Learning to Laugh

[Blackie]

Fog rose over the marsh, bearing a painful reminder to the gray cat. It worried him, made him shift in place with uneasiness. He could picture himself now crouched uselessly nearby, watching his brother and father die. He imagined waking up in camp with Emberpaw, remembered the difference in both of them afterward. Training was no longer enjoyable and Rustedclaw became more special to him. Then Emberpaw died and he became a warrior. He must have been the only apprentice that wasn't excited to receive his name. Then Rustedclaw was gone. Life was cruel to him.

The cold air left a crisp chill on the land. It was refreshing and weakened the smells of the moor, freezing the mud into tight packs. There wouldn't be much prey out. A mouse or two, maybe, but not much else. Smokefoot tilted his head to the side, listening for the scuttling of tiny feet over frost. The wind murmured gently, ruffling his ear fur. It was just him and the leafbare breeze. The tom sighed, wrapping his dark tail over black paws. What was the point? Why hunt where there was nothing; why hunt when there was nothing to hunt for? Smokefoot defended ShadowClan for the memory of his family, but that was all the Clan had left to offer him.

"Someday I'll join you." he whispered, looking up to the bleak, cloudy sky. "Someday, I won't have to live with this anymore."

Standing up, the dappled gray warrior started to leave. He didn't care where his paws took him, but he didn't want to be on the moor anymore. There were too many memories to haunt him here. He needed peace and quiet. With a longing sigh, Smokefoot turned to look at the moor one more time.

He caught the flicker of a dark shape. Tensing, Smokefoot tried to make out what it could be. Prey? No, it was too big. A cat then? Maybe a young one. Deciding it must be an apprentice, Smokefoot called out with a sharp voice.

"You shouldn't be out here alone, you know!"

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Lizzardpaw

[/color]
ShadowClan Apprentice[/color]

Music starts playin' like the end of a sad movie
It's the kinda ending you don't really wanna see
'Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down
Now I don't know what to be without you around

For a cat like Lizzardpaw, with her skinny body and short fur, the cold wind was almost torture to her. She hated Leafbare. She'd hated it since she was much younger, since her mother was taken by it. Her only sister, Ashpaw, had absolutely loved Leafbare. She had come to life when there was snow. Lizzardpaw could picture her little sister, gray fur sparkling with stray drops of snow. She wished she could see Ashpaw again, in fact she wished she could see again period. Then again, what was there to see? The only real friend in ShadowClan she had was Ryepaw, and her friend had promised to describe certain cats to Lizzardpaw. The calico femme sighed, shaking her fur and trying to fluff it up. Leafbare was the most horrid season she could imagine. No prey, no warmth. There was nothing happy about it.

A soft sigh escaped the calico fae's lips. Her clouded yellow eyes stared blankly at the marsh around her. She couldn't see any of it, yet the sound of the wind blowing the tree branches and the feeling of dried mud against her paws painted a clear enough picture in her mind. Thanks to losing her sight, Lizzardpaw's other senses had become slight enhanced. Scents were much easier to identify, and she could hear things much more clearly. Yet those things didn't replace seeing her friends' faces, seeing the stars glittering across the night sky, seeing her home... She closed her eyes, though it made no difference. No way would she cry. She'd lived with this for most of her life; no way was it just getting to her now.

Lizzardpaw's eyes opened again and her ears pricked. A soft whispering echoed in her ears. Though a cat with normal senses never would've heard it, the whisper was just barely audible to Lizzardpaw. She couldn't pick out exactly what the cat had said, but she recognized the voice. It was the warrior Smokefoot. Vaguely Lizzardpaw remembered that when she was in the Nursery with Ashkit, she'd occasionally see Smokefoot and his own siblings around camp. Back then, Smokefoot had been an apprentice. Lizzardpaw, though she never talked with the warrior, understood a lot about him at times. They'd shared a common loss; both of them had lost their families.

Smokefoot's sharp voice sounded, jolting Lizzardpaw out of her thoughts. She resisted the urge to hiss at the tom, and quickly stepped forward until his scent was strong enough. She could feel the tom's presence now, only about a foot away from her. Lizzardpaw turned around until she was certain that she was facing Smokefoot.[/color]

"You don't need to worry about me. I've walked out here alone dozens of times."[/color] Lizzardpaw's mew was soft, though there was still that usual spark of determination it always held.

And we know it's never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You're the only thing I know, like the back of my hand
And I can't...
Breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to

((Lyrics from Breathe by Taylor Swift))[/color][/blockquote]

[Blackie]

Smokefoot stiffened in surprise. He had a lot of respect for Lizzardpaw. She was very brave to cope with her blindness, but how could any apprentice be alright all alone in leafbare on the moor. The moor wasn't safe. It is. You just won't let it stop worrying you. You need to get over it. That fox was a rare occasion. Still, the warrior code said apprentices shouldn't be outside camp on their own. Smokefoot focused his amber eyes on the calico's cloudy, yellow orbs.

"I'm sure your just fine wherever you are." he meowed, his voice lowering to a natural, dull quietness. "But the moor is dangerous, especially with this fog. Can't you feel it? You never know what sort of dangers might be lurking around."

Inwardly, Smokefoot hoped that she wouldn't be offended, but she needed to understand that even a cat who could see wasn't that safe alone. Smokefoot laid his ears back, the flash of a fox leaping out of the fog stealing his memory. He wouldn't run away if it ever happened again.

"Every cat is blind in the fog." he murmered. "Every one needs o be careful."

[/center]

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Lizzardpaw

[/color]
ShadowClan Apprentice[/color]

Music starts playin' like the end of a sad movie
It's the kinda ending you don't really wanna see
'Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down
Now I don't know what to be without you around

Lizzardpaw listened to Smokefoot's words, understanding the tom's fear of the fog. Any cat who wasn't blind would feel nervous in the fog, for the gray blanket made it hard for anyone to see. Yet it didn't bother Lizzardpaw at all. She couldn't see anyway, so the fog had no effect on her. The fog, in a way, helped her. Other cats couldn't see in it, but Lizzardpaw could easilly use her other senses while the other cats were trying to see her. The fog was a great cover to fight in. She looked at Smokefoot with unseeing yellow eyes, their clouded depths staring at him as if she could really see him.[/color] "I'm not blind in the fog. Thanks to my blindness, I know how to use my other senses much better then before. The fog doesn't stop me from going where I want to go; it's no different then walking through the moor in broad daylight.[/color][/b]

Lizzardpaw smiled. She didn't know why, she just felt like smiling. Smokefoot always seemed to have his voice dull, lifeless. Lizzardpaw wanted to change that. She had nothing else to do, after all, so why not help a clanmate? Lizzardpaw wanted to help Smokefoot have fun. It'd get her mind off Leafbare and its depressing feeling. Lizzardpaw padded over to them tom and nudged him gently.[/color] "C'mon. Since I clearly can't be out here alone, why don't you walk with me? We can try to hunt a little bit."[/color][/b] Already Lizzardpaw was working out a plan in her mind. Smokefoot seemed like a nice cat, so Lizzardpaw was going to grace him with her presence. The calico femme didn't open up to many cats, yet her curiousity and urge to make Smokefoot have fun made her more... well, social.

And we know it's never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You're the only thing I know, like the back of my hand
And I can't...
Breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to

((Lyrics from Breathe by Taylor Swift))[/color][/blockquote]

[Blackie]

"Hunt? There's nothing here in this waste. The moor's pretty much lifeless, any one can figure that out." Smokefoot stepped back as he spoke, trying not to bristle. He wasn't used to other cats touching him, and the sensation that went coursing up his spine was surprising. He breathed a tiny gasp when he felt it erupt inide his chest. That had never happened to him before, never. But still, he thaught he could guess at what it was. How could he feel that way for Lizzardpaw, or any cat for that matter? It's not real. he told himself stubbornly. He had lived with his pain for so long, his soul was reluctant to part with it. It's infatuation, that's all. She's pretty, and no one likes you, so she surprised you and your letting it get to you.

He looked nervously at her, glad she couldn't see his face. He didn't consider that she might have sensed his feelings, and if he had that might have been the end of them. Swallowing bile - which also plummeted into a fluttering blossom- Smokefoot tried to compose himself. He had no reason to act this way. He barely knew Lizzardpaw, and what he did know was that she was stubborn holdin onto what was her with all she was worth. She was brave and faithful. Mouse-brain.

"Are you sure you really want to hunt here?" Smokefoot mumbled, all other words and coherent thaught abandoning him.

[/size]

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Lizzardpaw

[/color]
ShadowClan Apprentice[/color]

Music starts playin' like the end of a sad movie
It's the kinda ending you don't really wanna see
'Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down
Now I don't know what to be without you around

Lizzardpaw resisted the urge to glare at the tom. He was acting so... depressing. Lizzardpaw wanted to yowl at him, for he wasn't the only one to face hardships before. It angered her that he seemed to think that way. Lizzardpaw had lost everything as well; she didn't even know if her sister was alive anymore. Yet she wasn't all mopey and glum all the time. She needed to knock some sense into this tom. Lizzardpaw was so angry that she didn't notice how nervous Smokefoot had suddenly become. She just flicked her ginger and black patched tail and flexed her claws in the mud. Finally, she heard Smokefoot's mumbled words. Lizzardpaw nodded eagerly in response.[/color]

"Yes! That's what I said, Smokefoot. Come on! Hunt with me. I don't have a mentor yet, so you can help me,"[/color] Lizzardpaw mewed, keeping her voice loud to get her point across. Without waiting for a response she turned around, swiveling her ears in different directions like satelites. The moor and marsh were silent, much to the calico femme's annoyance. She tasted the air, knowing that the fog would slightly hinder her scenting ability. Finally, the scent of a toad wafted into her nostrils. Lizzardpaw licked her lips, listening for the amphibian. Though she could barely hear it, its scent was still strong. She crouched down, stalking toward the creature with light steps. Once she felt that she was close enough, the calico femme lunged. The toad must've heard her, for it started hopping away at a quick pace. Lizzardpaw crashed onto the ground, slipping and falling thanks to the slightly frozen mud.

And we know it's never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You're the only thing I know, like the back of my hand
And I can't...
Breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to

((Lyrics from Breathe by Taylor Swift))[/color][/blockquote]

[Blackie]

Smokefoot watched the apprentice bound away, slightly annoyed that she still wanted to hunt on moor. "Lizzardpaw, there's nothing here. We should go look on the borders closer to the woodland." The dark warrior glared after her. She seemed to have found something, but Smokefoot wasn't about to admit it might be prey. Looking over his shoulder, he was considering walking off and forcing Lizzardpaw to follow him when he heard the thump. Bristling, Smokefoot whirled around to see what had happened. Had something jumped Lizzardpaw? Was she hurt? Spotting the claico apprentice sprawled out on the frozen ground sent chills down his spine.

"Lizzardpaw? Lizzardpaw, are you alright?" Smokefoot leapt up and sprinted to her side. His tail lashed behind him, thick and sticking out like the needles on a pine tree branch. Shaking, he lowered his head and gently nudged Lizzardpaw's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he repeated, this time in worried whisper. "What happened?"

[/size]

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Lizzardpaw

[/color]
ShadowClan Apprentice[/color]

Music starts playin' like the end of a sad movie
It's the kinda ending you don't really wanna see
'Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down
Now I don't know what to be without you around

Smokefoot's touch sent shivers down Lizzardpaw's spine. She felt a spark of electricity go through her, and her breath caught in her throat. Why was she feeling this way? Smokefoot's whisper sounded in her ear, jolting Lizzardpaw back to the real world. Her voice came out as a stammered whisper when she mewed,[/color] "I-I'm fine. I-I just t-tripped."[/color] As if to prove her point, Lizzardpaw staggered back to her paws. She stretched once, trying to feel if anything was hurt or broken. Her front right paw hurt a little if she put too much weight on it, but she didn't dare show Smokefoot. She really, really wanted to hunt with him now.[/color]

"See?"[/color]she mewed, smiling in the direction of the warrior.[/color] "All better. Come on, let's go by the woodland border like you said."[/color] Lizzardpaw hoped that Smokefoot wouldn't see that her paw had been slightly injured. The injury wasn't even that bad, it just hurt a little. She didn't want to stop now. Lizzardpaw was actually enjoying Smokefoot's company. Her yellow eyes became pleading as she looked at the tom, begging him to keep hunting. They could at least walk if he didn't want to hunt, but Lizzardpaw wasn't willing to give up her mission.

And we know it's never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You're the only thing I know, like the back of my hand
And I can't...
Breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to

((Lyrics from Breathe by Taylor Swift))[/color][/blockquote]

[Blackie]

Smokefoot watched with his ears laid back as Lizzardpaw staggered back onto her paws. He took a pace away from her so she could have some room to stand. His wiskers still quivered from the last contact, and he wondered if she felt it too. Like something opening, Smokefoot wondered if it would besuch a bad thing to love someone again. It might even lift the stress and loniness from him. But what if something happens to her, like all the things that happened to your family? And why were you the only one left alive? What's so special about you? Or maybe he wasn't even that special at all.

"Come on, let's go by the woodland border like you said."

Smokefoot looked up to meet Lizzardpaw's gaze. It didn't matter if she couldn't see him, it was respectful to look at someone when they were talking. She deserved to be treated like a normal cat as much as he did. Maybe he was imagining it, but the dark warrior could have sworn he saw the dull yellow gaze change with something other than light. It took his breath away, realizing that her eyes where filling with an emotion. His own feelings blocked him from interpreting what it was, but it still made his heart leap. What was she feeling? Was it anything for him, like he was feeling for her? But you can't rely on feelings alone. There's gotta be more than that! Yes, he needed to think this through.

"I don't mind hunting on the border. I'll let you decide since I'll be the one, erm, training you." he flicked his tail awkwardly, knowing he had finished the offer lamely. Shape up. Why would anyone want to be around you when you act this way? Smokefoot took a deep breath, and stood up a little taller. Something poked at him to make a joke, like he used to when he was small. But there was no way. The jokes had been for Leopardpaw and Emberpaw. he wasn't comfortable being funny with Lizzardpaw. He'd probobly just look stupid, anyway.

[/size]

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Lizzardpaw

[/color]
ShadowClan Apprentice[/color]

Music starts playin' like the end of a sad movie
It's the kinda ending you don't really wanna see
'Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down
Now I don't know what to be without you around

Lizzardpaw felt slightly awkward by the sudden silence, and she took that time to process her feelings. She shuffled her paws, shaking her calico-patched fur. The small, skinny she-cat didn't understand why Smokefoot made her feel so... strange. She felt so nervous around her. It made her so angry that she couldn't be herself. This wasn't like her at all. Lizzardpaw was stubborn, determined, loud, rude, a bad friend at times... but Smokefoot was making her act shy. She wanted to glare at him, but was aware of his eyes on her own, studying them. She ducked her head to look in the other direction, though a soft smile tugged at her ebony lips. Lizzardpaw knew that she had to step it up, to become herself again. She was probably just glad that she had a mentor. Well, Smokefoot wasn't her mentor, but maybe Flailstar would allow him to be. The thought of spending even more time with Smokefoot made her heart do a small flip in her chest.

She decided to experiment again. Just one nudge from Smokefoot had sent her heart on overdrive. What about another? Lizzardpaw walked over to the tom, trying to walk graceful so she didn't trip again, and nudged his shoulder to get him to move. She pushed the butterflies back down, though they still tickled her stomach as she mewed,[/color] "Well, come on then! We haven't got all day, sadly."[/color] Lizzardpaw started walking, hoping that Smokefoot was following her. She glared down at her stomach, where she could still feel the butterflies out of one nudge.

And we know it's never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You're the only thing I know, like the back of my hand
And I can't...
Breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to

((Lyrics from Breathe by Taylor Swift))[/color][/blockquote]

[Blackie]

Smokefoot smiled.

The single gesture was enough to describe what he ws feeling. More than enough to tell him that Lizzardpaw was special, and that it didn't matter if he loved her and something bad happened to her. He couldn't stop evil from attacking her, but he could love her before then. That's what mattered. Not that loved ones died, but that you were able tolove them while they were alive and be able to say you were apart of eachother's lives. But Lizzardpaw was very young still, young enough not to care like he wanted to care for her. He had to open up to her, befriend her.

"As you wish, oh great Lizzardpaw." Smokefoot replied, bowing his head a little. She had sounded so much like a Clan leader then, he couldn't help it. If a simple smile were a sign of how he felt for the blind apprentice, than a joke said even more.

Trying to supress a traitorous purr, Smokefoot padded along side her. It was as if something had been broken and he didn't have to be cold, hard Smokefoot anymore. He could be young, carefree Smokepaw who had been able to overcome the grief of his mother's and sister's death. He had been able to come through the pain with others then. But when they died, there was no one to struggle with him. Not now. Now he had Lizzardpaw, and the sun was shinning on a tomorrow better than any he had ever seen, slicing through his being like the golden rays spit the fog.

[/size]

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Lizzardpaw

[/color]
ShadowClan Apprentice[/color]

Music starts playin' like the end of a sad movie
It's the kinda ending you don't really wanna see
'Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down
Now I don't know what to be without you around

Lizzardpaw couldn't help it. She giggled at Smokefoot's words, giggled at what she pictured his expression looked like. She hated herself for that, but didn't care. She hardly ever giggled, that was something love-struck warriors did. Not Lizzardpaw. But she had. It hurt that she couldn't see Smokefoot's face, couldn't see how he looked, couldn't see his eyes whenever he laughed. She wanted to see that. In fact, that was probably something she wanted to see more then anything. Normally, not being able to see didn't bug her. But she wanted to see Smokefoot. Lizzardpaw shook the thoughts from her mind and smiled at the warrior walking beside her.[/color]

"That's more like it,"[/color] she purred, the clouds in her eyes beginning to reveal a bit of emotion. Joy, happiness, laughter... they all shone in their depths for a moment.[/color] "More cats should be like you; you actually show me respect, whether you're kidding or not. I like that."[/color] She smiled, flicking Smokefoot's shoulder with her tail playfully. The smile faded for a moment, and she felt a stab of worry. Would this all be a one-time thing? Would Smokefoot not bother with her after they returned to camp? She bit her lip, not wanting to express her fears.

And we know it's never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You're the only thing I know, like the back of my hand
And I can't...
Breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to[/color][/blockquote]

[Blackie]

"More cats should be like you; you actually show me respect, whether you're kidding or not. I like that."

She liked something about him! While his belly tried to untangle it's self from the knot it had got caught up in, Smokefoot answered Lizzardpaw in a quiet, serious voice. "You deserve respect. Not many cats can come out of things like your blindness. I couldn't. It's hard to let go of the anger and grief, even fear sometimes." He looked at her, wondering if she knew how brave she was. He wondered if he could ever be as brave as her. He had to be, if he wanted this to work. He had to be there for her, and his bravery needed to surpass hers. If he wanted to be worth anything to her, he had to be better than everything.

"It helps if you have someone to bear the pain with you." he mewed, not really noticing what he was saying. "When my mother and Needlekit died, I still had Leopardpaw, Emberpaw, and Duskclaw to help me with the loss. We pulled through it then, but after Leopardpaw and Duskclaw were killed . . ." he faltered. He has never talked about it before, had always kept it to himself. The complete changes in Emberpaw's and his own personality had been so vast, that he found it hard to believe he had ever been a young Smokepaw, happy with life. "But your sister died, and you pulled through it." Smokefoot meowed, his voice stronger. "Your a better cat then I was."

[/size]

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Lizzardpaw

[/color]
ShadowClan Apprentice[/color]

Music starts playin' like the end of a sad movie
It's the kinda ending you don't really wanna see
'Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down
Now I don't know what to be without you around

Lizzardpaw could only listen to Smokefoot's words. She was so shocked by what he was saying about her. Bravery... psh, Lizzardpaw knew that she wasn't brave. She didn't admit to the possibility that her sister was dead, yet she didn't go looking for her, either. That was only because she was afraid of what she'd find. That was one of the many reasons she didn't deserve respect. As Smokefoot began to talk about his own family, Lizzardpaw's heart went out to his in empathy. She pressed her calico pelt close to his in comfort, for she too knew the feeling of loss. She wanted to discuss it with him, to get her feelings out, but it hurt her at times. Butterflies began to flutter in her stomach as the two cats' pelts pressed together, but Lizzardpaw shooed them away. She wanted to be comforting for Smokefoot.[/color]

"I know what you mean. After my father died, my mother was a wreck. She just had me and Ashpaw, and at the time we were only kits. I had just been blinded, and she was just so stressed out... I guess all the stress helped weaken her for the blackcough. All I had left after that was Ashpaw."[/color] Lizzardpaw's eyes flashed at Smokefoot's next words. She pulled away, fury beginning to flicker in her eyes. No... Ashpaw wasn't dead! They couldn't say that she was dead; they had no proof.[/color]"Stop it! Stop, stop, stop! I hate how everyone thinks Ashpaw is dead. I haven't seen a body yet, have you? They can't just assume that she's... ugh I can't even say it anymore! There's still a chance..."[/color] Lizzardpaw trailed off, fury beginning to die from her eyes. Now she felt ashamed. Smokefoot had just gone on saying how strong she was, and here she was yelling at him about her sister... She glared toward her paws and then turned away, glaring out into the marsh and forest.[/color]

"I'm... I'm sorry. I guess I'm not as strong as you thought I was. At least you're able to accept their deaths. I'm not even sure if my sister is alive or not. But I refuse to say she's dead when there's still a chance that she's not."[/color] Lizzardpaw continued to glare in the other direction, not wanting to turn. She tried to block out the way she could picture Smokefoot's face. Angry... disappointed... scornful...

And we know it's never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You're the only thing I know, like the back of my hand
And I can't...
Breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to[/color][/blockquote]

[Blackie]

Smokefoot stopped in shock, listening to Lizzardpaw's fierce defense. His long-furred tail spiked out. How could he have done something wrong so quickly? He wasn't usually so free with his words as he had been just then, but he hadn't thaught he was being offensive. He was trying to encourage her! Worried that she would hold his mistake against him, the warrior reached out to brush his whiskers against her shoulders. He wanted to apologize, but he wasn't sure what to say. Sometimes it was best to allow anger cool before offering an apology. Looking at her scornful expression, Smokefoot decided that this was one of those times.

Sighing, the dark tom backed away from the apprentice. He tried, but he couldn't keep the pain he felt from the released breath, or his amber eyes. Not pain that she was rejecting him, but pain that he had hurt her somehow. He lowered his gaze so he was looking at the chilled ground instead of her calico fur. Should he go on without her, or wait until she was ready to continue?

"Lizzardpaw? We should return to camp soon, are you ready to hunt?"

[/size]

[Cinder.and.Flightfall]

Lizzardpaw

[/color]
ShadowClan Apprentice[/color]

Music starts playin' like the end of a sad movie
It's the kinda ending you don't really wanna see
'Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down
Now I don't know what to be without you around

Lizzardpaw turned toward the tom again, the fury she had felt gone from hers. She hated how she had snapped at him. It wasn't his fault. He was starting to open up to her, and here she was ruining that. Lizzardpaw quickly walked over to him, wanting to comfort him but not sure how. She had heard the pain in his sigh. It was all her fault. Lizzardpaw pressed close to him again, looking up at him with sad yellow eyes.[/color]"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you; you did nothing wrong. I'm just mad at... well, I'm mad that everyone seems to think she's dead. I'm sorry I snapped at you, though. You didn't deserve that."[/color]

She nodded in response to his question.[/color] "Yeah, I'm ready,"[/color] she mewed. Lizzardpaw waited patiently for Smokefoot to lead the way, wondering how he'd respond to her apology.

And we know it's never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You're the only thing I know, like the back of my hand
And I can't...
Breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to

((Sorry so short, museless))[/color][/blockquote]

[Blackie]

Smokefoot listened to the apprentice's apology. He felt guilty for upsetting her, even though he wasn't completely sure what he had done. He had been praising her, hadn't he. He looked at her eyes, wishing she could see, and mewed softly "I forgive you."

Turning, he was about to lead the way to a better hunting place when an idea struck him. Ears pricked with curiosity, the dark tom moved to face Lizzardpaw. "Could . . . could you do me a favor? I'm not very good when it comes to talking. In the future, can you tell me when I've said the wrong thing?" he tried not to soun to desperate for a postitive answer. He wanted her to like him, but what if she didn't? He could live through it, he told himself.









RAWR!!!!!!!!!! I AM SO BRAIN-DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -smacks head against a rock-

[Hawkstorm]

A dark black shape burst into the clearing where Smokefoot and Lizzardpaw where, in hot pursuit of a rabbit. The rabbit was as fast as any Windclan warrior, but Nightshade was faster. She jumped and landed square on the rabbit's back, giving it a quick death blow to the neck. She pick up her kill proudly, sheathing her claws as she did so.

She suddenly realized there were other cats around her and her long tail stopped twitching in happiness and the grin dropped from her face, once again hiding her sharp, cruel-looking teeth.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone else was here." She mentally clawed herself. She had great senses and she hadn't even noticed to cats from her own clan! She shuffled her paws in the dirt, keeping her intense sea green eyes focused on the ground.