Watching the stars (A rogue looking for a clan)

Daisystar let out a mrrow of laughter. "What makes you think Adderpaw is important enough to lead the clan?" she asked curiously. "He only just became an apprentice and he should know that he doesn't make the decisions around here," she mewed, shooting her son a warning glance.

Bushes rustled outside of camp as a brown head popped out. The cat sniffed the air cautiously as he studied the cats in the clearing. Daisystar seemed to have the authority, so she must be the leader. The loner slipped soundlessly from the bush and crept toward the camp.

Daisystar yowled as the invader rushed out of the bush and smashed into her.

The tom smacked into the leader by accident and tumbled on top of her. Shadowfang burst from the bushes and grasped his scruff. She wrenched him off the leader and pinned him to the ground. The tom struggled but he was weak from not eating and wasn't strong enough to push her off. "Where's the stolen prey!?" Shadowfang growled. The cat felt her paw pressing on his throat. Fuzzy blackness crowded around the edge of his vision. He gasped for breath and writhed furiously but Shadowfang had a strong grip and cut off air completely. He was desperate now. But even fighting as hard as he could couldn't dislodge the she-cat. The blackness was closing in as Shadowfang drew her paw away to let him breath.

Daisystar got to her paws and looked suspiciously at the loner and Bloodclanner. She watched in horror as Shadowfang choked the cat. "Stop!" she yowled. Shadowfang's gaze never left the loner as she drew her paw away and answered, "This cat stole bloodclan prey and he will not get away with it."

Adderpaw padded up and looked at the loner. "We should teach him a lesson," he mewed threateningly. "He might steal our prey too."

The tom struggled but Shadowfang pressed against his throat and his head dropped to the ground again. "I didn't eat it!" he gasped. "I-It's in the bushes!" Shadowfang smiled and her claws unsheathed. He felt them digging into his skin. "Good boy. But you must learn not to steal from Bloodclan."

Home? Where are you with wifi?}

Rain see through eyes squarely sit on her face and show no fear even though she is scared beyond belief due to not knowing the stature of the opposing cat.

The cat's eyes grew wide as he struggled to free himself.

Shadowfang smiled evilly and dug her claws in farther.

Daisystar shoved Shadowfang away. "Do what you must," she hissed. "But not in the center of my camp!"

Adderpaw looked at his mother. He sighed. Bloodshed was what this clan needed to see! They hadn't fought a battle in AGES!

Shadowfang nodded. She reached for her prisoner and grabbed his scruff. He yowled fearfully but she pulled him off his feet and dragged him out of the camp. She found the mouse and decided to come back for it.
(SHADOWFANG IS IN CAMP. COME TO HERRRRRR)

Adderpaw shook his head. "Not me," he muttered.


Daisystar followed Rain. She had a bad feeling about this, too.

(Shall we take them to the Bloodclan camp now? That roleplay?)

Mmhhhmmm

Paelen padded back into Windclan camp. In was getting late as the brown tom reached the center. He plopped down onto the ground and stretched out. Daisystar dropped a rabbit at his paws. He ate that rabbit and two more before feeling satisfied. He sighed contently and sat up. There was just one more thing he had to try...

A few minutes later Paelen was alone by the border of Windclan and Caveclan. He consentrated on his paw and watched as the bones stretched out and cracked. Paelen flinched as he shrank his paw again. It was painful to stretch them out, but it had saved his life more than once. He hadn't been able to do this because he was weak from hunger, but now, he could feel strength pouring back into him. The brown tom looked around nervously. Had anyone seen him use his power? He hoped not. They always thought differently of him once they saw him use his powers. He wondered if Rain would feel the same way. It was almost time to go back, just a few more tests.

Back at camp, Daisystar looked around. "Where's Paelen?" she asked Rain urgently. Adderpaw padded up. "He's probably gone to steal some rabbits and run!" he jeered. "He is a thief after all." Daisystar looked at Rain. She would deal with her son later. "We must find him," she mewed to Rain urgently. "He may get lost if he goes out alone."

Paelen had finished stretching out his entire body. He was supporting a giant tree branch on his back as he tested his strength. He put the branch down and started to shrink back, scowling at the pain. He was finishing his last leg when Daisystar burst through the trees. "Paelen!" she gasped. "I've been looking everywhere for you! Rain and I were so worried!" Paelen held his leg out, afraid that if he moved it or shrank it back, Daisystar would see the change in the dim light. He couldn't stand it anymore! The leg was heavy with the bones stretched out, and it was hard to hold it up. He shrank it and cringed in pain. Daisystar's eyes widened. "What did you just do?" she asked. Paelen's mouth went dry. "I-I mean-It-Em-Heh heh..." "Rain!" Daisystar hissed. "Did you see that... Oh! I'm sorry! I mean... you heard cracking bones, right? He just stretched his leg out!" she looked at Paelen. "Come on," she mewed. "Come back to camp." Paelen flinched away from her, thinking she was going to grab him by the scruff like Shadowfang had, but she trotted along, and he followed.

Rain swishes her tail around upset that she couldn't see likewise always. And she follows the steady sound of Daisystar's footsteps.

Paelen trotted beside Rain as Daisystar led the way. "How much did you here?" he muttered quietly to Rain. His heart felt like it was going to burst from his chest. Was he about to loose his only friends?

"Your heart is heavy, I heard much but don't worry, I see, hear, you for who you are inside, not what you're capable of." Rain quietly mutters to Paelen as she follows with her ears trying to not get distracted

Daisystar led them back to camp. She motioned for them both to come inside her den. As soon as Paelen entered she poked him on the shoulder. "What was that?" she asked angrily. "What did you do?"

"I... Um... Hmmm..." he tried to think of a believable lie. Paelen sighed and told the truth. "I have to ability to stretch out my bones, just like I'm stronger than other cats."

Rain's ears fold back startled "So that's the bone crackling I heard," all of a sudden she looks traumatized.

Paelen look at Rain quietly. He shrugged his shoulders at Daisystar. "I was born with it," he told them plainly. "If you want to know more you'd have to want me do it."

Daisystar looked from Rain to Paelen and back to Rain. "Should we watch?" she asked Rain quietly. The leader was curious about bone stretching.

Rain eases up but traumatization is still in her movements "N-no! Please don't do it again!" crack, crackle, crunch, chip the sounds of bones snapping is in her head and she spaces off distant with fear, and then she can't smell anything, she was too traumatized to even think properly with bad memories, she tried to clear her head but when ever she did the sound of Paelen's bones then plays in her head instead, she couldn't take it, she scuffed her paw at the floor suddenly and starts shaking, the last thing she wanted was for her friend to have an accident and break even one bone, like the others had, She wanted to make sure Paelen never stretched his bones around her again, it was even more scary when you couldn't see and all you heard were bones crackling, she was glad no one else had to go through what she did, all alone, she finally had a place again, but she was still scared, she'd be traumatized forever.

Paelen looked at Rain and then to Daisystar, who was shaking her head. He stood and walked from the den without looking back. Once outside, he raced out of camp. Sasha's voice played in his mind. "You're a monster!" Paelen shot across an open stretch of land and stopped next to a river. He was a monster. He watched as his tears made ripples on the surface of the river. Rustling in the bushes brought him back. A fox snarled at him and lunged forward, but Paelen dodged. He lunged forward and prepared to use strength to fight, but turned and dove into the river instead. He would never use his powers again!

Daisystar watched Paelen race out of camp. "Rain," she mewed. "We must stop him! My patrol scented a fox near our border." she began to follow Paelen's scent.

"Yes, I, don't want him hurt." Rain forced her nose to clear up and found his scent. "I've had experience with foxes, blind."

Daisystar led Rain to the river where the fox was still searching for Paelen. A brown head popped above the surface and the fox barked with excitement. It clambered to the shore and began to slowly make it's way into the water. Paelen dove back under and swam farther out. Daisystar ran towards the fox. She leapt onto it and growled.

Paelen looked helplessly at Daisystar and the fox. His legs were starting to freeze from the water and his breath was coming in shallow gasps. He swam closer, but didn't dare get out of the water. He would never use his powers again. He couldn't fight the fox.

Rain's steady paw steps cease as she stops to sniff around for Paelen's scent. She eventually finds it, the scent is wet and hard to make out but she still smelt it. She padded over near the river and cold water splashed on her paws, she could tell the fox was more intent on Daisystar than the one that opposed no threat. She steps right in front of Paelen "Paelen, I can't tell where you are except you're in water, climb out, Daisystar has to fox, get out of the water before you freeze to death." She makes a swift movement to the side sensing he was near where she was originally standing. "Or I'll drag you out."

Paelen said nothing. He dove under the water and held his breath.

Daisystar tumbled into the bushes and the fox followed.

Paelen looked at Daisystar. He saw Rain. He kicked out with his hind leg and splashed above the surface. Taking a deep breath, and dove back under and swam to the bottom.

Rain heard the light swish of water Rain could tell that Paelen was planning on drowning himself so she takes a risk and dives in even though she can't see. She hears Paelen's heartbeat within the water and tries to follow the sound

Paelen dove down until he was floating near the bottom. He saw Rain coming for him and held completely still. Above he could here Daisystar screeching and the fox howling. He could tell they wwere both wounded. The brown tom looked at Rain She could`t see, yet she was taking a risk to try and save him. Kicking out, Paelen reached Rain, grabbed her by the scruff and dragged her out of the water and onto the shore. He dropped her and looked to where Daisystar was loosing the battle with the fox. He smacked into the fox and used all his strength to push it into the water. It howled and pattled around, conofused, until it saw the othere shore and emerged there. Daisystar stood up and looked at Rain. ``I thought I was going to loose another life!`` she mewed.