what's this? | tag: Nightheart (Ki)

[spike]

Heavystep |

With the evening hanging on the edge of the air, the chill of leaf-bare could be felt through even the thickest of coats. The tender ends of leaf-fall tried to hang on, but even the tubby warrior thought, with common sense, that it was going to be quite the cold season ahead. Each step he took was quiet and hardly ruffled the leaves of the forest floor. This was the only place he had ever known. The towering trees which filtered away that bright blue sky. There was the smell of the sap and, during this time of year, the soft decomposing scent of leaves. It was beautiful. Who couldn’t be happy year? 

So why was he feeling so upset?

The tabby tom halted and glanced forward to where his paws had drawn him. Nobody had really come close to this section of the forest in a while. Heavystep’s pale eyes looked over what was supposed to be Fourtrees. It was supposed to be the most peaceful area in all the clans. Now, it only was painted in the memories of all as bloody and dead. For the first time in moons, he stepped up to look over into the clearing. ’Wonder if anybody will remember this place for its Gatherings and not its war?’ That was depressing. Surely there was less depressing things than this. 

Heavystep huffed and turned to leave, knowing somebody would notice his absence soon enough. At least until he heard movement. A rabbit or a squirrel would be quiet, almost subtle. It would have sounded like crunching leaves or twigs. Not this. This sound was heavier movement, more like that of a full grown cat. Ears flicked forward immediately while he turned to look back into Fourtrees. It had come from there. The confused tom blinked for a minute before sneaking forward, curious at what it was, or more importantly, who.

ooc;; tag Nightheart (Ki), can be moved to Fourtrees once opened.

[Ki]

Nightheart ; Warrior

[/font] she said. The fur on her back bristled all the same. Was this place still truly neutral ground? Everything had changed so much. Whose to say ThunderClan now thought of this territory as theirs? Nightheart narrowed her golden eyes at the tom. "Can you say the same?"[/ul]

[spike]

Heavystep |

Least his senses hadn’t failed him. Heavystep nearly leaped away when that she-cat came bounding across the border with ease. Of course, his first thought was how this intruder dared to step across lines, especially in times like these. The following thought was realizing how beautiful she was. Maybe because he was such a brute, but watching some cat manage to move with swift grace was inspiring. She whirled on her paws to then leap and take down that terrified rabbit.Much as he knew Foxstar would demand he rush her to force the she-cat away from the territory lines, he found no will to do so.

When she stood back straight, brimming with joy at her catch, Heavystep found excitement welling up within him as well. Curiosity drove him to sneak forward. The wide-eyed tom was wide-eyed in admiration before she suddenly stepped back and noticed his presence. Both stood for a second, staring and watching one another. Who was prey here now? ”I mean you no harm, ThunderClan. Can you say the same?”

Him? Harm? Admittedly, he looked around as if confused about who she was talking to. Slowly it dawned on the warrior that nobody but him could be the culprit for her statement. This one from WindClan looked ready to fight as much as any cat should. Her beautiful dark fur stood on end and those intelligent gold eyes hardly left his figure. Slowly, Heavystep stood straight and cleared his throat to find words. "N-no," his deep voice muttered. "I mean, I have no reason to harm you. This isn’t ours, I think. F-FourTrees, I mean. And- and you haven’t hurt me. So, um, there shouldn’t be reason for violence..."

The dark, stout tail swayed nervously back and forth, obviously uncomfortable with the tension in the air. It never used to be this bad. Things used to be good where a cat wouldn’t feel like they’d have to defend their life with their claws, even among clans. "Please, I don’t want to fight you. I am, uh, I’m Heavystep. Of ThunderClan. Warrior! Warrior of ThunderClan." Oh great, what a fool he was looking like. The gentle giant looked down to hide his embarrassment. "It’s just a rabbit. Not worth fighting over. I’m sure there are elders and kits who need it more than we need bloodshed."

ooc;; tag Nightheart (Ki), can be moved to Fourtrees once opened.

[Ki]

Nightheart ; Warrior

[/font] she said, looking at the rabbit. Perhaps StarClan meant for her to go running after this scrawny little thing. Strange how it led her all the way to Fourtrees. Or perhaps Nightheart was just grasping at the wind, looking for some sign. "I just wanted to walk along the glades. Get some air. But I couldn't pass up an opportunity for fresh-kill." It was only then that she realized she still had not introduced herself to the cat. "Oh, I apologize- I'm Nightheart." 
[/ul]

[spike]

Heavystep |

Mentally, he sighed with relief knowing he wouldn’t have to fight off this WindClan warrior. Much as he probably had the upper paw with his brute strength, no part of his soft heart wanted to do such a thing. Let alone to a beautiful she-cat. Perhaps it was the fact that he wasn’t a young tom anymore, foolish and naive as ever. Or perhaps because he was still foolish and naive that he couldn’t help admiring her. No matter what, his mind kept returning to that fact. No ThunderClan molly had appealed to him so far. (And no tom either, as a mere note.)

Yet shaking that off repeatedly was all he could do so to remember this cat was just as dangerous as the most skilled warrior of his home clan. She guarded that rabbit even when she noticably relaxed around his more mild demeanor. Heavystep suddenly perked his ears when she spoke to him. It was as if they had known each other in the past, or perhaps in some odd prior life. Was he just reading too much into it? In any case, he felt a soothing sense of tranquility settle in return to her voice. ’She really is sorta nice. I don’t see why the clkans have to fight if they’re all nice like her.’

”Oh, I apologize- I’m Nightheart.” Immediately his attention was recentered at the mention of her name. Nightheart. That was pretty to hear. The slow tom nodded, repeating over and over her name internally until he had it memorized. "That’s a nice name," Heavystep muttered. "I guess with leaf-bare coming soon and all, no clan can afford a moment to eat and catch prey." A positive smile drew across his chubby face though because a glance at her catch, minor as it was, at least showed there was some good things to be had out there yet. "B-but you should be a lot more careful! Uh, I don’t know how the other clans are, but ThunderClan hasn’t been too fond of others near their borders. I doubt ShadowClan or RiverClan are far off from that too. Especially considering-."

He shut his lips then. Talking about it felt worse, like it was acknowledging their abandoned lifestyle. The warrior cleared his throat, looking apologetic even when the whole case was no singular cat’s fault. "I’d just hate to see a good cat get hurt over something like that… you know?"

ooc;; tag Nightheart (Ki)

[Ki]

Nightheart ; Warrior

[/font] He was well within his rights to attack her, at the very least. Even so close to the Fourtrees border. "Crowpelt always did scold me for having a one-track mind." 

Suddenly it felt as though she'd been struck with a stone. She remembered her father's body lying next to WindClan's tree, his throat ripped open by some unknown cat. Nightheart and Crowpelt had a complicated relationship. As a kit, she adored him. But as she grew older, they began to argue. Looking back on it, Nightheart understood why: they were extremely alike. Both as smart and stubborn as the other, each convinced they were right. His death had shattered her world. For all their fighting, Nightheart loved him just as much as she loved her mother or her brother. For several moons Ashclaw could scarcely get her to eat, or say more than two words. 

Nightheart got to her feet quickly, one paw still resting on the rabbit. "I- I should go. Thank you, Heavystep. I won't forget your kindness."
[/ul]