The wind was heavy, tugging at the she-cats fur as she sat in the middle of camp. The sky was clouded over, and she could begin to sense a change in weather as light flakes of ice began to drift downward. Ashcloud stood and stretched out, not letting the fresh snowflakes settle on her pelt for too long. Most of the cats had retreated to their dens by now, as most didn’t have much else to do, or were exhausted from a long morning of hunting. She could see the hunters hadn’t been quite successful, the rock cleft that held the prey was rather sparse. She didn’t often miss a meal, as she was first in command under her leader, but wanted the rest of her clan mates to be able to feel the satisfaction of a full belly. She hadn’t gone out today, and the hunting parties were exhausted from the long hunt from the early morning.
“I’m going out,” Ashcloud announced with the flick of her tail, to no one in particular, but to anyone who heard her. She didn’t feel like trudging over to the leader's den. Ashcloud slipped out the small hole in the thorn barrier, and made her way down the peaks, towards flatter land at the base of the mountain. She could scent the earlier hunting party scent, that had headed up, higher in the rocks. It didn’t appear anyone had headed down the mountain for hunting today. The snowfall began to pick up as she silently worked her way down the mountain, ears pricked and alert, for any sign of danger. Below her the land became a slope, and soon flattened out. It was a ways down, quite a journey, but the place was surely full of prey. And, she had the wind to her advantage. She wanted nothing more than to feed her hungry clan.
But a scent caught on the wind made her blood run cold. Ashcloud froze, her muscles tensing as her eyes searched the land below her for any sign of what she smelled. A cat scent, clearly. But.. it wasn’t any cat she knew. Her clan was hostile towards other cats, not welcoming to others, except for those hungry for blood and willing to live under Buckstars cruel leadership.
The scent was fresh, but not quite close. It was still a ways farther down the base of the mountains. She couldn’t determine if it was a single cat scent, or if it was more. She didn’t stand a chance against a whole group of cats.. perhaps she should just focus on the prey. But young Ashclouds curiosity got the best of her, unable to help but follow the unfamiliar scent towards a small group of trees. She stayed low and deadly silent. She didn’t dare reveal herself if it was a group of murderous cats. If that was the case, she would run. But she found herself confused as her eyes laid on.. what she assumed to be a cat, lying on the ground. No, not just lying, writhing as if they were in pain. Ashcloud immediately felt sympathy for the poor cat, holding herself from just running out to the stranger, to see what was the matter. She took in the scents again, making sure the being was alone. It was strange, she couldn’t smell any blood.. what was the matter with this cat?
Ashcloud couldn’t stand it anymore as she rushed over to the stranger, eyes wide with worry and fear for the cat before her. It took her a moment to realize- this cat had a collar. With spikes, just like hers.. But the collar was brown. It didn’t match with any ranks of her clans. She decided to ignore her questions of who this cat was, and instead focus on how to help them. No one was with her, she didn’t have to act savagely on them. She pressed a paw to his dark flank gently, feeling for breaths, a heartbeat, to determine he was at least alive.. and not writhing with the aftermath of death. “Hello? Can you hear me? Can you talk?” She asked in a soothing tone, trying not to make herself appear hostile. She nudged the cat once more with her muzzle, looking around. Her eyes landed on a small puddle, partially frozen, and a tree nearby carrying stiff frosty moss. She ran to the tree, collecting the moss. She broke open the puddle and sank the moss in it with her teeth, before bringing it back to the cat. She moved the moss back to his jaws, hoping water could at least help them focus.. and calm down. But Ashcloud had never seen anything like this before, and was terrified for this poor cat. She laid down beside him and tried to calm his sporadic motions, giving soft gentle words to him.
She took the time to take in his appearance.. he was rough, holding scars above his nose and his hind leg. Her leader despised house cats, and any cat daring enough to come towards their land were killed on the spot. But, she was pretty certain this cat wasn’t one of them. He didn’t share the soft description of a kitty pet. If anything was for sure, he was a wild cat.
The cat seemed to thrash and kick, not right in the head, or perhaps dangerously ill. Being the empathetic cat she was, she took her time to lick the tom’s flank and whisper words of ease and encouragement. She had no idea who this cat was, but couldn’t help as she uttered motherly phrases.
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Time passed, and whatever ailed the tom seemed to have passed. The fears of death and anything else were over, and the two cats began to make light conversation. It seemed the she-cat stranger before him didn’t seem at all fearful that he would attack her. “How could you tell I wouldn’t be a threat when I got up?” He asked, joking with a slight chuckle. “Your leader seems very strict. Anyway; yes and no. We are a small group of loners I suppose? There are only four of us. We are a newer posse.” He squinted towards the mountains, trying to see if he could spot a camp of some kind. The she-cat seemed a bit concerned about his possible injuries. When asked about the pain, he huffed softly. “It is bearable, it’s like a subtle but consistent burn. Other than my stomach, I feel as if I’ve swam across an entire lake. My legs feel weakened.” Wolf-kissed admits. That seemed to almost cue their exposure to another stranger- an acute yet agile feline could be spotted making her way down the mountain and right towards them in a hurry. When confronted, he kept his ground though soon lowered himself to a sit. He kept a calm demeanor, yet he wasn’t shy towards a cat trying to throw some pressure against him. He only returned the tone, he often matched others on their own level. “I doubt I’m that close to your border. If I am, you and your friends are terrible at marking posts and are just begging for intruders to come on in.” He stepped closer, the two cats almost nose-to-head. “I have the right as any other creature around here, I *was trying* to pass by.” His tail flickered. His little story didn't get him very far, for once he began throwing insults, Ashcloud shifted her motive to bringing the newfound prisoner into camp. ‘What the heck- This was a trick!’ His mind filled with anger- he let this she-cat fool him into sticking around until backup arrived. As he was forced up the mountain with aching muscles, he continuously tried to think up of a way to escape the two. ‘I mean c’mon, what are two small gals going to do to me? Sure, my legs feel like swamp-water (jello alt?) but I can out-run em!’ Once they reached the top of the mountain where their camp was located, he would let Ashcloud pass into the shallow entrance first. Now with one cat behind the narrow entrance- he indeed made an escape attempt. He suddenly turned his body, using himself as a brick wall and shoving his flank against Rowanclaw. He used his weight and muscle to advantage as he attempted to sent her tumbling down the mountain. He made a running attempt then, though not able to reach his full speed. ‘Yeah!’ The tom thought to himself, now was the easy part- outrunning these cats. It wasnt long before Wolf’Kissed was trailed by a toothy snarl and caught up to by the now enraged Rowanclaw. By the time he was able to turn his head to see how close she was, Rowanclaw jumped on his back from behind. Her weight lightly affected him, when she realized she was going to need to do more to get this tom to stop, she dug her claws in near his spine then reached forward and grabbed his collar in her mouth, trying to pull it tight in an attempt to choke him. But she could already taste the metallic fluid in her mouth from the painful teeth of the collar, and all too quickly let go with her jaws. The brute let out a toothy snarl as the she-cat launched herself upon his back. He made a small gasp as his collar were tightened. Wolf-kissed suddenly stopped and got on his two hind legs for a moment before falling onto his back, ramming Rowanclaw into the dirt and putting all 15 pounds of weight and muscle on her. He ripped up the earth as he knocked the wind from her lungs in return.
“Wrong choice, kitten.” He snapped though it didn’t take long for his muscles to weaken again.Rowanclaw yowled as she smushed into the dirt pathetically, struggling as his immense weight was forced upon her. She choked and let go of him, feeling her leg pull out of place. She couldn’t move, her pelt ruffled and full of dirt, taking in ragged breaths as she laid there. It wasn't long before Ashcloud noticed Rowanclaw got ground into the dirt, eyes widening. A snarl rose in her throat, as she dashed after Wolf-Kissed, anger in her eyes. She dashed past Rowanclaw and to the tom, hissing as she made a lunge and sunk her teeth into his hind leg. With tensions rising and Wolf’Kissed lost his footing and ended up tumbling down the mountain a ways, sharp rocks and plants making their way through his pelt. All the fighting and tumbling did a number on him; Wolf’kissed let out a hiss of frustration. ‘Why am I so weak right now? I should be halfway back to Lost’Star already!’ his claws dug into the earth. When the two caught up and he was given the option to submit, the Iarl did so with teeth bared.
-
Ashcloud and the stranger named Wolf’Kissed soon entered the leaders’ den, which belonged to Buckstar, who sat waiting with an appeased grin. The leader made small talk with Wolf’Kissed, even teasing him a bit before delivering his punishment for being so close to their land. Prisoner, he would be, in the wet cave far beneath the earth, forever. But he would not be the only one punished, as Ashcloud would be there with him as well. As the young commander had not fulfilled her duties of taking care of any stranger cats on the territory, and she instead let him live. Thus, she would not eat, and remain down in the deep wet cave with the prisoner until morning. Ashcloud was annoyed, but only did as her leader said, taking him down to the deep cave.
The cave was filled with tension at first, but Wolf’Kissed seemed more interested in teasing Ashcloud. He splashed water on her, not ready to accept any sort of death fate he may have. As things calmed down, he even pulled some catmint from his pelt to give to her, hearing the hunger ebb away at her. They began to speak of religion, well, more so argued religion. They found they both lived under the ways of the stars, but things differed greatly. But as Wolf’Kissed began to speak in depth about his life and religion, Ashcloud couldn’t help but shut up and listen. It was interesting she found, as he spoke of the dark forest and Valhalla. He in turn asked about her own beliefs, and she described her religion of spirit ancestors and animals. They found they enjoyed learning about each other, even though they were different.
Thankful that he had Ashcloud’s ear, he decided to test the waters with a new-found topic. ‘’I’m aware of the scarcity in prey this fall, it is something I fret to think about- not having enough food to sustain me or my clanmates for the winter. That seems to be when we are in need of it most.’’ He shook his head, letting out a sigh to trigger the sorrow pinging right at Ashcloud’s heart. ‘’I overhear what echos into the cave and it sounds like you and your folk face the same problem- I may or may not have come across a field where the rodents feast on man’s food.’’ He paused, drawing in a deep breath before making the suggestion. ‘’I’m willing to show you and only you to those grounds, for they are off of claimed lands by us. If you wish to be the hero for your group, I suggest you let me help you and maybe you can aid me in return. I’m sure Buck-Face would look past my escape if he were swayed with a full belly of his own and his warriors.’’ His burning gaze didn’t leave hers, ‘’Both of our groups need us as deputy. Me stuck here and you stuck here watching me does nothing for either of our loved ones.’’
-
Ashcloud felt her tail droop, sighing softly. Guilt for him tugged at her, and she couldn’t help but give in. She looked away from him, “You’re right.. of course.” She mumbled, moving slightly to the side. “Okay… Okay. But if I let you leave… will you meet me again? Where we first met? To ensure that you are all you live up to be?” She asked, slight tension in her voice. The tom nodded, full of sincerity.
-
She watched the gray tail of the tom disappear into the night in a silent fashion, already feeling slightly guilty about doing so. She was the second in command, and she had betrayed her leader by letting the prisoner go. But how could she not? After speaking with him and learning more about him, she couldn’t help but give in to his jokes and acts of kindness. He was harsh when he needed to be, but not every part of him was like that. The way he had offered her cat mint in the cave, even though he was the one who would surely need it. Her eyes cast up towards the stars, watching as they twinkled gently before her. Were her ancestors looking down at her in pity? Were the spirit animals of the forest calling her out in shame? She sighed softly, knowing she would never know. But this was her moment of peace, until Buckstar found out she had lost the prisoner. Oh Ashcloud, you silly cat, getting lost in your feelings and compassion for others. Why she was ever elected as first commander, she would never know. She was too good for Buckstar’s liking. She would endure punishment, for the prisoners sake. But it would be okay.. Soon, she would get to see him again. In the grove of trees, near the mountain base. Soon. And with that, she curled up and fell asleep beneath the stars.
Dawn came too quickly, and the angry calls of Buckstar took over the peaceful morning. Ashcloud was knocked off her paws before she could even get on them, as claws and teeth hit her ears and flank. The commander made no sound, taking the punishment through gritted teeth.
“You fool of a commander! Allowing the prisoner to escape- you lazy fleabag!” Buckstar hissed, nipping her ear again, Ashcloud letting out a slight sound of pain. “You should’ve had another cat watch him! It wasn’t my fault!” She snapped back in complaint, “I was exhausted from hunting and already battling that brute, don’t blame me!” She cried. Buckstar gave her a final shove before stepping back. “I don’t want to hear any more excuses! Get your hind end out of here and fetch food for your kin! You are not allowed back until you have brought back a sizable meal!” He hissed before sulking away.
Ashcloud rose to her stiff paws with a sigh, shaking out her pelt. Was it worth it? She was yet to see, if the tom named Wolf’Kissed was telling the truth. That he would meet her by the trees. And hopefully, that wasn’t a lie to save his pelt.
When allowed to slip away from the cavern he were held hostage in- Wolf’Kissed had a bit of trouble running with numb paws. The cold water he was subjected to stand in had definitely taken its toll. He was surprised he was able to persuade Ashcloud into allowing him to return to Zenith in one piece and even help her out in return. The tom’s pelt blended him into the night, allowing him to dash his way past the blind eye in the dark. When he managed to return to the group he called home, he was met with growls at first as he held the scent of the foreign group. Once they realized it was their Iarl, he was met with concerned looks and questions on his little ‘adventure’. Once he explained his capture, Lost’Star had made his way from his den and took an attentive ear to his deputy. Anger had risen in the cats of Zenith, they now learned of another group to pledge their claws against. At the end of his little spiel, Wolf’Kissed had added. ‘A cat of white and grey allowed my escape. If she makes her way over here, you are issued to not lay a harmful paw on her.’’ he was sure to make it clear. Though they weren't the happiest about hearing that they now had to share a bit of the already scarce food, they were just glad to have the brute back. He had decided to keep his word in meeting up with Ashcloud.
The fireflies danced in the evening sky, and Ashcloud’s silent pawsteps followed a rocky trail down the mountain. The sky was clear, the stars perfectly in sight as she made her way to the designated point where the former prisoner had agreed to meet her. She was nervous at first, that it would perhaps be a plan of attack from his own group, or he wouldn’t be there at all. But she relaxed as she saw the large cat silhouette, just a single on, sitting alone by the tree. They offered words of greeting, but they were at first a bit tense. Ashcloud couldn’t help but be angry about her punishments of letting Wolf’Kissed go. But Wolf’Kissed broke the tension, by speaking about the stars. She had heard of his religion when talking in the cave, but was curious to hear more. She sat down beside him, and he spoke in a soft and gentle tone, telling her of all the meanings of his beliefs. Ashcloud returned the favor, speaking in a relaxed manner with him. They shared a few laughs here and there, and it seemed the two had grown closer in only a matter of hours. Finally it was time for the two to depart, but not before setting another meeting date… Another meeting beneath the stars.
It was obvious maybe, after the fourth, fifth, or sixth meeting, that the cat’s really began to care for one another. They grew closer together, but the tension between group rivalries made each other fearful. But they never really spoke of it or brought it up, focusing more on the good things, and just using the time spent together for light-hearted subjects. They lay beneath the stars, bodies pressed together for warmth, tails entwined. It felt so nice, but Ashcloud feared things would not last. Additionally, she was unsure how Wolf’Kissed’s own group would feel about this. Maybe they wouldn’t mind? But she knew her leader sure would care, but not in a good way. But she decided to turn away the bad things. She had kept this secret for this long, she could surely keep it for longer. So she cast her head towards the stars once more, leaning against her lover as a soft wind brushed their pelts, the evening seeming to last forever.
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Theme Song-
Art by Demonic.Canine.
