Passing Through the Rainforest ... • {Joust and Backwards} •

[Vivid]

Eaglespirit looked up at Rainshadow with lifeless eyes. She nodded absently, her eyes unfocused and bleary.

Hawkpaw padded up to Eclispesun, his face crinkled with thought. "What are you doing? I want to do it, too."

Echotalon padded off to go and sit with Rosesong.

Cheetahspots glared at Icepaw. It was obvious Dewpaw was getting good treatment. She nodded and looked back at Dewpaw with a hearty look on her face. "Of course."

Venomslash watched Cheetahspots with scorn.

Larkflight looked at Cheetahspots, disrespect growing in her.

Mudpelt laughed and went to visit with Rainshadow and Eaglespirit. "You don't look good ..." She told her deputy.

Leopardclaw slunk into the bushes further in.

Pebblepaw watched Dewpaw from afar.

Silverstreak smiled at his mate sadly. "Coalbreeze?"

[dizzy hurricane.]

Snakestar looked at Hawkpaw, then Cedarflame, and lastly Eclipsesun. "Should they know?" He asked her. Neither Hawkpaw nor Cedarflame had ever seen him doubt his instincts and turn to his medicine cat. Eclipsesun had. Twice now.

Eclipsesun shrugged half-heartedly. "I suppose." She looked at Hawkpaw and mewed, "Snakestar ... believes that I can defend the Clan. Because of some stupid prophecy he had a while ago, which was about me. I fulfilled it, and he thinks I can do it again." She sighed inwardly.

Rainshadow shook his head and looked at Mudpelt.

Amberlily was hurt. Mudpelt laughed at her. And then she lost the will to be mad and mourned some more.

Cedarflame shook his head. "Snakestar ... is this true? She's the medicine cat."

Dewpaw put a protective tail around Icepaw and mewed, "Then do you know Eaglespirit?"

Icepaw scooted closer to her friend.

Coalbreeze looked up, startled. "Yes, Silverstreak?"

[Vivid]

Eaglespirit looked at them, too weary to ask why they were looking like that.

Hawkpaw's eyes got wide. "Of course she can do it! She's the medicine cat~" He smiled up at Eclipsesun, all faith in her.

Cheetahspots snorted. "That limp piece of crowfood over there?" she asked with scorn.

Larkflight watched, and hid a snort.

Mudpelt sighed and looked at Eaglespirit. "Well, it's too late. We all know that it's your fault. But, that can't be helped, now, can it?" She looked at Eaglespirit coolly.

Silverstreak shrugged. "I just hope nothing comes out of this all."

[dizzy hurricane.]

Snakestar nodded, smiling. "See, Eclipsesun? Hawkpaw believes in you." He reaches out and licks between Eclispesun's eyes.

Eclipsesun jerks back and gazes at Hawkpaw coolly. "You do know that he means ... fighting, right?"

Rainshadow scowled at Mudpelt.

Cedarflame raised his would-be eyebrows in an expression of scorn. "What can a warrior do that a healer can't? Oh, yeah, fight."

Dewpaw's fur bristled, but she kept a cool expression. "She's our deputy," she meowed plainly. "She's going through a tough time, so please try to go easy on her."

Icepaw nodded for emphasis.

Coalbreeze sighed, nodding. Her neck creaked as she did so. "I hope so, too."

[Vivid]

Eaglespirit nodded, looking a ton better. "It is my fault. But, I must move on." He reaction was extremely different from most cats, but Eaglepsirit took accusations the best. She nodded and stood up, looking like her normaly self. She then rubbed her cheek against Mudpelt's gratefully and thanked her.

Hawkpaw nodded stubbornly. "Of course. You know, Eclipsesun, that you are strong and incredibly intelligent. I think you could take down whatever cat comes your way." He nodded and his tail went up in a sort of pride. He was blatantly ignoring Cedarflame.

Cheetahspots snorted, but kept to herself. "Okay, so is her name Deputyclaw or something? What's her name?" She then began licking her paw, for lack of anything better to do.

Larkflight bristled some more, but didn't say anything and tried to look pleasant.

Mudpelt nodded and told her a gracious 'sorry,' and 'but we need you' sort of speech. She watched as Eaglespirit left. She then twirled on Raindshadow. "She doesn't work like regular cats," she mewed proudly.

Silverstreak nodded with her.

[dizzy hurricane.]

Snakestar nodded diplomatically at Hawkpaw in praise. "I agree with Hawkpaw."

Eclipsesun smiled and purred at her apprentice. "Thank you, Hawkpaw. I'm just afraid that ... that I'll falter. And I'll get hurt and be unable to help the Clan, and the cats will attack the camp."

Rainshadow shrugged. "I see that, now."

Dewpaw mewed, "Eaglespirit."

[Vivid]

Eaglespirit's ears were low, and she pretended not to hear anything.

Hawkpaw hissed, disliking the idea of Eclipsesun doubting herself. "You can do it! If not, I'll help!"

Cheetahspots snorted. "That's such a .... large, majestic name for such a large, wimpy cat ..." Her tail flicked peeivhsly.

Mudpelt laughed. "Yeah. not many people know that. Reassuring makes her really selfconscious."

[dizzy hurricane.]

Snakestar purred.

Eclipsesun smiled, letting out a small purr herself. "Thank you, Hawkpaw. I'd be honored to have you by my side~"

Rainshadow smiled. An odd way of looking at things, but if it helped Eaglespirit, he was all for it.

Dewpaw sighed, flicking her tail angrily. "She's gone through a hard time. She believes Rosesong's death is her fault. Give her some time to heal, and you'll see why she was named Eaglespirit."

[Vivid]

Eaglespirit was seriously hurt. Well, not really, she's kind of like me. Nothing bothers her unless it's from her closest friends. And that mouse-brained she-cat was nothing more than an intruder to her. So she pounced off to go find a heap of fresh kill. She was going to make her Clan feel better.

Hawkpaw smiled, trying to contain pride. But it was let out with a quick swipe of his tail across the ground, switching from one side to the other. He nodded graciously. "Thank you," he said quietly.

Cheetahspots purred in a mocking laughter. "Maybe. We'll see," she mused with a grumble to her voice. "Who's next?"

Larkflight sighed inwardly. How rude?

[dizzy hurricane.]

Eclipsesun purred her reply and turned around to face Cedarflame. "Go on." She watched him pad out of the den and then faced Snakestar and Hawkpaw, grinning slightly.

Rainshadow rolled his eyes and padded off, toward Cheetahspots and Dewpaw. "Hi, Dewpaw!" He called out, overly cheerful. He purposely ignored Cheetahspots and brushed past Dewpaw, licking the apprentice's forehead. He disappeared behind a bush.

Dewpaw shivered. That was ... weird. She looked at Cheetahspots, trying to ignore Rainshadow. "Next up ... Echotalon. He's the 'lead warrior,' mostly. Snakestar depends on him most of all the warriors." She tried to find him among the clearing, but failed. "Don't see him. Sorry."