The Fallen Tree's

[Kiddo [le pwnsome]]

Featherpaw peered through the trunks until she could see the source of the sound. Three cats. No, four. All were unfamiliar to her, though she recognized the faint odors of Meadowclan and Pineclan. Her tail twitched at her proximity to possible danger. She felt a tingling move through her entire body, flaring as it passed over her paws and spine. She shivered, trying to throw off the feeling. But it persisted.

Silently, she moved closer, trying to catch the low conversation bubbling up like a raging, frothing river between the tense cats.

[snowstorm]

A small cream and orange she-cat pushed her way through the branches pausing to taste the air. She scented clan cats, and they were nearby. Her blue green eyes closed into slits as the sun shined above. She paused at the edge of the trees, the clan cats were just past these thin branches. The kittypet, Cloe, was brave enough to come into the forest, but she didn't know what she would do if she came across more cats. Cloe watched through the branches, her coat slightly visible, and she hoped she wouldn't be seen.

[Whiskers]

Finchpaw looked amused. She was so interesting. So unpredictable. When he said one thing, she reacted in an entirely different way than he expected. And Finchpaw was used to expecting things... expecting constants-- but Frostpaw was only constant in her unpredictability-- that and her declaration of general distaste. She liked to announce what she liked or did not like, he had noticed.

"Ah, but it was my own opinion... I do not believe in fate. I find it a terrible existence, to be tied to a preconceived destiny. Life's more... more fun if you think of it as one mistake following another. But obviously you saw my... stoicism in relation to medicine..." He paused to gather his thoughts and looked up to the sky as he did so, as if he would find the answer floating above him or shining in the light of the sun.

"If you wish to know the real, honest truth, then I don't care for medicine. I'd rather be outside. Here..." He was quieter now... younger, in a way, as he admitted what he could not to his family. "But I don't believe I'll die unhappy because of it. Happiness is a tricky thing... it's hard for any creature to feel satisfied with one's life... and so even if I were a warrior apprentice, I'd probably feel a sense of unease and incompleteness-- oddly enough, my father felt that way, and he found his happiness in Starclan. I envy him of his complete faith. Though it may be ridiculous and irrational, it brings him peace. I don't want to upset that peace and I would... if he knew. Same with my brother. You know Firepaw of course." He chuckled as he thought of Firepaw in the same den as Frostpaw. Oh, they must have a hoot every night when Firepaw challenged Frostpaw...again. And Again.

And again, probably.

"The little things make me happy. This day for instance. Not only was I able to sneak out quite successfully, but it's a gorgeous day. Perfect for some hunting practice. I'm content. Are you?"

[/size]

[Rolo]

((I've come to the conclusion that I am playing her too maturely... she's not the right age to be so cold. You might see a considerable change in maturity from now onwards, I'm trying to remember how she was played as an apprentice. My apologies. Her main changes are that she is more jokey and mocking (not in a harsh way) in the way she says things. I've been trying to get her to be younger for a while... and I only recently had a breakthrough. That's the issue with playing a maturer version of your cat more than a younger one. My apologies about the sudden change of tone and slight character modifications.

Also, you will notice a lack of thought. Frostpaw speaks her thoughts most of the time, it's not that I rushed this or didn't think it through XD Description does not suit her.))


Frostpaw chuckled as he uttered his answer, her eyes gleaming with amusement. Oh! How she loved it when cats surprised her!

"So, you do have an opinion that is your own, after all? Good, I was starting to worry about you, after such a promising start." Her voice was casual. Innocence rang within it, as if Frostpaw didn't know that her words could offend a cat. Her eyes glittered, her expression half-way between being amused and genuinely happy. In truth, Frostpaw was delighted to have met someone with their own views. There were way too many blind believers these days, "And who said I believed that my entire life is set out? I don't. The only thing that is set out for us is death. It's our fate to die. To deny death, or to decide who lives and who dies through use of herbs, is as bad as avoiding fate. Cat's need to learn when to die, when not to rely on other cats. So, I hate medicine cats."

She moved towards him slowly, sitting a tail length away from him.

She then chuckled again, beaming at him, "You only feel full completeness when you do exactly what you want and decide your own path. Your father found his happiness through his mouse-brained beliefs as he realised that that was the path he wanted to take."

She flicked him with her tail, fixing her green eyes upon his. "You obviously haven't." She said bluntly, "You can't live your life for other cats. You may think you can, but you'll regret it in the end. Sometimes you have to take risks to find true happiness. I did and I lost everything I had, but I'm happy as I'm who I am. But you... you're following a path someone has made for you... just to make someone happy. What is the point in that? You have one short life before you go to a place of eternal darkness where you can't even think... that is too little time to waste."

She sat down for a moment, thinking about how to batter this in even more. The she-cat had no doubt that Finchpaw was someone who thought enough to realise these things himself at some time in the future. However, it was within her nature to want to change him now. She couldn't stand seeing someone so bright living in such a deluded manner, it made her want to hurt something, so she was going to change it.

She sat stock still for a moment, pondering what to say next. After a long pause, she finally asked one single question, in a monotone voice;

"What would you do if your father and brother died right this second?"

[snowstorm]

Cloe shifted on her paws. She had hoped for some excitement but instead there was only a conversation going on, not to her interests. She prowled around the area and circled it a few times. As she came back to where she started, a twig cracked under her paw, and she bolted up a tree as fast as she could, knowing she would give her self away. Cloe pressed down on the branch, scrunched up against the tree trunk.

[Rolo]

Frostpaw heard the twig snap, her ears twitching slightly with the noise. She could scent the cat from here, it was one she didn't recognise. Frostpaw was certainly glad that she wasn't the kind of cat who was curious about those kinds of things. She couldn't give a rat's tail about whoever was lurking in the forest. The only thing that mattered right now was Finchpaw's answer.

((Snow, if you bring Cloe into the rp, I cannot guarantee Frostpaw will pay the slightest bit of attention to her. No offence but I'd appreciate it if you didn't interrupt the conversation right now, it's getting interesting.))

[Whiskers]

(Hmm... interesting change. The young Frostpaw is certainly not as bitter or cold-- you are correct. I feel sad that Rowanheart and probably Firepaw too, will push her to become bitter and cold. Anywayyy -onto the actually rp-)

Finchpaw flicked his ears back. And then flicked them forward. He was not expecting this type of question and it rattled him a little. "That..." he began and stopped, and his brow furrowed as he thought about this question properly. Frostpaw deserved a thought out answer and he would give it to her.

"I suppose... hypothetically speaking, I'd be crushed, no doubt. I love them. But, in time, I'd move on... and then... and then I'd quit. I'd quit everything." Finchpaw declared, now certain in this answer. He could imagine it and suddenly, he began to act like an apprentice his age should act; excited and rash even. His eyes took on a sudden light and he pressed his claws into the soil.

He usually didn't give himself over to fantasy. But one should always allow an exception. So he continued, explaining his thoughts further with true passion in his words now, instead of simple thoughtfullness and care.

"What I mean by this is that I'd leave the clan. I was born here, true, but I don't feel tied to Fogclan by anything but my family. And I've always been interested in what's beyond the trees or down the rivers. And even addressing it as a medicine cat-- finding new herbs and discovering new knowledge would be exhilirating. Though I would get lonely, I don't think it would bother me that much. I could meet new cats, after all. I would return later, I think, after I was done exploring... but I wouldn't join Fogclan again. I'd join Pineclan and I'd be a warrior."

He calmed down now that he was done imagining it all. "They're not dead though... and I disagree with one of your statements. I do believe that others can make you happy and though it may be a weakness, it's also a strength. It's what keeps the Pineclan cats together, isn't it? So there's something there."

[Rolo]

Frostpaw half-smirked and half-smiled. The smirk was because she'd gotten him to admit to himself that he wasn't living a life he wanted truely. The smile was because he was slowly realising his true passions in life. He sounded like a totally different cat, one who was so free she felt truely happy. For one minute in her life, a cat was truely looking at life like she did every day. It was... it was... what was it? She didn't even know what to call it. All she knew was that it was alot more satisfying then arguing with a cat. Much, much more satisfying. It made her want to speak to him more... to inspire more thoughts within him.

Frostpaw's tail flicked back and forth for a few moments after he had spoken, still taking everything he had said in. Then she giggled a strangely subdued laugh and she stated;

"See?" She cried, unable to stop some of her 'I told you so' feelings from tainting her words, "I told you you didn't have an opinion before. What you just told me... THAT was an opinion. That was true belief. For one second there, you were speaking just as your father would..." She trailed off, a mischievious glint entering her eyes, "Except, you were just determined and convinced, you weren't speaking like a concieted idiot ."

She rose off of the floor and moved so her face was a mouse-length from his, gazing into his eyes, "You know exactly what you want. You know what you want to do. You know it. It's probably being buried again in that skull of yours somewhere, your wish to be passive and a follower overcoming your desires, but you know it's there..."

She paused. Her tone had become subdued, almost mesmerising. She then spoke with a voice that was tinted with longing and urgency, "When you embrace that, Finchpaw... you'll be happy forever. You will look back on your life and realise you made it your own. Your father and brother will no longer be you. They matter to you alot, bonds with cats matter in the scheme of things too..." Her gaze slipped from his eyes as she looked away awkwardly, her voice faltering, "They just... don't matter so much in my life. I don't have many bonds..."

She sounded slightly down for a moment, but soon she regained her strong tone and focused back on his face, "But in the end, bonds are created and destroyed and lost. The ones worth having will stay, even if you change. My bonds were never great, so I don't have any left." She chuckled, as if the idea didn't bother her at all, "Yet, you can't live for friends alone. You have to live for yourself. Friends and bonds can be an asset I suppose, I wouldn't know, and they can make you stronger... but not if they limit you in any way..."

Frostpaw wasn't prepared to share her own personal dreams yet. She had some, yes, but the stinging feeling in her chest always made her mind focus on the technical dreams rather than the... social dreams. She was interested to hear that Finchpaw was interested in Pineclan... she wouldn't have ever imagined it...

Perhaps...

[Whiskers]

Finchpaw smiled at her. He couldn't help it, with her being so close he could smell her scent and her excitment-- he could even see deep into her soul if he looked far enough into her eyes. She wasn't attacking him now, not like before and over all, he was feeling very intrigued by the entire event. The only thing that irritated him (though it shouldn't, he knew that) was that one comment--

For one second there, you were speaking just as your father would..."

She was speaking of the passion. But being grouped with him didn't make him happy; Finchpaw saw his father as close-minded and blind, even much too impulsive. And his reply had been of a whim of his.

But it was a whim that was now a seed, planted firming in his mind. It would grow, with time, as dreams were prone to do.

He was still smiling as he thought of what she said and now to react to it. They were both adament in their opinions. He felt obligated to stay and make his father happy. She urged him to break away. It was so dangerous, being around her. Frostpaw woke new feelings in him that was best kept subdued. Finchpaw had always believed in expecting the worst and viewing life through realistic eyes. Then you could never be disappointed. But with Frostpaw... she made him confront these things. It felt good. But it was dangerous for him.

He did not move. He spoke directly to her as she did to him.

"You're suggesting a balance," He nodded slowly. "Which goes for the both of us. I should act more independantly and you should consider making more bonds or friendships. A life spent alone is just as wasted as a life lived for others."

It was his turn to look away, but unlike her, he did not focus his gaze down, but looked upward-- as always. "I've thought, vaguely, about my dreams before you know. And... at this moment in time, I couldn't upset Firepaw or Rowanheart. I fear, you know," he looked back down at her, his eyes honest and even vunerable. "I fear being shunned by them. I try not to let myself care about what they think... but it seems almost innate."

He chuckled sadly and shook his head, laughing at his own stupidity. "Once I can get over that fear, I do feel I'll be completely free."

Finchpaw felt certain she'd make fun of him for this and suddenly, he was nervous. He hadn't meant to share so much of himself and his insecurities.

[/size]

[Slug]

OOC: I'm taking Crowclaw out and replacing him with Blueclaw. :3 Just for kicks and giggles.

BIC: Short blue-gray fur prickled in the soft breeze that suddenly started up-- or maybe that was just Blueclaw's imagination-- as he scanned the Fallen Tree's surounding area with his keen, mint green eyes, from atop his position on the highest point in Fallen Tree's; a fallen tree twisted in way that had splintered into a cork-screw manner-- laying on top of every log and pointing skyward: he was bloody surprised when he saw so many cats wondering about, or just chatting with one another.

"Quite amazing. Oh, quite indeed. Yes." Blueclaw tilted his head to the side, smiling at nothing-- for the moment. Then like fluid water he galloped oddly down the twisted, fallen trunk of the tree-- claws scraping and paws thudding hollowly against the dead bark-- and then he leaped, strong legs straining as he pounced into the upturned roots of the fallen tree; where he had made a make-shift nest earlier out of the soft roots-- though it had taken time.

But it had been worth it-- this was his favorite place to be. From here, Blueclaw felt safe and at home-- and he could watch the others just in case they had any... urge to break the warrior code.

You could say he was the Police-- the inforcer-- of the Warrior Code. Something he strongly believed in; almost like an adiction, he craved to serve-- in this case: yes. Yes Blueclaw was the guardian; the knight of the code.

And he would be deffinitely be inforcing.