.Run.

[Turtle]

Turtlekit crouched at the edge of the path, tiny haunches wobbling with anticipation. Her ears and eyes trained forward, focused on the dense foliage across the gray expanse. She had grown tired of being stuck in the nursery and camp for hours on end, and decided to have an adventure of her own. Not a simple butterfly chase, but a real one. A big one. She had been told many times of the soft-hearted ThunderClan by elders and warriors, but didn't quite believe them. She needed first-hand proof, and she was going to get it. Her dark brown tail twitched slowly, listening as a huge monster roared past. The fur on her face flattened, her tiny claws scraping at the damp earth as it's foul scent seared her nose. Her forehead wrinkled in disgust, and she sneezed loudly, trying to clear her scent glands of the foul smell. The monster had distracted her, and she had lost her chance to cross. Letting out a faint hiss, she refocused her attention to the path. If only there was a little gap, she could make the run...

[Meerful]

"and just what do you think you're doing?" Flailstar spoke, shaking leaves off his pelt as he came from the undergrowth.

sorry so short i wanted to be the first reply ;]

[Turtle]

Turtlekit jumped, ears folding back in surprise. Slowly, she turned, her heart dropping as she recognized the voice.
"F-Flailstar... I was just wondering what it's like over in ThunderClan." At least she hadn't lied. Still, Flailstar was smart enough to recognize that a cat as curious as Turtlekit didn't just wonder. Turtlekit's small heart pounded through her throat as she crouched beneath her leader's piercing gaze, her head bent low in respect. Maybe she could win him over with charm... or maybe play innocent. But that would require that she lie. Through her teeth. Turtlekit always hated lying to Flailstar, she didn't know why, she could lie to almost any other cat, but not Flailstar. Maybe it was out of respect, maybe out of loyalty, but now was not the time to think. Now was the time to focus on avoiding trouble with Flailstar.

[Meerful]

F-F-F-Flail,,

i'll keep you my dirty little secret

Flailstar narrowed his gaze at her and stared at her. Her curiosity was ewually reflected in his own eyes. Of course he knew why she was curious. He'd been curious once too. He still was. He was a new leader, and he hadn't even received his lives yet. He had only been a young warrior before he was thrust into the world of being a leader. Sometimes all he wanted to do was act like a kit again and blunder into trouble. However, he had a reputation to uphold, to be a positive role model, and getting into mountains of trouble would be a bad way to show that. His claws unsheathed and clicked on the ground before he walked to the thunderpath and scraped his claws on the asphalt. They left long white marks on the pavement and sharp tips on his claws.

"The Thunderpath isn't a safe place for you to be." He told her simply. He shook his head to himself. Cats wanting to know about Thunderclan. Psh. What good was Thunderclan anyway? All they do is steal prey and make unrealistic borders. "I can tell you what's in Thunderclan" He spat. "Traitors and liars and cats with no heart. They say we are the dark ones. It is really them." Echoes of situations teemed in his head. He had a history with a Thunderclan cat once, and she was a liar too. Maybe not all of them were, but the one that had mattered was. Flailstar took a deep breath.
"Some cats from Thunderclan are nice, but never trust one." He told Turtlekit. He took a sudden interest in her. Sizing her up, he tried to determine her age. "Aren't you supposed to be an apprentice or am I mistaken?" He asked her curiously.

[Turtle]

Turtlekit stared up at her leader, shoulders gradually relaxing. Flailstar's intense gaze held hers, allowing her to read into his face. His gaze spoke of remembrance, triggering Turtlekit's vast curiosity. What's he thinking about? wondered the young kit, green eyes alight at the possibilities. She mentally promised herself to find out one day.
"The Thunderpath isn't a safe place for you to be."
Turtlekit tilted her head to show that she was listening respectfully as a good kit should while Flailstar spoke. Like she was a good kit, always running off after butterflies and such.
"I can tell you what's in Thunderclan,"
Turtlekit flinched back at her leader's harsh tone. She couldn't help but do so, even though she knew she deserved to be scolded.
"Traitors and liars and cats with no heart. They say we are the dark ones. It is really them." Turtlekit's eyes widened as he spoke. Sure she had heard tales about ThunderClan from the nursery, but never before had she heard a cat speak so harshly about them, with such vindictive dislike that it colored their very tone. She looked down, unable to match the intensity of Flailstar's gaze. Only the sound of Flailstar's inhaling sigh brought her head back up, bracing herself once again to hear his harsh tone. But when he spoke, his voice was gentler, as if reminding her to bury the bones of prey when finished. "Some cats from Thunderclan are nice, but never trust one." Turtlekit nodded, watching as Flailstar looked her up and down, thinking.
"Aren't you supposed to be an apprentice or am I mistaken?" Light curiosity colored Flailstar's tone, but Turtlkit still froze. She had turned six moons just to sunrises ago, had her foster-mother forgotten? Of course the kit hadn't said anything about it, her foster-mother already had enough to deal with since Turtlekit had come along, she was a handful of a kit herself. But perhaps she hadn't been informed of the Turtlekit's age. She had never spoken much of her age, as it had never crossed her mind or come up in conversation.
"Yeah, I am. I turned six moons a couple of Sunrises ago remember? Answered the kit. Of course she hadn't thought of how disrepectful it might have sounded.

[Meerful]

F-F-F-Flail,,

he crawls like a worm from a bird

Flailstar sighed and stared at the kit-who-should-be-an-apprentice crossly. Do they expect him to know everything? He wasn't much older than her. Well, he was young warrior aged anyway. He felt the pressures of having to be perfect creep up on him again. Could he really handle this? He swallowed hard. Of course he would have to. That was his duty. That's why he was put here. To serve. To protect. To lead. If he didn't lead his clan what good was he? Could he seriously consider going back to the life of not being anything but a pawn? Of course he'd always wanted to serve his clan, but the nonchalant everyday life got more than arduous. He could be content with it, but it lead to stagnant, and stangnant lead to contempt. He needed meaning or why did he live? Just simply because he could? There was no point in that. He had no love... He had no family... So leading his clan was the next best thing. In that way, maybe he could love his entire clan. It was better than nothing. Deep down he knew he would get better at the whole leader thing. Did all new leaders feel the same nervousness and self doubt as he did?Surely they must.

Flailstar stared across the vast Thunderpath, and stepped back when a monster whizzed by, causing his fur to fly about. He took no notice. As if it barely affected him. "I should have remembered, but its not all that easy trying to remember everything. I'll hold a ceremony as soon as I talk to the other queens and warriors." He replied back to her. He chewed on his tongue and pressed it against his cheek. He swallowed words of doubt. He could do this. Flailstar thought about Thunderclan... Something he would never speak of again. Ever.

"So tell me, Turtlekit." Flailstar began, hoping that was the right name, and knowing he would be proud of himself if it was, "What were you going to do once you got over there? What if you were caught by a Thunderclan patrol? What if you were smashed on the pavement there, and all we found left of you wree your scattered guts and brains?" Flailstar glared at her. "I'm not mad at you. I just don't think you understand the risk of crossing this. Not only that, but you never trespass onto another clan's territory." He got up and flicked his tail for her to follow him. "Kits aren't supposed to be out alone either. Let me show you why."

[Turtle]

Turtlekit watched absentmindedly as her leader thought, reading the expressions on his face easily. Frustration. Sadness. Determination. Hope. She watched as he stared across the Thunderpath and, in that moment, it was as if the weight of the world had settled onto her shoulders. Comprehension, she knew. And yet at the same time, she didn't. But then it was gone, blown away like a leaf in the wind. A monster zoomed by, ruffling his pelt with it's wind. He stepped back, but otherwise showed no reaction. Without facing her, he spoke.
"I should have remembered, but its not all that easy trying to remember everything. I'll hold a ceremony as soon as I talk to the other queens and warriors." Turtlekit's jaw tightened as Flailstar spoke. She watched intently as his own jaw tightened slightly, and his eyes hardened, as if remembring something unpleasant like mouse bile. She remained silent, not yet ready to reply. Thankfully, he spoke again.
So tell me Turtlekit. What were you going to do once you got over there? What if you were caught by a Thunderclan patrol? What if you were smashed on the pavement there, and all we found left of you wree your scattered guts and brains?" Turtlekit looked down as he glared, once again finding it impossible to return his gaze.
"I'm not mad at you. I just don't think you understand the risk of crossing this. Not only that, but you never trespass onto another clan's territory." Turtlekit glared back, disbelief flooding her face as he spoke, saying that he was not mad at her. Before she could reply though, he stood up, flicking his tail for her to follow.
"Kits aren't supposed to be out alone either. Let me show you why." Annoyance flashed through Turtlekit, but she stood up anyways. Quickly though, her annoyance faded, and happiness spread through her like a bug, vibrating off her in waves as as if anyone could catch it. Her curiosity took over once more, and her green eyes lit up at the prospect of 'adventure.' Her tail tip twitched and she looked up at Flailstar.
"So where are we going Flailstar?'
Her mind raced at the possibilities, before she remembered that she was in trouble. Her mind narrowed down the possibilites, untroubled by that fact. Her head tilted to side, curiosity shining through her green eyes. She just couldn't think of anywhere to take a kit in trouble. I guess I'll just have to find out! she thought.

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[Meerful]

F-F-F-Flail,,

cut cut cut cutting myself down to pieces

Flailstar rolled his eyes as the kit seemed to be annoyed. Why would she have any right to be annoyed anyway? Was he not the one who just saved her from a very unhappy and quite painful death? Was he not the one who allowed her to be in his clan? Did he not make sure the clan was in order so that her foster mother got fed so that, ultimately, she got fed? He provided not only for her, but the entire clan with his leadership, and she felt she had the right to be annoyed at him? Flailstar swallowed an agitated growl and looked over his shoulder to reprimand her silently.

"You'll see in a minute" He told her sternly. He ignored how her curiousity made him want to impress her. Why should it matter? She was only going to continually form the same behaviour of becoming annoyed with him when he failed to be perfect. Just like every other cat of the clan. He couldn't live up to every expectation like they wanted him to. Mistakes were going to be made, and the sooner they all accepted that, the sooner they could go about trying to make things better instead of relying purely on him for everything. He couldn't satisfy the needs of himself, let alone an entire clan. He didn't even have nine lives yet! Flailstar closed his eyes for a moment and bit his tongue once again. His forest coloured eyes stared at the blankness of his eyelids.

He opened them again to take in the fresh look of the forest, it floor lightly blanketed by fallen leaves from the ever changing trees. Their leaves sparkled orange like pumpkins, mahogany red, and yellow. They dappled the entire forest, and enveloped them in the mood, the feel, the beauty of autumn. Maybe there was more to this? A chilled wind blew through the area, and it touched Flailstar's skin through his pelt, causing goosebumps to rise along his body. The scent of cinammon came with it from somewhere, and even a light trace of nutmeg sprinkled across his nose. The flowers wer struggling for the heat of the sun, but the attempts were in vain as cold began to circle. if there's one thing i've learned... you never feel the heat until you get burned... Flailstar thought sorrowfully to himself.

The best thing about being leader is that you get to run around and no one has any say. Flailstar felt confident about his territory. He knew where everything was. He could spot a mouse in a snap. So could other things... Things that weren't meant to be in their natural world. Flailstar scanned the ground, looking for signs that were familiar to him. His eyes rested on what he was looking for. It was a metal object, that when stepped on, crushed you with a metallic clanking that echoed unnaturally thoughout and against trees. "This is what you could have stumbled onto" The words fell out of his mouth and seemed to have a stagnant presence in front of them in the form of the sharp toothed object. It was there because of twolegs, but he was sure Turtlekit could inquire that on her own. "And trust me, there are far worse things than this. This is only the beginning" His words were almost as cold as the wind, if not colder. Flailstar looked back at her, sitting back on his haunches.

[Turtle]

Turtlekit's wide-eyed gaze stared down at the metal trap, silenced by the threat it posed. Her tail tip twitched and she closed her eyes, mind flashing with horrible images of cats. Cats that were caught in a trap very much like the one before her now. A long shudder rippled through her body, and her tail twitched in agitation. Where did those come from? This was the first time she'd ever seen such an object, how could she have such vivid memories? She slowly opened her eyes, and the memories disappeared, fading from her mind all-together. Looking up at Flailstar, she released a sigh. He was ruining her fun. Suddenly, she had an idea. She blinked up at the gray leader, tipping her head to the side in mock curiosity.
"Have you been caught by one of these?' She asked, flicking her tail at the metal trap.
Of course she didn't want to hear about Flail star's past. Not now at least. Leaping up, she twisted around and made a dash for it, hoping that Flail star's surprise would give her an advantage. Of course the leader was faster than her, but she could hide better, and fit into smaller places. She felt alive, bolting through the undergrowth, with the gentle sun warming her felt. It almost felt like she was flying, sweeping along like the eagles soared through the skies. But then she tripped.
Her paws caught on a jutting root, sending her tumbling into a patch of ferns. She lay sprawled among them, groaning with irritation. A fiery pain lanced up her left paw, causing her eyes to scrunch shut and her tail to twist and tense. Great.

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[Meerful]

F-F-F-Flail,,

if there's no one with you when your soul embarks
then i will follow you into the dark

Watching her take off, Flailstar growled and dashed after her, easily closing the gap in between them. He succeeded where she failed, and flew over the roots before landing and turning back around fast to stop in front of her. He glared down at her.
"You're a really stupid cat aren't you?" He asked her. Flailstar shook his head at her and leaned down to lick her injured paw, prodding it gently. He looked at the shape of it, and determined the situation. It didn't seem too bad. Just a little too much pressure on it, nothing enough to completely cripple her, except for maybe a few moments.

"By the way, look over to your right" Flailstar sighed impatiently and flicked his tail to where another human trap lay. The stale scent of fox had alarmed him, but when he saw what lay in the teeth of the trap, he knew. A solitary leg without a body, dried crusted blood all over the forest floor and the fur and the trap... He felt himself become queasy, and swallowed his nausea. Pictures of Turtlekit gnawing her leg off tortured his mind for a moment and he wondered, would she be willing to risk her leg to get away? Could she do that?

"Now," He began, choking up a little. He swallowed the bile in his throats, and shook away the images that were playing like a slideshow in his mind, "Would you like me to take you back to camp? Or can I trust you not to run off and wind up in the situation like that fox?" He hated showing her the horrors of the twolegs, but if a verbal warning couldn't teach her, maybe this would. And if it didn't well, when she ended up in a place where her own leg was snapped... Flailstar blinked hard and bit his tongue. That couldn't happen. He couldn't let his own clanmember get hurt. It was his job to protect them. He sighed and waited for her to get up.

[Turtle]

Turtle glowered at Flailstar, green eyes narrowed angrily. Instead of answering, she merely whipped her head around to stare at the trap. It's huge silver teeth sat in unmoving silence, waiting, waiting for some careless creature to step in the wrong spot. Waiting to snap shut it's metal jaws with enough force to snap any cat's leg, paw, whatever. Turtle's eyes widened, having taken in the stray leg, and let loose a long shudder, horrified by the site. With a new breath, she noticed the stench of dried blood, stinging her nostrils with it's harsh, metallic scent.

Not quite ready to look back up and face her leader, she looked around the forest, noticing how the vibrant green leaves faded into gold and orange, as well as the occasional crimson. The season called leaf-fall was coming, she was beginning to see the physical changes that it would bring the damp marshes of ShadowClan for the first time. This will be my first Leaf-Bare. She remembered, curiosity once again taking over. For a moment, she was lost in her mind, reveling over the possibilities that the new season brought. She would an apprentice soon, raising her status in the Clan. Maybe then she could slip out of camp without so much worry, giving her more time to explore and enjoy herself. She would also learn to fight and hunt, merging with the Clan as she aged, gaining the respect of her adoptive Clan mates. And... And she needed to answer Flailstar. Guilt flashed in her for a second, as she had delayed Flailstar from getting back to the Clan.
"No... I'll be fine I guess. She answered, her original reply being lost with the butterfly that floated on the breeze. Her paws itched to reach up and hook her paws in it's wing, to chase it around as it floated on the breeze. But she couldn't do that now, not yet anyways... She thought slyly.

[Meerful]

F-F-F-Flail,,

i got a stage and a mic which i use to say things you wont like

Flailstar glared at her and resisted the urge to let her fall into a trap. He wanted to just leave her there so that she would feel the fear seep into her bones knowing she didn't know the way to the camp from here; he knew she'd most likely get lost, and if she didn't, she would be in big trouble at camp anyway. He pushed the thought away and gave her a cold stare.

"That was a rhetorical question. Kits aren't allowed to be outside camp." He said through gritted teeth. Flailstar moved so that he was in her line of vision-- therefore the butterfly was not. "Now, you're only out here because if you weren't out here with me you'd be out here alone." He thought angrily. Why had the queens not seen her slip out? She could have been squished to the road or missing or leg or even picked up by a fox! And all she could do was stare absent mindedly at a butterfly?! Flailstar was outraged, but he let the turmoil flow underneath the surface like the ocean. Calm atop, raging below.

"Follow me. Now." He ordered, and set off in a different direction, leading her towards a sparkling pond that was dark from the ice and dark coloured sand below. No fish swam in it, no little crawdads scurried about. It was too cold for that, no, it was too dead for that. Nothing seemed to exist in this water as it sparkled unnaturally. It was too clear, but too dark. Twolegs. Flailstar was angry at the little pond. The water was stagnant, just like all the life around it besides him and Turtlekit.
"Look safe to drink?" He turned to her and flicked his tail to it. Could she at least understand the difference between good water and bad water?

[Turtle]

Turtlekit looked around, grinding her teeth together in frustration. What did he want? Why did he have to be so uptight all the time? If I could just make him relax... She thought, considering how that could be done. Maybe if I answer his question right? She asked herself. Looking down, she stared into the depths of the pool. It appeared shallow at first glance, but once past the unnatural sheen reflecting off the sparkling water, Turtlekit could see that the pool held a further depth than she had first comprehended. But it wasn't natural, the water was different, something off about it than the water she often saw in streams and brooks, than the puddles that often filled the camp after a refreshing rain. Her tentative answer was finalized when she stretched her neck to scent the pool. A putrid scent stung her nostrils, causing her eyes to water in turn. The stench was even worse than that of the endless gray of the Thunderpath. Worse still, than the destructive monsters that zoomed along it, casting about an unpleasant wind in their wake. Turtlekit's nose instinctively wrinkled, lips curling upward in distaste. The horrible scent made Turtlekit wonder what could possibly cause such a thing, with whatever it was being foul and unruly.
Shifting to glance at Flailstar, she blinked once before answering.
"No... I don't think so... It doesn't smell right at all." Pausing there, she tilted her head slightly to the right, thinking of an end to her response.
"What is that stuff? Asked the young she-cat, flicking her black tail-tip toward the dull, reflective sheen that floated atop the water before her.

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[Meerful]

F-F-F-Flail,,

pain is only a pulse if you just stop feeling it

Flailstar felt a sudden flash of regret sting him. What if the kit hadn't known better and she blindly started drinking it? When she leaned forward to smell the water he about went over the edge of sane and over into the territory of insanity. His whole body had become rigid with fear and anticipation as to what she was going to do next. He felt the urge to leap out of his calm composure and grab her up by the scruff and take her far away from the toxic water and how-

"No... I don't think so... It doesn't smell right at all."

His heartbeat calmed down as it collided painfully in his chest until it softened to a dull thud against his ribcage. She'd said exactly what he wanted her to say, and expected her to say. Why had he freaked out so much? Maybe it was just leader-ly instincts. Flailstar drew in a huge chestful of air and exhaled slowly. He nodded to Turtlekit in agreement before speaking;

"That's right. Its not safe. At all." He told her, and then swallowed hard and swiped his tongue across his lips before continuing, "Everything in that is toxic. It was once water, but is now polluted by the twolegs, and cannot be drank. It would make your body so sick, not even I can comprehend" Flailstar told her, his nose wrinkling from the stench. They say that scent is the strongest sense, and that its tied to memory, and the stench of this place was almost as bad as the memory tied to it.

"Let's go" He commanded, and swiftly turned around and began to walk away, hoping Turtlekit was following him, and half expecting her to be sneaking off, but really hoping the latter.

[Turtle]

Turtlekit listened in silence as the gray leader spoke, noting the part about the effects of the water. As Flailstar spoke, Turtlekit couldn't help but notice the nervous expression that haunted his face. The action of swiping his tongue didn't do him much liberty either. However, her thought process was interrupted at the sudden, stinging command given by her leader.

"Let's go."

At this, Turtlekit couldn't help but roll her eyes in annoyance. She was almost an apprentice for StarClan's sake! Why did he always have to treat her like a two-moon old kit. Flexing her tiny claws, she shook her pelt gently and turned to follow, her gait unusually stiff in her irritation. The young kit couldn't help herself, her jaw clenched reflexively and she stared coldly at the damp soil beneath her. Turtlekit's reaction surprised even herself, as she was normally the one to be so light and care-free. Blinking quickly, she wiped her previous expression and looked upwards once more. The young she-cat wondered if Flailstar had noticed, even though the bout had been silent.