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Post by Hana on Dec 17, 2016 15:47:27 GMT 8
She walked as if fire burned under her paws; quickly. She walked as if she were in a race with time itself and refused to give her body a break. Although her limbs cried with every movement and her stomach had started to ache, she did not stop. Her tail coiled and uncoiled as she walked and her ears swiveled forward and backwards and her eyes searched the grass, the trees, the bushes, behind her, to the side of her, above her. She could not relax; she wouldn't. She was in a war with herself. As she walked, she battled her own herself. Her heart wanted to stop and allow the young she-cat to grieve; to mourn the loss of her parents and her siblings. But her mind told her to keep going-it told her to push her emotions into a corner where she could find them again one day and keep going because she had a sister to protect now, and being sad and angry wouldn't get her anywhere. So she walked. She refused to look back at her sister, afraid that if she did, that their eyes would meet. Eve was afraid that if that happened, then Ruth would see everything and one of them had to be strong right now. Besides, the very thought of sharing emotions right now made her sick to her stomach. So she locked her emotions away and followed the sound of water and the smell of wet dirt.
"Quickly now, we're almost there." Her words were stony and lacked all feeling. Don't be this way, she scolded herself. She knew she wasn't the only one grieving, and yet she couldn't stop herself from being distant and detached. It was as if her own self had been hidden away and another her had been made in it's place. An angrier, detached version of herself. One who would not allow her to cry for the death of her beloved family. One who would allow her to comfort her little sister. It was only when she passed through a threshold of large plants and met the pond's pretty blue stare did she stop. Her legs sighed and almost gave out on her, but she locked them into place and briefly glanced back to make sure that her sister was still behind her. "We can rest now, Ru." She murmured and went to the water's edge and took a drink; it went down her throat cool and it seemed to soothe her aching heart; for now. And for a moment, with her paws tucked underneath her chest and her tail curling and uncurling anxiously, she stared at her reflection in the water and lost herself.
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Post by ananymity on Dec 17, 2016 16:10:26 GMT 8
Ruth's paws were gently touching over clouds. Quiet sounds of pawsteps filled the air around her in a quick, even rhythm. One, two. One, two. Ruth was staring ahead at her sister's tail, unblinking. But even though her nose was pointed forward, she saw everything. Her sister (her big, strong sister!) and her, patches of brown and white moving over green grass. The wind rippled and the grass seemed to point right at the two of them, perfectly together. They moved in time, Eve tense and Ruth relaxed, like a bizarre -- what would Momma have called it? oh yes, a "march."
Ruth's stomach felt hollow again. It was surely just hunger, nothing else. Her body propelled itself forward, without a thought from her. She felt like one of the tiny mice under her Daddy's big paws: allowed to move, for now. Senseless anticipation that Ruth didn't understand filled her when she thought about her Daddy. But that was probably just because she'd see him again soon, yes.
It was Eve's quiet voice that brought Ruth back to her surroundings. She hadn't even realized they had stopped moving. Cautiously, she raised her nose to the air and took a long sniff. Somewhere in the back of her mind, there was a picture of her Momma doing the same, showing her how to tell the scent of moss from muddy reeds. This time, Ruth was flooded with scents she didn't understand. Layering it all was the scent that screamed "Cat!" Big cats, tom cats, cats that weren't her family. Ruth tried to huddle herself against her sister's pelt.
Just then, there was a rustling sound across the pond. Ruth jumped a foot in the air, looking around wide-eyed and trembling for the source.
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Post by Hana on Dec 17, 2016 16:59:28 GMT 8
Had Ruth not jumped, Eve would have still been lost somewhere between here and there, alone with her thoughts and memories. But Ruth had jumped and that was when Eve blinked and took notice of her sister's trembling body. Eve followed her sister's scared gaze to across the pond; she grew tense, her gaze intense as she let out the tiniest of growls. A small brown bird came forward through the grass, hopping along the water's edge before it took flight. Eve watched it fly away before she finally settled back and calmly gazed at her sister before clearing her throat and looking away. "It's alright. It was nothing." Her nostrils flared as she took into old scents; the old scents of strange cats and animals; animals her father might have taught her to hunt had he still been alive and cats her mother had warned her about. The cats that lived together in large clans- the "wild ones" her father had once called them. "There's a difference between us and them. Those cats can't be trusted. Trust only your family, Eve. I can count on you to always take care of your family, can't I, Eve?" Her father had said to her once upon a time. She had nodded and made a vow then and there with the moon as their witness. I'll protect them. I'll protect her. Only Death shall take me from her.
Oh, Ruth. She thought as she stole a quick glance at her sister; every time she glanced at her sister, Eve saw the dog and the fear is Ruth's eyes. Eve had almost gotten both of them killed. She should have known better than to return to the dirt trail; her father would have laughed. Eve knew better. She knew the likelihood of finding the rest of her family, alive and waiting, was slim-but she didn't listen to the warnings and went anyway. And what's worse, she put Ruth in danger. It haunted her. The she-cat blinked and quickly looked away as she had stared for longer than intended and let out a long sigh, her toes spreading to let dirt and grass through."You weren't wounded, were you?"
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Post by ananymity on Dec 17, 2016 17:20:36 GMT 8
Despite Evie's words, Ruth didn't truly believe there was nothing around them. But her big sister's voice touched her anyway. This close to Eve, Ruth felt her paws were on solid ground once more. The wind ruffled her pelt gently. Ruth could finally take a deep breath and take a look into her sister's eyes.
They scared her. Evie's eyes had always been as playful and bright as the sun. They were empty now. Ruth stuttered, trying to think about anything but those eyes. "I- I- don't know," she managed to mew. Ruth hadn't thought about whether or not she had been hurt. It was only just know that she could feel her own tail. Ruth looked herself over with jerking, quick movements. No blood. A lot of mud and twigs. There was the lingering scent of-- Ruth shook her head. "I'm not hurt, Evie."
Ruth suddenly became aware of just how dirty she felt when she looked back at her sister. Her beautiful, big, strong sister wasn't there anymore. There was nothing in Evie's eyes where her big sis used to be. What was worse, her other siblings, Mary and Dante... They'd always been too small, Ruth knew they were too slow. She could have gone back for them, but--
Ruth was distracted by a briar stuck to the side of her pelt, nagging and pulling at her fur. Her fur used to be white like her Momma's, before it was covered with muck. Ruth turned to pull out the offending thorn, only to find a patch of clean fur where she could have sworn it was. She shook her head. "Head in the stars again, little Ru?" her Daddy would have said.
Daddy was always right. Her head was in the stars. But Evie's wasn't. Ruth dug her claws into the mud, trying to force her dazed head back down where it belonged, with her sister. Evie needed her to be big now. Her eyes said that, even if Ruth knew her mouth never would.
"Evie?" She meowed quietly, making herself look at her haunted sister. "I promise, Evie." She started, but she didn't know what she could possibly say to bring the old Evie back. "I promise, we're going to be okay."
And when Ruth saw something flicker in Evie's eyes when she said that, Ruth could almost believe it was true.
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Post by Umbra on Dec 17, 2016 18:12:24 GMT 8
(Playing this as if Kestrel's Warrior Ceremony happened a few days or so ago.)
Kestrelheart was basking in his new warriorship. It was wonderful to not to be at Ryetail's beck and call. Not that it had ever been terrible, but freedom is a sweet drink for a young cat. It was another hot day, and the best place for hunting would be Dogwood Pond, prey was certain to be found staying close to a water supply. So it was with light step that Kestrelheart made his way down.
As he wound his way out of the trees, the pond shimmered in the sunlight, greeting him with a twinkle. He paused, closing his eyes and slightly parting his lips to take in the scent of the area. Mostly clan scent, a few other cat scents, and a mice galore drifted on the breeze. The quite twittering of a bird brought his attention front and center, his eyes flicked open and he lowered into a crouch. Nestled at the edge of the pond was a small brown bird,
Nestled at the edge of the pond was a small brown bird, 'That would be a prize to bring back to camp', Kestrelheart thought, creeping forwards. It was not to be, though, as the bird rummaged through the dirt it saw Kestrelheart before he was close enough to pounce and burst to the sky in a flurry of wings. Kestrelheart sat back on his haunches with a thump, it would have been delicious.
Mews from across the pond immediately caught Kestrelheart's attention, his whiskers twitched, if there were rogues in Roseclan territory he would give them what for. He stalked around to the voices and was completely taken off guard when the sight of two young kits met his eyes. He quickly scented the air to see if there were others about but it was only their scent he found.
"You weren't wounded were you?" One questioned, the other looked itself over before replying in the negative. Kestrelheart watched as the one questioned drew near to the other, "Evie? I promise Evie. I promise we're going to be okay."
Kestrelheart's heart broke as the kit mewed to the other, it reminded him too much of his own broken kithood and how he and his siblings had relied upon one another. His mind made up, Kestrelheart rustled through the tall reeds to greet the two.
"Hello there," he meowed in his deep voice, "I couldn't help but notice you two out on your own, you look a little lost." He sat, hoping to look disarming, before continuing, "My name is Kestrelheart, what's yours?"
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Post by Hana on Dec 18, 2016 8:03:48 GMT 8
"I promise, we're going to be okay." Ruth had said. She had said it in a way that made her seem so sure of herself, and perhaps it was meant to comfort Eve; as if a promise could ever make her feel okay again. Eve stared at her sister for what seemed like too long, unblinking. Thank you, Ruth. She thought. Thank you for trying. But even you, darling sister, cannot chase these shadows out. They have burrowed deep within both of us and have made themselves at home. She found herself incapable of replying and just lay there, staring at Ruth. Ruth always looked more like mother; Eve's heart clenched at the memories of their mother and she finally sighed and gazed away, staring back into the water when she heard it. The sound of heavy paws hitting the ground and the reeds being pushed aside as someone slithered through them; she smelled the cat before she saw him and when he appeared, it was far too late to warn Ruth.
Eve was on her paws in seconds, owl eyes far larger than usual as a startled gasp escaped her parted maw. She hadn't thought they'd come across another cat so soon; true, it had been her plan to find the very cats her father had forbidden her from, but what else were the two she-cats to do? They had no where to go. They needed safety, and if the clan cats could give them that, then part of Eve's promise had been kept. But she hadn't thought she would come face to face one so soon. She had thought, foolishly, that she could have a moment just for herself and her sister. A moment where they could relax. She should have known better. She gazed at the tom cat who was perhaps pretty enough to be a she-cat before pushing against her sister. What do we do? What do I say? She was at a loss for words; utterly speechless. He had appeared from the shadows, it seemed. And yet he did not hold himself in a threatening way. If anything, it seemed as if he was forcing himself to look softer. "Hello there, I couldn't help but notice you two out on your own, you look a little lost. My name is Kestrelheart, what's yours?" Her father had been right- they did have strange names. She almost wanted to ask the cream colored tom why and who had named him that, but she could fumble out any response and settled for just icily staring at the older cat with her large eyes.
//"pretty enough to be a she-cat" oh eve~ lmfao
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Post by ananymity on Dec 19, 2016 5:48:09 GMT 8
As Eve jumped to her paws, Ruth flew backwards. She practically tripped over her own tail in her haste to get away. Her heart began pounding in her chest. For a brief moment, there wasn't a strange tomcat looming before them, but a slobbering dog, teeth bared, growling at her and her sister. It opened it's horrible mouth and snapped something at them, but Ruth was so shocked by it's impressively large teeth that she didn't hear the words. The dogscent was stifling, Ruth nearly tripped backwards a second time. She was filled with nausea.
Ruth reached out to Eve, for comfort or protection she didn't know which. But as soon as she felt herself brush against her sister's warm pelt, she could breathe again. She blinked, and there was no longer a dog ready to rip her life apart, but a large cat who seemed to tower over them, even from all the way across the pond. Ruth's paws didn't stop shaking.
"Um, hello there." She meowed slowly. Maybe if I'm extra polite, she thought, he won't try to eat us. "My name is Ruth, and this is my sister, Eve."
Through her own pounding heart, Ruth managed to feel a moment of strangled pride in her own politeness. Her Momma's voice echoed in her ears, "Proper etiquette is the path to proper friendships, my darlings." And Momma always knew best. Even in front of this strange cat who could rip them to pieces, her Momma would have--
Her Momma!
This giant tom might have seen her Momma!
"Um, I'm sorry to bother you, Mr.," Ruth started carefully, "But have you seen our family?"
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Post by Umbra on Dec 19, 2016 11:21:25 GMT 8
The smaller of the two kits scampered backward, hiding in the shadow of her sister, who stood and stared at Kestrelheart with her cool amber eyes. It was almost unnerving, her eyes, it seemed there was a grown cat hiding behind them. 'Well, that went well,' Kestrelheart drawled to himself.
Surprisingly, it was the smaller one who spoke first, "Um, hello there." She meowed slowly. "My name is Ruth, and this is my sister, Eve." Not clan names, which confirmed that he wasn't mistaken in thinking they were probably loners, as they didn't smell like kittypets. Kestrelheart dipped his head to the two, "A pleasure to meet you."
"Um, I'm sorry to bother you, Mr.," The little one called Ruth started carefully, "But have you seen our family?" Kestrelheart blinked at the unexpected question, what was he to say? Obviously, the two were missing their family, but how would the two take a negative answer? They seemed to be suffering from some sort of shock, although Hazelfoot would be a better judge of that. He kneaded the ground in front of him uncomfortably, there was no way he could lie, but what was the gentlest way to put it?
He looked from Eve to Ruth and back again, "I'm afraid I haven't, but if you'd like to come back to camp with me I'm sure Echostar, our clan leader, would be more than happy to send out patrols to look for them." He paused, what could convince the two to come back with him? It wasn't safe for two kits to be out on their own, especially with those strange scents the patrols had been bringing back reports of. "There's sure to be some fresh mice for you to munch on while you wait."
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Post by Hana on Dec 19, 2016 12:32:34 GMT 8
Ruth gave the tom their names, and she waited for his face to change in any way. We are not a like, Kestrelheart. She waited for him to defend his territory and turn hostile, as her father had told her they would. And she waited for his lips to curl and she waited for his eyes to narrow. She watched his paws and waited to see his unsheathing claws and waited for him to strike her down. But he didn't. He sat there as if all was well and dandy and for the briefest of seconds, she hated him for it. She wanted to scold Ruth for being so friendly and giving the tom their names like presents, but she had to remind herself that this was her plan in the first place. She had brought them here for this reason alone and yet she couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that settled in her gut. She had promised her father that she would protect her family. But she had also promised to stay away from clan cats. I'm protecting her, aren't I, Father? These cats will protect her far better than I ever could, and she will grow up to be strong and healthy, like you wanted. Isn't this protecting her? She thought angrily, and she wanted nothing more for her father to reassure her that this was the right thing to do, but he wouldn't now and he wouldn't ever again because he was dead; she had so much more to learn from him. How could you leave us like this? How could you?
"A pleasure to meet you." He murmured and dipped his head at the two. Eve's heart hurt. She wanted nothing more than to be back in her barn curled around her siblings and secretly stealing glances at her parents who sat star gazing and laughing quietly. "Likewise." The word had slithered up her throat and out her lips before she could stop them, and she felt herself tensing once again. She couldn't control herself, it seemed. She was so tense and angry and sad and what she wanted more than anything right now was to be left alone, where she could mourn in private. But she couldn't just shut down now; not yet. She had to get her sister to safety. And then Ruth asked him about their family. Eve's left eye twitched at the very sound of it; family. "Have you seen our family?" Just hearing it brought back the memories. Laughter that turned into screams that turned to nothing but the soft breathing of the two kits as they sat, terrified and waiting for their family that would never come because they were dead. She had to stop herself from snapping at her sister. They're dead, Ruth. Dead. Let it go.
Her eyes quickly went back to Kestrelheart and she searched his eyes. "I'm afraid I haven't, but if you'd like to come back to camp with me I'm sure Echostar, our clan leader, would be more than happy to send out patrols to look for them. There's sure to be some fresh mice for you to munch on while you wait." Her stomach quietly growled as he mentioned mice, but she remained the same; stony, still and staring up at the tom with her unwavering gaze "And what if your patrols find nothing?" She hadn't meant to speak; she hadn't meant to do a lot of things. She hadn't meant for her voice to come out so unfeeling and yet that's all she felt; was empty. "What then, Kestrelheart?" His name felt foreign on her tongue and she almost spat but she swallowed her saliva quickly and shuddered, her tail curling and uncurling and her toes spreading and closing. Her heart started to ache again. "If you can't help us, then what will happen? Will you send us away?" Stop. Stop. You sound so dead. Feel something. Put some feeling behind it. Feel, Eve. It's okay. She felt so false; like one of those fake flowers her mother had showed her when they had wandered in a two legs backyard. "They aren't real, Eve." Mother had laughed when I had tried to smell a clay pot filled with strange looking red flowers. "Aren't real? Why would they want fake flowers when they could have real ones?" I asked, dumbfounded as I glanced back from my mother and the flowers. She smiled at me. "I haven't the slightest of clues, but I've always liked to think that maybe they want something to last forever. Everything dies, you know. Not these. They live forever."
But not you, Mother. She felt sick. Her heart was so heavy, and she was so tired. "Please," she murmured quietly, searching the tom's eyes just once more, as if by doing so, he could give her all the answers to every question she ever had. "My sister is very hungry, Kestrelheart,and in shock. May we go?"
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Post by Umbra on Dec 19, 2016 13:38:29 GMT 8
Kestrelheart knew that something other than size separated the two sisters. He felt it in his gut. The way Eve reacted to her sister's statement and questions was not the reaction of a young kit verging on apprentice age. "Likewise," Eve bit. He turned to look at small tabby, startled at the force behind the greeting. Again Kestrelheart felt disconcerted by the way Eve's amber eyes took everything in without actually looking. It wasn't natural, and whatever had forced this kit to grow in the way she had wasn't good. There was hate lingering behind her eyes, though at what was lost on him.
"And what if your patrols find nothing?" Kestrelheart turned at the bitterness in those words, 'Mouse dung, this isn't going like I planned,' he thought to himself as Eve continued, "If you can't help us, then what will happen? Will you send us away?" There was something she knew, some underlying meaning to her words, or something she was hiding. Hiding so devotedly she had begun to believe herself that it wasn't there. Young kits didn't speak the way she was. Something had forced her to grow up too fast, something had shoved the harsh reality of life on her before it should have. Kestrelheart burned with hatred for it. He had promised that he would never see anything like that again, not after what his mother had put he and his siblings through. The doubt, the fear, it lurked in the shadows waiting for a chance to pounce always preying upon the moments when he was weakest. Kestrelheart snarled at the darkness hiding within him, he had beaten it, he had forced it into submission, it would not cow him. He was strong for others if he couldn't be strong himself how would he stay so for them?
He blinked at the kit, his heart moved, he would protect these kits. They would never stand against the darkness alone again as long as he was breathing. He was a warrior of Roseclan and the blood of warriors past ran through his veins, the code demanded that all kits be protected and protect them he would. Kestrelheart stood, looking unflinching into Eve's cool amber eyes, "I swear upon the code that I will not let you be sent away. As long as I draw breath, Roseclan will be a home to you no matter what." He paused, the rush of emotions passing as quickly as it had come, "Echostar would not turn kits out into the terrors of the night, you will be safe with us."
When he finished he realized that he had missed replying to the last part of Eve's question, in fact, he had nearly missed it completely in his emotional high of the moment. She had lost her air of suspiciousness and all that was left was a hollow shell pleading for help. Help that Kestrelheart could provide. He nodded to them, "Come with me, it's not that far to camp from here." Motioning with his tail for them to follow, Kestrelheart led the way around the pond and back into the dogwood trees and on to Roseclan camp. Wondering all the while what in Starclan he was going to tell Echostar.
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