Morning's First Light

[Wazo]

Dawn arose from her slumber, streaking the sky with a rosy red glow and bathed the land with a golden light, a welcome change from the night's former chill. RavineClan camp was filled with a tranquil silence as gentle paws rose slowly from the ground of the warrior's den and exited silently.

Morning was indeed her favorite time. As the shafts of light broke through the clouds and danced upon her pelt, it brought out its lovely golden shade mixed with rich browns and she purred at the sun's warmth as it caressed her fur. Slender paws tucked themselves under her chest as she layed down in the middle of the camp, completely at ease with stillness of the air and the hushed breath of her fellow clanners. She didn't mind being alone, but that was usually how it was.

Her vivid green eyes were slightly downcast as she thought about her current position. She couldn't be more happy to be living here, to have given Beestripe a home and a family that she had lost. But as she watched Beestripe flourish and find friends in RavineClan, she couldn't help but wish she had it in her to do the same. Even Beestripe, as she noticed, with his glances at Goldenwing, could never be the family that she had always wanted. She would always love him, but he could never replace that hole in her heart. Perhaps, she reflected, she was afraid to make herself vulnerable to being hurt again.

For now, she would focus on being the best warrior and clan member she could be and try to hide the subtle pain of her heart.

[__ S K Y E]

run away when you are down,[/b]

pick up the pace 'cause you fear the sound of mistakes.

The forest was cradled in delicate morning mist, its gentle pastels of amber and honeyed gold streaking across the sky in delicate patterns. RavineClan's woodland territory was covered in frost, a signal of the upcoming leaf-bare, and sent chills up the warrior's spine as he gazed out at the tall foliage, morning dew rolling down the lofty canopies in tiny droplets. At least, he reminded himself with a half-smile, the variation of trees with their extending branches were alive with bright colored leaves, their striking hues of fresh orange and refreshing scarlet warming his heart. The coming of the season leaf-fall had changed the usually vibrant green leaves to bright, crisp oranges and darker coppers. The forest looked different than what the RavineClan warriors had grown accustomed to during greenleaf, but the younger cats seemed to be enjoying the falling leaves, and some warriors were enthusiastic about working harder for their Clan as prey would begin to minimize.

It was still cold.

Tallstone stood vigil at the edge of camp, feeling the chilled air that brushed against his cracked lips and the hard gush of air that almost made him tumble over, if not for his strong resolve that kept him in place. He couldn't sleep next to Northwind anymore. In the beginning it was just a mental pain being her presence, but with it came a certain warmth - something fiery, burning that filled the gaping space in his heart where her love, his parent's love should have been - whenever she came near. Although, as the days passed and the days turned into moons which swiftly transferred into seasons, the pain became worse -- so bad that it was almost physical. Everytime he saw her, every time he watched her divert eye-contact, watch her give him a forced half-smile and walk away with some other warrior - one who was, undoubtedly, a close friend (everyone was a close friend; they all adored her, loved her like they were her mate and she gave it back, that love that he - who love for what felt like centuries - deserved.) he felt a part of him die inside -- every time she looked at him, those beautiful orbs filled with nothing but pity for her so-called mate, he felt a part of him tear in two. It was as if she was driving a stake into his heart. Over and over again.

Everything seemed dark and cold and pale around him, as if everything was sucking the life out of him. He had tried escaping this choking pressure, the one that keeps shoving itself against his lungs and preventing him from really breathing, but he couldn't He left Northwind's side - something he, in all of his moons of living, never (literally) did - and it was still there, that horrible suffocating feeling that made him want to cry and laugh and vomit at the same time. But suddenly, like a chorus louder and more beautiful than the most melodic bird, the sun came creeping across the treetops. Slowly, it spilled over the whole of the territory like a golden waterfall. Every drop of dew on the forest plants gleamed brilliantly; warmth was upon the home of the RavineClan cats once more.

But to Tallstone, it still felt cold. Without Northwind he felt empty, with Northwind he felt dead.

A flicker of movement caught his eye and the lumbering warrior spun around, face bearing something close to a ghostly pale hue and his eyes blood-shot read, the mental and physical weariness written all across his face. Not Northwind, not - oh. He let out a shaky, inaudible breath and looked at Morningwind in relief, letting himself blink a few times to catch his breath. " Hey Morningwind, " he murmured softly, his voice shaky and unstable and so painful that it made him almost wince, but before she could possibly notice and then act upon the agony written across his face and engraved in the low, usually gentle tones of his voice, he turned away. He looked up, cobalt pools almost softening wistfully, and he sighed again, a shiver rolling down his spin as the wind brushed against it.

" It's pretty, isn't it?

[/color] His voice was a murmur, impeccably soft. He couldn't manage anything else. The morning, I meant.[/color]
[/color]
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that are getting closer every time

time is catching up to you.

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^{[midtown -- direction lyrics]}

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[Wazo]

Morninglight looked up, startled to see another cat out so early, her eyes brightening to a glorious green as her head turned up to look at him and caught the light. She nodded politely at his statement, dipping her head back down and her eyes darkened to the deepest emerald, the golden hues of her face lost in amber brown.

She hadn't the faintest idea why he was out her, so early, and especially without Northwind or Cinderpaw. To her, he had everything. A beautiful mate, a kit, while Morninglight was still alone as Beestripe pulled away from her, slowly, slowly, the threads of her heart breaking one by one.

But she plastered a soft smile on her face. "It is always pretty," she remarked, taking another glance at the dewy morning creeping over the territory of RavineClan. "Sometimes it's easy to forget how glorious it is...that's why I like to come out here and remind myself," she commented, her voice matching the softness melodic golden tones of the morning.

She turned her head slightly, closing her eyes as the sun illuminated her face, streaking her pelt with gold. "What brings you here?" she asked simply.

[|| TrUtH ||]

Sunstorm just so happened to rise with the sun, and so he had been awake for awhile now, just listening to the breathing of his clanmates. It was nice just to sit there and think, let his mind wake up fully before the morning began. It always put him in a good mood. His nose was still nestled into his fur, curled up tightly in a ball as if he was still sleeping, careful not to disturb his clanmates with any movement.

The first to arouse was Morningwind, a female. Of course, if it had been a tom he would've followed easily outside, to talk quietly to the other male in the morning light. However this was a she-cat and Sunstorm was terrified to speak to them alone. Why? He wasn't really sure. So he remained in his sleep-like form for awhile longer.

Once Morningwind was greeted by a low murmur, Tallstone, greet the she-cat, he felt his nervousness ease. So long as another tom was around, he'd gladly talk to Morningwind. Rising carefully from his den, he picked his way through his clanmates so that he wouldn't step on a tail or paw on the way out, and emerged into the morning light.

He stretched with pleasure, his bright orange pelt shimmering in the morning light. With a purr of contentment he waltzed up to the two conversing cats easily.

"It's beautiful today!" he mewed happily, almost singing. In his bliss he had no idea that both cats were greatly unhappy, basking in his own happiness. "Who's the dawn patrol?" He wondered if he'd be able to join the dawn patrol, since he had nothing else to do. Sunstorm was full of energy, ready to take on all of the clans single-pawed!

Comments: Hope you don't mind me joining <3
Status: Complete.

[__ S K Y E]

you keep on trying to escape [/b]

your problems, but problems keep on catching you.

The middle-aged tom was still staring wistfully at the forest, the rising sunlight that trickled through the tall oaks reflected in his paler, but not quite lifeless, gaze. It was still there, that pain, but it had numbed considerably, as it always did when another cat entered his presence. Not much of the clan knew about Northwind and himself; they never noticed the tense air that constantly around him or how she would smile that horribly fake smile of hers, smiles that quite reached her eyes. And although at first, Tallstone had accepted this - understood why she wouldn't, couldn't love him the way he loved her - the moons became so treacherous, so unbearable terrible. He had loved her, great StarClan! He did whatever she asked without question, nodding happily when she asked him to take her place on the patrol, to go fetch some moss for her, to go get breakfast. He gave her everything he had and even when there was no more to give, she was asking for more? What did she want from him?

It was then that he learned that, perhaps - no, definitely, just loving someone was not enough. It would never be enough, not for him anyway.

Sucking in his breath, the tom tried adverting his thoughts to something else but the darker. sullen nature that had replaced his formerly quiet, modest one seemed to be stubborn in not making him feel any better; it was as if, he was thinking, in the moons to come he would never know true happiness, as he had never before. It was his fault for being born this way, for falling in love with someone who not only could not love him back, but also decided to betray him with some rogue. Tallstone sighed again, tearing his wistful gaze away from the breathtaking scenery.

When Tallstone turned to his fellow clanmate, he was surprised to see the warmth that lit up her eyes and the happiness that filled her smile. It was then that the noticed; she was pretty too, in that gentle, modest way that only cats like him - like her - could ever be. Offering a quiet smile in her direction, laced with the polite etiquette that his father had burned into his soul, the tom nodded agreeably -- the gesture was quick, unnoticible but he was fairly sure she would see it - just a flicker of movement was enough. She had, after all, noticed the small things, like him, too; not like Northwind.

His throat closed up again, not surprisingly, at the thought of his mate and he almost winced at the invisible pain that raked up and down his sides, catching himself. He wanted, so much, to cure himself; he wanted to tell Morninglight this because maybe, just maybe, she'd be able to cure this invisible agony. He looked at her, eyes filled with anguish, but then he stopped -- he couldn't burden her with this, not her who hadn't done anything wrong. So instead, he forced a smile and quietly dragged his eyes away from her, his breathing easing into a careful, cautious rhythm. "That's good," he murmured, pressing a muddled paw into the dirt absently, as if lost in thought. It was quiet for a moment, but the silence was good. It almost warmed his broken heart.

Blinking rapidly at the sound of rushed, or rather dancing, pawsteps, Tallstone was shaken out of his trance and shifted, leaning on his right side. Flicking his ear in the direction of the sound, he breathed a sigh of relief once recognizing the scent as Sunstorm's and not Northwind's. Shoulders relaxing from tension, he acknowledged the younger tom with a gentle nod - again, a small flicker of movement - and he stole a rapid glance, too quick to be noticed by the more inexperienced warrior (the yellow tom was younger, afterall), at Morninglight, hiding a smile. Sunstorm as rather excited and if he hadn't spent most of his younger years trained under the eye of his strict, unloving parents - unable to show emotion, unable to fail at anything for they would not allow it; they couldn't stand for a mistake in behavior such as laughing, being impolite - the tom would've laughed. But instead, with practiced ease, he slowly turned.

With a fake smile, the tom looked at the other through hidden eyes, almost perfectly masking his emotions. "I think," he paused for a moment, thinking about the question. He didn't really want to go on a patrol, as the younger warrior implied, but it was for the best he supposed -- if Tallstone didn't get out of camp soon, there was no mistake that he would either faint the moment Northwind awoke or suffocate from the reassure of her intense gaze when she saw him doing nothing. He couldn't be around Northwind, not today. At the very least, he had to avoid her until the morning was over. So he smiled that very false smile of his and mewed, "Flametwist took Cinderpaw and Palestep. They won't be back for some time."

[/b]

He blinked warmly - although, those liquid-blue orbs did not appear to be forced, the emotion behind them was to blank to be true and turned to Morninglight, almost smiling. "But we can still do a hunting patrol,"[/b] he murmured and his voice was still soft, as it always was, as he turned to Sunstorm in a single, fluid motion, as if he was always there. Unlike the younger warrior, Tallstone's taller frame was not cumbersome and did not prevent him from acting smoothly. The tom breathed again, gulping in the crisp air and his facade, though briefly, shattered - panic swimming beneath its depths. He was suddenly little Tallpaw - with an abnormal height, disproportional paws and desperate for agreement - who was running away from pretty Northpaw, too ashamed of yesterday's antics. The only thing different, as he looked at Morningwind, was that he didn't have anything to be ashamed off - he hadn't fallen in front of her, stumbled or blushed because, frankly, now that they were mates, what was there to be worried about? - but that still didn't change one very important fact.

His heart was still full of love for her and past those painful, flooding emotions was an even darker, sinful one. Despite being older, it didn't change the fact that she scared him. He feared her and she could, would, do to him. He was scared of the power she had over him.

He simply loved her too much.
[/size][/blockquote][/color]

you should try to turn

the other way, and escape your lies.

[/right]

^{[midtown -- direction lyrics]}

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[Wazo]

It was after she first spoke that Morninglight turned an emerald gaze dappled with curiosity to the tom sitting next to her. Why was he here?. The morning was for those who were alone, able to sneak out of the den without disturbing mate or family, able to watch the rising of the sun in silent awe, unable to mar the tranquil quiet with even whispered words to each other. No, the morning was not for those who would be missed.

As her eyes skipped over his form, she was suddenly struck with just how tired he looked. She knew it well. Tired wasn’t missing a night’s sleep. Tired was in the smile for others that stretched the features, the shoulder slightly bent as if being constantly pressed with an invisible weight, and the voice layered thick with too many “im fines” that it was impossible to distinguish its original form. Even if she didn’t know much about him, she knew what it felt like to be emotionally exhausted and mentally drained. Love and life can do that to a cat and Morninglight’s shoulders heaved slightly as she reflected on how many loving moments she had erased in order to keep the mask from sliding off.

He turned to her, blue eyes meeting green, and she suddenly felt very self-conscious and open as she fixed her mask once more back into place. Everyone must seem so ordinary, so plain compared to the dazzling beauty of Northwind and she felt diminished under his gaze. However, she couldn’t help the way her emerald eyes widened in shock, catching the light of the morning sun, as she registered the naked anguish stamped in his eyes. He’s in pain. The thought flashed through her mind as fast as the look disappeared off Tallstone’s face. She stared in silence for a few slow seconds, unable to attribute that sudden moment to anything she had done or anything that happened recently. But she also knew that look, she reflected, as she tilted her head towards the ground and flattened her ears slightly.

She couldn’t even think of a reason for his appearance here, the subtle emotions she was noticing, nor her own response to new knowledge. She hadn’t expected to feel such an overwhelming feeling to reach out to him, to help him, like Lostmoon…Loststar had helped her so many moons ago. She didn’t even know what he needed help with for StarClan’s sake! He had the most beautiful she-cat in the forest, a wonderful son, and was highly respected within the clan. She almost sighed, catching herself and disguising it as one heavy breath. Perhaps she was only projecting her own problems on him, so desperate to find another soul like her.

Her ears pricked in surprise at his words, having thought in silence for so long, it was difficult to draw her attention back to the here and now. “A hunting patrol sounds like a good idea,” she mewed quietly in response. She drew herself up off the ground, stretching her legs in the morning sun, her pelt streaked with golden rays and her delicate features stretched into a yawn, revealing pointed white teeth and a small pink tongue. She stood there awkwardly for a moment before saying, “It would be a good idea to stock up now before the weather gets any colder,” she added, attempting to keep the tone light and casual. They were clanmates after all, and for a moment, Morninglight was sorry and a little ashamed that she hadn’t opened up that much to her clan.

It was hard to open a door so tightly locked after all this time.