False Alarm?[Open]

[willow]

A lone silver-gray she-cat walked along the boundary of her territory, the Thunderpath, staying a good distance from the foul-smelling black rock that the monsters drove. She had been by here since she was an apprentice moons ago but the strong scent of the Thunderpath was one she never got used to. Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she took in a deep breath of the poisoned air. Guess I better learn to get used to it...

Suddenly, her exposure test was interrupted by the sound of cracking undergrowth. Stopping dead in her tracks, Raincloud narrowed her eyes and looked around carefully in the area she was in. This was the border, beyond the Thunderpath lay the territory of Thunderclan, and Shadowclan cats knew just how mouse-brained and cocky those cats were. Their apprentices were given too much freedom and the warriors often argued that what they chased out of their territory and killed in Shadowclan was still theirs. And then the other clans wondered about Shadowclan's fierocity....

After many moments of silence, Raincloud relaxed and yawned casually to show she wasn't so jumpy, just in case some cats were watching. Two paw-steps she took before she saw a flicker of movement within the Shadowclan bushes. No Shadowclan cat would be hiding on their own land. That could only mean....Thunderclan! A flash of anger and annoyance came through Raincloud and her pelt instantly bristled, fur rising on her neck and black claws sliding out from her silver-gray paws. "Hey you! Come out from there! Your trespassing on Shadowclan land!" Raincloud called out loudly, just in case any other patrols were near and could aid her in chasing out this intruder...if it really was one. The Thunderpath scent was too strong and choked out all other scents so she couldn't discern the terrible stench of Thunderclan.

Now it was all left up to the mysterious cat. If it didn't come they didn't come out, she would have to go in; And if they did come out and were hostile, Raincloud would have to fight, and for having Scarstorm as a mentor, she wasn't a bad fighting warrior at all. Still, a bit of fear was creeping into her heart. Perhaps Thunderclan was invading and this was just a distraction. Her emerald eyes glanced off across the Thunderpath in search of signs of other cats and when none were seen, she still remained tense. If Thunderclan were stupid enough to try and invade Shadowclan, they were terribly mistaken.

[talonwhisker]

Sharptooth

At dawn Sharptooth had set out for hunting. He had checked the shadepool first and had caught a frog. He had then headed toward the border. He spotted a small mouse on a dead tree branch. He put his frog down and crouched. His paws underneath him gliding toward the mouse. He leaped and as he did the mouse darted away into some tangled roots. Instantly he began growling as he crashed into the bushes. His large size and long legs crashing undergrowth as it happened.

Then Sharptooth caught the thunderpath scent and stood up fast. He rose too fast though and hit a part if the bush. It shook and then a sound erupted before him. He crouched again watching the thunderpath waiting for Thunderclan cats to attack. He bared his fangs and ran forward wondering if it hadn't been a clanmate who has screeched. He snarled as her hurtled toward the small cat before him. "Out of my...," he yelled as recognition dawned on him. Although it was too late if Raincloud didn't move the mud would keep sliding till they collided.

[willow]

Raincloud continued to glare into the bush that quivered and shook as if were alive. Fur standing on end, fiery green eyes narrowed, and black claws rooting her to the ground, she gave the unknown being a chance to show themselves. She issued the call, now it was time for them to act or she would.

Imagine her shock when a black tom with burning embers for eyes lunged from the undergrowth and began barreling towards her. Arching her back and flattening her ears, she pulled her lips back in a fierce snarl and hissed threateningly at the massive cat, preparing herself to attack the intruder. Bunching her hind legs, she readied herself before springing at the tom with outstretched claws and jaws open in a battle cry. The blue-gray she-cat knew she was smaller than the attacker but size meant little to her. She was trained to use her stature to her advantage.

As she neared her target, her green eyes scanned his face and recognition caused her to redirect her course. Angling herself more to the side, Raincloud barely missed raking Sharptooth's muzzle, landing less than gracefully in the moistened soil churned into mud. Who could have known what she would have done to the black tom if she actually made contact with him.

Once she regained her footing and forced her silver-gray fur to lie flat, she turned to make sure her clan-mate didn't end up getting a mud bath, though her pretty paws were splashed with the muck anyway. A grimace crossed her maw at feeling the stuck between her toes. It would take time to clean that out. "You know that was pretty mouse-brained to go crashing through the forest like that." She huffed, tail giving a single lash from the extra energy that had been released in anticipation of a real fight. "What were you doing, Sharptooth?"

Raincloud kept her eyes narrowed but her expression softened some as it did when she was talking to those she approved of, those who didn't support Brokenstar and his tyranny. Her tone, however, was blunt for speaking to this fellow warrior. She saw how he acted around camp, imposing and tough but not overbearing. She adjusted her attitude to match his character, just as she did with everyone else.

[talonwhisker]

Sharptooth

As his clanmate dived away from him he could see how close his mussel was to her attack. curse the mud He thought quietly. he slid farther until he hit a tree root. he fell face first and growled as he rose the mud clinking to his black fur. his ember eyes flashed to the thunderpath as a monster ran by.it tossed it scent strait into his face. he hissed at the fresh scent and turned to his clanmate. "In the name of Shadowclan what were you doing alone. You should have another cat with you!" he hissed at her. Raincloud finally gained her footing and stood and attempted to calm her fur to lie down. he used his left fore-paw in an attempt to clean some of the mud from his muzzle.

Sharptooth pricked his ears listening although he didn't seem to be paying attention. This was because he began to clean the other side of his muzzle with his right fore-paw. his face held no suggestion of anger toward being scolded. Although it rarely showed his emotions when around others. "There is a difference in hunting alone and going to the border alone. Your lucky it was only me or you could have been killed. I have no doubt your fighting potential but four cats still beats one. Now as for your answer Raincloud, I was hunting. I over jumped a mouse and landed in the bush. My size crushed the undergrowth and made the bush shake. That was when I heard your alert. so I stayed vigilant to see any Thunderclan fox-hearts. then I thought the cat who gave the alarm may have seen the bush shaking. That was when I came charging at you. Now I must retrieve the frog I had gotten earlier." he explained calmly

[willow]

The she-cat couldn't help but gasp as she watched the tom collide with a tree root and fall face first into the mud. She barely had time to brace herself when the roar of a monster filled her ears and shook the earth as it zoomed by. Wind filled with it's fresh stench caused her to reel backward, the smell stinging her nose and eyes. How did Twolegs even handle such a putrid odor?

Prying open her emerald eyes again, she found herself looking up at the face of her clan-mate, defiance lighting her eyes, bristling at his words. Sure he might mean well but he wasn't her father or brother or...Raincloud flicked her ear as if to ignore his words but she really couldn't help but listen. She hated to admit it but the black mud plastered tom was right. She shouldn't be off on her own at such times.

"If you must know, I was checking around the Thunderpath for Thunderclan cats careless enough to travel over onto our land, though I'll admit I should have had a cat with me." She sniffed, standing at her full height which brought her chin barely above Sharptooth's shoulder. "I appreciate your concern but I can handle myself well enough."

Kneading the ground, she tried her most to dislodge the drying mud between her toes and claws but to no avail. Forcing herself to ignore the irritation for now, she blinked up at the black warrior and smirked. He must have been quick to jump over a mouse. "Well I can understand that, I suppose." Raincloud peeked around the monster tom for any signs of Thunderpath travelers and then stared back up into his amber eyes. 'Mind if I join you? I need to get back to camp to try and rid myself of this horrid smell. Perhaps I can serve my clan better use by bringing back a kill."

[talonwhisker]

Sharptooth

Sharptooth stood calmly feeling bad that he was so tall. he didn't like being his size but he was stuck with it. when she looked into his eyes with that agitation he knew his in stinks had taken out their words on her. Curse my brotherly instinct and those rogues. if it weren't for them I wouldn't be this way, Sharptooth thought to himself. her words interrupted his thoughts as she asked to join his hunting party. "Like Silverfur always says two noses are better then one." he hissed to himself. "Fine Raincloud you may join me." Sharptooth said calmly as he turned and disappeared into the bush.

He continued on walking not looking if she was coming or not. He reached the area where he had dropped his frog. Then he snatched it from the cold ground and looked back for Raincloud. He then sniffed the air now free of monster scent. He caught the scent of his frog and Raincloud. There was something else though it smelled like the marsh land of shadowclan territory.

[willow]

Raincloud awaited Sharptooth's reply with mixed feelings. Sure it would be good for the two to hunt together, but really she'd rather be off on her own. Still, it would be rude to just walk off and ignore the tom. Besides, she barely knew him and he was her clan-mate! Despite the uncomfortableness of it, she knew it wouldn't hurt to get to know someone else in Shadowclan.

The she-cat dipped her head in what thanks she wouldn't express in words, following the black cat through the undergrowth and in towards the deeper areas of the territory. She took a deep breath of the clean, familiar air. It wasn't long before they reached Sharptooth's kill and he took in his jaws, looking back at her for the first time. At that same time, the flutter of wings caught her attention, ears swiveling to pinpoint the source of the sound. In a bush, to the right, a thrush was picking at remaining berries. Easy...

Dropping into a hunter's crouch, keeping her tail straight and still, eyes focused on the thin bird. she began to creep towards it on silent paws. Gliding across the wet earth, she didn't bother to adjust herself downwind from the prey, there wasn't any blowing at the moment and she was sure she would catch it before hand. Once she was barely a tail-length away, the bird hopped to the edge of a branch and unraveled it's wings from flight. Before it had a chance to take to the air, Raincloud leapt upwards and brought the bird down with a swift blow to the neck.

Landing down next to her kill, she picked it up between her teeth and carried it over to where Sharptooth and his kill was. The bird looked big enough but it felt like nothing more than skin and bones, making it easy to carry. This wasn't much to take back to the rapidly growing clan..perhaps they should do more hunting. "Do you think we should continue on hunting? No offense, but this will do little for Shadowclan." She pushed her stiffening bird with obvious dis-satisfaction, then looked back up with a more warm, humored look in her emerald eyes. "We would have more time to speak. After all, we are clan-mates yet I know little about you."

[talonwhisker]

Sharptooth watched in silence as the she cat before him dropped into a hunters crouch. he had heard the flutering feathers of a bird and knew what she seeked. he crouched and moved closer aswell as more to the left incase she missed the catch. when the bird hit the ground he leaped back to where he had been standing. He stood insilent as her question emerged into the air.

Personallly Sharptooth had to agree although his mind wished to keep hunting."Sure Raincloud, let's head back to camp. Also I know little of you aside from your scent and name." Sharptooth said as he turned and waited for Raincloud to join him.

[willow]

Raincloud was a tad more than puzzled at Sharptooth's response. She had requested hunting with him, hadn't sure? But apparently the tom had mistaken her words to meaning heading back to camp. Glancing down at her thrush, then at Sharptooth's frog, she shrugged and picked the kill up in her jaws to head after the black tom.

"Dat is true. I wifsh, however, we coulf haff done more hunting." She managed through a mouthful of feathers, looking up at Sharptooth with slightly narrowed green eyes as she walked along side him before looking ahead. "So, Sharftoof, what do you think about the Riverclan alliance?" Raincloud inquired, not entirely sure where to begin this whole getting-to-know-each-other thing but finding that would be an interesting start.

[talonwhisker]

Sharptooth used his tongue to slide the frog so it's foot got cut on his adder fangs. There it dangled allowing him to speak. "To tell you the truth I find the alliance a bad thing. I would attack and otter-heads if It didn't go against the warrior code. How about you?" He spoke using his adder fangs to help him pronounce the words correctly. He Hated how other cats couldn't speak correctly with prey in their mouths sadly he had never had this problem.

[willow]

Raincloud wasn't entirely surprised by Sharptooth's response. Most Shadowclan cat's would rather fight Riverclan than be allied with them. However, she was intrigued to how the large tom could speak so clearly while keeping his prey in his mouth. It made her feel silly speaking through feathers and she was sure she'd end up having one stuck in her throat.

"I don't know. I'm not too keen being allied wiff them, Shadowclan should stand on it's own to prove how strong we are. But obviously, Brokenstar sees something tof gain and we can't stand alone in this war and win." She replied a bit more clearly, resisting the urge to stop and put down the kill to talk normally. She had spoken her mind, Sharptooth his. Now ti was his turn to come to up with a topic or continue this one.

[talonwhisker]

Sharptooth Nodded in agreement as he listened to The older warrior. He knew all to well that Riverclan could turn on them at anytime. He ventured to a tree where he dug up a mouse. He grabbed it by it's tail and began walking again. He let the mouse's tail hang out slightly. the tail was stuck by the frog's leg and Sharptooth looked over his shoulder his snake like teeth clearly visible now.

His tongue moved expertly behind his teeth as he began to speak. "Riverclan Isn't the best allies either in my opinion. Although Brokenstar favors them more then the potential Thunderclan carries with it. Now back to Shadowclan, How do you feel about his announcement (Make up this if we don't have the announcement where Brokenstar says that kits would be apprenticed at three moons.)." With his ember eyes sharp he looked forward as a root almost tripped him.

[willow]

Raincloud paused in mid-step as the muscular warrior walked off and added to his hoard of prey a mouse. Her head tipped in bewilderment as the light caught his curved, adder-like fangs and she finally figured out that he was using those as stakes to pierce the prey on. Egh...I'll have to keep my eye on those. I don't want pre-chewed prey. The silver-gray warrior thought with a slight grimace that she hid behind the feathered pigeon in her jaws.

Continuing on the walk back to Shadowclan, Raincloud looked over with a surprised and appalled expression. Surprised that Sharptooth would actually want to touch on this subject and appalled at the very thought of it. This time, she didn't step carefully with her words. Stopping completely, she practically threw her kill down and spat, "I hate it. Sending kits out to fight a warrior's battle...He's sentencing them to their deaths, with no feeling for their mentors or mothers!" Her once cool emerald eyes were narrowed and fierce as they turned onto Sharptooth. "What is going on through our leader's mind that drives him to slowly kill his clan by murdering---" Raincloud froze mid-sentence and seemed to be nailed to the spot, turning to look at the path ahead. She had begun to say too much. Disliking her leaders decisions was one thing, calling him a murderer was punishable.

[talonwhisker]

Sharptooth listened intently to the older she-cat's words. He continued on even when she stopped. He turned back when sh e had concluded her last bits. Sharptooth understood and turned to drop his prey. He laid it down softly and turned to look at his clan mate. His eyes were filled with amusement at his clan mate. He grinned about it as he nodded in agreement.

"Shadowclan's kits? Or were you going to say a different answer?" Sharptooth teased his tail tip twitching from side to side. "I understand, Brokenstar has lead the clan against the warrior code but because of the warrior code we can't stop him. Sadly only Starclan or in some cases the medicine cat can rid us of Brokenstar's traitorous actions. Sadly I don't know if I can trust Fogstep either. I wish Starclan would send a sign to Runningnose to tell him that Brokenstar is to leave or something." Sharptooth said calmly his ears alert to listen for fellow Shadowclan warriors.

[willow]

The fired up she-cat looked at the younger warrior and her eyes flashed. She could see his amusement, that smug grin on his face made her think the worst of him. But then he surprised her, by going ahead and agreeing with her that Brokenstar was leading the clan awry. But that didn't settle her fur, which was still bristled in the initial shock. She looked away with a degree of shame in thinking Sharptooth was with Brokenstar, but cats had to be careful nowadays. Honest mistake.

She snorted indignantly at the toms response, tail flicking in agitation. "I doubt he would even listen to Starclan." Suddenly, she became aware that they may be watched or listened to and made haste to pick up her prey and keep walking on. "Come on, we better get moving." she murmured as she picked up the bird and motioned for Sharptooth to follow her back to camp. They couldn't be speaking so much about this right now, Brokenstar had eyes and ears in the most unexpected places.