HUMiLiATED?! ME???!!! [skye and open]

[cloudspots]

cloudspots;;

the cream and ginger tom sprang down hard on the blackbird that was now clutched in his paws. long, charcoal feathers bounced around in a flurry as cloudspots ended the bird's life with a quick nip to the neck. it was effortless, like shoeing away a fly. he was just going through the motions lately. he was near the camp, but felt like he was miles away. in reality, the camp entrance was only a few short fox-tails from his position in the woods. he was not really giving any thought, but just ... doing. there was no effort that went into catching the prey for the Clan. it just happened. like everything in life, it had to be done, or there would be no future. cloudspots sighed as he bent down and picked up the dead bird in his mouth. the beak pricked at his jaw a bit, but he didn't mind enough to move it. padding to the edge of the forest, cloudspots dropped the bird and dug a quick hole in the dirt below his pads. tucking the bird safely away from his return after the rest of his hunt, the stocky tom looked up toward the sky. it wasn't quite sunny, but not cloudy either. it was like the sky had ruled in a compromise, that for one day each of the types of weather could have a spot. tiny blooming buds dotted the treeline of the forest, each one about to open, but not quite ready yet. some patches of ice and snow inhabited the ground in the morning, but eventually melted back to reveal small patches of brown mud that cloudspots avoided without fail. he hated getting dirty.

i need to get going... cloudspots rushed off into the bracken and trees, scenting the air as he went for any scents that might bring about another hunt. there was nothing at this point, but cloudspots still rushed through the woods, trying to find something to bring back to ravineclan. slowing to a soft trot, cloudspots cocked his head to the side and looked around the clearing. why am i moving so fast. i am not in a hurry for anything... his thoughts had been so jumbled lately that he hadn't really taken the time to smell the flowers. his late mate, amberlight, had recently died, leaving him with two kits that were at the age of becoming apprentices. how was he going to deal with it? he was their role model now. to owlkit and whitekit, he was all that they had. he realized how his own past had been the same way, how his mother had died when he was about the age of an apprentice. it brought sadness to his mind, and he padded forward.

hunting seemed to lighten his nerves, and it made him feel useful to bring food back to the camp. if he came back empty handed, what would they think? that he was out doing something strange? mingling with other Clans? no, he would never do that. shaking his head to clear his thoughts, cloudspots realized that he had stumbled into a thick mud puddle. splashes of brown ran up his creamy socks and he looked down in horror at his foolishness. rolling his eyes and backing up out of the mess, he shook out his whole body. "Great." cloudspots exclaimed sarcastically in a whisper. at least nobody had seen him. his head snapped up into the woods. well at least he hoped nobody had seen him. backing up a bit into the trees, he spotted a squirrel out of the corner of his green orbs and turned toward it, and squatted down into a hunter's crouch. oh, how everything began again. everything had a circle. he pounced at the squirrel, and ended its life with a quick bite to the vertebrae. mud splashed along the squirrel's hide, but he carried it off to be buried for later anyway, not minding to clean it off at all. it was dead anyway. it didn't matter if the squirrel was humiliated by being dirty.

puppet;; cloudspots
muse;; good
count;; 652
directed towards;; flametwist, open

[flametwist]

FLAMETWIST

[/size]
would you rather take your death by fire or ice?[/center][/font][/color][/size]

It was always dark in his mind, a mind that was engulfed by the complete darkness of his past and future, poisoned further by ideas that he was quite sure he had no right to think. These ideas concerned a certain silver she-cat and a future that was quite obvious that would not exist, but with all the pain and anguish and confusion in his young life, it couldn't be helped that he would want something as beautiful, as brilliant, as bright as her. And so, just outside of camp, Flametwist kept silent vigil, the fireworks dancing off his firelight pelt.

How was Phantomsun doing? How was she coping with the loss of Hawkshadow? These were the thought that plagued his very mind and with each one, he felt a pang of guilt, an ache in his heart that had no always existed, and he wondered, if he did not like Hawkshadow all that much, why was he feeling as if he had lost something more?

There have been many moments in life in which he had felt a similar emotion, something that could only explained to him as a shadowed ball of fire, darkened with poison of past remembrances, and impossible to be immersed back inside him. This feeling continued to flare up at impromptu times, in which he would agitatedly wish that he were as emotionless as the TealClan deputy, Crowflight, who would surely be able to toss these annoying feelings away like specks of dust. However, much later, he would feel a sudden ache, a hole in his heart, for other things that he had lost and he would suddenly wish again that nothing would change, nothing would happen, if only he could keep the brilliance of Phantomsun beside him, for - if anything - she seemed the only one to patch up the hole in his heart, heal it with powers that were now known to any other cat.

This feeling could not be compared to much else, as it was not anger nor bitterness. It was not the ache of lost love or an one-sided love. No, it was a mix - perhaps - of all these very things and yet, it had a subtle difference to each shocking, flaring emotion that it made it so different that his insides twisted still in the vulnerable way they had not before. To Flametwist, this annoying feeling, was much like an enemy warrior that he was forbidden to kill - and if given the choice, really could not kill in coldblood - and a misbehaving kit who had rolled in Silverhawk's herbs, but looked up to him with wide, innocent eyes as if she had done nothing wrong. It was hateful, he was certain, this frustrating feeling but it was something, of this Flametwist was positive, that he could not toss away.

Just like, when he was younger than the thirty-two moons he is now, when he had been notified of his mother's sudden death. It was long after Stripes' constant reappearances, in both a physical and mental form, so the tom had long been able to make acceptances with the fact - even thought this did not mean he certainly did not hate it - that the clan he had always known would not be his own, that the life he had known probably would have belonged to someone else and the family he had loved did not ever exist.

When he had seen his mother's dead body at eighteen moons, only four moons after Stripes first appearance, he had not felt anything. Glowhaze had rushed up to her real mother with pooling tears, pressing her face dangerously close to the cold fur, when young Flametwist had stood hard-faced, feeling absolutely nothing for his fake mother, in line with all the other regular warriors, his eyes darkened with a smoldering poison that no cat his age should have to accept. It was at this time when Glowhaze and Soundwave pulled away from him, as if sensing the darkness in his heart and his want to hate them as he hated his real family, and it was at this time that they fell in love, later producing a litter of soft, mewling kits that Flametwist had not even gone to see. He had long already "forgotten" them, and everything they had done together. It was here that he became the cold embodiment, a flaming coma of darkness that was shattered and pieced together with ice, of the cat he once was.

His eyes blinked open when he heard a splash of paws, flaring amber burning brightly under the waning sunlight. The sun drifted towards the trees and onto his fire-red coat, making it flare with a sort of brilliance that was unfailingly him. With a quiet silence that only he could master, he stood to his paws and flicked his ears, feeling his muscles groan in protest when he moved. Flametwist often stayed at his post for several hours until the last warrior would sleep in camp and did not move from that very spot until such a thing occurred. Often he did not have the mind to sleep and even though he was not deputy, and such a task should not have been burdened upon him, he gladly accepted it with an easiness that surprised most cats. Everyone knew Flametwist was bitter and dark, laced with a sort of intriguing mysteriousness, but he was also reliable and brilliant enough for them not to question.

Flametwist crouched low when he came to an area that he thought the intruder was close to and lowered his breath, ears flicking cautiously to capture any sound. The creature was upwind so he could not scent him and did not know if it was a loner or rogue (StarClan, save them), or some stupid other-clan apprentice that did not know their place. However, as he heard another pounding of paws and a grumble, the wind suddenly shifted and Flametwist immediatley raised himself, muscles loosening. He padded forward and was brought to a rather amusing sight, but he did not neither smile nor laugh, instead his gaze burned into Cloudspots with a disappointing scowl. Cloudspots was older, but at the moment seemed childishly idiotic. And as it was, Flametwist was the type of cat who did not tolerate idiots any more than he tolerated ignorance nor innocence.

It was Cloudspots that stood before him, and because Flametwist did not bear any special liking to the ginger-splashed warrior any more than he did any of his peers, he stood his ground and said nothing, revealing a sort of awkward silence that seemed to crackle before them. His gaze drifted down to the mud tainting the perfectly white hue of Cloudspots' name, and the to the pile of prey that the tom seemed to be hiding. After a moment, the tom lifted his gaze and although the shadow of his face did not leave, he certainly did not carry a scowl on his face either; Cloudspots was at least hunting. And hunting was good for the clan, for her.

The tom pressed his lips together, frustration settling into the lines of his face as thoughts of her crossed him again, and he held back a sigh, glancing sideways at the tom. "mind if I join you?" he asked, in a voice that would have almost seemed friendly if you did not already know what kind of cat Flametwist was. He was not particularly angry at Cloudspots - as he tended to give this sort of cold treatment to almost everyone - and without waiting for an answer, crouched down low. There was nothing before him, but Flametwist bolted forward in a flash on silent paws. In second, a rabbit peeked from an opening and his fiery paw smashed down on it, claws preventing it from letting so much as a squeak.

With an ease that only he could portray, the tom padded back to Cloudspots with the rather plump rabbit, dropping it at the snow-touched paws that were nothing like his own. He faced the other with an intense sort of look, the differences between them obvious. They were rather similar in build and could have been considered brothers of the same litter, if not for the striking differences in their personalities and gap of age. Instead, there was a burning anger and bitterness hidden beneath Flametwist's cold heart, where in Cloudspots, there probably existed a sort of sadness and pain that was much too soft for a cat like him.

he paused for a moment, but when he turned again to glance at the other tom, the words had already slipped out of his mouth. "what do you think?" he meowed, sharply changing topic. he was referring to RavineClan's current situation, but - of course - in the sharp way he had changed topic, it would probably confuse any other normal cat.

Of course, Cloudspots and Flametwist were not exactly normal either.

[/blockquote]

[cloudspots]

cloudspots;;

out of nowhere, he just had to come. the one that was almost a complete opposite of cloudspots, who had a cold hard heart and never loved. well, cloudspots exaggerated flametwist's personality, and he didn't really know that much about him. there was just so much buzzing around in cloudspots' head that he had never had the time to go and have a civilized conversation with him. with flamtwist, it was all glares and sarcasm. the ginger tom's eyes glanced down at cloudspots' legs, where mud was still sticking to the reluctant long fur and caking on to his pads. the wave of embarrassment washed over cloudspots for a single moment, but he brushed it off quickly. after all, he was about ten moons older than the ginger warrior, and didn't deserve to feel that sort of humiliation granted by a younger cat. it just went against his nature. cloudspots kept his gaze straight ahead, and dismissed any kind of mental blow that flametwist threw at him by giving cloudspots a once-over.

Cloudspots knew that flametwist didn’t mean any harm. The tom was usually this way, with a cold heart and a scowl on his face. Frankly, cloudspots didn’t understand his personality, but he had never given the ginger tom a chance. Usually, cloudspots avoided him like a plague, and had never really given much thought into having a conversation with him. Flametwist was probably a nice cat, once you got to know him. Cloudspots couldn’t help laughing a bit at his own thoughts, but didn’t show this on his expression to flametwist. His creamy face stayed placid and still as he looked up at his clanmate. Cloudspots couldn’t even lie to himself. It was a bit awkward, just standing there and staring at flametwist like he was a rock or another part of the forest. The tom glanced at cloudspots, and finally ended the silence. “mind if I join you?” flametwist’s mouth shaped the words around what seemed to be frustration, or maybe annoyance. Whatever it was, flametwist had the nerve to get past his differences and want to hunt with Cloudspots. The cream and ginger tom could find nothing wrong with having his clanmate work to find some food for the good of the clan with him, so instead of answering in a lengthy explanation why he couldn’t, he dipped his head in recognition and plainly stated, “Why not?” before the words were out of his mouth, flametwist was already crouched down into a practiced hunting crouch, and was about to start his hunt. And, as it seemed to be a habit with flametwist, he was gone in a quick spurt before Cloudspots could say anything else. He hadn’t seen anything near where they were situated, but Cloudspots did not doubt the hunting skills of the practiced warrior. Flametwist wasn’t that young.

cloudspots watched him run off, and peered into the thicket behind him. Swiveling his ears to be directly facing where flametwist had disappeared, a small squeak sounded in the brush. Obviously, flametwist had made a kill, and he was so quick that the alarm call of the animal hadn’t been fast enough before it died. Flametwist padded back into the clearing, and stood close to cloudspots. He couldn’t help thinking how alike they looked, and to an unpracticed eye, they might even have looked related. But, of course, cloudspots was a lot older than the younger warrior, even though they did have a very similar coloring. But, of course, the topic changed before he could even say anything about how similar they were in appearance. “What do you think?” at first, Cloudspots thought that Flametwist was talking about the fat rabbit that was no propped on the ground next to the ginger tom. Then, his thoughts turned to how things in his own life had been, and how he thought about that. and then, came the Clan as a whole, and what he thought of that. for some reason, the Clan’s problems popped in to his head in a way that he didn’t think was possible: all of his Clanmates’ voices practically screaming at him and attacking him with a pressure that was suffocating his mind. A normal cat wouldn’t have thought of this, but the troubles had been so apparent lately that it was now the forefront of his brain.

“Well, that’s a vague question, don’t you think, Flametwist?” He laughed a bit in a hoarse voice before carrying on. “But, I am assuming you are talking about what is happening in the Clan. I am wondering myself how Phantomsun is holding up after her loss. It is quite a tragedy…and then the fact that the apprentices are thrown in to this with Cometpaw being Phantomsun’s apprentice and Cinderpaw having lost Hawkshadow…and then everything with Tallstone and Morninglight and Northwind….” he was rambling now, and was pacing too. Looking up from the ground at Flametwist, he realized that he was going on and on about the drama that was lacing the Clan these days. Frankly, it was a bit much. With Rainstar dying, and then Phantomsun going to take over the position, there was no deputy to help keep things in order. Soon, things would need to get straightened out. Turning to Flametwist, he stated, “And you, Flametwist? What do you think about this?” sitting down to stop himself from pacing, Cloudspots was eager to hear what his Clanmate had to say.

puppet;; cloudspots
muse;; good, good.
count;; 913
directed towards;; flametwist, open

[flametwist]

FLAMETWIST

[/size]
would you rather take your death by fire or ice?[/center][/font][/color][/size]

There, again, was that sudden icy darkness that filtered through his mind, made his face go dark and eyes smolder into a terrifying ember that should have not ever existed for a cat who had once claimed to be the young, innocent Flamepaw of his childhood. His face contorted into a hidden expression, the edges of his jaw tightening considerably, and there again was that fierceness behind the flames of his eyes that labeled him.

To Flametwist, a loyal and devoted warrior of Phantomsun and RavineClan, it sounded as if he was speaking transparently, with a thin voice without much care. The fiery-red tom watched the white warrior as his lips rounded over the word "Phantomsun" with careless ease, skipping over her name as if it did not hold the same importance that it obviously did. Flametwist was not sure he felt this way, why his neck bristled without need, why the scowl on his face deepened, and why his shoulders suddenly tensed, as a sudden emotion overshadowed him. He narrowed his eyes.

Then, as if such a fostering poison had never existed in his face or heart, the tom straightened and loosened his shoulders, his face easing into lines that were eased into perfect composure. Rumor said that Flametwist scowled so much, so deeply, that the feeling was burned into the darkness of his face, however, when he looked at the white-ginger tom in front of him now, simple curiosity and interest settling into the creases of his face after the anger that always existed, most could say that in reality, it was quite different. A bit bitter, yes, but a pleasant cat all the same.

Somehow more relaxed as the moments flickered by and Cloudspots contant blabbering filtered through his ears, the tom shifted himself on another paw and lifted his gaze to look about him. His optics swerved around, catching bits of sound, and with much smoother movements then before, leaned forward on his paws into a perfect crouch, as he crawled forward in the open grass. Without looking, the tom was careful enough to not let the dirty mud scald the glowing flames of his pelt, and reached forward into a seemingly silent bush to reach forward - his ears flickering back, nodding at the exact moments as he continued to ramble - and in a moment, when he dipped his head deep below the grass, he soundlessly lifted his head again, the juices of a mouse seeping into his white teeth. The prey lay plump beneath his vice grip, not seeming to have given any struggle at all. When he padded back to Cloudspots, his pelt was clean with the exception of the splashes of mud that touched his fire paws.

He dropped the mouse on the pile and flexed his shoulders, eyes flickering across the field again to catch some more prey. There was still that familiar scowl behind his face, but was hidden by the easiness and forced friendliness of being with a fellow clan member. He tried to forget his bitterness, his anger and hate, in the moments in which he was with his clan, because he had no right to feel that way and make them suffer. They were his family that he did not have.

The tom looked back at Cloudspots, glancing sideways at him as he scanned the area for more prey. A flash of the other tom's face when he had started to speak, a hoarse laugh that was almost nervous to his ears accompanied by annoying babbling that did not seem to have much feeling (which caused the deepened scowl, to be honest), made the edges of the tom's lips lift upwards. It was not a smile, nor anything close, but it was all Flametwist had ever given since Rushfeather had left, since Glowhaze and Soundwave had abandoned him, since he had been ripped away of his life and most of all, since he had figured everything out.

For a moment, the tom had a mind to ground his teeth and flex his claws, obvious hints of the frustration and rage that had pent up inside the time, hateful emotions bubbling beneath the surface for the fellow warrior, between the stop of Cloudspots stupid babbling and his simple question. However, he did not hate the ginger-white tom and perhaps, if the sudden emotion that flared up within him did not exist, or if it existed and he was not aware of it, the tom would have simply smiled and walked away. Yet, if another very particular and similar emotion did not exist either, he would have easily snapped and clawed Cloudspots to pieces. Both emotions that he could not figure out, but knew how to pinpoint them in his heart, were special and they coexisted within each other, controlling his every action.

So because neither emotions were particularly strong at the moment, at his heart was as much of an ease as they ever were nowadays, Flametwist simply looked at his fellow warrior with a straight-forward gaze that said everything, but said nothing all the same. "Phantomsun is strong and will get through this,' he meowed stiffly, locking his fiery gaze with Cloudspots. " If we stand beside her. And that is exactly what we will do." His gaze burned into the others, stressing each syllable.

Then he broke his gaze away, slowly looking toward something over the horizon that was not there. His thoughts bounced around softly, entangled with each other and because he did not know what to say at the moment without unsheathing his claws, letting loose that ball of anger that had boiled in his heart for so long, he did not speak. Cometpaw would be alright, she was strong just like Phantomsun and had already faced the loss of both her parents. Cinderpaw - a cat who vaguely concerned and more like, annoyed him - was weaker and fragile. This was apparent to Flametwist after Talonpaw's death. All of this drama in his life would not be good for the young tom, who was probably spiraling out of control. He needed to be kept in line. And then there was Tallstone and Morninglight and Northwind -- who, in his opinion, were all selfish cats who did not know their line. He felt little sympathy for such cats.

He breathed out, shaking his head in frustration and ridding his mind of such thoughts, so when he turned back to Cloudspots, casting a sideways glance, the flicker of emotion that the white tom might have caught - if he were perceptive enough - was clear and easy, filled with a pleasant blankness that was not there before. Curiosity, however, filtered through his amber gaze like fluttering butterflies, as he posed his next question. "The clan is going to fall apart, who should hold it back together?" he turned fully then, staring down Cloudspots intently.

[/blockquote]

[cloudspots]

cloudspots;;

The passion that flowed from flametwist's lips made cloudspots believe that he was right. but cloudspots had know all along that Phantomsun was strong and could get through anything. any loyal member of ravineclan had no doubt in the future of the Clan being great. they would return to their former glory soon. how could they even remotely doubt that this would happen? the way that Flametwist stressed the words reminded Cloudspots of when a cat is doubting what they are saying themselves and want to convince themselves of their own words. he shrugged it off quickly. Flametwist would always be Flametwist, and he couldn't change that.

Flametwist looked away awkwardly at the horizon, and Cloudspots followed his gaze. There was nothing special there, just the twittering of young birds and trees. his clanmate seemed to be still going over his words in his mind, still trying to convince himself with logic. Cloudspots was fully confident in RavineClan and the way they could drag themselves out of sticky situations easily. Each cat vouched for each other, and Cloudspots backed every cat in his Clan up, no matter what their decisions were. Except if those decisions were bad, but Cloudspots had more faith in them than that. Cloudspots turned his head back to Flametwist to see him sigh roughly, and shake his head. Whatever he was thinking hadn't pleased him, and Cloudspots caught the ginger tom's eyes as he turned his head back to meet the older warrior's. But, the question that came out of his mouth next completely took Cloudspots by surprise.

Flametwist stared at Cloudspots expectantly. "The clan is going to fall apart, who should hold it back together?" The first thing that popped into Cloudspots' head after the question was one word. ME! he wanted to scream it at the warrior. Cloudspots was the oldest warrior in the Clan, and knew each warrior and the way they ticked like the back of his paw. Flametwist was fully facing him now, and the distinct aura of curiosity came off of him in rays, like a kit bumbling from the nursery for the first time. Blinking his eyes and taking Flametwist on with his orbs fully, Cloudspots answered bluntly. "I believe the one to bring us together needs to be strong and able to take in emotions wisely." Cloudspots said in his raspy deep voice. "Well, I am the oldest warrior in the Clan, and have been a warrior since we came to the new forest. I believe that I could bring the Clan back to a higher standard." He didn't think that Flametwist would believe his words at first, and the warrior would probably laugh at him. Still, he held his ground, and waited for the warrior's reaction. Still, with all of his heart, Cloudspots knew that this was the right task for him.

He remembered the days of strife and turmoil back in the old forest, and how the foxes roamed the territories, and how Fernstar brought every Clan almost to its breaking point. he had been an apprentice then, and remembered every bit of it like it was etched in his brain permanently. He recalled how it used to be pleasant when he was a kit, under Dreamstar. Now, it was all gone, and Cloudspots felt that it was his responsibility to put the puzzle back together again for his Clan.

puppet;; cloudspots
muse;; bleh
count;; 559
directed towards;; flametwist, open

[flametwist]

FLAMETWIST

[/size]
would you rather take your death by fire or ice?[/center][/font][/color][/size]

And it seemed as if Cloudspots did now know the clan as well as he thought he did, or perhaps, he simply did not understand the likes of Flametwist as he should have. The fire-licked tom was brilliant and brave, with ferocity that could have been mistook for pain and anger and brashness, but if there was anything he was not, the tom was not insecure in his words. Even when he had spoke them, there was a definite touch to his words, a clear idea to his thoughts, and with paws did not shake, with a voice that did not waver, it seemed almost impossible that any cat would mistake him for an insecure one.

However, as he glanced at Cloudspots and back deep within himself, the tom knew that he was not a completely secure cat, that even if he would defend Phantomsun and RavineClan in an instant, there could not erase the knowledge in his blood, the lack of RavineClan in it, that Cloudspots obviously did not have. In a kithood story, he had heard of a cat named Fablerain who had a pelt similar to his real mother's (as Striped had explained it, at least) and with a personality that Flamepaw imagined she would have. However, he could never completely trust those facts and there was nothing saying - or against, really - that Fablerain was his mother, that the late loner was actually the former warrior, and even an ounce of RavineClan blood ran through his veins as it did Cloudspots.

Yet, if there was ever a cat that he had questioned further than he questioned himself, this cat would not even be Tallstone or Northwind because for all their idiocy, he could see the truth in their shouts and the truth in their eyes, in a way that could only be cold, raw pain, adhered by anything else. Any of the apprentices were too young to be inquired upon, and that mostly only left Cloudspots himself as a victim, who seemed so blindingly perfect that he had to be doubted in Flametwist's mind.

Cloudspots, for all that he was worth, seemed strangely abrasive and defensive with an almost striking thirst for power, despite his rough voice and seemingly quiet demeanor. Even if there were ten moons between the two, in the way that they stared each other, sizing down the other with a darkness that could not be tamed, the gap of age was almost nonexistant. His arrogance annoyed Flametwist to be frank, and the white tom before him looked like a young apprentice boasting about his latest feat, rather then the aged warrior Flametwist knew he was.

So the fiery warrior stared at his counterpart with a sort of cold indifference, annoyance and disappointment settling into the lines of his face, the fake mask of ease that had previously been apparent being washed away by it. For Flametwist, there was no such thing as differences in age. "being old does not always mean particularly wise or.... " he meowed, his gaze traveling down to the tom's muddy flanks. could a deputy really be caught playing in the mud? ".. or reliable." he looked at the ginger-white warrior again, his jaw tightening.

Because he was oldest, Phantomsun might be inclined to make Cloudspots deputy, but would she really want - or, more importantly, did she really need - a cat who was so arrogant as to believe that he could bring the clan to a "higher standard"? The white warrior had probably watched Flametwist grow up, watched him mold into the quiet, silent warrior he was now with a deep scowl that was overshadowed with constant anger. In that same way, Flametwist had watched Cloudspots stride around like the confident father he was now from the young, almost brazen, warrior he used to be. And yet, in Flametwist's eye, there were no such particular pain, no such darkness, that would make him any of a better warrior, a better deputy for Phantomstar, then he himself would be.

Suddenly, the tom blinked in surprise. Had he wanted to be deputy all along? Perhaps that was it, that was why he was so suddenly sizing Cloudspots and naming all of his weaknesses in ways that he hadn't before. In truth, he knew he was not a particular arrogant cat - much more silent and accepting - and he as not actually that ambitious either. Yet, the idea of Cloudspots - an almost childish, unsuited, abrasive cat - being alongside Phantomstar and leading the clan, made bile rise in his throat and his neck prickle. Being deputy had never seemed to be in his grasp, but as Flametwist turned to the other tom and raised an eyebrow almost elegantly, he couldn't help but wonder if Phantomsun would ever consider it and whether or not a cat like him deserved to be in such a position in which thinking about it became possible.

"If you are what you say you are, if you are what's best for Phantomstar and RavineClan," he meowed slowly, his voice careful. He did not really know what he was going to say or what he knew. All he knew was that the thought of Cloudspots standing besides Phantomsun gave a particularly dangerous twist of his stomach and left a certain bad taste in his mouth. "What makes you think that?" Flametwist pressed his lips together tightly, eyes smouldering. If Cloudspots was trying to do what he thought he was doing, the white tom would soon find himself in a position and in a fight that he probably was not prepared for.

[/blockquote]

[cloudspots]

cloudspots;;

cloudspots had said what he thought was the truth. he wasn't just going to say what flametwist wanted to hear to please him...what would be the point in that? he would be the much better choice for deputy, where he could stand along phantomsun and decide with her what was the best for the clan. cloudspots had seen flametwist as an apprentice - seen that scowl imprint on to his face and stay there permanently. why would he just say what flametwist wanted to hear? in his mind he went through the conversation "Oh, flametwist, of course you are the best cat in the clan even though i am older and more experienced. you could lead the clan." ya, like that conversation would go anywhere really quick. cloudspots bent down and started licking the mud off of his fur. it was embarassing at the least, and it was starting to harden and annoy and irritate his skin. flametwist still looked at him with that hard gaze, the one that just said "i don't like you" written all over it. well, he didn't find flametwist that attractive of personality either. he just looked back at him indifferently, watching as he smoothly responded to his question.

to flametwist's first comment, cloudspots sighed and inhaled deeply. the forest air was rich with the scent of more prey, but he ignored it to respond to flametwist's comment. "Well, flametwist, with old age comes experience. I do believe that I was part of the journey here to the new forest and went through that whole ordeal with ravineclan." at this point he knew he was sounding smug and was bragging a bit, but he couldn't change anything now. what would be the point. he had never really warmed up to flametwist...why warm up to him now? he saw flametwist look down at the mud he was still trying to lick off of his fur. had flametwist never accidentally walked through a mud puddle before? was he that perfect? cloudspots ignored him and kept licking. it would be gone soon enough, like guilt ceasing after one forgives. as flametwist suddenly blinked in the surprise of something, cloudspots was very eager to know what was going on in the tom's mind. it was obviously something that he had never thought of before, and was even surprised for himself to be thinking of it. whatever flametwist was thinking in his ginger mind, cloudspots dismissed easily. phantomsun would never want a deputy that was constantly angry at the world. well, at least that was the aura that petruded off of flametwist. if he couldn't change his attitude, he shouldn't be a role model as deputy.

what did make him think that he was what phantomsun...who would soon be phantomstar...wanted for ravineclan? it was just something in his gut. he did want power, but not for evil. he thought that he needed to do something for the clan, to give back. he didn't have much time left to accomplish this. "flametwist, i want to make a difference. that is all i want to do. if i was named deputy by phantomstar then i would be extremely grateful that i could do something to help the clan. that is what the deputy is for, isn't it?" and cloudspots sincerely thought that he could do that. he could take care of the clan. even though he might be pushing it a little and trying too hard, he did mean well. well, he meant well to most of his clanmates. flametwist was sort of getting on his nerves at the moment.

puppet;; cloudspots
muse;; okay
count;; 598
directed towards;; flametwist, open

[cometpaw]

» c o m e t p a w

"Gryffinwing's kits have more compelling arguments than you two," she growled, flicking her tail and staring at the two warriors as if they were apprentices the same as her.

It was perhaps the first time in her life that Cometpaw saw the truth about warriors. Someone had taken away the heroic, beautifully painted portrait that she had always imagined them being. They weren't knights in shining armor; they weren't capable of miraculous things. They were just cats. Just the same as her, her brother, or Gryffinwing's moon-old kits. They got jealous in the same was she was jealous of Cinderpaw. They got angry just the same way she felt when Silverhawk locked her up in his den over a tiny fever. They had hearts just like she did. Cometpaw was Phantomsun's apprentice; she'd have to be blind to miss the expression on Flametwist's face whenever the deputy-leader was around. And she had witnessed Cloudspots' grief at the death of Amberlight. These two were toms just the same as Cinderpaw and Bearpaw. And, right then, she really felt like shoving their noses in the mud.

"I walked the Journey, does that mean I'm eligible to become deputy?" she shot at Cloudspots, her voice ringing with mock sincerity. Her gaze turned almost at once towards the other ginger warrior. "And why do you keep throwing Phantomsun into the conversation like whoever becomes deputy gets to lay their paws all over her?" She snorted, flicking her tail coyly. "With Hawkshadow in StarClan, Phantomsun belongs to no one but me."

Somewhere deep inside her, Cometpaw realize the severity of what she was saying to the warriors. Mocking them like she had so frequently mocked Cinderpaw. But, really, didn't they see how ridiculous they were being?

"Let's be serious about this deputy thing," she continued, unable to stop herself. "The whole clan knows Brownspot's best suited for it. He almost died in service to RavineClan. He was mentored by Darkrain, who was, we all acknowledge, one of the best warriors this clan has ever seen. And," she threw in with a smile, "he has the patience to deal with you two."

The whole thing was rather hilarious. She had been sitting there watching them for several moments before she'd spoken. For two so eligible warriors, they hadn't noticed in the slightest. Admittedly, Cometpaw's rich brown coat blended in far better than their two flaming coats. At a glance, she might as well be a tree stump with eyes. These two were forest fires to a lazy gaze.

She didn't know what was making her act this way. Perhaps it was the beauty of mid-spring pouring down on her. Maybe it was the strange elation she felt whenever Cinderpaw was within her line of sight. It might have even been overhearing Brownspot and Silverhawk talking about the soon-coming warrior ceremonies of the three apprentices. Whatever it was, she stared her hazel gaze at the two fire-pelted toms, brazen and unafraid of their rebukes.

[flametwist]

He had not always been like this. Ask any of RavineClan's many warriors and they should have known exactly what kind of cat Flamekit was, how happy and carefree he had once been, or what kind of apprentice he had been, the young tom who was warm and laughing just like the flickering flames of his pelt. As much as Flametwist wished that he belonged to a clan where is darkest, most troublesome secrets could be kept hidden, he did not. Not to say that he did not love and was not utterly loyal to RavineClan and its quirks. He had lived in RavineClan almost his entire life, a clan where there existed such closeness that it was almost suffocating and where such secrets were nearly always revealed to the open public before the victim themselves even knew about it. Unfortunately, this "open public" included even childish, undeserving toms like Cloudspots as well.

The sun glowed brilliantly above, light coating their flaming pelts that could have been mistaken for brilliant forest fires, deadly though beautiful, to any wandering eyes. In turn, these two coats were both captivating and stubborn, darkened by the challenging expressions on their faces, the hard stares in which they faced each other as if wishing with all their might or the other to fall.

Flametwist's glowering face, filtered through the bright light like fiery diamonds, had already darkened to an even deeper scowl, in which his eyes were shadowed over in an intimidating glare. This was alays how he was, defensive to a fault, and feeling as if anyone would take the everything he had gained in the many moons he had lived in RavineClan, that he had climbed the invisible ladder to his warrior rank. If someone could expose that secret to the open public, wouldn't all the respect he had gained in his moons as a young, aspiring RavineClan apprentice and then later, as a serious, reliable RavineClan warrior, vanish in an instant? Frankly, however, it was not his fault for being so edgy or that he acted in this way, but more so that it was fate's punishment to him for being born.

Flametwist was about to give the tom older than him by at least ten moons a sharp reply on how experience does not always make someone wise and how he had traveled the journey too, (even if it was not as much of a painful experience as were many other memories of his, hidden beneath the depth of his scowl), or how a million other warriors - too - had watched RavineClan fall and rise and fall again in the moons that both Flamepaw and Cloudpaw must have been just learning the ropes? So, then, if Cloudspots was so sure he had the talent and the power and the tolerance, what made him any different than the warriors who had given themselves to RavineClan countless times? Flametwist, himself, could not recall a time when Cloudspots had gotten even close to sacrifice.

Age meant next to nothing to Flametwist if you could not gain his respect -- but more importantly, if you did not give him the intellignce, the talent, the tolerance or the knowledge to prove it. Intelligence was as different from knowledge as a cat was from a mouse, tolerance could only be gained through intense pain or hardship, and talent was as easily received as lost, something that young Flametpaw had seen in the cats who lost themselves in the flames of love and deception. while Cloudspots, he had to say, may have been talented with hunting moreso than most warriors and he was not to be considered dull, Flametwist could see he lacked the knowledge of the aged warrior he claimed to be.

Even if he sounded like a broken record in his thoughts, the fiery tom could not get rid of the die of such a careless tom becoming deputy, evident in the mud that splashed his legs and even as the dirty color began to fade as Cloudspots washed it, the memory would be forever ingrained in his mind and it would take a while for Cloudspots to prove him wrong of this idea. First impressions were everything after all.

Didn't Cloudspots know how to leap over a mud puddle or, if that could not be done, walk through one without splashing, without having the mud stick to your paws and pelt? Perhaps that may have been an accident, the fire-licked tom admitted to himself grudgingly, but that would have been even worse. Because, i Flametwist's eye, an accident was even worse for such things could not be redone. A million rights would never fix a single wrong, or the mess it often left in its wake -- quite literally, in this sense. For Flametwist, if he had anything to measure a cat by besides first impressions, it would be by their mistakes.

... which also meant that he could never be deputy. The mistake of his birth, the simple crime of being not and yet being admitted into such a closely-knitted clan without questions, was impossible to redo. No matter how many good deeds he did, no matter if he stayed beside Phantomstar and RavineClan until he died, if he gave his life and sacrificed his everything time and time again, his crime could never be erased. Yet, the tom came to this thought easily, accepting it with a thoughtless flick of his tail. Something like a thorn pricked at the edge of his mind and he wondered if he wanted something else more. Or, maybe, if instead it was someone else...

Which was probably what the young, brazen she-cat before him was getting at. Although, as brilliant, cold and as withstanding of the world's hardships as he was, Flametwist could not comprehend the idea of wanting something more than respect and acknowledgment from his clan members by becoming deputy. Because, as he was told as he was growing up, being leader or being deputy was a warrior's greatest honor, wasn't it? He did not understand what the hazel-eyed she-cat, who had popped out of thin air he swore, meant with her teasing words.

If becoming deputy meant he could have Phantomstar, he would have jumped for the position in an instant but why was that? He did not know what it was like to love, although he was fairly sure that it was a warm, tingling feeling as others had described it. Yet, he did know the comfort he felt by simply gazing at Phantomsun, the softness in his gaze that it initiated. The idea of anyone "having their paws all over her" made him want to run into a wall, yet having the notion of himself being able to keep that warmness of his heart and stay by her side, made his heart simply flutter. However, why did he even think that, so soon after Hawkshadow's death, she would ever consider that? Consider him? He gritted his teeth. "consider him?" what did he mean?

Cometpaw, who had come shooting out of nowhere, made him blink in surprise at first and forget his thoughts immediately. He did not say anything to her mocking comments, simply staring at her in open surprise. If he had actually known and understood - or more like realized - the glances he gave Phantomsum, the softness in his gaze, or the actual depth of his feelings towads the silver-furred leader-to-be Flametwist would have surely flushed a shade darker than his flaming-red coat like any regular warrior should do. However, as most cats figured out upon first glance, Flametwist was not "regular" and did not understand the underlying, undistinguished meaning behind Cometpaw's mocking words.

In the same way, though, he felt his neck bristle all the same, as if he knew she was teasing and disrespecting him in ways that he never let any cat do, but he held his tongue. His heart gave a little tug at her words, or so he thought, and instead of throwing a scathing reply about Cinderpaw and how she might do the same to any eligible she-cat if Cinderpaw were in Phantomsun's place, he found himself raising an eyebrow at her last claims. "... She is her own cat, of course," he meowed after a moment, bewildered. He narrowed his eyes, what could cometpaw be thinking? "No cat owns her." Least of all me, a voice whispered inside of him. Guilt seeped into his very thoughts and he swallowed, shifting his weight from one paw to the other.

With any other cat, Flametwist wouldn't have hesitated to unsheathe his claws and throw an equally harsh retort, digging into their darkest secrets. Because the flame-licked tom often spent his mornings, his afternoons and his evenings watching over the clan in place of the lacking deputy - not because anyone wanted him to, or he wanted to take the deputy's place, but because he felt edgy at the idea of a stray loner or rogue wandering into camp and sneaking up upon them unexpectedly, like Stripes had - he knew many dark things about cats, things that cats always thought were hidden. Flametwist knew how to undercover secrets faster than most cats could say "mouse". However, somehow, with Cometpaw it was different. His face lightened to a frown, his gaze curious instead of angry. Unlike with Cloudspots, he actually liked Cometpaw to an extent and it was not only because she was Phantomsun's apprentice. she was irritating, yes, and more frustrating than he cared to handle., but she had spunk. He would give her that.

In a way, she reminded him of the Glowpaw he had grown aside, though unlike the soft, quiet-voiced queen Glowhaze had grown into. Glowpaw had been quiet, yes, but when she spoke - he remembered - it was in a bold, outgoing way that made others laugh in surprise and while she was not rude, she had a humoring way - perhaps it was her tone or the idea of someone so supposedly mute being able to surprise you in ways that were simply unimaginable - of making him smile and grin and laugh without intention. He was sure, if he would be able to properly meet Glowpaw again, he would have fallen in love with her, simply because she brought back the Flamepaw he had long hidden away.

And so, uncharacteristically, as the thought of Glowpaw filled his mind, Flametwist began to laugh. If he had not guessed already, Cloudspots should have known Flamewist was not a very easygoing, "happy-go-lucky" cat like Beestripe and such a bout of laughter, free of the chains that captured his heart, was rare. Yet, the flamelicked warrior was not unknown these bouts of warmness, the friendliness that revealed a cat that had long been forgotten by the many cats who did not care to remember young, happy Flamepaw and instead recalled the dark, frightened tom of his apprentice years who was older, who used a furious scowl to cover all his fears, the same darkened look that chased away both Glowhaze and Soundwave, and most anyone else who dared to even come close.

"I suppose that's right," he meowed, a chuckle mixing its way into his humored voice. "Brownspots did give the most to the clan. He did sacrifice himself on more than one occasion." He leaned back, ears twitching, with an agreeable smile, softness still spilling from his gaze. He was not particularly joking, and the idea of Brownspot becoming deputy was much more welcoming. For some reason, the concept of tabby-furred warrior - who was clearly in love with Gryffinwing - taking Phantomsun's place as deputy when she became leader was much more pleasing than someone like Cloudspots taking her place instead. Somehow, this made him almost-grin, ihs lips twitching upwards in that familiar way. He found himself agreeing to Cometpaw, his whole-self agreeing as his shoulders loosened and his eyes lightened from the darkness that they had been drowning in, and her sudden notions that seemed so much better than the white-splashed warrior next to him could give.

And thus, started the change of Flametwist.
Yet, as everyone knew, the flow of darkness would always be there.

[/size]

[cloudspots]

cloudspots;;

cloudspots knew that she was right. the small apprentice that has flown in out of nowhere had come up with his distruction. he wanted to be deputy. he did. but still, with browspot and flametwist here, he didn't think that he would be able to accomplish his dream. he wanted to make a difference, to become something that could leave a mark in his clan. and brownspot was more accomplished than he was. he deserved the spot. more than cloudspots. for some reason, the white-splashed cat was having a hard time wrapping his head around it. but she was completely correct about brownspot. he was devoted and loving toward gryffinwing, and knew how to take care of his clan. cloudspots had a mate, once, but the love that was in his heart for her was still stuck with her. he couldn't redirect it. he couldn't channel it into something bigger, like his clan. after amberlight died, he just had whitekit and owlkit, his misbehaving kits that needed to still have their apprentice ceremony. they were eight moons now, and still they had not had their ceremony. they were a disgrace to him, but at the same time, they were his life.

cloudspots wanted power. he wanted a new life. he wanted to get over amberlight. everything that he did was for her. he wanted to please her, so he wanted to be deputy, and one day, leader. for some reason, he hadn't noticed this before. he hadn't noticed that what he did in his life was fore her. everything that had happened since she died was in her honor. he just wanted the best clan for his kits. and he could do that by being deputy. but he couldn't doubt brownspot's ability to do that also. the anger that was seething through him earlier in his conversation to flametwist had vanished. he knew that cometpaw was right, and he had let it soak in.

"You are right, cometpaw. brownspot has experience as well. he knows what he is doing. but in the end, it is up to phantomstar, correct? we just need what is best for the clan. all of the warriors in our clan are good enough for the position, but it is not our choice in the end." he let out a sigh, and looked at flametwist. the orange cat also agreed with the apprentice, and it seemed to be unanimous between them. but they weren't the ones deciding who would be the next deputy. the leader was. and the more that cloudspots thought about it, the more he realized that this argument was for nothing, and they had spent this afternoon wasting valuable time that they could have spent hunting. what was wrong with him. it was like his whole life was turned upside down after the death of his mate, and nothing could be done to put it right.

puppet;; cloudspots
muse;; ewww
count;; 483
directed towards;; flametwist, cometpaw, open
notes;; wow my post looks horrible after skye's novel haha 8)