Above the curse (open)

[.:Lion:.]

The camp seemed entirely different to Cursedangel when she reentered it. Just that morning, she had felt as if she could never be happy again, never appreciate beauty again. But looking at the sharp stones and the path that led down to the river she stood by, she felt an intense joy of life that had escaped her after her kits' deaths. Sitting beside the river, the she-cat looked down into the water and noticed her reflection. She'd stared at it before, mostly in despair, wondering at how her expression had become so stony. But now there was a softness behind her eyes that was like a smile. She remembered that expression. Cursedangel couldn't help but smile when she saw it again, and her face seemed to light up in the water.

"Hello Cursedangel," a voice said behind her. She turned, her face only partially turning back to its stony self. Somehow she couldn't fully return to the state she'd be in before. Moonpaw had given her too much hope for that.

"Greetings," she replied, not quite recognizing the tortoiseshell she-cat that had called out to her. She looked young - hardly older than Cursedangel herself - with bright blue eyes and a kind smile. Her body seemed terribly worn for being so young, though, and her belly seemed to swell with the kits she was carrying.

"You seem very happy today," the she-cat said. "I am glad. Sometimes I thought I could see the mark of deep trouble on your face. But it seems to be gone now." The cat smiled.

"I... I'm afraid I don't understand." Cursedangel responded hesitantly.

"Cats that suffer similar pains often can relate to one another. I sensed that you knew troubles like mine." The cat tipped her head to one side slightly, "Was I wrong...?"

"Oh, no," Cursedangel said quickly, "I... I guess I..." She paused, looking down at her paws. She'd never spoken of the events that had led to her former state of melancholy. She wasn't sure she was ready to talk about it.

"What happened to them?" Cursedangel started, looking up into the she-cat's kind face.

"W-what do you mean?" Cursedangel asked.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." The she-cat meowed, "I know it's hard. I still haven't spoken to a soul about my own past." A shadow fell across the cat's face, and Cursedangel felt sad to see her cheerful expression clouded thus.

"Perhaps it would do you good?" Cursedangel suggested.

"Perhaps." The other cat sighed, "But it's difficult not to relive those memories... I can't face that now. But perhaps you can." The she-cat stood, as if to go.

"Wait!" Cursedangel exclaimed, "I... I don't know your name." The other cat smiled.

"Beloved." With that, she turned and made her way up the slope, her tail waving in farewell. Cursedangel sat staring after her, wondering how many other cats had suffered as she had. Beloved seems so young to be carrying kits. She thought. Perhaps she really does understand the pain of betrayal?. Cursedangel seemed to shiver in her own skin, sighing softly as she stared down at her reflection again. Am I really so different? She wondered. Suddenly something seemed to sparkle in the surface of the water. Cursedangel could see a cat that could only be a warrior, standing beside a tabby tom that looked more like a loner than anything else. Their pelts seemed to shimmer with stars as they smiled at her. Three little kits appeared, bundling around the two toms' paws. One of the kits looked up at her and squealed.

"Mother!" It exclaimed happily, turning to look up at the tabby tom beside it, "Grandpa, it's mother!" He exclaimed. The tabby turned and licked the kit's head gently, then turned and smiled at Cursedangel.

"Yes," he replied, "She is happy at last." Tears stung in Cursedangel's eyes. She drank in the sight of the five cats - her kits, the stranger, and her father whom she had never known. When their images faded, it was a bittersweet feeling she was left with.

"Thank you," she whispered, "I can fly above my curse at last, it seems." And she smiled.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds raced through the flooded gorge until he came to the river outside of camp. Normally shallow enough to walk through or leap over, it was gorged on the heavy rains that had just fallen. He glanced across the water and saw a cat, though his chest clenched with dread when he saw who it was. "Cursedangel, we need help!" he cried, launching himself from the bank into the churning water in front of him. He sputtered and struggled to swim, his panic draining the fear from him.

Somehow he made it to the bank and could hardly glance into the intense gray eyes of Lilithnight's sister, full of shame. "It's Lilithnight...she....it's my fault." he wailed. "She helped me up the branch but then she....she fell....I'm so sorry!" Gatheringclouds hung his head. "She's in the gorge. We need to get her back to camp as soon as we can." He raised pleading eyes to Cursedangel, unsure of the response he'd see reflected in hers.

[.:Lion:.]

Cursedangel started when she heard a shout. Turning, she saw the alarm in the tom's gaze and wondered what in the name of their ancestors was the problem. Leaping to her paws, she watched in awe as he swam across the flooded river and came, dripping and out of breath, onto the same ledge as she was standing on. He seemed to be avoiding her gaze, but Cursedangel was used to that sort of thing. She listened calmly to what he had to say - that is, until he mentioned her sister. Cursedangel's eyes widened in horror.

"Where is she?!" She demanded, her voice not the icy emotionless tone that most of her Clanmates would be used to. "Take me to her now! Quickly!" She cried, already fighting panic. Don't be dead, Lilith! Please! I can't bear to lose you! Not now! Please... She thought, feeling her heart wrench itself in her chest. Just when she had found peace, Lilithnight had to go and fall out of a tree. I swear, if you aren't dead.... I will kill you. Cursedangel thought furiously.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds nodded, his sides heaving. He glanced across the tumultuous water with a wary gaze. "Can you make it?" he sighed, glancing up at the she-cat. Up until this moment, he hadn't even realized he swam across, and how dangerous the water looked. Where had he learned to swim? Gatheringclouds thought it best not to think too much about it. Would he be able to find clanmates that would brave this river to save Lilithnight? How would they get her home?

"We may have to do this ourselves." he cautioned. "We don't have time to go back to camp and bring our medicine cat here, even if she could make it across the river, which I doubt, with any kind of herbs. I will not risk trying to move her this far." He suddenly became aware of his authoritative tone, and was wondering if he was about to get a scratched face from Cursedangel. Emotions he didn't understand surged through him, and he found himself just wanting to get back to the first she-cat who had shown real affection for him--yet he was afraid to see her injured, or worse.

[.:Lion:.]

Cursedangel flicked her tail impatiently, growing tired of the tom's whining.

"I know plenty about herbs," she meowed tartly, "So I will find some on the way. Now let's go." The she-cat didn't even look at the water. She threw herself into it, striking out with powerful strokes towards the other shore. There were points when she felt like the current would pull her away, but at those moments she almost felt as if four pelts were brushing hers, one large and three small. Cursedangel arrived at the opposite bank and looked back for Gatheringclouds, wishing she could just keep going but not knowing where to go.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds launched himself into the water after Cursedangel, surprised to find energy in his limbs again. He scrambled up the bank behind her and ran ahead, splashing blindly through the water in the canyon, deftly weaving side to side against the almost interlocking stone walls. He occasionally glanced back to be sure that Lilithnight's sister was keeping up. He skidded to a halt in front of the small opening he had placed her body in, suddenly afraid to enter.

What would he do if she died? How could he face Cursedangel and his clanmates? "In there." he panted, feeling it was only respectful to let the she-cat enter first, no matter how much he wanted to.

[.:Lion:.]

Cursedangel raced after Gatheringclouds, her heart thudding uncomfortably in her chest. What would she do if Lilthnight was... dead? The thought filled her with unease. When Gatheringclouds stood aside and motioned for her to enter the clearing first, she didn't hesitate to rush forward.

"Lilithnight!" She called, her eyes wide with worry. She found her lying beneath a tall tree, her eyes closed. Cursedangel felt as if someone were choking her as she leaned down and pressed her nose against Lilith's neck. She felt her pulse and sighed with relief.

"Lilithnight?" She nudged her sister gently, but she didn't move. Cursedangel closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Remember... She thought, going through the list of herbs her mother had shown her. Even if their mother had never loved them, she'd at least given them enough training to go on. Turning, Cursedangel looked around at the clearing and noticed a plant growing nearby. She darted over and sniffed at the stalks, then gently plucked it with her teeth. She brought it over to Lilithnight and set it beside her.

"Good for shock..." She muttered under her breath, trying to pry Lilith's mouth open so that she could feed her the herbs.

[Magicheart]

"Let me help" Gatheringclouds begged, his fur brushing uncomfortably close to both she-cats. His fur fluffed out slightly, but he had to ignore his embarrassment. He placed his paws gently and tilted Lilithnight's head back. "You'll have to get the juice in. We'll see if we can get her to swallow it." he meowed, becoming surprisingly calm in the face of trauma.

[.:Lion:.]

Cursedangel nodded, glad that Gatheringclouds had some sense. With Lilith's head tipped back, she could more easily slip the herbs in. She began to massage Lilithnight's throat with her paw, enticing her to swallow. Her sister's body convulsed a little as the herbs went down, then lay still. Cursedangel turned to look over the rest of Lilthnight's body. It was stiff, and she must have hit her head when she fell, or she probably wouldn't be nearly unconscious. Cursedangel felt along her sister's legs. They weren't broken, which was good. She'd landed in an ideal position, at least. Some bumps and bruises and that would probably be it. Cursedangel then felt along her sister's head. She had a cut where something had hit her.

"Could you find cobwebs for me?" Cursedangel asked Gatheringclouds, her voice as calm as it could possibly be under the circumstances. Her sister stirred slightly and glanced up at her.

"Curse..." She murmured, smiling, "You're here."

"Sure I am, Lilith." Cursedangel replied, trying to sound cheerful even though her voice broke a little.

"What did I say to make him angry this time?" Lilith asked. "I don't remember." Cursedangel frowned at her for a moment and then realization dawned on her face.

"He's gone, Lilith," she murmured. "Remember? You're in SkyClan. We both are. We're happy here. He won't find you again." Lilithnight frowned slightly and stared at the ground. Then she blinked and looked back up at Cursedangel, dismayed.

"I remember..." She choked, "I remember..." She looked at her sister with pain flitting across her face. Cursedangel took a deep breath and then touched her nose to her sister's ear.

"It's okay, Lilith. I've found my peace, too." She said gently, smiling at her sister as she thought of Moonpaw and of seeing her kits with stars glowing in their pelts.

"Really?" Lilithnight asked, her eyes widening. "You're...?"

"I'm fine." Cursedangel meowed, "Better than fine. But you've got to rest, Lilith. You hit your head pretty hard on that tree branch." She said quietly. Lilithnight blinked and then laid her head down again, not saying another word. Cursedangel drew her tongue over her sister's cheek, then looked around at her at the clearing again. She padded over to some leaves and began to tear them up with her claws. She licked up the pieces and began chewing them. Then, padding over to her sister, Cursedangel spit out the pulp into her sister's wound, rubbing it in with a paw. She hoped the wound wouldn't get infected. At least it hadn't done permanent damage to Lilithnight's memory. Cursedangel had seen many other cats lose moons off their lives after a bad fall.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds nodded, astonished at the sisters. He had never seen Cursedangel act warm towards anyone, let alone show any emotion. This was the most he had ever heard her talk.

He began to stumble toward the cave entrance in a daze when he heard Lilith's voice. Her words chilled him. This time? But the two of them had just met...he hadn't even been angry with her before. Did he say something that made her think so? Gatheringclouds became equally relaxed and sickened with anger when he heard Cursedangel's reply. They are talking about him again. The scar maker. The young tom had feelings churning in his stomach and chest that he didn't understand. I won't let you down, he thought, racing out of the cave.

Gatheringclouds felt nearly blind with panic, trying to find webs as fast as he could. Where would they be? Why didn't he see any? What was a web anyway? The young tom shook his head to clear it. Glancing between a thin crevice of rock, he found a small, dew covered web. He scooped it in his paw and raced back to the cave.

"I'm sorry, it's all I could find." he meowed defeated, hanging his head. His eyes widened with pain and longing as he glanced at Lilith. He had wanted to hide any emotion towards Lilith from Cursedangel, but he couldn't help himself. He wasn't aware of how naive he was and how obvious he displayed his emotions on his face. He shot anxious glances between the two she-cats before padding over to Lilith and curling up next to her.

[.:Lion:.]

Cursedangel noticed the look on the tom's face, and felt a strange rush of satisfaction. Maybe she was just happy that someone cared so much for her sister. Either way, she was grateful for his help. Cursedangel peeled the sparse amount of cobwebs from his paw, then patted them down on the wound on Lilith's head.

"It will do for now." Cursedangel meowed.

"Sorry to bother you all," Lilithnight said with a sigh. Cursedangel snorted.

"It's not like you were looking for this to happen, Lilith. I'm your sister, so I'll always come to help you." Cursedangel touched her nose to Lilithnight's ear. Her sister smiled widely.

"What?" Cursedangel asked, surprised by the expression.

"I'm just glad that the old Curse has come back." She meowed happily. Cursedangel felt a bit ruffled at first, then relaxed.

"Not exactly the old one," she murmured quietly. Then she smiled faintly, "A better one, I hope." Lilithnight turned to Gatheringclouds and smiled at him.

"Thank you," she said, wriggling so that she could give his ear a quick lick. Cursedangel placed her paw on her siser's shoulder to stop her.

"There will be time for that later." She meowed, twitching her whiskers as she looked at Gatheringclouds.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds flattened his ears in embarrassment, then straightened them. "Whatever that other cat did to her...I would never do anything to harm her." he vowed. "Is he a threat still?" Gatheringclouds asked, voicing this concern for the first time.

[.:Lion:.]

Cursedangel looked up at Gatheringclouds gravely.

"Possibly," she said in a quiet voice. "He certainly made it clear that he would be back. But it's been quite a long time. I hope he's gone, for her sake." She glanced at Lilithnight and sighed. Her sister seemed to be asleep. Cursedangel had known from the beginning that Scythe was bad news. There was just something... false about the way he spoke, the way he acted. She hadn't been surprised when Lilith had come to her with scratches. She'd allowed her sister to try and defend herself for a time, but eventually it had become too dangerous. Curse had driven the rough off herself, but Lilith had hated her for it. The sisters had separated... And by the time they'd met up again, Curse had gone through too much to retain any semblance of her old self. At least now we can both move on. Together. The she-cat thought grimly.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds narrowed his eyes. "Did he know that you came here, to Skyclan?" he asked, a fire flaring in his chest. Is Lilith the same cat now as she was then? Do I even know her well enough at all? he wondered. But she seems so gentle... how could she have ended up with someone like him? Gatheringclouds gazed at Lilithnight's unconscious form. Do I know what I am getting myself into?

"If he does come, he'll have Skyclan to contend with...[/i]The tom thought aloud, giving Cursedangel a determined glance.

[.:Lion:.]

Cursedangel glanced at Gatheringclouds and then looked away.

"I haven't seen him for a long time. I can't imagine he'd know where we were. Lilith and I have always been wanderers, so there is a great amount of distance between us. I'm just glad that we found SkyClan," she added, her eyes softening a little as she looked at her sister, "It's what Lilith really needed... to be able to trust again. I know it's been hard for her. After I... Well... I was never very supportive." Cursedangel felt guilty for not helping her sister more. She loved Lilithnight, but after the loss of her kits, Curse had experienced so many negative emotions, it had been hard to feel genuine love again.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringcloud's expression softened, and once again, he felt at a complete loss, having no real past traumatic experiences to relate to the sisters. "It must have been stressful, having only each other and no real home. It's much easier to thrive in a clan with many more cats to support each other." Gatheringclouds meowed flatly, almost envious of his inability to understand the complex past of these cats, not knowing that he should have been grateful.

Saying this things made him miss his parents even more. He wasn't really close to most cats in the clan, he realized. Most saw him as the young and unexperienced warrior that he was.

[.:Lion:.]

Cursedangel glanced at Gatheringclouds. There was something in his expression that she could understand. He was naive, in most ways. Life had been kinder to him, in most ways, or so she suspected. But Cursedangel still sensed a sort of sadness about him - a loss. It reminded her of the way she felt after Lilith left her.

"Some experiences make you feel like there's no way to continue moving on. But the best cats always find a way to rise above their misfortunes." She meowed somberly. Her sister truly was the best of cats, too. Cursedangel smiled slightly, unable to help the tender feelings she had towards Lilithnight. The two sisters were close, and Curse felt the same sort of devotion and protectiveness for her sister as she had for her newborn kits in the brief time they'd lived.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds nodded without a word, a lump lodged in his throat. He glanced up at Cursedangel with tender, frightened eyes. "What do we do now? Should we risk trying to get her back to camp? The others will worry about us if we don't return...but I don't want to leave her!" The words poured out of the young tom as if he were having an argument with himself.

[.:Lion:.]

Cursedangel pondered this for a moment. She certainly did not want to leave her sister's side, either. And it probably would be unwise to move her sister just yet. Normally Cursedangel would have insisted that Gatheringclouds should be the one to go. But somehow she trusted him well enough to know that he would take good care of Lilithnight.

"I will go back to camp and fetch Lastsong. You stay here. If she wakes while I am gone, keep her company." Cursedangel meowed, feeling wary of leaving Lilith but knowing she was in capable paws. At least in theory.

[Magicheart]

"Uh...sure...you think that's best?" he meowed, suddenly afraid of being left alone with Lilithnight. He didn't know anything about herbs. What if she needed immediate treatment. "I will do my best...just...go as fast as the wind can carry you. May Starclan guide your paws." he meowed with a dip of his head. I have to be strong. For Lilithnight...and for my clan... the young warrior thought.

[.:Lion:.]

Cursedangel looked steadily at Gatheringclouds.

"I'm trusting you to take care of her," she meowed. With a nod, the she-cat took off into the undergrowth, her heart pattering in her chest. She knew that her sister would be safe, but memories crowded in her mind and reminded her that anything can happen to those you love. Anything.

[Magicheart]

Gatheringclouds could feel the trepidation in his body as he glanced at Lilithnight, suddenly unsure of what to do. "Can I get anything for you?" he whispered near her ear. He was feeling so many emotions at once that he couldn't keep them straight. How long would it take Cursedangel to come back, anyway?

He sighed as brought his body closer to hers to keep it warm while he awaited either continued silence, or an answer.