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Post by .:Lion:. on Apr 22, 2011 23:06:45 GMT -5
Lilithnight listened to Gatheringclouds talking about his parents. She smiled a little as he spoke, imagining the heroic figure his father must have cut, fighting off rats to protect his Clan's territory. Lilithnight wished she could have so many stories about her father. He had died before she was born, killed on a Thunderpath by a Twoleg monster. Her mother had been so devastated, she had detested the mere sight of her two kits. Even the names she gave them reinforced those feelings. Cursedangel's old name had been Curse - as if their very existence had caused their mother's trouble. And Lilith had been named after a kit-eating demon. She supposed her parents had been good cats, once. But her father's death had twisted her mother, and she had felt nothing but hostility from her since then. Gatheringclouds's reaction to Lilithnight explaining the origin of her scars was a bit unexpected. She was shocked that he would be so passionate about something that he didn't really know about. But Lilith was a bit flattered by his assurances, and she couldn't help a tiny, comforted smile from forming on her lips.
"Yeah, that's what Curse said back then, too. I guess I was just a mouse-brain to trust him..." She meowed, looking away. Lilithnight stared at the distant line of trees, wishing she could have told Scythe off herself. But she'd been weak. She had thought she loved him, and that he loved her. She'd convinced herself that he didn't mean to hurt her. That he would change. But he never did. That was one thing she could count on, even in her naivety.
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Post by Magicheart on Apr 24, 2011 13:18:20 GMT -5
Gatheringclouds felt a flare of anger when Lilith mentioned that her attacker had been a male. It must have been another cat. he thought with disgust at the injustice of the situation. "Well, nothing like that will happen to you here." he meowed, glancing over at her before looking away again. "Skyclan is full of noble cats that honor the warrior code. Skywatcher never lost faith to make sure of that, and I mean to do the same."
A gust of wind swept through the gully, causing Gatheringcloud's eyes to water. He took a step back to brace himself and felt his fur brush against Lilith's again.
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Post by .:Lion:. on Apr 24, 2011 16:01:23 GMT -5
Lilithnight looked up at Gatheringclouds, her eyes wide with surprise. 'Nothing like that will happen to you here...' She couldn't help but smile, since she believed those words. This time, when she felt her Clanmate's fur brushing against hers, she didn't even feel the need to shy away. She turned and looked at him with shy but open eyes, wondering if she could rely on Gatheringclouds to be there for her. She had few very good friends, mostly due to her skittish nature. But she would like someone to trust. She would like having a friend like Gatheringclouds.
"I have no doubt you will," she meowed quietly.
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Post by Magicheart on Apr 24, 2011 19:51:53 GMT -5
The wind pushed against Gatheringcloud's even harder. "I think a storm is coming!" he yowled over the gust. "Maybe we should head back to camp." He stood up straight to protect Lilith from the gravel and grist that hurtled through the air, squinting his eyes. He let out a snarl and pawed profusely at his eyes as grit blew into them. "Something's in my eyes...I can't see." The young warrior kept blinking, trying to dislodge the discomfort from his eyes. "Can you lead us back?" he meowed loudly over the wind, his eyes shut.
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Post by .:Lion:. on Apr 24, 2011 21:08:01 GMT -5
Lilithnight turned, looking up at the sky. It was gray, and she had no doubt that rain was coming. Glancing back at Gatheringclouds, she was alarmed to see that he was in pain, unable to open his eyes. She flinched as the wind blew up some grit into her fur, then nodded.
"Yeah, I'll get us back." She pressed her shoulder against Gatheringclouds's, glancing at the treetops that shook slightly with the rising wind.
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Post by Magicheart on Apr 24, 2011 21:42:49 GMT -5
"Some protector I am, huh?" he meowed, fumbling his way forward. He was glad that he could feel safe from any criticism. He knew that Lilith would never hold this against him. Thunder rumbled through the canyon, and rain poured from the sky, drenching Gatheringclouds almost immediately. "Perhaps we should find shelter here." he cried over the chaos of the natural world. "We could go to Sky's den." he suggested, blinking his eyes a few times, hoping that the rain would cleanse the debris from them. "At least we will be kept dry."
Lightning flashed across the sky and Gatheringclouds fluffed out his fur, pressing himself to the ground. The sounds of the storm were deafeningly loud and seemed to shriek in his ears, preventing him from utilizing his normally keen senses.
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Post by .:Lion:. on Apr 24, 2011 22:07:59 GMT -5
Lilithnight glanced up at the rocky face. Is there really a den up there? She turned her face towards the stones, struggling to keep calm in the face of the storm.
"Okay, let's go!" She called, trying to find a footing on the smoothed rocks.
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Post by Magicheart on Apr 25, 2011 19:14:15 GMT -5
Gatheringclouds struggled after her, trying to hear her movements over the squall. He wrapped the tip of his tail around hers. "Sorry, I still can't see very well." he meowed, feeling extremely embarrassed and rather lame. He followed Lilith up, thinking about how odd it felt to be relying on one of his clanmates completely for the first time as a warrior. He was glad that it was Lilith.
"We should almost be there. Do you see it?" he called, his drenched fur plastered to his sides.
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Post by .:Lion:. on Apr 25, 2011 19:49:03 GMT -5
Lilith couldn't see anything. The wind had picked up and was blowing dust and dead leaves everywhere. Squinting, she struggled to see where the cave was. She had never seen it before, so she wasn't sure what to look for. Finally, she thought she saw something - a darkness that must be Sky's den! She turned to look at Gatheringclouds over her shoulder.
"It's just ahead!" She called over the roar of the wind.
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Post by Magicheart on Apr 25, 2011 23:07:09 GMT -5
Gatheringclouds nodded and forced himself onward, almost losing his footing multiple times on the slippery rock. "Be careful!" he cautioned to his clanmate, genuinely concerned. Suddenly, the rain stopped pelting the young warrior, and he found himself sheltered in Sky's den. "Well done." he meowed, his eyes still closed. He was afraid that if he opened them, he wouldn't be able to see.
Gatheringclouds flopped on his side, breathing heavily. The weather and the climb to Sky's den had drained the energy from his limbs. "I don't think I'll ever get dry." he meowed miserably.
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Post by .:Lion:. on Apr 26, 2011 6:53:10 GMT -5
Lilithnight sighed in relief as she felt the dry stones of the secluded den beneath her paws. She watched Gatheringclouds flop down, and noticed his eyes were still closed. She stared at him for a few moments, then padded over and curled up beside him, drawing her tongue across his eyes, tasting the grit that had got caught up in them. She felt awkward, grooming another cat. Her sister had never been the cuddly type, and neither had their mother. Scythe hadn't minded being groomed now and again, but he generally thought her clinging was a bit annoying. It was sort of nice to have someone to take care of for once. Lilithnight felt like she had a job to do. It was an altogether pleasant feeling.
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Post by Magicheart on Apr 27, 2011 20:43:00 GMT -5
Gatheringclouds felt his body go rigid with surprise and panic when he first felt Lilithnight against him, and thought his heart would thunder out of his chest when he felt her tongue gently cleaning his eyes. The rhythmic strokes soon calmed him slightly, and he sighed and let out a soft purr. He hadn't been cared for like this by any cat since his mother, and that was when he was a kit.
"Lilithnight?" he mewed softly. "Thanks..." he sighed. Before he knew it, the young tom had fallen asleep.
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Post by .:Lion:. on Apr 28, 2011 7:03:05 GMT -5
Lilithnight smiled slightly when he thanked her. Then he seemed to relax and she stopped licking him, seeing that he had fallen sleep. Smiling, the she-cat lay down next to him and stared out at the rain, her calm blue eyes tender.
"You're such a good cat," she murmured gently, "Much nicer than Scythe ever was. I wish I could have fallen for someone like you." She meowed, looking down at his peaceful sleeping face. She felt as if her heart was warming up after so long. It pattered happily in her chest, a blissful feeling that she had not expected to feel again. Lilithnight wondered if Gatheringclouds would want someone like her. She turned and began grooming his pelt, gently teasing the grit from the patches of grey and white, intent just to be near him.
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Post by Magicheart on Apr 28, 2011 20:30:58 GMT -5
Gatheringclouds slept soundly for some time. He thought he heard Lilithnight say something that made him happy, but he couldn't remember what it was, or clearly if it had happened.
Gatheringclouds began to stir gently in his sleep. He was in a field, with both of his parents beside him. His father gazed down at him and smiled, seeing him for the first time as a warrior. Gatheringclouds found himself pouring out details of all the things that his father had missed, his apprenticeship, his warrior ceremony, his first gathering....
He hardly noticed that the horizon was darkening, or the small, pale yellow lights that began to illuminate it. His father's face seemed to turn to stone, and Gatheringclouds trailed off, gazing in the direction that Raindance was looking. Rats. Thousands of them.
Raindance let out a throaty growl, but Gatheringclouds was too overcome with the sight to react immediately. He gazed at his father in horror as he ran toward the streaming mass of brown, which seemed to swallow him up. "What are you doing? You can't fight them alone!" The young tom howled.
"Father!" Gatheringclouds yelled, jolting awake.
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Post by .:Lion:. on May 3, 2011 22:18:16 GMT -5
Lilithnight sat with her tails curled around her paws, her eyes on the sheet of rain outside the den. Her thoughts were farther away, though, engrossed in a moment that still haunted her. The gentle feeling of Scythe's tongue on her muzzle, his warm scent near hers, his tender voice and charm that he only showed to her. She had thought the violence were only outbursts, a strange tantrum that he wouldn't give into again. Lilith had tried to convince herself that his gentle side was the real him, and not a facade as Curse had insisted it was. But in the end he'd been cruel and nasty, to the bone. Lilith sighed, feeling defeated. Her judgment was as bad as always, even now. She didn't know how to deal with her sister, and had kept Gatheringclouds out when it was apparent it would rain.
"I'm really stupid sometimes..." Lilithnight sighed. She started when Gatheringclouds suddenly yelled out something and woke up, her eyes widening as he looked about him in a frenzied manner.
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Post by Magicheart on May 4, 2011 8:31:12 GMT -5
Gatheringclouds jumped to his feet, his sides heaving. He began to calm down when he realized where he was. He pressed his face into Lilithnight's shoulder, covering his face. "It was horrible. I haven't dreamed about the rats in such a long time." he sighed, soothed by Lilith's scent and warm fur. The images of his dream danced in his mind, and Gatheringclouds wished nothing other than to erase them all, one by one.
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Post by .:Lion:. on May 16, 2011 6:31:47 GMT -5
Lilithnight was surprised by his abrupt approach, but she relaxed after a few moments, feeling nothing hostile from Gatheringclouds as he leaned against her. She knew he was in need of comfort, and she wished she could encourage him somehow. Staring up at the roof of the den, Lilithnight thought of her own nightmares. They were often filled with Scythe, or sometimes even with her sister. She'd see his dark-stained claws, almost feel them tearing into her skin. Or she'd be running through the rain towards a familiar shape, frozen quite suddenly at the sight of two little shapes at her paws. Her sister's dead eyes would look at her as they always did now, as her sorrowful voice said "I lost them." Lilith wondered what the source of these dreams were, or what was their purpose? She couldn't say. Looking at Gatheringclouds's shoulder, Lilithnight wondered how she could hope to comfort him.
"I'm sorry that it was a bad dream." She meowed finally, closing her eyes. In her mind, she thought, I had hoped to send you off with better...
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Post by Magicheart on May 16, 2011 15:51:42 GMT -5
Gatheringclouds' breath began to slow, along with the rise and fall of his flanks. "It was my fault that my parents were separated during the battle. I wanted to help fight too...but I was still just a kit. Right before they attacked, my mother saw me and ran me back to the nursery. She never made it back to my father before the rats came." The young tom still didn't raise his head.
"She kept telling me that it wasn't my fault that he died, that I helped save the other kits by bringing her back to fight at the camp, but I can't help but feeling ashamed. I was happy to lead her away from the battle, especially after my father died. I didn't want her to die too. She always told me it was meant to be, so that she and I could have more time together." The pale warrior let out a long sigh.
"I hadn't thought of those things in so long...I'd almost forgotten them." He stole a glance up at Lilithnight. "I guess that is why I am so determined to carry on his memory as a strong and distinguished warrior. He died for what he loved, Lilithnight, to keep it safe." he looked at her again, with his wide, pale yellow eyes. "Maybe that is why I feel so lost. I don't know what I am fighting for." he took a deep breath and smiled, his gaze wondering around the cave. "But, maybe I don't have to be anymore. There is much here worth fighting for."
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Post by .:Lion:. on May 17, 2011 6:53:25 GMT -5
Lilithnight listened to Gatheringclouds speak, picturing her own life. Her father had died before she and Curse had been born, and his death sent their mother into a terrible depression. She had detested her kits for their resemblance to their father, and all of her bitterness was evident in every word she spoke to them. But she did her duty as a mother, and trained the sisters to face the world. When the time came for them to move on, the sisters had chosen to stick together. Thinking of those first moons of her life, Lilith couldn't help but feel the empty longing for the maternal love that Gatheringclouds spoke of. She had never been able to experience in, and there was a heavy void resulting from its absence.
"You were very fortunate to know your parents," she meowed, "And there will always be blame. You blame yourself, your mother probably blamed herself. My own life has been full of blame. My mother hated us because she felt we were the cause of our father's death. I can't help but feel I'm responsible for what happened to my sister. The only choice I take pride in is the choice to join SkyClan..." Lilith looked up at the murky sky through the entrance to the den, "As you say, there are many things worth defending here."
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Post by Magicheart on May 19, 2011 16:05:46 GMT -5
Gatheringclouds tensed. My mother hated us. Such a statement didn't even make sense to the young warrior, who had only known the fierceness of a mother's undying love. Gatheringclouds was beginning to realize just how lucky, and how different, he was from some of his clanmates.
"Well, if you have your own kits, you can make sure that you treat them well, give them what you didn't have." he meowed naively. He wondered for a moment if he would do anything different than what his parents would have done. No...I would have died to protect my family, just as he did...and I would never have let my kits feel guilty about it. I would have tried to value what I still had, like my mother...though...would I have stayed in the nursery with my kits if I were her? Or would I have stood beside my father? Gatheringclouds' brow furrowed as he got deeper into his thoughts.
He blinked a few times, pulling himself back into the present. "If I had kits, I would want to give them the best of everything...oh, but I wouldn't want them to be spoiled and ungrateful!" Gatheringclouds glanced at Lilithnight, embarrassed. "Maybe I shouldn't be a father for a while. I'll have to think quite a bit about how to be a good one first!"
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Post by .:Lion:. on Jun 20, 2011 10:10:17 GMT -5
Lilithnight considered the possibility of having kits. She was kind and friendly, any cat would agree with that, but she wasn't at all motherly. She had never really known what it was like to have a motherly figure, since her own was so preoccupied in getting her two kits away from her. But remembering Curse's reaction to her tiny kits' deaths, Lilith couldn't help but think that maybe...
"Maybe," she meowed in response to Gatheringclouds's comment about his readiness for parenthood, "Maybe being a parent isn't something you can prepare for. Maybe it's something that just naturally happens, right before your eyes." She meowed quietly, thoughtfully.
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Post by Magicheart on Jun 20, 2011 18:01:09 GMT -5
Gatheringclouds angled his head. "Probably. If I waited to feel I was ready for it, I'd probably be waiting forever, worried that I didn't have it down quite right...or trying to think of any instance in which my kits might surprise me with some question I didn't know..." he meowed thoughtfully, scratching his ear. He straightened up and laughed. "Oh well. I'm young yet...and well, I guess as you've seen, she-cats make me nervous." he admitted honestly. "I'm so anxious about being able to interact at all that I doubt I could ever impress one!" he mrrrrowed.
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Post by .:Lion:. on Jun 20, 2011 19:32:10 GMT -5
Lilithnight looked at Gatheringclouds with a surprised expression on her face.
"You see quite at ease to me," she mewed, "And I don't know much about impressing, as it's not quite a quality I look for in toms, but I find you charming." She smiled at him, hoping that she could rally his spirits just a little bit. Gatheringclouds was so sweet and kind. He deserved someone good, someone that would lift his spirits and encourage him. Part of Lilith wished she could be that someone, but deep down she knew it was impossible. She wasn't what he deserved. She wasn't good or pure. She was filthy, and all she could hope for was that no cat would ever know it.
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Post by Magicheart on Jun 21, 2011 23:07:03 GMT -5
"Oh, you're too kind!" Gatheringclouds mrrrowed. "I was practically--"
Lilithnight continued to speak, and he felt the heat of embarrassment flare up throughout his body when she told him he was charming. He lowered his head, his paws suddenly becoming very interesting. "I...uh....well...I don't think...um..." he mumbled, glancing back and forth nervously. "I'm hardly....well...." his eyes slowly drifted up to Lilithnight. "....well, thanks." he meowed shyly. "it would sure make my mother happy to hear that." he blinked with a happy smile.
"It makes me happy too, to know that I haven't done anything...inconsiderate or stupid." he meowed, getting embarrassed and mumbly again.
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Post by .:Lion:. on Jun 22, 2011 10:50:04 GMT -5
Lilithnight smiled slightly at Gatheringclouds's embarrassment. Other cats may have thought it strange, perhaps, but she could only find it adorable. It could have been her disposition that made her see the best in everyone, but she liked to think that Gatheringclouds was just a good cat.
"Not at all," she meowed, "You've been quite good company. Your mother would surely be proud." She smiled and the whiskers above her eyes lifted slightly. "It looks like the rain has let up. Should we try for the camp?" She asked, glancing outside.
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