with or without you [private, for icy]

[rhapsie]

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[atrb=background,http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm141/Spottedbelly/Slatestripemain.png] It had been quite the trek, from the heart of HillClan to the flatlands. She had been on patrol during the morning with a few other warriors, and even went out on a hunt afterwards to bring back a few mice and a squirrel - and boy, was that bugger hard to catch - for the fresh kill pile, before deciding to go and explore for the rest of the day. She'd had a busy morning, so what was the harm in spending the afternoon away from the hubbub of the clan? There was none. So off she went, across the HillClan border and into unclaimed territory. She hadn't been to the flatlands in a while, because she didn't often venture out of HillClan territory unless she had to. Perhaps it's because although she was an independent she-cat, she was also very clan orientated. She always had been, really. From her muzzle she licked a speck of blood, residue from the kill she had made earlier. Unfortunately for the mouse, it hadn't been quick enough, and now it lay on the fresh kill pile for someone else in the clan to devour, probably an elder or an apprentice. She twisted and twined through the stumps of the trees, picking her way through the foliage that lay scattered on the forest floor. Lifting her head, she peered over a bush and looked out onto the large, vast clearing. It was rather pretty, with the sun hanging high, and only a few clouds drifting across the pale blue sky. It was rather relaxing, really, and much less hectic than HillClan camp, which was bustling with warriors and apprentices. Squinting, the grey pelted she-cat squirmed her way though the bush and out into the clearing, warily peering around, inhaling the scents that wafted towards her. Most were stale, but she could tell that a few cats had been around here recently. Maybe she'd bump into one of them soon enough. Words, 327. Tagged, Neon. Notes, For Icy.

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[- - [i]cy~]

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[atrb=background,http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm141/Spottedbelly/Neonmain.png] Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! The seventeen moon old she-cat's eyes brightened in excitement, a grin almost appearing on her maw. Well, you know, if cats could grin, she would be doing it. A mouse, nibbling on something like a seed (Neon could really care less), was just in front of her, only about a few foxlengths away from her paws. Oh wonderful, she could try and catch it! Putting her rump into the air, her much less than bushy tail sticking straight up so that it was parallel to the threes, she crawled forward, chest fur brushing against the foliage. The mouse, even though deeply into its meal, turned to look over at the now-arriving she-cat, terror in its eyes. It did only what another mouse would have done: flee. "No no, get back here, little mouse!" she exclaimed out of shock and surprise, absolutely forgetting her pose so she could chase after the rodent. No, she couldn't lose this catch! She hadn't caught a single thing in two whole days; she was absolutely starving. Not to mention most of the other cats in the flatlands were so cruel to her, and she never even met them in her life before. It was just so hard. Although, there was always that one other option for survival: joining whatever it was called. A Clan or something? (Again, Neon could really, really, care less what it was called.) She never really seen whatever the other loners and rogues called a 'Clan cat', and frankly, she didn't really care either. The only thing she was focused on was this running mouse, heading straight toward- Wait a second! Who was that cat!? "Hey, watch out, cat!" She called out, trying to dig her paws into the ground, just to stop her from skidding across the grass. Unfortunately, that only made her trip, rubbing her ginger fur against the grass until she could practically see the paws of the other cat. As a bonus, the mouse darted toward the foliage of the trees again, making her sigh. ...Whoops. "W-who're you, cat...?" She muttered under her breath, though just loud enough to reach the other's ears. Well, she hoped. This was just really humiliating... Words ;; 362 Muse ;; Pretty nice. o: Tagged ;; Rhapsie and Slatestripe Other ;; Oh first thing in the morning is absolutely wonderful for my Neon muse.

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[rhapsie]

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[atrb=background,http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm141/Spottedbelly/Slatestripemain.png] Of all the things the she-cat expected to see that afternoon... Perhaps the odd loner or two shuffling through the shadows, attempting to avoid her at all cost because what loner or rogue wished to associate themselves with a clan cat? Or maybe some prey that she could take down and bring back to camp in the evening. And in some respects, what she saw was prey, a little mouse to be exact, that scuttled towards her before swerving off into the foliage, hotly pursued by a fluffy ginger feline, who, once she'd spotted her, called out a warning. "Hey, watch out, cat!"Oh great StarClan, what?! Uh oh.. Slatestripe's eyes widened in alarm as she leapt back, just in time too, because she avoided getting barreled over by the lone she-cat, who skidded and came to a stop - on her side - inches in front of her, coming face to face with the warrior's ashy paws. Slatestripe allowed her gaze to wander the fallen female's frame for a second. No apparent injuries, which was good. Straining her ears, she could just catch the rather embarrassed mumble of the loner. "W-who're you, cat...?" The warrior sat herself down, curling her fluffy tail around her paws and looking over at the female with a glint of amusement in her gaze. "I'm a warrior, from HillClan. Slatestripe. Why, who're you? A loner, I presume, or a rogue. Need any help getting up?" If she had no self control, the female would be in fits of laughter right now, although she'd feel bad for finding amusement at the other female's expense. It could have been anyone to trip and fall in front of her and she still would've had a giggle about it, it was nothing personal, she had nothing against this fresh-faced, young looking loner, because she didn't even know her. Making a note that the loner had now lost her meal because of the trip, and feeling somewhat at fault for it, she looked down at the ginger furred she-cat rather sheepishly, a small smile on her muzzle. "Oh, I'm sorry that you lost your mouse by the way. Quite the evasive little bugger, huh? Are you... hungry?" Feeling rather awkward for asking such a question, and not wanting to seem invasive, she merely sat and waited for a response. Because really, that's all she could do right now. Words, 399. Tagged, Neon. Notes, For Icy.

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[- - [i]cy~]

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[atrb=background,http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm141/Spottedbelly/Neonmain.png] Mousedung, mousedung, mousedung! Oh how much the loner wished she could make a hole open up right in front of her and swallow her whole. She didn't mean to trip in front of some random cat, almost pummeling her to the ground if she didn't leap back in time! She just lost her footing and slid, that was all, she swore! Now, the other cat (who she still didn't know... whatever.) had curled her tail around her paws, ticking the loner's nose. A small sneeze escaped from her, thus making her get to her paws a few mouse-lengths away. "I'm a warrior, from HillClan. Slatestripe. Why, who're you? A loner, I presume, or a rogue. Need any help getting up?" At the cat's -- Slatestripe's -- voice, Neon glanced up at her with bright and intuitive green eyes. So wait, this was what those other cats called a Clan cat? This was just so awesome! The younger she-cat was trembling at this point, excitement filling her face, and soon enough, she burst. "So wait! You're one of those Clan cats that the other loners talk about? That's totally awesome! Oh, my name? It's Neon, a twoleg gave it to me when I was young, but then I ran away from her. Oh, what's a rogue? I'm not quite sure what those are, but yes, I'm a loner!" the ginger cat paused a moment, trying to catch her breath before continuing on. Well, she would have done so, but the other cat also added on to her own questions toward the loner. "Oh, I'm sorry that you lost your mouse by the way. Quite the evasive little bugger, huh? Are you... hungry?" At this the she-cat's eyes widened even more, a slight bubble of excitement rising in her throat. Was she going to help her find some food for herself? Was she going to teach her Clan tactics? Oh she was so excited! "Huh? Oh that thing, naw it was nothing! I can probably find one later, unless you can help me with catching some freshkill? I would absolutely love if you could! And oh, I've heard so much about Clan cats, and I really, really, really, want to see how the way of one works! That is, if you can show me and not get in trouble for it.

[/color]" She stopped, then beginning to pant fairly heavily, almost like the wind got knocked out of her. Oh, how much she was talking, her previously missed meal out of her mind.

If this cat -- Slatestripe -- could show her a thing or two, she would be absolutely pleased. And she would just love to see what this so-called HillClan looks like as well!

Words ;; 448
Muse ;; Pretty good!
Tagged ;; Slatestripe &&- Rhapsie
Etc ;; LOOOL MOTOR MOUTH ACTIVATED. and I'm so sorry Slatestripe.

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[rhapsie]

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[atrb=background,http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm141/Spottedbelly/Slatestripemain.png] "So wait! You're one of those Clan cats that the other loners talk about? That's totally awesome! Oh, my name? It's Neon, a twoleg gave it to me when I was young, but then I ran away from her. Oh, what's a rogue? I'm not quite sure what those are, but yes, I'm a loner!" It took Slatestripe a moment to process everything that came out of the excitable she-cat's mouth in a flurry of words, and after a second, she let a small smile break out across her muzzle. "Yes, I'm a Clan cat, and I have been all my life. And Neon, pretty name... oh, a twoleg, huh? An ex-kitty pet, hm? Goodness me, looks like you had a narrow escape there, my dear. Twolegs are nothing but trouble, you're lucky to have got out of there whilst you could. I see you managed to get rid of your collar, unless your twoleg didn't give you one." She knew of collars because when she was a new warrior, she had come across a kitty pet on the border and he seemed friendly enough, just a little lost, so after she filled him in on the goings on of the four clans and how kittypets weren't exactly welcomed into their territory - and that he was a lucky sod to have not been met by one of the more 'act first think later' warriors - he told her about his life as a kittypet, and after a while, his collar caught her attention. Being the curious she-cat she was, she asked him about it, and he told her that his twolegs had put it on him one day when he was a kit, and he'd worn it ever since, and perhaps for sentimental value he would wear it for the rest of his life. His choice, although it had been - if she remembered rightly - a bit noisy, due to the little silver bell attached to it. It was awfully degrading, and the warrior wondered why any cat would ever want to wear something like it. Her mind drifted back to her next question, about rogues. So being the intelligent she-cat she was, Slatestripe decided to give the cute young loner some words of wisdom. "Well, rogues tend to be a little more hostile towards the clans than loners are. Some only label non-clan cats as rogues when they've been exiled from one of the clans, but I think over time, the line between rogues and loners has somewhat... blurred. But I still believe - and most clan cats do too - that rogues tend to be more risky to the safety of a clan, especially if there's more than one or two stragglers lurking at the border. However, loners can be a threat too. Unfortunately. Alas, there's no peace for a warrior." She quipped, and let a small chuckle escape her lips as she noted that the excitement seemed to pour out of the other cat in buckets. It was amusing to see, and it warmed her heart a little as well. "Huh? Oh that thing, naw it was nothing! I can probably find one later, unless you can help me with catching some freshkill? I would absolutely love if you could! And oh, I've heard so much about Clan cats, and I really, really, really, want to see how the way of one works! That is, if you can show me and not get in trouble for it." And as the second tangent hit her ears, Slatestripe merely eyed the cat patiently and let a small smile tug at her lips. Neon really was quite endearing, in a strange, eccentric sort of way. "Alright Neon, I'll help you. After all, you're an ex-kittypet, and rather young too, by the looks of you. I wouldn't want a newly made loner to starve, would I? And you're intrigued by clan life, huh? Well once dinner's been served, perhaps I'll show you my territory. But you have to be careful, mind, and if any other warriors ask, you'll have to say that you're interested in joining, even if you aren't. It'll keep them off our backs." As she reprocessed in her head what she'd said to the other she-cat, she wondered why she was being so nice to all these non-clan cats. First there was Basilisk, that dark pelted little she-cat that looked and acted rather mysterious, and then there was the eccentric motormouth that she now knew as Neon. And then she realized just why she was so kind to them. They were young. Basilisk looked no older than ten moons, and Neon did look older than the black rogue had looked, but in fairness, the ginger she-cat had the personality and exuberance of an apprentice on catnip. Rising to her paws slowly, she looked over her shoulder, before looking back at the other she-cat. "Alright then, Neon. Why don't you show me your hunting skills, and then I show you mine? We can compare, and maybe you can learn a thing or two." She grinned playfully and waited for the loner to speak. Words, 852. Tagged, Neon. Notes, Hurhur (':

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[- - [i]cy~]

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[atrb=background,http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm141/Spottedbelly/Neonmain.png] Yes, I'm a Clan cat, and I have been all my life. And Neon, pretty name... oh, a twoleg, huh? An ex-kitty pet, hm? Goodness me, looks like you had a narrow escape there, my dear. Twolegs are nothing but trouble, you're lucky to have got out of there whilst you could. I see you managed to get rid of your collar, unless your twoleg didn't give you one. It took the ginger she-cat a moment or two to take in what the cat had said, and for the record, she was a little dumbstruck as to what the hell was a collar. And, well, what the heck hell was as well. Twolegs, yes, Neon came across them once and a while out here, but she knew how to protect herself, even if it wasn't much. Narrow escape, of course! They were taking her to a place where twolegs in white coats did nasty things to animals, and boy oh boy, she couldn't handle that one bit. Though, one thing about this... Slatestripe, was that she was so much more kind than any other cat she met. To be honest, she wasn't sure if it was such a good thing or not. So instead, she shut her mouth, listening to the other cat's words as they exited her mouth. Well, rogues tend to be a little more hostile towards the clans than loners are. Some only label non-clan cats as rogues when they've been exiled from one of the clans, but I think over time, the line between rogues and loners has somewhat... blurred. But I still believe - and most clan cats do too - that rogues tend to be more risky to the safety of a clan, especially if there's more than one or two stragglers lurking at the border. However, loners can be a threat too. Unfortunately. Alas, there's no peace for a warrior. Wait... loners, much like herself, could be threat to someone in a Clan? Where, you know, tons of cats were? Dumbfounded, she blinked several times, confusion creeping into her expression bit by bit. "So wait... I, as an example, could be a threat to a whole Clan of cats?" She muttered, her tail then twitching a bit by her paws. This was so weird, how these cats just couldn't trust anyone at all.. And did Slatestripe even trust the ginger she-cat? Neon had no way of knowing at all. So... why not ask the she-cat herself? "...if rogues and loners can be threats, am I considered one as well, Slatestripe?

[/color]" A twinge of sorrow hit her words, though she quickly shook it off when the other cat continued.

Alright Neon, I'll help you. After all, you're an ex-kittypet, and rather young too, by the looks of you. I wouldn't want a newly made loner to starve, would I? And you're intrigued by clan life, huh? Well once dinner's been served, perhaps I'll show you my territory. But you have to be careful, mind, and if any other warriors ask, you'll have to say that you're interested in joining, even if you aren't. It'll keep them off our backs. At these words, the loner's eyes widened so far, they were practically like limes. "You're kidding! That would be so awesome if you did show me the territory! And don't worry about that part, I'm probably already interested in joining anyways. I just haven't had any time yet to find a Clan cat at all. And also thank you so much! I swear, you will never regret this, Slatestripe![/color]" the ginger cat practically was shaking with the anticipation and excitement, a toothy smile coming across her lips.

Alright then, Neon. Why don't you show me your hunting skills, and then I show you mine? We can compare, and maybe you can learn a thing or two. At these words, the she-cat only nodded, pretty much breathless at this point of time. Glancing around ever so slightly, as if to see if there was any other cat in sight. Well, one was there, but whoever it was seemed to be too far away to hear, or even see, what she was going to be doing.

Once the coast was clear, figuratively, Neon dropped down to her stomach, her paws stretched out in front of her, her tail absolutely in the air. She went forward about a few mouse-lengths, rump about a few inches off the ground, all pressure put on her paws, and that was it. She got back to her normal position, her tail wrapped around her paws, rump back on the ground. "I know it isn't the best technique, but I haven't been taught anything by my mom or dad... or even brother. I don't even know where they are. I've been winging it, and it hasn't gotten me anything.[/color]" she confessed, a small shrug of her shoulders to say that it doesn't really matter.

Which it didn't, to her anyway.


Words ;; 821
Muse ;; 9.5/10
Tagged ;; Slatestripe &&- Rhapsie
Etc ;; .. LOL WHAT IS WITH MY MUSE BURSTS TODAY. :"D

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[rhapsie]

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[atrb=background,http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm141/Spottedbelly/Slatestripemain.png] The way that Neon sat before her, eyes wide and listening intently, reminded Slatestripe of a keen, avid young apprentice listening to their mentor. And whilst she had been telling her about loners and rogues and kitty-pets and the life of a clan cat, that's exactly how the grey-furred she-cat felt. A mentor. Of course, she already had an apprentice, her little brother Icepaw. But she found Neon to be far more willing to learn, and far less of a pain in the arse. The brown eyed Hillclanner didn't have to wait long for the comfortable silence to be broken by her excitable new-found friend, who looked up at her in a rather confused and sorrowful manner when Slatestripe explained how loners and rogues were seen as a threat, more or less. "So wait... I, as an example, could be a threat to a whole Clan of cats? ...If rogues and loners can be threats, am I considered one as well, Slatestripe?" Wanting to cheer the ginger female up, the warrior smiled tenderly at her and shook her head. "Neon, you couldn't be a threat, even if you wanted to be, my dear. You're far too sweet natured. Which is why I'm worried you won't last long as a loner. But anyway, if you approached a clan cat and showed that you meant no harm to them, like you have done with me, then no, you aren't considered a threat by the clan. However, loners and rogues have been known to team up and invade clan territory, which is why it's hard for some clan cats to trust non-clanners." Hoping that her explanation had put the ginger she-cat at ease, the warrior reclined back on her haunches a little further, relaxing and closing her eyes momentarily as she forced a yawn from her chest. She was rather tired, despite having had a well rested night and neither had she been particularly strained throughout the day. Perhaps just being around Neon was tiring, due to her springy and overzealous personality. It was refreshing indeed, and warmed the older she-cat to the bone. "You're kidding! That would be so awesome if you did show me the territory! And don't worry about that part, I'm probably already interested in joining anyways. I just haven't had any time yet to find a Clan cat at all. And also thank you so much! I swear, you will never regret this, Slatestripe!" The younger female's excited chattering brought the grey warrior's attention back to her, and she smiled affectionately, finding herself liking this loner more and more by the second. "I'm sure I won't regret it at all, Neon. And you're interested? Well, being in a clan is far nicer than being on your own, I'm sure of it. Besides, I've met loners and rogues who definitely aren't as friendly as you, so there's more chance of you making friends when you're living with them every day. It's like being in a family." Upon referring to her closeness to the rest of Hillclan, Slatestripe smiled fondly and fluffed herself up, feeling a pleasant warm feeling creep up her body. She was incredibly loyal to Whitestar and the clan, and she would be even when she finally joined StarClan, so every time she mentioned her clan, Slatestripe couldn't help but smile. She silently watched on as Neon demonstrated her hunting technique. It was very simple, and Slatestripe was surprised that she'd scrimped through life until now. "I know it isn't the best technique, but I haven't been taught anything by my mom or dad... or even brother. I don't even know where they are. I've been winging it, and it hasn't gotten me anything." The more she thought about it, the more it perplexed her. Neon was lucky that she met Slate when she had! After a moment of deliberation, the grey warrior voiced a question once the ginger feline had finished. "How long exactly have you been a loner, Neon? Because you really should learn how to hunt properly, especially if you want to make it out here. You aren't a kittypet anymore, luckily for you, and I'm here to teach you everything you need to know. Consider me... your mentor, of sorts." She grinned, knowing that she now had two apprentices. Because she was so awesome, she could definitely juggle teaching both of them. And seeing as Icepaw knew how to hunt, she only had to worry about keeping Neon fed. "Alright, I'll show you how I hunt once we get into the wooded area, so I can actually feed you. And then we can go up to Hillclan territory and give you the grand tour." She giggled and turned away from the loner, waving her tail as if to beckon her to follow, before padding off towards the forested area that would soon lead them to the border of Hillclan. Words, 812. Tagged, Neon. Notes, Woah, Neon gives me Slate muse, apparently xD

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