The Encounter

[Sea Tiger]

Dawnstorm slunk ((is that a word? some-tense of slink?)) through the milkweed plants that kept her hidden from any ZephyrClan patrols. The ferns and weeds parted like the Red Sea whenever her coal-gray paws padded the earth. The rogue paused momentarily, and scented the air. The wind had picked up, mixing all the scents from the last couple days together, and she couldn't tell what that fresh, and what was old. The strong breeze also spread all the milkweeds, blowing them back and forth in no particular direction, causing the field to look like it was experiencing a whiteout. Dawnstorm’s scene of direction was slurred and blurry. Dawnstorm stumbled out of the wildly dancing milkweeds into the safe cover of some thick undergrowth. Breathing a sigh of relief that nobody had caught her in her stumble, Dawnstorm blinked around her to regain her surroundings. Scenting the air, she caught a new smell. ((sounds…stinky ))
Glancing around her, she caught the site of a young apprentice- probably still six moons- trotting through the field, with no concern that possible trouble could be lurking around the next corner. Dawnstorm didn’t remember the apprentice, but the young ZephyrClan cat probably hadn’t been born yet when Dawnstorm had left the clan. Not wanting to catch the apprentice’s attention, Dawnstorm slunk ((there’s that word again!!! )) back into the depths of the forest.

[~Novalight~]

Novalight had been heading to the Cherry Grove, but a familiar and slightly unwelcomed scent reached her nose. She new this smell, it was always hanging just beyond the border. But today it was comming from Fairy Ferns. Its my turf! What is SHE doing here. Dispite the fact that Novalight was fair to all, she treated rouges very coldly. She had been a warrior when Dawnstorm left the clan. She had felt admiration that the younger cat had obtained deputizing so early, and she thought they had been friends. But then Dawnstorm had left her and all that Novalight aspired to be. Her confusion had dimmed over the years, but when every she saw Dawnstorm the feelings of betrayl and bewilderment returned, which slightly clouded her judgement. Still she found it hard be harsh on this particular rouge ((why is Dawnstorm a rouge and not a loner?))
She quickly jumped up a nearby tree without being noticed and curled her tail around her legs. From her pearch she icily called:
"I believe you know my policy on rouges on the territory of my clan." She spat the last two words venomously at her former conpanion. "Do I have to get down out of this tree to prove it to you?" Her eyes blazed with ice, and there was a hint of sorrow that could easily been missed.

[‹‹Sparklight››]

((I'm not one to reply here I guess....but comment: how can something sound stinky? whatever....O.o))

[Sea Tiger]

((hmmm…I’m not sure how something can smell stinky, but I was in a strange mood when I wrote that, I guess…))
((and yeah, I guess Dawnstorm’s a loner as well as a rogue- aren’t they the same thing? I just refer to her as a rogue because it sounds more…piratey ))


Dawnstorm winced, and lowered herself as close as she could to the swaying weeds, hoping that her discovery was a mistake. But it wasn’t. Novalight glared cynically down at Dawnstorm from her perch on the twisted tree. Dawnstorm raised her head to look into Novalight’s eyes, searching for a trace of forgiveness of mercy. As she did so, she was surprised to notice how similarly colored the two cat’s eyes were. Both were a deep ocher-amber, although Dawnstorm’s were flecked with jade and gold, while Novalight’s glowed with a fiery dept to them. Dawnstorm felt almost hypnotized by the un-worldly dimensions of Novalight’s eyes, but quickly shook herself from the daze. If Novalight noticed this, she didn’t make any comment, just simply continued to hold Dawnstorm in her dictating stare.
Dawnstorm realized that there would be no easy way to talk herself out of this mess. She had been friends with Novalight from her days in ZephyrClan, and although Novalight had been a warrior, and she a deputy, Dawnstorm was several moons younger than Novalight. Seen knew many of her old clanmates had despised that, although Novalight simply had made it a joke between them. Or at least it had appeared that way to Dawnstorm…
Glancing back up at the ZephyrClan Leader’s eyes, Dawnstorm understood the icy unfriendliness that blazed from Novalight’s amber eyes, which were so much like her own. Maybe…there! …maybe…just maybe…no…it was gone… For a moment Dawnstorm believed that she had saw an old sense of friendship between the two cats, but whatever it was, it was gone.
Realizing, with a start, that she still hadn’t responded to Novalight’s threat, Dawnstorm crouched into a warrior’s pose, unsheathing her claws, letting them dig into the soft, tangled ferns. She didn’t really feel like fighting Novalight, but her pride was the only thing she possessed right now, and she didn’t want to loose it. Especially to Novalight… “Sorry, Novalight,” Dawnstorm hissed, “I didn’t…realize that I was…trespassing on…your territory.” Dawnstorm felt strangely at a loss for words, and she didn’t want to spend anymore time messing around. Seconds ago she was hesitant to fight the great black and golden warrior, but now the resistance was gone, and the urge to attack was gnawing at Dawnstorm’s mind. Careful not to let her eyes betray where she was aiming, Dawnstorm crouched, and with a powerful push from her hind legs, she leapt from the weedy ferns, and onto the seemingly unexpecting warrior.


((note the “seemingly” part. …if you want you want, you can GM (would that be considered GMing?) a bit, and make Dawnstorm totally lose, I don’t really care…I guess I reserve it after all my PPing…. *sheepishly guilty smile*))

This post has been edited by Sea Tiger on Apr 29 2007, 12:14 PM

[~Novalight~]

Novalight leaned over to the side as the other cat sailed past her. She turned around and looked at th slightly flustered rouge landed. Dawnstorm's eyes betray her actions too far in advance for the attack to have any hope of succeding. A sharp mental pain pricked Novalights heart as she saw the fully extended claws and the hatred in Dawnstorm's eyes and the rouge flew at her. How cold she hate me so!!! She internally wailed like a kit. Even though she knew that they had broken apart, and that she had matured a into a leader in her former friend's absence, it still hurt a so much to have some one she once cared about, still cared about, deep down, feel such a furry at her. Espesially when Novalight was doing what she loved, protecting the Clan. Dawnstorm knew that this was her territory. Dawnstorm almost as well as Novalight herself. But something that Novalight could never understand consumed the warrior she once knew and Novalight desperately wanted to understand it. Knowledge was her power, and that is what made her leader. She felt weak not knowing why this had all happened.
"Leave," she said there was no emothion in her voice but her eyes were hard, showing no signs of her internal tourmile. Her tail switched back and forth rappidly and her paws itched for the fur of the rouge. She wanted to destroy that which she didn't know, it was an instinct that all animals had. Yet she kept her claws retracted, but it was unclear whether the rogue noticed. As much as she wanted to defend her territory she didn't want to fight Dawnstorm, she wanted her back in the clan. She wanted her friendship back. She wanted to understand why Dawnstorm had left in the first place.
Her chest was tight with aprehension and sorrow. Novalight knew that Dawnstorm would have, still could be a great Deputy if only she wanted to. She stood up and bunched up her hind legs in preparation to leap. Every nerve screamed to jump at the enemy, but her emotions held Novalight back by a thread. She hissed with all the pain an furry that tore at her. It split the silence like a whip. Fanges peaked out over lips and Novalights great tail tripled in size. Her firey mane swelled to the size of the sun and was and intimidating sight. A snarl wrinkled her usually smooth nose. Wiskers and ears went flat, making the huge mass of fur and teath stream line. Although Novalight was not plannig to atack she showed her rage in full stenght, feeling like a lion as she did so. The lion would only be held back for so long. Claws started to peek from their sheths. She hoped that former deputy would be driven of just by the image. For if the rouge charged again, Novalight would unleash her own furry whether she wanted to or not.

This post has been edited by Novalight on Apr 27 2007, 09:45 PM

[Sea Tiger]

((oooohh! Dawnstorm’s in trouble now!!! Beware of Novalight! Duhn, dunnn, dunnnnnnnnn!))


Although Novalight’s startling appearance was enough to scare off any other cat, Dawnstorm remembered this show of turbulent fiery from her warrior days with her old friend. Dawnstorm smiled inwardly, but hoped her aggressive face still showed on the outside.
She remembered when she and Novalight were young apprentices together, although Novalight was much farther ahead in her training, being 6 moons older than Dawnstorm. She remembered how they would tease each other, chasing each other’s tails and clawing at each other with sheathed claws, and Novalight would climb up on the overhanging rock that created the apprentice’s den, and fluff out her tail and mane. At the time it had only managed to create bursts of laugher from the other apprentices, and they would exclaim, “Oh, look at Novapaw, trying so hard to be a grown warrior!” And then they would all- including Novapaw- collapse in a heap of giggles.
That trick had always been Novalight’s secret, although most of ZephyrClan knew about it. She could stop a rabbit in its tracks with that show of furry, puffing out her mane and tail until she was nearly three times her normal size.
Dawnstorm was sure by now that she had let her smile break loose from inside her, and that it was now spreading across her smoky- gray face. She could see Novalight starting back at her in confusion, her ferocious appearance starting to droop, but Dawnstorm would have been equally shocked if an enemy had attacked her, and then started laughing moments later. ((would the part about Novalight’s confusion about Dawnstorm’s sudden mood swing be considered PPing? If so, sorry, and let me know so I can change it.))
Dawnstorm’s eyes brightened considerably, glazed over with happiness, and her smile was starting to break out into laughter. Novalight continued to stare at her, and Dawnstorm remembered that she and Novalight were still supposed to be attacking each other; no matter how smart Novalight was, she still couldn’t read Dawnstorm’s mind- or memories.

[~Novalight~]

Bewildered, all else forgotten, Novalight's poof shrunk slightly. She stared down at the rouge and could not imagine what Dawnstorm could possible be giggling about. Then stopped, When confused, think. She menatlly recited her phlosophy ((It would have been Hakuna Matata except that's Hollyfeather's)). She thought how the whole sceen would look like from the other cat's point of view. Novalight was a frightening sight but... there was a memory. Novalight remebered their aprentice days when this trick made her look like an irritated chick, not a fearsome leader. Her act would make everyone, even some of the warriors roll over in the sunny center of camp and laugh until the strick leader came out the den and ordered them back to work, Maybe that mean, strict leader was why she leftshe thought to herself, but she would worry about that later. The image of the apprentice Novalight snuck back into her mind and she too burst out laughting, and she gracefully leaped from the baranch. A few milkweed seeds flew through the air, earlier than usuall, ((what season is it?)). Novalight's tail twiched playfully as she sprang up, catiching the floating fluff lightly between her claws. It was an old game that apprentices had played since Zepherclan had come to the territory. She hoped that Dawnstorm remembered the game. The two, as apprentences, had raced throught the fields of fuzz and jumped as hight as they could to reach the fliting puff-balls, only to have the gliding specks of white float just beyond reach. The first one have three more unharmed fuzzies than the other was declared the winner. "I'm one up!!" Shouted Novalight as she fell through the air. Dawnstorm was looking up at the soft snow-like seeds, happiness shown in her eyes. Novalight's face too was lit up with the exhilaration and joy of simply having fun. It seemed to her, in her moment of flying, that time reversed and they were both little again, though Novalight and her poof were always larger, and there was no worry over territories and what clan everyone was in. But as all feet touched the ground, doubt began to come in cirus clouds that threated to ruin the sunny day of her joy. Her eyes still glowed, but she looked at Dawnstorm and waited to see if the rouge would play, talk, leave, attack, or something worse. It was a do or die moment for the friendship. ((I just gave some suggestions, if you choose to play, than we can talk latter about why Dawnstorm left and if she wants to come back. I personally vote for fun!!!))

This post has been edited by Novalight on May 4 2007, 11:33 PM

[Sea Tiger]

((of course- fun it is! =])) ((as for the season- I have no idea… just make something up))

Dawnstorm watched the ZephyrClan leader pounce on a milkweed fuzzy, claiming it her own. As she watched Novalight, her amber eyes melted away any possible hatred that might have been left. Remembering the game from her apprentice days, she searched the wind for a fuzzy to pounce on herself. She saw Novalight watching her curiously, and realized they still hadn’t exactly communicated to each other. “What? Do you think I’m going to let you get ahead?” And with that Dawnstorm playfully leaped at the nearest fuzzy that floated by.

((sorry for the short post, but with dialogue it sorta has to be short))
((as for Dawnstorm's past or her rejoining the Clan, we can make that up later))

[~Novalight~]

The small clouds of doubt burned away under the intence heat of Novalight's glee. The next fuzzy wisped past and she jumped up to meet it, knowing ahead of time that it was too high for even her to catch. But it was worth it to just to escape from gravity that held her down, if even for an moment. Her amber-brown eyes flashed brillantly and in that one moment, all her emotions could be read like a book. It was unrestrained happiness at being free. Free from the chores of being leader, free of the clan, free of the hatred she had once had for the cat that now leaped off to her left. Free as the puffs that drifted above her. As her feet grazed the ground, she leaped again, but this time forward not up. She was bounding across the fields, white sparkles floated all around her, disturbed from there rest on the ground by Novalight's liberation. Wind swirled in her mane, like a mothers preening tounge. And the sight of Dawnstorm experiencing the same exileration with her, for the first time in moons, made her swell even more with joy. In her flight she caugth another fuzzy in her claws. No one had a say in what she did, not even gravity. Novalight wished this moment could last forever, and it did for a while. When they were both exasted flopped down on the soft grass, neither had had really one. Then Novalight softly said, almost to herself, "So, why did you leave."

[Sea Tiger]

Only moments ago Dawnstorm had been happy- reunited with Novalight chasing milkweed fuzzy- she couldn’t have asked for more. She was flying high. Too high.
She wasn’t mad at Novalight, but she would have much rather continued catching fuzzies- even though she was now out of breath- then have to go through this. Explaining why she left was too much. But then again, Dawnstorm though, she deserves too know.
Taking a deep breath, Dawnstorm rolled on her back, the milkweeds, ferns and weeds nearly covering her. She stared up at the sky through the flora, wishing it was night so she could see the warriors of ShiningClan running across the Silverpelt, ((is that what it’s called in the Sea of Stars?)) guiding her; helping her to explain what words could not.
Although Dawnstorm no longer lived with the Clan and under the warrior code, she still liked to believe that her ancestor warriors were watching her.
She knew Novalight was expecting her to explain why she left, but instead she had something else in mind.
“I know you’re going to ask me to come back.” Without waiting for Novalight to reply, she continued. “But being a rogue is so much more than what the elders whisper about.” She paused, imaging the Silverpelt overhead, guiding her. “You don’t have to worry about protecting or feeding your Clan. You just gotta care for yourself. Just you and the wild.” Dawnstorm moaned softly, hoping that Novalight didn’t hear her. She wished that what she was saying was as good as it seemed. “Sometimes I miss hunting with you guys, but I’ve never felt so free in my life. I’ve always had to ask for things, but now… Now… Now I can run wild wherever I want to. Wherever my feet carry me…”
The rogue trailed off, and rolled off her back, spreading her paws in front of her, stretching long and deep.
She knew she hadn’t answered what Novalight had asked for, but at the moment it was all she could think of.

[~Novalight~]

Novalight looked up at the sky that was darkening by the moment. A few hours ago she might not have understood what Dawnstorm was saying, but now... It was nice to be free, but it was important to be in a clan. To have others watching your back when you couldn't. Cats to share the good times with, and struggle through the bad. Loyalty and love came from being with cats, and even though freedom was liberating, the price was too high. Novalight still believed that deep down, Dawnstorm missed that sence of community. ((Little like Huck Finn eh?)). "To be free is great, after moons of hard work as leader, I know responisbillity can be a big burden." She paused as the first star of the Silverpelt started to shine, carefully picking her next words. "But in the end, it's worth it. You have others that care for you, and you care for. If the clan doesn't work together, everyone dies. To be apriceated like that, for saving the lives of cats not yet born, it feels good, better than running. Cause in the end, your always running away from something, and even if you can't fix the thing your running from, you have to try. If you don't, the guilt of not knowing what could have been, and what has happened because you didn't try to make a difference, is too much to bear. Trust me." She paused again. In the darkness, her eyes were filled to the brim with unshed tears. Novalight tucked herself up tighter and started to speak in a quite voice. "In the first days of my leadership, there was an out break of greencough. I paniced there was no more cat-mint due to the frost, I couldn't deal with the stress. I ran, far, through the territory, away from it all. The deputies I had then were incompetant, and didn't know what to do. Nothing got organized and no one went to get herbs from the other clans. The medicine cat was too bussy taking care of sick cats to go. Anyways, when I got back, the camp was in chaos, and... and..." She choked up as she spit out the painfull words. "A kit and two elder's died... because I was running from my duty, my destiny. I always try to do my best to repent for my mistake. I guess what I'm trying to say is, that if you can help, you have to, you and I both have great leadership skills and we need to use them to help others, or else everyone sufers. And even though and can be painful, and stressing, and overwelming, it's worth it to see your loved ones happy, and thriving, and the feeling deep down inside that you could help them. It feels good." Novalight looked down at her paws. She wasn't sure if she made the point that it was worth it to help, even if it was restricting, but she had tried. All she could hope for now was that Dawnstorm understood. Novalight had tried her best, now she would see if it was good enough.

[Sea Tiger]

Dawnstorm paused, a scene of excitement growing over her now that Silverpelt was coming to save her. To help her find the right words. This had become much more emotional then Dawnstorm had hoped. Hours ago she would have dreaded it, but now… she understood it. Trying to match her voice to the sober mood of the conversation, Dawnstorm searched for the right words to sooth Novalight.
“I understand what you’re saying. About living with a Clan and about the greencough.” She wasn’t sure which she wanted to explain first, and let the blackness of night swallow her words. It wasn’t an awkward silence, more of a peaceful silence, each cat reflecting on what each other had said.
“I knew about the greencough from another rogue. Her name is Tezrian. Us rogues live on our own, but it’s still nice to have someone to talk with and share tongues ((is that one word or two?)) with.” Dawnstorm could see Novalight wince slightly, and she guessed it was because Novalight was ashamed word got around about her abandoning her Clan.
“As for being part of a Clan…” Dawnstorm trailed off again, letting the words fade. “Sometimes I see patrols, and part of me wishes I was there, leading it. But I don’t know how I would have handled it. Being leader or deputy isn’t just leading patrols and having authority over the rest of the Clan. Cats depend on you, and if you were to ever let them down…”
Dawnstorm choked with emotion, She hadn’t meant for this to happen. She had never let anyone know this before. She wasn’t even sure she herself knew this before. The words had simply poured out of her, and there was no way to stop them.
But what was even more shocking was that all the years of being a rogue- all the independence, all the freedom- it was a lie. Who would take care of her when she was wounded? Who would join her in hunting on frozen winter nights?
Why can’t I control my emotions? Dawnstorm thought.
Before today, she and Novalight had been enemies. Rogue cat versus Clan cat. They were brought back simply by old memories and the freedom of playing. Now she had spoiled everything. She didn’t want to leave Novalight. She never had had a friend like this, even Tezrian or back in her ZephyrClan days. A tiny part of her even wished she could go back. Erase time, back to before she had left.
Dawnstorm was angry with herself. Why did she leave? Even to her, it was a mystery.
But she just couldn’t face herself. With a half-hearted snarl, Dawnstorm rolled off her back, and stomped away into the dark abyss of ferns. She could hear Novalight behind her, sounding somewhat startled at her sudden departure, but she didn’t care. Breaking into a run, Dawnstorm dashed away from the Fairy Ferns, past the ZephyrClan boarders, and into the land beyond. Even though her friendship with Novalight might be lost, it was better to her than facing the truth.

((I know you’ll probably be mad at me for having Dawnstorm leave, but how corny would it be if Dawnstorm suddenly came back to ZephyrClan only hours after talking with Novalight? Eventually Dawnstorm will come back to ZephyrClan, but right now she needs time to cool off- she’s very moody like that. ))

This post has been edited by Sea Tiger on May 10 2007, 04:04 PM

[~Novalight~]

"Think about it." Novalight called after the sprinting cat. It was unclear as to whether Dawnstorm heard them or not, but it was worth a try. She sighed. Dawnstorm had always had trouble expressing herself, even as an apprentice. She never seemed to really know what she wanted, and it made her frusturated. Once Dawnstorm calmed down, she always made the right desision, which was why she was going to be deputy. We'll have to work on that, when...if she comes back. Novalight corrected herself not wanting to put words in Dawnstorm's mouth. Still, she was a little hurt by Dawnstorm's sudden take off. Their friendship had only had a few hours to be reforged, but... She felt there was something there. She thought that Dawnstorm had really missed her. At least she had the happy memories of the visit. Novalight was a little jelous that Dawnstorm had a friend that she shared touges with, that was why she wince. The former clancat did not get close to many cats, Novalight had been the exception. She felt replaced some how, even though she knew the relationships between rouges had to be totaly different from that of cats in a clan. With her friend gone, and the sun set, Novalight slowly got up. She shook off the grass, dirt, and earth bound fuzzies and headed back to camp. Shellpelt still needed to be found and talked to, and she had to make sure that everything was running smoothly. She wasn't worried. Dawnstorm would sort everything out eventually, whether or not it resulted in her coming back. All thought she hopped that the rouge would come back, all she really wanted was for Dawnstorm to be happy, and for that to happen, Dawnstorm had a lot of soul searching to do.
"Till we meet again," she wispered to the Silverpelt, and with that trotted away from the fern grove.

(( I declare this topic closed.))

This post has been edited by Novalight on May 10 2007, 05:20 PM