[Open] Refresh Youself

[~Hawktail~]

Tud, tud... Tud, tud...
The soft pats of paws were muffled by the Marsh Clearing's cushion. A cat was slinking into the training grounds, her eyes glancing about furiously as she checked to be sure she was alone. That was the problem. She was alone; no apprentice was trailing her into the training area. Of coarse, the tabby cat was simply here to train herself. Her paws were itching for some hardcore training, and she wouldn't get that from any apprentice.

Green eyes burning like fire, the tabby suddenly shot forward, her claws sliding into view. She flipped, sliding across the flooring of the clearing, her claws working skillfully through the air at an invisible opponent. They jump out of the way and go for your belly. What do you do now? she quizzed herself. Her feet kicked out at the 'other,' giving her time to stand up. She whirled around and clawed at them. Too slow; they dodged it. She followed them like prey, turning easily on her paws without a sound. Then, once they couldn't keep going in circles, she trapped them with her teeth, a loud clang as the two jaws came together. She had won.

"Sketchy," she muttered darkly. "That was really sketchy. Mess up like that in a real battle, Hawktail, and you'll be crow-food." Hawktail was speaking to herself. Her back slide had gone wrong, not going the full distance she wanted. And she had nearly tripped on her spins. Growling furiously, she snarled loudly, "Again! And don't mess up this time!" And she flew into her technique once more.

[Barketh]

[black]The tom had been watching in silent awe from a treebranch, and he remained perched even as she set about to practicing once more. Though the black cat wasn't sure what it was exactly that she was doing, he had a feeling it was some sort of ritual or training session; he couldn't be sure. Night didn't know much about the clans; only that they were fierce warriors who lived by a code and had their own hierarchy. To him though, this she-cat was captivating as she moved with lightning-fast reflexes that shouldn't have been possible for a feline. Yet she had done it, and though she was scolding herself rather harshly, he was impressed.
"My opinion doesn't mean much, but I thought you were quite good! Much better than I could ever be."
He meowed, violet-blue eyes shining as he rose and hopped down one branch.

Smiling disarmingly, the loner settled once more and wrapped his tail around himself. He hoped this she-cat wouldn't be as hostile as Heather, a fellow rouge, had been despite the fact that he'd done nothing to her.
I still don't know why she was so prejudiced against me. She couldn't possibly have kin who were harmed by my family, could she?
Shaking off the sudden fearful thought, he tried to ignore how horrifying that would be. Night was already ashamed of the acts his family had committed and hidden from him, yet he also could not help but feel the need to defend the cats who had raised and loved him. Even if they had seemed cold-hearted and blood-thirsty to others, he was their last remaining heir of you didn't count Thorn, and they had nurtured him with as much warmth as any other kin, and he owed his very existence to them. But maybe this was the reason he was hated so much?

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/black]

[~Hawktail~]

Hawktail's ears flicked forward, but then moved back to their sideways positions. She had taken notice to him as soon as she had finished her second session. "I suppose anyone's opinion matters. But it was sloppy." She looked up at the tom in the tree. A rogue. Someone she could relate to. Maybe that was the reason for her being so open? "If I ever messed up on my back slide like that, I would be destroyed." She looked away, her tail flicking bitterly. Her second round hadn't been any better. She had stumbled while standing and she had nearly lost her footing on her spins again.

Shaking off her frustration, Hawktail turned her gaze once more to the black cat. His eyes were captivating, the deepest violet she had ever seen. "Why are you out here on ShadowClan territory, anyways? Aren't you scared I'll attack you?" She didn't dare meow about how she used to be an outcast, as well. She wanted to bury that. She wanted to wash the blood from her paws. She wanted the taste of blood to leave her tongue. She wanted to stop seeing him. Snapping out of her trance, she added, "You've seen what I can do. Why are you so calm?"

[Barketh]

[black]The black tom smiled warmly and with something else... Maybe, remembrance? This she-cat knew how to fight, and she wasn't just one of those cats who was all talk and no action. She had her moves planned out and remembered them by heart. She was capable of performing all sorts of combat stunts even without a visible opponent, and he gave her credit for her sharply honed offensive skills. And then his thoughts flashed back to the time when Minx had attacked him and he'd retaliated with such shocking violence that he'd scared himself; the tom blinked as a shiver ran down his spine. He knew his family were amazing fighters and some had even been trained as assassins, but Night had never known that he himself possessed the same killer instincts as his kin. Though his frightening reflexes hadn't displayed such aggression since that time, the tom had never forgotten the feeling he got after realizing he had nearly harmed someone important to him. Minx's shocked and betrayed look remained imprinted in his mind; an image burned in, an eternal reminder that she might never trust him again.

"Huh? Oh, well, I guess I just never considered it. You don't seem like the type to hurt someone without good reason; not that I can really judge. I am technically trespassing after all."
He meowed with a rather apologetic look as he jumped down to the ground and landed nimbly on all fours. It was a good thing he'd spent so much time running from Thorn or he might not be as agile as he was now.
"I guess I was looking for some company. I'm a pretty useless cat, so the most I can do is try and make someone smile while working on my lack of social skills. My name's Night, though you probably won't recognize my name anywhere. I'm not a former clanner, so none of the clan cats here will have known me."

Forgetting all about the possibility that Thorn could be somewhere hidden amongst the warrior ranks, Night also neglected the fact that he was, in fact, a charming companion. He was a good talker once he felt comfortable, and he was smooth with words and brought about a natural easy-goingness that made communicating with the handsome cat easier. His noble appearance was well-related to his refined nature, and if he had not run into such challenged company in the past, more cats would've been aware of how like-able the loner was.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/black]

[~Hawktail~]

The tabby she-cat's ears flicked. Why did you always have to be a former Clanner to be known? You could never be a regular cat and be famous. No, only those who were Warriors were said to be known. "What should it matter that I've heard of you? I wasn't heard of when I came to the Clans." Oops! It had slipped! She smiled wryly to try and cover up, but it was no use. She had said it, so why not finish it?

Heaving a sigh, she lowered her voice until she was sure, even if someone else was there, that the tom alone could hear. "Don't worry, I'm not a full-blooded ShadowClanner. I came to the Clans in an act of desperation. I did something wrong and got chased out of my old home..." Her ears drooped a little. "I had to leave behind my mother, my father, and my mate." She forced the last word. Her meow had been strained, so she covered up with, "But he was dead. He got killed by a monster." Night would most likely figure that she was talking about the Thunder Path monsters that prowled mercilessly across the black tar. No, she was talking about something that breathed, that lived, that could stray from the path. She was talking about something that no one knew the threat of...

[Barketh]

[black]Tipping his head to the side, the tom did his best not to ask, but his curious expression gave away the numerous questions clawing their way to his mouth. So she wasn't a clan-born cat either? At first, he was relieved that she might not be as hostile, and then he felt a sudden stab of fear.
Got chased out? I don't know how many families my kin drove out, but what if she was one of them? No, no. The world is bigger than that. No way she could have any relations.

Calming himself, he blinked as he felt the tension behind the she-cat's words.
"So you've felt the pain of loss... I'm sorry; it's times like these that I wish there were moments that we had wise words to consult one another with. I won't dawdle in the past if that's not what you want though. I know every cat has something behind them."
Smiling,violet eyes focused instead on the she-cat's expression. He knew most cats were terrified of monsters, but somehow they look in her eyes was different from the disgust other felines felt around the two-leg related creatures. Was it... Horror? He wasn't sure, but somehow it reminded him of the look in Ivy's eyes just before she was cut down.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/black]

[~Hawktail~]

Something behind her... Dawdling in the past... Yeah, those were good terms of what the dark tabby was experiencing. Her eyes were set on the tom, but her look was elsewhere. She could picture her mate's steel-gray coat a mouse whisker from her eyes. His fur was slowly filling with blood, his screams of desperation echoing in her ears. Claws, fangs, screams, blood. A lot of blood.

She blinked out of it and smiled. "Uh, yeah. We've all got something, alright," she meowed. She gave her best attempt to look like she was being humorous. Finding it difficult, she allowed her expression to drop. "So, Night," she meowed, "don't you have any loner or rogue buddies? Or is it true you all are alone twenty-four seven? Shouldn't everyone have a good shoulder to lean on?"

She recalled her times back in her old home. When she and Rose had spent their days in the sunlight, gossiping and laughing, she had always been able to turn to the lithe cat for anything. But Rose was tom-crazy. She was always talking bitterly about the upcoming kittens and how she wished the toms would pick her. Hawktail, formerly known as Hawk, would simply roll her eyes with a sharp, "Get over it, Rose." Rose would huff, but nothing else would be said and the conversation would go on. Those were her times of relaxation.
And then Gray, the most handsome tom, stepped before her and asked if she would like to take a walk.

Rose had fumed with jealousy.

[Barketh]

[ZOMG, I love how you phrases the last two sentences. Very author-like. =)]

[black]What was it he was feeling from this she-cat... Nostalgia? Probably. After all, it wasn't often that you stumbled upon a cat who'd once been a part of a feline community ruled by a hierarchy other than the clans. It hurt a little to see the feigned humor in her eyes. Sometimes, he wasn't sure whether he wanted cats to be better liars or not. If he didn't realize their feelings, they might be offended. If he did, it wasn't like they'd tell him about their problems anyway.

"Yes, if you call them that."
Picturing Bleak with the title 'Buddy' plastered to his forehead, the tom couldn't help but stifle a chuckle of amusement.
"I have a brother, if that's what you mean. We're not related by blood, but he's the closest cat to me."
Smiling fondly as he recalled the short-tempered, confused tom who had a softer side buried deep beneath his small frame, Night blinked and raised his head. Surely this she-cat, being part of a clan, had friends?

"Not to be nosy, but I'm sure a nice warrior like you has clanmates you're close to. Any in mind?"
He asked without sounding demanding. It was easy to sound like you didn't care about an answer, but it was even easier to sound like you did. In Night's case, he was so eager to find out more about this admirable she-cat that he didn't even bother concealing his innocent curiosity, which was probably what cancelled out any interrogative factors in his speech.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/black]

[rushfur]

As the day wore on, a young cat trotted swiftly through the brush. Her paws making little noise, she knew where her destination was. This she-cat was to young to be a warrior, and she was an apprentice... without a mentor. Rushpaw shoved away the thought. She had snuck away after cleaning the elders to go train, even if it was by herself. She wanted to be stronger in case of an attack.

Rushpaw was at the training clearing edge, not noticing any but herself at the moment. Lowering herself slightly, she faced her imaginary opponent. The cat lunged at her, but she managed to slide away and claw his side slightly. the foe whirled again and jumped at her, and in real life would have pinned her. She layed like she had been pinned, and kicked him in the stomach repeatedly. Rushpaw sighed and got up. She aspired to become stronger, despite her past. Only then did she notice the warrior, Hawktail, and a black tom on the other side of the clearing.

[~Hawktail~]

OOC:: Thanks Barky!

Hawktail sighed and looked down at her paws. "Not really," she murmured. "I wouldn't be considered a very talkative cat. If you ask me, I think I'm trying to avoid the others. I don't want them pushing on me to talk about my past." She smiled warmly. "I'm just nice to you because I was like you."

She was looking up from her paws with a smile when she heard the soft scuffles. She whirled around, thwacking Night with her tabby tail to tell him to be silent. "Rushpaw!" she snapped, her sweet side melting away to reveal her average personality. "What are you doing here? You know you shouldn't be here without a mentor." Her ears flattened and she hustled across the clearing, keeping low the the ground out of instinct. She rose up as soon as she had reached the smaller cat, drawing to full height. Her pale green eyes burned like an aflame forest. Behind all of it was panic. What if Rushpaw reported Hawktail speaking with a rogue and not driving them out? What if she got driven out?

What if she had to go back to them?

[rushfur]

Rushpaws ears went back as Hawktail caught her. She stalked over to her, and said "what are you doing here? you know you shouldn't be here without a mentor." Rushpaw glared at her. She glanced behind her, seeing a loner. "well, at least I don't sit around talking to intruders!" She hissed back.

" I could tell, even if i am a apprentice still!" Rushpaw let a smug look creep on her face slightly." Besides, what if the clan is attacked? I won't sit by! I need to train!" she added, trying to defend herself. She continued to glare defiantly at Hawktail for a moment before looking at the loner again.

[Cђгσme]

Shadeclaw



The tom cocked his head, staring in silence at the cats before him. His ears twitched, staying seated, half hidden behind a bush, although he knew his scent must of been discovered by the opposite blowing of the wind. However, his attention had already shifted to the rogue trespassing. A black male cat. He had done no harm, so why disturb the moment's peace?

He watched closely, at the younger warrior, Hawktail. Shadeclaw tapped his claws on the ground, leaving darker claw marks on the softer ground. He narrowed his eyes, hearing the rushed strokes of a cat closing in near. An apprentice. His ears perked, then flattened hearing the hisses and fuss between a warrior and an apprentice. There were lines between ranks. There was a high rank and a low rank. In no way, in his mind, should a under positioned cat speak in such a manner to a superior. Quiet conversation and muffled mews were disturbed. Perhaps it was time for him to step in.

"Have you forgotten the fact that you are still a mere apprentice?" he mewed, addressing Rushpaw. Piercing gray eyes that seem to read you like a book glared at the silver she-cat. "I would do prefer you apologize to the warrior you spoke against, or would you rather spend the next moon cleaning all of the dens?"

[~Hawktail~]

Hawktail was just about to snap hotly at the apprentice, but a new cat slid from the bushes. The dark tabby recoiled slightly, realizing that he had been watching her, as well. Is the whole Clan hiding in the brush?

Forcing herself to her full height, Hawktail glared down Rushpaw. Shadeclaw was right, she had no right to speak at her like that! And the glances she continued to cast at Night were worrying her. Shadeclaw was a grown tom. He knew his rights and wrongs. If he did manage to haul Rushpaw out of there, there was still a chance -no, he positively would talk to her about the loner tom.

"Just leave, Rushpaw," Hawktail meowed through gritted teeth, only loud enough for the apprentice to hear. "If you leave, I'll give you a major battle training lesson later. I'm an excellent fighter and scoring a round with me won't be offered ever again." Bribing was wrong, and Hawktail would probably get another remark from Rushpaw about it, but this was one of those days where everyone was as dumb as a kit to the tabby she-cat.

[rushfur]

Rushfur lowered herself. Why is this not my day!? she thought hotly as the large tabby, Shadeclaw emerged into the clearing." Have you forgotten the fact that you are still a mere apprentice?I would do prefer you apologize to the warrior you spoke against, or would you rather spend the next moon cleaning out all the dens?" Rushfur glared defiantly a moment, then let out a sigh. As Hawktail promised her a training session, she decided quickly. " You better keep that promise..." She murmured. She faced the older warrior, Hawktail. She lowered her head. " I am sorry, Hawktail, i am an apprentice. I shouldn't have been rude and talk back..."
Like she believed what she was saying!

[~Hawktail~]

Hawktail nearly growled at the apprentice. "Yeah," she meowed dismissively to the apology. She could tell it wasn't very sincere. "Now, go. We'll train..." She paused, thinking of a good time. "Tomorrow at sunrise," she decided with a nod. "Rest well, because I'm not going easy on you."

She meant it. Back where this cat came from, you either trained as hard as the one training you, or you went back to your nest with a pelt full of scratches. Bust your butt, or get it busted by your trainer. The dark tabby had learned all of this the hard way, being too careless as a young one. Now, she was hardened over, like all of the others. She knew what to do, her calculating skills had sharpened, her muscles became lean but strong for flexibility.

She had once been told by her former leader, back when she was only Hawk, "You are a great cat, Hawk. We are lucky to have someone as sharp and as well-trained as you."

That was the first time that Hawktail had felt true pride. Training hard and only focusing on things of importance had flung her to the top, earning so much respect that every cat would bow to her. But then you messed up, right? Right.