r .aindrops keep fallin~ [Spartaaa! :D]

[P.irelli♫]

//EVERYBODY WITH YOUR FIST RAISED HIGH//
//LET ME HEAR YOUR BATTLE CRY TONIGHT//


A large tabby tom was padding across the moor, a steady rain falling onto him, and onto everything around him. Water dripped from his whiskers, and his pelt clung to either side of him. He was a mess. His yellow eyes blazed, and his tail tip twitched back and forth. Why did there have to be rain when he was hunting? Oh well, at least it would disguise his scent.

Suddenly, rabbit scent hit his nostrils, and he instinctivly stalked slowly towards it; his tail low, and ears flattened against his head. When he was a foxes length away, he sprung, following the rabbit as it bounded full speed away. Rockclaw was quicker. He reached out, claws extended, and grabbed the rabbit, then bit its neck. It was dead instantly. Triumph gleamed in his eyes as he clamped the rabbit in his jaws. "Hmph." he snorted through a mouthful of fur.

He looked up at the gloomy gray sky and mulled over the idea of finding shelter to rest in while the rain passed. Deciding this would be best, he walked on until he found a small rabbit warren. As he sat at the entrance, he gazed out onto the moor. His home. After laying the rabbit on the ground beside him, he sighed softly, his ear twitching as memories of he and his sister flooded into his mind.

Though his eyes were closed, he fought back the urge to wail. His sister had died on the Thunderpath after chasing a large hare. She was only an apprentice then, and Rockclaw was close to becoming a warrior. His brother, Airstep had been there too, but he decided to take on the life of a loner soon after the accident. Rockclaw was alone. He opened his bright yellow eyes, which were filled with sorrow, and curled his tail around his paws as he looked at the sky.

[Blackie]

The sun was beaming down outside the walls of stone and razor wire
as we made our way across the prison yard
I felt my heart begin to race as we drew nearer to the place
where they say that death is waiting in the dark
the slamming doors of iron echoed through the halls
where despair holds life within it's cruel claws

[/color][/i]

Rain. A natural melody of the seasons. The soothing music of droplets hitting grass and splashing on the earth helped to calm the raging storm in the young cat. The freshness of the air filled his lungs, renewing his saturated strength. He kept his eyes closed. He felt weak with the anger that had taken hold of him. Anger that had been unprovoked. The apprentice swallowed a torrent of bitter words that had suddenly risen in his throat. What was wrong with him? He felt so discontented with his life, yet what better life was there to live? He was a WindClan cat. His family might have been gone, but he was raised to the life of the moor. He might not have had the same look as his Clanmates, but he was one of them. He would always be one of them.

Flurrypaw padded over the moor land. His paws squelched into the mud with every step. Instead of disgusting him, the rain had a calming effect on the young apprentice. The sound and the smell of water seeped into him. His gray and white fur was slicked down and dark with moisture, obscuring the black patch above his right eye. He was more thick-set than other WindClan cats. Young muscles bulged from his legs and back, causing him to look heavy. But his paws were hard, trained to run across dry ground. Flurrypaw breathed deeply and opened his eyes. Their brilliant blue coloring pierced through the gloomy rain, giving the apprentice a sinister appeal.

Prey scent had triggered his hunting senses, placing Flurrypaw into an involuntary crouch. His tail lurched under restraint, his paws reached out ever so slowly. Ears and whiskers quivered. His eyes were round with anticipation. It was a rabbit. Soon, he would have to jump up and run, sneaking on the small creature wouldn't be enough. He rolled his haunches, preparing to spring. Just as he was about to tear away from his cover, the grass a few lengths ahead of him was sent into a frenzy. Flurrypaw could just tell that the tabby blur was a cat streaking after the rabbit he had been stalking. The warrior killed it's prey swiftly.

Flurrypaw hissed in annoyance. For the first time in a long time, he had been happy and peaceful. Now that moment was shattered by the death of a rabbit. Tail lashing, the apprentice bounded over to the other cat.

He barely recognized Rockclaw and completely ignored the fact that the warrior was his senior. He didn't care right now. "Hey!" he spat, coming within a fox length of the tabby and stopping short. His ears were pressed flat against his head, eyes blazing with fury, lips drawn back in a mean snarl. "I was going to catch that rabbit! Didn't you even notice I was there? Who gave you the right to take my prey!"

[/color]

[/i]but then I met a man who's face
seemed so strangely out of place
a blinding light of hope was shining in his eyes
-- Free by Steven Curtis Chapman[/i][/color][/font][/left][/size]

[P.irelli♫]

//EVERYBODY WITH YOUR FIST RAISED HIGH//
//LET ME HEAR YOUR BATTLE CRY TONIGHT//


Rockclaw's ear twitched when he heard a low hiss, coming from the bushes. He recognized Flurrypaw as he stepped from them, and he had an annoyed look on his face. The apprentice had spoken to him as if he were an apprentice himself. The tabby angrily lashed his tail, but his voice was calm.

"You must have been upwind if I couldn't scent you." he replied, and an amused look spread across his face. "And you must be quicker." he added. He looked at the rabbit that was beside him, and then at the apprentice. "Would you like to share it? And I think it would be best to stay here, instead of going back to the camp in this rain." he mewed, licking his paw, and bringing it over his ear as he waited for Flurrypaw to reply.

[Blackie]

The sun was beaming down outside the walls of stone and razor wire
as we made our way across the prison yard
I felt my heart begin to race as we drew nearer to the place
where they say that death is waiting in the dark
the slamming doors of iron echoed through the halls
where despair holds life within it's cruel claws

[/color][/i]

Flurrypaw glared at Rockclaw. He didn't bother to suppress his obvious anger. It wouldn't have done any good. Besides, he wanted this cat to know how mad he was. The apprentice didn't care to be lectured by a cat who wasn't his mentor. In Flurrypaw's opinion, Rockclaw had no right to treat him like a kit. Of course you have to be quick! What do I look like, a mouse-brain? Just because I'm not as skinny as a stick like the rest of you . . . A new look of contempt passed over the gray and white face. Typical of Rockclaw to pick on him because of his body structure.

"I can catch my own prey, thanks." Flurrypaw spat, clearly not thankful at all. Rockclaw's amusement and attempt at kindness offended him. "And I can take mine to camp, rain or no rain. The first duty of a warrior is his Clan." He emphasized the last words, which carried conviction. Flurrypaw would rather starve than eat before his Clan. It was the discontent. He had to provide for WindClan or he didn't deserve to be apart of it.

[/color]

but then I met a man who's face
seemed so strangely out of place
a blinding light of hope was shining in his eyes
-- Free by Steven Curtis Chapman

[/font][/left][/size]

[P.irelli♫]

//EVERYBODY WITH YOUR FIST RAISED HIGH//
//LET ME HEAR YOUR BATTLE CRY TONIGHT//


Rockclaw was suprised at how much hatred was in the young toms voice. "I'm sorry for upsetting you." he apologized, flicking his tail once. He sighed, and stretched his forepaws forward, while a shiver ran down his spine as rain pattered his pelt. He opened one bright yellow eye to look at the tom. "The camp is a little far off. You wouldn't want to risk getting a cold, or greencough, would you?" he asked, standing straight.

When the apprentice had rejected his offer of the rabbit, Rockclaw shrugged, and bit into it, taking famished gulps. In a few minutes, it was gone, and his sighed in content. "I know I'm not your mentor or deputy, but I truely do advise staying here until the rain stops." he told Flurrypaw. He waited for the acid reply.

[Blackie]

The sun was beaming down outside the walls of stone and razor wire
as we made our way across the prison yard
I felt my heart begin to race as we drew nearer to the place
where they say that death is waiting in the dark
the slamming doors of iron echoed through the halls
where despair holds life within it's cruel claws

[/color][/i]

One thing Flurrypaw had to admit whether he liked it or not was the fact that the rain really was getting awful, even for a WindClan cat. Tail tip twitching, the frosty-tempered apprentice looked up at the sky. There was a defiant look on his face as if he was daring the falling drops to continue. Of course, they kept on pelting down upon the moor. Flurrypaw fancied their relentless splattering became even heavier, but it could have been his testy attitude that made it seem so.

Rockclaw was right, though. The last thing Flurrypaw wanted to do was trudge through this rain. Completely ignoring the warrior's apology, Flurrypaw jumped into an authoritative stance.

"We should find some sort of shelter until the rain clears. Then we can hunt for prey." he meowed, as if not returning to camp had been his intention all along.


ooc: Sorry it's so short, I am extremely distracted!

[/color]

but then I met a man who's face
seemed so strangely out of place
a blinding light of hope was shining in his eyes
-- Free by Steven Curtis Chapman

[/font][/left][/size]

[P.irelli♫]

//EVERYBODY WITH YOUR FIST RAISED HIGH//
//LET ME HEAR YOUR BATTLE CRY TONIGHT//


Rockclaw wasn't suprised when the apprentice jumped into an authoritive stance. He raised an eyebrow and bowed his head. "Yes, O' Leader." he muttered, padding into the badger set. He found a patch of moss and sat on it, curling his tail around his paws. He gazed at the young apprentice, his expression unable to read. He was lost in thought for a moment, but then got to his paws, padding towards the entrance of the badger set. He paused, and then bounded out into the rain towards the open moorland, sniffing for prey.

[Blackie]

The sun was beaming down outside the walls of stone and razor wire
as we made our way across the prison yard
I felt my heart begin to race as we drew nearer to the place
where they say that death is waiting in the dark
the slamming doors of iron echoed through the halls
where despair holds life within it's cruel claws

[/color][/i]

Flurrypaw heard the warrior's sarcastic remark and hissed. He was glad, however, to see that Rockclaw actually obeyed. The apprentice stayed where he was until the tabby cat had moved into the den. Only after Rockclaw was well inside and waiting did Flurrypaw move to join him.

The young gray and white cat raised his dripping head and tail proudly. He had stayed out in the rain when a grown warrior had been eager to shelter. He was the one giving orders, his (seemingly) more dominant personality forcing Rockclaw to obey. He was the one the Clan would be proud of when he walked home, his jaws stuffed full of prey. He- wait a minute, hey!

It took Flurrypaw a moment to realize that Rockclaw had gotten up and out of the rain for no apparent reason. He growled in annoyance. "What are you doing?" he demanded sharply. Now that he had finally convinced himself to dry off, he was impatient to. But pride kept him out in the chilly conditions until his companion was willing to return to the sett. "Are you mouse-brained? I thought you didn't want to stand in the rain anymore."

[/color]

but then I met a man who's face
seemed so strangely out of place
a blinding light of hope was shining in his eyes
-- Free by Steven Curtis Chapman

[/font][/left][/size]

[P.irelli♫]

//EVERYBODY WITH YOUR FIST RAISED HIGH//
//LET ME HEAR YOUR BATTLE CRY TONIGHT//


Rockclaw rolled his eyes when the apprentice hissed. He gave him a scornful look. "I'm hunting. Like you wanted to. I'm hungry." he meowed, padding off again. He didn't stop to see the Flurrypaw's reaction. He kept padding on, his tail and head held high in authority.

He soon came across rabbit scent, and he instinctivly dropped into a stealth crouch, stalking towards the rabbit with swift, silent movements. When he was a few tail lengths away, he sprung, chasing the rabbit at full speed. After a few seconds, Rockclaw had the rabbit in his jaws. He went back towards Flurrypaw, his eyes glinting as he dropped the rabbit. He craned his head, and started to eat.

[Blackie]

The sun was beaming down outside the walls of stone and razor wire
as we made our way across the prison yard
I felt my heart begin to race as we drew nearer to the place
where they say that death is waiting in the dark
the slamming doors of iron echoed through the halls
where despair holds life within it's cruel claws

[/color][/i]

Oh, so that's how it went. Now Rockclaw could hunt since Flurrypaw had agreed not to. The apprentice stalked after the warrior, his whole being in a rage. He was tempted to let the tabby know how upset he was by purposely scaring all the prey, but he thought better of it. He should have been glad they were hunting because Rockclaw was basically letting Flurrypaw have his own way by not sheltering; the only thing Flurrypaw wasn't happy about was the fact that it wasn't his own way any more. Rockclaw, whether purposely or not, had worked the whole situation so that he was still the one in charge. That, more than anything, fired up the temper of the younger cat.

Tail lashing and blue eyes narrowed, Flurrypaw watched his senior hunt. Even in his anger, the young tom was careful to observe all the things Rockclaw did. Though he was a fairly good hunter for his age, rabbit hunting did not come naturally to Flurrypaw as it did for other WindClan cats. This had always upset the apprentice. Why was he so different from his Clanmates? Why didn't he have the skills of his Clan? A cloud of doubt passed over the gray and white face. The black spot above his eye began to throb, as if his dark thoughts made his head ache. He was so absorbed in his private wonderings that he didn't even notice when Rockclaw caught his rabbit and padded back to him. Absently, Flurrypaw watched the warrior eat.

"Show me." he demanded suddenly. "Show me how to run up on a rabbit before it knows I'm there. I need to know how to catch rabbits so that the other Clans can't mock WindClan when they find out a WindClan apprentice can't hunt their natural prey." Slowly, his voice had become bitter and his blank, worried look darkened to fierce determination. Please, he begged silently. I need to be able to do this.

[/color]

but then I met a man who's face
seemed so strangely out of place
a blinding light of hope was shining in his eyes
-- Free by Steven Curtis Chapman

[/font][/left][/size]