The Testing of Clay [ open ]

[ulysses]

Author's Note l Mmmm, new meadowclan member? Maybe(: Let's see how this meeting play's out


For a second moon, Clay has taken his stay at the border. Weaving his way through the scent marker's of some strange cat's. The loner life has made him weary, how he longed for his parents, his home, but with no hope of returning. "I must find a answer" Clay thought, "Moore had promised it!"

[/color]. It was near dawn, where the mice were now merging from their holes and sparrows took flight that Clay found himself hungry. He did not dare trek deeper into the territory, fear gripped at his belly as he imagined what beasts called this land home.
Dining on a morning thrush Clay was welcomed to a unfriendly call. A call of a cat, something Clay hasn't seen in many moons. It rang through the air with a dark and angered cry, that sent shocks through Clay's pelt.
Instinct took over, Clay got to his paws and scrambled up the nearest tree. Branches and leaves tugging at his pelt.
Out of breathe he viewed from his perch, the newcomers that entered below.

[/center]

[Crowzerplorodon]

Everything nowadays was just so confusing. Since the gathering, Tigertail couldn't get his head straight and his thoughts had been floating all over the place. More than once he had found himself speaking something he hadn't meant to say, and was lucky that rarely were cats around to hear him. That was his own fault, though. Ever since the gathering, the brown tabby warrior had been avoiding other cats. He just didn't trust himself around them anymore.

And as of late, Tigertail had been finding himself by the border that led off to the ranch, wondering how loners lived. Something about their lonesome lives had piqued an interest in the warrior. Probably not a good thing, but at least he still had an interest in something. It let him believe that he was totally and completely depressed. Today, though, something was different about the border, and Tigertail couldn't figure it out. Numerous times he had called out, in case someone was following him. But nothing.

Until he saw the flash up the tree.

It wasn't that hard to spot. Trees were rare enough around MeadowClan, so whenever he passed one, naturally his attention was drawn to it. Just his luck that someone had dashed up there as he walked by. Were they hiding from him? The scent wasn't one he recognized, definitely not a clan cat. It just smelled like... the wilderness. Odd, most cats smelled like that, but they always also had a distinct attachment scent. "Oi. Don't be hidin' from me. I climb trees too, y'know. Be up there in a jiff if you ain't comin' down."

[singeclaw]

In general, Ashclaw didn't like hunting at all. Strangely, she found herself hunting anyways, even though she strongly and openly opposed it. She didn't like hunting because it didn't play to her strong points. Besides, she still couldn't get over that humiliating experience when she went on a hunting patrol and got showed up by some foolish apprentice. From that day, Ashclaw had decided she was only meant to catch prey that stay where their paws belong: firmly on the ground. As she trekked across the territory, her eyes slipped across her surroundings and her ears pricked. Life as a rouge had hardened Ashclaw. She didn't trust anyone, not even her own clan. The only reason she had joined the clan anyways was for protection. Whether she liked it or not, Ashclaw knew that she had a weak spot in her heart for protection and things to attach to. She'd searched her whole life for something to fight for and now she did fight for this clan, indirectly.

Ashclaw shook her head, annoyed by the thoughts that seemed to fall onto her shoulders like rain. Her muscles tensed as she saw the slightest motion in a bush, but she relaxed when she realized it was most likely only the wind. But the slight movement turned Ashclaw's attention from her bothersome thoughts and to the surroundings. She gave her silver chest fur a quick lick, before turning her slitted ice blue eyes away from the bush. She sniffed the air, her nose wrinkling at the smell of an unfamiliar cat. Abandoning all attention to her hunting, Ashclaw started to direct herself to the scent and walk around with a newfound energy. Maybe, she would even catch up with this mysterious cat and get the chance to have a little fun with them. Ashclaw loved intimidating cats, especially kits. She hated kits with a passion. Her memories always flew back to her kithood when she saw kits. Ashclaw always saw her annoying, perky younger sister who got all of the attention and her brave, yet traitorous brother who left them before she hardly got to know him... Ashclaw just hated kits. Even the thought of them made her lip curl.

[ulysses]

Clay popped his head out and blinked.
"He-hello down there" he called. This strange cat was nothing he had never seen. No fluffy fur. He was not well fed at all! His no-fur's must not have taken care of him at all.
Being a bit braver Clay took a few steps out of the tree, onto a unleaved branch. He stared down at the new comer, even though his stare be hostel, Clay sensed some kindness in him.
"Well aren't you a site for sore eyes! he sarcastically spoke, "I haven't seen a cat in moons!"
As he uttered these last few word's Clay sensed another emerging, some strange cat from the north side.

[singeclaw]

Ashclaw took her sweet time heading towards this mysterious cat. She wasn't in a rush since she knew she could catch up with most cat's in speed. Whoever this newcomer was, she doubted he had much experience with the territory so he would lack the knowledge of short cuts and areas to avoid. With a satisfied sigh, Ashclaw approached the soft voices. Judged by her sharp ears, they would still be out of her sight for a few more heartbeats. Ashclaw passed a patch of tall grasses, her head rising to the sun. Her beautiful silver pelt feasted upon the weak sunlight on the cold day, before her icy eyes turned to the voices. She picked up her pace, running over to the tree. She recognized the cat at the ground below the tree. It was definitely a MeadowClan cat, she was sure of that, but his name was hidden in the back of her head. Ashclaw impatiently flicked her ears. Who cared about the cat's name anyways? She didn't. Instead, Ashclaw focused her cynical gaze upon the tree, a mask of hostility embracing her face. She knew that even if she tried, she wouldn't be successful at pretending to be a friendly cat so she opted for open hostility like she usually did, when meeting new cat's. "Hello there," Ashclaw meowed, her tail flicking menacingly as she rounded the tree and peered up at the cat in it. "What are you hiding in the tree from?" Ashclaw purred craftily, "I hope we're not that intimidating.

[Crowzerplorodon]

His ears flicked in annoyance. This cat was obviously up for playing games of sorts, and Tigertail wasn't. If this continued, he'd be downright pissed at the strange tom. "Geddown outta that tree, squirrel," he snapped, rather uncharacteristically, tail swishing back and forth in the long, dry grass. "Watchu mean ya' ain't seen a cat in ages? Ya' been avoided reflections or somethin'." That was a little better. At least he was joking now, however bad the jokes were. But still, that's not what lingered in his mind. Tigertail wanted to know why the hell this cat was talking about not seeing other cats for a while. Was he just kidding?

Then he caught sound of another voice, one belonged to some cat he recognized as a fellow clanmate. Green eyes locked on the she-cat - Ashclaw - for a moment, before he huffed. Why was this she-cat bothering with games, too? Couldn't everyone just stop messing around today and take things seriously! Unknowingly, his tail moved faster in the grass, reflecting his shortening fuse. "We're intimidating, ya' dumb she-cat. Freakin' warriors and he ain't what, apprentice age?"

[ulysses]

Clay shook his head in annoyance. Was everyone like this? Is this how the cats of the forest lived, so hostel and threatening? Puffing out his chest, Clay spoke with no fear.
"Who are you to threaten me?" he demanded, "Aren't the cats of the forest suppose to be kindhearted, to be as wonderful and brave as they are portrayed in the story's?"
Gathering some more courage, Clay gripped the trunk of the tree and clawed his way down. These cats might have the answers he has been searching for all along.

[singeclaw]

Ashclaw bristled fiercely at her clanmate's insulting words. She was not a dumb she cat; in fact, she was far from such. This tom cat, she decided, was just a mousebrain who thought he knew a lot more about her than he did. In fact, Ashclaw decided to keep his knowledge of her to the minimum- a cat who called her a dumb she cat didn't deserve knowledge about a cat as superior as herself. She flashed the green-eyed tom cat a single, withering expression that would have melted any kit into tears, before turning her attention to the newcomer. He had clawed his way down the tree so she could get a better look at him. He had a dusty brown pelt with medium brown tabby stripes, which seemed normal enough to her. She regarded the tom cat for a few seconds. He was bigger than her, like most tom cat's were, but he didn't seem too threatening this close up. But, Ashclaw had experience with this sort of thing. You couldn't judge a cat by their physical features.

Ashclaw gave a bored yawn. "Please, She replied in a lazy, carefree voice, "I'm not threatening you. It's not like we haven't seen loners or rouges here before. Anyways, I go by Ashclaw now." She decided that the quickest way to gain trust of this cat was to give out her name. Besides, he didn't need to pry her for foolish information like that. She mainly wanted to get off the topic of rouges. Any cat with a brain the size of a mousetail would probably be able to tell she was a rouge, her flanks were battle-scarred enough as it is. And the long, curved scar on her shoulder was pretty hard to miss. "I guess forest cat's are supposed to be nice," Ashclaw continued in her controlled, bored tone, "But there are also those cat's who simply aren't agreeable. I'm sure we haven't found one of those..." Ashclaw trailed off and flashed her clanmate another scornful look. She couldn't believe she was even associated with this cat, even in his clan. But, maybe she was just being petty. She had the annoying habit of taking the slightest actions a little too far. "Back to the point," Ashclaw meowed finally, "What brings you to MeadowClan territory?" She haughtily tossed her beautiful silver head, before turning her icy blue eyes to the newcomer. She wondered what his response would be to her questions.

[ulysses]

With his paws firmly on the ground Clay assessed the situation. This strange she-cat was rough, the forest had made her strong and with moons of experience to back her up. How simple could it be to run, far away from these strangers but with no hope of finding out. Finding out if he belonged here.
"I am Clay," he introduced himself, "By no means did i come here to cause you trouble. I-I don't have a place to stay. A cat by the name of Moore told me that cats took residence in these lands and i thought..."
Clays words trailed off as he remembered the thoughts of his parents. Im too young for this[/color] he thought, Why did you have to leave me like this?[/color]
His body weakened, the pressure from all past stress too much for him.
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[singeclaw]

Clay seemed like an honest cat, Ashclaw thought decidedly. "Nice to meet you," Ashclaw meowed in a friendlier tone, "You aren't causing us any trouble, do not worry." Ashclaw sat on her haunches, her tails curling around her paws. "If you are looking for a place to stay, then you've most likely chosen the right place. Your friend was very clever to direct you here." Her eyes shut briefly as she mentally decided whether to explain why he'd been directed to the right place. "I was once a rouge, before I came upon the clans looking for a place to settle," Ashclaw explained.