Moonlitice

[lakeripple]

It was a dark night, the darkest yet that winter. The moon was hidden behind the clouds, and even so it was just a glimmer. Everything was silent.

But, like all silences, it was meant to be broken. The squeals of little kits sounded through the dark, shattering the peace. A little tabby she-cat led her white brother through the fields. "Come on Littlekit!" she laughed. "Let's show Ebonyriver how brave we are!"

Littlekit frowned, his amber eyes darting frantically around. "I don't know Moonlitkit, it's pretty dark out here. You know I don't like the dark that much. You know it."

Moonlitkit rolled her own amber eyes. Fluffing up her beautiful fur snootily, she glared at her brother. "Fine, I guess I'll just do it myself and get all the praise. Again." She was, of course, referring to the fact that her beauty was admired by everyone, including the duo's foster mother, Ebonyriver.

Littlekit growled and stalked angrily past Moonlitkit. The tabby she-kit smiled happily and followed him. She didn't want to admit that she was happy not to be alone.

Shadows moved in the darkness, and Littlekit glanced around in fear. "Moonlitkit, did you hear something?" he whimpered, his white fur fluffing up.

In fact, Moonlitkit had heard something, but she shook her head. "No, you must be imagining things Littlekit. There is nothing out here." Littlekit nodded in relief.

"Yeah, we are."

A growl split the air and Littlekit jumped. "Either I have a very vivid imagination, or that was real," he whimpered.

Moonlitkit turned toward the sound. Fear shook in her voice. "I heard it too. Littlekit, my vote is run back to camp as if our lives depended on it."

"Yeah, yeah, I second that."

In a bad dash, Moonlitkit took off the way they had come, Littlekit hard on her heels. But the young she-kit was faster, and soon left her brother behind. She was back to camp and in the nursery long before he could ever have gotten there.

Littlekit never came back.

-To be Continued-

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

What?? poor Littlekit D= *is really sad*

This is really good though! ^^ I can't wait to read more about Moonlitice's story!

[lakeripple]

Moons passed and Moonlitkit blamed herself for Littlekit's disappearance. It was decided by the warriors that he was taken by a dog, but no one ever discovered that his sister had been out with him. Moonlitkit grieved over the death of her last family member, and turned to the only stability she had - her looks. She learned how to flaunt and flounce and overall get the toms to look at her. She loved the attention.

By the time Moonlitkit was made Moonlitpaw, she was quite the vain young she-cat. The only other apprentice, Berrypaw, saw right through her personality and never fawned after her like the other toms. This made Moonlitpaw understandably furious.

She was one of the apprentices who had to wait for a mentor. She had no friends and was angry and hard to be around.

Moonlitpaw stalked across the camp torwards the apprentices den. She was angry. It had been almost three days since her apprenticeship and she still didn't have a mentor. Ugh! She whipped around and started staring about the camp, showing off her gleaming tabby fur. Her eyes searched out Berrypaw and she tried to get his attention. When she failed she let out a weak hiss. The tom hadn't said anything to her even though they slept in the same den. Maybe it was because cats called her spoiled and vain. As if! She sniffed angrily.

She lashed her tail as no one came near her. Her foster mother was out on a patrol and she had no friends to speak of. Maybe if Berrypaw would speak to her, but no, she was to "spoiled" to be bothered with. She listened to some warriors who were sneaking glances at her other by the entrance. They were calling her a shallow beauty. She huffed angrily. As if!

Foxcloud slowly made her way threw the main clearing. A thin black bird hung from her jaws. The she-cat stopped next to Moonlitpaw, and flopped down beside the apprentice. "Hungry?" the warrior asked, pushing the bird to the apprentice. The warrior let her gaze sweep the clearing. They landed on two warriors, who were whispering about something....Foxcloud strained her ears....Moonlitpaw? Those pieces of foxdung. Foxcloud whipped her head to them, and almost laughed when they glanced at her with slight surprise and fear. A simple and quick bearing of the teeth, was all the older warrior needed, to make them quickly leave. Moonlitpaw may be stubborn, Foxcloud would give them that, but the apprentice had a lot of spirit in her.

"Thank you Foxcloud," Moonlitpaw mewed, nodding. She had hoped that the brave warrior would become her mentor, if only she made a good impression...

"Boring this morning..." Foxcloud purred bluntly, before rolling over on her flank, and letting her gaze wander over every cloud...yes....boring....the she-cat gave a soft sigh, and frowned. Nothing interesting had happened for some moons now, and it didn't seem like it was going to change any time soon.

Moonlitpaw copied the roll and sighed. "No one really seems to like me," she mewed sadly.

"Open up more." Foxcloud meowed as a response, "Me, I like the rush that goes threw my spine every time I send a foolish cat packing with just a simple glare, or showing of the teeth. You, on the other paw, are young still. Respect is easy to earn when you are young." the warrior explained, as she let her legs stretch out lazily.

"Thank you Foxcloud," Moonlitpaw meowed, seeing the wisdom in the warrior's words. "But I don't know how. Berrypaw won't even talk to me!"

"Have you tried something other then flashing your fur around?" Foxcloud questioned, while looking into Moonlitpaw's eyes.

"Yes, - of course I do. I think he's scared of me." Moonlitpaw hung her head sadly, trying to hold back angry tears.

"Have you tried actually walking up to him, and saying 'hi'?" Foxcloud was blunt, yes, but she was the type that liked to get to the point. Mixing words doesn't go well in her eyes.

Moonlitpaw looked up in confusion. "Why would I do that if it's easier for him to come to me?"

Foxcloud chuckled, her laugh a raspy call. "Not everything is given to you on a polished stone, young Moonlitpaw. Sometimes, you have to go up, and demand it. If everything was given to you, you would have nothing to complain about." Foxcloud purred the last part in a friendly way to Moonlitpaw, who proubly complained about stuff sun high to moon set.

Hesitating, Moonlitpaw floundered for a response. "Well, it's just that he's a tom , and that would seem strange if I started it..."

Foxcloud placed a dark ginger paw over Moonlitpaw's mouth softly, "Who said you were? Just walk up to him, chat a bit, throw in a few cute little strecthes, and let Berrypaw do the rest." Foxcloud's eyes sparkled a bit, as her lips slowly formed a small smile.

Moonlitpaw grinned happily. "Thanks Foxcloud!"

And that was the beginning of a great and dangerous friendship...

-To be Continued-

[~*Pikeru]

YAY A MOONLITICE STORY!!! *explodes with joy*

I love how you do Foxcloud, by the way. So don't worry about doing your own things with her. ^^ I've read what you do and you catch her in your creative butterfly-net well!


*grabs popcorn*

[lakeripple]

lol, that part I actually took from a roleplay we did. It is nearly word for word.

[lakeripple]

Time still kept moving, making Foxcloud deputy. Moonlitpaw looked up to her friend in admiration, thinking that Foxcloud's deputation was perhaps the best thing to ever happen in FireClan.

Leaves fell unto Moonlitpaw's nose and she squealed. Reaching up, she snagged one and, hooking her claw into it, she pulled it down. The mighty hunter prevailed again. Glancing up at Foxcloud, she felt embarrassment turn inside of her. Had the deputy seen that? If she had, she was pretending not to notice. Leaving the dismantled leaf, Moonlitpaw daintily ran up next to Foxcloud.

"We are hunting, not playing Moonlitpaw," Foxcloud mused. Beneath the thorny burr of her outward nonchalance, Foxcloud's voice was thick with warmth. Unable to see this and blind to the love that Foxcloud had towards her, Moonlitpaw dipped her head in shame. "I'm sorry Foxcloud, it won't happen again," Moonlitpaw whispered.

Foxcloud turned her head and fixed Moonlitpaw in her gaze. For a second Moonlitpaw couldn't move, that was the strength of this look. But Foxcloud merely nodded and turned back toward the path. "Now, Moonlitpaw, shall we see what Firemist has taught you?" Foxcloud nearly spit out Firemist's name, but Moonlitpaw didn't notice. She just bobbed her head eagerly and started smelling the air. Falling into the hunter's crouch, she wriggled her rump and drew herself forward on quiet paws.

CRUNCH! A leaf broke beneath Moonlitpaw's feet and scared away the thrush she had been stalking. Launching herself into the air in desperation, her claws sliced through empty air just behind the thrush. She landed hard on the ground and a thorn buried deep into her pad. "Mouse dung!" she whimpered.

Next to her, Moonlitpaw could hear Foxcloud's hollow chuckles. She blushed hot beneath her fur and busied herself with pulling out the thorn. It came out easily, but blood flowed freely from the wound and it was painful to step on. She whimpered again and turned pleadingly to Foxcloud.

"That is what Firemist has taught you?" Foxcloud rasped. "To go jumping into the air after a lost catch? Really Moonlitpaw, you should know better!" Foxcloud fell into laughter again and Moonlitpaw dipped her head in shame. Firemist had told her not to go after a hopeless catch, and that is exactly what she had done. She had been injured from it as well! But the pain was subsiding and the blood lessening. Moonlitpaw put her weight on her paw and winced, but didn't pull away.

"Well, now that you are injured, let's see how fast you can run in pain." Foxcloud took a step toward Moonlitpaw, the warmth in her eyes masked by curiosity. "You always were a fast one, let's see just how swiftly you can go!"

Moonlitpaw nodded. Here was her chance to impress Foxcloud. She readied herself and took off, fast as a rabbit. The pain didn't hamper her and she could feel Foxcloud's praise now. Someday she wanted to be just like her, strong and ambitious enough to push herself to her limits. Foxcloud was her hero.

The friendship between the two grew even stronger, possibly even exceeding that of Firemist and Moonlitpaw. Moonlitpaw loved and trusted Foxcloud, and Foxcloud felt for the young apprentice unlike she did for anyone else.

-To be Continued-

[lakeripple]

Moonlitpaw grew into a strong young cat, a proud young fool, smart enough to figure out difficult battle maneuvers but not to see the evil in Foxcloud. She couldn't even get a glimpse of it. There was this admiring love that she felt for the deputy, it blocked out everything else. The first glimpse of the evil and madness, as well as hatred and malice, beneath the ginger coat was during a training session with Firemist.

Moonlitpaw trotted after her mentor, her paws digging into the soft ground. She was purring quietly, it was a beautiful spring morning, the birds were out, the sun was shining, dew glinted off the leaves, and she was going to do some battle training.

Firemist led her into a secluded clearing surrounded by trees. Lush foliage surrounded her, purple buds getting ready to blossom, waxy leaves bursting with life. Moonlitpaw gasped at the beauty. Turning to her mentor, Moonlitpaw beamed. Firemist always knew how to make a good day even better.

"Ready?" Firemist asked, licking one paw. Moonlitpaw nodded and prepared for the mock spar. Yet Firemist suddenly sat up and sniffed the air. Whirling around, she faced a bush. Moonlitpaw scented around her and purred even louder at what she found.

Foxcloud pushed through the bush, two mice dangling by their tails from her mouth. She took one look at Firemist before letting her gaze travel to Moonlitpaw. The deputy's eyes flashed.

Setting down the mice, Foxcloud stepped forward. "Oh dear, have I interrupted a sparring session?" Though her words were apologetic, her tone of voice was not, and instead was teasing.

Firemist took a deep breath before nodding and loosening her position. "It is quite all right Foxcloud, we haven't even started yet."

Foxcloud purred. "Good, I was going to suggest a demonstration. Perhaps you and I could show Moonlitpaw how it is done?" Innocence dripped from her honey-coated words, and Moonlitpaw believed it. Firemist's eyes narrowed in distrust, but she nodded again.

The two warriors circled each other, and it wasn't until she leaped that Moonlitpaw saw that Foxcloud's claws were unsheathed...

More times like this happened, more and more frequently. Firemist never made a move against Foxcloud, and yet the deputy repeatedly attacked. It was like the twisted she-cat was asking for Firemist to attack her. She was purposefully provoking her. If she couldn't kill Firemist herself, Foxcloud wanted her banished.

Yet still Moonlitpaw refused to see the truth. She didn't want to believe the truth. She wouldn't believe the truth. And this blindness is what hurt her later.

-To be Continued-

[~*Pikeru]

I love your characters. Your writing. I just...GAWH <33333


lol x3;;

[lakeripple]

Many thankies!