Summer Silhouette, Shatterednight!

[Twilight]

Out of Character. For Shattered! <3 Please forgive the quality xP Back In Character. It was a misty morning. The sun was just peaking over across the horizon, yet no one would know of it, for clouds hung heavy in the air. Their bellies were full of rainwater, and their cover created a moisture blanket over the forest. Summer rains were threatening the suns spotlight today, and it was certain to be quite a dark, gloomy day. The waterfall in particular served to create the perfect haunting scene. Water vapor rose from the crashing waters, lifting into the air to create fog and mist. The white mass rolled across the ground, and created a veil of wetness. The line of vision was only a few tail lengths in front…and beyond were merely gray shadows. It was here, in this shadowy, gloomy scene the leader rested. He was perched atop the waterfall, where the fog was thinner than down below. His rustic pelt stuck out against the mutual colors of the day, and yet even the bright hues of his fur were dulled. Twilightstar sat, his hazel eyes watching the water tumble endlessly over the edge, falling down down to crash against the riverbed and then continue on. Water was such a malleable, strong element. It curved to whatever path it was guided to…and yet it also forged its own way when necessary. Twilightstar had heard of floods, how water devastated everything in its path. He’d even heard stories of how rivers carved valleys, merely by its persistent force. The leader licked his white chest, which was damp with the moisture in the air. That was another thing…water didn’t have to come in the form of rivers—it fell from the sky, and hung in the air, clinging to your pelt without you even having a clue. It was glorious, and Twilightstar could only fathom how it all was possible. Should you really be thinking about that? came the dutiful voice in his mind. The tom’s hazel eyes fell, tail twitching indignantly. The reminder was right though…the Clan would be waking soon, and he should be there, ready to go out on a dawn patrol like he planned. He’d told Shatterednight the day before that he wished to go on a patrol with his apprentice, her and Yewpaw, and Swiftshadow. He requested that she make sure everyone knew and was ready…and yet here he was the next morning, staring out at the waterfall wondering about the mysteries of water. StarClan help me. It had been a month since his new name was given to him. One moon…it went by so quickly, and yet so painfully slow all the same. He was awful. Twilightstar wondered if every leader had just as much trouble as he did adjusting to leading an entire clan…or perhaps it was just his inexperience and age that caused him such trouble. He was trying though, the best he could, to be a commanding, respectable leader. At the same time though, there were other things that bombarded his mind…personal things that he shouldn’t let get to him. Shatterednight was still mostly silent around him, save for talk of duty. He’d made her deputy not only because he felt it her rightful place, but because he had also hoped it would patch the distance between them since her father had made him deputy. But it hadn’t…would it ever return to the old days? No…because you’re leader now…bound by duty to your Clan. reminded the voice. He sighed in agreement. He couldn’t think about things like that anymore…about personal pleasures and relationships. He had to think for Woodclan…and he’d have to get used to that fast, or else everyone would be in for some trouble. Blinking his hazel eyes toward the gray sky the tom rose to his paws, beginning to turn. He should be heading back…by now he knew the sun was surely over the horizon, even if he couldn’t see it. And they would be missing him.

[Shattered]

Ooc: -purr- I love these two! x3 Bic: Once again, she was up before most of the clan. And for what? It was a moist, humid day that made her fur cling to her skin. The rest of the clan was smartly tucked away in thier nests, dry and at least a little cooler. Her black tail flicked back and forth in annoyance. If Twilightstar had been in his den (or even camp for that matter), perhaps the patched deputy wouldn't be out looking for him. Sure, he was a trained warrior, and he could care for himself, but didn't he know the clan would need him to be around when they woke? Shatterednight invisioned Farpaw asking where his mentor was with his big blue eyes wide and innocent. What was she supposed to tell him? 'Oh, gee, I don't really know.' That would not go over well. Twilightstar was not some lost kit, but the clan would freak out and want to go searching for him if he unexplainably absent when they woke. Her dark-stained ears angled to the side as she caught the sound of the falls up ahead through the fog. It was difficult to see, foggier than was usual for a warm Greenleaf day. As she padded along, her paws sliding quietly over the ground, the black-and-white she-cat pondered her clan's young leader. The two of them had known each other since they were very young. But Shatterednight had never felt close to the tom. In fact, she'd never really felt close to anyone since Skykit's death. Her brother had been like an extention of herself when they were tiny. Loosing him had been like loosing a limb. It'd taken time to learn to manage without, but for moons afterwards, it had been like limping awkwardly because of a missing leg. Sometimes she'd forget and then the horrible sinking feeling would wash over her, almost like loosing him all over again. It wasn't until several moons into her apprentice training that she finally had started feeling like a single being. Ever since then, she'd never really relied on anyone, never opened up to another cat, never let her true oppinions be known by all. Twilightstar was stubborn and oblivious. He talked to her as if she might actually care about ever little thing he said, and even acted hurt sometimes when she didn't blurt out things like he did. Could he not see her as she truely was? The Shatterednight he saw seemed more like a dream than an actual cat. There had been something strange in the auburn tom's eyes for moons, since just before he'd become deputy, really. Sure, Shatterednight had acted a little immature when Hauntstar had chosen Twilightstar over her as his deputy, but she understood his words at last. Right before he'd announced Twilightstar as his deputy, Hauntstar had said something strange to his daughter. It had taken moons, but she finally understood what he'd meant. Birchstar had dreamed of the days when his son would follow in his pawsteps. He had hinted over and over whom he had wanted Hauntstar to make deputy someday. If Hauntstar had just ignored that, Shatterednight doubted Birchstar would have rested peacefully in StarClan. That was why Hauntstar had taken the time to try and teach the young Cedarleaf more about being a leader. And, for a while there, it seemed like he'd learned it well. And then, of course, Hauntstar had died and the very young deputy had become a very young leader. Shatterednight was grateful her father had taught her what he had before he had been forced to start teaching Twilightstar instead. She doubted she'd be the deputy she was if it hadn't been for him. Shatterednight wondered what went on in the auburn tabby's head. He always seemed to be pondering something. And it seemed he had been think about something to do with her for several seasons. He probably wonders why Hauntstar chose him over me, she thought to herself. Much of the clan wondered it, especially now that Shatterednight was flourishing into a strong deputy, while Twilightstar still stumbled over the little things, like organizing patrols. She couldn't help but wonder how he'd act in a moment of crisis. Would she ever find herself having to choose between Twilightstar and the good of the clan? Because she already knew which she'd choose... She hoped there wasn't more going on in his head. She'd hate to have to break the truth to him if he ever wanted to establish a strong friendship. Shatterednight had never had a true friend. And she had not plans of changing that any time soon. After Hauntstar's still-recent death, the clan needed all of the Council members to remain strong for them. She didn't have the time, let alone the opportunity, to open up to anyone. Not that she needed to. Unlike many cats who kept thing bottled up inside, Shatterednight never felt herself weighed down by pent up emotions. Indeed, she felt more free because she kept things to herself. Why would everyone need to know that she was nervous around kits? What would it matter to the rest of the clan that she found Twilightstar annoying quite often? No, there was no reason for such things to be known. Best to just keep them to herself. The fog cleared slightly, and the deputy caught sight of the falls up ahead. Perched up above them was a familiar auburn pelt. She narrowed her brown eyes slightly as he stood from where he sat. Before he could disappear entirely from her view, she called out to him. "Twilightstar!" She wasn't sure what she'd say to him, but it would probably be something about staying in camp in the mornings... But that would make her sound like a queen scolding her kit. She'd have to find a way to tell him about it without sounding like she was fussing over him... [done!]

[Twilight]

Out of Character. Sorry for the wait ;; Back In Character. Twilightstar shifted uncomfortably upon his perch. Because it was dawn, the air managed to remain cooler. But already he could feel the heat rising from the earth, trapped in by the mighty clouds hanging overhead. The longer he sat in silence, the more he could feel the moisture settling into his pelt, and the awkward warmth curling around him. The tom shifted again, putting his paws out in front of him and spreading his back legs to the side. Aside from the lack of prey, Twilightstar always enjoyed leaf-bear better. His pelt was longer, and so he was better insulated for the cold…the heat just made him uncomfortable, and the fact that rain and mist was hanging in the air didn’t help this sticky summer situation. Aside from the physical discomfort though, he let his mind wander. His amber-green gaze drifted downward to stare at the foggy falls; the water disappeared into the mist. He was lost in thoughts about his visit to the Highflowers, about only a moon ago. He closed his eyes and remembered his ancestors when he received his nine lives. They stared at him with such wisdom and knowing...he felt so small compared to them. And that only made him question his leadership all the more…could he really do this? His ears flickered as his eyes slitted open. He had to. For Dawnblossom…for Birchstar. He blinked, tail twitching. And for Woodclan. StarClan had given him his new name, and told him to lead his Clan to a new Dawn…and he would do that. His eyes glimmered dubiously though with one thought: StarClan had failed to mention whether that dawn would be filled with prosperity, or disaster. “Twilightstar!” He flinched in his steps. He had gotten up only moments before the name called through the mist, and he froze in place. The tom felt like a naughty kit being caught by his mother after sneaking out of camp. The leader didn’t move for a moment before slowly turning around to greet the cat, face masked in confusion as he blinked toward her. But he already knew who it was, before he even turned around. He could recognize her voice anywhere…and the sharpness of it was unmistakable. His ears flattned brieftly before he forced them forward again, fully turning to meet his dark deputy. A faint smirk crossed his muzzle. “Shatterednight, good morning.” he greeted. How else was he supposed to react to this? He knew she would be upset with him for not being in camp…not because she wanted him there, but because the Clan expected it. And that caused his heart to fall, but he kept a light façade. How would he react? As if nothing were wrong. “Is the Dawn Patrol organized…?” he inquired, tilting his head as he tried to sound as official as he could. His eyes flickered as he gaze at the she-cat through the mist. The white patches of her nearly blended in with her surroundings…and the black splotched across her pelt turned gray and foggy. And yet her eyes glistened with annoyance just as brightly as ever. His tail curled up into the air as he stepped closer. “Or did you just want to hunt instead…?” he offered, meaning hunt with him. He was going out on a limb, and he knew it. Ever since he had become deputy, and then leader, she was different. Or, not really different, she’d always been quiet and slightly sharp—but not to him. That was different now though, and she treated every cat the same…including him. It only made leadership harder…though she was his deputy, she spoke to him only on business. And it made him feel so incredibly…lonely.