Returning from hunting -open-

[Jaysong :D]

Bluegaze strutted back into camp with her hunting patrol,tail and chin held high, with a large blackbird and two mice dangling from her jaws. She tossed her catch onto the pile and stretched,enjoying the feeling of the sun warming her fur. It was a beautiful Greenleaf day in Blazeclan,which the cats knew they had to enjoy considering soon it would be Leaf-fall,and the weather would begin to get colder.

It was an average day for Bluegaze,a few toms flirted with her,talked to a couple of her friends,who to a human would probably be considered the popular group of one mean snobby girl and a few of her snobby followers, she had gone on a hunting patrol,the usual. She had also been on dawn patrol,and the leader of her hunting patrol had told her she could eat after they got back.She pulled a plump mouse out of the pile and took a dainty bit,enjoying the delicious flavor that rolled over her taste buds. She pricked her ears to the sound of another cat approaching,and turned around to see who it was.

[*-*Riku*-*]

Lunapaw entered the camp after her mentor, Blackmist, dragging a squirrel that was almost as big as she was. She had orders to take her fresh-kill straight to the elders, and then to eat and rest, since they had an early rise the next morning for battle training. For an apprentice, Lunapaw learned fast, and her sensible mind made her an asset to the Clan. She delivered the squirrel to the elders and then made her way to the fresh-kill pile to eat. On her way there, she noticed that Bluegaze was settling down to eat a juicy mouse.

It was very uncharacteristic of Lunapaw to hate any other cat, but Bluegaze was probably the only one who had managed to get under Lunapaw's fur, and it was mainly for Bluegaze's attitude. She treated everyone like she were better than them, and it was worse for Lunapaw. She figured that this had something to do with Lunapaw's creamy white pelt and whispy grey stripes, her deep sapphire blue eyes, that sparkled in the moonlight, her ability to make heads turn wherever she went, though Lunapaw paid this no mind. She would not have cared if she were the ugliest cat ever to walk the earth, as long as she was able to serve her adoptive clan.

Therefore, Lunapaw gave Bluegaze a cold nod as she walked passed and bent down to pick up a particularly juicy vole.

(And this is still open, btw... so if anyone else wants to join in, they can. )

[Jaysong :D]

Bluegaze realized it was Lunapaw,and gave a curt nod back. "Lunapaw,"she meowed indifferently,then went back to her mouse. Bluegaze didn't really dislike anyone in the clan,just maybe either didn't really know or liked just fine,but Lunapaw was the exception. Lunapaw was just an apprentice,so it didn't matter much now,but she was definitely beautiful,and when she became a warrior she would be fair competition for Bluegaze. Besides,most cats had learned to just ignore her princess personality,but Lunapaw was openly hostile.

Bluegaze didn't necessarily think she was better than everyone else,just superior in looks,which,in some cases was true. She could appreciate someone being a better,say,fighter,but she prided herself in her looks,and hated it when there was any sort of competition. Bluegaze smiled at another cat who retrieved a piece of prey from the pile,then finished off her mouse,licking her lips and starting to groom her coat until it shined it the sunlight.

[*-*Riku*-*]

Lunapaw took her vole over to where the other apprentices were gathering to eat, and settled down outside of the apprentices den to eat her mouse. She had been apart of BlazeClan for 5 moons now, and she already looked like a full-grown warrior, probably because it was nearing her birthday, when she'd be one year old. In fact, Lunapaw only had one more assessment to pass before her warrior ceremony, and she'd be sleeping in the den with Bluegaze... then the competition for Bluegaze would REALLY begin.

Finishing off her meal, Lunapaw turned around to groom her own pelt until the creamy grey striped fur gleamed in the sunlight, and she looked sleek and well-fed. She play-fought with one of her den-mates until she was too tired to continue and then, shaking the dust out of her pelt, she went into the apprentices den to sleep. Lunapaw didn't notice how all of the toms in the camp were watching her with some sort of emotion close to longing, the end of her tail twitched sleepily as she disappeared inside and curled up in her nest. Yawning, Lunapaw settled down in the moss and then fell into a deep sleep.

Lunapaw's dreams however, where once again disturbed by nightmares. Big, shadowy wolves stalked her dreams, snarling as she relived the day her original clan was destroyed. She watched, helplessly as wolves tore open dens, ripping cats apart with their sharp merciless teeth... She twitched restlessly in her nest, closing her eyes to try and stop the dream from happening, but she couldn't block out the dying screams of her Clan.... Then the scene changed. It wasn't RainClan's camp anymore... it was BlazeClan's. She watched as the cats being torn apart turned into cats who's faces were more familiar to her. Their dying screams filled her ears, and Lunapaw yowled out "NO!!" Before she flung herself forwards at the nearest wolf and jolted awake. She was safe in her nest, a cold sweat had drenched her pelt, Lunapaw lay her head on her paws, her breathing and heart rate returning to normal.

Getting up, she decided to clear her mind with a walk through the territory, and left the den silently so as not to wake up any of her denmates. While she had been asleep, the moon had risen high over the camp, and most of the other warriors were asleep. Lunapaw's eyes still had a haunted look in them as she made her way to the entrance of the camp and snuck out into the forest.

[Jaysong :D]

Bluegaze,who had been talking with a group of other warriors while Lunapaw slept, heard the apprentice walking outside of the apprentice den and into the forest. She decided to follow her,and hopefully set things straight. She would start of just talking and being somewhat friendly,try to smooth over their misunderstanding of whose who peacefully,but if that didn't work,Bluegaze would need to let her know that there was only room for one princess in Blazeclan.

[*-*Riku*-*]

Lunapaw stopped in the middle of the field of Blaze plants and sat down, thinking. Her tail curled around her forepaws, as she stared up at the moon and thought of what that dream could possibly mean. Her father had told her that every dream, nightmare or not, was important. Because all dreams, no matter how strange they may seem, are sent from DreamClan.

This, then, is what she told herself as she thought of the reasons behind the dream she had just had. Staring up at the moon, she suddenly noticed that she was being watched, because then the wind changed and she picked up Bluegaze's scent. Lunapaw's fur was already bristling as she had come to the only conclusion she could see, so she did not react much, other than to meow aloud- "They're coming for me."

Lunapaw was inwardly hoping that this wasn't true, but if it was, if there was even the slightest chance that the wolves might follow her here.... No. Lunapaw had to stop her mind from taking that direction, because what waited for her at the end of that train of thought sent ice down her spine.

"The wolves, I mean.... they're coming for me."

[Jaysong :D]

Curiosity got the better of Bluegaze,and she decided to postpone what she had come to say. "What wolves?"she asked as she stepped out from the bushes and into the field,tipping her head to the side. What sort of wolves would come just to get an apprentice? As far as she knew wolves didn't normally go out of their way to get any cats,just attacked if they scented them nearby. What would they want with Lunapaw? Part of her hoped she would leave the clan because of this,but the other part scolded her,telling her that even if they had a rivalry,Lunapaw would become a good warrior,and it would be foolish to wish to loose one. It would be bad for the clan. And,even as snobby,full of herself,obnoxious,and rude Bluegaze often was,she did care about the clan. Was Lunapaw just speaking nonsense,or were these wolves really coming,and what would this mean for Blazeclan?

[*-*Riku*-*]

Lunapaw turned to Bluegaze, and crickets chirruped in the moonlight as she thought on how to answer. "... Do you remember the day I came here?" She asked, seriously after a moment of heavy silence between them. "I was raving about wolves having torn my birth clan- RainClan, to shreds without warning. I wasn't lying. My mother told me what had happened in a dream a few sunrises ago, and the nightmares have been getting clearer...."

Lunapaw sighed heavily and looked down, thinking on what to tell Bluegaze. Their rivalry was deep, but that didn't mean Lunapaw wanted Bluegaze to die, nor did it mean that she would wish any harm to befall her. "... My mother said that I and my brother were born around the same time as a wolf pack who had been traveling nearby, had a litter of pups. My brother's name was Bloodkit, because there had been complications with the kitting, and he had been born in a stream of blood, having almost killed himself, and my mother."

"... Bloodkit was more adventurous than I was and he got into trouble constantly, but one day he slipped out of the camp and came face to face with a wolf pup who had been as adventurous as he was. They played together, but the wolf pup accidentally killed him without meaning too, and when a patrol of our warriors found Bloodkit dead and the pup running away from the scene, they chased the pup and killed it. The vengeance of the pack ran deep, and they attacked us without warning, or reason. Ripping apart our dens, dragging us out by our tails... they destroyed us beyond all comprehension."

Lunapaw paused to shudder at the memory, then continued- "I, and my mother, Midnight, were able to escape from the massacre, but I'll never stop having nightmares of the dying screams of my father... and the other kits... and lately, these nightmares have been getting clearer. Now I can see the shadowy shapes of wolves as they tear apart my clan, but it's not RainClan anymore... the cats in my dreams have faces I recognize... the faces of BlazeClan. The message could not be any clearer. They are following my scent, and they are almost here. I have to leave, else I will become the key that brought them here to you, and to the rest of BlazeClan..."

Her decision to leave was a wise one, though it was the cowardly way out. Lunapaw was not considering that BlazeClan had the strength to fight against the wolves, and she had no desire to test that theory, else she would cause the destruction of the Clan that had taken her in as a tiny kit after she had lost her mother. Lunapaw owed them the chance to survive at least, she would lead the wolves away from the clan's territory, and possibly away from all other cats, so that they would never come back to the Clans.

[Jaysong :D]

"Yes,I remember,"Bluegaze mewed quietly,thinking about the day Lunapaw had arrived, mewling on and on about some wolves and a clan called Rainclan and someone named Bloodkit,but they hadn't taken any notice. She hadn't exactly been in the best shape when she had come to Blazeclan,so they thought maybe she was delirious. Bluegaze snapped out of memory as Lunapaw continued,dying to hear the story behind her mysterious rival.

Her words startled Bluegaze,she had been through a lot. Maybe she should try to be a little less hard on the apprentice...Bluegaze pushed that thought away. She would cross that bridge when they got to it. As she explained her dreams,her eyes widened in horror. "They-they're coming here?"she stuttered,terrified at the thought of wolves,with their ruthless claws and sharp fangs,ripping apart her clanmates. She shivered. "You're leaving?"she asked,surprised. "But,you can't leave,you're part of Blazeclan."Bluegaze had no clue why she was encouraging Lunapaw to stay,or when she had started caring about the right thing to do,but whatever the reason,she did.

[*-*Riku*-*]

Lunapaw felt humbled that her rival was urging her to stay. It made her less opposed to the silver she-cat... and it made her wonder that, if Bluegaze wasn't so stuck up, they might have been very good friends. She turned her glittering, ocean-deep, sapphire blue eyes on Bluegaze and shook her head, getting to her paws. "That's the whole reason why I must go... if I stay here, I'll be putting you and all the rest of BlazeClan in danger. I feel gratitude towards you and your clan mates, and this is me paying back that gratitude..."

She turned around and started to run off through the field of Blaze Plants and on her way to steal the trail of her mother's scent.If it worked, and if she was ever able to shake off the wolf pack, she would come back to BlazeClan to stay, and she would never forget the skills that they taught her.Before she could get to the end of the Blaze Field, however, rustling in the bushes told her that another cat had come to see her, and she stopped, wondering if Bluegaze had followed her. Turning around, her mouth fell open in a silent yowl of pain.

WHY had he followed her here?!

(OOC: DUN-DUN-DUN!!! Now, that leaves it open for either Blackstar, or Midnightpaw to come in and try to stop her... )

[Jaysong :D]

Bluegaze just watched as her enemy ran from the scene,wondering if she should follow. She was still a little dumb-founded at the thought of not being mean. Life would be so different. Cats might appreciate her for more than her looks. Bluegaze pondered that for a moment. It had felt good,not being mean,and she liked that the small voice in her head,the guilty part of her, relished the warm feeling. She came to a resolution. She would try her hardest not to be as mean. Her obnoxiousness and complete love of her beauty were things that were deeply engraved into her personality,and could not be changed,but she could fix her attitude a bit. Maybe,is she worked hard enough,she could change herself.

[Fallentear ||]

Midnightpaw jolted awake in the middle of the night to yowls of terror. He scrambled to his paws, terrified, hair raised straight up on his spine... then, he noticed that there was nothing else stirring. A rustle of paws against bedding caused his head to snap around towards the sound. The light of battle died from his eyes, and they softened as they watched a hulking white form twitching in it's bedding. A soft whimper loosed itself from the snowy tom's vocal chords. Midnightpaw walked over to his father figure, Deathpaw, and laid a paw on his shoulder while murmuring comforting words. Deathpaw's legs stopped twitching, and he fell again into deep black slumber. Midnightpaw sighed. Deathpaw had told him all about the nightmares he had frequently been having, about his father Lucifer's cats coming to attack Blazeclan. Deathpaw was truly worried he had attracted trouble for the clan, and Midnightpaw tried to comfort him as best he could, but Deathpaw still felt like danger was around the corner every second.

Hopefully, someday, Midnightpaw could go find Lucifer and make a truce with him, and allow his cats to join forces with the clans. He scoffed. 'I'm so stupid,' he thought to himself, 'If those cats are as powerful as Death says they are, why would they ever listen to a little fool like me?' And yet, somewhere in his heart, Midnightpaw knew why. He saw a piece of himself in the eyes of Sin and Death. And Sin often looked at him with a wary eye. Midnight had heard stories of the gigantic black tom that ruled over the fallen, and his heart twinged with worry when he thought... maybe... he might know who his mysterious father may be after all.

Midnightpaw turned to go back to sleep, and then froze. Something wasn't right. He sniffed the air. Lunapaw's fragrant scent was stale. He turned glimmering yellow eyes towards her bed, and noticed for the first time since awaking that it was empty. Fear flashed in his optics. He had heard her having nightmares at night too. Maybe she'd run off crazed somewhere into the forest, afraid her dream was real? He had to make sure she was alright. Nose to the ground, Midnightpaw raced from camp, following the trail of the pretty young she-cat.

He had traveled quite a ways, when he heard whispers coming towards him on the wind. He saw two cats through a thin layer of foliage, but stopped when he heard what they were talking about. Midnightpaw crouched, and listened curiously.

'I, and my mother, Midnight, were able to escape from the massacre, but I'll never stop having nightmares of the dying screams of my father... and the other kits... and lately, these nightmares have been getting clearer. Now I can see the shadowy shapes of wolves as they tear apart my clan....'
'You're leaving..? ...But,you can't leave,you're part of Blazeclan!'
'If I stay here, I'll be putting you and all the rest of BlazeClan in danger...'

Midnightpaw stepped through the foliage, mouth open and ready to retaliate, when Lunapaw tore off into the undergrowth. He swore under his breath, kneading huge brown claws into the dirt. He smiled sheepishly at the shocked Bluegaze who stared at him blankly. He nodded shortly in greeting, and then rocketed off into the blaze plants at full sprint. She wasn't getting away that easily. Not 50 feet from the end of Blazeclan territory, Lunapaw's bobbing tail appeared in his view. Pushing hard on his hindlegs, he shot to keep up with her. "Lunapaw, wait!!" He called, realizing in horror as he crashed through another layer of blaze plants that she had stopped running.

"EARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!" He howled in shock, bowling her over and sending them tumbling together into the blaze plants. As they rolled to a stop, Lunapaw was laying dazedly across his stomach. He realized this, and stuttered apologies as he scrambled to his paws. Midnightpaw was extremely embarrassed. He was never that reckless, or clumsy. Ever.

"Lunapaw, before you run away again, let's talk," he rasped pleadingly, his eyes asking if he could continue before sitting down. She was giving him the stink eye, but she wasn't running. He took this as a chance to get his point across, so he continued. "Talk to our leader before you do anything rash. I know what you speak of is a huge danger, and you're scared. But we've faced dangers like this before. Huge cats from Lucifer's rogues have come to attack, and the empties.... and there's gotta be some way we can out strategize them. We know this land, they don't. We could lead them off a cliff in Iceclan, or into a landslide area in Boulderclan. All we'd have to do is tell the other leaders, and they'd help us. Just please, don't leave. You're a part of this clan, just as much as I or anyone else is. And we'd rather die defending you then watch you leave..."

He paused, looking her in the eye as he raised his chin proudly, "And if they, wouldn't, then I would. If I can't stop you, at least let me come with you. You'll never be able to outrun them. But we can outnumber them. We could recruit The Fallen, Lucifer's cats. They're as big as foxes themselves!! And we could band the other clans together at the next clan meeting. The wolves would not stop at Blazeclan, they would tear the other clans apart. And the other clans would understand this, and fight with us. Please, just think this through first." He stared at her steadily, guarding the expression in his eyes carefully with a stoic mask. Midnightpaw's feelings were confusing him at the moment, and he didn't want Lunapaw to see what lay there...

[*-*Riku*-*]

Lunapaw listened to Midnightpaw in silence, and his words gave her heart an extra twist of pain. She could not leave, with him pleading with her like this, without ripping her own heart out. Lunapaw had long since laid their rivalry behind them, as she had recognized that they had so much in common, and they could both be valuable assets to BlazeClan, were they to stay. A few moments passed after he'd finished speaking where Lunapaw seemed to be making up her mind, but then....

Without warning, she got to her paws and pressed her face against his shoulder as though to hide her face in his fur. "I'm just so terrified, Midightpaw.... I keep seeing you and Blackstar being ripped to shreds, I can't go on like this." She mewed, as a shudder passed through her entire body. She wasn't as talented at hiding her emotions as Midnightpaw was. "I can't sleep without having my dreams turning into nightmares, and I can't bare the thought of you getting killed."

[Fallentear ||]

Midnightpaw looked down at Lunapaw in shock for a moment, and then let his muscles relax and take in the warmth from her neck. He bent his head to rest atop hers, feeling his heartbeat swell to a thundering pace. Since their earlier rivalry when they were a little younger, he had never been this close to Lunapaw... and for some unknown reason, he actually liked it. He was caught off guard a little, and both his light green gaze, and his voice softened towards the other apprentice. "You can't let fear govern your decisions. If you are always running from your troubles, then they will eventually catch up with you and tear you down. If you turn and face them with your claws and teeth ready for battle, there is at least some chance you can win. We'll tell the clan about this, and Blackstar will arrange plans for battle. We have the power of the blaze in our hearts Lunapaw, we can win this if we try."

Midnightpaw realized how soft and serious his voice had become. He tried to lighten the mood by snickering, "And besides, we've got bigger brains then those mutts. We'll be able to outsmart and outfight them if we try." He smiled down at Lunapaw radiantly before continuing. Something about her presence had suddenly given him boosted confidence, "Pray to Dreamclan, maybe they will help block the bad dreams. If they can't, then I'll watch over you at night, and wake you if you start to show any signs of a nightmare at all, okay? I don't want you to be scared anymore. It's not fair, you've worked harder than anyone I know to make a better life for yourself. You deserve to leave the past behind." His eyes glowed as he added, "But not Blazeclan. You belong here. So you'll come back, and help us fight, won't you?" His tail slowly swished back and forth across the ground. He was getting a little more nervous, with each breath he drew before Lunapaw replied.

[*-*Riku*-*]

Hearing how much Midnightpaw wanted her to stay shattered her resolve to leave. Sighing, she nodded. "I'll fight. But first- I want to see my father. Will you-" Lunapaw broke off at the sound of rustling nearby and a waft of unfamiliar cat scent wafted towards them. She looked at Midnightpaw with an alarmed gleam in her eyes and then flicked her tail to mime out that he should circle around the back. Crouching down, Lunapaw hid herself well in the shadow of a blaze plant, and soon- she was able to see the intruder.

He wasn't a tom she recognized from any of the other clans, either at gatherings or otherwise- But he was big, muscular, and silvery grey from his shaggy-furred face to his bushy tail, on which, the fur was spiked as though he had stuck it in pine sap. He had a slight scent of crowfood and Lunapaw knew instantly that he was a loner, or a rogue. When he paused a few tail-lengths from her and turned his head to listen with his ears pricked, Lunapaw barely suppressed a gasp. His eyes were an electrifying, turquoise blue that seemed to stare right through her, even though she knew he was not looking at her.

These were the eyes of a cat that had seen, and heard much in a long space of time, his face was as a face carved by DreamClan cats. There was an air about him of power and nobility that made her spine shiver, she wanted to know this tom more. It was a while after he looked away from the area that she was hiding in, that Lunapaw remembered to breath. She shook her head- she was being stupid, and she felt ashamed of herself for the butterflies that were now fluttering in her guts.

Though in her short lapse of attention, the tom she'd been about to attack had disappeared. The blaze plants trembling in his wake. Cursing at herself for letting the stranger distract her, Lunapaw burst out of hiding, and chased after him with a battle cry.

"Mrrroooaaawwwrrr!!!"

~~~~~~~~~~~

Riku had been traveling all day, worry giving speed to his paws as he thought of what the wolves were doing now. Where they attacking the clan he was now traveling to find? No. He'd have heard screeches and snarls by now if they had been. Coming to a field of Blaze Plants, the grey tom paused- he was sure he heard voices somewhere nearby. Great! He thought, Maybe they can take me to their camp! And I can go on to the next clan rather quickly... "We're running out of time." he said aloud to himself, his deep mew echoing shortly in the still night air.

Suddenly, the talking stopped and Riku pricked his ears, listening. Where had his potential escort gone? Stepping carefully, he warily made his way forwards, cautious of being attacked. Riku knew how huffy these cats were about boarders, and if they had already scented him... he might be in danger. A rustle to his right, and Riku froze, one paw still in the air, ready to take another step. That rustle had not just been the wind, for there was no wind on this night. He examined the plants and shadows carefully on his right, his ears swiveling 'round to catch the slightest sound of a spy, or of pursuit.

After several steady heartbeats, Riku decided it was nothing, and, checking around that the coast was clear, began on his way again. Oh well, he thought to himself, The scent's strong enough, I can make it to their camp from here on my-

He broke off mid-thought at the sound of a loud battle cry coming from behind him. Whipping around and rearing up on his hind legs to meet the threat, he saw- Riku gasped. She was the most beautiful she-cat he had ever seen, her pelt glimmered like the moon in it's lunar glow, her wispy grey stripes like stripes of purest silver star shine, making her look almost celestial. Her dark, deep blue eyes were the same color of the moonless midnight sky and sparkled like sapphires. Caught completely off guard by her beauty, he was thrown right off his paws when she tackled him and willingly fell onto his back beneath her.

Skillfully, Riku kicked his hind paws up gently, refusing to unsheathe his claws against such a gorgeous creature. It worked well enough- she was lifted up into the air and he was able to roll onto his side and stand up, panting after having the wind knocked out of him from her initial attack. Where have you been all my life? He kept his lustful thoughts to himself, knowing that would only upset her. A closer look told him she was young enough to still be an apprentice. Opening his jaws to scent the air, he realized also that she was covered in the same scents that he had detected at the boarder to the territory, so she's a Clan Cat. he thought, not so bad, I suppose... Then he picked up another scent, this one male. Great, she's not alone. He swore inwardly, watching the tom come out of the shadows like darkness come to life.

Okay, Riku. Now's the time to make peace with these young cats before they chase you out. Said a small voice in his ear. "Do not be alarmed, friends. I want only to speak to your leader, I have urgent news to pass on, that you might be interested in. From cat to cat?" He meowed.

(OCC:I thought some competition for Lunapaw would be good. XD)