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[Wildheart]

Sitting in the shade of a bush, Jewel snoozed lightly. A contentful purr eminated off of her and the smell of a half eatin rabbit lay beside her. She flicked her ears a bit, trying to get an airflow as the heat from the sun beat down onto her fur. Stretching out her left front leg, she began cleaning herself slowly, enjoying the peace while it last.
After cleaning herself she sniffed the air tentivly. The only scent she could smell was the dead rabbit. Sighing, she curled up and waited for the sun to start sinking down a bit before traveling out for water.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Suddenly the bushes shook violently and a huge ball of fur lept out, nearly landing on Jewel. But the cat managed to leap over her, and swerved to avoid the dead rabbit. He managed to land but quite ungracefully.
"Oof!"he grunted as he skidded against the grass. With a huff of relief that he didn't fall over, the tom turned around to face Jewel with a slight, apologetic grin.

"Sorry about that. I was trying to catch a bird, but it flew off. Might have jumped a bit too far..."Rook mused, giving his chest fur a quick lick. His orange tabby fur glowed under the setting sun, making it look sleek and shiny.

[Wildheart]

Jewel, woken by the sound of another cat, glanced up in alarm. She jumped to the defense of herself and her prey; though she wasnt really in the mood for a fight. Jewel gave another glance at the new cat and saw that he was relaxed and even cleaning himself.

She sniffed at him curiously. "You know its not very wise to stick your nose in unwanted area's. Expecially if the cat you've bumped noses with feels like attacking you. Are you not concerned at all in the aspect of the fact I could easyly attack you and render you defensless." Jewel sat down and stared at him curiously. She thought over the threat he posesed to her and decided she was fine.

"Well, I was going to get up soon anyways." Stretching out, Jewel clawed at the ground, the dirt turning into small bits under her paws. She got up and shook the dust in her fur out. Taking one last glance at him and then back at her prey, she decided not to leave almost half of it just lying there. She ate a bite of the almost dry now rabbit carcass and looked back up at the new cat. "You can have the rest if you want I suppose." Turning, Jewel started walking in the direction of the sun, where she knew a small spring would be snaking through the valley. It was higher in the winter and spring time, but the heat had dried much of the water up.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

As Jewel chastised him a bit, he let his shoulders shrug.
"Ah, I consider myself a pretty decent fighter. Well, enough to defend myself,"he meowed with a humble smile. He gave his fur one last, quick groom before turning his full attention on the she-cat.

"Nah, I don't need to rest. Just took an afternoon nap,"he purred, flicking his tail contently as if afternoon naps were the best thing to keep him happy. As she started to leave his ear pricked up when he remembered something urgent.
"Hey wait!"he called out, bounding over to intercept her.

"I forgot my manners. It's always polite to greet someone you meet,"the orange tabby explained.

"I'm Rook, nice to meet you,"he greeted, holding out his right paw, imitating how Twolegs always greet each other.

[Wildheart]

Jewel sniffed at Rook. She glanced at his out streached paw in confusion. "Jewel." Was all she said and she continued to walk in the meadow. After a few steps she realized ignoring him wouldnt stop him from following her. "Is there a reason you are following me?" She asked him bluntly. She plopped down onto the ground and waited for his reply. Sighing, she started grooming her pelt slowly, but always keeping an eye and ear on the stranger.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Rook let out a disappointed sigh as Jewel didn't respond to his Twoleg gesture and put his hand down. He pusehd the disappointment asside, since he understood that not many cats knew how to respond. Only kittypets might know, or those associated with Twolegs, like himself. As he padded after her, she turned around and questioned him.

'Following you?"Rook repeated curiously then considered the thought.
"Hm, perhaps I was, just subconciously,'he confessed with a sheepish grin.

"Sorry about that, I just like meeting new cats and conversing with them. I haven't been a loner too long, only about 6 moons maybe. Didn't know some want to be left alone,"the orange tabby purred.

[Wildheart]

Jewel didnt want to start a conversation with the new stranger but she was still slightly curious. "Why are you new? Even every cat has a sense of warning for an oncoming possible foe." Jewel rolled her eyes, "No wonder you didn't smell me before you stumbled upon my nesting place."

Jewel lightly jumped over a brance and landed delicatly on her feet. Sniffing the air and tilting her ears around her surroundings, she heard the slow rushing of stream water and smelled the trickle of water fresh after a drizzle of summer rain. She stopped and sat on a patch of thick grass. "Do you smell that? Hear it?" She asked him calmly.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Yea, I guess you can say I'm new,"he replied with a casual shrug.
"Senses? I still use them, but I prefer my eyes. Sometimes you think you smell crowfood but it's actually just a smelly old cat,"he purred jokingly, eyes twinkling with amusement as he remembered that happening to him. The cat didn't really like being called "Smelly"

"Hear what? You're voice?"Rook meowed, tilting his head.
"And all I smell is that rabbit you just caught,"he added with a flick of his tail.

[Wildheart]

Jewel twitched her tail in frustration. She growled impatiently. "You need to use more then just those senses that appear close to you to survive. Why am I even bothering with you?"

She mumbled to herself. Sighing she tried again. "You have to spred your senses more. Focus. You can do it; every cat can." Jewel smelled the air again to be sure that the wind was blazing from the direction of the small stream. The sun was now on its decent down behind the herizone and Jewel noted she would have to find a resting place soon before some cats came out to patrol around for the night. "She glanced back at Rook. "Anything?" She asked. She was still as stone except for the small twitch of her tail showing a slight impatience.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Rook let out a chuckle as he watched Jewel's irritation which slightly amused him. But he decided to do what she suggested.
"Hm..."he mused, sniffing the air more. His ears pricked forward to let any sounds come into his hearing range. The wind was gently blowing and he could almost hear it disturb the ferns. The small sound of rustling can be heard on his left. Of course, it might not be the wind but maybe a small critter in the shelter of the ferns. This is where he used his scent glands. Opening his mouth a little, he was met by a slightly pugnent scent, though it wasn't too obvious unless you looked for it. It smelled like dry bracken and mud that had been lying in the sun forever.
A reptile,he thought. Probably just a small lizard or snake. Hardly appetizing.
"I can smell and hear something in the ferns,"the orange tabby tom reported to her.
"Though I doubt I want to catch it. I heard some Clan cats eat them though,"Rook mewed, flicking his tail.

[Wildheart]

Puzzled, Jewel smelled the air and noticed the lizard soaking up the specks of sun that sank through the leaves of the holly bush it was hidding in. Jewel rolled her eyes, realizing that this cat was hopless. The wind ruffling her fur into her face, Jewel twitched her whiskers in amusement at the young cat before her. He oviously was an over excited one. "Very good I suppose." She replied.

Glancing at him she got up from her sitting place and started walking in the direction of the stream. Not knowing if he was following or not, she continued to jump over fallen trees and dart around bushes full of thorns. Travelling through the forest for awhile, Jewel let the scents and sights fill her up so much that all she could think about was her surroundings and how much she would always love the forst.

Finally comming to the stream, she glanced down at the bubbling rush of the water and wondered iddly how deep it was. Looking around she noticed a thick branch that reached out over across the water and smiled to herself. She could easy jump onto the branch and get a drink of water; maybe even catch a fish.

Padding up to the branch, she jumped on it and the smell of rotting wet wood fill her nose. Climbing carefully further onto the branch, she leaned over the water and drank the misty clear water. She felt ice cold droplets running down her throat and leaned in closer to get a better drink.

Suddenly the branch she was sitting on began to creak and give way due to her weight on it. Digging her claws into the bark she stood up and started walking to the edge to get back onto steady ground. A loud cracking sound came from the branch and Jewel looked up. The branch began to shake and she tried to jump next to Rook but she fell into the stream.

She howled out as her body smashed into the water and her head went under, leaving her breathless. Jewel kicked her way up to the surface and gasp for breath before going under again and chocking on the water that forced its way down her throat.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Rook just grinned in a half-humble, half pleased way as Jewel praised him. As Jewel padded away, Rook looked after her retreating figure, his head tilted to one side as if contemplating whether to follow her. Then he made up his mind with a shrug and padded after her. She didn't say anything about it so he assumed he was allowed to.
As they padded through the trees, he sniffed each flower they passed, feeling comforted and curious by the different aromas each one exalted. The orange tabby tom had an air of carefree nature, as if the world had given him the time of the world to do anything he wanted.

Rook decided to perch himself near the base of the tree. He didn't feel a need to go up beside Jewel, in case she snapped at him for not giving her any space.
"Uh oh..."he muttered as a creaking sound of the old branch began to grow louder. Alert, Rook watched Jewel make her way slowly down, but the old branch suddenly snapped and Jewel landed in the river.

"Jewel!"he yowled, jumping to his paws as the she-cat went under the water. Relief swept through him as he spotted her head bob up a bit.
"Hang on, I'm coming!"the tom yowled, leaping into the waters without a second thought. Churning his paws powerfully through the rapids, he located Jewel and grasped her scruff. Feeling her weight drag him down a little, he kicked the waters ferociously and propelled them both to the bank. Hauling her over the edge, he let go of her scruff, hoping she had enough strength to push herself onto the shore.

[Wildheart]

Feeling teeth on her neck Jewel faught a bit before realizing it was Rook who had her around her scruff. Kicking up for air they travelled through the freezing water and got to the edge of the water.

Giving a small hiss, Jewel pulled herself up to the shore and shook out her fur. "I could have saved myself." Licking her fur and shaking again Jewel sighed; realizing she was to hard on him. "Im sorry. Thank you very much." She said to Rook. Looking at him he seemed to shrink under his fur. She caught herself laughing at him. "You look like a little kit!" She meowed, laughing playfully. "Are you ok?" she asked him.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Brr, weather's hot but the water's freeezing cold,"Rook huffed, scrambling onto the bank and giving himself a vigorous shake, trying to dislodge the water from his soaking pelt. Unfortunately, it didn't help so he turned to the process of lapping up the water from his pelt.

"I could have saved myself."

Rook looked up with a surprised gleam in his eyes. Instead of looking offended he just replied bluntly, "Really? Oh, from where I was I thought you were drowning. Hehe, my bad."
He wasn't saying it sarcastically. No. He said it in a humble tone.
When Jewel gave him a "thank you", the orange tabby tom shrugged his shoulders.
"I always help a pretty she-cat in trouble,"the tom responded nonchalantly, grinning at her.

"Well, you look like a kit too!"Rook retorted with a purr, flicking his tail at Jewel's wet fur.

[Wildheart]

Jewel ruffled up her pelt and got up to sit on a flat sunning rock next to the water; not fazzed at all by the chunning sound of the stream swirling around in its rapids. Jewel rolled her eyes. "It's not drowning if I know how to swim." She replied retortly.

Licking her paw slowly she tasted fresh water droplets on her fur. When she heard his remark on her prettyness she glanced up and gave him a stare. "Your going onto dangerous turf young kit." She meowed to him. Giving him one last glance she went back to cleaning herself; now licking her chest with a smooth percise rythm.

"Im to old to be a kit." She remarked as she casually licked her fur. "Not all of this grey hair has always grey."

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Was it black?"Rook asked bluntly in response, tilting his head.
"Well, if you haven't told me that, I would've never guessed,"the orange tabby tom meowed. He also began to groom himself clean, licking off the droplets that still clung to his pelt. He drew a paw over his foreheard in order to smooth the fur down. He didn't like looking messy at all.

"So were you always a loner out here?"the tom asked brightly, eyes sparked with interest. The tom always loved to hear everyone's history, they were always so different and interesting.

[Wildheart]

Jewel smerked. "I wouldnt call it black; more like darker grey with a few black hairs here and there." Jewel's pelt had started gleaming from the bath and the sun that was now going down and it started becoming dusk. "Well if your looking for a story there really isnt any. And even if there is one; I dont tell stories to strangers that I meet the same day." Jewel curled up on the rock and blinked her eyes sleepyly. "But if you really want to know..." Jewel sighed. "When I was young my mother raised me and my siblings very poorly. Only me and my brother survived and as we grew up we took care of each other. On day a fox attacked along with its mate and it ended up killing my brother. Afterwards I gave up on life until my exmate came. He took care of me and I did the same for him. He left me one day and a few weeks later I found out I was full of kits." Jewel took a break to breath and try to relax and then continued her story. "I had two kits and named them after my brother and my mate and one day when I was out to get water they were gone. I traced there scent as far as the middle of the forest but then a strange scent mingled with theirs and I havent seen them since." Jewel sighed sadly and rested her head on one of her paws weakly. Glancing up as if in the middle of a thought, she asked Rook; "What about you. Whats your life story kit?"

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Hm...dont' remember much in my kittenhood,"Rook mewed, looking up at the sky as if it gave him answers to his forgotten memory.
"Let's see...well, the only real memory I have is my Twoleg. I used to be a kittypet,"he grinned as he said this. It was not a grin of shame, but one of content and pride.

"I lived with an old Twoleg. He was very kind to me and we were perhaps best friends. And he loved to play chess, that's why he named me Rook. It's a chess piece that can move only forward and backward. I guess it's because the rook is a powerful piece, but it didn't need to move all complicatedly like the others. It just kind of went with the flow, no worries, only one goal in mind. Maybe he thought I was kind of like that,"the orange tabby tom laughed a bit.

"Anyways he died after a few years. Too old, died peacefully while he was petting me. And I was a loner since,"Rook finished, flicking his tail in a flourish.
"Dunno how I got to him. I know I used to live in another kittypet house and Twolegs always sell kits to other Twolegs."

[Wildheart]

Jewel looked over at the younger tom cat in wonder. "And you don't even remember your mother or father?!" She meowed in horror. "Do you even remember any siblings? What was your fist memory?" She asked him. "I hated my mother and I will admit I never knew my father. But I still remember my mother for sure."

Jewel sighed unhappily. "I remember my kits... The way they played together even before they opened their eyes. And when they did I only had them for a few weeks before they disappeared." She looked down at her paws sadly. "I've always looked for them. I know they have to be somewhere in this world. I just don't know where..."

stood up and looked at the sky. The sun was now gone but there was still a glow in the sky and the moon was how showing its outline. A few stars had begun to show in the night and Jewel wished she knew the answers to her past.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Rook screwed up his eyes in an effort to remember.
"Wow....I must be getting old if I'm already forgetting stuff,"he joked. But the way Jewel asked the question, he decided to give it a try.

"Hm...let's see. Well, I guess I did have siblings,"he began slowly, remembering how he always felt paws cuff his ears when playing or a warm pelt beside him when sleeping.
"But my Twoleg got me first, so I dont' know what happened to the others. Probably got new homes too,"the orange tabby guessed with a shrug.

"My mom?"

This time he had to close his eyes in an effort to remember. Like all cats who have memories of their mother, he felt the nostalgic sensation of a cat wrapped protectively around him, her comforting scent wreathing around him. Gave him a sense of protectiveness.

But he could only guess what his mom looked like.
"Sorry, not really. I just remember her...touch..."the tom responded.

[Wildheart]

Jewel gazed at Rook sadly. "I miss my family..." She whispered half-way to herself. "But... they all walk above me now." She said, glancing again at the sky that now had stars shinning down on her. It seemed they looked a bit brighter as she thought of them and wondered if her family that she loved really was in what the clan cats name, 'Starclan.' The thought of her brother leaving her to join the stars made her laugh out loud a bit at the image of him being a wise cat that watched over others.

When Rook remarked on his mother Jewel remembered her mothers touch. It came as a surprise to her; because she only saw her mother on very rare occasions. "What did her touch feel like?" She asked him curiously.

Before she could get an answer from the young tom a noise came from across the stream. It sounded like a growl from a cat, only it was muffled by the sound of the rushing water. Glancing over she saw a group of cats. Boarder patrol! Jewel kicked herself inwardly. "We should probably get out of here..." Jewel suggested to Rook.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

His ear flicked up as he also heard more cats approaching. He glanced behind him casually and saw small figures approaching this way.
"Yea, I guess,"he mewed, with a shrug. They were upwind to the other cats so he knew the patrol wouldn't detect them unless they stood where he is. But he was in no mood to argue with them so he flicked his tail for Jewel to follow.

He quickly trotted farther into Loner's Meadow and accidentally brushed against Jewel. For a second, the orange tabby tom froze as the she-cat's warm flank brushed against his. Her scent wreathed around him for a heartbeat and it seems almost....familiar?

[Wildheart]

Jewel trotted calmly beside Rook, ignoring the cats behind her when she heard a faint growl from a few of them. It sounded somewhat like a challenge but also a warning.

Lost in her own thoughts, it took her a few strides to realize that the younger toms face had changed into a puzzled expression. Glancing at him curiously she quizzed him on his problem. "What's wrong with you? You look like your head is full of moss." She meowed lightly.

She was surprised in her mood for she had just talked about the one thing that had made her life unbearable everyday. The feel of her kits fur brushing against hers, the soft sound of their purrs that echoed through the den on a warm summer day. What she missed the most was when they first traveled into the forest they had run around excitedly together but they always came back to her, making sure she hadn't gone far from them. She gave a small sad smile as her memories swarmed her mind.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Oh...it's nothing,"Rook replied, shrugging his shoulders, quickening his pace so that he was in step with Jewel. Once again, her scent triggered something deep in his mind. He could feel it inside his memory, yet so hard to grasp. Like cupping water in your paws, it just kept trickling out.
"So um. Do you remember what your kits looked like?"he asked lightly to Jewel, tail flicking in eagerness that he didn't really notice until now. For some reason, he felt this was the right question to ask. Maybe it'll answer the question in his mind.

[Wildheart]

Jewel thought a bit. She always thought of her kits, and remembered many details of them. But she was confused on why this almost stranger would want to know this answer. "Well..." Jewel replied."There were two of them, well ARE two of them. I know they are alive somewhere." The old she-cat thought in a daze.

Shaking her head she focused on Rook, who's tail was swishing back and forth intently. Blinking she went back to her story. "The smallest tom was a orange tabby. He was mostly orange when he was first born but as he got bigger he started having white on his chest and the tips of his paws, soon full paws. His eyes were also amberish." Jewel was completely oblivious to the fact she was describing Rook who was walking beside her. "The other one was a silver grey tom who was bigger than the orange one and he had smoky blue eyes with faded white strips on his tail." Jewel sighed sadly, remembering when her kits were born.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Uh...."Rook stopped walking, pausing with mouth hanging open in slight shock.

"Unless I'm mistaken. There can only be two possiblities. One is that your kit is like my twin. Or it's....me?"he reasoned out loud, almost involuntarily saying these words aloud.

"Um that can't be..."he muttered, feeling like he sounded foolish.
But it makes sense!he thought to himself. Her scent was so nostalgic. What other possiblities were there?

[Wildheart]

Jewel looked over and blinked at Rook. Squinting, she tried looking at him closely. She hadn't noticed it before, but he was right. The sun had gone down and the moon shot small waves of light to the ground. A wanning moon. Little light came down upon the young tom but she could see the faint glow of orange and white. The lean build of him but one thing had stayed. Jewel seamed to open her eyes for the first time and noticed the personality of her kit was shinning through the identical fur of one of her lost kits. His paws were still white along with his chest and his pelt was the same dirty orange. "But... your Rook... My precis kits..."

Jewel was now circling around him. She dug her nose into his fur, not afraid of his reaching. Breathing in deeply, she smelled many scents unfamiliar to her but she could tell he had rolled in a bush. The bush smelled like the ones they used to play in, but the name had slipped her mind. Pulling back Jewel turned around and looked into Rook's eyes. Turning her head she tried to focus on what she might remember. "How do you know?" She asked him softly, shivering with stress.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Rook watched Jewel curiously, trying to see a motherly figure in her. Her silver fur was streaked with gray from age, but her eyes had some warmth that seemed to comfort him, like it did moons ago. Her nose brushed his flank, and he felt the touch tingle inside him, triggering a long forgotten memory of the very same muzzle that nuzzled him affectionately on his head moons ago.

"How do you know?"

Rook tilted his head to one side.
"I don't really know. It's just your scent seemed very...familiar."he tried to explain. Then he let out a purr of laughter.
"Wow, and all this time I thought I was pure kittypet. But guess I'm actually half rogue, no wonder I survived out here for so long."

[Wildheart]

Jewel smiled slightly at her... kit. "You've grown so much." She whispered. Blinking she realized that her sight was become fainter and that the wind had picked up. She smelled the start of a new season and new troubles. "Yes it is a wonder. You need to learn so much more. Your lucky it was me you ran into and not some other cat. I suppose it's my luck too. Come. We should find a place to rest for the night." Jewel suggested.

Walking toward a cluster of tree's she lead Rook to a small abandoned fox den she had found a few moons ago. Looking back at Rook she smiled softly and walked down under a tree's roots and coughed as some dust got up her nose. Curling up she encouraged her company to lay down beside her. "Forgive me... I haven't seen you in moons." She meowed softly. "You've grown so big!" She purred with pride and licked his ear. "I wish... I never should have left you there. I should have never went to get food. I wasn't even that hungry..." Jewel cried out in sorrow.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Good to see you too mom,"Rook purred with a sheepish grin, brushing his pelt against hers as he fell in steps with her. She led him to an abandoned fox den where it looked nice and cozy. He gave a cautious sniff, sneezing as dust puffed up where he walked. But inside was warm and he settled down beside Jewel, feeling comforted by the warmth of her pelt pressed against his side.

"It's alright,"the orange tabby tom comforted, giving his mother a reassuring nuzzle across the eartip as she cried.
"At least we're back together right? And I lived a good life as a kittypet too. My Twoleg was kind and took good care of me,"he meowed with a knowing smile.

"You know what? I ought to take you back to my old home,"he purred with laughter, flicking his tail.