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Post by Brambles on Feb 4, 2008 17:35:56 GMT -5
A cough burst from Stormwing's throat as the tom regained his breath, flanks heaving with relief at being able to breath correctly. The gray tom rolled over and heaved himself to his paws, legs splayed out in awkward angles to hold his shaking bodice above the ground. Green optics flicked over to Cloudkit worriedly as the tom went to his daughter's side. 'Cloudkit, speak to me. Are you injured?' Stormwing rasped, having either ignored or not heard of Fatekit's and Tailkit's inqueries. The red and black femme sat back with Fatekit, her yellow optics wide as she pressed against her brother's pelt. [/blockquote]
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Post by Amber on Feb 4, 2008 19:13:38 GMT -5
Cloudkit didn't reply for a moment, then she snapped out of her trance to glance at Stormwing. She couldn't find the words to say. She shook her head slightly.
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Post by rem<EMBER me on Feb 4, 2008 19:19:24 GMT -5
Shadowkit stood in the tree still, looking down at the others. He began to climb quietly down the tree, his small, sharp claws gripping the tree truck as he descended. As he reached the ground, he rushed over to his siblings and father. His green eyes were full of worry as he looked down at Cloudkit. He then switched his gaze to his father, then immediately looked down at his paws. He was too ashamed by his actions to look at his father right now.
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Post by Darketh[the not so kind] on Feb 4, 2008 21:06:01 GMT -5
Fatekit pressed his fur against Tailkit's side to try and comfort her. "Don't worry, look Cloudkit is fine." He said, but his voice shook as he spoke. Out of the corner of his eyes he watched Stormwing. He still couldn't find the courage to look into his father's eyes after what had just happened.
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Post by Brambles on Feb 4, 2008 23:05:15 GMT -5
Stormwing sat back on his haunches, green optics narrowing with relief as he heaved out a sigh. Limbs trembled from the adrenaline that coursed through his paws, making everything, every detail, seem so vivid, like he was looking through enhanced eyes. The tom's relief was rapidly swept aside by another emotion; anger. His kits had left the camp, when they were deliberately told not to, and Cloudkit nearly died! Stormwing's optics narrowed further as he shoved himself to stand before all four of his kits. Ears were laid flat upon his gray furred head as Stormwing raged. 'How dare you leave the camp! All of you? What were you thinking? Climbing the Moth Tree, hah!' Stormwing's tail lashed with the anger, and he began to pace before his kits, staring down each one as he tried to get his message through. 'Cloudkit nearly died! Died! Because you all had to come and climb the Moth Tree. Is that it? Is that why you broke the warrior code? To come and climb a tree?' The tom stopped his restless pacing, claws sinking into the ground with fury.
Tailkit's ears were pressed flat to her head in shame, and she crouched low to the ground. Yellow optics were wide with fear of what Father would have them do for deliberately disobeying his simple orders. She knew it was a bad idea. She warned them all. But none of them listened, and Cloudkit nearly paid for it. She started as Stormwing let out a yowl of frustration, though it seemed to be not toward the four kits. The tom flicked his piercing gaze over the kits, though his eyes had softened slightly. Stormwing turned away and padded over to the Moth Tree, shoulders hunched as he faced away from the kits. Tailkit's audits flicked as she caught her father's murmurs. 'She died here. And now Cloudkit nearly died here. Oh DreamClan, what have I done? I'm no father. I can barely keep my kits inside the camp.' The tom's mutterings continued for a moment, then he sighed. Stormwing turned back around to face his kits, green optics wide with worry and love toward them. 'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten so angry. I...I just can't bear losing any of you. You're all I have left of your mother. I just can't lose you.' The tom padded toward Cloudkit, Shadowkit, Fatekit, and Tailkit, crouching down and nuzzling each atop their heads. [/blockquote]
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Post by Amber on Feb 5, 2008 8:10:48 GMT -5
Somehow this new change scared Cloudkit even more, but she managed to peep up, "All you have left of our mother? Is that the she you were murmuring about?" Cloudkit immeadetely stood up, a mortified expression on her face. "She died here?"
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Post by Brambles on Feb 5, 2008 9:31:15 GMT -5
The tom pulled back from his four kits, staring, his expressiong filled with pain and loss, at Cloudkit. After several long moments, Stormwing nodded. He opened his maw to speak, closed it, then went again. 'She died beside this root giving birth to you four.' Stormwing's voice was strained, as if he were fighting the urge to break down and lament his dead mate right then and there. Tail flicked towards the root Stormwing was speaking of, and he added, 'It is why I hardly come here anymore. You have heard Dragonstar ask me to hunt with him here, but I refuse.' [/blockquote]
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Post by Amber on Feb 5, 2008 17:52:34 GMT -5
"Oh," Cloudkit was very quiet now. She blinked. "You mean there was a good chance you wouldn't have been here to...s...save me?:
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Post by Brambles on Feb 5, 2008 20:42:08 GMT -5
Stormwing nodded solemnly, green optics misty with the thought of Lilacaroma. His mate, now nearly six moons dead, would forever live on in his memory. But nonetheless, Stormwing refused to tread paw here before this incident. He couldn't bear the site of where Lilacaroma died. He hadn't even said good-bye. 'Yes, there is a very good chance I would not have been here to save you. Yet DreamClan changed the winds so that I was able to scent Tailkit and follow your traverses here.' [/blockquote]
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Post by Amber on Feb 5, 2008 20:51:20 GMT -5
Lilacaroma smirked slightly as Stormwing said these words. "More than you know..." she whispered to him.
Cloudkit blinked, looking down at her paws. Then her eyes snapped up. "Daddy, who's that?" she asked, scared. A small black and white cat with stormy gray eyes stood behind her father, stars glittering in her pelt. The former leader, Stormstar had been watching Cloudkit and her siblings. "Daddy!"
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Post by Brambles on Feb 5, 2008 20:54:31 GMT -5
Stormwing stared at Cloudkit, green optics belaying confusion. After a moment, Stormwing turned around, but saw no one there. 'Are you sure you weren't injured Cloudkit?' He purred jokingly. Tailkit smiled at her father's change in mood and nudged Cloudkit on the shoulder playfully. [/blockquote]
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Post by Amber on Feb 5, 2008 21:00:39 GMT -5
Cloudkit blinked. "I don't think so..." She looked troubled. "It was a she-cat! She was black and white, kinda like me, with stormy gray eyes! Oh, and she had sparklies in her fur!"
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Post by Darketh[the not so kind] on Feb 5, 2008 21:43:12 GMT -5
Fatekit flinched at his father's harsh words. He looked up confused when the mood suddenly changed. "It was my idea." He said. "I wanted to prove I was the best climber." When he heard Cloudkit he nodded and looked towards Stormstar. "Wasn't that the cat I saw when I was climbing?" He questioned Cloudkit.
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Post by Amber on Feb 6, 2008 8:54:42 GMT -5
"I think so," she murmured to him.
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Post by Brambles on Feb 6, 2008 22:50:30 GMT -5
Stormwing smiled weakly at Fatekit's confession. It was an honorable thing to place oneself in the path of others as the cat at fault. Even Stormwing had trouble doing that at times when he was younger. 'Do not apologize now, Fatekit. I'm just relieved you are all safe now.' Stormwing then stared at his kits, puzzled at their description of the cat they claimed to have seen. 'If I'm not mistaken, you must be thinking of Stormstar, though I don't know why. She died before you were born.' Stormwing mused over it for a moment, then shrugged. 'Come, we best be going back to camp.'
Tailkit nodded and stood, arching her back in a stretch. She was more than happy to be returning to the Clan's camp. Never again would she dare leave its walls until she was made an apprentice. It had to be soon, anyways. [/blockquote]
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