|☯| Talonwing |☯|
"So what if you can see the darkest side of me?
No one will ever change this animal I have become."
I sighed and pushed out of the warriors den, Holly-, No, it's Hollystar now, I corrected. Hollystar's voice rang out clearly in the quiet dawn. I pushed myself to my mottled paws, streching, arching my back broadly, legs stiff. I relaxed my spine gradually, awaiting the sound of small pops that came along with the strech. When I heard it I padded wearily out of the den. I sat at the back of the camp, nodding to Hollowstone when he padded out of the elder's den. I listened to Hollystar speak, and watched her leave. I didn't even wish her good luck, just rolled onto my side and sprawled on the ground. Wishing I was still sleeping.
"Help me believe it's not the real me,
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become."
|☪| Hollowstone |☪|
"By a freeway I confess, I was lost in the pages
Of a book full of death, reading how we'll die alone."
I sat in my nest, sifting through an ssortment of things I had collected over the years, small sparkly rocks, feathers from all different kinds of birds, shells from the stream. Hollystar's voice broke the silence and I sighed lightly, pushing the pile of trinkets into a hidden burrow in my den. Really. The elder's den was my den. There were no others in it. I missed the old leader deeply, we had been best friends and saved each other in combat more times than we dared count. I had my doubt's about Hollystar, but I kept them to myself.
Instead I got to my paws and shaking dust out of my fur stepped out into the sunlight. The sky was painted hues of red, orange, pink, purple, and pale blue. It was beautiful. I nodded to Talonwing as I trotted past him towards the highrock. I listened quietly to Hollystar, frowning slightly when she said she was taking Foxpaw. I had been hoping she would take Icepaw instead of the brothers. Seems more than a little unfair that the brothers should get to go together, I thought, ambling towards Echosong. "Good morning Echosong."
"And on I read, until the day was gone.
And I sat in regret, of all the things I've done."
|☀| Icepaw |☀|
"What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?"
I stared out of the smalls hole punctured in the roof of the apprentices den. I was sprawled out on my back, and if I'd been a normal size I would have ruining the nests all around me, as it were, me being the size of a six moon old kit only just pushed away the nest by my tail. I heard Hollystar's voice ring out and frowned. She shouldn't be called Hollystar until she gets her nine lives. It's like she assumes StarClan is just going to accept her! What if they didn't? I rolled over and padded outside, shaking scraps of moss lazily off my pelt.
"Jayclaw and Foxpaw will come with me."
My pelt prickled with jeleousy. Of course the brothers got to go. I never got to do anything anymore. Ever since joining the clan it was rules this, rules that. No freedom, it drove me crazy. Sure I loved to learn new things, but I had everything nailed down already. I mean really, photographic memory! I remembered everything perfectly after going over it once. Not that anyone else cared. The old leader had been about the announce me as a warrior. But now of course it would have to be held off until Hollystar got her issuses sorted out and a new deputy chosen. I honestly felt like the odd one out, I felt left out of everything, like no one wanted to wrestle with me because they thought they would hurt me. I mean, I'm tiny but I'm not frail!
I glowered at Foxpaw, then spat on the ground. I looked at Lightpaw next to me. "How is that fair?"
"You're the pretender.
What if I say I will never surrender?"
With a jet black muzzle and underbelly and paws.
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