DANCING w i t h THE d e v i l [o]

[THE s h a d s]

F E L L

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The forest was dark this night. The half-moon shone brightly, yes, but the leaves were beginning to grow back on the trees and they blocked the light. Patterns of leaves shone on the forest floor, making everything that stepped in it look dappled. A dark tabby form stepped into one of these patches, the light dappling his fur spectacularly. He was handsome to the say the least. His dark amber eyes shone brilliantly, and his fur was groomed to peek perfection. His body was low to the ground and his movements were slow and methodical. His breath was almost nonexistent. He dared not breathe. It might scare away the rabbit that was munching unsuspectingly on a piece of grass at the foot of a nearby tree. The tabby tom moved carefully closer until he could have reached out with one paw and touched the thing. He enjoyed seeing how close he could get.

This was not even a challenge for the expert hunter. He could hold his own in a fight, yes, but there was no way that he could beat, say one of the assassins of Masquerade. Focusing on his prey, the tom shifted all his weight to his back paws and lunged at the thing, quickly landing on it and delivering a swift bite to the back of the neck. The rabbit hadn't even known what had happened. It was painless, and he liked it that way. The more pain, the more noise, the less prey he could catch that night. He preferred to do his hunting at night for it was easier than worrying about shadows all the time. He buried the rabbit in its grave for now, and moved on. Silently. All hopes of getting more prey were ruined, though, when a silly bird squawked loudly to the whole forest. That was a warning call. The bird had spotted him and warned every other animal awake that a cat was on the prowl. Not only would prey be harder to find now, but it would be almost nonexistent. Thanks bird.

The tom continued padding forward, not really looking for anything. His eyes caught hold of a huge oak tree, and he just had to climb it. He dug his claws into the bark and shimmied up the tree easily, going about halfway. He stopped and walked out onto a limb. He plopped his body down, making the nearby branches shake. A couple of birds left their home, but they had nothing to worry about in the first place. He was just laying here, thinking, remembering.

The young tom walked slowly and carefully. His tabby pelt not blending in well with the trees and brush. The ground was white, covered with a thin blanket of snow. It crunched under his weight, even with his efforts to be silent. He cursed silently under his breath, wishing desperately that the snow would melt away. This was the time for him to be noisy. He was stalking something, yes, but it was not prey. It was a gorgeous silver she-cat whose eyes matched only those of the fallen warriors that lived above. They were green with golden flecks that shone in the sunlight. She was swishing her tail with elegance, taunting his presence with a flirtatious walk. She couldn't have known he was there, his walk was not that noisy, but she seemed to sense a presence. She kept looking around, like she felt she was being followed. And she was right.

He had his eye on her for a long time, ever since she became an apprentice. His apprentice. Her walk quickened and so did his. She was meeting him in a clearing where he had specified before, to train of course. But he just wanted to watch her wait. He wanted to let his eyes stare at her for when they were together he could not. Well, he could, she was in love with him, but she always tried to make conversation when he just wanted to stare. He wasn't a stalker, he was just simply observant. She arrived in the clearing and he stopped in some bushes. She sat down with such elegance he had to resist letting out a purr. Her green eyes watched the surrounding woods and her ears flickered back and forth in an never-ending cycle. The she-cat was alert at first, but over a couple minutes her look become bored suddenly. "Come out Windwhisper. I think you've stared at me long enough." Her voice was not annoyed. She smiled as she talked, at the mention of his name. She was probably thinking of the night when they made love for the first time.

He emerged from his hiding place and she stood to greet him. He reached her before she could, however, and tackled her to the ground. He purred in her ear, and nuzzled her cheek before getting off. "Be careful Windwhisper! I have precious cargo." Her smile was to her ears. But Windwhisper was confused. His yellow eyes stared wide eyed at her, praying that she did not mean what he thought. "What do you mean?" His voice was clear and soft, but his mind was full of ways to prevent what had happened. "I'm pregnant dear. You're going to be a father!" His mouth dropped. He paced the clearing, unable to even look at her. He didn't think this would happen so soon. With a rush of anger the tom turned to her. "Go away! Run! Run Sightpaw. Run far, far away from here!" He screamed at the she-cat, and she looked scared for her life. The she-cat cowered but he only got closer. "Run Sightpaw. Run for your life." His voice was low, but it was deep. The look in his eyes he was sure was scary enough without the sinister feeling in his voice.

After a brief pause, the she-cat did run. She ran like he would follow her. To where she was running to, he didn't know, but he instantly regretted his rash reaction. He wasn't thinking. He shouldn't have said anything. The tom collapsed in the snow and felt horrible. Tears streamed down his face. "Sightpaw! Sightpaw come back!" He whispered the words, hoping she would somehow hear them and comer running back. But the day faded into night and the night faded into dawn and she still did not come back. "What have I done?" His voice was barely audible over the choking on his own tears. Sobs came involuntarily from his mouth. The sadness he felt would never leave his heart. She would always be his love, no matter how far she got away from her. Even if death conquered the young she-cat, it would not conquer their love. Not to him. Not ever.

That was the day he left Riverclan to roam the wild and find his lost love. But he did not find her. He did, however, find Masquerade. He changed his name to something more appropriate, and now he was living a life where the past did not matter.

word count: 1178

[SPECKLE]

f y r a

Fur like fire whipped backwards in the wind, a scrawny creature battling it's way forward in the forest. Usually there was some kind of protection from the harsh winds in the misty forest, but now the little tabby found herself to be dripping wet, shivering, and being whipped around like a creature in a tornado. Her eyes were a brilliant blue, so blue that they put even the deepest, darkest blue of the sky to shame. She loved her eyes to be truthful. With a glance toward the trees, Fyra found herself scuffling to the bottom of a tree and digging her claws into the bark, scraping them down gracefully as she stretched out her muscles, a satisfied moan sounded from the she-cat as her muscles basically unwound and she sent another glance around her slowly.

The sight of a creature in the trees caused a lazy smile to touch the tabby's face as she lowered herself back to the ground and walked slowly, placing one paw in front of the other down into the ground again. The tabby flicked her tail and yawned in a bored way before casting her blue eyes skyward as she stood beneath the tree. He had surely alarmed many creatures, as she had seen the two birds fly over the clearing after he had jumped up and heard the alarm from many moments before. But now he seemed to have retreated back to silent thoughts, thoughts that he was happy with having alone and where he could think of nothing but himself and those around her. Hello? Her scraggly appearance and small size did nothing to change her voice, which was tinted with the sharp feminine side and a beautiful one at that. But she wasn't here for anything like that, for she wasn't interested in kits from this tom in the least. She was here for conversation, something that many assassins seemed to be annoyed about, yes, but she didn't mind that in the least.

You can't stay up there forever and be alone. Morning would send a hunting party out with your flesh as the target. She pointed out almost instinctively. While she was a traditionalist, she knew where she could push boundaries and she figured that an assassin would definitely know. While she didn't want to overstep her boundaries and put herself farther out of her place than she all ready had, the young she-cat found herself offering the remains of a smile while looking up at him. No, she didn't feel bad in the least, not at all. Because she shouldn't have felt bad, should she? She shouldn't have given herself a reason to feel bad. This tom-cat wasn't her problem. And that was that. But at the same time she felt as though she was intruding on something, something important.

If I am bothering you, say the word and I will go. I'm a kitter, I know my place. She said with a distinct nod, flicking her tail slowly and curling tail around her paws as she lowered herself into a sitting position, again the feeling of being too close or being too open with a cat seemed to grow in her thoughts. She had to yet again shove it out of her thoughts, to try to ignore any and all of it and at the same time keep herself from feeling as though she was going to go mad... insane really. So with a gentle flick of her fluffy tail, the she-cat returned her eyes to the clouds, just past the leaves and the tom that laid in the branches above her head.

[THE s h a d s]

F E L L

The tom's thoughts were disrupted by a precious she-cat making her way through the forest. The wind ripped through her pelt, and she seemed to be wet and trying hard to go against the mainstream. He smiled as she dug her claws into the tree, looked up, and saw him sitting there. He had resumed his position of earlier. "Hello." The voice was simple. It had no under laying emotions or motives. It was just, there. A voice he had not heard in a long time. He looked down to the orange she-cat, gazing into her very blue eyes. Suddenly, his heart was gripped by sadness. As he gazed into the she-cats eyes, they combined with memories. He remembered gazing into Sightpaw's eyes for the first time. They were precious, innocent. They knew nothing of the world. They were a vivid blue, a blue that no one could compare to. But this she-cat came close.

He shook his head slightly. Forget about her, Fell. She is nothing to you now. He got all the mushy stuff out of his head and determined that he need to get his head in the game. "You can't stay up there forever and be alone. Morning would send a hunting party out with your flesh as the target."

[/s] Oh, but I can, my dear. I know these woods and the surrounding territories better than any assassin. They would never catch a hunter like me. He knew better than to say the words aloud, that would be treason, but he also knew that it could very well be true. He stood on the branch and began making his way down when she spoke once more. "If I am bothering you, say the word and I will go. I'm a kitter, I know my place." He scoffed at her and began making his way down the tree.

His feet landed softly on the ground, hardly making any noise at all. "Do not leave." The simple words, though demanding in context, came out in a voice of softness. He put his tail on the top of her head and gently pushed down, willing her to look at him and not the sky. He smiled, but not in a flirtatious way like he normally would. He removed his tail and walked around the she-cat, getting a feel for her. She seemed prideful, but not so much that it oozed from her like some of the cats in the band. He came around to her front and sat down gracefully. A smile was emitted from his maw, but it was fake. As he stared into her eyes, he couldn't help but remember the lost love of his heart. A heavy sigh was waiting to come out of the tom's maw, but it was not the time or the place.

"I am Fell." His words were simple, once more. He didn't speak much these days, afraid of making another run away from his life like his precious Sightpaw. SHUT UP! She is NOT yours anymore! And she never will be! He wanted to shake the thoughts out of his head, but he knew that would seem strange. "You may be a kitter, dear, but I come from a place where she-cats are respected. I was taught to respect them. So I do." He nodded to her, smiling. This time it wasn't fake. He never understood why the males were all about fighting and mating, never stopping to think about love or politics or question something. They just did as they were told. He did, but in his mind he questioned every decision he ever made. Never one to act quickly anyway, Fell was not made for fighting. He just never could act fast enough. he had to weigh his options and choose the best route. No, he was a full blood hunter, and he knew it.

Turning his attention back to the she-cat, the dark tabby tom awaited her answer.[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[SPECKLE]

the sun goes down

The wind whipped her scruffy pelt around and her small frame seemed even smaller as she trembled with the breeze. She shook like a leaf as it intensified and cooled against her body. Fyra found herself chewing her cheek before closing her eyes. When it finally stopped, she had nearly toppled over the opposite way for how hard she had been bracing herself. But as he responded to her, she blinked her dazzling blue eyes and returned her gaze back to the skies where he laid in his tree. In an obedient way, the she-cat stayed precisely where she was, not moving or making any efforts to leave, just as he had requested from her. But as he rose from his position on the tree and began to work his way downward, the bright eyed she-cat stared back up at him. But as he worked his way down, his long moments turned longer and she quickly raised her eyes back up to the sky where she seemed to be mostly amused with the bright moon light that shone down and the stars that dotted the beautiful blackness of night. The feeling of a tail on the top of her head caused the she-cat to flick her eyes directly to his in an innocent way, as if to say that she had been watching him the entire time when they both knew it wasn't true.

But she gave that innocent smile and blinked her eyes in an innocent way before stepping back slowly, taking the extra care to put a little extra space between them. He was a stranger, and while a cat of her band she still hardly knew him. She hardly knew if he was safe or if he was one of the toms that thought they could do what they wanted, when they wanted, absolutely no questions asked. Fell? Sounds dark. Kinda sad. She said with a faint smile. She was as innocent as a kit though because she had; while living in a cruel place, had never truly been exposed to the cruelties of the world. Masquerade, however terrible it was, had a way of protecting it's kitters, or future kitters. My name is Fyra. She added in a sing-song voice. She swayed with the words and her scraggly pelt moved along with her. Her tail flicked in amusement before she let out a mrrw of laughter.

Ahaha, so you are not a native then? I didn't think you were, but it never seemed to hurt to ask, you know. Funny thing it is, how different places can be from us. But the she-cats who are devote to their work prefer this over others. I do, I know I do. I don't... I'm not... hmm. She paused her sentence, attempting to think of how to word her last words before she finally blurted them out again. Love doesn't exist. If you sit around and wait for it, lives are made worthless. She said with a smile and a nod of satisfaction. She knew she was strange and that some of the conversations she had were sometimes more awkward then welcomed, but she didn't mind in the least. No. In reality, it was more like her favorite thing. She was able to ignore the awkwardness of having a conversation on a controversial matter and at the same time she was fortunate enough to be blessed with never being questioned on her motives or conclusions.

I know it seems silly, something like a kit would say, and in a way, I am a kit. I never had to worry about these kinds of things so I never bothered to think about them. But yeah, love, as beautiful (as though who claim to have it) say it is, it is nothing but an excuse for heart ache and a reason to make others stop and think about their true motives and decisions. She said with a smirk. She wasn't quite sure why she was so talkative with this tom, especially considering the fact that she hardly knew him. But she continued to talk his ear off just the same. If she-cats were so respected then surely he wouldn't mind. Right?

[THE s h a d s]

F E L L

A smile danced across his lips as she stepped away from him. Cautious. She doesn't trust me. There was no reason not to. Fell would never harm another she-cat. Not again. Fell? Sounds kinda dark.

[/b][/s] Her voice was like honey, no longer encased with authority. My name's Fyra.[/i] Fyra. A beautiful name. He wrapped his tail around his paws, obviously enjoying the conversation they were having. He got lost in her essence, just the thought of her in general. Not that he was falling in love, oh to say the least. It had just been a very long time since he had been comfortable around another she-cat. A very, very long time. She was going on about something when she paused. She was thinking of how to word something. He began listening once more.

Love doesn't exist. If you sit around and wait for it, lives are made worthless.[/b][/s] He stood suddenly, turning his back on the she-cat. She knows nothing of love. She has never lost it. She has never felt it. Remember this. His tail flicked, but not with anger. With amusement. The wind had picked up now, more so than it already had been. Steadily increasing now, it seemed to be reaching it's peak. Funny how the little things distracted him. I know it seems silly, something like a kit would say, and in a way, I am a kit. I never had to worry about these kinds of things so I never bothered to think about them. But yeah, love, as beautiful (as though who claim to have it) say it is, it is nothing but an excuse for heart ache and a reason to make others stop and think about their true motives and decisions.[/s][/i] He turned back to her, an understanding look in his eyes.

With a deep breath, the tom attempted to keep his cool. Not because this subject brought him anger towards her, but towards himself. He had let this beautiful thing go all because of the one desicion he made without thinking. Fyra, you do not understand love because you have never felt it. You have closed your heart to it, therefore you think it doesn't exist. I speak from expirence, it does exist. And when you lose it, it hurts worse than any wound that can be inflicted upon your flesh. His voice was only a hushed whisper, laced with a heartbroken song. His deep amber eyes stared at the ground, not wishing to show her the hurt that encased his soul. You are right, Fyra. I am not from here. There is no need to fear me. I have hurt one she-cat beyond imagining, and that is enough to tortue my soul for ever. Never shall I harm another again my dear.

His voice slowly became normal once more as he looked up and assumed his original position in front of her. He swept the forest floor with his tail as he sat down once more. Forgive my... Attitude. My past haunts me.[/blockquote][/blockquote]