Night Stalks (Quail+Smoke)

[the.Scream]

A soft breeze stirred Smokepaw's frizzled whiskers. She had just gone for a run, and now rested easily on her side, next to a small pool of water. With a swipe of her tongue, the apprentice groomed throughly through her pelt, getting every last scrape of dirt from her paws.

Without warning, light pawsteps crept closer, a fox-length or two away from Smokepaw. Ears swerving, the she-cat lifted her muzzle, inviting all scents. The quick trail of Quailpaw, her new friend, made her purr. It was reassuring that she wasn't the only one to be a bit shy by Clan-life. Ever since arriving in MeadowClan, Smokepaw felt left-out, having been a former loner, and depressed by her father's death. Now, though it wasn't as comforting as loner life, it was easier to manage.

[Ember]

Quailpaw

Quailpaw purred in amusement as she watched her friend from a distance. She hoped that Smokepaw didn't know she was there. She guessed that her new friend could scent her, but she hoped that she couldn't. She made herself quiet as she trekked through the grass. Keeping her head low she focused on Smokepaws back. This was good for her hunting skills, but she made sure to keep her claws sheathed. Trying to stifle a purr, she continued on.

Smokepaw seemed oblivious to her whereabouts. Quail paw stopped. She made sure she was in the right position, double checked that her sharp claws were sheathed. She didn't want to make an enemy out of her first friend. After running through the checklist, She lept at her friend, landing square in her torso. She purred as she rolled off onto her back, "First catch of the night." Quailpaw purred as she looked up at her friend.

[the.Scream]

Smokepaw snorted, then mewed, in a humorous tone, "A cat? Those Clans better watch their tails!" The apprentice leaped on Quailpaw before the she-cat could run away. With stiff muscles, she pinned her down, claws accidently half-sleathed.

"Whoops," Smokepaw apologized, sleathing her claws fully. No wonder mentors checked your paws twice when training. Ignoring her thoughts, the she-cat flicked her tail, "Ah, this wouldn't have been a real play fight anyway. I heard you."
THe apprentice unpinned Quailpaw, adding, "My father taught me, before his death, how to increase hearing, and, no, not by StarClan's will," Smokepaw mewed, then continued, "He had me stay in complete silence for at least from early morning to sunrise(an hour). Sure, it was annoying because I couldn't play, but then I realized how far I could hear over time. It does this weird affect on you," the she-cat exclaimed, a bit mystified by it.

"The farthest I've heard is pawsteps from three foxlengths away," she added, proud of her father's lesson. Sure, it was bragging, but Smokepaw didn't care; she wanted at least one warrior cat to know the benifits she had of being a loner... well, at least her loner-life. A sharp pang made her flick her ear nervously. This was the first time she mentioned her loner-life to anyone, and it made her feel sad due to it reminding her of her father's death.

Shaking her head, Smokepaw mewed, "Since you, obviously, are so hungry you'll hunt cats," she paused to shake her head in fake disapproal, "want to go get a night bite?"

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[Ember]

Quailpaw

Quailpaw purred despite the slight sting in her shoulder. "Ha, it's okay." She cocked her head "How did you hear me? I was like a fox length away from you!" Quailpaw gasped in astonishment. Smokepaw sure was talented, it'd be so cool to be able to do that.

My father taught me, before his death, how to increase hearing, and, no, not by StarClan's will. He had me stay in complete silence for at least from early morning to sunrise(an hour). Sure, it was annoying because I couldn't play, but then I realized how far I could hear over time. It does this weird affect on you "Well, your father taught you well." Quailpaw purred and curled up on the ground next to Smokepaw. She liked having a friend it made her feel welcomed in the Clan. She remembered that Smokepaw came from a loner's life, just like she had. Smokepaw obviously had more training in her seven moons than Quailpaw did in her four moons.

Since you, obviously, are so hungry you'll hunt cats. Quailpaw stifled a purr. "Oh, but they're the best kind! No need for the sarcastic snippiness, kitty." She purred aloud to make sure her friend knew she was only teasing. Want to get a night bite? Oh, did she ever! Her tummy had been growling all night since she missed dinner. "But of course, my good friend. Come on let's go. But I warn you I could eat an entire Sokoke!" With a purr she pounced at her friend.

After a couple seconds she grew curious about something. "Smokepaw, how did your father die?"

[the.Scream]

"Try me!" Smokepaw purred.

Smokepaw, how did your father die?

Her purr cut short. It was such an unexpected question the apprentice fridgeted uncomfortably. Obviously, this question was too far in the gutter. With a sigh, the she-cat knew Quailpaw would get curious sometime. Hiding it wasn't going to quench her thirst any better, just transform it to a strong force; a wild fire.

"I was really hoping you wouldn't ask that," Smokepaw groaned. Just incase her friend was becoming shy, or guilty, she added, "Don't worry; I knew you'd find out sooner or later." Continuing onward, the apprentice friddled with the scents, sniffing out prey, as she talked, "My father was murdered. He used to be invited to loner-meetings. Then, without warning, one loner brought a former rogue. Our terrritory used to be the rogue's territory. He got worked up and attacked my father," Smokepaw paused, then swallowed, "After word, one of the loners came and told me what happened and showed me his body. It was in MeadowClan territory," the she-cat looked up at Quailpaw. "And I've been here ever since."

Smokepaw sighed, fluffing her fur, ignoring the fresh layer of grief coming towards her like raindrops.

OOC: Hey, you know that gathering thread? I replied to it, and Smokepaw's talking to Quailpaw, so you wanna check it out.

[Ember]

Quailpaw

Quailpaw looked at her friend sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Smokepaw." She looked down feeling bad about asking this question. It obviously hurt poor Smokepaw. She looked back up at her friend, "I'm sorry about your father and for asking that question. I should've let you tell me on your own. If it helps, I lost my mother too, at a very young age." Quailpaw stopped and looked down, she felt grief washing over her. She could hear her mother's yowls, her mother shrieking to run, and she could her the dog snarling as it bit at her heels. She sqeezed her eyes shut. Should she tell Smokepaw? Of course! Smokepaw had told her how her father died, it was Quailpaw's turn now.

Quailpaw met her friend's gaze. "I was four moons old. I was born a loner. My mother was born a kittypet, but became a rogue around 13 moons old. About 6 moons later she met my kittypet father. I never knew him, I never even knew his name. I was born in an old fox den. When I was 3 moons old my mother and I began traveling. A couple days later we found the Clans and decided to settle. When I was just shy of five moons, she took me hunting." She stopped and shut her eyes. She sighed looked back to her friend and continued.

"We had been out for a while when my mother smelled something. She told me to hide in some bushes while she investigated. She shoved me into a nearby berry bush and left. A couple minutes later, I heard ferocious growling and barking. The ground began to shake and my mother tore through the bushes. She was scared and fluffed out. I started to emerge from my hiding place and she told me to stay back. A HUGE dog came after her and she turned and began to fight. I knew she was on the losing end. The dog tossed her to the side, stunning her. I ran out fluffed up like a warrior." Quailpaw purred slightly, she had been such a dumb kit. If only she had realized how useless she would be against a dog. "Anyways, I walked out into the clearing behind the dog. He was walking toward my mother about to finish her off. When stupid little me decided to take a bite out of the dog's rump, it turned on me. I turned and ran with it close to my heels. I ran for my life and was lucky to get away alive. That's actually how I lost my tail."

She shuddered as she thought of how horrible it felt, how much it had hurt. "The dog sunk it's teeth into my tail. I wailed and continued to try to run. Suddenly my tail felt on fire and my legs felt soaked. I kept running to my hiding place, once I got there I looked at the dog. The dog held a limp, bloody, long something or other in it's mouth, Obviously enjoying the taste. I looked back at my tail, or what was left of it anyways. There was just a bloody stump. I was feeling weaker and dizzy. Suddenly the dog turned and started back to my mother. I was afraid she was dead, then I heard her yowl. She told me to run, so I did. Along the way I was too weak to go on so I stopped. Everything went black. MeadowClan found me and brought me in. They nursed me back to health. Later a patrol, brought the body of my mother in."

She stopped, lost in a gruesome memory. Quail heard the gasps of other cats. She came to clearing and saw the most horrible thing she could ever see. A cat, a bloody, mangled cat. She froze, her heart stopped. The half eaten cat, was her mother. She ran to Trinity's side and looked down at what was left of her mother. Her stomach was half eaten through and her paws, (what were left of them) jutted at all angles, blood and mud matted her beautiful calico fur. She looked toward her face. Her neck was twisted and her head faced the opposite way that it should. The dog had twisted and broken her neck. She looked at her mother's once beautiful dappled face. Her eyes stared sightlessly into the sky. Her broken jaw hung open in what once had been a snarl. Quail jerked her head away unable to look anymore. She darted out of the clearing and to the medicine den where she could grieve alone.

Quailpaw jolted out of her memory. Her heart was heavy with grief. She knew that she would always remember her mother of how she last saw her, broken and eaten. She couldn't even remember her scent, just the smell of death that loomed off of her when they found her. Quailpaw closed her eyes and rested her chin on her paws.

OOC: SOOO sorry it's long. lol and gruesome. anyways I don't think we can reply anymore it's kind of over.

[the.Scream]

OOC: Ugh, I hate close relationships jk
You want to end the thread? It's ok if we do.

[Ember]

OOC: oh no, I meant the gathering lol. not ours haha I feel dumb now

[the.Scream]

"I'm sorry for your lost. To make it better, I never knew my mother, not even her name," Smokepaw muttered, a bit shy. With a purr to lighten up the mood, she added, "Maybe some hunting for the lion will help."

The she-cat beckoned for them to take a walk, following a path away from the tiny clearing they stood. Sniffing, the apprentice could tell it was to be a good hunt; fireflys were buzzing, not too much, but just enough to catch the attention of healthy mice, whom may be hoping for something to shed some light on their fur.

OOC: Er, I'm not the brightest kid on the block... :/ Sorry

[Ember]

OOC: Oh, no! It's okay. Btw sorry for the long time no post. I've been so busy

Quailpaw

Quailpaw took a step after her friend. "It's okay. I never knew my father or his name. My mother never talked about him much. She said she would tell me once I was older, but she died before she could. All I know is that he was a kittypet. I don't know if he's dead or alive." Quailpaw looked sympathetically into Smokepaw's eyes.

She was now beginning to realize why the two became such best friends. They were both rogues, they both were raised by one parent and never knew the other. The parent that raised them was brutally murdered. The were both lost in the Clans and just trying to find their way. No wonder they became so close so quickly. Trying to brighten the mood Quailpaw spoke. "You know, they say that a firefly is supposed to taste bitter. The light is to warn predators not to eat them!" Quailpaw looked at her friend mischievously. "Let's test that."

She began to sneak up on a firefly when she caught her friend's eye. "Don't worry I won't kill it. I'll just taste it then spit it back out." Lowering herself to the ground she focused on one of the glowing bugs. Clearing her mind she watched it carefully. After swiftly launching herself into the air, she clasped her paws around one and brought it to the ground. She made sure she hadn't hurt it, then scooped it up into her mouth. YUK! She spit it out and it buzzed away. Great StarClan! That was the worst thing she had ever tasted!!! "NASTY! Gross! Ew! Yuk!" She sputtered and shook her head scrunching up her nose. "Don't EVER try that!" She said turning to her friend.