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Black VVinter Vice Captain
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 Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 9:04 pm
It still didn’t feel like home.
The muscular grey tom unsheathed his claws, sinking them idly into the dirt. He had to suppose it wouldn’t for a while. Not that home had been so great, not recently.
Pale eyes raised thoughtfully up to the middle of the new Thunderclan camp. Most of it was, actually, very similar. They had been lucky enough to find an environment that was familiar, adaptable, one that suited their old way of life. The nearness of the trees, the fresh air, how fortunate enough they had been to find a camp with a river close by.. Well, that was all dandy and comfortable.
But it still didn’t feel right.
Maybe, it was how.. empty it felt. How many of their kin had been lost.
Even for a tom, as normally closed-minded and somewhat irritable as himself, it was off-putting.
Rather like the duty he had just been assigned. The actual act of reinforcing some of the new borders was not what bothered him. Snakefang was not shy of violence or claim. No, he never minded making sure that no other cats were attempting to take advantage of Thunderclan. Rather, it was whom he had been assigned to patrol with that gave him some anxiety: Aspenfall.
There had been a time where he and the she-cat had gotten along smoothly. As smoothly as anyone got along with him, at least. However, the scars on his forehead marked the very day that their relationship had dissipated.
Snakefang’s ears pinned unconsciously against his head.
He was not quick to forgive, much less forget. Not ever, and certainly not with what had happened. There was still a bitterness inside him that he was not willing to let go of. And there was nothing that this crisp, bright day of Greenleaf could do to change that.
They had scarcely, if ever spoken since the incident. Perhaps a few times, out of necessity, but Snakefang was not in the mood to shift through his memories in search of a particular exchange. Nor was he in the mood to have to deal with what would likely be an awkward patrol. Of course, the latter he was just going to have to bare and get over.
He could believe that they had been set up to patrol together on purpose. It was plainly obvious there was a tension between them that had started not long after the plagues had begun to take their toll. Not long after he had spent an agonizing time in their Medicine cat’s den: not sick, no, not with white cough at least, but suffering from the aftermath of the two scars of his forehead. Where before they had been, well, still an odd pair, full of snarky but amused banter, and so much time spent around one another.. Now, all that remained between them was an air of silence and tension.
No one else knew the detail of what had happened that day. Although how he had gotten his scar was plain to see, who doubted anyone else understood why the stiff silence now tainted the air between them. He couldn’t blame them for being set on finding a way to fix it. They were clan mates, after all.
But that didn’t mean that Snakefang’s stubbornness was willing to be set aside.
So, he waited for the appearance of the she-cat, having already made sure that his apprentice, Applepaw, was staying at the camp. He would not have his apprentice wandering off without him- and, while he wouldn’t put it past the young tom to wander aimlessly, he had enough confidence in him to trust that he would obey his orders.
Now, knowing that Aspenfall’s appearance should come soon, the dark tom stood to his full height. Ready to get this over with.
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Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 3:16 pm
She remembered the days she had spent happily back in the old camp before all the death and ruin had come. Looking back at those days now ignited a dull pain in her chest. All the clan mates she was missing now, the prey rich grounds, the years of tradition. All gone. The worst pain came from remembering the old relationship she and Snakefang, known back then as Silverstripe, had shared. They had been an odd pair, most of the clan said, but they had got along so well. They pushed each other to do better, to improve and at the same time, they always had each others' back.
Now, they didn't speak... save for a few words out of necessity. There was no banter anymore. There was just tension, the air between them laced with his obvious bitterness and her extreme guilt. She couldn't even meet his eyes anymore. Their clan mates didn't understand what had happened to change the relationship so drastically. They tried to get them alone together to talk and work things out , but none were so lucky. Snakefang avoided her and she avoided him. She was okay with that. It had been her fault that he got hurt anyway... She couldn't face him then.
Aspenfall had to face him now, however, there was no other choice. She couldn't push the patrol off any longer. There weren't many healthy warriors left after, not only the plague, but also the journey to the new territories, so she couldn't find anyone else to take her spot. She had to do her part to help the clan. The green eyed she-cat finally pushed herself out of her nest and left the warrior's den to finally join the patrol... Time to get it over with. She tried to keep her heart from pounding out of her chest at the sight of Snakefang. The good memories would come first, times of pleasant banter and times spent near each other, content just being close to someone trusted. Then her eyes would land on the two scars on his forehead and the guilt she felt would almost knock her off her feet. It was her fault. He had almost died because of her. It had been her idea to go on that little secret mission... and she had been the snake's target originally. That day had changed everything between them. The guilt was so overwhelming that she never went to him while he was recovering. At night, she would glance in to catch a glimpse of him and she would ask others here and then how he was coming along, but never did she approach him. He didn't want to see her, that's what she felt. Why would he want to see her? She had nearly gotten him killed.
"I'm here. We can leave now. Sorry to keep you waiting, Silverstr- Snakefang" Her words were soft and she stumbled over his name, not meeting his eyes. She couldn't meet his eyes. Snakefang. Whenever she heard his new name she was reminded of the terrible thing she had done to him. Her unsheathed claws dug into the ground slightly and her lean body was stiff with anxiety.
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Black VVinter Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 8:14 pm
The yellow eyes raised sharply in tune with the approach of the familiar she-cat. Even though those pale orbs rose directly to where hers would be looking back, she adverted her gaze, doing nothing but increasing his level of irritation.
He didn’t understand why it had to be this way. Then again, he had to admit that he didn’t exactly try to understand why she so refused to meet his eyes, or you know, to come by a visit him while he was injured… It’s just, the way it was. He had no business trying to sympathize on his end.
"I'm here. We can leave now. Sorry to keep you waiting, Silverstr- Snakefang"
His tail tip twitched once she started pronouncing his older name, and his eyes narrowing in warning, but returning to normal once she corrected herself. No, it didn’t really bother him. He would not care if other cats accidently called him by his old name. But, for Aspenfall, it would be like assuming they were on the same terms they had been on before it changed. Frequently sharing tongues and bathing in the sun.
“It was hardly a wait,” He announced with a rather cold tone, turning with a flick of his tail, “Besides, this time I knew you had to show up at some point.” He ended his sentence with a cold bite, then stalked off out of the camp’s clearing, knowing that regardless of whether she had anything to say, she had to come along.
Needless to say, the trek out to the newly formed Thunderclan borders was a silent one: filled with, if anything, only more tension than usual between them. Snakefang could literally feel the anxiety seeping off of her.. But, for the first time, and the longer they walked, Snakefang began to feel some of his rigidity let up.
It was hard not slowly begin to let it go, after all, they had once been so comfortable around another. And even though the dark tom had numerous walls of stubborn, prideful grumpiness built up between him and any sort of pity.. He began to feel those walls, little by little, start to try and crumble. Maybe just because of how much simple nervousness and apprehension she seemed to be feeling. As if, maybe there was something going on between them that he was overlooking.
Well, not like him overlooking something like that would be anything new.
His tension returned suddenly, and even though nothing had been said, his ears pinned back along his skull as he continued forward. At about that same time, the noise and stench of the twoleg’s Thunderpath hit him full force, the sheer shock caused Snakefang to release a small hiss. He always hated that smell. The Thunderpath, in general, made him nervous. The tom lowered himself fully to the ground, creeping carefully to the edge of the tree line, only to eye the Thunderpath with a cautious twitch of his tail.
The one thing it was good for, is it made for a sure division between them and Windclan. Thunderpaths usually made for solid boundaries between clans, few cats were willing to cross it for anything petty: as opposed to arbitrary land borders.
He could just scarcely pick of the smell of the Windclan cats from around the foul stink that clung so readily to the roof of his parted jaws.
Maybe it was his distaste of the Thunderpath that had only worsened his mood, because even he was somewhat put off by the unnecessary harshness of the words that left his mouth. “It’s funny,” he snorted before he really gave himself time to consider what he was saying, “How the Thunderpath can be a more reliable benefit to your Clan than some of your own Clan-mates”.
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Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 9:49 pm
There was a time where Aspenfall would bite back with a retort of her own, but now she just tried to brush the words off her back. She deserved this. She had ruined their relationship, not him. He had every right not to trust her anymore... or even like being around her. It probably reminded him of her stupid idea to go on that snake mission. The she-cat inhaled and then let the breath out before following after him. Just focus on the mission. Feelings aren't needed for something like setting up borders. Why was she even thinking about the past? It was the past for a reason. Dwelling on old memories would just bring her down. She needed to be strong for her clan.
As the two continued on through the new land she took the opportunity to let he eyes travel over every bit of the slightly unfamiliar land. Everyone must know this land just as well as they had the old territory. It would take lots of time, but it would happen. It would be hard she knew, but ThunderClan would survive. And she would be a part of it. Maybe her name would even be carried on in legends. She let out a soft scoff and scolded herself, shaking the ridiculous thoughts out of her head. Why honor someone who nearly killed her closest friend?
Snakefang seemed to be loosening up the farther they drew away from the camp. Should she talk to him? Should she risk it? What if it made him hate her more? Her green eyes darkened as the troubling thought slipped into her mind. How was it even possible for him to hate her more than he already did, she told herself a moment later. She had nothing to lose. Just saying a few words might help get them on speaking terms again... and then slowly maybe they would get as close as they used to. Snakefang had to be lonely. After all, despite his loyalty and skill, he had little many friends due to his grumpy nature. He was snappy when he spoke and defensive around everyone, hardly relaxing.
The scent of a Thunderpath and a soft hiss snapped Aspenfall out of her thoughts. Her eyes shifted to Snakefang first, out of a habit still not broken, before moving on to focus on the foul path. Her tail gave a few twitches of nervousness. Slowly and carefully she followed Snakefang's example and snuck closer to the tree line to see the path clearer. It would make a good boundary. Though, WindClan cats were fast, not even they would cross a Thunderpath for any piece of freshkill. They wouldn't risk their lives. WindClan cats were known to be cowards, anyway. She doubted they would come within four fox lengths of the edge of the path.
“It's funny....how the Thunderpath can be a more reliable benefit to your Clan than some of your own Clan-mates”.
Aspenfall ears pricked up and she swiveled her head to face Snakefang, her eyes finally meeting his, hurt swirling around in the green depths. Her tail drooped and her ears pressed back against her skull. She dug her unsheathed claws into the grass and let out a soft whimper, tearing her eyes away from his. She knew his statement was directed at her. It was a cruel blow and she hadn't expected it. Especially after he seemed to be loosening up around her. "Oh, and you know so much about being a benefit to the clan, don't you?" she snapped back, claws tearing at the grass slightly, "You spent so much time in the medicine cat den you would be more useful there, yet you continue to try and be a warrior. At least I contributed during the plague instead of laying around." She let out a soft growl and threw a growl his way before sprinting off in the opposite direction of the two leg place. "You look that way. I'll look the other way. I'll meet you back at the camp and we can go back to avoiding each other. It's better that way." She yowled over her shoulder.
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Black VVinter Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 3:33 pm
Yes. Sticking them together had been a wonderful idea.
Snakefang was unable to hold back his blinking surprise when, for the first time in moons, Aspenfall’s green eyes actually dared to meet the pale reflection of his own. But, at the moment, he was already in too foul mood, too ready to be defensive, to take any heart to the hurt her saw in her, even if he noted the reproached flashing of her normally eyes and the drooping of her tail.
Yes. He had been harsh. And, even though the extent of his own harshness had surprised him, he felt like he was justified in his callousness.
This was exactly why, throughout her words, Snakefang was able to keep himself rooted and stubbornly unresponsive, as if everything the she-cat was saying rolled right off of him.
No. The words didn’t actually sting until he watched her leave. Even though he was far too late to recover or appeal, the last few moments didn’t really sink into his thick skull until her saw the she-cat’s slender tail disappear through the brush. It was then he found himself frozen. Digesting her words.. her actions.. his words.
His ears pinned back against his skull again, even though his tail remained high as he raised himself from his crouch. Not even the sound or stench on the Thunderpath could sway his attention now, much less his mood. Oh yes, her words hurt, she had meant for them to. But insulting him for being confined to the Medicine Cat’s den throughout most of the Clan’s time of sickness? It was his turn for his unsheathed claws to scratch against the grass, for an unusual fog of hurt to pass over his eyes.
But he did not turn and stalk angrily away as Aspenfall had. Rather, he turned slowly, head slightly lowered with his ears pinned: he suddenly felt.. very drained. Distracted. Even more unenthusiastic than usual.
Maybe. Just maybe. His words had been uncalled for. Aspenfall was a loyal warrior to Thunderclan, and even if he felt her loyalty to him had faltered, it did not give him an excuse to insult her overall reliability…
Had.. Had he really spent too much time in the Medicine Cat’s den? Were other cats really starting to doubt his skills as a warrior as well? Just the idea of it made his fur stand on end.
And yet, it was that last yowl, those last few bitter words that continued to reverberate through his conscious. How could it be better this way? The striped tom couldn’t even imagine why Aspenfall would suggest such a thing.
Of course it wasn’t better this way. The sassy, but friendly, spotted she-cat was really his only close companion left within the Clan. Oh yes, he cared for his Clan-mates, but he had never been close with them like he was with Aspenfall.
She was one of the few cats who could tolerate him.
And now, he had just scared her off too.
Snakefang proceeded forward along the line of the Thunderpath, his head still lowered and ears flat: uncharacteristically aware of what was going on around him.
When he heard the growl, his gaze, along with his entire body, jumped. His head swerved in the direction of the sound, ears now perked forward, body lowered defensively to the ground.
But he didn’t hear it again..
Where.. was he exactly?
Snakefang hesitated a moment more, the entirety of his muscular body stiff and ready: eyes still wide from his shock. It would help if he was familiar with the area, but none of them were. Not yet. It wasn’t until he was sure he wasn’t about to be assaulted that Snakefang straightened and raised his muzzle for a taste of the air.
Dog. The thick, musty scent of dog.
If he was lucky, it was coming from the twoleg place. It smelled like there was only a single one, but the possibility that it could be a wild pack did not escape him. He was a careful, suspicious tom, and he did not take things like this lightly.
The muscular dark grey pelt lowered close to the ground again, making sure to moving horizontal to the two legs place in hope of getting downwind of the canine before he dared to investigate.
He kept telling himself that maybe it was only a single, chained twoleg pet that couldn’t cause ThunderClan trouble. But, the more pessimistic side of him kept trying to outweigh those thoughts. And so it was, with a hesitant intake of breath, Snakefang finally crept closer to the twoleg place, laying all the way down underneath a bush in order to scope out the area.
The twolegs had small, stripped trees lining the border of their house. And, just beyond those trees, Snakefang finally caught sight of the source of the growl- a large, pacing mass of shaggy, tri-colored fur. One which, thankfully, appeared to be confined by the twoleg’s line of trees. So much for all his worrying. Now, the dark tom just smugly watched as a large black nose slipped through the line of trees, sniffing at the air, trying to locate the feline he had growled at earlier. Precisely why Snakefang had decided to position himself downwind.
And yet.. He had to wonder.
The dog was not the largest animal he’d ever seen. But, with only those wimpy twoleg carved-trees in between it and his clan.. Were they safe on the other side?
Snakefang never stopped to consider the fact that he was alone, his stubborn mind merely set on testing his theory when he stood up conspicuously. The dog responded as the tom expected, running over to the side of the border just in front of him, whining and growling, pawing at the fence.
And yet, still, Snakefang strutted closer, tail waving mockingly in the air, not bothering to try and silence his pawsteps. It only antagonized the dog further. So, when Snakefang heard the call of a twoleg, he thought for sure it was done. Over with. Thought that he had successfully proved his suspicion that this dog was no threat.
But he was wrong, horribly wrong.
The yell only seemed to make the beast more frantic, and it one simple, clean moment, the dog found the perfect spot in the fence, poking his muzzle through and shifting a loose tree to the side, forcing itself through.
Oh, StarClan..
It wasn’t until that moment that Snakefang really realized that he was utterly alone, and with a single, aggressive hiss in the dog’s direction, the tom turned and bolted.
But he had been caught flat-pawed, and within only two fox lengths, before Snakefang could make it back to the cover of the trees, he knew the dog was gaining. He turned sharply, causing the hairy dog to pull up, but not before Warrior was able to deliver a sharp swipe across its cheek. He was hoping it would deter the large dog, but rather, it remained as aggressive as he did: the two standing with their hackles raised, fur puffed out, and teeth readily bared.
Oh yes. He was in trouble. But that did not mean the determined tom even considered backing down.
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 4:02 pm
Gradually Aspenfall came to a complete stop. Maybe she should just hunt... Focus on nothing, but the sounds of the forest and force the guilt out of her system, where it was lurked, tumbling around and distracting her from her duty to her clan. What she had said to Snakefang was cruel. it wasn't his fault he was confined to the Medicine cat's den... it was hers. She had almost killed him. He was a great warrior, much more useful to the clan than her, he should have just let the snake bite her instead. Remembering the past and bringing that up to him had hurt her too. She hadn't been thinking. His words had just stung so much. Aspenfall was more used to snapping back then not responding, so that's what she had done. It had been a harsh blow. She wished she could take it back. She had wanted to fix their relationship, not ruin it farther.
The spotted she-cat swiveled her ears around, listening to the sounds of the forest, as her green eyes scanned around for any flicker of moment. She spotted a small mouse a few tail lengths away, nibbling away on a small seed and lowered herself into a hunting crouch. She wiggled her haunches, briefly judging the distance to the mouse in her mind, then made her leap. The leap was precise and she landed right on top of the creature, killing it with one quick n** to the spine. After burying her prey in storage she set to work on collecting more.
However, loud yapping took her attention away from hunting mice. Immediately she tensed, her senses heightening at the prospect of danger. Her ears swiveled around. Where was it coming from? Horror quickly set in and without thinking she ran towards the yapping. Snakefang was out there all alone. Despite his excellent skills, he was no match for a dog who made that loud of a bark. It wasn't little ; she could tell that. She had to help him.
'Hurry up! Hurry up!' She urged herself, pushing her body to go faster. What if she was too late? What if he was already slaughtered? Her heart thudded painfully at the thought. She couldn't lose Snakefang. This was all her fault. They didn't know this territory at all. Why had she left him alone? Healthy warriors had been sent together, so they could deal with any potential danger they may meet.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Aspenfall, she saw the shaggy mutt. The tri-colored beast had Snakefang cornered. The she-cat let out a loud hiss, teeth bared in a snarl. She fluffed herself up and let out another yowl, hoping to take all of the mutt's attention away from Snakefang. "Get out of here!" She lashed out at the dog, one set of claws scoring a pretty deep wound to its side, then quickly ran to Snakefang's side. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Come on! Let's get out of here!" She pressed herself close to him, preparing to guide him and support him if he was hurt.
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Black VVinter Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 10:18 pm
Snakefang was not the most nimble of warriors, normally what his muscular formed lacked in overall agility, he made up for with his sheer strength, size, and skill.
But he was not fighting another cat. For the first time in a while, the tall tom felt helplessly small. Not that it would defer him, but the loss of his normal advantage threw him off and constantly nagged at the already thin string of his nerves.
The standoff wasn’t helping those nerves. Snakefang knew he wasn’t fast enough to launch himself at the animal, he had to wait.. And patience was not his strong point. It made him antsy. It made him wonder if it was in his better interest to just turn and bolt. His legs began to tremble with the anticipation…
And that gave him an idea.
All he did was give a quick jolt, as he if was going to bolt forward, but his legs kept locked in place: like he was training an apprentice, or even playing with a kit.. And the beast took the easy bait, reacting by striking forward with the strong clamp of his jaws. Snakefang was ready for it, having already dashed to the side, using his momentum to push off with his hind legs, taking full advantage of the fact that the dog’s forward lurch had exposed his neck. The dark tom latched on his with claws, his jaws clamping down on the beast’s neck with full force- only to be met with a mouthful of hair. The dog tossed frantically, but not before Snakefang readjusted, catching flesh between his teeth this time, and twisting with a sure strength.
The dog snarled in protest, turning now with full force, slamming the determined warrior against a tree trunk. Snakefang let go with a reflective gasp, and unwilling to take another hit, leapt from overtop the dog as soon as he got a chance.
Snakefang didn’t realize he had misjudged his jump until he landed, and felt his left leg give, a splitting pain throbbing along his spine. He could feel it; the dog had managed to take a quick snap at his shoulder.
The tom gathered himself quickly, knowing his recovery meant life or death, propelling himself backwards and out of the way of the dog again, thankful to still be able to use his leg.. But, from the throbbing, only the muscle has been torn. He was lucky it wasn’t any deeper. However, he realized with the sinking of his chest that he was trapped- backed up against the tree.
That was when the very last thing that Snakefang could imagine happened: Aspenfall appeared. The once tense, bristled tom straightened in his shock. And, really, he had heard her hiss before he saw her, the simple sound catching both his and the dog’s attention. Then, with the she-cat’s yowl, the dog’s focus was taken completely off from the dark tom. He heard her yell to get away, but he hesitated, the more stubborn side of him rooting him to the spot.. But, Snakefang was no fool, and his mind overruled his own instinct, just catching sight of Aspenfall’s clawing of the dog before he turned, the spotted she-cat soon at his side. With her help, and now heading deeper into the wood than the wounded dog was willing to pursue, Snakefang was finally able to get away.
He had been, thus far, unresponsive to the spotted she-cat. His mind still trying to wrap around he how felt. How he should react. And now, as the pair mutually slowed to a stop, the loss of his adrenaline brought a new surge of pain in his shoulder.
His ears pinned back, trying to resist the feeling, and putting full pressure on the limb. Bad idea, and he ended up only stumbling forward when his leg gave-way. He grumbled something, rather inappropriate, beneath his breath, but just afterwards gave in with a small side, his head turning to look at Aspenfall.
His eyes met those green depths, and suddenly, he brought his ears back forward. Even if none of the rest of his grumpy mannerisms had changed, it was a small sign of give.
He held her gaze for a moment before his mouth parted slightly, as if he was about to speak, his ears pinning straight back again, that look of accusation rising in his eyes, as if his comment was about to be something snarky.
But, that too faded, and with the sudden shutting of his jaw, Snakefang suddenly felt extremely conflicted. He sat, pulling the paw from his injured shoulder up off the ground to relieve some pressure.. Then, probably surprised the hell out of the spotted she-cat, as well as himself.
“Sorry.” He uttered softly, caught in an extremely odd mixture of somberness and gratitude towards the she-cat. She had saved his skin, and he owed her that, at least. “I suppose you proved my statement wrong, huh? .. I shouldn’t have said it, and I didn’t mean a word of it.”
Now, this was odd of him. At least, the words were, his tone still managed to remain rather stiff, as if he were having to force out every syllable.
Now, the dark tom gave a small snort, and then shook his head.. “Where… What happened to us, Aspenfall?”
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