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Post by Paleflower on Jul 19, 2008 1:08:53 GMT -5
Ooc: Fabulous ! I'll get on typing up a post right away. I'm watching the Chapelle show too xD
Bic: A long shudder rippled through Paleflower's brown pelt as she stretched her limbs out. Sun drifted into the Warrior's den, and had been bright enough to wake the young warrior. Her jaws opened wide in a lengthy yawn, and she trotted out into the camp. The she-cat blinked her golden yellow eyes slowly, adjusting to the morning light. It wasn't too bright, but Paleflower had always been sensitive to light, never being able to sleep in on those mornings. She flicked her tail, and made her way towards the fresh kill pile. She sent a silent thanks to Starclan for the lives of all the prey in the pile. She snatched up a plump vole and settled down a few fox-lengths away.
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Post by Kitty on Jul 19, 2008 2:20:04 GMT -5
A thin she-cat with a mottled brown and gray pelt, slipped under a pile of tree trunks that had been either snapped down the center by lightening, or pulled completely from the ground by hostile winds, the scraggly roots hanging limp and exposed in the air. The clumps of dirt had eventually fallen away, leaving the roots bare. She could tell that the tree had been like that for a while, a long while, for it was already begining to deteriorate. Her body moved through the tight little tunnels so swiftly, you could barely see her. Though it might have also been because her dark markings camoflauged her with the criss-crossing, life-less, bare, skeletal-like tree branches surrounding her. She easily dodged the bony fingers that reached down from the top of the tunnles, and had ripped out so many cats' fur, it could've been used for insulation. Though after moons of practice, and walking through these same tunnels over and over again, a cat gets used to it. The dodging or the fur-snagging. Either one works.
The she-cat's tail lashed out behind her, she was known for her tail. Strange, yes. But she was. It was pointed at the end, very snake-like. It stretched out about as long, if not longer, than her body. Like the rest of her, it was thin. Her bones could be seen under the thin layer or skin and silky fur that draped her body. Her ribs stuck out, not as bad as to think she wasn't getting enough food, just because her fur happened to be so close to her body, and not as thick as most cats'. The bones along her spine were about the same, when she was just standing you couldn't see them whatsoever, but when she arched her back, even when her fur was fluffed up like a dandelion, they rose and fell, like spikes on the back of a dragon. Her tail, however, was much worse. You could see every bone and where the joints linked together. As thin as a hickory, cats used to call her. Mainly the elders. Everyone was always telling her she needed to eat more. "If I eat anymore, I'll die of gluttony!" She would always reply, in an outraged, yet joking voice coated in laughter.
The she-cat's brown paw pads were damp, from the marshy, falling-away soil beneath her. There weren't many leaves left on the ground, for most had already been composed into the earth, just becoming dirt, like the rest of the terrain in TimberClan. Under the dark cave-like twists of dead trees there was no light. At all. And above them, whatever light happened to appear only lasted a few seconds, minutes if they were lucky, while one cloud shifted from the sun and another slowly moved over to cover it again. Though, most, if not all TimberClan cats disliked sunlight. They'd become used to the dark world that was their home. Much like bats, they couldn't take the bright light. They acted as if it burned their skins as much as it burns your eyes if you stare at the sun for too long. Though being in the dark all the time, seeing the sun for the thirst time in, sometimes, moons, can be pretty difficult.
A tail was dangling from the she-cat's mouth. It drooped down past her chin, limp, the creature was definitely deceased. Hickorytail raced on, the thrill of hunting still surging through her. Lean legs stretched, in long even strides, carrying her farther and farther along the path that headed toward camp. Her guess was that it was sometime near dawn. Maybe a little earlier. She always awoke before the rest of the clan and went for a hunt and a long run. When she returned to camp sometimes a few cats would be emerging from their dens, the dawn patrol soon to be put together and heading out. If she was lucky she'd slink into camp unnoticed, place her prey in the fresh-kill pile, and rest a while, for more alone time. She really liked alone time. Talking to other cats was quite boring to her, and she often found herself either ignoring them, or smarting off and walking away leaving the conversation that she wasn't listening to, unfinished. She was, unfortunately, a rude cat. She had a sharp tongue, and an easily triggered temper. Though she never screamed, or yowled. She was actually pretty calm, just irritated, with a sound of almost ammusement in her voice. There was almost always a smirk on her face, and she never went through a day with snickering or scowling at someone. You could always find Hickorytail butting into other's conversation, murmuring her opinion under her breath, or calling them names, thinking aloud and getting herself into spats and arguments all the time. She didn't much like dragging things out, so if the argument didn't end soon with her being right, then she would end the argument herself by walking away with the final word.
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Post by {.Shyler.} on Jul 20, 2008 21:21:32 GMT -5
A stir came from somewhere in the nursery. A small kit stood at the back, amber eyes shining through the dim lighting. They held sadness in them, and fear. Then again, any kit his age, in his position, would have been just as scared as he. They would not taunt him, calling him a weak kittypet. No. They would feel sympathy for him. They would feel sorry for him. Well, any normal kit his age.
His thoughts took him back to last night. '"Fernstripe?" the small kit called. Fernstripe didn't turn around, didn't say anything. She only flicked her tail to dismiss his words. She padded out of the nursery, quickly and quietly moving through the roots and such. She moved at a swift pace, which put Thornkit in awe. But she never turned around to say when she would be back, or if she would be back. The kit could tell he was alone. Giving a desperate cry, hoping that his mother would turn around, come back, and pull him close, he padded to her spot that she sat at, right at the nursery's entrance, and fell asleep as he took in her sent.'
Now it was early in the morning. Fernstripe had never been gone this long, and it worried the kit more then anything. Without any Queens in the nursery just yet, he was growing hungrier and hungrier. Letting out another loud yowl, calling for anyone, anyone at all to help him, his eyes began to dull as he lost hope. If no one was around, he would be gone for sure. He hardly got the chance to eat in the first place.
Another hopeless wail escaped him, and he padded to the back of the nursery, curled up, and went to sleep. He feel into an uneasy sleep, and dreamed of last night, when he was sure that his mother left for good. He couldn't be sure if she would come back, or if she would ever miss him. All he knew, is that he really needed to survive.
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Post by leo on Jul 21, 2008 0:49:07 GMT -5
(IMPORTANT- this post describes the camp)
Shadestar let his bright eyes drift around camp as he sat, perched on a low rock, his dark tail hanging off the edge. The rock was flat, but it sloped downwards, for another smaller rock was lodged under one end, making a space underneath that was rather small for a leader's den, but big enough for Shadestar to be comforable in. Ivy covered the two rocks, closing off all gaps in the sides of the den. A cat-sized hole has been scratched and bitten into the ivy - the entrance.
The territory it's self was mostly flat. Their camp was a dip in the ground, long, but thin enough that the trees didn't fall into it, but fell across it, making a pocket of space underneath them, one of the territoy's few spaces not filled with trees.Shadestar's den was at one end of the elongated camp, enabling him to see everything when perched atop it. There was a crevice in one side of the dip that was their camp, which went very far back but was too narrow for a cat to go into after about two foxlengths. This was the medicinecat's den, and very young kjits were always closely supervised when in here because it was easy for them to wander into the back and be stuck there. Just next to this den, a thick buch of tall ferns made the apprentice's den. The ferns stood about three tail lengths of the ground, and were very thick around the edges of the clump of ferns, but weren't quite as thick around the middle, creating a dome of green foiliage. The Warrior and Elders dens were both hollow trees - the warriors a bigger one on its side at the oppasite side of camp from the leader's den. The elder's den was a dead tree that had fallen ontop of the warrior's den, creating a triangle of space between the two trunks. One end of this space was pressed against the slope of the camp's dip, and the other was open, the entrance to the elder's den.
The whole feeling of the camp was scary almost, due to the fact you were literally surrounded by death. But once you were used to that aspect, it was truly beautiful. The camp was mostly in shade, but there were many thin streams of light like a hundred tiny spotlights all shining into the camp, they were the rays of light that made it through the laced canopy of trees, branches, and twigs above. It was quite eerie at night, but beautiful when cats were milling around, each one's coat dappeld with the thin rays of light.
Shadestar himself was undergoing a bit of dappling himself at the moment. A ray of light was shining right in his face - rather annoying, he must admit. He craned his neck downward to dodge the light, which was equally uncomfotable, so he gave up on watching oiver his camp for now. He leapt down from the top of his den, landing on the floor gracefully. The ground was dirt, with a few thin patches of pale grass and ferns every here and there. And of course moss. But back to the ground. It was dirt, but nearly as hard as stone. Shadestar took a few steps, swaying slightly, not the way a she cat does, but the way a tired, bored cat such as himself does. Yes, he came off as lazy. But he was leader - he could come off as however he pleased.
His bright yellow eyes flickered to the edge of camp as he caught a glimpse of familiar eyes. Rapidglance, his sister. It was only her eyes he had seen out of the corner of his eye- her pelt blended better with his territory then his own. It was dark greyish brown, long, and not too shiny, which sometimes made pelts stand out. She would be nearly invisible were it not for her powder-blue eyes. Even his bright yellow eyes blended in better then that. But of course, he had his stripe. His for was nearly the same color as Rapidglance's, but darker and a little less brown. A white stripe ran directley through his eye, starting at the base of his ear, through his eye, down his snout just barely missing his nose, and curving under his chin where it ended abruptly, no fading into his coat. Also unlike Rapidglance, his fur was very short, just about two claw-lengths long.
Shadestar had no desire to talk to this sister of his, and changed his direction, loping promptly to the fresh-kill pile. He drunk in all the scents, and as the freshest one drifted to his nose, he followed it, picking that peice of prey. Still warm. Delicious.
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Post by Kitty on Jul 21, 2008 10:31:49 GMT -5
Hickorytail could see a few rays of light shinning through from about two foxlengths away, that was her exit. She slowed down a bit, into a sort of prance, the top of her paws sliding against the dirt every now and then. Nearing the soft light, she blinked a few times in disgust, there weren't as many clouds today. Flicking her ear in annoyance, she ducked under the last few branches and stepped into the light, and out in the open. Seeing the large gorge-like hole in the ground; camp, she smiled through the rat's fur, and picked up her pace some. Half-trotting, half-sliding down the slope, and under the scraggly trees over head, she felt relief overwhelm her. Darkness again. Though a few lemony rays dappled her pelt, like water reflecting onto a cold gray stone.
The first cat she noticed was Shadestar, TimberClan's leader. Probably because he was in the direction she was going, the fresh-kill pile. Dipping her head to the tom, she placed her catch with the others, picked out a rather small vole, and lay a few feet away from the pile, to eat it. All this running and hunting could really build up an appetite. She gained some time to catch her breath in between bites, her eyes not focusing on one thing, just shifting around camp non-chalantly. She spotted eyes on the other side of camp. Blue. Rapidglance, she guessed. Taking the last bite of her vole, she sat up, craning her neck to smooth a few ruffled tufts of fur on her chest. Lifting her right paw, she rasped her tongue over it a few times, cuffing her ears, and wiping it across her face. She did the same with her left paw, then stood, shaking her entire body. Sitting down again, she curled her boney tail around her paws, and shifted her gaze over the warrior's den, to the elders', the medicine cats', then the nursery. Spotting movement, her eyes stayed on the nusery's entrance for a moment. Perking her ears, she heard mewls, more like wails. Her eyes clouded over with sympathy for a few short seconds, but when she blinked it was gone.
Hickorytail was not the type of cat who got close to anyone. She usually kept to herself, using her time, hunting and running, unless she was given an order to do something. Nothing really interesting happened in her life, and she wasn't necassarily an evil cat. Yes, she had a sharp tongue, and her words were just as hurtful as her swift fighting skills, but she didn't just choose to be rude all the time. She just simply spoke her thoughts, most of the time she didn't even notice she was doing it. Getting back to her paws, she trotted over to the nusery, her curiousity not leaving yet. Once there, she didn't know what to say. What was she doing again? She remembered the wailing that she couldn't take her attention off of. "Is everything alright in here?" She asked, poking her head in.
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Post by leo on Jul 21, 2008 11:12:39 GMT -5
Rapidglance watched her brother as he loped lazily to the freshkill pile. She hated that. He was leader! How could he just walk around lazily like that? Rapidglance would never do that. She was a much better choice as leader in her opinion (and it was a rather trusted opinion she had). Thoigh of course, it was unlikely that she would ever become leader. First of all, Shadestar would never name her deputy. And second of all, after Shadestar died and there was another leader, she probally would be dead, and if not, too old to be deputy. Unless her brother died very quickly. But even Rapidglance would never wish that. Would she?
As a kit, apprentice, and warrior, Rapidglance had been the supirior one to her brother. She was more likable, more attractive, more popular. But then Shadestar, (Than Shaderush) had become deputy, and she HAD to listen to him. It was stupid. Rapidglance had been the obvious choice for deputy. She was smarter, and much more agreeable with all the cats in the clan. She was good at settling arguments, and had a wonderful work ethic. But then again, there was the brawn. Shadestar was the stronger one. Why was that what it always came down to in Timberclan? She didn't know, and she didn't like it.
Rapid glance shook her head. She was doubbting her leader again. She shouldn't. She looked up, her forghet-me-not blue eyes following Hickorytail across camp. She had just finished a vole, and now she was heading to... the nursery? That wasn't like her. And then, now that Rapidglance's mind was back in reality, she heard it. A faint, but heart-wrenchingly desperate, wail. She stood quickly, padding rapidly to the nursery. Hickoryglance was poking her head in it already, and Rapidglance couldn't see anything of what was going on. "What is it?" She mewed.
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Post by Kitty on Jul 21, 2008 20:31:08 GMT -5
"I dunno." Hickorytail spoke without thinking, without looking back to see who it was who had asked the question. Quite frankly, she didn't care. She didn't care about most things, but curiousity was eating at her about this kit. "I think his mother left again." She mewed, then muttered under her breath, "That filthy traitor." She narrowed her eyes, she had already betrayed the clan once, leaving to become a rogue, who wants to eat crowfood? The clan definitely wouldn't allow her to hunt on their territory. And she doubted that any of the other clans would either. She wouldn't stand a chance. Especially with kits to take care of. But obviously she didn't care about her kits. Or, kit, now. She could understand her hurt, but that doesn't give her an excuse to neglect her own kit. There is no excuse to neglect your own kit. None.
Her thin tail lashed back and forth, creating a small cloud of dust around the she-cat, as she waited for an answer from the nursery. When there was none, she mewed, "Guess he's asleep." Still, she didn't turn to the other cat, and the statement was more to herself than to Rapidglance.
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Post by {.Shyler.} on Jul 21, 2008 20:52:51 GMT -5
Thornkit's head shot up, and his eyes narrowed, though they were rimmed with tears. "Fernstripe is not a traitor!" he yowled, though it sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "Shes.... shes a good mother!" he added, though there was extreme doubt in his voice. He knew no queen but his mother would leave their kit for so long.
He got up, his pelt ruffling. "Why do you even care?" he hissed. It was clear that the kit was trying to protect himself, even though he knew they were his clan mates, but he wasn't doing a good job of it. Though the kit had never cried in the past, nor now, he had come close to it many times, and never let the tears fall.
Thornkit always tried to replace his sadness with another emotion. This time, it happened to be defensive, and slightly angry. It wasn't like he hated anyone. No, it was far from that. But he couldn't help but take away his sadness, so he wouldn't seem weak, and place another emotion to show other then sadness.
'Sadness is a weak emotion. Cats who cry, and show it openly are weak too. I don't care what happens to me. I will be loyal to my clan till the day I die, and I will never show any weakness.' this is what Thornkit would always tell himself. He was to afraid to show himself being sad.
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Post by Kitty on Jul 21, 2008 21:22:23 GMT -5
Hickorytail shook her head, she hadn't meant for the poor kit to hear that. She couldn't help but wonder why he took up for his mother so much. "Because she's his mother of course." She murmured, much quieter this time, to herself. Blinking, she gazed into the kit's eyes. She could see anger, but far behind that, there was something else. The tone of his voice happened to be a bit off as well. Deep down, she could tell, that he knew she was right. A great sentation of sympathy overwhelmed her, but she shook it off, allowing her irritation with the kit's additude toward her to take over. Smirking, she turned and strode off, down the slope and back into camp. That's what she gets for trying to help someone. "This is why." She spoke to herself through gritted teeth, in a stern voice. "This is why I tell you to keep to yourself. Keep to yourself, and this won't happen." By now she was walking fast, each paw slamming against the ground hard, her head was low, neck furs bristling and her long pointed tail drug against the ground, leaving a thin trail in the dirt behind her.
Stopping in the center of camp, she sat, and began rasping a tongue over her right forepaw, then the left, sliding each one across her cheeks, over her eyes, behind her ears, across her forehead. Over and over again. She was thinking. Like always. She thought more than she spoke. And when she did speak, she was often speaking her thoughts aloud, to herself.
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Post by {.Shyler.} on Jul 21, 2008 21:51:22 GMT -5
The she-cat had finally returned. Her eyes narrowed, and this time, she didn't care if the stench of the rogues she had been with just minutes ago lingered on her pelt. Her large paws took her to the nursery, and she pushed passed Ripidglance, and pulled her kit toward the back of the nursery, her facing the corner, hiding him from everyone.
"Thornkit, listen carefully. You can't survive without me. You'll die. Do you understand this?" she asked. She talked fast, as if she expected him to make a decision of some kind. She watched her kit with cold eyes, waiting for him to answer.
Thornkit was shaking. "Why do you smell like rogues?" he asked, his voice was cracking up, but he refused to let tears spill. 'So was she hanging with rogues? Is she really a traitor?' he thought to himself.
Fernstripe growled. "You weakling. You're almost crying. I'm disappointed. If I wanted a kittypet for a son, I would have taken you to the Twolegs." she hissed.
Thornkit's eyes narrowed, and his fur bristled as he looked at his mother. "No. You are a traitor. I know what you were going to ask me. I'm not going off to join rogues. I will stay loyal to my clan! I will fight for it, and defend it till the day I die. I will let StarClan guide my paws, and I will follow the warrior code." he said quietly, careful not to let anyone hear.
For a moment, he thought he saw sadness shadow his mothers face. But he knew it couldn't be. "Fine. Don't speak of this ever again. I'm not leaving just yet." she hissed, before laying down by the entrance, looking down at her paws, deep in thought.
Laying down, he curled up, and quickly went to sleep, his dreams filled with him being a warrior, running through TimberClan's territory. Or rather, moving quickly through the roots and branches and such.
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Post by leo on Jul 21, 2008 22:24:09 GMT -5
Rapidglance caught a whiff of Fernstripe as she pushed past her. She nearly confronted her about it, but then remembered - that wasn't her job. She craned her head around to see if shadestar was still eating his peice of prey. He sure was, lazy bum. She began to stride towards him with fast, [porpusful steps. He barely glanced her and quickly began getting up to avoid her, pretending he hadn't seen her. She wasn't going to play along with the cold shoulder this time.
"Shadestar." She mewed loydly, but not yelling, stopping him in his tracks. He suppresed a grimace and turned to face his sister. "What is it?" He mewed, raising one eyebrow as if to say , 'there is nothing you could say that could possibly spark my intrest right now.' She knew the look very well. She got that look multiple times a day.
"Fernstripe smells of rouge again." Rapidglance said in the same tone, but quieter.
Shadestar's ears perked and he blinked his lemon yellow eyes. So maybe there was something she could say to spark his intrest. Without saying anything more to Rapidglance, he brushed past her in the nursery's direction. "Fernstripe!" He mewed loudly, barging through the entrance. He saw Thornkit was with her, but didn't care like Rapidglance would have.
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Post by {.Shyler.} on Jul 22, 2008 10:07:05 GMT -5
Usually, even though Shadestar was the leader, she wouldn't talk, and just flick her tail. But something in his voice told her that if she didn't, something bad would happen.
Fernstripe narrowed her eyes. "Yes?" she hissed. "What is it?" she asked, shifting slightly. She had hoped on staying here until Thornkit was weaned. Though she wanted to be a rogue, she wasn't one to kill her own kin while they were so young. She wanted him to fight back, and how could he, when it was her giving him food?
Thornkit looked up, his eyes still narrowed in anger. Though when he saw his leader, he copied what a warrior would do. He dipped his head respectfully. "Good morning, Shadestar." he mewed calmly. He was set on staying here, and one day defending his clan to his last breath. He wasn't a traitor, like his mother.
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Post by Kitty on Jul 22, 2008 13:04:57 GMT -5
Hickorytail's ears perked toward the sound of Shadestar's angered voice. She wasn't surprised that it was Fernstripe's name he had growled. Getting to her paws quickly, she bounded toward the nursery again, secretly hoping, in the back of her mind, that Thornkit was alright. Staying a few fox legnths behind Shadestar, but still in ear shot, she listened to the conversation. Every now and then she'd catch herself trying to gaze into the nusery around the two cats to see Thornkit, then she'd shake her head and focus of the other cat's words. Scenting the air, she hadn't noticed before because her curiousity had taken over completely, "Again." She murmured, smirking. Though now that she was paying attention, she smelled it. Rogue. Of course, this wasn't a big surprise to her, or anyone in TimberClan, she was sure, but this was definitely why Shadestar was so angry. "What she gets." She muttered much too quietly for anyone to hear, and there was a faint rumble in her throat, as she grinded her teeth together, a habit she had done far too often.
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Post by leo on Jul 23, 2008 0:33:11 GMT -5
Shadestar ignored the young kit's greeting - instead, he called to Hickorytail, who he saw approach to see what was going on. "Take thornkit out of here, Hickorytail." Even a cat with as little empathy as Shadestar understood how hard it must be to be Thornkit in this situation.
As he got closer, Rapidglance's words were confirmed. Fernstripe did indeed smell of rouge again. Shadestar narrowed his eyes, his tail lashing back and forth. "Explain to me, Fernstripe, why you smell of rouge." He mewed, his voice argry, a low snal in his throat. He'd had enough of this cat and her nonscence. But if he ban her, Thornkit died, and that really ticked him off.
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Post by Kitty on Jul 23, 2008 3:45:20 GMT -5
Hickorytail nodded, dashing forward, her paws carrying her in long even strides, three more steps and she stood right outside the entrance of the nusery. Padding into the darkening shadows, her eyes glew a bright and eerie green, almost yellow, like the headlights of a monster driving noisely down the thunderpath. "Yes, Shadestar." Her voice was both hard and thankful, as she passed her leader, and gave a quick glance toward Fernstripe. Fury flashed through her eyes in that split second when she saw the look on the she-cat's face. Pure hatered. She didn't care about her kit, about her clan, her leader, the cats who raised her, all she cared about were those filthy rogues. Why had she brought her kits back here in the first place if she wanted to join them so badly? Because she knew she wouldn't be able to take care of them out there. So she came crawling back, and now she was making this poor kit suffer. Still it didn't make any sense. She wanted them to live, so she brought them here... though Hawkkit died and now she treated poor Thornkit like he was nothing more than an annoying thorn stuck in her paw-wait! Thorn? Shaking her head, she pushed the thoughts away and stopped in front of Thornkit. Sympathy poured into her glowing eyes again, but she hastily blinked it away. "Thornkit, come with me. Leader's orders." Her words were rushed as she grabed the kit by the scruff and carried out of the nusery, dipping her head one last time, with a greatful glance toward Shadestar.
She wondered what must be going through this poor kit's mind. How hurt had he been while his mother had neglected him? He was probably starving, there weren't any other queens in the clan, and his mother would leave for hours, sometimes staying over night. And now he had to find out that all the rumors of his mother were true. She had been seeing rogues. Though, through all this he was so strong. So determined. So loyal and kind to his clan. Though Thornkit wasn't hers, Hickorytail felt a sting of pride race through her veins. It was such an honor to have a kit like him in thier clan. She could tell he would make a wonderful warrior. Already. Then a sudden thought flashed through her mind, and she pushed it away. She wouldn't let that happen. She didn't know how the clan would prevent it, but no matter what she wasn't going to let this kit grow up without a motherly figure that cared for him. This was unlike her. Very unlike her. Guessing it was just her motherly insticts she dismissed the thought of her sudden change in the feelings. She leapt from the top of a sloping hill of dirt, landing gently on the harder dirt below, then padded to the center of camp. Shadestar's snarling voice was nearly out of ear shot now, as she passed the fresh-kill pile and headed toward the far side of camp, closest to the entrance, just under the slope that led out of camp. Setting Thornkit down, her eyes traced over him quickly...
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