunks of two twin trees, disappearing up through their numerous branches that reached to the sky, leafy fingers extending upward to grasp the sky and feel the clouds. The serene silence of the grassland continued on, a silence that stretched on for what seemed like leagues, creating a peaceful atmosphere that would probably bring a calm happiness into anyone who stepped paw in the tall grass. With a soft huff, the source of the growl stirred in her sleep, sleek golden tail tip twitching slightly. Goldenpelt had been looking for a quiet place to sit and anticipate the arrival of her cubs when she'd dozed off for a rather noisy catnap on one of the lower branches of the two trees that stood side-by-side in the middle of the grassy territory. Her intention hadn't been to nap, but the calm buzz of the area infiltrated her mind, sending Goldenpelt into a downward spiraling fatigue. Amber eyes fought to stay open, but sleep's call was much louder than the silence around her, and the she-cat was asleep almost instantly. With the birth of her kits coming in the next couple of quarter-months, Goldenpelt's sleep had become more fitful with their constant moving and her undying curiosity to see them. Not to mention the sooner they were born, the sooner she would stop being such a grouchy old bag of bones. She knew she was moody and touchy; how could she not? Goldenpelt wasn't a big fan of snapping at everyone and was very ready to go back to her cheerful self, this time with the added pleasantries of having babies to look after. With another snort, Goldenpelt's body shifted on the thick branch she was napping on, and suddenly the balance was thrown off. She started to fall, slowly at first. Just as her body was about to plummet like a rock toward the grassy earth below, vertigo kicked in and Goldie jolted awake, her senses on high alert. She gave a fierce growl, confused as to what had woken her up. The sensation of falling soon followed, and she thrust her large paws out, frantically trying to find the tree branch that was now trying to buck her off. With a loud scratch her dark daggers cut into the bark, her strong shoulders holding up up. She swung there, suspended in the air as the grass below tickled at her bottom paws. She sighed, annoyed. With a roll of the eyes, the large she-cat retracted her claws and plopped down on the earth, getting her bearings. She placed one paw on her swollen stomach, checking to be sure she didn't injure herself. When everything seemed to check out fine, Goldenpelt shook her head, ridding her mind of the cobwebs of sleep. Amber orbs took in the world around her, auds flicking to pick up noise. It didn't seem she'd been asleep all that long; the sun had hardly moved across the sky at all. But she felt much more refreshed and revived, and Goldenpelt placed her maw to the ground, deciding to give hunting a shot. [/scrolly]

[snowtuft]

The hot sun burned into his golden pelt, making the male feel like he was on fire. It was an unpleasant feeling, one he didn't like. His large paws glided softly over the ground, scarcely making a sound as he hunted. Ahead of him was a large herd of wildebeest. His amber eyes focused on his target, a large, healthy cow. He focused on her until nothing else existed in the world but him and her. He narrowed his eyes and crept forward. Finally within striking distance, he exploded out of cover and pelted toward the herd. They bellowed and screamed as they bolted from Blackstar. He roared as he neared his target, his legs pumping and pushing him forward, faster, with every paw step. He leaped with his powerful hind legs and landed squarely on the cow's back, digging his long, sharp claws deep into her flesh. Blood seeped from the puncture wounds as he crawled carefully up her back, all the while the cow bucked hard and strong. He fell off and tumbled to the ground, regaining his footing and running after the injured prey all in a heartbeat. He charged and tripped her, pouncing as she fell to the ground with a bellow of fear and pain. He gave the killing bite and licked his bloody lips. He looked around, flicking his tail once and dragging the limp body to cover. He saw a lioness in the distance and scented the air. Goldenpaw. He thought about the name, trying to remember which of his warriors it was. Ah! The expecting queen. he shook his pelt and dragged the prey to her. It took awhile, but he did. He dropped it in front of her. Hello, Goldenpaw. With kits on the way, I suspect you are hungry. he said softly, laying down beside her. He was trying to be nice, he knew too well how much queens had to eat to deliver healthy kits. He had a mate once, and she had stillborn kits, except for one, very weak kit. He knew it was because she hadn't eaten enough to keep them healthy till birth. The living kit died soon after being born. He wasn't going to let that pain torture Goldenpaw. He believed she would be a good mother, no matter how young she was.

[ωнιskuяz]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/2e1rn0h.jpg] [scrolly:h(249),w(230),sy] Pointed auds flicking, Goldenpelt caught the sound of a small stampede, and her large head swung around, searching for the cause of the sudden alarm. She scanned the tall grasses, knowing the stance of those wildebeests meant there was a hunter around. She'd taken down her fair share of the delicious creatures and had learned to read them, like all other members of the clan. While it typically took them time to spot a predator and typically don't see them until it was too late, lions were capable of spotting their kin from a distance away. They had to be able to, in order to properly hunt. As a group, getting food was much easier and went unbelievably faster, even for the most skilled of cats. It was how they thrived so well; if they couldn't see their partners' actions, they couldn't cooperate. She spied a large male with a thick, dark mane chasing after a rather juicy looking cow. Goldenpelt's mouth watered at the sight, and she was tempted to aid in the take down of the female wildebeest. Before she could make up her mind as to whether or not she should intrude on the male's hunt, he pounced upon her back and made a rather deep gash, then another, and yet another. From here, she didn't need his scent to identify him, though it soon wafted through the air and met her powerful nose. Blackstar, her clan leader. Though she was hungry, she knew she should let Blackstar finish this hunt himself. Besides, the cow wouldn't last much longer now that her back was torn to ribbons like that. Sitting back on her haunches, Goldenpelt's auds flicked around more, taking in the scene of her leader and his kill. He had a bit of trouble as she tossed him off, but she was no match for a lion - much less a lion like Blackstar. Goldie was a large lioness indeed, and Blackstar was larger than her. Of course, that was nature's will; she had yet to meet a grown male smaller than she, but it didn't change she was large for her gender and age. Not to mention her swollen belly added extra size to her that wasn't really there. As Blackstar dealt the killing bite, Goldenpelt decided it was time to stop gawking at her leader's kill; after all, he wasn't currently out to share it with anyone, else he would be hunting with others. She didn't doubt he would bring leftovers back to the rest of them, but he would get first pick of the juiciest parts. She turned her back and scanned the horizon, trying to catch the scent of some other pray nearby. After Blackstar's attack, the wildebeests would be much too riled up and on the look for more predators to let another attack take one of their own. The she-cat would have to settle for something else, though she could smell the kill from her place beneath the trees and envied her leader for his meal. She stood to walk in another direction when a scraping sound caught her attention and she turned, golden orbs curious. Blackstar and his kill suddenly materialized behind her and he dropped it, inviting her to eat. Though she had hoped to have a little more solitude, she was grateful and dipped her head respectfully. "Thank you, Blackstar," she said in a tone that betrayed her surprise at his offer. "With kits to feed, it feels like I'm hardly taking the time to feed myself." She glanced at the kill. "That was quite a fast kill for a solo hunter," she added as she lowered her head to the wildebeest, sniffing out the tender meat along her spine before tearing in for a bite. [/scrolly]

[snowtuft]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/blackstartable2.png] Blackstar purred. You are very welcome, Goldenpelt. He silenced himself as she spoke some more. Well, Goldenpelt, I don't tell a lot of others about my past, but I'll share some of it with you. He offered, then his eyes softened a little bit. When I was younger, I had a mate. The most beautiful lioness on the plains. Her name was Shadefur because she was a grey-white lioness. She was kind to all, not an ounce of mean in her. Well, I fell in love with you, and she fell in love with me. We had kits, but she didn't feed herself enough because she was so loyal to the clan she didn't believe she could eat without making sure the clan was fed first. Well, when it came to time for our kits to join LionClan... His eyes darkened with pain and fury. All but one of the kits were stillborne, but the living kit was deathly ill. She didn't make it through the night, that kit. Shadefur had named her Onekit, because she was the only one in the litter to survive the birth. Half a moon later, Shadefur caught green cough and died after three sun rises. He sighed, his eyes closed tightly as if he were reliving the memory, as if it were happening all over again right in front of his golden eyes. I lost the only living creatures I ever loved. His voice was shaky with the memory as it burned in his mind and in his eyes. Since then, I had closed my heart to all, building a barrier around my emotions in hope to keep out all pain. I couldn't bear it once, let alone twice. He sighed heavily and seemed to stare into the depths of the savannah as if he could see Shadefur out there somewhere. Now, every night I look into that starry sky and I wonder, Is Shadefur and our kits up there? Are they watching over me? He cleared his throat. But that was the past, Goldenpelt, and I can't see myself ever loving again, to be honest. I don't want to relive that pain. And it all happened because she didn't eat enough. So, eat it all if you wish, I don't want you to feel the pain that I have. He shook his head and looked at her with sincere eyes. OOC: I was thinking that since Blackstar shared some of his secret past, that he and Goldenpelt can grow really close as good friends, maybe?

[ωнιskuяz]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/2e1rn0h.jpg] [scrolly:h(249),w(230),sy] Goldenpelt stared at Blackstar a moment, completely caught off-guard. Of all the things she'd expected from her leader, his life story wasn't one of them. In fact, she could scarcely remember hearing him talk this much ever, much less about something as personal and close to heart as his mate and kits. In fact, Goldenpelt was a little shocked that it had happened like that. She knew of his tragic history of course, but she'd had no idea it had gone down in that manor. She couldn't decide how to respond, and knew she looked as surprised as she felt. Her heart went out to him though, and she wanted to comfort him. The only problem was, what did one say to something like that? With it being such a sensitive issue, she was sure to look like a complete pile of rat dung if she wasn't careful about her response to him. Was he looking for her to open up to him, as well? She normally wasn't one to do that so suddenly, and with her pregnancy making her a touchy, grouchy mess, she hardly felt up to sharing her inner thoughts and feelings. But she wasn't an idiot, and she surely wasn't blind. It had really hurt him to relate the story to her; Blackstar rarely opened up his iron-clad defenses and let anyone in, and she knew she should be honored that he told her. Much less the fact he'd told her without her asking him. She knew it was just the hormones of her pregnancy speaking, but she was kind of annoyed that he'd taken the initiative to actually tell her his story. She hadn't asked; she hadn't needed much encouragement to eat. Goldenpelt knew how important it was to eat while pregnant, no coaxing was truly necessary. But she was grateful that he'd opened up to her. She didn't know why he'd done it and she wasn't sure if he'd be angry for it later, but either way, she'd appreciated the look into his past. She nodded, deciding to at least say something in the desire to say something at all, over staying silent to avoid hurting his feelings. "I understand," she said in as comforting a tone as she had. "Don't worry, I'll eat enough to make sure my kits are fatter than ticks and happier than the birds in the sky. I know the pain of losing a kit, although I've never had them of my own before now. I'm sure you know of my family, yes?" She took a moment to unsheathe her dangerous claws and dig through the fur of the wildebeest's back, just above the tail where the meet was succulent and juicy. "I had two brothers more than I do now, if you remember? I may not have been a parent, but to lose the siblings I was closest to...I do understand the loss of loved ones. The murderous misunderstanding with a bear is not the same as losing mate and young to starvation, but it's still the same pain." As she broke through the tough upper layer of fur and skin, Goldenpelt lowered her powerful maw to the juicy meat and took a large chunk of flesh from the carcass of the kill, chewing it a little to be sure it would go down her throat without getting lodged. She'd normally have taken a smaller bite and swallowed mostly whole, but with his worry about her eating enough, it seemed only right she eat in larger chunks. Besides, she felt a little guilty that he'd made this kill for himself and ended up giving it to her. [/scrolly]

[snowtuft]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/blackstartable2.png] Blackstar stared at Goldenpelt and sighed. She looked quite shocked. What? She was a loyal member of LionClan! She wanted the best for them and I tell you this and all you do is stare at me like I've grown a second head! This is why I don't share my past with anyone. Anger grew inside Blackstar with every word that escaped his powerful jaws. He stood tall and glanced at Goldenpelt before padding away, his paw steps heavy with anger, but also grief, as memories of Shadefur flashed in his mind. Her beautiful white pelt, her amber eyes, her sweet, sweet voice, her irrisistable, and very comforting scent. Blackstar had been in love then, and in a short time, he had lost three of his greatest achievements as if they had never existed. He stopped as pain seared his heart like a thorn that refused to come loose. He dipped his head with bared teeth as he came atop a hill. He looked at the darkening sky, Silverpelt coming into view. He sighed as he looked at the area around him. Suddenly, he saw mist swirling in front of him. It took the shape of his mate, Shadefur. Shadefur... He whispered, his eyes tight with pain. It is okay to feel pain, Blackstar. But don't take it out on your friends. Shadefur's voice murmured in his ear as her form started to dissolve. Shadefur! No! Come back! He begged. Come back. He whispered, closing his eyes with his head drooping. He looked back toward where he had left Goldenpelt and sprinted back to her. Luckily she was still there. Goldenpelt! I am sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just... Losing Shadefur was really hard on me, and I still feel the pain of losing her and my kits. Please, I'm asking you as a friend, forgive me? He begged, crouching low like a kit being scolded for doing something wrong.

[ωнιskuяz]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/2e1rn0h.jpg] [scrolly:h(249),w(230),sy] Of all the things she'd expected to hear her leader say in response to her own insight to her past and feelings, what he said was not at all what she'd expected. He could have sat there silently and watched her eat; he could have said something comforting or nice to let her know he'd heard and understood her. Hell, he could have leaned over and hugged her to comfort himself with the feeling of someone there, as shocking and unlikely as that would have been. But no. Instead he ignored what Goldenpelt said about her own loss and snapped at her for her shock at his sudden word-vomit that explained much about why he was who he was these days. She'd never heard his story told that way, and she could tell how much he had loved his mate and Onekit. He snarled and turned around, practically throwing her own feelings in her face as if they weren't important. Her nose wrinkled and her sharp daggers bared at his back as he stomped away. For as good of a leader as Blackstar was, he really needed to work on his socialization skills. The queen was so angry she forgot to take another bite of food and instead stood glaring after her heart-broken leader. How dare he just ignore what she felt over his own feelings? This was a prime example of why females were just as strong, if not stronger, than males! Here he was, pouting and throwing a fit about something and she was the one being mature, the one that was so angry she could say so many things she couldn't take back. But Goldenpelt held her tongue. It wasn't her place to chastise her leader, even though she had been the one he'd offended. Her wasn't her place to speak up against Blackstar and his moment of insanity, though she felt he could have used a nice thick paw to the head to get himself back in order. When he turned around and came back, she tried to erase as much of the anger and hurt off her face as she could, but she could tell the air between them was tight now, tense. He asked for her forgiveness, again making her head reel a little. He was the leader, but he was asking her forgiveness as an equal. Blackstar, you are a strange one... Though her blood was still boiling, Goldenpelt gave her leader a stiff nod. She knew how the pain of loss could change a lion. But that gave him no right to snap at her like that and act as though her own loss didn't matter as his did. "You're forgiven," she said stiffly, "so long as you forgive me for sharing my own past, Blackstar. I'm sorry, I hadn't realized you didn't want to hear it." She knew it was a bit rude, especially since he'd already apologized, but Yellowpaw and Thunderpaw had been her closest siblings. She'd overcome their death and her own near-death experience and become the strong, fearless warrior she was today. She'd learned to let go and move on, to focus on what was important and go for what she needed. But that didn't mean she didn't miss them terribly. And with her own kits on the way, she was terrified that something might happen to them like what had happened to herself and her brothers. Her parents could handle the loss of two of their young; Goldenpelt wasn't sure she could. [/scrolly]

[snowtuft]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/blackstartable2.png] Blackstar nodded back and gave her a single lick in the ear. I just want you to know, though, Goldenpelt. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only animal that has suffered the loss of ones I love. I just need to realize... I'm not alone. He sighed. I am terribly sorry about what happened to you. He opened his mouth to say more when he heard a deep growl from up ahead. He perked his ears and automatically got up and stood in front of Goldenpelt, his stance saying 'Back off, you don't want to mess with me.' What he saw was a large, black leopard, her pale green eyes dark with hatred and anger. Blackstar bared his teeth and lashed his tail. The leopard just stared, her tail lashing as well. With ears back, Blackstar waited for the other predator to do something. He didn't ever just launch into a fight. He scented the air. The cat didn't have any clan scent. Loner, but by the ungroomed pelt it could be a rogue too. He muttered to Goldenpelt. Never call me a rogue. The leopard leaped at Blackstar, shoving him off balance and scratched at his face. Blackstar stumbled, but regained his paws, swiping at the legs to knock her to the ground. She snarled and battered at belly. Blackstar growled, but ignored the pain. He was defending not only himself, but Goldenpelt as well. He slashed his large claws at the attacker's face and, with a yowl, she retreated. Now stay out of LionClan territory! Blackstar's thunderous roar echoed after the leopard. He turned to Goldenpelt, blood streaming over his left eye. Are you alright? The male asked, concerned for Goldenpelt's health and safety. OOC: Honestly, I was half asleep when I read your reply and didn't realize she spoke of her family. I am soooo sorry! lD

[ωнιskuяz]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/2e1rn0h.jpg] [scrolly:h(249),w(230),sy] Though not unkindly, Goldenpelt leaned slightly, causing her leader's large tongue to only clip her ear, allowing him to show the affection he so rarely displayed while at the same time keeping her distance from it. She was still angry he'd reacted that way, regardless of the pain he felt for his mate. Before she could reply, however, the world sped up and suddenly he was defending her, a black leopard being so obviously out of place on their territory. Though every fiber of her being screamed and screeched for her to join in the fight and help her leader tear the trespasser to shreds, Goldenpelt fought the urge that had been so well ingrained in her mind in her years as a warrior and apprentice. Her pregnancy and the life of her kits was much more important than aiding Blackstar in something he was able to do himself. There was really no need to endanger the life of her and Dusk's unborn kits to simply get in the male's way. So instead, the queen sat off to the side, hackles razed, her deep mocha eyes glaring hostile messages at the invader. Claws unsheathed, she could feel herself etching deep marks in the skin of the earth beneath her paws, but she ignored it; if the loner took one step toward her and her unborn babies, they would be buzzard food in one swipe, so help her. Fangs bared, she watched as Blackstar gained the upper paw and the leopard rushed off, saving her own hide. Though the fight was over, Goldie continued to glare after her, fur on edge and paws nearly sinking in the unearthed dirt. With a growl deep in her chest, the queen finally tore her eyes away from the receding back of the trespasser and back to her leader. "I'm fine," she roughly spat. "Trash," she muttered, staring after the intruder though they were totally out of sight now. She lowered her head back to the carcass and sank her sharp teeth as deep in the fatty issues of the hip as she could get it. When she wrenched her jaw, a large chunk of tissues and muscle ripped away from the rest of the skin and dangled from the queen's mouth. She sat it on the ground with a heavy thud and shook her head, fur sending dirt flying. She leaned down and picked off more easily swallowed bites. ooc; sorry it took so long to put this up. I wasn't really sure where to go with your last post, lol. [/scrolly]

[snowtuft]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/blackstartable2.png] Blackstar growled softly as he sat down and rubbed a paw over his eye, getting the blood away from his eye so he could see. He sniffed at his paw curiously and just grumbled, licking the blood clean off his fur. That was odd. Leopards don't usually attack out of the blue like that. Especially big lions like ourselves. He thought about it more and more. He had seen that leopard on other occasions, that same exact leopard. He had seen her on CheetahClan territory and LeopardClan. It puzzled the brute as he shook his head and looked at Goldenpelt. He layed down, his claws scarring the ground with agitation. What was that leopard thinking, attacking such a large lion like Blackstar? And the only damage it did to the leader was a few scratches. What was she trying to do? He muttered to himself. He looked at Goldenpelt and then at the carcass. Are you full? He asked, his deep voice gentle and kind. He looked around in case the leopard came back and yawned, his long, sharp teeth flashing in the sun. He stretched his legs and claws till his legs quivered and rolled onto his side, enjoying the coolness of the shade. He was surprised to find he was thinking about Riversplash. What was she doing? Where was she? He closed his eyes as her image burned in his mind, and Blackstar dozed off into a light slumber. OOC: Sorry, it's a crap post.

[ωнιskuяz]

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[atrb=background,http://i51.tinypic.com/2e1rn0h.jpg] [scrolly:h(249),w(230),sy] Fur still on edge and muscles aching to be stretched and used, Goldenpelt tried to shake the tension out of her body and relax a little. Her leader had a good point; what on earth was that leopard doing? She'd never seen the black rogue before, though her pelt had wreaked heavily of cheetah as well as it's leopard smell. The mixture bothered her and teased her nose in a way that didn't at all sit well. Her stomach churned a little and she was afraid she might be sick. Taking a deep breath, Goldenpelt cleared her head and let the fresh air soothe her nausea. She glanced at the kill, feeling her stomach churn and ask for more food. She was still hungry, but wasn't sure how much she could stomach at the moment. With her body being in fight mode and no outlet to channel that energy to, it would take a while before the she-warrior was more calm and back to normal. The strange encounter had just added more negativity to her mood. She hated not being able to scrap and fight and spar. She hated staying on the sidelines and watching each day go by as she took it slow and easy. She'd been able to remain active and normal for the first half of her pregnancy, but now that she was nearly at term, there was no way Goldie would be able to do what she could do then. With a deep sigh, the queen gritted her teeth and sniffed at the carcass, realizing she no longer wanted to eat it. She probably should, but the desire was gone. She fed enough; surly her kits would be ok if she didn't gorge herself on one meal today. In fact, all she wanted to do right now was get away from everything and relax. She wanted her body to get off the warpath and just be calm so she could finish eating enough to produce healthy, fat little babies that would grow into strong warriors and stronger leaders. Shaking her large head, Goldenpelt gazed up at the sky, watching a small whiff of cloud drift over the sun. "I'm fine," she murmured. "I'll eat more later, perhaps." She heard the steady sound of her leader's breathing and looked down, noticing his nap. Although she typically wouldn't care, it simply added to Goldenpelt's agitation. Apparently her company wasn't fun enough to keep him awake. She wasn't entertaining enough for him to stay alert to enjoy her conversation; and why should he? She was pregnant, what fun could they have? With a huff, Goldenpelt stood and tried not to gorge the ground below with her claws. "Thank you for the company," she said stiffly. "I think I might head over to the nursery though, Blackstar, if that's fine with you?" Not that it was any of his business, of course. She would go weather or not her leader liked it; it just seemed more polite, after their little misunderstanding, to be kinder to him. After all, as soon as the stress of pregnancy was over she would regret her mood swings toward everyone, and knew it would be better for her to act as normal as possible so there would be less to feel guilty about. [/scrolly]

[snowtuft]

Thread closed?

[ωнιskuяz]

Unless he's got something else to say, I think so.

[snowtuft]

Nah. He's just a-snoozing.