All Good Things Come to an End (Private)

[Flamefur]

Flamefur sat gingerly on the edge of RiverClan territory, his fur bristling with unease and ears pricked forward, nose constantly inhaling for scents. After arranging to meet Stormstar here, the red tabby Warrior had been up and about, constantly looking for things to do, as if to prove he had some Clan loyalty left. No, wrong words, Flamefur would forever be a loyal Deputy of the sleek-furred cats he had been born among, but things were, for want of a better phrase, becoming to familiar. He had endured much, both good and bad. Falling for Lemontail, the birth of Frykit, Fogkit and Dapplekit, the death of Fogkit, Frypaw and Dapplepaw's Apprenticeship, becoming Deputy, being sent on an important mission with Lilyface, loving Lilyface, learning Lemontail was alive, knowing Lilyface was close to birth, BloodClan loose in the forest...and now, well, nothing. It was as if his world was empty and cold. Of course, he still had Clan loyalty and would die for many a cat, Lilyface, Stormstar, Frynose, Dappleface, Lemontail, his unborn Kits, but his world was empty. Love still bloomed for Lilyface, he enjoyed spending time with Lemontail, the stabs of pain as Frynose rejected him, but they were dulled. A wind seemed to pull at his whiskers, and his dreams were of far places that he did not know existed, not signs from StarClan, but mere imagination and wonder. He wished to travel, and felt that no cat could accompany him. If Lilyface agreed to come, he would be held back and forced to wait until the Kits were Apprentices. Frynose hated him and Dappleface was still to distant. Lemontail would have been nice, but after her incident with the Thunderpath she had been left with three legs and that would ahve slowed him up.

Now all he wished was to travel, to fight for himself for once in his life, maybe even find the missing WindClan Warriors, Hollowheart and Rowanpelt, but for now, he just wanted to leave. And the most painful bit was to be with Stormstar.

[Stormstar]

[glow=blue,4,000]It was nearing the end of the day. The sun had not yet set, but there was a sense of finality that the blue-gray Leader often felt when a day's work is almost done and the warm bedding of his Den beckoned. Stormstar was not lazy, and he would challenge any cat who dared say he was, but it was a relief for a middle-aged cat such as himslef to have a warm nest to return to. There, his dreams would be shared with figures from his past, warming his heart and reminding him that they were all watching over the RiverClan Leader and his children.

It had been a hard day, with more patrols than usual and many cats off training their new Apprentices, but there had been one cat who ahd flung himself into all his tasks. Flamefur had caught Stormstar's eye today, fetching some supplies for Lilyfeather, taking the sun-high patrol, hunting for the Clan and taking just enough to keep him going before off to spend time with his close friends and family. And now he had asked Stormstar to meet him here, at the WindClan Border. It was a strange request, but the older cat's trust of his Deputy was unshakeable and he had kept his word. Stepping delicately forward on strong legs and paws, the blue-gray tom called a flicked his tail in greeting to the ginger tom. "Greetings, Flamefur," Stormstar meowed, "T'is a fine day, proof that newleaf is here, and a fine day for you. I have noticed you throw yourself into your duties and they have done the Clan good. Now what was it you wished to talk to me about?"[/glow]

[Flamefur]

Flamefur felt a stab of guilt as his Leader noted his work of the day. "Thank you, Stormstar," The ginger tom meowed, green eyes sparkling. "But, look Stormstar, this is hard to explain, and I love it here at RiverClan, but... I have the urge to travel. I can't stay here and I don't really know if you'll understand. I'm not a coward, its just that Clan life isn't for me."

[Stormstar]

[glow=blue,4,000]"I understand, Flamefur," Stormstar meowed, his voice neutral. "StarClan have laid out your path, and you must follow it. I shall miss you, my friend." With this said, Stormstar stepped forward and rasped his tongue over Flamefur's orange ear, remembering when he first made him Deputy.[/glow]