A waste of time[open]

[shiningheart]

Tigerstep prowled on the RiverClan side of the ShadowClan border. He was on patrol, scenting for signs of prey-stealing or markings of enemy cats that had strayed over the border. His dark green eyes scanned intently, looking for more than just enemies. Now that the fish in the river were tainted, the fresh-kill pile back at camp was half of what it should be. All patrols were told to bring back any prey that could be found. He sighed, pausing with his tail twitching. "This is such a waste of time. Why don't we just put all our efforts into hunting when we're weak enough as it is?"

[juny]

A small she-cat was completely focused on one thing and one thing only, a pigeon. This was rare for ShadowClan but she guessed it was because she was so close to the RiverClan border that the bird was here at all. The apprentice slowly crept up on it and got as close as she could. Just when she was going to speed up and catch it, the pigeon noticed her and started to unfurl it's wings. Realizing that she just couldn't let this bird escape her, Viperpaw sped towards it as fast as her legs could carry her. The bird took flight with sqeals of panic. Viperpaw launched herself into the air with a huge leap. She stretched her right forepaw as far as it would go and just barely snagged the bird as she batted it back the ground. Stunned, the bird stay still just long enough for Viperpaw to land and make the killing bite.

Pleased with herself, Viperpaw picked it up and dropped it with horror as she realized that her leap had landed her exactly on the border. Then her smokey green eyes landed on the RiverClan cat with fear but she quickly hid it and anger raced through her. "This pigeon is mine and I am not on your side of the border, so don;t even think of starting anything!" Viperpaw hissed with the venom that made her name.

[shiningheart]

Tigerstep was actually so surprised to see a cat suddenly vault out of the bushes that he took a step back and blinked. He saw that it was a small she-cat, possibly an apprentice, and that she had a dead bird dead in her paws. He would have let it go, seeing as how he saw her leap from the ShadowClan side and knew it was their prey, but she was quick to defend herself. He bristled while internally smirking, deciding to use this chance to have some fun. "And why is ShadowClan hunting so close to our border, hm?" he demanded, stalking up to the young she-cat. "Are you perhaps looking for a nice juicy vole to coincidentally wander over the border?" He smirked, his tail swishing from side to side. "Are ShadowClan so pathetic now that they stoop to teaching their young to steal?"

[''NOVA NEBULA;;]

--L A V A P A W;;

"Don't the other clans have anything better to do then to bother Shadowclan all the time?" Came a new voice from behind one of the bushes. An orange pelted tom with dangerous amber eyes stared darkly at the Riverclan warrior. He had the build of a warrior but was yet too small to be one. Lavapaw wasn't here to defend Viperpaw for he knew she wouldn't appreciate that. No. He was here to defend Shadowclan honor. He knew that given the chance, both cats would start something. To tell the truth, Lavapaw had been following Viperpaw. Not because he liked her or to cause any other trouble, but more to study her. He had this knack of needing to know who everyone was and what they stood for. Being a new apprentice he needed to stay low, but having already the experience of being an apprentice he was defiant as a young Shadowclan cat should be.

"Shouldn't Riverclan cats be hunting fish anyway. She wasn't doing anything wrong." He said. For one, she was only an apprentice and the warrior had no right to critisize her being the fact that she wasn't on his side of the border. For two, It just bothered him that every other clan had to think of Shadowclan as the "Shadow" of the four clans. The ones that are always in the dark side. The ones that couldn't do jack crap like everyone else because they were hiding behind pathetic dark secrets. To Lavapaw all of it was STUPID!

His ears went back then and his sharp eyes grew very calm. His voice softened and a look of pure defiance glimmered in his eyes. "What right does any clan have to bring us down when we never did anything to you or them? Only mind our own business and state our oppinions." He asked in a genuine way that made him sound almost adult.

Then again, why was he so angry? Was it really because he was defending Shadowclan's honor? Or did he have a right to ask this strange and cruel question at all. Why was it the clans fought for rediculous purposes in the first place? Great Starclan! Why put me here and tell me to obey when I'm not sure why I obey in the first place? He pushed the thoughts away. They all went away. He didn't want to have to deal with them anymore. They confused him and bothered him and so he sent them away. Now all of his focus was in the current moment. On Viperpaw, and on the Riverclan warrior who's name Lavapaw didn't know because he never saw.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X

Notes;;
Sorry for the long and quite Shakespearean post. >.<;; I'm in the middle of Hamlet in English. And I'm surprised how much I like it.

Muse;;
xD Haha! It was amazing!

Words;;
455 words

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[juny]

Viperpaw's ears slipped down and became flat against her skull. Who is this RiverClan cat who thinks he can talk to me like that! Her claws slid out and stratched the ground and caused furious little slits in the dirt. Her smokey green eyes were so focused on the RiverClan cat that she almost jumped out of her skin when another ShadowClan cat came up behind her and ended up standing beside her. She used her nose to identify him, he was one of the new apprentices, Lavapaw.

The apprentice listened to both cats talk. She had to bite her tongue to keep from making a couple scathing comments to the RiverClan cat. The only thing that stopped her was the fact that Lavapaw started talking right before she opened her mouth. But her eyes stayed locked on the enemy Clan cat. Although Viperpaw stayed exactly where she was. To her, taking a step back would mean showing the weakness of giving up but if she took a step forward Viperpaw really would be in RiverClan territory. Neither was an option she was going to take.

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Notes:: I need to start putting my word count down too.

Word Count:: 203

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[shiningheart]

*small laugh* I'm afraid that, if I did that, I'd feel bad at how pitifully small my posts are...

Tigerstep swung his head to face the new arrival, and he nearly sneered as Lavapaw came forward. "Apprentices come forward to defend the honor of their Clan?" He snorted, bowing his head dramatically. "I admire your courage and your untimely stupidity, kits, but you should run back to the nursery. Part of being a warrior is picking fights you can actually win and this," he stepped forward until he was directly in front of Viperpaw with claws unsheathed, "is most definately one you will lose."

"What's going on?" Tigerstep spun to see Ripplestream, one of his Clanmates, appear behind him. Ripplestream blinked on seeing the two rival apprentices before sighing and shaking his head. "Are you causing fights again, Tigerstep? I heard what Copperflight was saying to you, you need to reign in your temper?"

Tigerstep snorted, glaring at the apprentices. "I was merely advising these two to pick their battles wisely. They actually believe their Clan has never done any harm to the other three!"

[juny]

The ShadowClan apprentice resisted the urge to take a swipe at this arrogent RiverClan tom. Though she did not move a muscle when he slid out his claws right in front of her. Viperpaw's eyes narrowed into slits as she growled deep in her throat. This entire thing was completely ridiculous. The apprentice didn't glance at Lavapaw but still had her grey eyes locked on Tigerstep.

But her gaze slipped toward another RiverClan warrior as he came into view. Sheesh, we might have been able to take on this stupid pile of mouse dung but we can't take on two fully trained warriors. Especially with Lavapaw as a newer apprentice. Viperpaw crouched to the ground, her claws still out but once again, she didn't say a word or move. Viperpaw had to play this out very carefully...

But then she couldn't take it anymore and she screamed in rage, "How dare you! As if RiverClan has never done anything to the other Clans! The core of ShadowClan has always had honor even if some of our leaders were... Viperpaw's eyes widened in horror. She had said what she was thinking without filtering it first. To speak against a leader was against the warrior code. Even if it was true; like with Brokenstar and Tigerstar. Blackstar had started ShadowClan regaining thier honor long ago. Now all three leaders were stories for kits that were half forgotten.

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Notes:: Actually, you have your words in size 1 and size 1 always makes it seem like you don't type a lot but in reality, you almost type twice as much. So I'm sure you have just as many words as what I do. lol
Sorry, I'm trying newish things...like ideas that I've seen other people do with thier posts.
Words:: 251

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[Magicheart]

"..capable of making mistakes. Just as warriors and leaders have always done. No cat is perfect." Shadowmask appeared from the shadows, his pale yellow eyes looking at the apprentices from his own clan before drifting over the border. The senior warrior rarely spoke, but was honored in his own clan for his service, even though many of his clanmates were unsure of what to think of him due to his mysterious nature. He was large and muscular for a Shadowclan cat.

"We follow the same code and the same stars. We are proud of the differences that make us who we are." The warrior's gaze flickered back to Vixenpaw, who had prey at her feet dangerously close to the border. He fixed her with a stare, as though he was seeing right through her to the truth of the situation. His gaze traveled back to the Riverclan cats. Leopardstar was fooled by Tigerstar as well. Surely, they would not be ignorant enough to bring him up. he thought.

Shadowmask carried the wisdom to know that border skirmishes could be foolish, but he would do whatever it took to protect his clan's apprentices.