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Post by //Cindy// l u n a on Apr 4, 2009 11:36:14 GMT -5
Can skies rip open? Petal wouldn't have thought so, but right now it seemed as if some massive, mythical feline had reached up, stretched towards the glimmering stars, and dragged his razor claws across the purple fabric of the vast above. And the water came down, pouring with abandon out of the slits in the darkness. And Petal couldn't see the stars anymore; everything was a massive cloud of black-gray.
She had never seen rain like this, a new-leaf fury. Perhaps when she was little, to young to remember, she had been in the caves at a time like this. She remembered hiding out during soft storms and listening to the faint sounds of the drops hitting the earth. But it had been dark and dry in the cavern that used to be her home, and she pictured her siblings and her mother now - relaxing safely and warmly under the arching roofs of the caves, curled up between little stalagmites.
But RogueClan's camp had no such a shelter. The knarled branches that covered the dens had been stripped by the downpour and water was finding its way into every crevice. Although the air within the dens wasn't as full of rain, there was no inch anywhere in the camp that wasn't soaked. Some cats had left the camp as the rain was beginning, trying to find shelter somewhere else in the territory. A few cats reveled in the tempest, stalking half-drowned Clanners or getting in some tough play-fighting. So Petal, not used to the rain and unable to sleep in the soggy apprentice den, stood solitary in the drenched camp, experiencing a true storm for the first time.
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Post by .Whitey. on Apr 7, 2009 15:12:11 GMT -5
ooc: I hope you don't mind my joining in. 
The downpour had attracted one tom out into the soaked but soft camp clearing. It seemed that even inside, one couldn't find anywhere to remain dry, besides Darkhearts den, which probably had the most branches and leaves to cover his head. There had only been one other time in his life when the rain had been this bad, the time when the swap had flooded with water and water moles were aplenty, but even then, the odd few mice had been drowned in the deluge. It was at this point the Deputy, for all intents and purposes, spotted Petal stood alone bracing the storm as if waiting for some miracle.
Moon, on the other hand was quite at peace with the downpour, he was sat in the corner, his bright yellow eyes seemed to gleam through the rain at Petal. The tom could remember the day he had brought Petal from the Misty Swamps to RogueClan, where she was only young and not as experienced as she was now. Though, it did cross the old toms mind, who her mother must have been, or her father for that matter, as it seemed Petals defiance throughout the Clan of giving in and giving up just proved how stubborn she was.
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Post by //Cindy// l u n a on Apr 7, 2009 17:12:44 GMT -5
Petal's fur had never felt so supremely useless. During most rains, it held in warmth and blocked away the water. Even on the coldest of dry nights, the apprentice's pelt protected her. On the hottest day of the year, it still regulated her temperature. It was what kept her safe from the elements, from raging nature. But now, during this tempest, it was plastered to her skin and soaking in even more moisture than Petal thought possible. The rain was so heavy that she could feel the weight of it pushing her down, beating on her head and flattened ears. She narrowed her eyes to slits, barely able to see through the tons of rain anyway. She could see just enough to realize that there was another cat in the camp, or some kind of feline movement.
Petal took a few steps towards the other, who was close but across a wall of water. After a taillength or so, she recognized her deputy. He seemed completely at ease with the storm, a study in opposites with Petal's braced muscles and lowered head. Feeling overly dramatic and more than a little weak, Petal straightened up, trying to ignore the furious rain.
"Is the weather often like this during this time of year?" She tried to keep the worry out of her slightly raised voice, but a few shaky little tremors gave her away.
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Post by .Whitey. on Apr 7, 2009 18:26:23 GMT -5
The tom looked up at the black sky. Fortunately, it doesn't rain like this every year, perhaps once every four or five moons. Is this your first real storm, little one? he asked, his yellow eyes meeting Petal's smaller and more afraid ones. Moon himself had never been in anymore than one, though back then he wasn't sure if it could be different weather in different places, for that was once only something a medicine cat could predict, now it seemed to be easy to tell a storm from a hot new-leaf day.
The jet black tom's fur seemed only slight wet in the rain, it retained its fluffy but matted look at the rain drops dribbled like crystals from his pelt and onto the floor that was slowly beginning to get wet, afterall it did help that he was sat under an overgrown bush, or, what was left of it after the cold seasons before hand.
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Post by //Cindy// l u n a on Apr 7, 2009 20:26:45 GMT -5
"The first like this, for sure." She didn't mention the caves where she had spent much of her youth - not because she was ashamed but because she didn't want RogueClan bothering her family. She wasn't sure quite yet of the character of the Clan; she was still fairly new. One thing seemed certain - ironically, Petal was absolutely sure that her adoptive Clan was unpredictable to the extreme. It seemed that once a cat was as high up as Moon or the revered Darkheart you knew exactly what to do. But no one else could figure out the workings of the clever felines' twisted minds. Petal didn't try. It seems that we are a peaceful group, and yet we are feared among the Clans. It seems that we are a tight-nit tribe, and yet freedom to come and go is one of the most promised features of the place. It seems that we are in hiding from the rain, and yet no one is afraid. RogueClan was a place to practice expecting the unexpected.
It looked nearly dry where the deputy stood under a thick of branches, all stripped of leaves by either the cold or the rain. Moon himself seemed to be almost protected from the storm. It was tempting to join him under the bush, but Petal resisted. She would need to be able to bear out a tempest, or at least trials equivalent to the raging storm. So she took in a soggy breath and shook a bit of water off her head. It was hard to tell if the gesture had made any difference at all; as soon as the droplets left her fur twice as many replaced them. But it got some of the rain out of her eyes and the creases of her ears, which she had flattened against her skull.
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Post by *Simply Seasle* on Apr 10, 2009 15:48:24 GMT -5
OOC: Mind if I join in? If so, I'll delete this post.
Sky walked into the camp, two dead mice hanging from her mouth. She had gone out hunting a while before, despite being able to tell it would rain. It was impractical for her to stay in camp; her fur was thin, and would not keep out the rain. Whether she hunted or not, she would end up soaked. Perhaps she could do something useful while being soaked.
In fact the only reason she had come back at all was because she had nearly been swept away in a stream of water while catching her second mouse. For most cats it wouldn't have been a problem, but while Sky had become a touch bigger and heavier, she was still small for her age and slim. She thought she would probably be fine, but didn't want to take a chance. (There was also some desire to just get away from the mud, but Sky wouldn't admit to that.)
Sky could see movement close to her, though it was hard to do so with the rain pouring down so heavily. She moved quickly over to said spot, and saw Petal and Moon.
Without her noticing, her ears lifted a bit, and her eyes had a small smile in them. She had been busy, and hadn't talked to Petal as much as she would like. She was proud of the young she-cat for doing so well in RogueClan, proud to have found her. And Sky always liked seeing her mentor.
Sky stepped up beside them, and then slipped under the same bush Moon was under. She didn't care for the rain beating down on her, and wished to drop her catch on ground that wasn't too muddy.
After doing that, Sky looked up, her eyes warm.
"Hello Moon, Petal." she meowed, a faint trace of pleasure in her voice.
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Post by //Cindy// l u n a on Apr 11, 2009 20:14:14 GMT -5
Petal's light orbs were focused on her deputy, so much so that she didn't see the other apprentice padding towards the two of them. The rain was loud, and pawsteps were lost in the din. The younger cat only noticed Sky when she slipped under the shelter that Moon and Petal were taking advantage of. Sky had been out for a hunt - dead mice dangled from her jaws. Her thin fur was soaked and muddy, and Petal was amazed that her brave best friend had dared hunt in the flooding rain. And the skill it must have taken to catch rodents through the downpour! There was no masking of a smile; Petal wasn't like many of the stoic RogueClanners who never showed their joy. Her eyes lit up, even in the gray storm, at the sight of the one who had brought her to her new-found home.
"Nice catch," Petal mewed, the tone of a purr under her words.
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Post by *Simply Seasle* on Apr 12, 2009 7:52:19 GMT -5
"Thank you. It would have been better if I had not fallen in the stream of mud." Sky meowed, her voice inviting Petal to laugh at the thought.
Sky rarely responded to a compliment, except to dip her head to acknowledge she had heard it. But Moon and Petal were the two cats closest to her, and she was more relaxed around them.
OOC: Blah. Not as long as I'd like. I feel like I'm missing something....
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Post by //Cindy// l u n a on Apr 20, 2009 18:22:00 GMT -5
ooc; waiting for Whitey.
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Post by .Whitey. on Apr 22, 2009 7:46:03 GMT -5
The jet-black tom watched the two apprentices converse with one another, he registered they were very close friends now, since they met one another as soon as they'd joined RogueClan. If the two cats had been watching closely they would have noticed the half smile play on the toms mouth, it was quickly flattened as a wave of thunder rumbled across the sky, like a monster colliding with the now grey and dead tree's that protected RogueClan from the outside world. Sky, you should know not to venture out into the swamps in a storm like this, they can quickly overflow with water and if things had turned out badly, you might not have made it back... he paused and briefly looked over the prey that the she-cat had caught. Nevertheless, again, the tom paused as a loud clash from above seemed to make the rain fall heavier on the ground, you are commended on your efforts to help the Clan. he mrowed, his big body shifting sides.
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Post by *Simply Seasle* on Apr 23, 2009 15:09:05 GMT -5
Sky nodded at Moon's words. She accepted them quietly. She had not thought it was dangerous, but she knew Moon knew better than her, and so it was dangerous, and she should not do so again. The clan did not need to lose a member, no matter who it was.
"I will not do so again." she promised, her voice louder than normal to be clearly heard over the rain.
OOC: Meh....short. I have no muse today. Or maybe I just used it all up.
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Post by //Cindy// l u n a on Apr 25, 2009 10:23:50 GMT -5
Petal was still more sensitive than the other RogueClanners, although she did a good job of hiding it. It wasn't well accepted in the Clan to be a softy - like a "kittypet" or anything. So although her heart gave a little jolt at the thought of Sky leaving and not returning, she didn't comment. She glanced over at the other apprentice, and the best-friend love in her eyes was obvious. She wasn't that good at hiding her emotions. She couldn't help but picture the swamps being swept up by the torrential rain, rushing across its damp home and pulling up mud and pieces of trees, dragging the load along in its current. It would be nearly impossible not to drown if you were caught up in a storm like that.
"We have more fresh-kill now, too." She wanted to make sure that Sky didn't feel guilty about her decision to head into the storm - as long as she didn't take the risk again.
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Post by .Whitey. on May 2, 2009 16:41:37 GMT -5
The rugged tom picked up on the newest she-cats emotions. Yellow eyes turned on the femme. Soft yet fierce eyes blinked approvingly at Petal. Petal after all, he had grown to respect, even one so much younger than him, her brave stand to keep her name and now her courage to stand up and speak out against her Deputy's scolding. It showed that the little tabby had some guts to stand up against literally, her entire Clan, all in the sake of her friends and her pride. Another clash above him made him look up at the now lighter sky. The thunder was further away now, a good sign, perhaps now the forest would be greener, attracting more food for the Clan to eat off. It is good to see you two have such a strong bond. It is good to see some civilty among wild cats. [/center] |
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Post by *Simply Seasle* on May 3, 2009 20:46:37 GMT -5
Sky could see the warmth in Petal's gaze, and it made her slightly uneasy, but happy. She wasn't used to looks like that directed towards her. She wasn't used to giving them, either. Unless she was tired, distracted, or felt safe, she never dared let her guard down.
She was impressed that Petal could do so and still survive. She was even more impressed when Petal subtlely disagreed with Moon. Few cats would dare go against the deputy, even if only slightly. It proved that Petal could hold her own here, and that pleased Sky more than she cared to admit.
She glanced towards Moon, making sure to keep her eyes guarded. She wasn't sure how he would react, and also wasn't sure of her own reaction. She felt.....oddly upset at the thought of Moon disiplining Petal.
"It is good to see you two have such a strong bond. It is good to see some civilty among wild cats."
Sky relaxed, belatedly noticing she had been tensed, as though in preparation for battle or flight. She silently scolded herself for her lack of control before replying to Moon.
"Thank you." she murmured quietly, looking over at Petal to be sure she did not disagree with the words. It was her praise too, after all.
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Post by //Cindy// l u n a on May 7, 2009 18:46:13 GMT -5
Petal wasn't sure if there was any undercurrent of warning in her deputy's tone. She couldn't hear any, not really, but the words still worried her a bit. She had to be a wild cat now, too - even more than she'd been while a loner. That was the respected norm in RogueClan, a stereotype that all were pressured to keep. Emotions were tolerated by some, respected by very few. Is Moon one of those few? Is he really happy to see that his apprentice and I are close friends? Moon was too much of a rogue, too good at hiding his emotions. It seemed valid, so she went on the assumption that he was being transparent, but still kept up her guard.
"Yeah, thanks." She paused, not wanting to let this moment get awkward and stilted. "How has training been going for you guys?" she asked hesitantly. Was the question too person, something between mentor and apprentice? Or was it a decent conversation point? There were too many silent rules in RogueClan.
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