Out and About (Blackclaw, open)

[warblersong]

The tom padded from the warriors den and looked up at the sky. Dawn had just started to come over the horizion. The wind was light through his fur and the brightness of the sun was unobstructed. Off in the distance towards Highstones he could see a few clouds, but not many. He didn't even have to look at the water that surrounded the camp to know that it would be peaceful and still.

He looked to the entrance to camp. He knew exactly what he wanted to do for the day. The same thing he did just about every day: Hunt, or fish in this case. But he didn't want to do it alone. That part of his life was over. He was a clan cat now. And clan cats did things together. He padded back inside and looked over the sleeping cats. He chose the cat he wanted and padded over to her. He had always liked Blackclaw, how she tended to be more soft and gentle than the other cats in the clan, the way she always is honest even though the other cat may not like what she says, the way her brown and green eyes sparkle in the sunlight. He liked to think that she thought of him as a friend. He liked that thought very much. He also liked to think that she wasn't going to be angry with him for waking her up and come fishing with him instead of clawing his ears and going back to sleep. He liked that thought even better.

He prodded her side very gently with a paw and whispered. Dawn was still too early for most of the other clan to be awake and he didn't want them being angry with him. He put his face close to her ear and whispered, "Hey, Blackclaw," He nudged her shoulder again, "I know it's not time to get up yet, but I woke up early. I was wondering if you wanted to go hunting with me?"

[Shadow]

.Blackclaw.

[/u]

As she looked around, she could see the river before her. It was peaceful, calling for her to get in. She stood there, watching as it gracefully flowed past. Suddenly another scent greeted her. At first is startled her, then she realized it was Wolfpath, one of the other Riverclan warriors. Then something prodded her shoulder, causing her to jump and look up. She looked oddly in the direction of the sensation, but could see nothing, although Wolfpath's scent was stronger here. Just then he pushed slightly harder, then whispered into her ear. She looked up, suddenly unsure where she was. Riverclan scent flooded over her, overpowered only by Wolfpath's own. She looked around, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. She found herself in the warrior den of Riverclan, right where she was supposed to be. Wolfpath whispered again, asking her to join him at the river to fish.

She yawned she stretched slightly, careful not to bump the other sleeping warriors. Then rose to follow him. She looked at his oddly when they were in the camp. Is something wrong? she asked, suddenly worried about her friend.

She bent her head to lick at her nest fur before moving to stand by his side. Her strong, narrow body shining in the light of the moon. It was well before dawn, but she was used to waking up early. Though not normally this early, it had been a habit of hers to hunt before the dawn patrol, since she told herself that was the best time to go. Her brown stripes were hidden by the shadows of the night, and her hazel eyes glowed with the lunar lighting. She looked at Wolfpath again, thinking about their time together. She was a moon older that him, and unlike him, clan born. Despite his questionable origin, she had always gotten along with the Gray and white tom. Something she couldn't say for many clan cats she knew. She knew the story of how he camp to be a clan cat, but it always fascinated her. He had so much in common with her, but then again, he lived a completely different life at the same time.

[/center][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[warblersong]

Wolfpath shrugged his broad shoulders, "No, nothing wrong. Just couldn't sleep." Besides, I figured the clan would like a few extra fish for breakfast with cold-sun so close." He stopped himself, "I mean leaf-bare, not cold-sun." Mentally he clawed his ears. He had promised himself he'd stop using words like that. Things like cold-sun and hot-sun and top-fur were not clan words. He needed to remember to say leaf-bare and green-leaf and twoleg instead. It hadn't been the easiest of transitions for him, but that didn't excuse him. He had been in Riverclan for moons, he should know their words by now.

Blackclaw had padded after Blackclaw and he let himself wonder about her when she stepped into the moonlight. When he had gotten here they gave him the name Wolfpaw and then Wolfpath. He hadn't understood why and figured it had something to do with this Starclan most of the cats talked about. He told himself it was because his broad shoulders would cut a path through tall grasses and ferns. But Blackclaw was not a violent cat. Why was her name 'claw?' He shook the thoughts out of his head as he came up beside her. "I thought you should lead," He mewed, "You know the territory better than I do."

[Shadow]

.Blackclaw.

[/u]

Oh, I see. she said, as they left camp and moved swiftly toward the river. She had took the lead, and was now walking close to Wolfpath's shoulder. The air was chilly, yet fresh and vitalizing. She stopped and took a deep breath, savoring the sensations, before slowly letting it out. She looked over at Wolfpath, her eyes shining in the light, gleaming like those of a kit. They were near the river, its waters calm and soothing, calling for her to join their steady movement. She moved forward, then slowly lowered herself in.

Without a word, and silently dove under the surface, feeling to the currents at the bottom. Fish swam past, many not seeming to knew her for a cat. They parted, as the would a rock, then regrouped when they were past. Silvers, blues, browns, and many others. They were beautiful in the light of the moon and stars. They seemed to glow below the water with a light of their own. When she could no longer hold her breath, and arose, and found that she had drifted down stream slightly from where she had started. She scanned the shore for Wolfpath, and not finding him, and scanned the river's surface. Odd, where was he? she thought before swimming with strong strokes back to where she had started. With the river's motion, she was forced to move at an angle, but she made shore work of the distance. Just then something brushed against he hind leg.

[/center][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[warblersong]

He let her lead as he said. He had been here in Riverclan for a few moons, still he was sure that she knew it better than he did. Not to mention that it was still dark. The moon shone near the two cats. It sank into the territory he used to call his own, it's light growing weak as it reached the horizion. It wouldn't give him much help as he tried to navigate through the land. Blackclaw was much better suited for this task. He could do without embarrasing himself by leading her into water vole hole.

When they reached the river she dove in without hesitation. He was more cautious. He knew fishing and he knew swimming, but combining the two together was something Riverclan had taught him alone. When he was younger if something happened to him in the water, if he hit his head or broke a paw, there wasn't a medicine cat to make everything better. So his swimming stayed to the shallows where the surface was never more than a tail length above his head. He couldn't, however, sit back and do nothing while Blackclaw had all the fun, could he?

The current pulled at Wolfpath's thick fur as he opened his eyes and adjusted to the blurr of the water. he didn't see Blackclaw right away, the current must have taken her a bit away from him. He wasn't afraid. She was a Riverclan cat and knew this river well. Besides there were fish everywhere. Did these things never sleep? He opened his jaws once only to close his teeth over a small minnow as it darted past his muzzle. the fish writhed in his jaws, not quite killed by his fangs, but he did not let it go. He kicked towards the surface, his leg hit an earthen wall. He was dangerously close to the edge, close to hitting his head on the rocks there. So up he went. One of his paws touched something as he came close to the surface. When his head emerged and he took a long gulp of air through his nose he saw it had been Blackclaw pulling her slender for out of the water.

He climbed out beside her and dropped the tiny minnow. With the use of his claws he was able to kill it like he should have in the water. It was small, barely a meal for a kit. "Well," He said looking at Blackclaw, "One for me. Let's see you do better."

[Shadow]

.Blackclaw.

[/u]

She looked down, then splashed Wolfpath as she pulled herself out of the river's pull. She turned and looked at the fluffy tom. Her fangs flashed as she grinned at him, his pelt soaked and clinging to his body. She flicked him with her tail tip and she spoke. Great catch! she giggled as he killed the small fish. She then watched the water's flow, scanning for the best place to hunt. When she seen a school of fish in the distance upstream a few feet, she gracefully slipped in.

She turned, angling to keep from drifting as she waited. She shot forward, and snapped down, just missing one, then turned and tried again. This time she caught it by the tail, then turned to swim to the surface. She swam to shore, hoping to quickly kill her catch before it got away. When she reached shore, she heard an odd noise. Her fur stood on end, and after a moment, she realized what it was. Dog! There was a dog on the Riverclan side or the river! She dropped her fish, and quickly scanned the shore. She couldn't see it, but she watched in the direction it was barking from. She swung her head, looking at Wolfpath, hoping he could help.

[/center][/blockquote][/blockquote]

OOC: I hope you don't mind, but I was trying to keep it from getting boring.

[warblersong]

OOC: Not a problem. I was worried it was going to get borring myself.

Wolfpath felt his fur grow warm despite the leaf-fall cold of early morning. Was she actually sort of proud of his meagar catch? He hoped she was, but didn't show much more than a purr. He had caught bigger fish as a kit. His pride in the tiny fish came soley from her approval. The approval of a clan cat. The approval of a friend.

He watched her sink benieth the water and dissapear. Her pelt was the shade of a shadow lost within the black, star-lit current. Woflpath looked for a place to sit and chose a spot where the shore rose a good tail-length above the water. He could see much better on the rocks that lined the edge there. He licked a paw as he waited for her, his ears always pointed towards the water. The breeze picked up and he scented something. But it was not something he was afraid of and let himself continue to wait for Blackclaw. He jumped to his paws when he saw her black head break the surface, a fish in her jaws. One bigger than his. He narrowed his eyes. It seemed like she answered his challenge.

"That one's pretty good." He said jumping down from his place on the rocks. "But I bet I could-" He stopped his sentence. She dropped her prey. He pounced after it, landing a little crookedly, but still catching it just the same. He killed the fish and dropped it beside his own kill. "Why did you do that?" He asked and looked towards where she had been watching. Wolfpath heard it now. "Oh. That. Well it's just a dog. Nothing to be worried about. They're mostly yapping furballs anyway."

[Shadow]

.Blackclaw.

[/u]

Blackclaw looked over at the Riverclan tom, then back to the dog. She was ready to flee. How could he just stand there? Dogs killed warriors! Didn't he know? Just a dog? she asked in disbelievingly. Just then she was able to see another dog. Without thinking, she darted. She ran, blindly, through the reeds around the river. Without realizing it, she had managed to put herself right between the two dogs. Her black pelt on end, her back arched. She pulled back her lips, hissing, scanning frantically with her hazel eyes for a way out. There was none, she had a dog t either side. Both were drooling and barking excitedly, making her fear that much worse. Then she made a desperate charge, flattening herself to slid under the nearest dog.

She screeched as a sharp pain flashed along her tail. She turned to see that the dog had clamped it's large, slimy jaws onto her tail tip. She lashed out, clawing the dog's nose, causing it to let go to yelp. She took her chance and dashed off again, this time to the river. She turned to face the dogs, her back paws in the water, her tail lashing from side to side. Just then she realized the dogs had turned around. Back toward Wolfpath! Watch out! she cried, but just then she realized that they were no longer running around. They had stopped! Wait, were they listening to Wolfpath?! That's it! That was why he didn't run! she thought as she watched, amazed. She had forgotten that her friend could talk to dogs, and in her fear, had endangered herself for no reason. She turned to lick her tail, glad to see that other that a small bald place, there were no marks. The dog's teeth hadn't broken her skin.

[/center][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[warblersong]

"Yeah," Wolfpath answered, "They normally-" He did not have time to say much else. She was gone, racing through the reeds towards them. He, much more relaxed than she was followed much more lesiurly letting himself note that she was faster than him. She put herself between the dogs and he stopped. What exactly was she trying to do hissing and snarling like she did. Didn't clan cats know the first thing about dogs? She was only giving them more of a game. And their games usually involved teeth. He bounded towards her much more urgently now.

His fears were confirmed when one bit her tail. She struck back, escaping but running to the river. She's only making things worse! There was no way he would be able to reach them. And these dogs were much different than the one he knew. Still, a dog was a dog, and they all spoke the same. He took in the deepest of breaths he could and 'barked' over the landscape. <No!> The dogs stopped and looked back. He fluffed his white and grey fur and puffed his chest. His eyes narrowed at them angrily. <Here. Come here.> The two dogs bounded to him. When they were near enough he could see the collars around their necks. He couldn't read the twoleg markings, but he could use it just the same. <Go home. Person look. Person not find. Person mad.> The dogs barked a few things back to him. He foraged a story telling them he was from their territory, a loner who had seen them before and watched them escape from their den. He also told them that if they didn't get pack to their den he would tell their 'person' who was their twoleg. The dogs walked away after a while.

With them gone Wolfpath bounded back to Blackclaw. "Are you alright?" He asked looking at the place where the dog had bit her. It didn't look too bad, but then again, he wasn't the medicine cat so what did he know? What if she broke her tail? "do you need to go see Mudstep?"

[Shadow]

.Blackclaw.

[/u]

The black tabby she-cat looked around, slowly realizing what had just happened. She watched at the dogs left. They seemed to be headed back the way they had come, but she wasn't sure she trusted them. She thought she should tell her clanmates about it, since they would smell them anyway. She looked up to see that Wolfpath had come over to join her. I'm so sorry. I was stupid.

[/color] she hissed the last part, mad at herself. She still couldn't believe what had happened. She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his for a moment. She owed him, she knew that, but in truth the whole clan owed him in a way. But she trusted him.

She looked away quickly, unable to speak while looking at him. Do you mind if we walk?[/color] She needed to move, to relax, to think. She shivered as she thought about how close she had been to the dogs, the foul smell, their hot breath. No! Wolfpath saved her, and that was all that mattered. No one was hurt, the dogs were gone. That's all that mattered. I... Thank you, Wolfpath.[/color] She said, looking at him briefly. Then she realized that he had spoken before. No, I'm fine. They just took some of the hair.[/color] she said embarrassed to admit. Thank you for caring though. she added. [/center][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[warblersong]

Wolfpath nudged her with his head almost playfully. "Aw, it's alright," He told her, "They were just dogs." It was only then did he remember that clan cats never spent their kithood days playing with a dog that lived with nearby twolegs. Instead when they saw dogs it was like this, with massive paws and fangs and loud barking. No wonder she had been scared. He remember the dog that had chased the Riverclan patrol when he was still a loner. They acted the same way Blackclaw did today. Neither side seemed to want to fight, but the cats misunderstood play for violence and acted on it and the dogs simply reacted.

"Sure," he answered when she asked him to walk. "You don't need to thank me though. It's not a big deal or anything." Or, at least, it wasn't for him. He nodded at her thanks. It was good to think they wouldn't have to be going back to camp and explaining this to the clan. He didn't think he would be able to stand in front of Duskstar and explain. 'well, you see, we woke up early and left and there was this dog . . .' It probably wouldn't end well. And he didn't want to think of Blackclaw being in the medicine den for too long because he hadn't done something fast enough. It was stupid. Stupid that she could have gotten hurt like this. Just because she didn't understand the dog. If only there was some way for her to know. And there was. "What if I taught you to speak dog? Or some of the other cats in the clans. I'm sure we're not the only cats in the forest that run into them."

[Shadow]

.Blackclaw.

[/u]

She turned to lick her shoulder, unsure of what to say next. He looked at him again, wondering about his life before, before all this clan stuff. She turned back to the path they were taking. Thinking about that had happened. The ease of which he had handled the dogs. She was glad that none of the other Riverclan cats had been out with them. She knew she should explain the scent, but that could wait, the dogs were gone. Just then she had an idea, oddly enough, Wolfpath spoke it out loud. Immediately she began to have doubts. She was a clan cat, what was she thinking? She couldn't speak dog, it would make her different. That's not a good idea. The Clans have always been enemies with dogs, it's like the two-legs. They are bad. You might even be exiled for suggesting it. It's better that you didn't. she warned, but was unwilling to say that she, herself, couldn't learn. Maybe she couldn't tell her clanmates, but it would be helpful if a dog came, and Wolfpath wasn't around. But could she really learn to speak another language? Was it even possible for her to speak such a rough language as dog? She wasn't sure, but she was willing to try.

[/center][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[warblersong]

Wolfpath shrugged and kept walking. Who was he to decide what clan cats do and don't do? He barely understood them. "Well, it was an idea," He personally didn't understand why he couldn't, not with the argument she gave. Why was it wrong that he give a way to end conflict? Yes, dogs were much more violent than cats were, but he didn't see why finding a way to keep the two species from fighting would be wrong. There would be less fear of attack, less injuries, less misunderstandings like the one that had just happened today. But she mentioned a weakness that would stop him on any path: exile.

He was just starting to get used to this clan life, he didn't want to leave it. He couldn't go back to the river and fish alone, with no one to talk to but a nearby dog and no one to sleep next to. The isolation had crushed him. He couldn't stand to do it again, especially now after learning the joys of companionship. "You don't have to learn if you don't want to. How about instead we go further along the river. I haven't been to the gorge in a long while."

[Shadow]

.Blackclaw.

[/u]

The black and brown tabby stopped walking, then hurried to catch up. I...

[/color] she started, then stopped. She took a deep breath, then let it out before trying again. I'm a mess. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I... I want to try, if you are willing to work with me.[/color] she spoke hesitantly. She was normally not this shy and awkward. Why now? she didn't know. She watched him out of the side of her hazel eyes, as they walked in silence. Teach me. Teach me, and let me talk to me clan mates. Let me be the example, not you. That way, if it goes wrong, I will be the one to blame, and if it goes good, I will be able to help you.[/color] she spoke slowly, working out how to put her thoughts to words. She knew they probably sounded mouse-brained, and she guessed he would think her sick or possible crazy, but she needed to let him know what she was thinking, even though she didn't know why. Was it because she was in shock? Should she go see Mudstep? She wasn't sure, she had never been in shock before.

She looked up, the sun had just kissed the earth, and was now rising to its place among the clouds in the sky. A welcome, gentle, caressing breeze sprung up, blowing away her worries and promising that life goes on. With a sigh she shook herself, relaxing her tensed muscles, before moving on. Now more confident, more carefree, more herself. Race you to that rock![/color] she cried, twitching her ears to indicate an oddly shaped rock the size, and rough shape of a cat, with lumps for paws, a larger one for a head, and a sharp curved piece that resembled a tail. Even as she pointed it out, she was off, pushing herself to get there first, glancing over to see where Wolfpath was.[/center][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[warblersong]

Wolfpath's chest rumbled in a purr so strong he was sure she could hear him. She wanted to learn. She wanted him to teach him. He couldn't have asked for any greater single thing in the forest. "Sure!" He mewed already excited. He had no idea how he was going to teach her, he had only learned because it was the only way he could communicate with his old friend. Regardless he was excited to be given the chance. "We could start whenever you wanted. We could start right now."

He followed her gaze to the sun rising near Fourtrees. The morning had turned out well after all. They had caught a few fish, had a little scrap with a dog, and now he was going to teach his friend how to speak dog. Right now he knew he hadn't been happier since he had joined Riverclan. He looked at the black warrior just as she shouted a challenge. He sprang in the general direction of where her ears had pointed. His strong paws thundered on the ground behind her. She was a smaller cat, one built more for speed than he, and so he struggled to come to pace with her. He stopped at a shapeless lump of a rock and she kept running towards a bigger one. "You can stop now!" He mewed, "I already won." He patted the rock with a paw as he panted.

[Shadow]

.Blackclaw.

[/u]

Blackclaw could hear the excitement in Wolfpath's voice. Then he suddenly seemed to calm down. What he having second thoughts? Doubts? She wasn't sure, but she planned to stand with her word, she would try her best.

She looked back, purring as he claimed to have won. Not that one, silly!

[/color] she said, changing the rules in the middle of the game. She slowed this time, feinting as if she were getting tired. See how he responds to that! she thought, excited. She had rarely had the chance to feel this way around another clan cat, and more so, around a tom. She had often thought them uptight and serious all the time. Somehow, somehow he was different. Or did all toms have another side? The question intrigued her, but was soon forgotten.[/center][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[warblersong]

His fur tingled with embarrasment as he bounded after her. her pace slowed, but his remained the same. <Fast cat, short run.> The words in the dog language bounded into his mind. His dog friend had said that to him when they played sometimes. It seemed the same was true here. Blackclaw was a fast cat, but she couldn't run forever. "Getting tired?" He mewed teasingly as he pulled even with her.

His tail streamed behind him, flicking for tiny amounts of balance between strides. His fur blew in the wind. He thought only of the game they played until they almost reached the rock. He was reminded of his past, when he was alone with no one but the dog for company. He turned his head towards Blackclaw, taking not of the way her thin body moved. He took only a second to look, not willing to keep his eyes away from his path in case a painfull pebble decided to be directly under his paw. But in that time he managed to bark <Keep up!>

[Shadow]

.Blackclaw.

[/u]

Blackclaw grinned as he cought up, clearly thinking she was tiring. Just as he passed her, she heard him bark something, but wasn't sure what. Was that dog for 'keep up'? She wasn't sure, but she darted forward again, passing him. She glanced at him over her shoulder, then suddenly slowed again. They had almost reached the rock when suddenly she was over taken by a pain in her side. She knew that she had run to far, and let him take the lead. She was a trained warrior, but was unused to running to hard. She grinned as she stopped, glad to have been able to have fun. She sat down to rest, enjoying the cool breeze as it stirred her soft brown and black fur. You are really fast!

[/color] she giggled teasingly. What was that you said when you passed me? Was it 'keep up'?[/color] she asked, guessing by the way he had said it. The dog language was rough to her ears, and harder still to try to say, but maybe she had a chance if she could just guess.[/center][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[warblersong]

Wolfpath growled at himself as she passed him after he had barked. There was no way he was going to let her win. But for all his strength he could not make himself any faster. He was at his limit and, while he could still push on, there was no more speed he could add. But Blackclaw was not the same and slowed just before the target. He continued his same pace past her and patted his forepaws on the rock.

He couldn't help but purr as she praised him, but was also embarrased by it and gave his chest fur a few licks to avert his eyes. "Yeah, well, I learned to run long when me and the dog would chase eachother. He wasn't fast like you, but he could run a long time. If I didn't he'd have half my tail for a chew toy!" He laughed waving his long tail. His laugh faded off with a hint of awkwardness as he realized clan cats don't have 'chew toys' but bits of moss and reed that kits played with instead. Hoping she understood he continued on "Yeah!" He said, his excitement reignited, "That's exactly what I said. Teaching you dog is going to be so easy." He climbed on top of the rock, his claws scrabbling a little just before he reached the edge. "How'd you figure it out so easy?"

[Shadow]

.Blackclaw.

[/u]


Blackclaw watched as he licked his chest with embarrassment. What had she said? She shook it off as he began to speak again. He was strange to her, his speech, his friends before, his ways, everything about his was different, but that is what she liked most about him. He knew, and did, and said things that no clan cat ever had. Even though this is why she liked him, it also made it hard to be with him. She was never sure what to say, or how to take things he said.

Now was her turn to be embarrassed. She looked at her paws when he mentioned her learning dog. I'm afraid I didn't understand what you really said. I just heard you bark, and seen your body language. I have no idea what the words were, that was just a guess.[/color] she confessed. Then moved on, hoping he would not be too disappointed.

Your dog friend, you mention your dog friend a lot, can you tell me more about that?[/color] she asked, curious and hoping he would be willing to speak more about it. He had mentioned his old friend many times, but she still had trouble understanding how a cat can ever call a dog 'friend'. She wanted to know more about him, and his past. There was something about Wolfpath that drew her close, but she was unsure what it was, or if he even felt anything for her other then being in the same clan, and possibly friends.[/center][/blockquote][/blockquote]