Tranquil Days

[SWEET♥]

[bg=white][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] ASHCLOUD: WARRIOR OF EASTCLAN It had been hours since Ashcloud had last eaten, which would never do. Usually he was having the best time of his life, eating all the prey he wanted from Clans who paid him to spy on other Clans for them. He didn't want to seem pushy, so he didn't say anything to them about his payment, which was due about now. So instead, he took off to the fields in search of something to eat. He should have been hunting for his Clan, but instead he was hunting for himself. He was more important than his Clan in his mind. Anything done for his personal gain was the best option. "And they don't suspect a thing," he purred to himself. He was proud that he had thus far managed to elude the suspicions of his Clan. They didn't even notice when he left by himself. He had plenty of friends in the Clan who would rush to his defense as well. He was doing very well for himself, and he knew it. He did not look forward to the day that it would all inevitably fall apart, however. Eventually someone would catch him in his double dealings. But that's a far cry from now, isn't it? I just need to enjoy these few tranquil days... He heard a noise, like the sound of coming pawsteps. He lowered his body to the ground, pretending that he was stalking something.

[× KAY]

Some cats must truly believe Hollowstar would be stupid enough not to notice such treason going on. No cat could slip unnoticed for long periods of time, coming back with no prey and still smell of it. And yet for the past couple of moons a certain warrior of hers simply did just that. No, it wasn't all the time but oftentimes he would not be present for patrols and others would make up some story that he'd gone to hunt or to be by himself. Ashcloud certainly had some allies in the Clan - which isn't unnatural. Hollowstar found him to be quite the warrior but it seemed as if something totally different other than just hunting for himself was festering. Nothing good could come of this, she thought and kept a steadfast pace as she bounded across the open plains.

Through the slits of her cold green gaze she spotted a familiar pelt in the distance, the weaving blades of grass parting only for a second to reveal Ashcloud crouching as if he were pursuing something. But Hollowstar couldn't smell a thing but him and her suspicions of him came flooding back. Maybe she wouldn't find out anytime soon what was going on with all this sneaking around, but she could certainly try to put some fear into him. No, I'll let him think he'll get away with whatever it is. For now.

Hollowstar slowed to a stop as she neared Ashcloud, holding her tail high in greetings but the fur along her spine would not lie down. Her eyes betrayed nothing as they sized him up. You're awfully plump, now aren't you. "Hello, Ashcloud. Fancy seeing you here."

[SWEET♥]

[bg=white][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] ASHCLOUD: WARRIOR OF EASTCLAN His tail lashed back and forth when he recognized the voice of the cat who had just approached him. For a moment, he ignored it, still acting as though he were distracted by stalking things. He wondered about Hollowstar sometimes; mostly wondering if she knew his secrets or not. After a moment or so, he turned around. "I'm sorry, Hollowstar, I didn't notice you," he meowed. "Fancy meeting you here indeed. I'm just out hunting for the Clan... what are you doing all the way out here, and all by yourself at that?" Ashcloud's ears tended to flick back and forth when he was nervous. He wondered how long Hollowstar had been watching him, if she had at all. Did she do this often? He sat down, and licked his paw briefly before drawing it over his forehead to clean it. She mustn't know, he thought, about my treason to the Clan. She'd have my tail, or worse. He tried to look as pleasant, and non-suspicious as possible. Though, perhaps he was overdoing it a little, because he didn't seem very convincing at all. Too many nervous twitches and ear-flicks were starting to come on.

[× KAY]

Hollowstar's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as Ashcloud rounded to speak, his tail lashing is if the very presence his leader ailed him. Still she remained solemn but pulled to her full height when he began to question her. She should be asking the questions. Like perhaps why he insists on feeding himself before the clan or why he's gone more often than in camp. Though this infuriated her she kept herself together and stared at him with the same temperate look she always had.

"I've been confined to the camp for too long. I thought I might stretch my legs." Then an idea hit her. Oh, he wouldn't be pleased with it at all but it would certainly please her. Prey-scent now filled the tall blades of grass around them and then sun bore deep overhead. It seemed a fine day for hunting and an even better one to survey her warrior's skills. Or was that what she was really doing?

"Let us hunt together, shall we?" she said. A small, mocking smile appeared across her feline lips but vanished altogether almost as soon as it surfaced. With that she turned away, flicking her tail for him to follow. "Come." Yes, Ashcloud. Let me see just how great of a warrior you truly are.

[SWEET♥]

[bg=white][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] ASHCLOUD: WARRIOR OF EASTCLAN He stared at her, somewhat quizzically, somewhat irritably. His ears flicked again. He almost felt as though she was up to something, but he dared not say a word about it. His teeth grinding together as she spoke. Then her suggestion of hunting together came up, and he winced just a little bit. "That sounds like a fine idea," he meowed. Hollowstar was up to something, he just couldn't place a paw on what. If she was suspicious of him, he would simply have to try to offset all of those suspicions. He looked around for a moment as she motioned with her tail, telling him to come with her. Holding his breath, he followed along. I am starving, he thought bitterly. He really wasn't, as he usually got to eat more than his fair share, and had indeed become a little rounder -- though normally his figure would be more slinky. He wasn't looking forward to this hunting trip, but he couldn't argue against it.

[× KAY]

Hollowstar didn't stop to look behind her. He would follow obediently and doubted he'd risk her temper. The-she cat knew that he knew something, though why would it bother her when it was bothering him already? She suspected that his nerves were getting the best of him by now. Suddenly, Hollowstar came to a abrupt stop and opened her jaws wide, taking in the succulent scent of mouse. A studded ear twitched in the direction of the tiny creatures' movements about two fox-lengths away. Instantly she dropped to a crouch, instinct taking her senses.

Within a split second of her crouch she was gone. Ears pushed forward and keeping downwind, Hollowstar neared the prey and stealthily took the life of it before its cries scared any others off. Just moments later she returned to Ashcloud and set the mouse between her paws. "Our pickings this afternoon will be taken back to camp. Do I make myself clear?" Hollowstar sat, curling her long black tail around her paws, eyeing him carefully. "Now. Let's see what you can do."

[Durango]

[bg=333030][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true] crimsonstreak The ticked tabby had been watching from a distance for some time now. Even before, when Ashcloud was stalking through the fields, looking around for something. He wasn't out on any particular business. He thought, perhaps, that the prey piles needed a bit more in them. He paused just short of where Ashcloud and Hollowstar were having a conversation. His ears pricked up, and he tilted his head just a little bit, trying to hear what they were saying. It seemed as though they were just organizing some kind of hunting trip, which sounded pleasant to Crimsonstreak. Still, he shyly stayed his distance. He wondered for a moment if he should approach, and attempt to join them, but he didn't really know how to go about asking them. His whiskers drooped a little bit, and he turned to leave. However, just as he was stepping away, he heard a loud crack as his paw hit a dry twig on the ground. His tail bristled a little, and he turned around, wondering if he had been heard.

[SWEET♥]

[bg=white][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] ASHCLOUD: WARRIOR OF EASTCLAN He silently listened to what his leader was telling him. The way she specified what he was to do with the prey that they caught made him suspicious. It almost sounded as though she were hinting at something. Maybe she really did know, at the very least, about the fact that he often fed himself before he fed the Clan. He scented the air. He could smell a bird nearby, probably nested in the tall grass. As he crouched, and began to stalk towards it, he suddenly heard something snap. The bird fluttered up into the air, and away into the distance. He followed it with his deep blue eyes as it vanished somewhere far in the horizon. "Mousedung," he cursed bitterly. Ashcloud could now scent the familiar scent of another cat, someone from his own Clan... someone who had clumsily scared away the prey. Part of him was relieved that he might not have to continue on with this awkward hunting trip, but at the same time he was angry to have lost his potential kill. "Who's there?" Ashcloud meowed loudly.

[× KAY]

Hollowstar watched Ashcoud stalk off in search. Her eyes narrowed temporarily, both ears flattening to her skull in demise and undisguised disgust. The look she gave her warrior as she stared at his backside was one of cynicism. And then, something cracked nearby and her ears swiveled forward, all signs of her previous expressions dismissed as she strained her eyes to see if she could catch a glimpse of who it was. The breeze carried EastClan, then a more familiar scent streamed through her nostrils.

"Crimsonstreak. Why are you sneaking about? I know you're out there." Hollowstar stood and began pacing his way, splitting the waves of grass as she went until she could stand in front of him. "Well, since you're here you might as well make yourself useful. You can join our little hunting patrol," she hissed. Her head jerked toward Ashcloud. "It seems like someone's hunting skills are a little rusty if I do say so myself." Hollowstar smiled gently at Crimsonstreak. "If you don't mind, go and show him how it's done." She cast a sideways glance at Ashcloud, waiting for his reaction.

[Durango]

[bg=333030][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true] crimsonstreak Crimsonstreak's ears flattened just a little when he heard his name called by Hollowstar. As she walked towards him through the tall grass, he sort of crouched. He was low to the ground, somewhat embarrassed that he had been called out, and even more so that he had made Ashcloud miss his kill. Prey was important to the Clan, he knew, and all he had done was frighten essential food away. "Oh... oh... uh... Hollowstar, I wasn't sneaking," he stammered, looking down at his front paws. "I was just out on a walk, and I noticed that you were down here with Ashcloud so I... I just sat around... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make things go wrong." His ears were hot now as he flushed, getting very bashful and cocking his head to the side. He heard the irritated hiss in her voice, but it took him a moment to process the fact that she was not upset with him, but rather with Ashcloud. He looked over to his Clanmate, wondering what he had done to make Hollowstar so upset. He listened to her request; to go hunting with them, and he was ready to oblige. "Anything you say, Hollowstar," he meowed. Anything to gain back my dignity, he added in his mind. Missing out on the fact that what he was ordered to do was probably more Hollowstar's plan to humiliate Ashcloud than anything else, he listened for the sounds of prey. He heard the fluttering of bird wings, and he pushed himself low to the ground. With grace, and light paws, he stalked towards his target. With one swift leap, he jumped onto the finch, snapping its neck. He pushed it to the ground with his paws, and stood by it, looking sheepishly proud.

[SWEET♥]

[bg=white][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] ASHCLOUD: WARRIOR OF EASTCLAN Irritation was creeping up on Ashcloud, and he narrowed his eyes. Crimsonstreak had just appeared out of nowhere, and cost him his catch, and in turn his pride. He didn't really like Crimsonstreak very much. He was the one can he had never been able to befriend, since Crimsonstreak kept to himself most of the time. The only cat he ever knew him to be friends with was his own sister, and that was just ridiculous in Ashcloud's opinion. Then, Crimsonstreak had the audacity to outshine him in front of Hollowstar. This made Ashcloud let out an irritated hiss. Hollowstar was mocking his hunting skills, which were indeed a little rusty, but he didn't want her saying that out loud, especially not to a fellow Clan member. She went just one step further by making another warrior do better than he, which made him very bothered. "Good catch, Crimsonstreak," he praised, nonetheless, though his voice was almost oozing with a background of irritation and sarcasm. He glared at both of the EastClan cats, biting his tongue to keep from lashing out.

[× KAY]

Oh, she was pleased - very pleased indeed. Ashcloud was now showing his true colors and perhaps it wouldn't be too longer before he slipped up and trapped himself in his own nightmare. She wouldn't have to do a thing but wait for him to stumble. Of course, that could be moons from now but Hollowstar had great patience - especially if it benefit herself. Which it would, because if it was anything more than just what she expected, it could possibly endanger her position as leader as well as the whole of the clan. And that would certainly not do.

Hollowstar trailed up behind Crimsonstreak to admire his catch. Now this cat she liked; well to the extent that she could. She didn't particularly like anyone, but this one always kept to himself, hardly got in the way, and kept his duties up to par. Ashcloud was the complete opposite, and though Hollowstar couldn't place a single claw on what he was doing besides indulging himself secretly, she didn't trust him as far as she could throw him.

"Well done," she uttered simply, and began to move away further into the plains. By now she'd forgotten the mouse she left behind some ways. She was in mid thought when the sound of scurrying sent her darting, almost clearing above the tall grasses to pursue a large gray rabbit. He was quick, almost too quick, but Hollowstar gave one last powerful kick of her hind legs and it sent her landing onto it's back. She hesitated for a moment, burying the rabbit's head into the ground to muffle its desperate cries. Sometimes she enjoyed playing with her food. It was almost like tasting the juices of catnip, sending a flow of drunk, almost sick happiness through her veins.

Hollowstar paused a moment later, then pierced her long reinforced claws into its spine, feeling the last of life being forced from the body in several drawn out spasms. Lashing tail and satisfied, she turned to pinpoint the location of Crimsonstreak and Ashcloud, half expecting to find that he was gone.

[Durango]

[bg=333030][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true] crimsonstreak Crimsonstreak was ever unaware of the game that was being played, and instead was warming up to this get-together as a pleasant hunting trip instead. The subtle hostility, and the underlying harshness of words all went undetected by the bright blue eyed ticked tabby warrior. He rarely had the opportunity, or really ever the want to socialize with other warriors of his Clan. So, this time, he took a chance, not knowing that it was the exact wrong time to do so. He watched with wide-eyed, but somewhat reserved enthusiasm, silently thanking StarClan for the opportunity he thought he'd come across. He turned away shyly as he was met with what he thought was praise from Crimsonstreak, and then a couple of words of approval from Hollowstar herself. "Thank you," was all he could manage to say, and even then he sort of tripped over the words. Crimsonstreak admired Hollowstar's hunting skills, his ears pricked with fascination as he watched her take off in pursuit of a rabbit. He liked his Clan leader. He was very loyal to his Clan, and by extension, he imagined he would always be loyal to her. Of course, being as good-natured and optimistic as he sometimes was, he couldn't see the evidence of her being anything less than some immaculate StarClan-ordained feline. As for Ashcloud, Crimsonstreak had hardly a suspicion of him in the world, and so it puzzled him as to why Hollowstar had previously spoken to him in such a harsh tone. Truly, his hopeless spirituality and kind-heartedness sometimes made him utterly blind to anything negative.

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[SWEET♥]

[bg=white][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] ASHCLOUD: WARRIOR OF EASTCLAN Ashcloud could only roll his eyes at the fact that Crimsonstreak didn't catch on to his sarcasm. It wasn't as though the fact surprised him, but he did wish that the other warrior would get a clue at some point in his life. He watched as Hollowstar gave words of approval to Crimsonstreak for his catch. That mousebrain doesn't deserve that praise, or that catch, he thought, annoyed. His stomach began to rumble. He looked over to the mouse that Hollowstar had caught earlier with longing. He then noticed that she had gone off to chase a rabbit, and that Crimsonstreak was staring at her, almost in some kind of a trance. This opportunity was not about to go untaken for Ashcloud. He slunk towards the mouse, took it in his teeth, and swallowed it up, scrap by delicious scrap. After eating so fast, his stomach began to feel a little sick, but he tried to look innocent and well. It was obvious that he was starting to get queasy now, though, from the droopy look in his eyes, and a little pained sway he was doing. He could see Hollowstar returning now, and for a brief moment thought about taking off before she got back, but a mouse gone and him gone as well would be nothing but suspicious.

[× KAY]

Hollowstar approached the pair of them with her catch in her mouth, clearly satisfied with it and thoroughly regenerated at last. As she dropped the rabbit near Crimsonstreak she went in search to find the mouse she'd previously caught, the thought of it suddenly coming back to her. Her eyes swept around the short-cropped area of which they all stood where she'd left it earlier, but it was nowhere in sight. Then it struck her.

Her lips turned into a small, simple smile as she shifted her green gaze to the swaying Ashcloud, his face betraying the fact that he'd eaten while her back was turned and far too quickly in hopes of going unnoticed. If any cats in the clan had doubted Crimsonstreak's IQ then they might've wanted to check out Ashcloud as well, for now his IQ had dwindled to the size of a pea for thinking he could hide anything from Hollowstar. But still, the smile on her face had not disappeared - in fact, it was growing rather large and it was all she could do but to stifle laughter.

"Not feeling sick are we?" Unable to hold it back any longer, a rather drawn out hiss of laughter expelled from her lungs. "Does someone need to see the medicine cat?" Then her expression changed altogether and she reared on Ashcloud, thrusting her nose into his, her lips drawing back into a snarl. "You think you're so clever, do you? I don't know what you're up to, but I'll find out. Don't under estimate me." She said only loud enough for Ashcloud to hear, unwanting for Crimsonstreak to hear any of it. She didn't need for him to be asking questions - she'd handle it herself. Her eyes seemed glued to his for a moment longer, incapable of showing any emotion except for growing distrust.