(anyone) ~Just one {more} step~

[Ferny]

In the far distance the sun began to set over the land of the four clans. Soft clouds drifted across the pink and orange sky as a thin breeze drifted through the forest. Passing through the undergrowth was a lithe, young, she-cat. Her eyes were narrowed, tail lashing, claws unsheathed, and pelt bristling. Why! Why do my parents ignore me and love my brothers? My mentor hates me, I get no training! She let out a low breathy hiss. She flicked her ears back as she pushed under a bramble bush and out the other side.

I hate my life she thought sadly. Near by the noise of the Thunderpath grew louder. I bet Starclan doesn't even exist! Pacing towards the Thunderpath she stopped about two tail lengths away, her eyes burning into the asphalt. Snorting she bared her teeth, Too easy. It would be too easy to just walk out there, but then again... She looked up and stared down the path, ...It all depends on timing and stuff. She needed guidence by a strong cat willing to help her, but she didn't want to listen to anyone. Taking a deep breath she flexed her claws and watched the dark colored Thunderpath.

[/size][/color]

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

The sun was beginning to set, causing trees to cast long shadows across the ground. The Thunderpath seemed to get darker in color as all light faded. Salmon's golden amber eyes glinted from the shadows on ThunderClan territory. The caramel-colored tom gazed around him with wide eyes. So this was ThunderClan territory? It was nice; but in his opinion it was nowhere near as good as what he thought of RiverClan. Salmon sighed at the thought of the water-loving Clan. The six-moon-old tom longed to someday be able to swim in the river without the fear of being chased off. He'd always dreamed of someday being a RiverClan cat.
The horrible scent of the Thunderpath was overpowering, causing the young tom to flinch. He'd heard stories about this place; it was the border between ThunderClan and ShadowClan. Salmon had heard about the monsters; large metal creatures that could kill a cat on contact. He'd been taught to never stray too close to the Thunderpath. But his naturally curious nature got the better of him as he stalked about, fur bristling every now and then as a monster went by.
As the moments ticked by, another cat came into Salmon's eyesight. Just the hardened look in the cat's eyes told Salmon that she was about to do something that she'd regret. He knew he'd have to at least talk to her; the young she-cat seemed extremely upset about something. Salmon's pace quickened, and he didn't stop until he reached the ThunderClan she-cat. Just to be safe, he stopped between her and the Thunderpath, gazing at her with warm amber eyes.
"Are you alright?" the young loner mewed quietly.

[Ferny]

I have no friends, there is nothing for me here. The depressed she-cat gazed at the thunderpath, not knowing of the loners aproach. Her tail lashed, and her claws dug deep into the ground. Drizzlepaw was from Night's litter, along with Flamepaw, her other brother and her father, Flamingwing. She was differently colored, not orange like her father, not black like her mother but a deep gray color with a lighter gray around her beautiful silvery blue eyes. Even with her beauty Drizzlepaw always felt as if no one liked her, no one cared, and no one, not even her mother, would take the time to teach her anything. Her ears suddenly perked and pulled her out of her sad memories, her eyes locked onto the newly arrived loner cat. She bared her teeth, "Who are you!" She could have said more, but her memories and emotions got the best of her.

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[Meerful]

.x. where will i be when there's pain as far as eyes can see? .x.

M- M- M- Meer,

Sand like colours held a deep contrast to the dark jungle green leaves htat scattered the forest floor. Three paws hit the ground in a simple motion, smooth and fluid, with a slight jag, a limp, and gritted teeth. Meer was rather large, her body showing evident signs of pregnancy, and this time it was all too clear who the father was. Skull. Skull the feared dangerous loner with icy blue eyes and a tail that cackled in the wind. His heart cold and blue and lifeless, but it beat strongly, and its song played in her ears. He was her mate, her love, her passion, her desire. Everything she had ever wanted, and she had found it in him. He was her everything. Her eyes were open, one prefectly clear pools of mysterious darkness, the other a bloody mess. Her small triangular black nose was twisted, but after moons, had finally healed. The small nub where her foreleg should have been bulged with muscle, as well as the rest of her body. Muscles, and kits. Emotion rarely flashed across her eyes, but determination could clearly be seen in the depths of her cold eye.

In a single bound she cleared over a fallen log that was draped in emerald moss. She looked around, and felt movement tingle in her paws. Something big. Something not prey-like. Her curiosity sparked, she moved forward at a faster pace and ignored the burs and thorn embedding themselves in her fur. Her heart pounded in her ears like a drum and caused the blood to race through her veins, and she felt instantly warm, even though the sun shone dowon on her, it hardly affected her. Only the race of her adrenaline, or the warmth of Skull's love gave her chills, and made her warm at the same time. She leaped forward once more, and found herself at the black sheen of the Thunderpath. She made a few daring hops, as the wind of vehicles pushing past her hit at her fur and knocked off her balance, she somehow found her way to the other side, face to face with two other cats.
"I'm Meer." She snarled in response to the cats question.

Listening to; 
loveless wrists
By; 
bayside

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Salmon hadn't expected a friendly reply from the pretty gray she-cat, so he didn't recoil as she hissed coldly at him while baring her fangs. Salmon's long caramel-colored fur fluffed up a bit, making him look a bit larger then he already was. His amber eyes didn't lose their friendly depth; he didn't want to anger the she-cat and possibly make things worse. Salmon offered a smile, mewing a quick "I'm Salmon," to her.
Another cat's presence was felt by Salmon before he saw her. He recognized the cat instantly from stories he was told. It was Meer. Salmon had never met her, for he was more of a solitary loner then a BloodLust cat. Unsure what to do, Salmon dipped his head and mewed, "H-Hello Meer, I'm Salmon."[/color]

[Ferny]

Drizzlepaw flattened her ears at the arrival of Meer. Her confidence went down the drain, whatever she had left that was. Her tail was fluffed out, and she flattened herself to the ground. In her nine moons she had never met a loner, or a cat anything like Meer. She swallowed nervously before responding. "I'm Drizzlepaw." Being ingored for almost her entire life didn't help when she was suddenly confronted by two cats, and one whom seh thought was blood thirsty. Looking to Meers three legs she shuddered What happened? "What are you guys doing here?" A monster passed, her eyes followed it, frightened.

[/size][/color]

((That was bad guys, sorry x.x))

[Meerful]

.x. i hope you weren't waiting long .x.

M- M- M- Meer,

Random words scribbled chiseled themselves in Meer's mind and demanded to be spoken. She swallowed hard and eyed that cats in front of her. She looked Salmon up and down, a questioning look in her eyes. "Salmon... I'm sure I should know you. If you're going to hide then make sure I don't find you." She growled, clearly stating her aggravation in not knowing who the cat was. Her claws unsheathed dangerously, and her eyelids hooded her eyes, cause them to appear even darker than usual. Her heart rate had decreased to a smooth even pulse, the blood in her veins like poison. The poison in her veins that got her through the day. She stared at Salmon once more and made a soft humming noise under her breath, short and curt, as if it were her acceptance of him. "And make sure that you take care of yourself out here." Despite her coldness, there was love in her heart, and her motherly instincts were kicking in to protect all cas. She turned her attention to the other cat. Her claws clicked on the ground, her fur being buffeted against by the raging wind produced by the monsters. She paid no attention to them.

Noticing the other cat shudder at her missing leg made her fur bristles. She defeated the undeniable urge to rip the cats throat out, simply because she knew she could. She bit her tongue and pausedto feel the cats heart beating in her paws, feeling the monsters rumble past, the scurrying of prey. Her heart sped up once more. "So, Drizzlepaw. I think the question is what are you doing here? I'm sure thunderclan must be terribly worried about you. Well, no, probably not. The clansn ever cared about anyone or anything. All they want is their filthy land to stroll about and destroy with their presence. I don't suppose they even know that you're gone. You're in a deilcate compromise here hm? Especially with two very dangerous things around. The thunderpath, and me." Meer hissed darkly. "Pay no attention to the nub, by the way, I do pretty well on my own." She flexd her thick bands of muscles proudly, and then flexed her claws. "I'm also thinking you'd better not take a step towards that thunderpath. Suicide is not the way to go out." Meer growled inwardly at herself and her insistent need to protect. Stupid pregnancy. Irony never ceased to stab her in the back.

[gah. i'm museless.]

Listening to; 
megan
By; 
bayside

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Salmon was never one to be fearful, but he could feel his paws beginning to shake. Where was Aero when you needed him? In fact, where were any of his siblings? Salmon allowed his mind to wander back to when he first saw Cinnamon in awhile. Other then that, his mother, Creek, and father, Mythecho, were long gone to him. Salmon hated the fact that the family had split up, which is why for so long he'd wanted to join a Clan, so he'd never feel alone. But from other points of view, apparently Clanlife wasn't always like that.
"I wasn't hiding Meer," Salmon mewed softly after Meer had spoken to both him and Drizzlepaw. "I've just been... wandering I guess." He nodded when Meer told him to be careful.
Finally Salmon's amber gaze moved over to Drizzlepaw again, wondering what she had to say about everything going on.[/color]

[Ferny]

Drizzlepaw pushed back the urge to stand up and defend herself. She was only an apprentice, with no training, so she didn't stand a chance. But her personality pushed through. Leting herself stand, and her pelt lay flat she shook her head. "Your right, they don't know I'm gone, they never know when I'm gone. They don't care if I ever come back". Her claws flexed in anger, but not towards the two cats. "I don't have anyone to love me, or like me." Letting her gaze lock on Meers she swallowed, but said nothing more.

[/size][/color]

((Bagh, my muse is in the volcano.))

[Meerful]

.x. friends stay side by side in life and death; you've always stole my heart .x.

M- M- M- Meer,

Meer simply nodded to Salmon. "Just don't go running around clan territory without someone to watch your bck." Meer warned, trying to sound angry even as she clearly showed her care for the cat whom she barely knew. Meer dipped her head, silencing a laugh, her tail twitching in amusement. Shelooked at Drizzlepaw and bit her tongue, curiousty blazing in her eye. "Then why are you still here? If you need somewhere to go then go." Meer scoffed. She rolled her eyes at the apprentice. She knew how the apprentice felt. Lost, hurt, alone. All she needed now was to lose her limbs and be left for dead. Meerlookedat the cat with mercy in her eyes. Stupid motherly instincts She grumbled to herself in her mind. "I've been there. I killed my mother. She never loved me, I could never make her proud." Meer mumbled softly. She blinked. "I never thought anyone would be there. Then I met Shard and Skull. You think we're all heartless, but you'd have to be a loner to understand how close we are." Meer spoke softly, her eye lighting up with the memory of her first encounter with Shard. "Its like, everybody is waiting to knock you down, and you justh ave to keep getting up. Getting up, falling down, and then getting up that one last time where you stand tall and find where you truly belong." Meer whispered half to herself.
[museless]

Listening to; 
goodf_ _ _ _ingbye
By; 
bayside

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Salmon returned the nod, losing some of the fear he felt before. His own amber gaze moved to Drizzlepaw at the same moment Meer's did, only returning to Meer as she began to speak again. He nodded slowly as Meer finished speaking, remembering the days when he and his family stuck close together. Now he felt so alone as he wandered through the different territories. That was what Salmon had become. A wanderer, wishing to join a Clan and feel like he thought all clancats felt, like the Clan would be a second family to him. He wasn't sure exactly what to say, for Salmon wasn't the best with words, and he hadn't nearly experienced as much as Meer had.

[ugh same here -stabs muse- ][/color]