((-- reminiscence | a warrior cat cyoa story...

[ossa di cervo]

Sandpelt looked behind her, "You okay, Pebblepaw?" she panted out at the tiny black she-cat next to her. The two had traveled away from their clan, Shellclan, after Pebblepaw had received a prophecy. Well, more like orders then a prophecy from the way she'd spoken of it. Of course, Pebblepaw couldn't go into much more detail then that but Sandpelt had always been true to Starclan so why would they send a kit to lead her astray? She hadn't been certain this was all true until Sandpelt had seen the two she-cats bolting across the thunderpath. There was no doubt in her mind any longer as she turned to speak to Pebblepaw.

The little black cat locked eyes with Sandpelt and nodded, "Uh-huh." her eyes looked the way those other two cats were to be, "I knew Cricketmask wasn't lying." she whispered, eyes flaring to life with a fiery determination.

"Huh?" Sandpelt uttered, having heard nothing but mumbles from the black apprentice.

Pebblepaw looked up, slightly shocked, but laughed gently, "Nothing!" she gestured to the direction the other two should be in, "We gotta catch them, quick!"

"Alright," Sandpelt nodded, "Let's go!"

The older she-cat let the apprentice take the lead as they darted into the light wooded area. They were much used to trees but Pebblepaw handled herself with shocking elegance. Sandpelt did, however, get so caught up in smelling and looking that her paw got caught on a loose root and she toppled over into the dirt. Embarrassed, she quickly stood and spat out her mouthful of dirt. Pebblepaw turned to her, slightly in shock, "What's wrong with you!?"

Sandpelt laughed lightly, "Nothing, it was no-"

Sparrow's Bones suddenly barreled out of the trees and stood nearby, her fur fluffed up, "Who are you and why are you following us!?"

Sandpelt mentally scolded herself for getting so caught up in her embarrassment that she didn't even notice a mangy loner sneak up. She instinctively stood in front of Pebblepaw to guard her from this crazy loner and raised her hackles with a small hiss. Pebblepaw stepped lightly around the warrior, tapping her on the shoulder with her tail, "It's okay, she's one of them." she whispered to her companion. Pebblepaw turned to address the other cat just as the second, Caroline, slipped easily out of the trees, "Cricketmask sent us."

Caroline's shocked voice abruptly interrupted, "Oh goodness, I'm so sick of this! Who is this Cricketmask and why is he talking to darn near everyone!?"

Pebblepaw couldn't help but laugh as the torbie cat jumped backwards and began to delicately lick at her paw pads. She quickly stopped though as her instincts set in, "You're bleeding." The little black cat rushed forward and pulled at Caroline's paws. The torbie drew her head back in shock again as this tiny thing stole her paws out from under her.

"Its alright!" Sandpelt half shouted as she registered the shock on Caroline's features, "She's a medicine cat's apprentice - she knows how to heal wounds."

Caroline, rather then being grateful, looked half disgusted, "What is an apprentice? It doesn't sound great. Why would Cricketmask send us such a young cat?!" A look of pure confusion crossed Caroline's face as she looked at Pebblepaw, "Wait.. No.. You're perfect. We need someone with knowledge of herbs.."

Sandpelt wasn't really sure to respond to Caroline, "Uhh.. Yeah." she mewed as a hush fell over the group.

Player's Choice! What happens next!? Does the group find another cat, run into prey, meet another cat? You decide!

a. let me know with your comment!

[Katrione]

it might be better for them to find prey and for us to get to know more about each individual character before more are thrown in

[houndjaw]

I agree with @Katrione , Caroline needs some mending + everyone needs to take a breather and talk out everything they know.

This is good writing, ossa di cervo c:

[ossa di cervo]

Pebblepaw grunted lightly before turning to face Sandpelt, "We're staying here tonight. Can you catch something and keep an eye out for some yarrow?" Her attention turned quickly back to Caroline, "Start licking your pads, I'll help set up a nest for you."

Sandpelt nodded toward the little cat before turning her attention to Sparrow's Bones, "Did you want to come hunt?"

The calico glared at the warrior for a moment before huffing and getting to her feet, "Sure." she muttered and began to head into the woods, Sandpelt following slightly reluctantly behind.

As the sun fell over the tree tops, bleeding into the sky, Sparrow's Bones and Sandpelt returned. The warrior was carrying a mouse and a large stalk of yarrow in her jaws while the rogue carried a mouse, a vole and a squirrel. Sparrow's Bones laid the prey in the center of their "camp" and spat a few hairs out while Sandpelt laid her mouse and yarrow down at Pebblepaw's paws. The small black apprentice immediately began to tear off leaves in her jaws and chew them into a paste, spreading it over the wounds on Caroline's pads.

Sandpelt then settled down next to the squirrel and began to tear at the flesh while her eyes locked with Sparrow's Bones, "You're really good, you know." she said between mouthfuls, "How'd you learn to hunt like that?"

Sparrow's Bones gaze darkened as she watched Sandpelt eating, the vole laid untouched at her own paws, "You learn a lot where I'm from..." she trailed off, turning her attention to the darkened wood.

Pebblepaw spared a moment to glance at the calico, "Where's that?"

Ssshhh! the voice in Sparrow's Bones' head snapped at her. With a sigh the she-cat turned toward Pebblepaw, "The alleys and streets." she stated simply. The voice in her head sighed in annoyance. What's my point if you don't even listen to my opinion? it snarled. Sparrow's Bones rolled her eyes lightly this time turning her attention toward the bleeding sky.

Caroline paused her complaining about the mouse at her feet to look at Sparrow's Bones, "Maybe you came from the same place as me?" she questioned.

Without looking back Sparrow's Bones muttered, "I lived in the alleys were you could always smell the salty air and practically hear the spray of the water." her eyes glowed as she remembered her old home - in happiness or hatred, who knew, "I wasn't allowed to visit the endless water because I was to keep track of kits. Keep the young ones in line and fetch prey for Rat Teeth." this time her gaze hardened with definite hatred as she said that name.

Everyone's attention had turned to the she-cat as she spoke, staring up at the now darkening sky, even Caroline had begun to eat the mouse at her paws.

"I hadn't always lived with that horrible tom." she said as she turned her eyes to the group, "It used to be just me, my mother and my two brothers until they found us." She took a deep breath and crouched to eat her vole. Not a word was uttered as she savored the meat on her tongue. Why are you telling them all of this? You don't even know them! The tom's voice screeched at her. She wasn't sure why she was telling them.. maybe it was just to spite that endless yelling in her mind. Sparrow's Bones lifted her head and continued, "The day that Rat's Teeth found us my mother tried to save us. We were only a few moons old, hardly older then you," she gestured toward Pebblepaw, "any my mother didn't want us living with Rat's Teeth. She knew him and what kind of leader he was. But..." her gaze clouded as she stared down at her vole now, cleaned bits of bone shining dully in the moonlight, "Rat's Teeth never handled his problems alone."

The calico's dull green eyes looked again at the sky, now full of twinkling stars, "That's how I lost my mother. My two brothers were brought back to Rat's Teeth's camp along with me. We were taught how to hunt the streets, beg for scraps and even wade in the dangerous water's waves. That's how Mouse's Tail, my brother, died. He got swept away by the waves and lost in the deep water." she paused again, swallowing the emotions.

She cleared her throat as she took another two bites of vole and looked the group over, "Falcon's Cry, my other brother, is still alive. I considered asking him to come with me but him and Rat's Teeth are.. strangely close." Her face screwed up with a mixture of hate and confusion, "But anyways, once I was old enough I was given a mate. His name was Cloudy Sky, he was actually rather sweet." She stopped abruptly and shrugged.

"Now I'm here." ...just don't mention me. Ever. the voice in her head whispered as she looked the group over, "Who's next?"

Who's story do you want to hear next?

a. Sandpelt
b. Pebblepaw
c. Caroline

[Katrione]

b.

[ossa di cervo]

No one spoke up so Sparrow's Bones took it upon herself to choose which story she wanted to hear next. "You." her tail pointed toward Pebblepaw.

Pebblepaw gave the she-cat an odd look, "You want to hear about me?" No one wanted to hear what an eight moon old apprentice's life had been like, "My life has been boring and so simple."

Sparrow's Bones didn't say a word and just stared rather coldly at the apprentice, tail flicking impatiently at her side. Caroline turned her curious gaze to the young cat while Sandpelt swallowed back a gentle giggle.

The little black she-cat sighed and rolled her eyes, "Fine. Whatever. Obviously my name is Pebblepaw, in case you didn't hear Sandpelt blurt that out already." the small cat shot the warrior a playfully upset glance, "My father's name is Crabclaw. He's great. He's the deputy of our clan, Shellclan!" her tone grew more excited as she gushed about her father, "He's a huge tom, really dark red. He's gonna be a great leader." Sandpelt coughed next to her and the she-cat gasped, "Sorry. Anyways, my mother was Urchinflower. She died giving birth to me and my brother. Crabclaw always said I looked like Urchinflower..." she trailed off for a moment as she glanced at her paws, "My brother looks just like Crabclaw, his name is Albacorepaw." the medicine cat apprentice trailed off as she looked at her newly found companions, "They probably already noticed I'm missing." at the thought of how it would break her father's heart, Pebblepaw paused, swallowing back her heart-break. She loved Crabclaw and hated the idea of hurting him... but Starclan wanted this for her.

"I knew I was going to become a medicine cat when I was three moons old. I could smell the herbs across camp, in the nursery, and they just drew me in." a light shrug followed her statement, "It's hard to explain, I just knew that's where I was needed." A light laugh came from the medicine cat, "I wish you guys could meet Shallowleaf, he was a really cranky mentor." she shot a glance at Sandpelt and the two shared a laugh at the thought of Shallowleaf.

"Won't he miss you though?" Caroline's voice piped in.

Pebblepaw's laugh cut short as she screw up her features, "Yeah... I guess he will..."

Sandpelt came over toward Pebblepaw and wrapped her tail protectively around the little she-cat, "All of Shellclan will miss us but Cricketmask wouldn't have asked you to do this unless he knew they could survive without us."

Wide eyes, brimmed with emotion looked up at Sandpelt as Pebblepaw nodded, "You're right."

Caroline couldn't help but open her mouth again, "What did Cricketmask tell you?"

The apprentice looked at Caroline, "He didn't say much. He told me to go to the Thunderpath and find who awaited me. Cricketmask said that sand underfoot would help with the journey, so I brought Sandpelt with me." she purred lightly as she leaned against her clanmate's shoulder, "I'm sure glad I did, I almost got lost a bunch of times."

Sparrow's Bones growled lightly across the tiny clearing, "How exciting. You have family, they're alive, they'll miss you, hooray."

Pebblepaw glared toward the calico she-cat, "I told you I was young and my life was boring but nooo, you just had to pick me!"

"We should set our nests up for the night and then if anyone else wants to talk before bed we can talk some more. It's good to know who you're traveling with," Sandpelt meowed, "But sleep is also important."

Another story? Or sleep?

a. Sandpelt's story.
b. Caroline's story.
c. Sleep and begin a new day.

[Katrione]

a.
sleep is for the weak

[ossa di cervo]

Everyone but Caroline had gone out into the light wood to collect bedding and as the three returned, Sandpelt's heart was pounding in her ears. She swallowed hard around her mouthful of moss - Sparrow's Bones had told them about her.. surely Sandpelt should tell her story? Why did she feel so inclined to tell these strangers about her life though? She didn't have an answer.

The group began to make odd looking, ragged nests for the night and when all the moss and blades of grass had been properly laid down Sandpelt lifted her head with a smile, "Before we sleep I think you should know about me."

Pebblepaw's gaze went wide with something edging on shock. Sparrow's Bones looked lazily at the other female. Caroline's eyes brimmed with curiosity.

Sandpelt swallowed the nerves that made her heart flutter like a butterfly desperate for escape, "I was born in Shellclan, same as Pebblepaw. My father's name was Thornpelt and my mother was Skimmerflight." she paused, kneading the ground nervously before speaking again, "I was born into a litter of six."

Sparrow's Bones' eyes went wide, "Wow. That's nearly unheard of in Rat's Teeth's group."

Sandpelt nodded, a solemn smile on her features, "Skimmerflight was lucky. There was me and my three sisters - Leopardkit, Palmkit, and Breezekit. I had two brothers as well - Sharkkit and Eaglekit. Palmkit died within the first three moons of life.. it was hard on Skimmerflight but the rest of us flourished. Eventually we were all made apprentices and the clan was full of life. Sharkpaw's mentor was a cat named Lionfin." she scanned the group and laughed lightly, "He was named after lionfish, a lot of cat's usually question that." an awkward chuckle before she continued, "Anyways, Lionfin was... odd. No one really trusted him and as Sharkpaw grew I began to understand why. Lionfin made him train so hard he'd come back with bloody paws, wrenched claws and missing fur patches."

At this point Pebblepaw had forced herself to look away. It was obvious the apprentice knew this story very well. Sandpelt glanced at Pebblepaw and smiled as if she were sorry.

Her gaze found the group again and she took a big breath before her story commenced, "Apprentices are usually named at twelve moons of age and we were ten when Leopardpaw and Eaglepaw died. Shallowleaf said it was from poison. After their deaths my stomach began to churn in unease - something in my gut told me to watch out for Lionfin," her eyes lowered, a deep pain entering her, "my guy also told me to keep my eye on Sharkpaw. So I did. The pain left her eyes as she looked up again, "I began to sneak up on their training and whenever they whispered together I tried as hard as I could to listen. I remember one day, right after we turned twelve moons old, I heard Lionfin tell Sharkpaw, "Always keep your claws unsheathed - you mustn't let me down." paws shifted uneasily as she sighed, "Nothing strange their.. Thornpelt died right before we earned our warrior names. It was a skirmish in the city that took him. I requested the end of my name to honor him - he was always so brave."

Sandpelt's voice continued, "We went on to earn our warrior names. I was named Sandpelt, Breezepaw became Breezeleg and Sharkpaw became Sharkfang. We celebrated with our mother and time passed - my heart began to settle from all the family loss." The she-cat's eyes grew dark.

"Stop." Pebblepaw snapped, now staring at her paws.

The orange female shook her head, "It's okay, Pebblepaw."

Pebblepaw's gaze whipped toward Sandpelt, "It's not! It's not okay! Sharkfang should be dead!"

A hush fell over the group, Caroline's jaw gaping, Sparrow's Bones' eyes wide. The pain entered Sandpelt's eyes again and she shook her head once more, "Pebblepaw was a kit when I found Sharkfang standing over my mother's body. I could find no sorrow in his gaze and as I looked passed his body I could see Breezeleg also slumped, dead, against the shore. He'd kill them near where the water licked the earth and was attempted to push their bodies out to the sea."

Pebblepaw pounced onto Sandpelt, hardly doing more then making her shoulders sway, "Stop!" she screeched now, "No one needs to hear about him!"

Sandpelt ignored the apprentice, "He turned to me, bloodlust in his eyes but blamed it all on Lionfin. He came at me, fear now tinting his eyes and attacked with all his might." she was whispering now as Pebblepaw wailed at her shoulder, claws sheathed, tears welling in her eyes, "I fought as hard as I could." her tail brushed a long, jagged scar along her haunch, "I got a lot of wounds.. I nearly died.. But I won." Sandpelt looked up with a morbid humor clouding her view, "And by won I mean I killed him.. I had to nearly kill my brother. He got so torn up he had to live in the elder's den. Not a day goes by that I don't think about that fight."

The small black she-cat was still wailing on Sandpelt's shoulder, her breath coming in sobbing gasps, "Stop, stop, stop! It wasn't your fault! You had no choice!"

Sparrow's Bones rushed forward, pulling the small she-cat against her pelt, "Hush, little one, It's okay." she tried her hardest to comfort Pebblepaw and the apprentice eventually wound up sobbing into Sparrow's Bones' shoulder fur, body shaking violently.

Caroline lowered her head, "I'm... sorry..." she whimpered, hardly able to find the words to say to Sandpelt.

Sandpelt sighed lightly and shrugged, "You guys need to know where I come from. I will lay my life on the line for you but I won't hesitate to hurt you if you threaten me or Pebblepaw." the she-cat muttered darkly and headed to her nest.

Another story? Or sleep?

a. Caroline's story.
b. Sleep and begin a new day.

[hazilnut]

a.

lore dump! lore dump!

[Katrione]

a.