Silvered Forest

[Kiji]

The sun had long said its goodnight to the forest, having set some time ago. And yet, even as the moon rose, touching the land below with something out of this world, not all were slumbering who should have been. Silently weaving in and out of brush, grasses, and tufts of bushes growing close together, came a dark figure, bobbing up and down as though dangerous waves rippled below it. Even the sun's bright rays could not lighten the coat, so the silvered touch of the moon could do little.

Kiji trotted through her territory, in her silently confident way, scanning everything with her bright forest colored eyes. Her destination would have been clear to any locals, yet to the unaccustomed eye, it appeared she followed no path. Her small graceful paws were leading her down a narrow trail, used mainly by rabbits, that eventually wound its way right past the WindClan camp. It made Kiji wonder sometimes, why in the world rabbits would want one of their trails to lead right past the camp, but she never found an answer.

She veered off the trail when she knew she was close to home. Before she entered the well protected camp, she turned around, and looked over the land. She saw a lone rabbit taking in the last of the grass from a small tuft. She saw the large moon, gleaming its unfaltering light upon her world. She also saw a lone owl, circling the skies a ways off. But with one final sigh, she blinked her goodnight to the world, and padded into the camp, heading straight to the Warrior's Den.

Since there was hardly a soul awake now, she managed to get to the den without inturruption. It wasn't hard to get to her nest, it was right by the entrance. She was always an early riser, so others gave her this spot without protest. And even now, she found its warmth and security inviting, and laid down in it gracefully. She took one last look over the sleeping warriors, then closed her silvered forest color eyes.

((If anyone wants to RP, we can start tomarrow morning, in this scene))

[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

However, not all cats were sleeping.
Pale blue eyes snapped open, their strangely radiant frozen colors glowing feebly in the darkness. Silver-blue cranium turned slightly, giving the feline a better position to stare fixedly at the other she-cat. Orbs stayed still, unblinking. Whiskers twitched as nose scented the air, and maw opened slightly ajar, revealing gleaming tips of thorn-sharp daggers as the cat yawned. Tongue poked out between ivory fangs as mouth widened, and then swiftly slipped back as teeth clamped shut. Eyes kept staring intensely, not moving the slightest inch, head tilted slightly to the side in an expression of curiousness.
Another yawn pushed breath into the animal's lungs, opening jaws wide as wind was pulled inside. Seemingly becoming bored with the stillness of the other, the feline settled down again, head nestled inside the crook of both forelegs. Tail curled around rump, twitching lazily as feline closed its eyes.
However, sleep did not seem to come easily. She, for it was female, tossed and turned on her bedding of moss, whimpering faintly, tail now lashing the air in fear. Orbs revealed themselves again as she-cat stopped moving, breath coming in short, ragged gasps. Eyes flickered from side to side, searching for whatever creature had been chasing the feline in her dreams, and finally settled on the one who had come in earlier again. Sleep would not come that night.

[Kiji]

A light darkness had enveloped the she-cat in her nest of warmth, security, and comfort. The world itself had seemingly disolved away, leaving nothing but empty space, occupied by black. The mind lost track of its physical being, enjoying the freedom instead. All was detatched, seperate, uninvolved. When this odd side of life disappeared nothing could be remembered of it. Ever.

But since the sleep was so light, sounds of another stiring restlessly were still picked up, bringing the mind back to the body. Mahogany ears twitched, as the sounds became reconizable. Other facial features moved, and twitched, as the body fully regained its mind. Almost as if with reluctants, forest colored eyes flickered open, and took in the den. Nothing had changed, yet something had brought a state of awarness about again.

Kiji lifter her elegant head, and peered around the sleeping bodies, to the one that was awake. At first nothing caught her vibrant eye, but she was determined. Taking one last scan, she spotted a movement, and focused in on what exactly it was. A body, silver even without the moon. Kiji reconized who it was immediately, and desided to see if she was still awake.

"Owlface?" came a short, quiet ring of Kiji's sweet tone. She was fully awake now, and was very unlikely to fall back into her light doze of a sleep. Drawing in breath once again, she let her kind, soft voice ring out once more, "Are you awake?" If no anwser came, she would leave it be, to not wake other, no so kind friends.

[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

Eyes kept staring at Kiji as the she-cat awoke from her light slumber, disturbed by the physical nightmares of the older female. Owlface let a thin sigh of regret escape her maw, and orbs let their frozen gaze fall to the ground, both ears, ripped and ragged, stuck firmly to her head. It wasn't the first time she had woken another from their sleep. It had happened many times before. When she was a kit, an apprentice, a prisoner, and then a warrior of Windclan. But the nightmares kept returning. At first, when she was young, they were hazy and heavily misted, as if she was remembering something from a very long time ago. They cleared up more and more as the moons had passed, and went on coming whe she became a rogue, living alone. And then... the nightmare had come to life. She had not been able to chase it away since then.

She cautiously watched Kiji scan the den, dark green eyes shimmering in the pale shafts of moonlight that managed to push their way through the walls. Pale eyes of ice held forest gaze, and she awaited the question, the inevitable inquiry.
And it came. Her name was spoken out loud, though quietly enough for no others to be bothered by it. The word had the tone of a feline asking a question, as if she was wondering if Owlface was there. Another question soon followed, and the feline it had been addressed to kept silent for a moment, hoping sleep would take her in those few seconds of restless silence. But her wish was not looked after. She stayed well awake, and finally resented to answering the other female, her own voice light and faint in the blue-bathed world of night.

"Yes. I'm awake."

Cream and silver-blue cranium raised itself higher so she could be distinguished more easily from the other warriors amassed around her thin and frail body. She looked more like an elder than anything, and her face was gaunt, pale eyes sunken in their sockets, dark circles under her eyes from the constant lack of sleep she had to endure. Pointed, delicate face was now horribly emaciated, cheekbones showing clearly through the light covering of her fur. Once-elegant paws were placed neatly under her chest, their distinctive ivory tips glowing with unearthly light. Another sigh swept through her open maw, and she spoke again.

"Why are you awake? I woke you, did I not?"

Her tone was that of reproach, but not towards her surroundings or the younger she-cat in front of her. She was reproachful of herself, because she was always bothering others, disturbing them, waking them. It was something she could not push away. Just like the nightmare.

[Kiji]

All was quiet in the time after her voice rang out, seemingly quite loudly, to the other she-cat. After the pause lengthened, and the still air remained, thoughts of the other awake had almost vanished. And yet, silence was shoved aside by the quiet voice of another, the sounds forming words, that responded to her own. Almost sad that another should be awake at this time, a sigh was let out of the lungs, disturbing a little tuft of moss that was unattatched to the surrounding world. It tumbled a little ways, then lay motionless, in the cold that every night brought.

Kiji let her ears relax slightly, having found what she was looking for. Her eyes however, stared intently at the face who had just risen into their view. Had it been light out, they would be shining in their brilliant forest color. And, even though they were silvered this moment, some green still shown through, with reflection, and without.

A breath was taken in, about to be let out with more sound, when indeed sound came back about. Owlface had taken the words from Kiji's mind, as she spoke what was on her's. A question. Directed at her, of course, who else would it be? But it wasn't spoken with curiousity, but with reproach, and almost disgust. Desiding the answer ment more than she knew, Kiji gave a tiny shake of her head.

"Of course not," sang out her sweet voice. It flowed smoothly, as the lazy river flowed past the stone. The tone of the other she-cat had troubled her, and she was oddly detirmined to discover the root of it. So, adding to the noise that kept the silence at bay, she mewed, "Are you to sleep again, in the little time the moon's light rules the forest?" There was little of the night left, the moon having already sunk to low in the sky. Kiji knew that she wouldn't, and wouldn't mind the company if Owlface would give it.

[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

Though Owlface was not great of seeing, mainly from the thick scar running over her right eye, she did notice the faint movement of the other she-cat's head as she shook it. Cranium tilted almost imperceptibly to the side in a gesture of curiousness. What was Kiji thinking? Probably about what she had said herself. Her tone of voice had not been especially pleasent, and the female could have mistaken it for anger or disgust. It was hard to tell how other felines interpreted different things.

However, her thoughts were soon interrupted by another bout of speech coming from the woken she-cat. Realising her silvered gaze had descended and was now resting on the springy green of the moss between her forelimbs, she quickly raised her skull, eyes facing the sterling forest orbs of the other once again. Ears perked above her head, ripped audit twitching slightly as a faint jolt of pain shot up its roots. Scarred face, strangely soft in the bluish glow of the moon, stared openly at the dappled features of the other feline. The stump of the ageing she-cat's left forepaw twinged as it edged into a more comfortable position on the cushiony surface of the moss.
A new question added itself to the short string of inquiries which had been made in those few moments, also adding another short lapse of sound as tired mind flickered and whirred into action again. The moon was low over the horizon, heralding the coming of dawn and a new day. Hardly an hour or two of nocturnal time was left before the sun arose over the brink of the earth, bringing warmth and calm as it ascends the skies. The younger she-cat knew Owlface's answer, but it was better to be sure.

"Sleep does not come anymore to me than mice do to cats," she mewed as a simple reply, her slightly enigmatic answer enough to provoke curiosity in any infant or adolescent of healthy mental capacities. "I will stay awake to watch the sun rise. And you?"

[Kiji]

(( Sorry for abandoning this thread... Tis the end of the school year, and well, I like to call May, "Project Month"> Its over now though))

In the time of day, or night rather, time seems to be able to stretch itself, however that is possible. A single second of silence in time could feel like a whole minute of awkward thinking. The moon can raise its position from tree top to tree top, and an entire night's time was felt. And yet, that is some of the magic that gleams in the forest eyes of Kiji, the magic that can make one night feel like nothing less than a life time. Twolegs always say, "I wish this night could last forever." Well, if they could just see this magic, open their blinded eyes, perhaps it would.

In otherwords: the short time it took for Owlface to respond felt much longer to the young mind of Kiji, than it infact truly was. So when the sound of the aged she-cat came, a shocked ripple shot its way silently throught Kiji. Her mind had drifted, accustomed to the lack of sound, and didn't take well to being jolted back. But she did not show it. She did nothing more than kindly reply.

"What is beauty if nothing is ever there to whitness it?" Kiji smiled in the fading dark, and stood with one whish of a sound, awaiting Owlface to join her. "Wasted", she added in a softer voice, before headed towards the den entrance.

[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

((Ish okee :3 But you'd better go to the Activity Check and post there soon.))

A faint smile of recognition twitched up the corners of the ageing blue-point's scarred, silver maw, acknowledging the younger cat's power with words, and the tired she-cat heaved herself painfully to her weary paws. Though Owlface did look older than most, she still had good hearing and a great sense of smell. Audits swiveled around on the surface of her skull, picking up minute noises around her, including the faint answer that Kiji created to her own inquiry. Stretching her limbs one by one, the three toes left over on her right foot wriggling pleasurably, she worked the kinks out of her articulations and finally stepped lively off the moss, landing in a semi-leap on the dry, dusty ground outside, just ahead of the younger warrior. Tendrils of disturbed earth blew up and around her gaunt frame, wreathing her in mysterious volutes of glowing tan or chestnut brown, illuminated by the faint silver light of the setting moon. She glanced back towards her awakened companion, let a brief smile of welcoming warmth cross her fierce features, and then turned back again, letting her gaze adrift over the wind-swept plains of her Clan.
Faint morning breezes replaced the stiffling heat of the flatland night, blowing across the waving, dancing grasses like soft whips of carressing air, soon to disappear and leave their place to the daytime gusts of the prairie. Spindly stalks of gold were still tainted with platinum hues while the moon disappeared beyond the horizon, their opposite side glowing with crimson, dark vermilion and violet tones with the rising sun. That luminescent orb would reach its zenith later on, too strong to stare at with full eyes, shining like a molten ball of metal, and then descend again, humbly leaving its place to the Moon, then master of the time. And on it would go, one coming after the other, following forever, and not stopping for anything. For a moment, Owlface wondered what made them desire to meet each other so much, and why one did not turn around as the other continued on. It was senseless play, as if these two celestial spirits were simple toys being pushed around and around by a bored kitten sitting alone. Snorting faintly at this thought, though she still wanted to know if her theory was true, or if it was just another creation from one more imaginative mind. She shrugged, pushing her inquisitive questions away, and stepped out of the way of the den's entrance and exit, glancing inside to see if Kiji was coming.

[Kiji]

A faint sound of movement answered the stare of the older she-cat, though visible confirmation did not. The pain of a small itch stabbed at Kiji's paw, as if a tiny bug had made her its lunch. Baring razor sharp teeth, she scratched at it with a gentle ease, drawing no blood, nor leaving anything but ruffled fur. A pink tongue swiftly rasped over the paw, to smooth the disturbed hairs, before disappearing back into its cave.

Kiji then joined the world outside the small den, full of warriors hidden in dreams, and thoughts, some of which not even the dreamer, or thinker know to be true. Many times Kiji had wondered why a constant battle waged inside all that share the common sense that buzzed in her own ear; a battle between heart and mind. Thoughts were of the mind, and dreams were of the heart. Kiji believed this to be true at least, and if it were, then how can both reside in the same being?

It was a question that could not be answered, and it wouldn't be now. With a graceful bound, Kiji landed with a slight thump, and a tiny dust cloud, next to Owlface. And just like that, all thoughts of mind or heart disappeared, stored away for another time.

The forest within Kiji's eyes gleamed in the faint light, as they searched for the spirit, or power that shown in Owlfaces'. In a kind voice, no louder than what she had been using inside the den, Kiji murmured, "Do you have a spot in mind to watch the sun rise?" If not, Kiji always had her own. A cozey little area ontop of the ridge that lead down to WindClan camp, tucked away so no other interrupted whatever thoughts or dreams were on Kiji's mind.

[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

The older female welcomed Kiji's arrival with a thin smile, swiftly dipping her head, ice-hued eyes blinked warmly as she turned once more to look at the setting moon and the rising tendrils of crimson and magenta, indigo tones sliding back and away, her left ocular taking all in as right one saw nothing, only an inky darkness devoid of light. A slight shiver ran down the length of Owlface's spine, raising her hackles for a moment before letting them fall slowly back into their previous place. To lose the sight in her eye, to not be able to spot anything except this penetrating fog of gloom, that would be a nightmare worse than any happening in her eventful life. To lose the gift of seeing her enemy, her oldest brother, approaching her with claws unsheathed, a ruthless smirk pasted on his scornful face, and not be able to defend herself against the coming blows, that was the hell she was desperately trying to escape. But every day, every morning, she would feel the age getting to her faster than to any other cat: aching joints as she stretched out leisurely, pains in her spine after a long while of sitting or standing still, agonizing twitches in her stump of a paw, and, worst of all, her sight lessening bit by bit. A few moons ago, she would have been able to spot a rabbit scurrying across the wind-swept Clan plains many tail-lengths away, but now, at the same distance, all she ever perceived was a blurry white or brown form escaping away in a thick cloud of tan dust.
Her mind had wandered for a few moments when Kiji's question reached her ragged ears. That was another problem. She couldn't hear as well as she used to, and she wasn't even half-way to elder age. What a disaster. What a complete disaster. Shaking her head mournfully for a moment, she sighed reluctantly, and raised blue-tipped skull to face the younger she-cat and give her answer.

"On top of the WindClan camp's rise. Beautiful view, and separated. Unless you have other ideas, hmm?"

[Kiji]

Something was wrong, of that Kiji was sure. The reluctant answer, the sigh of sorrow, and the faded expression cued upon this. But what? Nothing Kiji could see, or sense. They were outside the crowded den, watching the moon fade, and sun rise, as if nothing in the world mattered except this moment. But obviously that only applied to Kiji. Owlface had something on her mind, and Kiji wanted to comfort her. But how?

No way she could think of, except to be there. The worry that raced her very thought trails had appeared on her face for mere seconds, before a sweet smile took over. She leaned over, and touched her nose gently to Owlface's flank, before looking back into her chilled looking eyes. "Come then, to miss any sunrise that one can whitness is too much of a shame." The kind, young tones of her sweet voice rang dead in the mist of the morning that always accumpanied Kiji from her bed, and into the world. The echos were dead as well. A solitary bird flew overhead, and its call barely made it to the two clanmates.

((Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, ran out of ideas....))

[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

Silver-blue features tilted to the side in a questioning gesture, ice-chip eyes wide and staring, as if the older female was desperate to send an important message to her companion by the simple power of her mind. She had seen the flicker of worry on Kiji's face, even though her eyesight was weakened and continued failing, and that was enough to make her concerned. The gentle other didn't usually show such things, or at least going by the blue-point's judgement. But the anxiety soon dissolved into a sweet smile, and so Owlface stopped being troubled. Kiji was a gentle soul, and didn't look like she could make anyone tormented or uneasy around her. The siamese she-cat liked that point, since she already had enough misery and irritation in her life. She didn't especially want her existence to get any worse, or to veer off the track.
A rough purr sounded in her throat, and she followed the younger feline obediently, the three paws leftover from battles of long ago thumping rythmically against the dry, hard-packed ground, sending volutes of dust tumbling high in the air to be swept away by the morning winds. Tendrils of mist coming up from the plains, created by the evaporation of the dew on the innumerable plants out there, whispered around Owlface's feet, sliding against the raw red flesh of her stump, cooling down the burning pains she felt occasionally in her leg nerves. She let another sigh whistle through her fangs, its tone being one of bliss for once, and continued on, thoughts of her strange ageing already pushed far away to a cobweby, shadow-filled corner of her mind. She would dwell on it later.

Finally, padding over the lumpy rise that marked the edge of the camp, the older of the pair sat herself down in the dirt, a pleasure-filled mask of quiet joy shining on her fiercely scarred features. It had been a long time since she had watched the sun rise with a companion, here, on the hill marker of the camp. A very long while. Ever since she had arrived here, to be truthful. And it was... a good thing, to put it bluntly. A new experience. And one that seemed to get ever better as she watched the first slash of moon disappear below the horizon behind her, and the curve of the sun's golden, glowing sphere. Crimson shades filled the sky, slowly turning into velvet indigo and the dark ebony of night, the nocturnal color of the sky. Rust slowly changed to tangerine, also fading away into a brilliant yellow, like the sweeping grasses of the plains. And all of it going slowly, so very slowly, like a snail across a leaf, but with an unequalled majesty. A thin line of a smile replaced the open-mouthed expression of awe as Owlface went on watching, gaze unwavering, waiting for the sun to finally stop peering over the wall of the earth and reveal itself in its full splendor.

[Kiji]

Just as the stream must follow the path laid out for it, the sun and moon chase each other in set times, never appearing in the same sky for long, never to truly meet. They are strangers to each other, yet dependant, the best of friends, yet solitary. Their lives would be one hard to fulfill. Always being alone, and at the same time marveled. Their lives would be one of torture for the young, and free spirit observing them now. Kiji was always interacting with others, be they cats, or owls, or the grasses of the moorland. Thats just the way she was. Just like the stream must follow the path laid out for it...

A tossed glance of her tortie shoulder, and a lance of pain shot through her eyes. A gleaming sun ray had freed itself of the sun, and shot itself in to the green eyes of Kiji. Regaining the sense of no pain, forest orbs glanced ahead at the dimming moon, before shooting sideways to ensure Owlface's steady pace. The older, yet not elder queen seemed to only be using three paws, making balance a bit harder to come by. But when the slim smile caught Kiji's eyes, all was fine. Why worry when life is moving along without you?

Reaching the decided destination, Kiji gave her pelt one shake, riding it of all dew drops that had opted to land on her gleaming pelt. Ridded of the extra weight, Kiji sat comfortably next to Owlface, wrapping her tail around her dainty paws. All seemed right in the world at that moment. The sun chased the moon, the stars faded, the mist swirled, and lifted, and all seemed right. The night turned to day, just as always. Silence filled the air, and yet, life bustled around the warriors, as the sun dwelling world awoke.

Keen eyes could see into the camp, following the few bodies that now occupied it. Their pelts gleamed with fire, even if they were silver, or black. The gentle violets, and indigos turned to dramatic reds, and oranges. Day flowers were re-blooming. All was as it should be. Just like the stream following the path laid out for it...

[Flintpelt [Spideh]]

For a fleeting moment, Owlface turned her head and flashed Kiji a quick, contented smile, steely pale blue eyes blinking warmly at the younger warrior. The thick scar running over her right ocular twisted and curved along the lines of her skin as the grin distorted her features, ripples forming along her gaunt cheeks, making her seem slightly younger as the friendly two rows of gleaming fangs revealed themselves from beneath thin lips. But the ivory sheen of healthy teeth soon disappeared as the ageing she-cat swiveled cranium away once more to face the rising orb of the golden sun, ashen eyes fixing the shining sphere of shining stone as it slowly ascended in the ligthening heavens, the brilliant dark indigo and velvety soft hues of soothing ebony changing gradually to clearer colors, bright yellows and oranges, vibrating crimsons and cool violets. The thin smile of calm joy had returned to the female's sagging features, enhancing the look of exhausted lack of sleep etched carefully into her creamy, pearly gray face. The cut slicing her nose into two halves twitched slightly as whiskers edged upwards and back down in a movement of scenting. Owlface knew what she would find imprinted upon the air, but still she did this strangely ritual sensing, finding it easing to drag in the fresh aromas of early morning on the plains.
The tingly, new smell of clean dew upon the stalks of swaying grass out on the prairie weaved around and over the heady, coyly scent of fields filled with rainbow-hued flowers. The musky odor of a mouse creeping across hard-packed ground then reached her nostrils, soon followed by the essence of the earth itself, dry and dusty to the taste. Finally, the comforting perfume of dark green leaves in the dark, deepest confines of the forests beyond hit her full in the mouth, flooding her with a sense of dread and joy. Her brother was hiding out there, under the disguise of the name Ashfur, living like any normal cat in the realm of RiverClan. And one of her kits was out there with him, the breath still fresh in her body, thoughts still whirling through her inexperienced mind. The ancient-looking feline was torn between sweet compassion and pure, raging hate, complete fear and the desire to meet the last living marker of her descendance. The pretty little she-kit had probably been renamed, just to scorn her mother and crush all signs leading to the young female, but Owlface had no care for dubbance as long as she was still able to recognize the kit, probably grown into a warrior with all these moons under her paws. Heaving a great sigh of regret, shaking her head slowly, Owlface steadied her thoughts back onto the sunrise, hoping the majestic sight would take her mind off of other pressing matters.