Insanity and Innocence (Kite, Stone and Dove)

[Cloud of Diamonds]

The tuxedo tom looked down at them, surprised, snapping out of his memories. "Me? Oh, no. I've always lived around here. I've lost cats...my mother and my best friend, but that was long ago, and I have a whole Clan now. But as an elder, I'm supposed to know stories, of course. They're interesting, if sad sometimes. Cloudstar told me a lot about the journey and well, everyone knows Cedarstar's story, since he brought the Clans here."

The little elder thought about Stonekit's question, which he honestly didn't know the answer to. All he remembered was that one day a pregnant white she-cat had stumbled into camp, been accepted by Cloudstar, had her kits and died soon after, one of her daughters dying too, and then Spiderstorm had raised Dovekit and Stonekit as well as her own children.

"I honestly don't know, Stonekit." He mewed gently. "I suspect your parents were both rogues, however, though possibly not because I heard your mother refer to your father with a Clan name, Hawkheart. But I know no one who was formerly from ForestClan recognized her or those names, so I don't know what to make of it."

He remembered his mother's death, so many moons separating then from now it seemed like an eternity. He'd recovered, of course, but it was then that he had truly known how dangerous the world was.

He didn't want such pain to happen to these kits, even if they had already lost their parents and sibling. Though he knew he couldn't do much to help, he'd grown to like the kits, and Kitewhisker swore to himself he would do whatever he could to keep them from harm, even if he would know their dooms. He couldn't wait for their apprenticeship ceremony - they would make good ones, he was sure, even if they were doomed to be injured, sick, emotionally tormented...

"Anyway, do you want me to continue about the Journey? The story's almost done."

OOC: Tell me if I should change Kitewhisker's response to Stonekit about his parents. I think I read his history right, but if not, tell me.

[Ember]

OOC: Um your description was fine. I had planned them being originally part of the clans and her mate just disappeared but your's is pretty good too. Maybe they could've been part of the clan back in the forest that Cederclaw left and just found their way here.

/BIC\

Stonekit was jolted from his thoughts. So he had been wrong about Kitewhisker being part of the journey, but he had lost someone close to him. "Yes, please continue with the story! I am really enjoying it." I actually kind of like this cat. He isn't cranky and weird. I actually have a lot in common with him history wise. I could make a good friend out of this cat.

Dovekit's voice interrupted him and he was jolted back out of his own little world. "I'm sorry, Kitewhisker. Did I make you feel bad? I didn't mean to if I did." She looked up at him with the small traces of a frown on her face. Stonekit could tell she felt bad.

[Cloud of Diamonds]

OOC: Oh, okay. Or they could be from another Clan entirely...mysterious.../shot

BIC: Kitewhisker smiled, as he had done so often already. He looked at the gray-and-white she-kit in surprise and shook his head, her strange but simple smell comforting him. "It's all right. These things happened so long ago that the pain is dull, and not fresh. I can remember without wanting to die of grief, as I once wished. But I had to live on, you know?" He coughed, then looked a bit apologetic. He wasn't trying to patronize them, only explain his own feelings.

"Anyway, yes, the story. So they traveled for many moons, despite their hardships, and eventually, Cedarclaw found the territories. As soon as he took the first steps into the area and smelled the air he knew StarClan had meant them to be there." the elder recited, not sure if it was true, but it sounded good nevertheless.

"Deciding that there were now far too many cats to contain in one Clan, Cedarclaw received a dream from StarClan telling him that Owlstorm and Cloudfang were both destined to lead their own Clans, and Gingerclaw announced that she too would lead her own Clan, one that did not believe in StarClan. By now the territories had been fully explored, and each leader claimed a quarter of the land for themselves.

Cedarclaw took the great meadow that had a bit of forest in it, to the northeast. Gingerclaw took the dense pine forest to the northwest. Owlstorm took the mixed, rocky forest with a strange fog to the southwest. And of course, Cloudfang took the marshy southeastern territory that had some forest and the biggest river flowing through it. Thus the four Clans were named for their environments: Meadow, Pine, Fog, and Stream.

And so the leaders - even Gingerclaw, to be traditional - all traveled to the newly discovered MoonGlade, where leaders and medicine cats could communicate with StarClan in times of need, and received their names. Thus was the age of our four Clans born." The tuxedo tom finished quietly.

[Ember]

Dovekit stared up at him in awe. "Wow. THAT is an amazing story! I love it. Hey, Kitewhisker, can you tell us another story? About where you came from and what happened before you joined the clans. PLLEAASSEEE!!!!!!" She begged trying to make herself look cute in order to persuade the old cat. "I'll bring you the fattest bits of prey when I'm an apprentice!!! PLEASEEEEE!"

Stonekit rolled his eyes a purr rising in his throat. "Yeah, what she said. Except not all giggly and cute!" A playful gleam flashed in his eyes as he looked at his sister.

Dovekit growled, "I'll show you giggly and cute!" With her claws sheathed she launched herself at her brother. Stonekit pretended to be knocked back by the force of it, which was maybe...what? the force of a leaf? He wouldn't fight her back, because last time he fought back he ended up hurting her. "Oh, oh no. Please spare me! Just don't hurt me!" He playfully whined.

Dovekit stared down at him and she placed her paws on his broad shoulders and pretended to lash her tail, drawing her lips back in fake snarl. "It's too late for begging, foxdung. I'm gonna send you up to StarClan!" Trying to hide the purr rising in her throat she nipped his throat.

Stonekit pretended to wail in pain. "NOOOO!!!!! ooohhh the pain!" He stared up the sky his eyes clouded with fake pain. "And the great warrior...dies...." After whispering the last part he made himself go limp.

Dovekit purred, "Okay, Kitewhisker can you tell us another story now PLLEAASSE?" Stonekit got up from playing dead and settled down next to his sister once more. "Yeah, please?"

[Cloud of Diamonds]

Rarely did an expression of joy stay so long on the tuxedo tom's face. Not that life was supposed to be all happiness; the seriousness of predictions and the study of misfortune was just as important. Nothing was accomplished with only smiles, after all.

But the antics of the two siblings made him purr in his old throat as he watched the pair tussle with happy grass-colored eyes. They gave him the pleasure of company that he hadn't realized how much he was missing.

"Of course I'll tell you my story, younglings, though it's not nearly exciting as Cedarstar's and the Journey's. If you get bored I can always tell another one."

He paused for a few moments, trying to think back in his 77 moons of life to the earliest experience he could remember. It was his mother telling him her - and his - story.

An image of the friendly, warm tortoiseshell blossomed in his mind. He blinked, remembering he was supposed to be telling the kits this and not just dwelling on it.

He cleared his throat, looked at them, and began.

"I was born just outside the Twolegplace nearby, the only kit in my litter." For of course, he had never known of his stillborn brother. "My mother was a tortoiseshell rogue named Speckle who raised me all by herself, for my father was a kittypet who loved us, but apparently not enough to live with us." He said dryly.

He'd never hated his father, but Kitewhisker had resented him for rarely even visiting his mate and only son. It was hard to hate a soft weakling, just to look down upon him. Tommy must be long dead by now, anyway, or perhaps not, considering his easy life.

"We lived a hard but good life by ourselves, and she taught me all about the world and how dangerous it was. I grew up happy if a bit lonely from the lack of companionship of cats my own age. But that all changed..." His meow faltered as the details of the saddest day of his life came back to him. Not the worst or hardest, but certainly the most heartwrenching day of his life.

"...on the day my mother died. I was only a bit over seven moons old, and she was gone when I woke up. She'd been out hunting, and I thought she'd be back by now, so I looked for her. And I found her...dead in the middle of a Thunderpath, hit by a speeding monster."

He said bitterly and angrily, his voice louder than it had been in the entire time he'd been telling stories. He'd hated Twolegs since then. Hated them for keeping his father from him, hated them for killing his mother. He'd almost forgotten his hate...until this story had reawoken it.

But he breathed, and calmed himself, frightened of his own anger. Surely this would spell doom for him if he did not control himself. There was nothing he could do, anyway, and it was a wound long since inflicted.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly. "Old memories die hard, even for someone as forgetful as me. But I can continue or stop, if you want."

[Ember]

A small gasp came from Dovekit. "Oh Kitewhisker, I'm so sorry. That must have been awful! I don't really remember my mother. I can remember her and Specklekit's scent though. Her's was very warm and and sweet, it was a beautiful smell. I may not know what she looked like, but I know she was beautiful from her scent. Specklekit's scent was fresh; almost like freshly dug up dirt. I loved it. I miss them both dearly even though I don't remember them."

Stonekit hung his head in silence as he listened to his sister's description of his sister and mother. He was able to relate to Kitewhisker's story. His heart felt heavy with grief at the thought of his mother. "I don't really remember her. I just remember her scent, like Dovekit. I remember it because of Dovekit's scent."

"Mine?" Dovekit asked softly. "Why mine?"

Stonekit looked at her, "You have the same scent. I may not remember her at all, but I know that you look just like her except for the gray on you...you got that from Hawkheart. I hear cats talking about how much you look like her."

Dovekit looked down, then back up at Kitewhisker, "Do I look like her?" After a couple seconds she said, "Can you also finish the story? It's starting to get VERY interesting!"

[Cloud of Diamonds]

As different as they were, in age, possible origin, coloring, rank, the old tom felt a thread of connection to the two young cats before him. They too had lost their mother...and someone else dear to them. It was true that in their case they had lost their sister, not their best (and only) friend.

But still, he could relate. He listened with slight wonder to their description of their lost relations' scents. Fascinating. Yet, sadly perhaps it also meant they would die of a scent..perhaps choking on a poisonous gas or dead by suffocation of falling into a hole filled with mud...but he would let them keep their innocence.

He nodded to Stonekit's words of Dovekit and her coloring. "It's true. Snowflower, of course, was nearly pure white, and though I only saw her once or twice I can tell you resemble her, Dovekit. You have her face, though her eyes were amber, not blue. I'll continue with the story now.

Thus I learned what was to be my greatest lesson - nothing in the world could be trusted, and everything was to fear. I realized could only trust other cats, and even then, I must be careful." He left out that he'd also realized he was doomed to die a horrible death. They were only kits, after all.

"So I traveled throughout the land, nearly dying thrice: once from a fox, once from a badger, and once from sickness. I was avoided, called insane for my caution. But then I met Holly." His face, which had been crumpled, sad, regretful, brightened up and his shoulders relaxed as he thought of the beautiful white and brown tabby she-cat.

"She was the only one who understood me. We became friends...she taught me how to see misfortune, to warn others even if they wouldn't listen." He looked in the distance, remembering her. Her face. Her laugh. Her smile. Her cute, stubby tail. Then he came back to reality, although, of course not realizing as he never had that he was somewhat insane.

"We spent nearly twelve moons together...the best twelve moons of my life. But then she saw her own future and realized that her fate was to die outside this land, so she left me, and I was distraught, though I understood, because no one can escape fate, in the end.

I lived on my own again, slowly losing my health, worrying of my own demise. But then....then I heard about the Clans. I knew I might die trying to join, somehow. Still, I was drawn to them. Food, shelter, safety. But also a sense of destiny. And I think, I know now that I was meant to join so I could tell you stories, kits. That's why I'm here."

The tuxedo tom had gone crazy long ago, and would be until his dying day. He had his flaws. But he had found two cats that he could love - not as true family, but as someone to watch over them. For now, he only wished to live to see them become warriors.

[Ember]

Dovekit looked up at the old elder, "Kitewhisker, I'm so sorry. Do you ever know what happened to her? I mean she couldn't have actually known she was going to die, I mean that's crazy! You must miss her terribly."

Stonekit looked at his sister then back to Kitewhisker, "Wow Kitewhisker, That's an amazing story. Sad yes, but amazing. That's quite an adventure too! Pretty neat for one cat to do by himself!"

Dovekit looked at Kitewhisker, "Did you love Holly?"

Stonekit roled his eyes typical she-cat turns everything into a love story.

[Cloud of Diamonds]

He stared off into the distance for a moment, lost in the past. Then the squeaky kit's voice and a sudden waft of her strangely sweet scent both floated toward him, an anchor to here and now. The tuxedo tom did not smile, but the edges of his mouth turned up a little, his old nose getting gooey in the cold.

The elder shivered, the taste of wood faintly on his tongue as he yawned, then frowned as he gazed at the little gray and white kit, but his expression quickly softened. She was very young, after all, and no idea about the skill of predicting the future. So he could forgive Dovekit her ignorance. Barely any cats understood, after all, and good as these young ones were he could expect them to be no different.

So ignoring her insult, he sighed, "I do miss her. I never heard from her again, so no, I don't know what happened to her."

He cheered up slightly as the tabby tom spoke. He even felt a little flattered, which was an emotion last known many moons ago, when Holly had taken him on as her apprentice. "Thank you, Stonekit. I'm sure there are far more interesting stories, though." He said modestly. His was somewhat interesting, but there were certainly tales of far greater cats than he.

And then Dovekit made him embarrassed, because yes, he had loved Holly. At first just as a friend...but during those last four moons his feelings had changed. And he had never confessed, far too scared to ever let her know, ever ruin what they had. He'd wanted to keep her, and yet he hadn't even gotten that. For a heartbeat he felt bitter, but then grateful. At least he had known her, even if she had never belonged to him. And yet...he wondered, could Holly have ever belonged to anybody? She was so free.

"Yes, Dovekit, near the end of our time I did love Holly. But she was always just a wonderful friend to me. Trust me, friendship is the more useful - and often more fun - relationship. Love is very confusing." Possibly the truest thing the crazy old cat had ever said.

[Ember]

Dovekit

Dovekit was taken back at the old cat’s words. “Kitewhisker, how could say that love is confusing? Love is wonderful! It what makes the whispers in the wind. It what makes the birds sing. Without love the world is nothing. Without love none of us could have been born! Love is wonderful!” The young she-cat truly believed her words. She believed in love. I can’t wait until I am older and find love. I’ll have a mate and kits; everything will be perfect. I’ll have a handsome young tom by my side through everything. Her thoughts began to trail back the young kit that was back with Spiderstorm, Mothkit.

Mothkit was a quite handsome young cat. When she pictured herself as a warrior, watching her future kits play at her feet, it was always Mothkit curled up next to her. She began to realize that her feelings for him were more than just the love of siblings. She shook these thoughts away. No! No, I can’t love Mothkit! He’s my brother! Well, foster brother. Could I be in love with him if we are not blood related? She began to ponder this thought.

She considered asking Kitewhisker. No! She mustn’t! She could be in trouble or frowned upon if it was a forbidden love. But if it wasn’t, she’d be satisfied and hope that the young tom could possibly love her back. She began to build up the courage to ask the question. Raising her head high, she looked straight at Kitewhisker. “Kitewhisker?” She paused, “Could a cat love an adopted sibling, one that isn’t blood related? Such as Mothkit?”

Stonekit

Stonekit could have choked if he had been eating a piece of fresh kill. He stared at his sister in shock. What in the name of StarClan would bring her to ask this question. Why in the name of StarClan would it be Mothkit? Mothkit! The useless scrap of nothing that was their adopted brother. The little twerp couldn’t even defend himself against that puny black puffball named Batkit. Why in the name of all four Clans and StarClan would she ask about him.

Could his hopeless romantic of a sister like Mothkit? Oh StarClan no! She couldn’t like him. He hated having the runt as a littermate, let alone his sister’s future mate! He couldn’t stand the thought of having nieces or nephews sharing that….that….thing’s blood! Please let her question be out of curiosity and not love. Oh please, for the love of anything sane, not love!

OOC: I think this is my best post yet! lol what do you think? I put alot of thought into this. lol I thought that Dovekit having a crush on Mothkit would be cute .