.By.The.River.{Nightcloud

[Burningwing]

Cougarwhisper
RC Warrior


It was funny how things changed, like bud to leaf, summer to winter, or apprentice to warrior. It was funny how he was one of the ones who had been granted their warrior names, where apprentices just as old as he had been glared at him from under their shadowed faces. It was funny how he could remember himself, not that long ago, with a shy, reserved glint in his pale green eyes, and fur still soft from kittenhood, now lean and tall, hard muscles knotting under his short mottled orange-brown, know one of the largest cats in Riverclan. If you had a chance, a chance to look back upon the tom warriors history, you would be surprised to find a young cat that cowered in the shadows not daring to make a single, audible word, trembling against the cool riverbed.

Cougarwhisper padded along the river, jaws held agape revealing several long pointed fangs. A dull pink tongue barely ridged over the crest of his front teeth, moist as a piece of moss soaked from morning dew. Morning sunlight filtered through the tree canopies, casting dappled light upon the forest floor, as though the sun had made a net of its bright rays and threw it over board like a fisherman, waiting for prey to become entangled in the strands. Small granite pebbles made up the the riverside, each baking with heat, singing the pads of cats who walked over them. Small shadows darted beneath them when they sensed Cougarwhispers presence, hiding before he could make out them out.

Up ahead, an old wooden bridge arched over the river, housing several rather large dock spider, who's multiple eyes and legs and dark exoskeleton making them a picture of hostility. Cougarwhisper however, ignored them, instead sinking his hooked claws into the soft wood and perching on the edge of the bridge, gazing down into the rippling waves on the river, sunlight mottling the bottom of the riverbed, and the silvery streamlined fish that rested there, with gills expanding as they sifted water through, thrashing their fins as they dipped and dived through the water, the warmth of the day awakening something within them. Although a tinge of hunger pained Cougar's stomach, he dared not interrupt the fantastical water display.

Just beyond the river, he could see a Thunderclan patrol strolling through the bracken, dark pelt blending with the undergrowth. One stopped for a moment to observe the Riverclanner, then dived back into the bushes with the others. Cougarwhisper flailed his long striped tail along the wooden planks, snorting loudly through his nostrils. Thunderclanners always through the best of themselves since they let so many non-clan cats join their clan. Cougarwhisper had nothing against non-clanners, but he longed to scratch the smirks off the more arrogant cats faces when from across the border they would watch him emerge from the murk with nothing grasped between his jaws. With a sigh, he slumped his head against his forepaws and watched the river swirl and gurgle.

[Badgersoul]

Nightcloud's beautiful green eyes shone softly in the warm Greenleaf light. She was sun bathing right outside the nursery; watching the kits scuffle and play. Nightcloud wasn't the most motherly of all cats; she didn't even want to have kits at the moment. Yet just watching them brought back memories that she had kept locked away for all these moons. Nightcloud was never a very social kit; she used to get teased all the time in the nursery. That was one of the many reasons why Nightcloud acts the way she acts today. It was a way to hide her feelings from the others kits; but now it is just a bad habit. Nightcloud closed her beautiful; perfect, almond shaped eyes. Letting the sun burn into her tabby pelt. The warm sun touched her lightly; making the tough she-cat purr. Though she knew she should be working; everyone was to afraid of her to go up and tell her to get a move on. Nightcloud saw no reason to work; it was just another hot, lazy day. Even the apprentices were napping before there next battle session.

Nightcloud was about to drift off to sleep when a shadow got in her sun. She opened her eyes to see a cloud and moved over the beautiful golden spear that Nightcloud lived off of. Nightcloud growled in annoyance; the loud thundering sound made a few kits look up from their play. "might as well hunt; I have nothing better to do" she decided as she got up. Nightcloud shook her pelt to free the dirt that had settled over her like dew and stretched her limbs to wake up her muscles. Leting out a loud yawn, Nightcloud made her way to the exit of the camp. Guarding the entrance were two warriors; one was a light ginger shade and the other a dark brown color. THe two toms were younger than Nightcloud; they had only be warriors for a week now. Nightcloud decided to mess with them before she went. "Well, well, well; if it isn't my two favorite apprentices; Ginger and Muddy. How are you to doing?" Nightcloud's voice was beautiful; yet spooky at the same time. Nightcloud loved to tease cats; it was just something she did. The two toms eyes grew wide as they looked at the huge she-cat.

"Umm;; I-I", Nightcloud put her tail tip to the brown tom's mouth. "Hush honey before you hurt yourself" she purred. Her purred deeper then her growl. After a few more minutes of "hanging" with Mudpelt and Gingertail Nightcloud began her quest for food. Nightcloud was horrible at hunting; with no tail for balance and her huge paws. She never caught anything. Nightcloud sat by a bridge and let out a sigh. Suddenly a sent caught her by surprise. A grin spread across her face "Well if it isn't Mister Cougar" she purred. Glancing over at the tom. "Haven't seen you in a while!'

[sorry the last parts were rushed; I had to right it realy fast for my family is taking us all out to eat]

[Burningwing]

Cougarwhisper
RC warrior





Water, shifting, churning, gurgling, it never stopped, never ceased. Unlike heart, it would keep on beating, keep on pumping, a ocean that supplied its rivers with liquid that would keep the plants growing, keep the life living. Exactly like a heart in all ways but one. It would never stop beating. The earths blood would keep flowing, keep running through the riverbeds, even after the living organisms that lived off it had faded away and decayed back into the earth.

Cougarwhisper sighed, the thought was somehow disturbing to him, it sent his mind on edge, the thought, it seemed like something a philosopher would say, not a young vibrant tom like himself. Perhaps he was turning himself into a wise old elder much faster then he thought, like grass blade in a drought, shriveling until there was nothing less the dust. But the thought had barely left his mind before he heard; "Well if it isn't Mister Cougar" It barely took an instant to recognize Nightcloud's voice. He whipped his head around to glare into the she-cats almond shaped eyes. He could feeling a sharp lance of annoyance shiver down his spine, spiking his fur on end. He wasn't much of a cat for jokes lately, the last time he had actually really talked to a cat was when he met Splashheart by the river. Suddenly, his throat was dry, and no words could be strangled from it. Although it was unknown to Splashheart, he had always had a crush on her, and her silvery tabby coat like a rippling stream.

But yet, as he drew his eyes along Nightcloud's tabby pelt, intaking the stare of her eyes, he could feel a quiver in his chest as his heart pulsated, swelling into his mouth although he tried to swallow it down. " Hello Nightcloud." He greeted formally. " Its been a while since I saw you last." His face twisted in a sour expression, he was sure that the she-cat wouldn't appreciate his curt manner, but the large tom knew no other way to speak. She was quite a big she-cat, he noted, with a bob of a tail and huge paws, she reminded him of a lynx. With a jolt, he realized that he himself resembled a miniature cougar, with a thick, long tail, tan tabby fur and muscular legs. they both resembled wildcats.

Letting a thought drain from his mind, he made an effort to start a conversation. " What has brought you down to the river today Nightcloud? I seldom see you around here, I suppose you aren't that fond of hunting..?" Cougarwhisper's long yellow tarnished claws sunk into the wood, his tail making light fwapping sounds as he unconsciously batted it against the ground.

[/size]