{ sitting, waiting, wishing (waterfrost!)

[&. SHADiE]

[bg=133B06][atrb=width,396,true][atrb=border,0,true] 000000 -- speech C5B5A0 -- thoughts The sky was a murky blue color, the kind you would find in the depths of a deep pool. It was mid-afternoon, but with the dark clouds above it seemed much later. A tom sat near the edge of the camp clearing. He tilted his nose to the air and shifted his wait to his haunches. Rain wouldn't be far away, perhaps snow. A sudden short burst of wind rattled the pine trees around him, sounding like parade of whispering bones. Nettlepaw drew his tabby tail closer to him as the wind ruffled his fur. The cold seemed to his every muscle, ever bone, ever fiber of his body. Leaf-bare was going to be a tough time. Just as quickly, the wind died down, leaving small clumps of grass and pine strewn on the floor. The cold stayed however, a icy hold that wouldn't retreat. Nettlepaw felt his paws itch to do something, some in particular. Most warriors were away, with the incoming weather there didn't seem to be anything to do at the moment. Not like he would offer to clear the elders' bedding or anything. He wanted to see Shadowpaw. Er, Shadowsong, he corrected mentally. She was the official medicine cat now, now that Appleblossom retired. He wanted to see her so badly that it almost hurt. But he wasn't so sure now. She was the medicine cat now. The Clan's Medicine cat! How could he ever be with her? Just thinking of her beautiful blue eyes sent a shiver through him, this time not because of the cold. Would she still want to see him? Why would she, I'm just an apprentice. A warrior apprentice, at that. Then, another image came into his mind's eye: Featherpaw. The DawnClan she-cat. But who did he love? With a shake of his head Nettlepaw blew out of his nose, an annoyed sound. Before he could doubt himself again he padded into the medicine cat's den, hoping that Shadowsong would be there, and that he wouldn't look like a complete mouse-brain. WORDS: 402 MUSE: *thumbs up* STARRING: nettlepaw OOC:// ahh *rampage* sorry it took so long -_- i finally got a break in my homework to post..and my muse was up and running :)

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[Waterfrost]

(please excuse my post. I wrote it late last night. :-/)

The sound of leaf-bare was ringing as clear as a bird's song. There was no other stirring in the forest but the effects of the wind. A dark, shadowy silhouette lay curled up protectively behind a thistle bush. Bright, dark blue eyes flashed wide open. The creature silently stood up and began to stalk forward like she was hunting a mouse oblivious to her presence. Nothing else moved. It was just the haunted figure and the wind that quickly died down.

The dark creature cautiously let herself be reveled as she entered Moonclan's camp. The she-cat raked her gaze across the other figures of cats, old and young, going about their daily business, her wide blue eyes full of thought, but also full of haunted mystery. No one seemed to have been paying her any attention. Good.

The pretty black she-cat kept her eyes down as she padded slowly and silently toward the medicine cat den. My den. The reason she had been alone outside in the cold was that she couldn't stand to be around anyone. She hated sleeping in the medicine cat den and was trying to be as far away from her clanmates as possible. Her mixed feelings and contemplations battled each other inside her, causing her to shy away even more from others than she used to. She absolutely refused to talk with anyone and did everything she could to appear busy, so she wouldn't have to meet Appleblossom's eyes. She just knew she was watching her every move.

Why do I have to be a medicine cat? I knew it was coming....I shouldn't have been surprised....it's just....how come Appleblossom has so much faith in me? I'm nothing special, and I was certainly not a good apprentice. I hunted and play-fighted all the time when I was supposed to be looking for herbs.....Shadowsong groaned inwardly, for the image of the very cat she had forced out of her mind the night she received her full medicine cat name shined brightly inside her mind.

The small medicine cat pushed the thought away with all the mental strength she could muster and instead thought of her other problem. Ravenpaw. To make matters even worse, she had to take on Ravenpaw because of her permanent shoulder injury. She didn't have anything against the sorrowful apprentice. It was just---

Nettlepaw! Shadowsong immediately halted in her path just outside her den. The scent of the tom came surprisingly familiar to her, as if it was supposed to be there. Why was he in the medicine cat den? Did he need something? She shuffled her paws uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. Just go in and stay calm! How? Taking a deep breath, the young medicine cat padded inside as slowly as possible, barely making a sound. In the dimness of the den, her shadowy figure was illuminated by the silver stripe on her right side as she looked up from the ground and onto the cat before her. Her voice shook slightly at the sight of the handsome tabby tom; it was enough to take her breath away, but she stayed strong. "What are you doing in here, silly fur ball? Shouldn't you be battle training or hunting or something?" She tried to make her voice sound playful, but there was evidently emotions she was trying to hide to no success. Her gaze dropped to her right silver paw, avoiding Nettlepaw's eyes.

[&. SHADiE]

[bg=133B06][atrb=width,396,true][atrb=border,0,true] He sensed her pawsteps and presence before his senses did. How strange he seemed to recognize her, and her alone. As she came through the den it was to keep a straight face. How beautiful she looked in the slight gloom of the den. "What are you doing in here, silly fur ball? Shouldn't you be battle training or hunting or something?" Her soft voice sent a jolt of happiness through him, but it quickly turned his heart to cold. What had she mean by that? Did he do the wrong thing to come here and confront her? Was she..trying to send him away? Nettlepaw blinked, willing the hurt he felt to refrain from showing on his face. Then as she cast her eyes down he knew he had been wrong. Or, partly wrong. She was still hurt from Appleblossom's descision to step down, and possibly other things as well. How selfish of him to think of himself. Nettlepaw cocked his head to the side slightly, wishing for the awkwardness between them to dissapear. She was Medicine cat now, and she played such an important part in the Clan's survival. He...was just an apprentice. Still. Better yet, a warrior apprentice. "I was out at dawn today hunting," He meowed in response. He suddenly remembered their own hunting time together, and he quickly changed the subject. In an almost natural movement, he put his tail-tip under her chin and gently made her eyes to meet his. Such a beautiful shade of dark blue. "I wanted.. I wanted to know if you were doing alright," Nettlepaw murmured. She was so close he could smell her sweet sent and could feel himself drowning in her eyes. But he was a warrior apprentice..and what to do about Featherwhisker? The mysterious she-cat he had met from DawnClan?

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