Thoughts on the walk

[spike]

The she-cat was not hunting as she had promised she would. She had said she'd return with some good prey for the Clan. It's Green-Leaf. I can bring back a mere bird or frog and Runningfrost won't notice. Her dark fur crept through easily but with a sort of dazed look to her face.

Cedarfur was still trying to get over the fact that she had just agreed yesterday to be Eagleflight's mate. She had left early and without giving a notice to her soon-to-be mate that she had left. She just needed to breathe. It was strange that her mind then wandered to Briarkit. It was very strange that she hadn't thought of him lately. He always visited her in the past and yet now he was gone.

Her ears flattened to know that this wouldn't settle well with her still-kit sibling. Spottedtail would've been thrilled. Maybe even Lightwind. But not Briarkit. She finally paused to lift her head. It was light now and there was no sign of the stars. For the first time ever, she felt fear for when she saw her brother again. Then again, seeing any of her brothers would've been nice. Her head lowered in turn to just leave her standing in thought.

[hedgie]

He moved quickly and softly, proving why he'd been given his warrior name a few moons back. Sadly, he was no longer called Lightwind. Oh what a fitting name it had been for the swift-moving golden tabby tom, his tail held out as he moved at a steady run through Shadowclan territory. Behind the easy-going glow of his eyes was a hint of fear; fear he'd be caught by a patrol that wanted him dead.

Riley pushed those thoughts away as he entered much more familiar territory: The Marsh. Scents filled him with longing to be home. That sorry excuse for a loft wasn't his home, though he had to admit that climbing along those beams had greatly improved his balance.

Suddenly a striking scent reached him, and he broke out into a dead sprint deeper into the marsh. Cedarfur! He'd been lucky, he knew it! His older sister came into view, and he et out a friendly yowl, eyes warm and full of what else? Joy, excitement, any word for happiness.

He'd found her! Finally!

[spike]

There was a moment of still shock for the she-cat. Then she hissed and pounced on the newcomer. She threw her paws into his side and tumbled onto him. She bared her fangs only to swiftly lift her head. "Wha-? W-who are you?" She parted her jaws to breathe in and then her eyes watered heavily.

Like a terrified kit, she bounded off of the tom to walk back a few paces. Tail lashing with fear and uncertainty, she just kept a short growl boiling in her throat. This was impossible. This cat was exactly like Lightwind but... he was gone. A rogue. "Who are you?" she asked again in a stronger voice.

[hedgie]

He scrambled back, eyes wide with shock. Why had she lept at him? Didn't she recognize him? He might've grown a bit bigger in size, more muscular, but it wasn't much of a change. Was it? His expression stayed the same, wide green eyes unbinking unti he couldn't help but close them.

"Cedarfur....it's me. Your little brother!" He did not dare come closer, in case she lept at him again. "Riley.....errr, Lightwind. I;m so used to that other name now, I'm sorry. Sorry I left. I didn't want to, I swear! It wasn't me." He was shaking with fear, sorrow.

"Briarkit told me to go find you, to talk to you. He knew you missed me and Spottedtail. So I came here, searching. I'm sorry." His golden head was bent, eyes now staring at the ground. "Sorry."

[spike]

He spoke of Briarkit. Nobody knew about Briarkit anymore. This really was her brother. "Lightwind!" she exclaimed and darted to his side. She began purring and licking his ears like she used to. Her eyes were still watered heavily but they did not spill the tears. "Oh, there is so much I want to talk to you about."

Then she stepped back and sat. Breathing as if she had ran the WindClan meadows, she shook her head with the shock. "Briarkit saw you? I haven't seen him in ages it feels like. I can't believe he found you. Oh, thank you, Briarkit. I didn't think he'd ever see you or Spottedtail. I mean, Briarkit was always a watcher but not a traveler. Oh, what happened to Spottedtail?" Her voice was filled with excitement and wonderment like a kit's would now.

[hedgie]

"Spottedtail? Last I heard of him was that these twolegs found him, named him Ozzie, took 'im to the Cutter and then moved away." The lie was smooth. He was so used to it now, for he'd been lying to cat after cat about his life. He swore to himself it was the only secret he'd keep from her ever again.

He grinned and returned her affections, his purr rumbling, deeper and louder than hers. He sure wasn't a baby anymore! "Oh...tell me everything, Cedarfur. What's happened? What have I missed? Oh, I hate to rush things, but I want to go back home now. I can't though....could I? Do you think it's too soon, or have I been forgotten?" His voice was rushed, excited, and his eyes sparked. Riley's paws were kneading the swampy ground, for he felt so energetic.

[spike]

Cedarfur softened to hear her brother speak so excitedly. Spottedtail- no, Ozzie- was no longer a warrior bu he sounded alive and well. That was all she needed tofeel relief. "Oh, Lightwind, with everything going on in the clans, I don't know what to think. The warrior code has been broken again. It was Foxfur this time. Everything has been a mess. There is a fragile peace but that's it."

Hearing his want to return made her heart sink. Would her leader allow such a thing? Lightwind was a banished warrior. He was young and willing though. "We can talk about your return another time," she mewed quietly. "I have no clue what Specklestar would say. After making Runningfrost her deputy, it might be a hard thing to do. You remember Runningfrost, right? A nasty tom. He would take convincing."

She then gave a small smile. "Enough about that. How have you been, Lightwind? Life beyond the clans... is it as dangerous and scary as they say?"

[hedgie]

He sat back, listening to Cedarfur's every word, almost hanging on it.
His brow furrowed as he processed what she had said. "She put him in charge? Seriously? The Clan must be sooo fun these days. But don't you think the distraction of what's going on will knock them off their block about me. I'm innocent...that apprentice that died...Spottedtail and I were out hunting with her, yes...but she split off from us almost after we left. They have to listen to me..."

He shook his head. No thoughts about that now. He'd need that feeling in his voice, that energy for later, when he made his stand. "Alright...I'll wait, but not much longer. Four Moons on my own has felt like an eternity...." He sighed. "To me, at least."

He thought about what to tell her about what it was like. "I guess..it's kind of like being a warrior, except your doing it alone, and all for yourself. It was scary at first, but that might've been just me. I didn't have anyone to tell me it was going to be okay."

[spike]

Cedarfur's shoulder's fell instantly. The horror of a life without a Clan! It wasn't the life of a warrior that made her so sad. It was the part when he said nobody could tell him it would be alright. So much like her little brother. Spottedtail was a strong cat. He could handle it. But Lightwind was a sweetheart. Having that much kept him going. "Well, now you do," she whispered. "It'll be alright, Lightwind. We'll figure something out. The only reason I'm saying wait a few sunrises is because we are having trouble with Ravenstar and WindClan."

Her fur shivered visibly to think of Ravenstar. He definitely made her fearful. "Rivermist's and Foxfur's kits might be joining us soon. But I have a feeling that Ravenstar will refuse. Specklestar is stubborn with these kits and with a Clan full of willing warriors behind her, I get this gut feeling that it won't end well. If we have problems, she'll want all the strength we can get. That's when I'll bring you back. When I'm sure."

She sighed and seemed to stare at her brother like a breath of fresh air. Cedarfur had Eagleflight but seeing her brother really did feel great. "There's so much that's happened in that short span that you've been gone, Lightwind. For one, Briarkit has visited me daily. I guess you know that though, huh? What did Briarkit tell you about the Clan?"

[hedgie]

"Not as much as you've just tolde me." Riley grinned. "Liusten, come find me when you want to talk. I'm not that hard to find. I'm always here if you need me, Cedarfur. I promise I will be.'

He sighed, and ran his paw across the ground, claws digging little rows into the marsh-ground.

"You probably have somewhere to be, and I'm holding you up. Just remember to come talk whenever you want. Now, go on. You have warrior duties to take care of, my sister." He said this with a sad smile. He wished he could have those duties back.

Riley curled his tail over his paws and bent his head, reflecting. This had to be as bad as it could get, so things just had to go up from there....right?

[spike]

The ashy colored feline sat in the shadows with her heart racing like a mouse's heartbeat would. She was on her way back from Twolegplace. She went there to converse with the kittypets about any news. So far there had been news of a dog but she wasn't really curious about that. Wild could hold her own. Gold eyes swirled like a pool of muddy water. She never understood the family love. She had been turned on by her own brother.

A thin muzzle was placed in a crook of the bush, her nose barely sticking out. She knew it wouldn't be seen but she couldn't help doing it. The air of the marshes was awful. How could ShadowClan live this way? RiverClan was clean and anything but squalid. That seemed to the the contrary to this Clan. As far as she had heard, these two cats were related in some way or another. The tabby form shifted with unease at this meeting. Once smelled of pure ShadowClan- yuck!

The other smelled of travel. That had its own scent. Nothing was the same, always more and more scents on the body from all around. Some of the wind-fresh meadows, some of the stale hay of a barn, some of the gurgling mud of the Clan, and, most of all, the scent of this she-cat on him. It was clear by the way she now approached him to give a lick to his ear that it was hard on her as well to leave the other behind.

Cedarfur gave a short nod, her own head seemed to hang slightly. "Yes, Eagleflight would worry if I didn't return soon," she muttered. "He's my... going to be my mate. He's a great cat and I'm sure you and Spottedtail would approve if you met him again. You'll be back in the clans- I promise- before I even think of having my first litter. I'd never do that now that I know I have a brother so close."

Standing, she stepped over to give a last lick to his ear. "I love you, Lightwind, like any sister should love a brother. Please don't go too far. I always like to know I have you near. Okay?"

Oh, siblings. That was what they were. Wild frowned to remember her own siblings. What a cruel, cruel creature! Trying to kill his own sister out of jealousy is a mad-cat's sin. Lost in thought and sorrows, she just heaved a small sigh and settled herself to rest. She didn't even notice the slightest change in wind when the she-cat left.

[hedgie]

Riley nodded, his ear flicking as Cedarfur licked it.

"Mates? You better wait for me? I want to be around for this, and I'll be the best uncle ever to your kits." He crowed, excitement lighting up her face again, green eyes sparkling like he'd captured fireflies within them.

"Well, I'll see you soon, then." He purred, watching her go. But his ears swiveled around as he heard a very faint rustling going on behind them. Even Cedarfur's departure hadn't dulled his keen senses.

He turned around slowly, and still smiled."Hello? Someone there behind me? I heard you....no need to be hostile. Just come out. I won't hurt you. You won't hurt me.No pain all around."

[spike]

The she-cat had been so consumed with dreaming that she didn't realize she had been heard. Her head snapped up, the leaves rustling loudly at the movement. From where she laid and through the branches, she could see this tom's eyes. He had the brightest emerald eyes! Wild felt the scars on her body burning like fire. What a disgrace it must've been to have these scars.

Knowing there was no reason to be hostile, as he said, she cautiously slunk into his view. Her whole body was close to the ground in a fearful way, the way she had done it when attacked. She was terribly afraid since this cat had spotted her. "I'm sorry," she mewed out pitifully. "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have been listening in. I shouldn't have." She stood up slightly, trying to hold her ground feeling more like fighting a whole Clan. This tom was her fear because he was like her.

An outcast.

[hedgie]

He'd turned away, not expecting anyone to come out. So when the she-cat pulled herself out of the bushes, the top half of his body twisted to see her. It was followed, quickly, by the twisting of his lower half until he was facing her entirely. Riley listened to her, just watching, not saying a word, his eyes wide.

"Hey....Hey!" He mewed. Instead of standing up and rising to his four paws, he sunk to the ground, paws stretched out and crossed in front of his, like he was the most regal of lions, though he was far from that assumption.

"Don't get yourself all worked up, M'am." He continued, dipping his head. "It wasn't anything important. Plus, it's not like you're going to run off to Shadowclan and tell them I trespassed on their territory." His eyes sparkled with a joke, and he hoped he'd take his next comment that way. "Or, you know....maybe you might. Ya' never know."

[Yoko]

((OOC: Is this one still going or no?))