Are We The Waiting?

[Shadow Da Smiffster]

Stary Nights,
City Lights Coming Down Over Me...

The morning was still dark, the sun having not yet risen from its sleeping position under the mountains. In the distance, the tops of city buildings could be seen, and a breeze carried the scent of the warriors of the Clans past to the one lonely Feline making her way out of her nest. Over the years, Ashpelt had defended this place with all her being and soul, but her pride in his home was beginning to diminish. It was hard to keep up the age old tradition of protecting the boarders when there was no one that even wanted to start anything with the poisoned rivers. Not only that, but things were much more solemn around here, now that her age old friend, Silvercloud, had died.

A sigh escaped the she-cat's mix's maw as she stared up at the horizon expectantly. Once again, insomnia had struck her late in the night, and so Ashpelt did what she did best, run. She ran around the length of her territory many times in the hopes that she could at least find something living, but not even prey was present that night, leaving her not only tired and lonely, but hungry. Thankfully, Ashpelt knew there was enough prey in the fresh kill pile that would satisfy her later.

Another sigh and a few minutes later, and finally the sun rose over the mountains, sending warm rays of light to Ashpelt's fur. She closed his eyes in bliss, wondering if anyone else would ever be able to feel this kind of peace with her ever in her life, or if she was doomed to die alone. Even her few friends were much too different from her to truly understand how she felt most of the time. Understandable, for a character like her anyway....

A strong wind picked up, sending Ashpelt out of her trance and crashing back down into reality. There was a strong scent of something foul in the air, no doubt coming from the rivers not too far off. Grimacing, Ashpelt stood up, and wandered towards the source of their current nightmares....

Soon enough, if the strong smell wasn't enough to alert her, the sight of the blackened waters would. Eclipsestar had warned the clan to stay clear of this place, but Ashpelt was not afraid of falling to her death, not after Silvercloud had died. What use would she be if she was dead anyway? There was nothing she knew that could help their leader or medicine cat from StarClan. Plus... being dead would frankly just piss her off! Nothing to do up in those stars, right?

Another sigh escaped the she-cats maw as she sat herself down, staring at the waters with blank eyes. Something had to change soon, or RiverClan wouldn't be the only ones in trouble....

This Dirty Town,
Is Burning Down In My Dreams...

[` e v e r l y. !]

m o s s s t o r m.

Serene blue eyes slowly opened, only to be greeted by darkness, the force, the being that claimed the night. With the night, came cold, not unusual for the moons of new-leaf.

Slowly, and as quietly as possible, Mossstorm rose from her place in the warriors' den, brushed past the entrance, and padded into the unmoving camp. As she gazed around the clearing, chills couldn't help but crawl up her skin, as the impression of an abandoned settlement couldn't help but be portrayed. It made Mossstorm's heart heavy to carry the realization that her Clan was facing dire times. The river, their main source of life was poisoned, giving the whole territory an ominous air. For many moons, RiverClan had thrived in their territory, with abundant prey in the forested area, and the river overflowing with fish, all exclusive to the RiverClan cats. But all that was no more. If a solution to the river wasn't discovered soon, another Clan may be forced from the forest.

Clearing her head of all the negative thoughts, the slender she-cat decided she wasn't going to stay put and mope around. After several moments, she decided to go hunting. The fresh-kill pile was amiable, but it wouldn't hurt to add to it. Besides, her only other option was going on a solo patrol which was both dangerous, and unnecessary. Realizing the cliché of her thoughts, Mossstorm cracked a smile. Under normal circumstances, individual patrols were forbidden, as one cat alone was susceptible to attack. On the other hand, the Clan wasn't under normal circumstances. Due to the poisoned river, no other Clan cats had dared come near the RiverClan territory in fear of catching a fatal disease. Of course, it was only a matter of time before on of RiverClan's own fell ill to said mystery disease.

Once into the forested area of the territory, Mossstorm broke into a swift run, adoring the fresh feel of the cool, damp earth beneath her paws. She slowed at various places in the forest, though only for a few moments, just long enough to sense any prey. When she came up short, she began running again, only to stop again soon and repeat her process.

Mossstorm had stopped several times, but had found no prey. Slightly disheartened at the loss, Mosstorm silently padded toward the river, hoping that its familiar presence would offer her some comfort in such a time.

As she neared the tainted body of water, she finally sensed the presence of life. Although, this time, it wasn't prey; it was a cat! Slowly, Mossstorm crept closer, ears pointed up, and alert. Taking each step with care, Mossstorm approached a point where she could see along the bank of the river, and as she did, she let her defenses down.

"Good morning, Ashpelt." It was only after she saw the faint rays of light penetrating her Clanmate's pelt did Mossstorm realize that the sun had awaken from its slumber, bringing with it, a new day.

[Shadow Da Smiffster]

What Kind Of World Do We Live In,
When Love Is Divided By Hate?

So lost in her state of concentration was Ashpelt that she didn't hear Mossstorm approach. In fact, the simple "good morning" the other Warrior had uttered almost scared her right out of her fur. Thankfully, her reaction was nothing more then a surprised flick of her tail and a quick stare over her shoulder. A smile made its way onto Ashpelt's maw, "Good morning to you too, Mossstorm. What brings you out so early?"

The large she-cat turned her gaze back to the poisoned waters as she awaited the answer that she really wasn't too concerned about. Honestly, she could care less about the goings on of others in her Clan, so long as they followed rules and left her alone for the most part. However, while feeling so low, Ashpelt was glad a warrior like Mossstorm was out and about. Perhaps... perhaps she had also come here to stare at the river longingly? It was possible, considering how much trouble it was giving the Clan lately.

"It's a shame," Ashpelt sighed. "I wish StarClan would give us a sign. This situation is not only dangerous to us, but to the rest of the Clans in the forest. I know Eclipsestar suggested we go to ThunderClan's camp, but we cannot stay there forever...."

Ashpelt flicked her ears as she trailed off, watching debris flow down the rushing waters and into the distance. It was no different then usual, and honestly, looked no more dirty then it usually did... so why was it giving them so many problems? RiverClan was not meant to hunt on foot, they were meant to catch fish! But with the waters so poor of quality....

The she-cat suddenly stood up straight, as a figure in the water caught her eye. There was no mistaking it, what she had just seen was the body of a cat. Without hesitating, Ashpelt leapt into the river, chasing after the floating feline, "Hold on!" she managed to yell over the roar of the waters as she latched onto the cat's nape.

Using her powerful legs, Ashpelt swam to shore, pulling the body out behind her. It landed in a lump beside her, and immediately, horror was stricken into her body. The cat was indeed dead, but that was not the end of the horrors. No, this cat was....

"Barkstar! This is Barkstar's body!" Ashpelt yowled.

We All Must Be Dreaming This Life Away
In A World So Cold

OOC: Hope you don't mind Everly, but I'm using this thread as a means to get another Clan involved with the new plot which will be revealed soon

[` e v e r l y. !]

The still of the dying river, the serenity of the sun's new rays, the absence of apparent prey; all contributed to the mute mood that hung over the banks of the river. As soon as the words of greeting had left Mossstorm's mouth, the odd premonition that she had just shattered a thin veil of quiet overcame her. A few more moments went by without response, the only other sign of movement aside from her own chest, was the brief, surprised flick of Ashpelt's tail.

When the gray she-cat finally answered, Mossstorm let her shoulders slightly shrug, not realizing that they were bunched up in the first place. It must have been the eerie presence of the river... and the absent presence of joyous life.

"I had the need to shake off my drowsiness; we all need to be ready for anything during a time like this," said the roan femme, hoping there was hardly a foreshadowing intention under her words. When Mossstorm's blue orbs glanced up at Ashpelt, she couldn't help but get the impression that her Clanmate wasn't listening. It was as if Mossstorm hadn't spoken; as if she wasn't even there. Although she wasn't used to this type of behaviour from her Clanmates, Ashpelt could hardly be blamed. The death of a close friend would pull back the social arms Mossstorm had, as well.

Seeing Ashpelt in her current state wasn't easy for Mossstorm, especially since she had meant what she had said about everyone needing to be ready for any surprises. Of course, she was no medicine cat, but there was a feeling, and dark presence that cloaked Mossstorm's heart, keeping her on a constant precipice.

The silence was beginning to become uncomfortable when the gray warrior spoke again. This time, Mossstorm's mind was lost in the tainted, moving currents of the river, and Ashpelt's words took several moments to register in her mind. As she opened her maw to offer words of agreement, Ashpelt leaped for the river, shouting something that was too intangible for Mossstorm's ears. Though when the wet, gray lump of fur reached something in the water, Mossstorm needed no repetition of her Clanmate's exclamation.

"Oh, great StarClan!" she shrieked, as she ran over to the bank to help both felines to safety. However, when a limp body landed on the shore, Mossstorm realized that there was nothing she could do to make the anonymous warrior safe any longer. Her thoughts were made aloud a heartbeat later, when Ashpelt confirmed what the roan warrior already knew in her heart.

Barkstar.

It was several moments before Mossstorm could bring herself to speak, though shock still drenched her tone.

"Dear StarClan... how... what..." Mossstorm had to take a deep breath before she was able to continue. "How...?" was all she could manage. Myriads of horrid situations began flying around her already concerned mind, when they were joined by the realization that this may be a warning.

---

o o c ,, of course, i don't mind. :)

[Shadow Da Smiffster]

We're Falling,
Throughout Eternity....

"I-I don't k-know," Ashpelt stuttered as a violent chill erupted down her spine. Whether it was from her wet fur or the horror she was witnessing was a mystery to her, and irrelevant, but there was no doubt that Ashpelt was scarred to the bone at this sight. Gently, she lifted a paw to the body and tilted the head so Barkstar's neck was craned upwards. Blood and water leaked out of his mouth, and his soulless, sunken, dead eyes stared helplessly back up at the she-cat.

Ashpelt held back the urge to gag at the sight, and immediately pulled her paw away, letting the deceased leader's head fall to the earth with a soft thud. She took a few steps back, the feeling of helplessness washing over her as she let the water drip off her thick pelt.

"Th-those claw marks. Mossstorm, he didn't just accidentally drown! Barkstar was in some sort of fight. What if... what if he was..." she trailed off, the mere thought bringing her to an abrupt halt. Could such a thing really exist? Was Barkstar really...

"Murdered..." she finished. She stole a glance at the other warrior, wondering if Mossstorm shared her suspicions. As if on cue, a gust of ominous wind brought the echos of a yowl over the horizon... but was it only Ashpelt's imagination? She shook her head, water splattering around her in small drops. The rest of her body followed, relieving her of the poisoned water that drenched her fur.

The shake brought Ashpelt back around into reality, enough to realize that she and Mossstorm had been joined by a third being: Jadeclaw, a younger warrior who had just been involved with another death in the clan. Of all the cats to run into now, why him? Thinking quickly, Ashpelt ran up to the smaller cat, cutting his path off, "Jadeclaw! Go get Eclipsestar! Now! That's an order!"

Judging by the panic in her voice, Jadeclaw didn't stop to argue with her about being ordered around. He skidded to a halt and turned tail and ran back from where he came, glancing over his shoulder to try and get a better look at what was going on.

With a sigh, Ashpelt turned back around, the worry in her eyes apparent as she waited for Mossstorm to say something... anything....

Oh The Clock Keeps Ticking,
And You're Still Counting Sheep....

[` e v e r l y. !]

The next few moments went by both in a blur, and as if each second lasted much longer than it actually was. The image of the limp, lifeless Barkstar would be forever lingering in the roan warrior's mind, as it was quite possibly the most horrifying thing Mossstorm's blue orbs had witnessed.

It wasn't until black spots began to cloud Mossstorm's vision that she realized how shallow her breathing had got, from her subconscious hyperventilation. It wasn't like the femme to get frantic in such situations, but this revelation had struck a nerve, given the circumstances. Barkstar had opened his home to RiverClan, a gesture her Clan didn't regard lightly. And now, to find that very feline's body, the life sucked out of it, just played on an already taut nerve, and send an uncontrollable wave of emotions coursing through Mossstorm's veins.

Thoughts had taken over her mind so completely that she barely registered Ashpelt gingerly lifting the fallen leader's head for a vague examination. The words that followed the movement were barely audible to Mossstorm, over the blood rushing in her ears. What brought the she-cat back to reality was the sudden pause by her Clanmate, insinuating the one thought that Mossstorm had refused to even consider, though her heart told her otherwise.

Murder!

The roan femme found herself nodding slightly as Ashpelt pieced the situation together, something Mossstorm had tried to do in her head, but failed to do in spite of the body laying at her paws.

It did in fact appear that the claw marks on Barkstar's neck were the cause of death, wounds that would mostly likely be able to drain out more than one life if necessary.

The sudden rustle of leaves behind the duo was enough to make Mossstorm jump, but she was able to contain some composure as the familiar scent of RiverClan flooded her nostrils. She turned her head at the same time as Ashpelt to see Jadeclaw, a younger warrior of her Clan. Mossstorm had returned her gaze to Barkstar, not allowing her to see Jadeclaw's expression, though she had a fairly good guess as to what he was feeling at the moment.

Slowly, Mossstorm opened her mouth to speak, but her words failed her. She attempted to gather the words again, as she heard the frantic paw steps of Jadeclaw rushing back to camp. She shifted her gaze up to Ashpelt, whose own look was clouded with worry, as well as expectant, waiting for Mossstorm to reply.

"I... Yes, Ashpelt," she began slowly, not trusting herself to finish the sentence. "Y-you're right. Barkstar has been murdered." So far, all Mossstorm had accomplished was a regurgitation of Ashpelt's summary. Taking a deep breath, Mossstorm breathed the words that were pressing down against her, as if they were trying to keep her quiet.

"Please, Ashpelt, please, let's hide the evidence of murder. The Clan has enough to worry about without the fear of a murderer roaming the forests." Somehow, this suggestion scared Mossstorm even more, but it wasn't what worried her. What worried her was the premonition that she might know who had murdered the former ThunderClan leader...

[/blockquote]

[Shadow Da Smiffster]

A Warning
To The People,
The Good And
The Evil

Ashpelt did not feel any more at ease when Mossstorm confirmed her suspicions. The claw and bite marks were enough evidence to show that she was right, but it took another cat saying it to make Ashpelt go into a panic. All at once, fear, anger, worry, confusion, and a mix of other, unspecific emotions flooded into her brain.... and the one thing that rang louder then the rest was the thirst to avenge Barkstar. He was not of her Clan, but the murder of a leader was something unlike anything Ashpelt had ever seen. It was so wrong... and she was so... so furious....

But when Mossstorm spoke up again, Ashpelt's emotions flooded out of her as quickly as they flooded into her: "Please, Ashpelt, please, let's hide the evidence of murder. The Clan has enough to worry about without the fear of a murderer roaming the forests."

A hiss of discontempt escaped Ashpelt's maw, though, it was not directed at Mossstorm, but more at herself. She hadn't even thought of the stress that a situation like this would bring on the Clan, and already, she'd told Jadeclaw to run and get Eclipsestar. It was a bad move on her part.... but.... something about this made Ashpelt feel as though their leader had to know.

"I agree with you, we should hide the evidence. But let's not throw him back in the River. Barkstar deserves a proper burial. I told Jadeclaw to find Eclipsestar, and he is a smart cat. He won't draw attention to himself and bring a million other warriors trailing behind him. Once our Leader gets here, we should tell him what happened... and implore him not to repeat it to the Clan... right? I think he should know. If the murderer killed one leader, who's to say he wouldn't kill another? We can't risk losing Eclipsestar. He's too important at a crucial time like this...."

Ashpelt trailed off, her gaze trailing from Mossstorm to Barkstar's still laying body. Another shudder escaped her body as she took in the horrible sight again. It was as if, every time she saw the old ThunderClan leader, he looked even more shredded up. It was almost like an omen....

"Who would do something like this? Mossstorm, I just can't imagine why!" she wailed, the emotions building up inside of her finally getting the best of her. All at once, Ashpelt fell to the ground, tears pouring down the side of her face as she clawed into the soft earth. Why? Why was everything turning out for the worst? She didn't deserve this. Mossstorm didn't deserve this... hell, all of RiverClan didn't deserve this! It was not fair... it was as if StarClan was against them...

This Is War

[` e v e r l y. !]

<sub>A few moments was all it took to send Mossstorm's life, and in turn, the lives of every cat, spiraling out of control. In a few moments, a dead leader's body had been found. In a few moments, the cause of death was determined to be murder. In a few moments, Mossstorm and Ashpelt knew who the murderer was. And it was too late to take any of it back.

Ashpelt's annoyed hiss pulled Mossstorm out of her reverie, pulled her back into the grave reality they were in. The roan femme began to rethink her idea of hiding the evidence of murder, but for the most part, remained defiant against herself. It's what's best for the clan..., she tried to convince herself, though it was to no avail.

The silence that hung between the two cats was almost deafening, forcing Mossstorm's blue orbs to trail away from Barkstar's limp, lifeless body, and gaze at the river, now truly tainted. She pulled her eyes from the river, to her paws as her clanmate spoke again.

"I agree with you, we should hide the evidence. But let's not throw him back in the River. Barkstar deserves a proper burial. I told Jadeclaw to find Eclipsestar, and he is a smart cat. He won't draw attention to himself and bring a million other warriors trailing behind him. Once our Leader gets here, we should tell him what happened... and implore him not to repeat it to the Clan... right? I think he should know. If the murderer killed one leader, who's to say he wouldn't kill another? We can't risk losing Eclipsestar. He's too important at a crucial time like this...."

The word burial hit a nerve inside Mossstorm, as it made the death of the leader seem more ominous and real than it already was.

"Alright," was all Mossstorm could think of to say. Again, silence made it's presence known, making every natural sound seem mute. It also made the next sound frightening.

"Who would do something like this? Mossstorm, I just can't imagine why!" Seeing Ashpelt in this state, a clear dark cloud over her head, wasn't a sight to behold. Until this moment, the gray warrior had been calm and collected, the picture of leadership in this situation. That facade had worn down now, showing Ashpelt in the way Mossstorm felt inside.

"Calm down, Ashpelt! It's going to be alright..." Though the words may have sounded confident coming out of Mossstorm's mouth, to her, they were bold faced lies. However, that wasn't what was gnawing at her heart; an eerie feeling was creeping it's way all over her body, making the she-cat shift uncomfortably. Although Mossstorm was planning on holding her tongue about what she was about to say, she decided it was best to consult Ashpelt on whether or not to inform Eclipsestar of her premonition.

"Ashpelt... it was Dogstar." Not wanting to be blunt, she re-phrased herself. "Dogstar murdered Barkstar."


"Let StarClan's will unfold..."</sub>

[Shadow Da Smiffster]

((OOC: I apologize for the long wait Everly. I was gonna see if Riddle would come back to play Eclipsestar for this post, but she did give me permission to use her characters till she returned, so I'll just do it so we can continue))

LITTLE ANGEL GO AWAY
Come Again Some Other Day

Ashpelt, to say the least, was shocked at Mossstorm's answer. Immediately, her pelt ruffed out, and a violent hiss escaped her throat. "I'll claw open that traitor's throat nine times if I have to. This was unjustified," she mumbled to herself, her pupils dilating and giving her a possessed look. Ashpelt unsheathed her claws and dug them into the dirt, her massive form rippling with the tenseness of her muscles. No longer was the feeling of worry and sorrow overwhelming her, but the bloodthirsty desire of revenge.

"Ashpelt!" a voice yowled, breaking the she-cat's focus. She whipped her head around, her eyes still wild, however, she found herself nose to nose with a rather stunned Jadeclaw. The younger warrior snorted in distaste and took a few steps back, revealing Eclipsestar behind him. So, he had managed to fetch their leader after all. The large she-cat relaxed, and took a deep breath, looking at each cat present: Mossstorm, Jadeclaw, Eclipsestar. Now that they had all seen this horror, she had to hope that word would not get out.

"Barkstar..." Eclipsestar whispered. "Dark days are ahead of us, especially with you gone...."

Ashpelt hung her head. The words her leader had just said stung greatly. She could feel his sorrow... and his worry: his immense worry for the Clan. Soon, RiverClan was going to go to ThunderClan territory, but with this change in the picture, things were different now. RiverClan was in more danger then ever before.

"Ashpelt, Mossstorm, Jadeclaw," Eclipsestar spoke up. "You mustn't speak a word about this to the Clan. I will do my best to convince them to stay within our own territory, at least for now. Hopefully, we will be able to think of some other solution. Until then, the most important thing for us to do is keep up our work. I want triple the hunting patrols each day, and I'm counting on you three to make it happen. Understood? In the meantime, I am going to get to the bottom of this. Do you know who did it?"

Ashpelt turned to Mossstorm, curious as to how she knew it was Dogstar. The she-cat had no doubts in Mosstorm. She was a well trained and loyal warrior; a cat she'd want on her back in a battle, or even just for a simple hunting trip. Mosstorm was a good, smart, and experienced warrior....

"Mossstorm said she thinks Dogshadow, sorry, I guess he's Dogstar now, did it."

THE DEVIL HAS MY EAR TODAY
I'll Never Hear A Word You Say...

[` e v e r l y. !]

In the moment that the words of accusation left Mossstorm's maw, a rush of unorthodox emotions flooded the roan warrior's mind, consuming all her thoughts, displacing reality to a distant corner of her head. The same emotions crawled over her skin, a creeping premonition, planting little seeds of fear among the she-cat's already apprehensive mind. Although she knew it was almost impossible, Mossstorm couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, her words against Dogstar were a taboo, and that at any given moment, he would strike her, giving her the same fate as Barkstar.

Though she was lost in her own horrific reverie, Mossstorm was vaguely aware of her Clanmate, Ashpelt, comprehending the information. It was only when she heard a passionate hiss, that her blue orbs focused on the gray warrior, who was clearly outside herself. Keeping her cool, Mossstorm opened her mouth to calm Ashpelt down, when a voice, not her own, beat her to the punch.

"Ashpelt!"

Mossstorm whirled around, to see their Leader, Eclipsestar, walking towards them, Jadeclaw following in his pawsteps. Seeing him, an odd serenity seemed to saturate the air, providing the slightest ease for Mossstorm. However, it was only when he came closer to them, that she was able to detect worry in his gaze. Worry for the clan, of course... It was true, that RiverClan had a backup plan of moving onto ThunderClan territory if their condition worsened, but now, with Dogstar in the lead, any chance of that small salvation was gone with Barkstar's soul.

"Ashpelt, Mossstorm, Jadeclaw," Eclipsestar spoke up. "You mustn't speak a word about this to the Clan. I will do my best to convince them to stay within our own territory, at least for now. Hopefully, we will be able to think of some other solution. Until then, the most important thing for us to do is keep up our work. I want triple the hunting patrols each day, and I'm counting on you three to make it happen. Understood? In the meantime, I am going to get to the bottom of this. Do you know who did it?"

Those last words nearly turned Mossstorm's blood to ice, as the feeling of Dogstar getting her returned, easily penetrating the air of comfort that her Leader provided. Suddenly, she wasn't sure whether or not she was ready to tell her Leader of her suspicions. In addition, she also wasn't sure whether it had been a good idea to confide in Ashpelt or not, given what was most likely about to happen.

"Mossstorm said she thinks Dogshadow, sorry, I guess he's Dogstar now, did it."

The inevitable had just happened. Immediately, Mossstorm dropper her gaze to her paws, though the feeling that 3 pairs of eyes were on her, lingered. For several moments, nobody spoke, and Mossstorm took it as a sign, that Eclipsestar was ready to listen to her. A few more moments passed, as the roan she-cat took a deep breath, raised her head to face her Leader's, and began speaking.

"It's true, Eclipsestar. I believe that Dogstar killed Barkstar." She paused, letting the words settle in, then continued. "I don't know how or why I know; it's just a feeling. I was disregarding it at first, but now, I'm nearly convinced. Just think about it. Barkstar was ready to offer RiverClan a shelter in our time of need, all the while, Dogstar was against it. And now, he has full control over the Clan, and he knows that we will perish." It all came out in a rush, that Mossstorm wasn't sure whether her Clanmates had understood a single word, but she didn't care. She knew in her heart that Dogstar murdered Barkstar, and seeing as her heart had never steered her in the wrong direction before, she was dead set on any path that it led her along.