Seeking Risk

[Måø§†]

The sunny shapes between tree branches cast warm rays of sunlight in patterns pleasing to the eye. Each pawstep she took, the more resentment prickled up her spine, yet she continued to look forward, side by side with her leader. Prey scuttled between tree roots, underneath fallen petals, and above in the thin canopy of leaves. Swiftrunner was full though, her angry hunder satisfied with traveling herbs and quenched with cool water. It had been so long since she had been out of camp, her life limited with boundaries. The last time she had traveled away was during apprenticeship, she and her sister Swallowtail. Their lack of a well planned disguise paying them a moons worth of cleaning out the elders den. But Swallowtail had died soon after becoming a warrior, and so had her mate, Inkfur. Inkfur had found himself on Echoclan territory again, meeting with Swiftrunner for a moon or more. And then Swiftrunner couldn't bare to spend time disobeying her Clan that they had agreed to stop meeting each other. A now, a moon later she had to find him.

"Thank you Wrenstar," her tone was full of meaning, "For everything."

And she picked up his scent almost at once, stale, yet clearly within a few days from now. She calmed, yet his scent was not welcoming, she had been through enough pain to leave him, and now he had to learn she was expecting kits?

"This is his," she meowed quietly.

[♫ E§he ♥]

Wrenstar watched the long bands of shade the Sunnywood Grove trees made against the gentle whisper of sun. It reminded her of the long, banded pelts of TigerClan cats. Her amber eyes flicked to the canopy above where a startled bird flew from it's perch, startled.
Wrenstar could feel Swiftrunner's silent plea to not have to face her mate, uncomfortableness coming from her pelt in waves. She figured Swiftrunner had been through a lot to leave the tom, and now she was re-opening new wounds.
Wrenstar enjoyed leaving camp and traveling with friends. It gave her a chance to relax and not have to worry about Clan duties. Padding here, beside Swiftrunner, made her feel like a warrior again.

'This is it'
At Swiftrunner's words, Wrenstar halted and scented the air. The scent was stale, but Wrenstar could make out the slightest trace of Echoclan through it, everything else about the scent had been claimed by the trees.
She followed Swiftrunner as she traced it, the amber fingers of sun slowly caressing her pelt to warmth.

[Måø§†]

Swiftrunner danced hesitantly through the woods, hair rising only slightly the more she followed the scent. It grew less stale every small clearing she found herself in, a few of his resting spots were more recent and she could tell he was not planning on traveling anywhere in particular. His trail was often disconnected, resulting in searching anywhere around the area for his trail once again, but mostly they could track it.

Atlast, Swiftrunner knew she must say something, she would rather Wrenstar be ready for what she would find, rather than learning it on the spot. "Wrenstar," her voice was almost a whisper, "He wasn't a rogue his whole life. Do you remember," she paused, "Inkfur, he left Echoclan soon after becoming a warrior," she held her breath.

[♫ E§he ♥]

Wrenstar smiled. Unusual. "Inkfur. Yes I suspected it might be a previous Echoclan cat."
When Swiftrunner shot her a look of confusion, she replied, "Why else would you be so hesitant for me to see him?"

Wrenstar stopped, drawing the forest scents through her rosy-colored nose. Her warm amber eyes flickered across the trees, and golden pelt glowed with sunlight. Her powerful, lioness paws padded gently and soundlessly across the forest floor.
Is it just me, or is the scent getting stronger?

[Måø§†]

Swiftrunner knew that any she-cat that had been seeing another cat from outside of the Clan would probably be hesitant. It wasn't exactly smiled upon to be dishonest and unloyal to the Clan. But she kept to herself and continued searching for the stronger scent. It seemed so near now, but she could be wrong, she could have passed right by him by now. Doubts ran through her mind, Swiftrunner kept quiet, ears pricked for any sounds.

* * *

I crept through the thick undergrowth, I had scented her twice now. Or was it my imagination? Was I missing her so much that I had kept a part of her with me, her beautiful scent. But I had scented Wrenstar, or was it yet some other omen that I feared. I had been gone a moon now, and how many times had I traveled to that one spot, hoping that maybe she would be there. She never was, the only scents left were those of maybe a fox who had stayed the night or a few rodents trying to find shelter.

There it was again, so strong that I could have sworn they were only a fox length from me. At first I chose to ignore it, but when it stayed for moments on end I turned. And there she was. Her elegant features droopy with lack of rest, her head down, disappointed. Her scent beautiful, like mothers milk. But she was still there, and so was Wrenstar. I kept to the bushes, low, hoping the wind would not change directions. It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

"Wrenstar, I think I-" she stopped abruptly, tail twitching from side to side so anxiously, the rest of her figure frozen in spot. But slowly she lifted her slim head and muzzle, her spring green eyes searching the area until they finally rested feather-like on him. Her intense stare blazed through his pelt and he broke contact, shaking slightly.

He stepped out, paws in-front of paw, bracing himself for any attack. And at last he spoke. His voice low yet experienced, rough and slightly horse, as if he had not used it in a long while. "What do you want," he spoke to Swiftrunner but glanced cautiously up at Wrenstar.

"I must speak to you, alone," she politely dismissed her leader and traveled a distance away from the calm leader.

When they sat slightly far apart she began to tell him what had happened in a hushed tone. Only a short sentence, but it told everything, "I'm expecting kits," her eyes stayed neatly on the ground right infront of her paws, as if somehow it had just become the most interesting thing in the forest.

Night, Inkfur, stood silently for an awkward amount of time, shuffling his paws slightly, a look of shock and confusion on his face. When he spoke, his voice was almost scared, "So… how many are you expecting?"

"Four."

The puzzled look shifted on Night until it turned a controlled smooth.

_______________________

Swiftrunner returned after the quite awkward conversation. Her head stayed down for some time but finally she spoke to Wrenstar. Night had left, glad to no longer be a part of it for a few moons. "I will nurse all four, but when old enough to live off fresh kill, he will take one. I will raise the other three as warriors," her facial expression sullen and slightly broke.

[♫ E§he ♥]

Wrenstar placed her tail upon Swiftrunner's shoulder. Her amber eyes warm and proud. She let Swiftrunner cry. She knew the tears would wash away all the past events and allow Swiftrunner to live on. Wrenstar watched as Night's tail slipped into the brush. She had no doubt that Night would be a good father to the kit he was granted.
The sun slowly descended in the sky, creating long, warm shadows that shone upon the two she-cats. Wrenstar brushed Swiftrunner's fur with her own, giving her a soothing lick upon the ear.

"Swiftrunner... let's go home."

[Måø§†]

And so we go...

End of thread?

[♫ E§he ♥]

Hobey ho
Let's go! ;D

YERP!!!