The border

HowlingStar emerged from the bushes on his side of the Thunderpath, pausing to mark his scent across his territory. The silver-tabby's attention caught the tom across the border, he narrowed his golden yellow eyes and emitted a light hiss; sending a threat before padding back in the direction of his territory.

EelHeart trudged past after HowlingStar, marking his scent across a boulder. He sighted the rogue and narrowed his dark green eyes. Come over here, if you dare, he thought to himself before padding away.

The black tom's golden eyes widened in disbelief. Is that really him? He thought for a few moments then disappeared into the bushes which lead back to the Grassy Plain.

RainingStorm marked the border green eyes scanning the area.

EelHeart turned and padded back to camp.

A small timid grey and white she-cat padded up to the thunderpath. She tilt her head to the side, her gaze stretched down the thunderpath, looking for any monsters. She sighted none and quickly ran across and trampled into SC territory.

She padded briskly along the border.

Chestnutpool loped along the border, amber eyes keen with interest as she stared into the unknown territory.

HowlingStar padded along the border. He paused and sat at the border, thinking back to how he met his mate. What a story to tell..

RainingStorm gazed into the other side, wondering what it would be like, living out there.

HowlingStar tilt his head to RainingStorm, smiling. "Hey," he meowed.

"Hello." She replied, not tearing her gaze off the unknown.

ProudFire approached the leader and his clan-mate, a content smile spread across his expression. "Hey!"

She blinked up at her clan-mates. "Hey guys!" She bounded over to them, a cheerful grin spread across her muzzle. "Taking a break? The camp is really packed at this time of the sunrise."

"I was just thinking," he said, revealing a smile to ChestnutPool. "It sure is," he said, sighing delightedly. "With all the kits, too," he said.

RainingStorm nodded, eyes clouded.

"New apprentices," she added, a loud purr rising in her throat. "They'll be great warriors. I remember when I was an apprentice." She laughed.

"Strong and brave," she added as she padded along the borderline. "I never grew up in a clan..I missed out on a lot as a rogue. My kits will never miss out," she said, softly as she met HowlingStar's gaze.

ProudFire grinned as he sighted the cats around him. "It's a pleasant sunrise," he said.

On the other side of the border a brawny tom cat strides over to the thunderpath. His scent isnt of any clan and therefore must be one of a rogue. He just sits to take a break and catch his breath, with his tail  curled around his paws as he stares across the border, not flinching nor follwing the monsters with his eyes. His expression showed as if it was normal and he was just witnessing the bend and rise of the grass in the wind. He had no hostility in his eyes, just wonder and respect as well as a fine curiosity. He had a handsome grin on his muzzle and was studying the land before getting ready to continue on his unknown journey.

Chestnutpool frowned as she padded along the border, tilted her head quizzically. "More loners?" A curious expression replaced the frown but she did not stop and dwell on it; as long as they stayed on the other side.

He licked a paw lazily. "Hello there." His voice was smooth and relaxed as he grinned across the border at Chestnut. "Who might you be?" His yellow eyes blinked as he put his paw down and covered back with his tail.

The she-cat froze, surprised that the loner would talk to her. She moved up closer to the border. "Uh, hi." She replied softly, features slowly relaxing. "Chestnutpool. You?" She tilted her head, sensing no danger from him.

He grinned and purred deeply. "The name's Dusk." his yellow eyes flashed. "No means to intrude." his whiskers twitched in amusement.

She eyed him warily, flicking her tail across her paws. "As long as you don't step across the border, I won't attack you."

He rolled his eyes and gave a devilish grin. "I won't cross your border, I am just stopping for a breath. You must be from.... ViolentClan right?" He cocked his head to one side as if he were guessing, knowing he was toying with the she-cat. His eyes were shining with a handsomely mischevious tint.

The she-cat let out a snort of laughter, slapping her tail over her jaws. "Sombreclan." She smiled, relaxing slightly. "Most of the clans around don't taking trespassing too lightly. You should watch out." She flicked an ear. "You're a loner?"

HowlingStar shifted in the bushes, soundlessly watching his warrior and the loner.

(Oooh, time for teh dramas )

Chestnutpool flicked an ear, not noticing her leader's presence through the thick scent of the Sombreclan border.

"A loner? How can you tell?" He grinned. One of his ears swiveled in the direction of the SombreClan leader, but he didn't address him, not just yet at least, and continued.
"Always have been, always will be. But I prefer the term "rogue" because it makes me sound more intense." He puffed his chest out in mock pride and grinned devilishly.
(Can Duskeh tell Chestnut and Howl about what he has heard in the Grassy Plain about Lightning?)

(I dunno, I think you would have to ask him, we don't want to spoil the mini-drama if it wasn't intended )

She scoffed, wrapping her tail around her paws. "You don't have a specific scent that could tell me what clan you were from, so you must be a loner." A light smile appeared on her face.

(That "Badger" / Lightning was forming an attack on SC? Nah, don't tell Howly or any SC cats. )

HowlingStar suddenly emerged from the bushes, his golden eyes fixed on the loner across the border. "It is easy to tell the scents apart," he interrupted. "We are taught them as apprentices. It becomes natural," he said with a slight smirk. "Who are you and why are you so close to the borders?"

Chestnutpool dipped her head to Howlingstar as she spotted him, a grin appearing on her face.

The tom seemed aboslutely unphazed as he just smirked at the leader, composure kept, eyes boldly flickering with amusement. "Clan cats are so simple." He shook his large head, his voice smooth and deep. "I am a rogue, I know why I smell like one.. I also know why we use sarcasm." He looked into the leader's eyes, daring to raise his eyebrows and give a smirk.
"As for the border..." He shrugged. "I needed a breath of air. I am not doing you or your clan any harm, so why bother being hostile?" the tips of his mouth were tipped up into a grin. "It wastes energy." He resumed licking his paw once more.
"Names Dusk, I thought you would have heard while you were eavesdropping over there." he flicked his tail over to the undergrowth, completely guessing that that was the leader he had scented earlier.

(OOOH Duskeh needs a spanking... He is sassing others. xD Howly, you need to cream him, he deserves it.
Oh yeah, I'm sorry I didn't make it clear eough that he was being sarcastic about the 'telling how one is a rogue' thing. D: )

A dark midnight black tom emerged out of the bushes, appearing beside the unknown loner. "HA," he cackled dryly, his golden eyes on the loner. "Do you have any idea who that tom is? If I were you, I would be careful what you say." His oily tail flicked sharply in the direction of HowlingStar. "He's the forests fiercest cat to walk these forests, harshest, too. He is a ruthless killer; could kill you without moving." The cat sat down on the border, his eyes running down the thunderpath, debating whether to cross. The tom had his leg on an angle, uncomfortably, the wound encrusted and appearing infected.

Dusk had now pushed himself off of the ground and was glaring at the other rogue. I know you... he thought, but said nothing about it aloud and just smirked. "It's not in your place to tell me who to fear, rogue." Dusk wanted to use a different name but just kept his mouth shut, shrugged and shook his pelt out. "And if he was able to kill me... Be my guest...He is welcome to. No one would miss me, for no one like me." He meowed sourly. That was a lie, there were some who did care, including himself, but he did not let it show, instead he followed the other cat's gaze across the thunderpath. "Besides, I'm leaving now, just as you should." His bold, yellow eyes burned as he snarled the last last part like a threat, a warning, for deep down, he cared for the clans, for reasons he swore he would never reveal.

A pale brown she-cat emerged, her gaze on the two loners with curiosity. Harsh? A ruthless killer? That does not sound right at all.. Her head turned to HowlingStar, "Who is this cat?" She meowed, baffled then turned back to Lightning and Dusk. "You both have no purpose here," she spoke, firmly, "Causing trouble will not be accepted."

"Unlike you," he spoke sharply, a hiss on the edge of his tone, "I have a right to be here." The tom scowled at the loner, his golden eyes narrowed into slits. The oily black tom turned to HowlingStar and PigeonFeather. "Surely, HowlingWin-..HowlingStar, you remember me."

He grinned at the other cats hostility, then his voice took on a darker tint "I'm sure you have reasons to be here..."  He snorted and rolled his eyes as he turned to PigeonFeather. "Don't get your tail in a knot, I am leaving anyways. But I am a loner, and not on your borders, so you can smooth your fur for now." He turned to glare at Lightning, his voice icily calm. "And what rights, do you have?" He narrowed his eyes, pressing the envelope for more information.

The silver tabby examined the black tom, carefully. He did seem familiar. Awfully familiar. The leader continued to wash his eyes across the cat's features. The golden eyes, the oily black pelt. Is it..? No.. Can't be. He's.. He's dead HowlingStar frowned at the familiar cat, "No." The silver tabby glanced across to Dusk, frowning in disapprovement at his bitter comment.

Dusk cocked an eyebrow at the leader. "I feel you two know eachother then?" Noting how the SombreClan leader had looked at the other rogue. He had brought his voice back to a stable level, icy yellow eyes revealing no emotion.

The out-going apprentice was hunting in the nearby bushes. She was deep in thought and had blocked out the voices coming from the border. She was a paw-step away from a bird, her eyes were on it with concentration. Icicle moved rapidly, leaping forward and killing it with a sharp nip. She squealed in delight as she scooped up her prey. She trotted over to the voices to show her clan-mates her first kill on her own, "Look!" She cried out through the feathers. She placed the kill at HowlingStar's paws in pride then glanced across the border and slowly took a few steps closer to the leader. She wavered, unsure what to do. "Sorry," she whispered under her breath, "I didn't realize you were busy.."

"I do not know this tom," HowlingStar meowed, glancing across to Dusk, whom he had forgot was there. The leader peered down to his paws, seeing the freshly caught bird. He gave a kind and warm smile to his apprentice. "Well done, IciclePaw," he complimented her. "Take your prey back to the Camp. I'll talk to you later about how you went."

"You don't?" LightningStar's sly smirk became more evident on his expression. "Ah, come on," he said, seeming somewhat annoyed - pressing his lips together. His gold eyes flashed in the moonlight. "It is on the tip of your tongue," he continued. The oily black cat gazed at IciclePaw, frowning in disbelief. What a rude apprentice.. The cat gazed to Dusk and sneered, "I suggest you keep your nose out of it before I make it impossible to smell out of it," he retorted, angrily. "Surely, you must recall your own father!" LightningStar slowly lowered his shoulders after his outburst, his eyes trained on the leader. A sharp pain rippled through the midnight tom's leg, but he continued to ignore it.

( O.O Daang...)

Dusk's eyes widened in suprise, but he kept silent waiting for the clan leader's reaction. He knew this was not his time to speak. He just flicked his tail back and forth as he studied the supposed father and son.

Chestnutpool's pelt bristled in shock. This rogue? Howlingstar's father? It can't be. She took a step closer to her leader. "Howlingstar...?" She murmured hesitantly, eyes still wide with disbelief. "Is he...?"

MarigoldFlame pads nearby, prickng her ears. She frowned at the sight of the rogue and padded up to HowlingStar and ChestnutPool. "What is going on?" Her meow was puzzled yet brisk. "Is this rogue causing troublr?" She adds , her meow slightly sharp. She gazed at the two of them, worried. Her green eyes drifted ftom ChestnutPool to the rogue. Then fastened them on HowlingStar.

Dusk grinned, redy to pipe up again with his quick tongue. "If you happen to be talking about 'this' rogue," he flicked his tail to himself. "Well, he is causing no trouble at all, and his company is actually being enojoyed deeply by everyone around him." He smirked, but the humor was more dark and serious than normal. "As for him," He narrowed his eyes at Lightning. "not much, just revealing deep, dark family secrets that appear to have been hidden and forgotten for a while now." He shrugged. "No big deal, how has your day been?" He had once agin curled his tail around his paws and was leaning against a large tree near by.

Chestnutpool scoffed, ignoring him. "Flashy, arrogant toms." She grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"ChestnutPool? " she mews quietly. "What is going on?" She looked puzzled.