|
Post by sydney on Oct 11, 2009 21:59:34 GMT -5
[smear:990000]Never Alone[/smear:AAAAAA]
Ashstorm eyed the underling, Lily, from neaby shade, she used to have such a bright white coat, it had become dull over seasons though. The underlings did most of the dirty work. Today was the day the medicine cat was checking the elders for ticks. This happened once a year. Underlings had to apply the bile first thing in the mornings, and they were forbidden to leave the camp, most hoped for puddles to wash away the fould liquid from their paws. There was not so much as a drop of water in the past week, no puddles for washing.
|
|
|
Post by Crystalstar on Oct 11, 2009 22:32:59 GMT -5
Riverlily sighed as she stood in the line of underlings, waiting to get her bile. This was the cleaning day of the elders, at least if she was an underling to ScorchClan, at least she would be doing something relatively good. She wasn't entertaining the warriors, that was the least favorite part. Here she was just seen as a piece of meat, at IvyClan she was seen as so much more, a person, a respected person. She wished ever so much to be that person again... She wished to be noticed and have meaning, purpose.
She received her bile and was escorted by a warrior out of camp towards the elder's den, which was far from camp so the elder's weren't complaining.
|
|
|
Post by sydney on Oct 11, 2009 23:27:33 GMT -5
Ashstorm padded to the line of underlings, waiting to escort the next. Having already sent out hunting and boarder patrols Ashstorm had no other work. Approaching the elders dean far from camp he relived the warrior ther for supervision as he took a small group of underlings back. The whole den smelt of the foul bile by now, chances were the elders would sit outside the rest of the day now. As the underlings finished the lasts of the ticks Ashstorm lead the last group back to camp. Re-entering the warriors began to pick of at the group, recuiting them for tasks, a shy few leaving camp with two or three warriors.
|
|
|
Post by Crystalstar on Oct 12, 2009 1:05:29 GMT -5
Riverlily did her tasks without any speaking, its mainly how underling life was, we didn't speak or do anything. All the underlings know each other but... were not friends, we just want hope that there's some way of escape. She was escorted back to the long and cold stone tunnel in which we all stayed in. A black tom led us to the back, which was a little area which had a small pool of drinking water (which we couldn't wash our paws in unless we wanted to get ill), and about three voles at the back for us to eat.
She quickly ran over and grabbed a half of one, we had to have halves so we each ate something. She brought her half over to the pool of water and nibbled on it as she lapped up the icey cold water.
|
|
|
Post by sydney on Oct 12, 2009 20:18:12 GMT -5
Ashstorm turned his view to the small amount of food and water in the small underling den. Shaking his head breifly he then closed his eyes. Ashstorm had his asumptions that sometimes those killed were more fortunate than the few set to be underlings. Sometimes, though it was rare, the she underlings were forced to mate with the strongest warriors. Even thought it meant better treatment there were never any real feelings, all fake. Even though Ashstorm was heartless as a killer he could never defile any she, mate with someone he didn't feel for. No cat in the clan striked a liking to Ashstorm, several times fellow toms had told him he may as well just have his pick at all the she's. The only she cats that struk intrest seemed to be the underlings, spared their lifes for something worse than death, but they still had hope, they were stronger than any warrior in his eyes.
|
|
|
Post by Crystalstar on Oct 12, 2009 20:54:01 GMT -5
Riverlily finished her part of the vole after what seemed like forever. If you ate your food in smaller servings instead of gulping it down, it kept you fuller longer and saved you more energy. She lapped up another few drops of the icey cold water and padded over to her little cleft in the rock. A little indent in the stone walls from being slept beside for seasons. She curled up, pulling her dusted white tail over her nose, closing her eyes, and like every night, wishing with every bone you had that it was only a nightmare, that in the morning when you wake up your curled up with your Clanmates from IvyClan, but only to find out its all real when your eyes flicker open...
|
|
|
Post by sydney on Oct 12, 2009 21:29:13 GMT -5
A fellow warrior came to relive Ashstorm from his post at the underlings' den. With a yawn and havy paws the warrior set off to his den. A few clanmates were still awake on guard duty, they had cats every where all the time. Security was unusualy tight all around camp. Entering the warriors' den Ashstorm glanced around, so many warriors lay resting and so many more on guard. Curling up comfortably in the moss bedding Ashstorm nodded of silently. Day in and day out barley a word passed from Ashstorm to another cat unless it was an instruction, being totaly surrounded was when he felt most cut off.
As the night hours continued vivid images from a night moons ago flashed before Ashstorm's sleeping eyes as it had every past nigh for about a moon now. A mother with white fur and slight silvered stripes, sitting at the edge of the ScorchClan border, brigth green eyes filled with sorrow as she gazed to the stars, practicaly begging for death. One kit was at the queen's side a small, slim silver tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes, gazing to her mother expectantly. Ashstorm remebered the nigh well, he had been a new aprentice, just over three moons and he had been looking for blood that night. Slinking slowly forward Ashpaw had known it would be two quick easy kills, a queen at the end of her life either way, and a kit, two or more moons younger than himself.
Memorise were the only things that haunted Ashstorm, no cat could give him a fright but himself from the past. This night he remembered was just few after his sister died, he was still crazed for any blood, it had been a dark season for Ashstorm. The queen had been not much of a chalenge, grasping her neck with his teeth, digging his claws into it aswell. Leavign the queen gasping for breath like his siter, thoughts of that same day hit hard. Remebering it he wanted more blood. The queen bled for a long time as her pelt and the ground soake up the crimson liquid. Releasing the mother Ashpaw had jumped at the fleeign kit. Pausing the memory Ashstorm akso remebered another, a full silver-white she kit with emerald green eyes filled with shock. Thoughts came rushing in a flash. The kit was Lily!
Snapping awake Ashstorm was greeted by the bright sunrise stinging at his eyes. Quickly Ashstorm leapt up, looking for a job to take on. Noticing the same cat that relived him last night still standing half asleep ant the underlings' den he rushed to take the spot. Watching untill the warrior had gone to rest Ashstorm turned to the den, all of the cats still sleeping inside. "Wake up!" he bellowed as it echoed around the den. "You'll have work to get to soon!" he continued. Leaving the den's entrance breifly her returned, several vole in his mouth, on for every two underlings and one for himself.
|
|
|
Post by Crystalstar on Oct 12, 2009 21:38:03 GMT -5
Riverlily snapped awake as she heard the tom's call. Her eyes narrowed, she knew his voice, mainly his snarl, Ashstorm, the Clan deputy. She didn't want to die, but looking at him made her feel like wanting to take her own life. She got up anyways, like everyday, stretching her long legs, yawning, showing her dull yellow teeth. They used to be white and sharp, but over time they grew dull and lost their shininess. She grabbed another half of a vole, in the mornings they had to eat quickly, they didn't have much time before they had to go. She still ate it in small bits, trying to saviour the meat. Lapping at the little pool of water she started heading towards the entrance, where they would be told their duties for the day.
|
|
|
Post by sydney on Oct 12, 2009 21:51:47 GMT -5
Ashstorm gave each cat a duty as per usualy in the morning. "Gather thistles, get the elders new bedding, entertain the warriors..." The whole line went throught, ending with lily. "Today you'll be assistign me, we're going to enspecta fouls stench at the edge of the woods, it's suspected to be crowfood," Ashstomr gave lily the instructions. 'Either that or a warrior' he thought, remembereing that Greysnout had never returned from hunting. Leading the underling quickly along out of camp the dream couldn't keave Ashstorm's head.
|
|
|
Post by Crystalstar on Oct 12, 2009 23:29:44 GMT -5
Riverlily was surprised to not be given a warrior. But she didn't complain. She followed Ashstorm out the camp, keeping her jaws held tight. She wondered why they even bothered bringing us out of camp. I mean it was really pointless, but oh well, she wasn't complaining. She swept her dust-covered white tail on the ground below her. She for once was picking up her paws as she walked, without dragging them on the forest floor.
|
|
|
Post by sydney on Oct 13, 2009 16:43:44 GMT -5
Aproaching the forest edge Ashstorm stopped, crinkling his nose. There was that awful smell. Glancing to Lily the warrior saw her slightly crinkle her nose too. "lets take a look then" he slightly growled. Traveling a few pawsteps past the trees Ashstorm noticed the large light grey tom. "It's greysnout" Ashstorm groaned, seeing the body. "seems he was attacked by a skunk with young too" he commented. "We'll have to get him back to camp."
|
|
|
Post by Crystalstar on Oct 13, 2009 17:33:51 GMT -5
Riverlily wrinkled her nose as she scented the scent of decay... the scent of death. Her eyes widened as she saw Graysnout's body just laying there... Even though he was one of the worst cats Riverlily knew, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him... No one deserved death, not even him. She picked up his body with Ashstorm, her eyes full of tears, but she was trying to hide them.
|
|
|
Post by sydney on Oct 13, 2009 17:47:17 GMT -5
"No sense spilling tearts for Greysnout" Ashstorm scoffed. "The old warrior was to retire in one moon, and he deserved it... messing with a mother skunk!" Shaking his head the warriror continued. "A battle would have been a more glorious death, barely and warriors live to be elders here. And I would have volunteered to kill him, let 'im have a few swipes even!" Ashstorm found fun out of the pitty of an end to Greysnout.
|
|
|
Post by Crystalstar on Oct 13, 2009 19:23:20 GMT -5
Riverlily seemed smaller next to Ashstorm... he could have killed her, Ashstorm was heartless, she would never like someone like this. But in an attempt to seem brave, she blinked away the tears, trying to be strong. She followed Ashstorm, unwillingly, wishing for a different life. She knew every other day she would have kept her mouth shut, but something was telling her to speak. "So you can just take a life? Just like that? It would never come back to hurt you? You can kill but don't even remember that you took something away from someone? Killed a mother, father, kit... How can you live with that..?" She asked, disgust in her eyes as she thought about it.
|
|
|
Post by sydney on Oct 13, 2009 20:15:07 GMT -5
"Things will come back, and they will take their toll..." Ashstorm thought about the dream he had been having. "You learn to tough through it alone." The deputy couldn't help but feel like the shell and reputation he had were melting away. "When you kill in vain it's always worst." he said, refering to the memory. "Greysnout on the other hadn, and old warrior, no living kin, no mate... willing enough to die as was... Killing him would be a favor." Ashstorm scoffed. The pair neared camp, leaving Greysnout's body outside. "Come on, lets tell Scorchstar"
|
|
|
Post by Crystalstar on Oct 13, 2009 20:42:07 GMT -5
Riverlily's eyes widened as she thought about what he was saying. "A favor? Death is no favor." She said, stopping dead in her tracks once the warrior was placed down. She looked down on Graysnout's bloody body. "Losing your life is not a favor. To anyone. How can you act like this? Do you even care? If you were to kill me, right now. You would probably forget next week." She said, a hard tone tinting her voice.
|
|
|
Post by Wolfstar on Oct 17, 2009 14:29:20 GMT -5
OOC: May I jump in? BIC: She was changing bedding in the nursery, again. The wispy furred underling kept her eyes low as she scurried in and out of the nursery, carrying filthy moss. She despised the taste of moss in her mouth. She despised the sound of laughing kits. Most importantly, she despised the smirking faces of the other Queens as they watched her scuffle to and fro with her head hung low.Many of them had wanted Foxslash for themselves. They were shocked and disgusted when they discovered he'd taken a miserable underling for his mate. Even if it was common, they thought that he wanted his kits to be of a more noble birth.
Dustfeather snorted as she walked out of the nursery with another load. They thought she was so lucky? They were jealous of her? She wanted to yowl at them, You can have him! Take him away please! I despise that foxdung warrior! But she held her tongue as she'd learned to do well. She was almost done anyway...
|
|
|
Post by sydney on Oct 17, 2009 22:06:34 GMT -5
Ashstorm turned this gaze from lily "barely" he mumbled to himself. Turning to set out hunting and border patrols he met Dustfeather, nodding to the underling, he continued to the warriors' den. "Any cat up for a patrol?" he called out to the group of cats., waiting for answeres. Only a few cats stood and mumbled, sgreeing to patrol the boarders or go out for hunting.
|
|
|
Post by Wolfstar on Oct 18, 2009 16:18:05 GMT -5
Foxslash rose and stretched. "I'll go on border patrol," he mewed, his voice cold. He didn't care much really, but maybe the patrrol would get lucky today and cross some scawny Ivyclan cat trying to steal prey. As he padded out of the warriors den, he caught sight of Dustfeather.
* Dustfeather saw Ashstorm out of the corner of her eye. She didn't acknowledge him, only squinted harder at the ground before her. As she was carrying the last load of moss towards the nursery she saw Foxslash exit the warriors den. He was looking at her.
Dustfeather looked up and glared as hard and fierce as she could muster. Maybe, with any luck, he'd change his mind about being her mate and kill her instead.
But no luck befell her today. He only smirked. Dustfeather faced forward and stormed angrily away, forgetting to bow her head as she went.
|
|
|
Post by sydney on Oct 18, 2009 19:10:54 GMT -5
Ashstorm nodded and thanked his patrols as him, Foxslash, and two others set off. Turning to Foxslash as they took head of the patrol the deputy asked a dificult question. "Foxslash. Is it true feelings that you have for Dustfeather? or have you given up on that and just want a strong she to bear your kin?" Ashstrom tried to examine Foxslash, see what he was hiding. The question lingered a while before Foxslash began to reply.
|
|