another bites the dust ; rose

[barkerr !]

Bird song filled the early morning air with a sort of relaxing tune that seemed to dance through ones ears and make them want to find the source of the music and quickly end it's life in order to have what must be a tasty meal. The bird that sung always tasted the best, or so the young tom had thought. Yet, he wasn't hungry but still these thoughts made themselves known. Barkstar's large paws moved gracefully across the slightly soggy ground, his bright gaze flickering around to take in all the little details of the pond he was currently making his way around. It was fascinating, how the land was so different from his own woodlands territory. He had always been captivated by all the different terrains that were in the one area.

Of course, he only saw these though when he snuck out of ThunderClan territory. Being leader had made his little journeys easy, as he could just say he was going to check the borders and go through the unclaimed ones. Today was one of the days he'd needed to escape and thankfully, the morning was going to be a beautiful one, meaning he may be able to snatch a few mice or squirrels on the way back to make up for his absence. Wingedheart would take good care of the clan while he was out anyways. Glancing around, he could see a few loners on the far side chatting, but didn't bother approaching them, as most didn't act warmly toward a clan cat, expecially leaders when they were out of their terriories.

Moving toward the water's edge, he lent down and lapped thoughtfully at the cool water. It tasted different to the stream in his territory, but it was a nice different. Lifting his head, the tom flicked an ear toward another loner who was approaching the pool while the other lot moved off. This one he was almost tempted to go talk to, but changed his mind after suddenly standing up straight. Turning he started padding along the water's edge when suddenly the muddy ground gave way and he fell straight into a muddy pit. gasping with surprise, his blue eyes wide, the tom automatically strated trying to run in the muck, but it only made him sink deeper. The air was slowly being pressed out of his lungs and the leader was suddenly terrified.

Was he about to die in a pit of mud away from his clan. struggling against the mud, he looked around frantically for anyone willing to help.

[♥Rösε]

Jack

The Pumpkin King

An unusually tall form made his way through the morning light. His body balanced easily on a fence he had found, paws softly but quickly carried him across. His itimidating orange eyes glistened in the day light as the tom glided through the unmasked shadows. His snake like tail slithered back and forth keeping his balance as he moved. His claws sliding out to catch himself at times, their sharp points digging into the wood, leaving scractch marks. Regaining balance, he paused looking at the marks left by him, chuckling to himself before moving along. His ears flicked forwards as he paused at the end of the fence. His body shifted into a low crouch as he waited.

For what? You might ask, well for no particular reason this time. He was out on his dayly stroll, having no intention of being the pumpkin king this morning. The sun reflected off his spider web-like whiskers glinted against his off white and faded grey pelt. Suddenly his body lurched forward and he pressed back on his hind legs to launch himself into the air. His longer legs spread out like spider legs before coming together like a dart about to land on his target. With some grace to his actions he landed on the ground, without as much as a thud. Silent, like he weighed nothing at all, why? His longer legshit the ground first before the weight of his body does, allowing him quiet passage to the grounds surface.

The tom cat allowed his grin to come out, exposing his pearly white fangs in the faded light. Standing up straight he padded along through the undergrowth. His snake like tail hissing in the wind as he moved,a small smile still plastered on his face, almost looking drawn in with a pencil. He stoped a moment, scenting the air for anything that might be worth his while. Since where he roamed there wasn't many edible things, and what was wasn't always apitizing. He sniffed each direction intently, but found no trace of anything good. A small sigh escaped his maw as he treaded along, but slower this time. His head lowered in thought as for once, some of his shoulder muscle showed, rock hard against his thin pelt. He moved like a slow and silent fog over the land, coming across an open meadow.

He stopped then, seeing as the day light illuminated this whole place. A place, he realised, he had never seen before. Sitting down he tilted his head to one side. "Whats this?"

he said with a starled look across his face. It was bright here, with flowers, not weeds like he was used to. He lowered his body to the floor, touching his paw to the grass. "Why, this grass is soft! Not prickly, how interesting..."[/color] Jack mewed, his whisper seemed to carry off into the morning. He slowly lifted his head, squinting his eyes to see something so very distance. An outlining of another cat by the looks of it. He narrowed his gaze curiously as he watched the cat for a moment. Seeing him walking along through the territory with an interested look. The morning air carried a scent to the toms nose, one he never recognised, why this was something new!

At this moment he wanted nothing more than to walk along this meadow and examin everything. What was this place called? His tail curled in delight at the thought of it all. New sights, new smells, new....his gaze turned to the other cat. New, life. Backing up into the undergrowth he slithered his way silently through the trees. His body weaving through the terrain as if it were familiar, but then... the darkness always was. He poked his head through the trees, pausing once or twice to watch him for movement. He noticed the larger tom heading towards the pond. Flicking his tail followed quietly steping at the edge of the pond. He sprang up and clawed his way up a near by tree. The dark gleam of his eyes glittered against the leaves. Jack walked catiously out onto the over hanging brach, though some loose bark had fell. Causing a cat benieth him to look around with alarm. Jack paused, letting his tail swing like a pendelom off the branch.

Blinking with only curious eyes he pawed his way closer. Suddenly the tom went sinking into the pond. Jack's eyes widened and in moments he jumped off the branch, landing with a soft thud before racing towards the weird smelling cat. He slid into a stop by him. Pacing a bit to see what angle of rescue would be best. Leaning forward he caught the cat by the scruff, using his unknown muscle, he pulled, or rather dragged the tabby out of the watery muck. When he was a good distance away he released him. Looking down upon the cat, noticing the mud on his paws. He shrugged it off and suddenly started laughing. "Well now, whats a strong looking cat like you, doing getting stuck in mud?[/color] he chuckled giving of a grin, but this one was more pleasant than most of his others.

Flicking some of the mud off of his paws he tilted his head at the tom. "Such A rescue requires an introduction, yes? I... am Jack. What name may I call you?"[/color] he asked with a burning interest as he noticed the smell of the cat and tilted his head, it smelled like the pine, or the pine smelled like him. He wasn't quite sure. But pushing that question for later he sat down, letting his tail snake over his paws, its end twitching patiently. Ears perked forward with interest as he waited to hear the cats voice, a voice he had not heard before.

WORD COUNT;1034

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[barkerr !]

Just as he thought his limbs were going to drop off from use, a pair of jaws clamped around his scruff and dragged him out onto the stable bank. Taking a deep breath of much welcomed air, the tom tried to calm his frantic breath as he looked at his rescurer, who promptly started laughing. looking at his paws and pet,he realised his lithe frame was now covered in sticky, and rather bad smelling mud. Wrinkling up his nose, the tom stumbled to his paws have gave his pelt a hard shake. "By the name of StarClan, I smell like a ShadowClan cat!" This was a sudden resolution which caused him to give his pelt a hard shake, careful not to flick any mud at the luaghing tom.

"Well now, whats a strong looking cat like you, doing getting stuck in mud?" Looking at the loner, he gave one of his most charming grins, his chest fur sticking up at bizarre angles as he laughed heartily. "I can't say I'm the most experienced cat around when it comes to damp ground such as this, Guess I wasn't watching my paws a closely as I should've been." He meowed, looking over the lithe, tall tom for a few moments before his rescuer spoke again. "Such A rescue requires an introduction, yes? I... am Jack. What name may I call you?" Jack, the name suited him, and Barkstar couldn't help but grin brightly at the tom. he seemed friendly enough, maybe all loners didn't have the same view of the clans as he'd be taught.

What a bizarre concept that was! "Such a rescue also requires a great mass of tahnk yous as well. I am forever grateful for your assistance there. otherwise I might certainly been done for." Realising he was rambling, the tabby dipped his head politely and gave another wider grin. "Name's Barkstar, however. I'm a atd far away from my Clan over here." Giving a flick of his tail toward the woodlands nearby, he suddenly came up with a way to show his gratitude toward the tom. "Now, you must let me catch you a plump squirrel or mosue for your help! I'd hate to not give you anything for your help." Before the tom could answer, he was already striding strongly into the woods, his paws light against the leafy ground.

As soon as he was a good space inside, he paused, dropping down against the ground and opening his jaws. The only problem was, now he realized, it was incredibly hard to smell anything but the ShadowClan-smelling mud that clung to his pelt. But he didn't focus on this upsetting fact, and instead focused on the forest, and quickly, a large mouse which was sitting not forward forward, near a large pile of leaves and bramble. Tensing, he stalked forward in a perfect hunter's crouch, hoping that this digusting stentch would if anything, help his hutning, which it did seem to do. Thankfully, his paws hadn't been too coated to the stuff. Suddenly leaping forward in a prefectly stable, powerful pounce, his paws wrapped around the brown creature and he quickly bit into it's neck.

Lifting the mouse up in his jaws, he looked around to find his ghostly-looking friend, and upon spotting his tall frame, he strode forward and dropped the plump mouse at his paws, giving another deep bow. "A sign of my deepest appreciation." Sitting down, he quickly brushed his tongue over his chest a few times to smooth down the fur, before he couldn't help but begin to question the tom in front of him. "So Jack, where abouts do you live around here?"

[♥Rösε]

Jack

The Pumpkin King

Jack could not keep the amusement from his eyes as looked down at the tom cat before him. Giving another chuckle he took a pawstep closer and circled him a bit. Using his longer tail he brushed off some mud. "From the looks of you, it is as if there is no cat under this mud. Though im pretty sure I pulled something out of the pond."

he tail curled with his amusemtn clearly at the situation before he took a couple steps back and sat down. Looking over the cat slowly, and intently. "By the name of StarClan, I smell like a ShadowClan cat!"[/color] Jack's ears perked up at the sound of the cat, and what he had said. His head tilted in puzzlement as he took in his words.

ShadowClan? What was that? A group of shadows? He was clever enough to know what a clan ment, but a clan of....he thought out this.. of cats maybe? "Most perplexing..."[/color] he mewed in a whisper like tone as he lowered onto his stomach and stared at the tom cat before. He was certainly something, something new, but yet tha same by lineage. The tabby cat started to laugh and Jack lifted he head to look up at him. "I can't say I'm the most experienced cat around when it comes to damp ground such as this, Guess I wasn't watching my paws a closely as I should've been."[/color] Jack chuckled and sat up straight again. Looking back at his paws, he lifted them one at a time to flick off the mud. "Well, we all can't be perfect at everything. Even the most experienced cats tumble sometimes..."[/color] he lifted his gaze and grinned. "...it's learning from those tumbles that make you stand taller."[/color] he winked and settled his grin into a simple smile.

"Such a rescue also requires a great mass of thank yous as well. I am forever grateful for your assistance there. otherwise I might certainly been done for."[/color] Jack just narrowed his gaze thoughtfully, he rather liked this fellow. Giving praise when needed was always a good trait. Stretching out his limbs, he flexed his claws out before him. Uprooting some of the dirt and grass beneith him. With a dismissive flick of his tail he rolled onto his back and looked up at the tabby. "Twas nothing, really"[/color] he grinned his pleasant grin again. Jack, ever so modest to his charitible work. "Name's Barkstar, however. I'm a tad far away from my Clan over here."[/color]

There was that word again, clan, so it was referrig to a group of cats. Rolling back onto his stomach he pushed himself back onto his paws with ease. "Clan, you say? Are there many around these parts?"[/color] he asked a burning interest and curiousity could been seen in the depths of his pumpkin colored optics. Remembering the disgusted look on Barkstar's face he guessed not all of them got along. Blinking these thoughts for later questions he purred delightedly. "Well, Barkstar, I'll gladly escort you back, that is, if you stay past dark. There is a lot the goes on in the shadows that few know about. Why? Because few live to tell the tale."[/color] his words were eerie and chilling one that would make your body freeze as it sent chills down your spine. Though it was only a precaution, he didnt want this cat to come to harm. Giving a trusting dip of the head, he flicked his snake like tail over his paws.

"Now, you must let me catch you a plump squirrel or mosue for your help! I'd hate to not give you anything for your help." [/color] Jack saw the deep gratitude in Barkstars eyes, wow he was really getting worked up over this. He had not expected such kindness from another cat. Jack shook his head loosly, letting his spider web whiskers flow about his face. "Not necess---"[/color] before he could finish his words the tom was bounding off. Giving a snort he got to his paws, following behind him slowly. His pawsteps silent like fog as he watched the tabby hunt. His eyes blinked curiously as he followed him, watching his movements. Well now, this style was different, just the way they moved was new to him. His paws were carefully placed, while Jack's were quick and silent. Though different, they both seemed effective.

"A sign of my deepest appreciation."[/color] Another bow, Jack was intrigued. These clan cats were very formal he noticed. He dipped his head curtly to the tom cat, grinning in a friendly manner. "Never got this treatment before!"[/color] he replied good naturedly as his smile went back to being thin and pencil like, but still not at all threatening. Rarely did many cats see this side of Jack. Flicking his snake like tail its end flicked almost like snapping its jaws on the air. Bending down he looked at the creature, eyeing it curiously. "Whats this.."[/color] he moved with with his paw. Taking a bite its taste rushed into his mouth. He had never tasted this before. "So Jack, where abouts do you live around here?"[/color] Jack lifted his head from the prey and shrugged. "Around, my home is in the deepest darkest of places. Underneith a bridge. I often come a ways to scope out the new."[/color] he answered his voice lingered with a longing at the word new. Looking down at the prey he pushed it towards Barkstar. "I couldn't possible eat it all by myself."[/color] his tone was silkily inviting as he raised his dark orange hues to the tom cat.[/blockquote]

WORD COUNT;1089

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[barkerr !]

He didn't catch most of what the tom had said before he'd raced off, except the last comments. "Clan, you say? Are there many around these parts? Well, Barkstar, I'll gladly escort you back, that is, if you stay past dark. There is a lot the goes on in the shadows that few know about. Why? Because few live to tell the tale." While he hunted, the tom's words lingered in his mind. Were there really that many dangers at night? he'd wandered around in the dark plenty of times before. yet this wasn't his clan's territory, and he'd already seen that day that if others weren't around, a cat could easily fall to their death. Sitting down in front of the tom, he was still thinking. "Never got this treatment before!" The ThunderClan leader just laughed heartily, nodding his head in agreement.

"Whats this.." Ears pricking up, he looked curiously at the strange tom, who carefully started chewing the mouse. Twitching his whiskers in amusement, he raised a playful eyebrow, not wanting to offend the tom. "It's a mouse. They run all over the forest." He meowed curiously. What sort of cat didn't know about mice? it seemed unlogical. Yet, that was why he was out here, trying to find things that weren't normal. Well hadn't he found what he was looking for. Studying the tom, he finally noticed his ghostly appearance, almost like a more solid version of a StarClan cat, and without the glowing, but his white pelt was close. She seemed to move with complete silence, which was even stranger.

Curiouser and curiouser." The tabby's ears pricked up at once as the tom started talking. "Around, my home is in the deepest darkest of places. Underneith a bridge. I often come a ways to scope out the new." A bridge? Confusion crossed his gaze for a few momenets, before he thought back. Another loner had exaplined this, as something others crossed over, like in RiverClan's territory! Triumphant, he finally noticed the tom had pushed the mouse toward him. "I couldn't possible eat it all by myself." He was about to protest, but his belly got in first and the tom found himself grinning like a mousebrain and taking a large bite out of the fresh mouse, which at once filled his mouse with fresh blood and a the familiar taste that was home.

If he was ever going to leave his clan, there would have to be mice where he was. That was the conclusion he came to, before remembering the tom's question about the Clans. Clearing his throat and nudging the mouse back toward the tom, he licked his lips lightly. "Oh yes, mind my manners, you asked about Clans before didn't you?" He had just thought everyone knew, but apparently not. "There are four Clans, not too far from here. Each lives in a different territory, with a leader who keeps everyone together and organised. Every cat has a role in the clan and hunts to feed each other and fights for the territory for everyone. I'm Leader of ThunderClan, the Clanw hich lives in the woodlands. RiverClan live next to the river, as the name would suggest, WindClan are across the meadows and ShadowClan are in the marshes."

He wasn't afraid to tell about the clans, after all, many cats would find them eventually, and when they did, it was better to know what to expect then what not to. Gazing around the forest they were currently just inside, he noticed it was darker than ThunderClan's, but it didn't bother him. It was simply something he noticed.