Warrior Cat Clans 2 (WCC2 aka Classic) is a roleplay site inspired by the Warrior series by Erin Hunter. Whether you are a fan of the books or new to the Warrior cats world, WCC2 offers a diverse environment with over a decade’s worth of lore for you - and your characters - to explore. Join us today and become a part of our ongoing story!
News & Updates
11.06.2022 The site has been transformed into an archive. Thank you for all the memories here!
Here on Classic we understand that sometimes life can get difficult and we struggle. We may need to receive advice, vent, know that we are not alone in our difficult times, or even just have someone listen to what's going on in our lives. In light of these times, we have created the support threads below that are open to all of our members at any time.
Dawnmemories had heard of the disappearance of Wavekit and Sunnykit, the entire clan was currently combing the territory. The young she-cat had spent the morning searching along the border, circling the territory in hopes of catching a scent. Her paws ached and her heart was heavy. The environment in camp was one of despair and it hit her like a blast of cold air when she padded into camp to eat and then go back out. Sunfrog was out, Earthcascade was out, she assumed Sootstep was out searching too. There was her and a few others in camp, even the elders were searching the area close to camp.
She chewed a few bites of stale sparrow and looked around thoughtfully. This wasn't right, and she felt that. She also knew that the kits were no longer in SummerClan. They were gone, taken most likely. And she couldn't allow that. So, she made an incredibly impulsive decision and left again, bounding towards the edge of the territory. Earlier, she'd caught the scent of a rogue cat. That wasn't entirely uncommon, but with the search for the kits coming up empty-pawed, she began to grow suspicious. Now she stood close to the very edge of her territory, tail flicking, and a decision weighing on her mind.
But then she considered the despair and desperation of the clan and knew she had to do this. With a deep breath she stepped across the scent markers and trailed the scent intently. She would find them and return them safely to their home.
Her journey began like that, alone and following an instinct in her. She followed the stale scent carefully, nearly losing it a few times, until she felt worlds away from her clan. Soon enough she picked up another's scent and even a snatch of the kit's scent. No blood yet, for which she was grateful.
Most of the clan was searching for the lost kits. Sootstep wasn't.
He'd been sent out to look, certainly; but he wasn't concerned enough to put the effort in. Kittens wandered off all the time, he still remembered some of the weak points in the camp they could sneak out of, and he wasn't going to ruin their fun by dragging them back to camp. Someone else was going to find them and they'd get yelled at for their trouble, and that would be the end of it. He saw no reason to cause such a panic about it. So he hunted lightly, slept a few minutes on a sunny rock, played around with fishing in the river to no avail, and finally wandered back to camp.
They were still looking?
Sootstep bit his lip as he looked over his clan and listened to the reports coming in. Maybe the kits really were gone. But where? The dark gray tom lingered in camp longer, watched patrols come and go, until finally he was convinced their young truly were missing, and they weren't coming back on their own. He still wasn't sure what to do; did he know anything about tracking? Froststar hadn't covered it in their training and for once he was uneasy about his own skill set. He didn't have have that feeling at the back of his head that made him confident, that certainty that he knew how to do this and he'd merely forgotten. It would be foolish to go out on his own and try to find them.
But waiting idly around here wasn't going to help either. Why not try, just for a day or two?
The dark gray tom glanced mournfully at his nest in the warrior's den, then turned and vanished out the entrance. He climbed through the territory steadily, making good time on the familiar land, and paced along the border until he remembered hearing someone had found a scent trail and followed it beyond the rogue border past the monster he'd once been trapped under. It was easy from there.
Sootstep had been traveling a long time when they noticed a kit scent divulged from the others. Had the kid tried to escape? Stepped off the path to look for water? He wasn't sure, but his pelt prickled eagerly and with a new surge of energy he chased after.
life is a lot, and I'm sorry for how much it impacts me here
1,453 posts
Post by neverstarstar on Nov 10, 2019 1:18:25 GMT -5
The sun was sinking and Dawnmemories belly growled with an insistence that made her pause. Hunting would mean clogging her scent glands with prey scent, tracking such an old sense was a challenge and she didn't want to risk losing the scent trail. But... there was also a mouse nearby. Feeling strangely ashamed of herself, the warrior turned and followed it's scent, finding and killing it easily a few fox-lengths away.
She ate quickly, with famished bites. After that she found the nearest source of water and drank until she felt like she'd be able to smell anything but mouseblood. Dawnmemories returned to where the scent had been and inhaled deeply, frowning when she only got the smallest whiff of the rogue's strange scent. Soon, she would probably lose the scent, especially if it rained as the clouds suggested.
The impending rain and gloom of twilight left her feeling depressed and rather like she'd failed Sunnykit and Wavekit. With a hopeless yowl of frustration she lashed out at a nearby fern, shredding it like she'd shredded her nest only days before.
She'd wanted to save them, help SummerClan, and return a hero. The red warrior wasn't much for winning glory but it may mean Sootstep noticing that she was useful. That she was maybe worth looking at. Because so far he'd seemed either mildly interested in her as a friend or he'd seemed confused and vaguely annoyed by her presence. But nothing has seemed able to sway him firmly into the "Dawnmemories isn't so bad" way of thinking and this had been a chance for her.
The fern shredded nicely, spraying little bits of green around. Tucked under a fern frond, now destroyed, was a tuft of Sunnykit's fur and the sharp tang of dried blood. He'd been hurt here. She went cold with dread.
The scent trail meandered through the grass beside the other and soon reconvened, leaving him a little discouraged, but at least he'd managed to follow it. That was a start, right? Throughout the day he found himself pacing back and forth as he lost the scent track and had to double back. It happened more and more frequently as the day wore on. He was growing tired, and the scents were still weak; it was all too easily to proceed in the wrong direction and end up in the completely wrong place. It was too much of a delay, but he couldn't help it, he kept getting lost. It was frustrating. His stomach was growling lowly but he barely noticed it. All those back to back patrols had taught him well to forget about his hunger for long periods of time. He'd been warned against skipping meals before, but hunger felt familiar to him, like he used to miss meals when he was younger... only he never had. It was another strange memory that had never happened.
His steps dragged as the sky grew dark. He'd had to stop eventually, it was too dangerous to keep moving through the night. This land was unfamiliar, he could fall and hurt himself or run into a predator he'd never seen before. He would have to find somewhere to spend the rest of the night. Somewhere sheltered, based on those nasty clouds gathering above his head. Any rain would wash away the trail... was it worth the risk to keep going? Sootstep couldn't decide.
As he continued on the scent of blood caught his attention. He hardly dared to breathe as he stopped to double check it. Yes! There was a fresh, familiar cat scent here, and with it the unmistakable sharp smell of caked blood. The dark gray warrior abandoned the trail to chase after the scent, bounding through the ferns and bursting forward to see a rogue standing over the kit's blood. His teeth drew back in a snarl and he leaped from cover, tackling the warrior and raising his paw, fangs bared...
life is a lot, and I'm sorry for how much it impacts me here
1,453 posts
Post by neverstarstar on Nov 10, 2019 12:21:09 GMT -5
Thunder cracked the sky and lightening suddenly slashed through it, leaving the area momentarily illuminate in a ghostly kind of way. Dawnmemories about leaped out of her fur, her pelt fluffed up in sudden fear. The incoming severity of the storm had looked innocent, but with thunder and lightening she had a feeling she'd be forced to find shelter. And this also meant she would most likely lose the scent trail.
Quickly she sniffed around for a body but found nothing, half relieved and half sad, knowing with the rain that she may never find the kits now. Another distant rumble shook her and she squinted her eyes shut as the lightening forked through the dense gray clouds.
So the snarl and attack surprised her. In her quest for the kits she'd failed to check her surrounding or realize a fresh scent had reached her. The red warrior was bowled over by the attack and she opened her eyes to see fangs and a raised paw. It may be too late, but Dawnmemories yowled and opened her mouth to fasten her teeth into the attackers shoulder if she could manage. But then the voice spoke her name.
"Sootstep?"
Why had he followed her and then attacked her? Surely he must not have realized it was her, the logical part of her brain promised. They were far from home and secluded, but rationally she was fully aware Sootstep would never murder her. He must have been following the trail of the kits from a different direction. The red warrior felt herself relax under his grip, no longer worried she had met her doom out here with a feral cat.
A fat raindrop landed on her head and she looked over Sootstep's head the the heavy sky, it seemed the rain had caught up to them. But she refocused on Sootstep and cleared her throat, hoping he'd let her up so they could discuss their plans now that they'd found each other.
He stared down at her, adrenaline rushing through his system until he was buzzing under the skin. He had been prepared to fight, to defeat whoever had hurt that kit and scare them off for good, but there was no way she had been the one to steal the clan's kits. Now he recognized the familiar scent he'd crossed as he followed the kit's trail. It had been faint enough he had ignored it, and he wondered how he could have missed her for even a second; she slept next to him, he knew her scent like the back of his paw. Maybe it was too familiar, he'd gotten so used to her being around him he'd forgotten it wasn't just part of the territory.
That was a bad thing, wasn't it? He should have been more on guard, he could have gotten killed if he ignored the wrong scent. But he didn't feel upset with himself... instead, he felt almost giddy to see her again. Even if they were fighting, this was more than he'd seen of her these last few days. Anything was better than the cold shoulder they'd offered each other when they weren't on patrol.
Gradually, feeling the first drops of rain run down the side of his muzzle and drip off his lips, he realized he was still snarling over her, a low growl budding in the back of his throat. As she cleared her throat he snapped his jaws shut and stepped off of her, shaking his head a few times. He didn't meet her gaze, instead hunching his shoulders as he turned to study the blood again and shooting her furtive glances. It made it difficult to focus on the task at paw when she was standing there, probably debating if she was going to attack him again, but he needed to get his head straight. The thunder and rain had already come, and they had to get a good look at this bloodstain before it washed away.
life is a lot, and I'm sorry for how much it impacts me here
1,453 posts
Post by neverstarstar on Nov 10, 2019 14:53:52 GMT -5
"probably debating if she was going to attack him again" excuse me madam, he attacked her xD
No hello, no "sorry I almost turned you into crowfood", just a freaking question about the hunt for the kits.
It warmed her heart in a rather strange way. The whole day she'd been acutely aware that she was alone out here, she wasn't a cat to wander and this was far beyond the distance she'd ever traveled by herself. And who had she secretly wanted to be here with her? The grumpiest cat this side of DayClan. Because she trusted him, especially in an intense situation. They may half hate each other, but he had saved her life during the battle with the foxes and she was positive he'd do it again despite their issues. And she knew that she'd save his too. They were the dream team.
The rain picked up and Sootstep got off of her, his growl fading, and she sat up in a semi-dazed state. He was here. Her heart felt warm and there was tingling in her paws. New hope surged through her and she had to stop herself from pressing against him as she finally managed to join him and stare at the blood with him, "only some of Sunnykit's blood and fur, no body." Thunder crashed and her pelt was soon soaked and sticking to her sides.
She'd missed him. Just speaking to him in a calm, respectful tone felt right and good. Her voice and his body language was warmer than it had been in days. And his scent was all around her but she didn't mind it washing out the rogue's scent, the rain was doing that anyway. The red warrior sighed and looked at the tom beside her sullenly, "I doubt we can follow the scent in this rain, we may have to wait it out."
Dawnmemories wasn't sure what they would do when it stopped, but she intended to continue the search, even if Sootstep didn't. But something told her they were going to be in this together now.
He examined the scrap of fur closely, taking deep breaths of Sunnykit's scent. He was tempted to tell her to go ahead and continue on his own, but the rain was coming too hard. There was no way he could follow this trail now. His tail lashed. What now? The rain was soaking him through to the bone, streams of water running down the backs of his legs and weaving around his muscle. With his fur plastered against his sides he looked thinner; not underfed by their standards but clearly a wildcat, lean and hungry. Rain washed over his eyes and he flinched at another crack of thunder overhead.
"Yeah, okay," he muttered, unsure if she could hear him through the torrent surrounding them. This was no time for arguing or petty squabbles, he was cold and wet and he wanted out of this storm, even (especially) if it meant having to share another small space with her. Shelter was shelter, right? He raised his voice as he looked back at her. "Look around for someplace out of this rain. A cave, or tunnel, or... anything." He squinted at her. Did she hear him? He had to hope she did.
Sootstep turned and shook out his coat before racing the other way. The mud was slick and unsteady beneath his paws and he found himself sliding as the grass beneath his paws proved less steadying than he'd hoped. He skimmed the horizon, seeing nothing but trees on end. Was a nice rock to crouch under too much to ask? Maybe they could make do with one of these low bushes, but it would still be wet and loud... not to mention dangerous within the trees. There had to be somewhere else to go.
life is a lot, and I'm sorry for how much it impacts me here
1,453 posts
Post by neverstarstar on Nov 10, 2019 15:48:35 GMT -5
Dawnmemories nodded and turned away, rolling her eyes and mumbling, "bossy furball," but did exactly as told. Much to her dismay, Sootstep sent her traipsing through the mud to search for shelter. The rain was relentless and she slipped multiple times. The mud stank and she gagged when some got into her mouth at one point. She missed camp and her nest. This wasn't at all the heroic image she'd hoped to project.
By the time she found a small gouge in a rocky wall some rabbit-lengths away, the wind had picked up and the darkness made everything look very dramatically perilous. The warrior pushed her way passed the brambles partially hiding the cave and ignored the uncomfortable tug of the thorns in her sodden fur. Inside it opened up enough to hold her and Sootstep but they would have no choice but be in close contact. The rain sounded strange in here, eerie and kind of far away. It was relatively warm. It would do.
She went back outside, the rain getting uncomfortably louder immediately. Making a note of where the small sanctuary was the warrior turned back and padded towards the place he'd viciously attacked her to look for Sootstep. He wasn't there and she felt nervous as she waited. The wind chilled her and the rain made her feel miserable.
After several heartbeats she stood and called for him, hoping he could hear her over the roaring wind. This storm was sudden and made her feel anxious, she was looking forward to the tiny space she'd found. And it totally wasn't because it meant having to be in a tight space with a certain tom. Honestly, as excited as she was about that prospect, she also knew they would both be crammed into a small space while being wet and miserable. They were almost guaranteed to argue. It could have been gorgeous outside and roomy in the cave and they still would have argued.
Sootstep explored the trees a while longer, just in case. There was a large fallen branch from an oak that provided from shelter, but it was cramped beneath the spindly twigs and they clawed his pelt. The leaves were all dead and fell apart when he touched them, and his cover was rapidly disappearing. The bushes he tried were no better, and while he eyed a tunnel nearby, he doubted they would both fit and they'd like as not run into the homeowner if they tried. He wasn't familiar enough to say if it belonged to a fox or a rabbit, but he wasn't about to find out.
He began to shiver as he crept through the undergrowth. The trees overhead only blocked so much of the rain and the cold wind rifled through his fur until he was miserable. His stomach was grumbling again too, and it was harder to ignore now that he had nothing to distract him from the emptiness in his gut and the rain beading on his whiskers. He slogged onward, creeping round the foot of a hill and wishing he was strong enough to lift a pile of rocks so he could climb beneath them. He was heading back toward their meeting place now. He couldn't hear her over the wind, but when he drew closer he saw she had returned and was standing waiting for him.
He jogged over to meet her, then stood a few feet apart, trying to hide how much he was trembling. "I found a bush and a tree," he began, "but they're both pretty nasty. They'll do if you didn't find anything better." His expectant, hopeful gaze lingered on Dawnmemories. There must be something on the other side that would be more comfortable for them to rest in, though at this point he'd take anything. He was cold and growing colder, and as much as she'd hate to hear it, if they didn't get out of the wind they'd have to huddle somewhere to share body warmth. He didn't want to freeze to death because it was wet and windy.
Squinting at her closer, he could make out traces of mud still stuck on her paws and legs, but she didn't seem to be shaking like he was, or at least not as badly. That was a good sign. It was hard to make her out with the water blurring the sight in his good eye, and he blinked hard as he dragged his gaze away from her again.
life is a lot, and I'm sorry for how much it impacts me here
1,453 posts
Post by neverstarstar on Dec 9, 2019 23:32:40 GMT -5
Dawnmemories shook her fur out uselessly, the rain soaking to her skin and making her shiver involuntarily. "I found a small rock cave but it uh... it has less room than the monster did." That was her delicate little way of telling him they'd be in close contact. "But it's dry, so I think it's a good idea." Also she was cold and being in a small cave with another cat would ensure her some warmth. The rain didn't seem to want to lessen anytime soon and she was beginning to worry about catching whitecough out here.
"I'll show you the way," the red warrior offered, shifting her weight from side to side impatiently. "I think we should get going." Hoping he would actually follow her, she turned and began the trek back to her sanctuary, growling when she ended up right back in the mud.
A bit of helpful lightening lit up the cave in the rock wall and she nodded to it, "behind the bramble, but it will pull at your fur on your way in." Perhaps she was overexplaining, but she knew that this torrential rain must make his eyesight terrible. Despite stubbornly never mentioning his eye, she knew it must present the occasional challenge. Thunder boomed overhead and she jumped, finding herself through the brambles and in the small space before it even died away.
Water dripped to the floor and the rain outside was hushed, making the inside cold and too quiet. Dawnmemories went to the very back and sat, grooming herself in quick, jerky movements. Now, even with her thick red fur, she was shivering and desperate to get some warmth into her frosted skin. The presence of Sootstep was welcome in here, their meager body heat already warming the cramped space around them. When they were dry it would be quite cozy indeed.
Unsure if he was grateful or angry toward the stars for forcing them into this situation, again, he hurried after on her heels. He grimaced as the mud clung around his forelegs and pulled him down, sinking between his toes and beneath his claws. Great, now they'd be covered in mud and soaking wet and crammed close together. At least they didn't have a chance to bicker about it; they both wanted to get out of the cold as soon as possible, and he'd put up with nearly anything to get something warm and dry.
Sootstep flinched involuntarily away from the bright light and missed seeing the cave entrance illuminated. He squinted at the rock wall dubiously, creeping closer to the bramble and squinting hard to make out the gap beneath it. As soon as he spotted it he knew he never would have noticed it, especially not without her giving him directions on where to look. His fur tried to ruffle defensively but it was too wet and plastered to his sides. With a grunt he bit his lip and shoved his way in after her.
Less room than the monster. She really hadn't been overestimating. His shoulders hunched as he shuffled into the small space and hesitated, moving farther in. It was closer to her than he guessed she would have liked, but he was not about to sit by the entrance and keep getting drenched. He didn't bother to clean himself off; instead of focusing on the mud clinging to his paws while it was still wet, he just tucked them close to his chest and curled up so his head and neck covered them up. Slowly feeling began to work its way back into his extremities, though he was still shivering rather violently, and he didn't need the quiet around them to know she could probably hear his jaw clacking.
He shifted uncomfortably about a few times more before he gave up. This is a bad idea, he thought as he rose and shuffled closer. Without a word he curled up again, leaning against the other warrior, praying she wouldn't say a word.
life is a lot, and I'm sorry for how much it impacts me here
1,453 posts
Post by neverstarstar on Dec 22, 2019 12:14:18 GMT -5
The sound of her uneven and desperate grooming filled the space and Dawnmemories was so absorbed with getting her fur dry that she didn't even hear Sootstep come closer. Only when he fully leaned against her did she notice. The red cat paused for a moment in her grooming, eyes opened and fixed to the wall in surprise, but then she forced herself to resume her task. He was cold, obviously. This wasn't weird. And she definitely shouldn't read to much into it.
This wasn't awkward at all, she told herself. But it was. The she-cat could feel Sootstep shivering beside her and Dawnmemories had to tell herself over and over again not to snap and tell him to groom himself. Slowly, as she finished her shoulder fur and sides, she began feeling sorry for the other warrior. The poor cat was wet and cold and having to subject himself to being close to her in order to get warm. She knew he probably hated every second of this. Trapped against with her.
Maybe she should let him freeze? But that was cruel and no matter Sootstep's problem with her, she knew very well that she felt no hatred towards him. So, with a small sigh she began grooming her back and tail, seamlessly moving to Sootstep's fur as she did so. Dawnmemories, gracefully, tried to make it look accidental at first. But when it became obvious what she was doing she just repositioned and began grooming Sootstep in quick, precise movements.
The storm raged on and this was a weird, quiet little moment in that. Unnoticed and unknown by everyone except for them. This existed for them only and that was... comforting to her. In SummerClan it often felt crowded to her. But out here it was almost lonely, and she imagined that without Sootstep finding her she would be even more miserable right now.
He squeezed his eyes tight against the rain and waited for sleep to claim him, but it refused to come, not when he was so miserably cold and tense from being so close to her. She hadn't flinched away yet, but he didn't dare look at her expression either, he knew this arrangement was strictly for the cold and they both understood that.... you understand that, he reminded himself. They'd been in this position before and he knew better, but she was close and they were stuck together now and shouldn't they make the best of that, and try to get along again? More than this uneasy temporary alliance, back to those few days when they'd gotten long, maybe push it a little beyond that?
.... No. He did know better than that.
Feeling her begin to groom him, he kept that thought firm at the forefront of his mind. He didn't move away or fight against her touch but sighed and eventually leaned back into her. The rhythm soothed him as much as it stressed him, as much as he wanted to purr and enjoy the help, he was strangely nervous. There was a flicker of heat inside him with her so close, probably because he was being so overdramatic like usual, making something out of nothing, or maybe a residual bit of discomfort because she was always so unpredictable. That was probably it. Uncertainty.
Still.... as the quiet went on he shifted slowly to look at her, and then away, and mumbled a soft "thanks" under his breath.
life is a lot, and I'm sorry for how much it impacts me here
1,453 posts
Post by neverstarstar on Jan 24, 2020 23:22:41 GMT -5
"I..... thanks."
The words, well really word, encouraged Dawnmemories and she flicked her ears good-naturedly, "you're welcome," she meowed as she continued grooming. "I wouldn't like seeing you freeze to death you know."
It was a joke, but Dawnmemories surprised even herself with the sincerity in her voice. She truly cared for Sootstep. Of course, Dawnmemories quickly reminded herself, not in a romantic way. But he was her clanmate, shouldn't clanmates care for one another? The rhetorical mental question reassured her again and she flicked her tail. The red cat moved one to his ears and head, purring without realizing it as she did so. This was a completely domestic moment, one rare for the two complicated cats.
Dawnmemories mind was filled with memories of the monster, of being pressed against Sootstep out of fear. This was different, or so she felt. The red cat was warm enough to pull away and there was no threat here, but still she shifted closer and continued her rhythmic grooming of her companion. Her rusty purr filled the space that had so recently been occupied with the sound of the storm, a much more comforting sound really.
But as with anything having to do with these two cats there was a trace of something. Something that mystified Dawnmemories. In these moments it felt like they'd been like this forever. That this was normal for them. But it so wasn't. Dawnmemories wondered a lot if that meant she had a crush on the stubborn warrior. But it felt different than even that. More... deliberate. Like of course she groomed him. Of course they were pressed together. Of course her heart and belly were filled with butterflies. Of course this moment meant such an incredible amount to her.
Of course. But... but why? How?
He was close to dry now, so she slowed her motions and instead pressed her forehead against his shoulder with a small sigh, her mind whirling as she tried to understand herself. Her actions. Her heart.
He huffed, but he didn't have the words to reply. He didn't want to start another fight off a joke, and knowing the two of them she wouldn't understand if he gave her sarcastic answer. It was better not to say anything and just accept her cordial concerns. His head shifted back under her touch to improve her angle, and he half-closed his eyes again. He was still nervous, but the rhythmic motions were waxing away his anxiety and he was gradually feeling more relaxed. Her purr helped as well; it filled his ears and he could feel the rumble from her body. Warming up and cuddled against her, he could easily forget himself in the comfort.
As she leaned against his shoulder he shifted his position, dropping slightly to accommodate her and reduce the strain on her neck, and his head nestled down close to his chest. He mimicked her sigh without noticing, and when he felt his own warm breath brush his whiskers his eyes opened again to find he'd moved closer to her. Too close. The space between their faces was hardly longer than a whisker, and everything was her and she overwhelmed his senses.
His breath hitched without his permission and his pupils were blown up, and his mind stumbled seven steps behind the rest of him. He shouldn't be studying her so close, should be pushing her away or closing eyes again, or anything other than drinking her in like a man without first. It wasn't the first time they'd been this close, not the first time he'd been in this situation, but he wasn't prepared and his reaction was so dumb he could have laughed at himself... if he wasn't so desperately lost in the shine of her drying fur and the light in her eyes and her touch. Look away became an anthem beating in the back of his head, but his mouth was dry and it took the strength of a thousand badgers to finally drag his gaze away.
Sootstep turned his head away and closed his eyes, his breath wild and shuddering and if it hadn't been so cold and wet outside he'd have fled a hundred paces.
life is a lot, and I'm sorry for how much it impacts me here
1,453 posts
Post by neverstarstar on Apr 21, 2020 0:44:24 GMT -5
my heart is exploding
Dawnmemories felt her heart stumble when he moved and still allowed their contact. He was... okay with this? They'd cuddled before and Dawnmemories was sure this meant as much as that moment meant. It was just adrenaline and residual fear, surely? But there didn't seem to be any force on earth or in StarClan capable of making her break this moment. This one, tiny, fleeting, perfect moment. Because with them that was all they allowed themselves. Fleeting moments, seconds stolen from themselves. Despite their draw to each other the two cats seemed entirely and completely resistant to it.
There could not be love or even like between them because they spent so much time assuring there wasn't. But as this moment ticked on, Dawnmemories couldn't help but admit that something was there. At least on her side. The warmth that flooded her was caused by him, as though he were the sun bursting through the storm clouds outside. He was the one warming her back up. He was the reason she wasn't drowning.
And when they locked eyes Dawnmemories was struck by the familiarity of it. By the unbidden thought of how much he meant to her. Of course, he couldn't possible be her sun. They didn't have that relationship. But as she stared back it overwhelmed the reason in her brain. He was indeed her light. And always had been. And that 'always' went deeper than their own lives, it felt so stretched. As though they'd been playing this game with each other for much longer than their lifespan. They'd meant something to each other before, they must have.
However, the red warrior didn't believe in anything like that. It sounded magical and she had no patience for such folly. No, it was a physical reaction caused by their dynamic. This was a strange moment, sure, but not a special one. She reminded herself of this again when he turned his head away. Tried to ignore the sharp pang of loss. Tried to reassure herself that the moment was gone and they were normal again. She was Dawnmemories and he was Sootstep, they couldn't stand each other.
"like a man without first" past me is so eloquent, what was this even supposed to say
He shifted restlessly as he began to awaken from a slumber he didn't remember entering, snuggling deeper into the warmth of his nest. For once the drafty den wasn't sending icy spikes through his fur and the sun wasn't blinding hot behind his eyelids; in fact, his nest was more comfortable than he remembered, warm and thick and solid and so unlike the scraps of old moss he was used to sleeping on he didn't want to wake up. He blinked lazily and stretched out his neck, recognizing the haze of fur in front of him without alarm until he realized the other cat wasn't in the neighboring nest but curled around him. And Sootstep finally became conscious of the awkward truth:
that at some point in the night, he had wrapped himself around his companion. His face buried in the crook of her neck, his tail and forepaw cradling her close against him, it was hard to deny he must have been the one to pull her closer, and he was merely glad she was still asleep. If he was lucky, she hadn't woken to realize the predicament he'd placed him in, and when she did rise she would be none the wiser. But as it was, her eyes were closed and he guessed she was still unconscious, and he took a few moments too long to gaze at her peaceful expression. A wistful sigh in his chest, he shook his head to clear the strange feeling and pulled away from her, carefully rolling free of her and climbing to his paws.
It was then that he became aware the rain outside the cave had stopped, and it was early dawn, the sun's light barely visible. Sootstep climbed out of the tiny space and set out in search of prey. He scouted the landscape and found a suitable catch; then, the sun twice as high now, he hurried back to the den with the squirrel hanging from his jaw to see if she was awake.
life is a lot, and I'm sorry for how much it impacts me here
1,453 posts
Post by neverstarstar on Apr 21, 2020 23:53:07 GMT -5
i refuse to reread old replies from me because they usually contain some type of nonsense.
Dawnmemories was warm, the hush of her surroundings lacked the business of camp she was accustomed too. Some part of her unconscious registered the strange warmth enfolding her but she simply sank into, purring even in sleep. But then the warmth vanished, it simply seemed to creep away from her. Soon she was cold enough to wake and lift her head, momentarily surprised by where she was. But in a heartbeat she recognized the cave and stood up, stretching luxuriously before even noticing Sootstep was missing.
The she-cat's first irritating instinct was to panic, but she reminded herself sternly that he was a warrior. He could easily defend himself if there was danger nearby. Besides, she felt awkward. Dawnmemories couldn't recall falling asleep last night, had they said anything to each other? Is that why he'd left? Now a panic of a different type flared and she padded out of the small cave, the ground making a disgusting squelching sound as she walked.
But she had managed three steps before Sootstep came into view with a squirrel. "Oh," she meowed, voice betraying her overwhelming relief, "hi." Dawnmemories turned and led the way back to their cave, shaking her paws as she padded back in. It smelled like her and Sootstep and rain and earth. It seemed, for a moment, like they were the only cats to exist. It was just them out here. Shouldn't she be missing SummerClan? But she couldn't bring herself to. Instead she felt only nervousness and a weird, slight excitement. Like anything could happen.
She met him at the entrance to the cave and it was a good thing his mouth was full of prey because he almost felt the urge to smile. What had gotten into him lately? He shook his head, mystified, as he trotted after her into the den and stopped at the entrance. He dropped the prey down on the cold stone and glanced up at her. "I don't think I should go in there, but you can eat this before we get going," he told her, holding up a paw to show her the thick layers of mud stuck to his legs. The rain had left the entire world dangerous and muddy, and he was coated from toe to shoulder with the dark substance. At least he'd caught the prey and kept it mostly free of mud; apparently, squirrels were too light to really sink into the mud like he had when he pounced.
"I don't want you complaining all day about how hungry you are, that's all," he added as an afterthought when he realized his gesture was ambiguously friendly. His neck fur ruffled a little to emphasize his words, though they lacked any true spite, he turned and bounded a few steps away from the cave to balance on an outcropping of grass that was mostly clean and intact. He stretched and settled down onto it to begin grooming his fur, ignoring the soft rumble of his belly. He didn't have a chance to catch something for himself, but that was okay, he was no stranger to hungry days. It helped his focus.
