A Great Warrior (Lion, Open)

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds walked the bottom of the canyon and found himself standing in front of the den that used to be Skywatcher's, the only tom that had remembered enough about Skyclan to be able to revive the clan. The young torti tom gazed at the twisted roots that formed a den and tried to imagine the stoic old cat, waiting countless moons for something that might have never come.

He was so brave. Could I ever be as brave and noble as you? Gatheringclouds wondered. He was one of the few cats that had been descended from the cats who had reassembled Skyclan. There seemed to be so many cats who came to the clan that weren't born there. Is this what you wanted, Sky? Your clan is strong, but there is so little left of the original bloodline. Does that matter? Gatheringclouds sat and sighed, feeling insecure about his ability to be a strong, extraordinary Skyclan warrior. Even though he was clanborn, he didn't have as long of legs as some of the outsiders.

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight almost felt as if steam were literally coming off her head as she stalked across the steppe, her claws tearing against the rock without her paying much head. She was sick of her sister and all the silences and the shunning. She understood that Cursedangel needed her space, but it had been many moons since they'd come to SkyClan. What more did her sister want from her? Lilithnight climbed a steep ridge and stopped abruptly when she saw a fellow warrior. He was a handsome young tom who sat staring at the old den on the top of the large hill of rocks. She tilted her head to one side, wondering if she was interrupting something. He seemed deep in thought, regardless. Maybe I'll just leave him alone. She thought, turning to leave.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds took a quick, startled breath and swiveled his head as he heard a pebble roll loose from the rock behind him. The cause was a cat who was walking away from him. "I'm sorry, I can leave if you wanted to come here." the young tom called. He suddenly noticed that the cat was female and suddenly became flustered and nervous.

Gatheringclouds backed up to show her that he was good on his word and fumbled over a tree root, awkwardly landing on his rear end. He scurried to his feet and shook the dusty earth from his pelt, too overcome with embarrassment to say anything else.

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight heard the tom stir and looked over her shoulder. She was sorry to have riled him up so, but she couldn't stop the small smile spreading across her face at his anticts. She turned to face him and dipped her head politely.

"No, don't trouble yourself," she mewed in a friendly way, "I was just taking a walk." She looked at him with big curious eyes. She wondered what he was thinking, why he was so flustered. His name was Gatheringclouds, if she remembered correctly. She hadn't spoken to him many times, but she'd seen him around camp. She smiled, glad to have the oppertunity to talk with someone and forget her sister - for a little while, at least.

[Magicheart]

"Oh, me too." Gatheringclouds meowed, relaxing slightly. "I just became a warrior and..." the young tom hesitated. "Well, it's hard feeling so disconnected from the old Skyclan cats. I know we remade the clan, but I worry that we lost a lot of what we were." he confided honestly. "They say the other clans care a lot about whether or not a cat is clanborn, but I don't think it makes me better than anyone else." Gatheringclouds suddenly widened his eyes, extremely embarrassed. "I didn't mean....oh no! Er...no one thinks less of you for not being..." The gray and cream pelted tom shut his mouth and stared at his paws miserably.

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight listened intently. It was what she was good at. She watched his expressions and smiled a little as his talk began to go beyond her, beyond all the cats like her that had joined SkyClan from the outside world. When he seemed to realize this, Gatheringclouds became very flustered. But Lilithnight just smiled and shrugged.

"I wouldn't think so. I believe that SkyClan can only be stronger for having so many cats with so many life experiences. If all cats here were Clanborn, then they'd become complacent and too engrossed in a specific way of thinking. Or at least I think so." Lilithnight shrugged slightly. She looked up at Sky's den, wondering what the Ancient SkyClan had been like. Would they have accepted her and her sister? She smiled slightly, glad that the old traditions had been weakened just a little. She liked how she was trusted by most cats. While they seemed suspicious at times of her sister, they generally had no qualms against Lilithnight. She and her sister had proved their loyalty, and now they were a part of the Clan. It was just proof that old ways were not always best for everyone - especially those on the outside.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds sighed in relief and smiled slightly. He dared to meet the she-cat's gaze again and followed it up to Sky's den. "Has anyone ever told you about him? Skywatcher?" he inquired, his voice reflecting how innocent and naive he was.

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight turned and looked back at Gatheringclouds, a surprised expression on her face. She'd heard something about Sky's den being related to the rebuilding of SkyClan. She hadn't thought there was anymore to the story. Or perhaps she just hadn't considered it.

"No, they haven't." She looked up at the rock. She'd heard about a cat named Firestar coming and helping to remake the Clan after its demise. Lilithnight turned back to him and blinked, "Can you tell me about him?"

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds blinked in understanding when the she-cat told him that she hadn't heard about Sky. We should do a better job of honoring him. he noted to himself. Maybe if he had the courage, he could mention it at the next gathering at the Sky Rock.

The young tom started at Lilithnight's question. "Me? I hardly think I'd do it justice..." he meowed self-consciously, twitching his ears. He glanced back the the she-cat and felt the familiar heat fluttering through his body and realized it would be easier to talk to her if he was telling her a story or something he knew about. That way, he wouldn't be as focused on the fact she was female.

"...but I guess I could try." he meowed, clearing his throat. "When Skyclan first came to the canyon, they ended up disbanding because of the rat attack. When Firestar came from Thunderclan to rebuild Skyclan, Sky was the only cat that knew the old Skyclan and the warrior code. He had never lived as a warrior, but was raised by the code. Firestar came here because of a dream that Skyclan's leader, Cloudstar, had given him. Cloudstar was the clan leader when Skyclan was forced from its old home. When Firestar was ready to give up, Sky was the one that pushed him. He lived as a recluse, keeping the memory of Skyclan alive until his last breath." Gatheringclouds sighed in admiration and sympathy for the cat he had heard so much about as a kit.

"He even would go to Skyrock every moon by himself to honor the gatherings, even when the cats who lived around here were really cruel to him. He died shortly after Firestar gave him his official elder name, Skywatcher. This was the den where he lived, keeping the memory of our clan alive so we could be its warriors. I hope I can be as great as him some day." Gatheringclouds meowed with longing in a heartfelt tone.

The gray and cream tom suddenly snapped out of his story and flicked his ears self-consciously, realizing he was rambling and had probably bored the she-cat to tears.

[.:Lion:.]

Far from being bored, Lilithnight was enthralled with Gatheringclouds's story. She loved history, since it was something she had never had much of as a kit. She listened intently to the tale of Sky, a cat so loyal he remained faithful to a code he never truly understood. She wondered how he could have the heart to do such a thing. It must have been lonely, being there all by himself, sitting on Sky Rock with only the unfeeling stars blinking overhead. She admired him, and wished that she could have met him. He must have been very wise. Perhaps he could have helped her. It was always nice to have someone to talk to. Lilithnight didn't like talking about her past, but unlike her sister she did feel the need to relive the painful memories, if only to learn from them and move on. But her circumstances were much different from her sister's. Lilithnight could only imagine how haunted Cursedangel was by the little bodies she'd knelt by as Lilith found her again. It was something that Lilith, an outsider to her sister's pain, would never forget. How much harder must it be for her sister? Lilithnight suddenly felt more at ease. She had forgiven her sister, possibly thanks to Gatheringclouds and his stories. Stories had the power to redeem, to save. She'd understood that for many moons.

"He must have been an amazing cat. I wish I could be half as faithful." She meowed, seeming a little sad. And she was, perhaps. There was a part of her that still loved Scythe, the abusive tom that had once been her mate, when she was young. She'd been rash and stupid to stay with him. She'd been stupid to believe all of his lies. In the end, Curse was the cat that had driven him away, not Lilith. And she'd been ashamed of that fact for a long time. Even so, she wished she could at least see him again. It was a silly, petty feeling, but there all the same. She wasn't sure anymore who she wanted to be faithful to. Her sister, or her abuser. At least the moons had softened her love for Scythe. But she knew she wouldn't forget him. That was something he'd seen to personally. Lilithnight had to think for a moment what sort of cat her sister had been with. She'd never even heard of him before, and she hadn't dared to ask. He must have been horrible. Lilithnight thought. She realized she was zoning out and turned her attention back to Gatheringclouds, smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry about that. I got lost in the past for a second there." She tried to sound cheerful, but she just ended up looking embarrassed.

[Magicheart]

Faithful?
That was not the word Gatheringclouds had expected. He turned to her with a inquisitive eyes and a bewildered expression. He watched as Lilithnight's eyes clouded over, her mind wandering through memories. He realized then and there just how little he knew about most of his clanmates. He recovered his composure and nodded, looking back to the den again. "At least we have his memory, so we know what to aspire to." he meowed.

He glanced over at Lilithnight, who clearly hadn't heard him. Her eyes suddenly glittered with awareness and she apologized to him. The young tom suddenly felt a stab of loneliness when he glanced at her. He didn't have a unique or adventurous past like many of the outsiders did. He couldn't relate or bond to them as easily. He'd grown up loved by his parents and well taught by his mentor. That couldn't be a bad thing, could it? Gatheringclouds wondered, puzzled.

Her discomfort seemed to elevate his own, and he had no idea what to say. "...I guess I wouldn't know." he meowed simply, looking at his paws. "Besides me being younger and the clan being much smaller, not much has changed for me." Was that true? Was he feeling envious? Maybe he was too concerned about appearing boring or like a simple cat with an easy life. I feel like a kittypet compared to some of these cats. he thought wretchedly. Gatheringclouds fixed his gaze on his paws again. Would he ever be able to do anything important and be recognized by his clan? Did they even care?

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight pricked her ears curiously. She wondered what expression she was noticing on his face, what it meant. She had never been good at reading faces - she was better at sensing situations. Maybe he feels like he hasn't experienced much...? Lilithnight frowned, thinking about the emotions that he might feel, in the opposite position as she'd found herself. She kept her gaze steadily on his face, her thoughts coming together relatively quickly.

"Then you should consider yourself lucky," she said finally, smiling only slightly, "You have a clean slate. You aren't weighed down by the past. That's not something to feel bad about." She said calmly.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds flicked his ears, surprised that she seemed to have guessed what he was thinking so easily. "I...I-well..." he stuttered, feeling frustrated. "How can I relate to anyone when I haven't experienced anything? You might call it a clean slate, but it feels like I don't have one at all." he meowed, leaping into the air to paw at a dead leaf hanging on a low branch. The words had just spilled out of him from no where, and he needed something to focus his attention on. I didn't even know I felt this way... he thought, very confused as he shyly glanced at Lilithnight again.

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight's head tipped to the side. She thought of someone she rarely liked to, his thick shoulders and ragged fur filling her mind, a ghost trace of his scent melting against her tongue. She saw his keen yellow eyes, his broken tooth, his long claws that had stung when they cut her flesh. Then with a tiny shake of her head, she dislodged all thoughts of him, concentrating on the words that Gatheringclouds spoke. Her pretty eyes were open and caring. She usually didn't trust cats very easily, but in SkyClan she was starting to feel more comfortable. And there was something about Gatheringclouds that calmed her. She thought about his words for a moment, a tiny frown forming on her brow. Then she sat down and tucked her tail around her paws, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

"And is that very important to you? Relating to your Clanmates?" She asked quietly.

[Magicheart]

"Well...I guess it would have mattered more if Skyclan still lived in the old forest. Clan loyalty is very important. When you relate to others, you bond and can trust each other more easily and trust is what a clan needs to survive. No cat can do everything." he meowed. He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe that's why Skywatcher lived all alone here. He couldn't relate to anyone. I don't think it made him very happy." Gatheringcloud sighed and sat again, curling his tail around his paws. "I don't think it makes any cat happy when they feel like they always have to prove themselves to everyone.

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight thought about that. She pictured her sister, strong and silent with eyes like ice. Was that what he was talking about? The distant lack of communication that continually frustrated Lilith? She knew she had experienced a similar pain as her sister. But what suffering added to Cursedangel's stony exterior? What made the two sisters so different? She could remember a time when Cursedangel was strong and talkative and always pointing out her opinions. Now it was as if she were barely alive. Is this what it feels like not to relate to someone? Lilithnight wondered absentmindedly. She looked at Gatheringclouds and smiled a sad little smile.

"I guess so," she mewed slowly, quietly. She met Gatheringclouds's gaze, wondering what he was thinking of as he said words that sparked such controversy in her heart. Did he have any idea what had happened to herself and her sister? No. Probably not. The two she-cats rarely ever spoke of their pasts. Lilithnight knew she had never mentioned it, except perhaps in passing. And Cursedangel was silent as the grave, so she expected there was no way Gatheringclouds could know. And yet he seems to know what to say. She thought, and her expression softened.

"Believe it or not," she added, "I think you relate to some cats. With your words and your ideas if not your experiences." She meowed thoughtfully.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds was completely taken aback by Lilithnight's words. "I think I'd have a hard time believing you, though I would like to." he meowed, shyly walking a bit closer to his clanmate. "I didn't mean to sound so dismal...I'm just struggling to figure out what a young and inexperienced warrior can offer Skyclan..." he meowed with a sigh. "There's so much I'd like to do...but I feel like I need experience to get experience." he mrrrowed gently. "I don't ever remember feeling so...directionless." the tom twitched his nose and frowned.

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight couldn't help but smile a sweet, shy smile as Gatheringclouds came a bit closer. It felt nice to talk with a Clanmate openly. Lilith was the type of cat that liked to help other cats with their problems. It seemed to give her some purpose. Perhaps it had started when she'd realized that her sister's advice had been worth listening to when it came to her previous mate, Scythe. Lilithnight had grown to appreciate those who listened, since they were few and far apart. Perhaps that was why she was so diligently paying attention to Gatheringclouds's words, weighing them and trying her best to reply in a very meaningful way.

"You don't sound dismal at all," Lilithnight meowed kindly, If you want one example regarding how you can feel even if you haven't experienced, take the words that you used. Have you ever had to truly struggle to relate to someone? To please someone who never seemed satisfied with you?" Lilithnight managed to keep her mind on the present, ignoring the familiar ache in the scars along her shoulders and back. They tended to do that on cold days, when the wind picked up. She knew what it was like to struggle and yet find no praise or appreciation. She shivered a little, feeling lonely for some reason she could not fathom.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds listened thoughtfully. "My parents always encouraged me, so not them..." he meowed, angling his head. "Maybe it's the new cats that have come to the clan. They seem so...distant. It's like no one wants to tell them what to do because they're stronger or we're afraid they'll leave. They've seen so much more than I have. I feel I represent Skyclan and have to give them a reason to stay. Maybe I feel like I have to wow them somehow to do that."

Gatheringclouds looked up and noticed Lilithnight shivering. "Oh, you're cold!" he meowed, suddenly embarrassed. He glanced around desperately, trying to find something to warm her before awkwardly pressing himself against her, gazing off to his side not daring to look at her.

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight's first reaction as she felt Gatheringclouds's fur brushing hers was to draw away. But she managed to stop herself, repeating that he meant no harm. A low flush made her skin feel warm with him so close, and she couldn't keep her heart calm. She didn't like his nearness at all, but she didn't have the heart to tell him so.

"So is it your Clanmates or yourself that expects so much?" She asked, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. Gatheringclouds thought he understood the feeling of expectation. And maybe he did, in some small way. She looked away, down at her paws, wondering if she should tell him. But he wouldn't care about that, she scolded herself, No cat wants to hear your sob story. No cats want to know where the scars from. No one's ever asked. She thought a bit dismally. She knew she should be glad that her Clanmates didn't pry, but sometimes it felt... like she was estranged. She felt that no one cared enough to ask. While trying to be sensitive, they made her feel even more distant. And that was one thing that Lilithnight hated more than anything else. Sitting there next to Gatheringclouds felt nice, if not nerve-wracking. It had been a long time since Lilithnight had been close to a tom, so it was natural to feel uneasy. But she liked the closeness in emotion. That was part of the reason she didn't move away. And it was nice not being cold.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds mrrrowed. "I guess it's me, huh?" he meowed, stealing a glance out of the corner of his eye at her. "When did you get so wise?" His voice held a note of amusement in it, but his eyes were serious and the playfulness seemed forced. Genuine curiosity about Lilithnight seemed to fill up his mind, and he began to realize just how little he knew about his clanmates. He couldn't help noticing that the she-cat seemed slightly tense and wondered if she was still cold, or perhaps something they were talking about was making her uncomfortable...or perhaps...

Gatheringclouds inched away slightly. "Sorry." he mumbled. "I thought...I didn't know...we could have walked I guess..." the young tom stared pointedly at his paws as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world.

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight looked at Gatheringclouds steadily, a smile playing on her lips. She liked to think that her experience with the world had at least given her some insight. If not, then what was all the suffering for? When Gatheringclouds moved away, part of Lilithnight was relieved. Another small part was dismayed, and she was a bit surprised by the feeling. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted to be close to him. Maybe it was nice to have someone near again. Then she remembered how it had felt with Scythe, at first. She looked away.

"No, it's... it's fine. I just have... I have some issues with... um... touching, I guess." She meowed awkwardly. She hunched her shoulders, feeling overly self-consious about the large scars over her left shoulder. They had been some of the deepest she'd ever received. They were what could be thought of as a "goodbye present" from Scythe. She bit her lip, trying to stifle the memories. She had been such a fool. If Cursedangel had not intervened... she could be dead.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds felt his stomach drop. He had made her feel uncomfortable. He let out a slow sigh. I shouldn't get too discouraged. At least I'm getting to know one of my clanmates better. It'll take some time to warm up and trust each other. This thought made the young tom much happier.

He stole a glance at Lilith as she shifted and noticed a large scar on her shoulder. "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't know you had an injury. Did I make it hurt?" he meowed, completely naive. The inexperienced Skyclan warrior had never received any kind of injuries himself to know how they healed. He glanced at Lilithnight incredulously, as if seeing her for the first time. "That's from a large wound. That must have been really painful." he blurted out without thinking. He lowered his ears in embarrassment. "Sorry...I haven't seen much of battle." he meowed, feeling inferior.

[.:Lion:.]

Lilithnight was surprised by Gatheringclouds's inquisitiveness. Most cats didn't mention the scars. But then, she was beginning to see that her Clanmate's naive views on the world meant that he felt out of place, and perhaps questioning was the only thing he could do to understand. So instead of being stony and silent as she would have expected herself to be, she just gave a sad little smile and said,

"It's rather old now, so it doesn't hurt much anymore. It just aches every now again..." She listened to his rambling with a faint sense of amusement. He seemed embarrassed, and she supposed he had right to be. Physical scars were for some cats only a manifestation of the emotional scars that lingered on their hearts. Lilithnight supposed hers were of that sort.

"And I'm afraid I don't know much of battle either, save for the battle of survival. These wounds were not given so chivalrously. They... they were... punishments, maybe." She meowed, staring off into the distance, remembering Scythe's strong, handsome face and charismatic smile. When she had met him, she would never have guessed at the evil that lurked within his heart. And even after he'd beaten her almost to the point of death, Lilithnight had still clung onto the hope that he wasn't all bad. Cursedangel had saved her by finally confronting him and driving him off, but that action estranged the two sisters for a very long time. Lilithnight had felt that it was her fault such horrible things happened to her sister. If she hadn't been so petty, if she had accepted Cursedangel's help, then her sister would never have gone through so much pain...

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds sighed in relief. "I'm glad I didn't hurt you. I'd feel awful." he meowed. "I guess some wounds never completely heal." he agreed. "My father died from wounds fighting off the rats when we first reassembled Skyclan. Our medicine cat couldn't heal the infection. I was pretty young then." he reminisced. "My mother lost part of her tail and it took her some time to get her balance right. She didn't show it, but I don't think she ever got over the wound of losing Raindance. I guess it was a good thing she had me to focus on."

Gatheringclouds frowned. "There were so many mixed emotions after the battle. We were so happy to have won our land back, but we lost a lot doing so. I was never sure if I should be happy or sad that I lost my father to save our clan. He was honored as a great warrior. He is to this day." the young warrior meowed, his shoulders sagging slightly under the weight of the memory of being a confused young apprentice.

There was a brief pause before Lilith's words shook him out of his thoughts. "Punishment?" Gatheringclouds fluffed up his fur. "No cat has the right to punish another one like that, no matter how horrible the deed...and I couldn't ever imagine you doing something bad at all." he meowed defensively, shock in his voice.