Perfect Brilliance [open]

[Blackie]

Whoa, cat. You've lost it, really lost it. Where's the charm gone? Idiot... lost the mouse. Lost it, lost it. Everything. Mouse, your perfect brilliance, charm, everything.

Goldburn glared at the ground his claws were no buried into. Seconds before, a mouse had been there. Not now. He'd lost it. Wasn't paying attention. Goldburn sighed and pulled himself back up. He'd been out of sorts ever since his encounter with the former RiverClan sisters, Shatteredmirror and Shatterglass. They, along with Thymeheart, had completley thrown off his character. They undermined me, he thaught defensively. How could Thymeheart ever team against him? She needed him! The bracken colored warrior's tail lashed widely.

Snarling silently at himself, Goldburn padded to a boulder jutting out of the ground. His pads touched the smooth surface. Kicking up, the tom leapt onto to gray stone and turned a circle. Then he flopped down and placed his chin on his paws. Moodily, he glared in the direction of the river...and ThunderClan. Mouse-dung. Huffing, he rolled over. Now his amber eyes roamed the growth that lead to the RiverClan camp. He needed something to occupy him. An apprentice or chores.

One of his ears swiveled back, picking up the sound of movement. Too heavy for prey. It's a cat. Goldburn yawned. Cat or not, he didn't care. Unless it was a trespasser, but that was unlikely. No doubt one of his Clanmates.

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

What was the point of going on anymore? Silentkit gazed down at the river, glaring at her reflection. Her cold ice blue eyes stared right back up at her, not reflecting the anger she had hoped for. She sighed, unsheathing her claws and digging them in the dirt. RiverClan... She was starting to despise the Clan. The only reason Silentkit stayed was Earthpaw. He was her only friend in the Clan, they'd known each other since kithood. Yet Earthpaw was made an apprentice, while Silentkit was stuck in the Nursery now. How many moons old was she now? Eleven? Twelve? Silentkit snarled at her reflection, slamming her paw down and causing ripples to pass through the river. If Silentkit could yowl, she'd have yowled for all of StarClan to hear. Life wasn't fair! This Clan wasn't fair! What was wrong with her? Why was she so useless to RiverClan?
Her reflection had formed in the river again. Silentkit stared at herself, not liking what she saw. She was a petite cat with rather dainty features. She was tall, long-legged and skinny. Silky white fur was the first layer of fur visible, followed by the silver stripes running down her sides. Her silver ears, paws and tail tip stared back at her, almost like a tint to her white fur.
I don't even look like a RiverClan cat, she thought to herself, miserable. I'm not sleek like all them. I'm not built for this water.
Thoughts of running away returned to her. Could she do it? No. Silentkit didn't want to leave Earthpaw. Besides, even if she did run away, where could she go?
The scent of another cat wafted into her nostrils. RiverClan. Curiousity drove Silentkit further down the riverbank, until she saw the golden brown pelt of Goldburn. Feeling bold, Silentkit stepped out of the bushes and faced the tom that wasn't too much older then her. She didn't know what to do, since of course, she couldn't say anything.

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[Blackie]

They're right behind you now. Even though he hadn't relly heard the cat move, he could sense their presence. It's gotta be Silentkit, no one else is that quiet.
Goldburn didn't bother to turn around. A little prickling of guilt clawed at his belly. Should he really try to antagonize this poor cat? Why not? Every cat expects it of you.

Sighing, Goldburn turned his head to look at the pale, under-ranked cat. His amber eyes searched her a moment, looking for a question or request...or rebuke against his character. I swear, the she-cats are out to get me Actually, Goldburn wasn't any good at reading body signs. That was Thymeheart's job. His sister wasn't there, though, and Goldburn wasn't so cruel that he'd pretend he couldn't understand Silentkit.

"Hi," he mewed finally, sitting up a little. He gave his foreleg a small lick. What do you say to a cat that's mute? He should have already figured out hhis line, Silentkit was his Clanmate afterall. The brilliance was gone though. Snatched by two runaway RiverClan cats that he couldn't take his mind off of. Swallowing a hard lump, Goldburn muttered, "You been hunting?"

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[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

"Hi."

Silentkit nodded toward the golden tom in greeting. She had noticed, easilly, that he had almost managed to ignore her. Why hadn't he? Everyone else did. No one cared. No one heard her voice. Why would this tom be any different? Silentkit watched the tom with rather curious eyes. Goldburn had always been the cat who knew what to say. He seemed... different all of a sudden. Almost like he was at a loss for words.
"You been hunting?"
Silentkit stared at the tom as if he'd grown two heads. What did he honestly expect? She was a warrior-aged kitten with no training. Basically she was as good as a kittypet. Silentkit slowly shook her head, staring at the tom strangely. Great StarClan, he really was off today!

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[Blackie]

Goldburn watched Silentkit nod and shake her head. This won't do me any good. I need someone to argue with.

"I really wish you could talk." Goldburn blurted suddenly. "I want someone to yell at me right now, but since you can't talk I'm going to rant. You mind if I rant?" he didn't wait for a reply, just rushed into what he wanted to say. "Thymeheart and I saw Shatteredmirror and Shatterglass a little while ago. Do you remember them? We were apprenticed around the same time they were. Well, you weren't, but you know what I mean. What's Dragonstar thinking, keeping a cat like you behind in your training? It's mouse-brained! So what if you can't talk, it's better that way! Your quieter on your paws, and your quiet in general! I like quiet she-cats, the ones that can talk are horrible little fuzzballs! And I-...erm, wow... I didn't mean to...I wasn't trying to insult you, I just...feel so stupid just now." and he did.

Eyes wide with surprise in himself, Goldburn quickly got down from his boulder and began to pad off. He really had lost it, hadn't he? What next? Would he start making confessions to hedgehogs and poor out his heart to squirrels? Such a fool...

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[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

"I really wish you could talk."

Silentkit glared at the tom. It wasn't exactly her own fault that she couldn't talk. Something about the way he said it made Silentkit get defensive, and she glared at the golden brown tom through ice blue eyes. Why exactly had she come over here again? She should've known that all this would happen.
"I want someone to yell at me right now, but since you can't talk I'm going to rant. You mind if I rant?"
Silentkit groaned inside her mind. Oh StarClan no! Cats ranted to her all the time, mainly because she couldn't tell anyone of their rants. This was not exactly what she had hoped for when coming out for a walk! Silentkit didn't have another choice though, forcing herself not to make her more hated and listen to the rant.
"Thymeheart and I saw Shatteredmirror and Shatterglass a little while ago. Do you remember them? We were apprenticed around the same time they were. Silentkit thought for a moment, faintly remembering the two she-cats. Slowly she nodded, making sure that Goldburn knew she was listening.
Well, you weren't, but you know what I mean. What's Dragonstar thinking, keeping a cat like you behind in your training? It's mouse-brained! So what if you can't talk, it's better that way!"
Silentkit couldn't help but puff up her chest with a tiny bit of pride from that statement. That was what she told herself all along. So, one more cat was on her side. That was a good sign. She smiled, but the rant still wasn't over.
Your quieter on your paws, and your quiet in general! I like quiet she-cats, the ones that can talk are horrible little fuzzballs! And I-...erm, wow... I didn't mean to...I wasn't trying to insult you, I just...feel so stupid just now."
Silentkit nodded. She knew she was quiet, so he wasn't exactly insulting her. Then again, she couldn't help it. It had gone from a rant about Goldburn's problems to a rant about Silentkit. She watched, curious as the golden brown tom walked away. Silentkit found herself wanting to know more about his run in with Shatterglass and Shatteredmirror, for wasn't that what the rant was supposed to be about. Taking rather light steps, Silentkit walked after Goldburn.

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[Blackie]

Fool. Fool. Fool. Fool.

Why had he done it? Why had he even bothered talking to Silentkit? He never talked like that, never. And since when did he rant? He wouldn't even tell Thymeheart about his omplaints. They were his, and no one needed to know about them. So why had he bothered telling Silentkit? He looked over his shoulder to glance at her, but ended up stiffening to the spot. She was following him.

Oh, please, no. Your the last cat I want to be talking to!

Red hot embarresment rose under Goldburn's bracken fur, He felt a little ashamed, wanting to deny Silentkit the right of keeping company with him. But what was more important: Silentkit's feelings or Goldburn's already wounded reputation. Self preservation, he thaught bitterly. That's all it was, just trying to keep his name in a good place.

Sighing, because he couldn't bring himslef to do the simple, cruel thing, Goldburn turned. "Did you need something?" he murmered, trying to look extremely put out as if the whole thing were Silentkit's fault. It didn't work. Goldburn ducked his head so he wouldn't have to look at her and shuffled his paws.

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[~All I Need]

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Honeystripe

Golden eyes like two citrine gems in the light, blinking every once in a while as the sunlight blinded them. Beautiful white paws glided swiftly over the rocks and splashed in the shallows of the river. A beautiful striped pelt of honey gold and brown flashed almost invisibly in the cover of boulders and mud.
Honeystripe paused in her run and scented the air. No sign of the Seven Sins, she thought cheerfully. Wait, Silentkit and Goldburn.
Gathering strength her her back legs, Honeystripe pushed off and landed where they had headed off. She took a whiff where Goldburn had sat and padded up to the two cats.
"Morning, Silentkit. How you doing, Goldburn?"[/shadow]

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[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Silentkit could tell that Goldburn was embarressed, and she actually found it quite amusing. She always got amused when others didn't know what to say to her, or how to talk to her. It was funny, sometimes, how easilly her muteness could get cats frazzled. Silentkit shook her head as Goldburn asked if she needed anything, gazing at the tom with a small bit of kit innocence that she'd managed to hold on to. Really, all Silentkit wanted was company. She felt lonely in the Nursery all day, and it felt great to stretch her legs and walk around.
Honeystripe's voice made their way into Silentkit's voice. The silver and white she-cat turned to the warrior, offering a smile and dipping her head. It felt nice, being outside with two warriors. Silentkit liked to pretend that she too was a warrior, out on patrol with them.

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[Icefire]

OOC - hope you don't mind me jumping in... I was bored, & I hadn't posted with Stonepaw yet.

BIC -
A loud splash soaked the rocks near the edge of the river, and a young leopard-spotted tom disappeared into the water. He bobbed up several seconds later, the fish in his jaws glittering different colors in the sunlight as it struggled against his hold. Stonepaw swam to shore with strong, even strokes, then climbed out of the river, dripping fur plastered to his broad shoulders. He shook his pelt, splattering water everywhere, then set his fish down, holding it down with his claws before snapping its spine. The young apprentice glanced up at the three cats already there, waving his tail. He dipped his head, mewing a greeting, then twisted around to dry his leopard-spotted pelt.

[~All I Need]

[shadow=brown,left,200]Honeystripe /

Honeystripe flashed her angelic smile at Silentkit. She had always had a connection to the disabled. Though she didn't think of Silentkit as disabled or useless, she had the urge to protect the she-cat from the diatribes of her peers. Honeystripe could just tell, though the Silentkit didn't want her pity. Just a friend. The poor thing... I need to talk to Dragonstar soon about making her a warrior. She deserves something better than this cursed life... She looked down. Everyone deserves anything better than what the both of us have endured... Her beautiful eyes flickered back up to Silentkit. "You doing well, Silentkit?"
The sound of a splash made Honeystripe look at the leopard spotted apprentice paddle out of the river. She studied the fish in his jaws and nodded a nod of praise to the young tom. "Nice catch." Honeystripe always had a strong feeling at seeing apprentices grow and become warriors. Though she didn't care to mentor one or be a warrior herself, she preferred the herbal life of a medicine cat.[/shadow]

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[Blackie]

Goldburn's eyes narrowed as Silentkit shook her head to his questions. She was enjoying his discomfort, he could tell. Opening his mouth to say something rude (the brilliance was suddenly rushing back), the bracken colored tom was about to spit out at her.

"Morning, Silentkit. How you doing, Goldburn?"

Goldburn's jaws snapped painfully shut. He closed his eyes as if to block out the throbbing and gave his head an irritated shake. Honeystripe. Why so many she-cats? What did I ever do to deserve this? Squinting, Goldburn nodded in the tabby's direction.

"How am I doing? Could be better, could be worse. Off course, it'd be nice if it were better than worse because the worse seems to be haunting me and better took a walk."

What did she care how he was, anyway? He could be dying, and no one could care. Of course, Goldburn knew that wasn't true, and knowing the truth made him mad again. Stonepaw's noisey entrance caught the bracken colored tom's attention. A tom! Huzzah, life just got better!

As if the apprentice were a long lost friend, Goldburn rushed to Stonepaw. Completely cheerful, Goldburn cuffed the younger cat around the ear.

"Great catch! And great timing! Never trust a she-cat, Stonepaw, never. Every where I go, some she-cat is trying to bring me low. My sister, enemy cats," he paused to swallow a guilty lump. "My own Clanmates, even Silentkit!"

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[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Silentkit watched as Stonepaw appeared, the fish clutched in his jaws. Her eyes narrowed at him slightly. Here was a cat moons younger then her, already an apprentice and someday a warrior. Silentkit felt a twinge of envy as she glanced at the tom, but quickly shoved it away. There was no sense in getting angry. Not being able to talk, Silentkit had learned very easilly how to control her emotions. She removed her stare from Stonepaw and turned her attention back to Goldburn.
Amusement danced in Silentkit's eyes as the golden tom raced over to Stonepaw like he was his long-lost brother. Toms. There was something so strange about them. She looked at Honeystripe, grinning and rolling her eyes at Goldburn's description of she-cats.

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[Icefire]

The young apprentice blinked, startled. “Oh, um, sure, okay,” he stammered. He might have answered more eagerly—he respected Goldburn—but he was a bit confused. Was the warrior telling him not to trust Ripplepaw and Icefire? But Seaheart had, hadn't he?

Yes, and Seaheart is dead. The thought entered Stonepaw's head uninvited, and he immediately regretted it. How could he think that his family had anything to do with his father's death? Icefire missed him like nothing else on earth.

Then again, he knew nothing about females. They were so.... odd. He stared at Goldburn for a moment, lost in thought. He'd never really had a father. His family had been all females since Seaheart died. Maybe he could learn something from the older tom.

Stonepaw caught Silentkit staring at him, and ducked his head, scuffing at the ground with his paws. He never knew how to act around the pretty she-cat; she was moons older than him, but had never been made an apprentice. When he glanced up again, he was relieved to see that she was looking at Honeystripe, sharing some inside joke. Females! he thought, irritated.

[~All I Need]

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Honeystripe /

Honeystripe murrowed! in amusement as Goldburn bounded over to Stonepaw and started ranting at him like he was a gift from the gods. It was amusing how toms acted! Honeystripe never knew much about toms because of her physical and mental isolation. Though she didn't understand them and found them rude sometimes, she found the ways of their mind very intriguing. She looked over to Silentkit to notice the she-cat roll her eyes and smile in amusement. Honeystripe did the same and giggled as if she were an apprentice again. It felt good to be around Silentkit, she brought some kind of youth to her that she never felt. Honeystripe's golden eyes looked at the talking toms and walked over to the younger cat.
She nodded at Silentkit and looked back at Goldburn and Stonepaw. "Listen, Silentkit and I are going to leave you two sore hearts to chat. We females are going to be ourselves and leave you to be." She laughed and her eyes drifted to the under ranked she-cat. "You want to go and take a walk?" she asked politely.

[/shadow]