Wanderer [Mottledflower/Quailsong]

[katteyla]

Sounds of the rushing river were swept to the small she-cat's ears. Her emerald gaze scanned the marshy terrain, though her brain registered none of it. The RiverClan warrior slowed to a halt beside the ever-running river. She bent down her silver head, long whiskers drooping into the subtle current. A small pink tongue lapped up droplets of the cool water. Quailsong raised her head once more, allowing the breeze to glide over her tabby coat. It was truly a beautiful day.

A small shadow in the water caught the warrior's attention. Almost half-heartedly, she turned her body to face that point in the river. It was a medium-sized fish; barely a meal for a warrior, yet more than enough for a kit. The white paw raised slowly, without a sound. With a strike, one much too slow to catch the prey, the paw hit the water at a speed still admirable to any other clan. The target escaped with ease. As Quailsong lifted her paw back toward her body, her other forepaw gave way. With a splash!, the she-cat was once where the fish was. With a thrust of her hind legs, her round head broke the surface of the river. The warrior snorted with annoyance, though she honestly didn't mind. The gentle stream offered serenity to any troubled soul, though it wasn't as if Quailsong was bothered by any issues at that given moment.

She swam slowly toward the bank on RiverClan territory, digging her claws into the damp earth. With a heave, the soaked she-cat climbed onto the ground once more. She shook her fur a few times, the beads of water flying in all different directions. Quailsong sat back, nose pointed towards the sky. Camp had been so dull lately. It was new-leaf, there should be amusement and laughter everywhere. The she-cat needed to take a break from the constant patrols, and merely have some time for herself. Quailsong's striped tail flicked back and forth, her back facing the hills of WindClan territory.

[hannah]

mottledflower ;[/font]

Mottledflower trained for many moons to be a warrior. When that day finally came, she could have yowled to StarClan in pure joy. Since her ceremony, she had become even more energetic than usual, leading to many patrols that involved senior warriors to keep her subdued.
Today was her first day out alone. Finally trusted, the Clan expected her to do well. She was determined not to let them down. Her patrol today included the stretch of land near the river - the border with RiverClan.
She made her way there bright and early, trotting out of camp and breaking into a run once she was on the moorlands. She loved the feeling of the air billowing against her body. She loved the energy rush - the feeling of running as fast as she could without anything to stop her.
Just Mottledflower and the open land. She could get used to this.
She slowed her pace as she saw the border up ahead. If she listened hard, she could hear the water rushing through the stream. She ignored the rabbit in the grass several fox-lengths to her left. She couldn't catch it even if she tried; she knew this well. Hunting was not her strength. She ignored the rabbit. Live to see another day, she mused.
She trotted towards the river quietly, something unheard of for Mottledflower. Generally she was very hyperactive, bouncing around and talking without end.
Today, however, she sought the peacefulness of the river. Maybe I'll spend some time by the river - take some time for myself, she thought. No doubt it would please her clanmates to know she was keeping quiet.
But as she neared the river, she realized she would not be alone. On the RiverClan bank sat a she-cat, her back towards Mottledflower. If she had been on her side of the bank, she might have had some fun. But alas, the river separated them, and Mottledflower was not a swimming sort-of-cat.
She approached the river and bowed her head to get a drink, the long run from WindClan's camp having worn her out. She cleaned her face serenely and proceeded with caution down the bank. She tossed her head over her shoulder. The cat was still there. She couldn't just pass this opportunity up... it was too good.
She didn't even think that she was trespassing on RiverClan's territory when she slipped silently across the Twoleg Bridge further down the bank. She slipped across RiverClan's territory quietly, sticking close to the river. If the she-cat turned around, she could easily pretend she had fallen in from WindClan's side.
When she neared, she narrowed her eyes.
"I win!" she declared victoriously before leaping playfully at the she-cat.

[katteyla]

Quailsong had a sudden feeling her peace was about to end. She was upwind of the WindClan warrior, so she had not sensed the she-cat across the river. Quailsong passed off the sounds she heard as merely an animal, perhaps a frog or some other sort of prey. After that little slip-up, however, the she-cat was no longer in the mood to even attempt hunting.

With a sigh, the RiverClan warrior noted that it might be in her best interest to return to the camp soon. She had been away long enough, her clanmates would start wondering where she had gone off to. Quailsong slowly shook her head. She didn't want to get up, not quite yet. She doubted she would get the opportunity to come out so far into the RiverClan territory and for so long, so she wanted to take advantage of this.

In the midst of her thoughts, Quailsong fidgeted uncomfortably. She could almost sense a pair of eyes on her back. Then the sound returned, almost eerily in the peaceful silence by the river. The she-cat's ear twitch to the side as her mouth opened slightly in an attempt to catch a scent. There it was. As the warrior had begun to suspect, this creature was much bigger than just a mere frog. A WindClan cat. And on RiverClan territory, as well? Quailsong's day was just about to get interesting.

The RiverClan cat's head turned just as the trespasser leaped. Quailsong jumped to her paws and evaded the cat's paws. With not-so-obvious amusement, the she-cat mewed, "You win? You certainly succeeded at trespassing on RiverClan territory."

Quailsong didn't looked aggravated, or even annoyed, however. She was gazing at the WindClan she-cat with curiosity, questioning her playful attitude. Quailsong did note that the she-cat didn't seem threatening, though. However, she couldn't help but be wary before responding to the WindClan warrior's playful gesture.

[hannah]

mottledflower ;[/font]
She hit the ground awkwardly, only just managing to thrust out her paws in an attempt to land on even footing. She sprang to her paws readily, tail waving eagerly. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. She kneaded the ground with her paws.

The cat had turned around now, and she recognized her immediately. She had seen her before-- at Gatherings.
"You're no fun," Mottledflower frowned, "It's just a game. Better than patrolling the border all day. I know you, though, don't I? I've seen you at Gatherings. Um.... Quail...-something-or-other, right?"

She never was one for remembering names. Despite the she-cat's reluctance to interact, Mottledflower showed no signs of relenting. She prepared herself to attack again, flicking her ears as she strained for any signal that another cat was approaching.. She wasn't about to be ambushed on RiverClan territory, and she wasn't about the be caught by her own clanmates. She'd be fresh-kill before she could say 'mice.'

She realized this now, once she was on the opposite bank of the river, just inside the border. This didn't bother her much. Even if she would be dead if her Clan found out, she couldn't resist the temptation. Adventure was her middle name. She lived for the thrill.

And this? This was right up her alley.

She stared at the she-cat calculatingly. She bounced her weight between her paws, growing impatient. Her claws dug into the soft terrain of RiverClan as she attempted to stop herself from attacking again. You have to give your opponent time to react, she told herself.

[katteyla]

"Quailsong," the RiverClan she-cat mewed to the obviously younger warrior, even if not by much. She then added, "But, I can't say that I've seen you before. Your pelt looks familiar, though I could be mistaking you for another cat."

It was soon obvious that the WindClan cat had no intention of removing herself from RiverClan territory, if she even cared to begin with. "That attitude's going to get you into trouble some day," Quailsong continued, ignoring the resemblance to her own personality. This enemy cat was obviously not a threat on her lonesome, though Quailsong couldn't be sure if she was merely a distraction for a raid, or something of the type. However, the warrior was much too exhausted to care at that given moment. If things get ugly, I can handle it myself. It won't be hard to keep a few WindClan cats at bay, she thought.

Quailsong crouched down, her belly close to the soft earth beneath her. She started to circle her opponent, taunting, "So WindClan cats have nothing better to do than seek out other clans for entertainment? How tedious." The amusement was clear in the she-cat's voice, and nothing close to threatening could be heard. The warrior's claws were sheathed, though she would have preferred a real trespasser the she could fight at her best with. With a powerful push of her hind legs, the RiverClan warrior leaped at the she-cat who was only one or two fox-lengths away from herself.

[hannah]

mottledflower ;[/font]

"Quailsong!" Mottledflower echoed excitedly, "Yes! That's your name!" She didn't seem crestfallen when Quailsong didn't remember her; she often observed during Gatherings. She only socialized with cats she knew, and even then, she was generally quiet. For a very loud she-cat, she knew the proper way to conduct herself in a Gathering. Instead, she watched groups silently. She learned their names if they ever mentioned it, and she did her best to keep those names locked in her mind. Quailsong's just happened to slip away... as did every other cat's. But hey, she tried her best. "I'm Mottledflower."

She ignored the she-cat's comment. Her attitude was perfectly fine, thank you very much. Granted, she had a hard time concentrating and often wound up in potentially dangerous situations, but she managed fine. Most of the time, anyway. She flicked her tail absently, unworried by this she-cat. She isn't dangerous, Mottledflower decided, If she wanted me gone, she would have been more hostile. Maybe she's just waiting for something like this to happen, though... Mottledflower reminded herself to be more on edge. Perhaps it was a trap of some sort. But why would RiverClan want to trick WindClan? What did they have to dispute over? RiverClan's biggest concern was Sunningrocks, and that was in ThunderClan terrirtory... Perhaps they sought land on WindClan's side of the river... Yeah, like that would happen, Mottledflower sneered. Over her dead body.

As Quailsong circled her, Mottledflower took a defensive stance. Okay, maybe I was wrong, she thought. She laughed inwardly. Haha, I'm not wrong.

"WindClan has plenty to do," Mottledflower retorted angrily. "Admit it: this just made your day a thousand times more fun. How boring is border patrol? I'll answer it for you: very boring. What mouse-brained Clan would decide to attack in broad daylight? What mouse-brained fool would try to hunt rabbits on WindClan's moors? They can try, but they will fail. Just as any cat not from RiverClan will fail to catch your fish. Border patrol by day is utterly useless." There were flaws in her logic; she knew that. That didn't stop her from letting the words pour freely from her mouth.

She didn't have time to react when the she-cat barreled into her. Hissing as she toppled over, Mottledflower struggled to gain control of the situation. Her claws - like Quailsong's, she noticed - were sheathed and she batted at Quailsong's ears in an effort to distract her. Her hindpaws found themselves on Quailsong's underbelly, and Mottledflower pushed up forcefully in an attempt to dislodge the she-cat.

[katteyla]

Mottledflower. The name sounded vaguely familiar. Quailsong recalled overhearing the name in WindClan conversation once or twice during a Gathering. However, the she-cat had never stood out that much to her. It wasn't like Quailsong could be bothered to remember ever single little name that fluttered to her ears.

The she-cat's defensive pose amused Quailsong. She hadn't tried to appear threatening, though of course WindClan should always be wary of RiverClan. The rest of Mottledflower's words passed by Quailsong with no effect. She didn't care much about the WindClan warrior's defensive reasoning. She came here looking for entertainment, and then prepared herself for a fight? WindClan never ceased to intrigue lithe Quailsong.

Before Mottledflower even finished her last sentence, Quailsong had been in the air. The breeze ruffled her sleek pelt, which was rather annoying. She spent a good amount of time that dawn grooming her fur to perfection. In what could be seconds or moons, Quailsong's paws struck the coat of her opponent. She fought the instinct to unsheathe her claws into the flesh of the she-cat beneath her as the unbearable scent of WindClan overcame her. How did those cats live like that, overcome with such a foreign stench at all times? And they slept in the open, which made the problem no better. It amazed Quailsong how WindClan had survived for so many moons.

The paws batting at her ears drove Quailsong out of her thoughts. The she-cat lashed her tail in annoyance, her ears twitching every time the fur of the other cat came close to them. The RiverClan warrior soon felt the soft pads of the cat beneath her on her underbelly. Quailsong allowed her to be thrust off. She landed awkwardly on her right hind leg, causing her to slip onto her flank. She quickly rose to her paws and shook the loose earth out of her fur. Disgusting. Quailsong regained her composure, lowering her head while her eyes were still on Mottledflower. She mewed, "You might be decent at fighting. For WindClan." She thrust herself forward and swiped her paw at the other she-cat's front legs, claws still sheathed.

[hannah]

mottledflower ;[/font]

As she felt the weight of the she-cat leave her, Mottledflower sprang to her paws, tail lashing. Her original hunt for fun had resulted in a border skirmish that dangerously teetered on the edge of bloodshed. See, Mottledflower. This is what happens when you go looking for fun, she reprimanded herself. Maybe this was why she was almost never let on border patrol by herself.

She had promised the deputy she would behave, though. She couldn't let them down now. Of course, it was already too late to be thinking that way... Mottledflower flicked her ears in annoyance. Her adrenaline was high, now. She couldn't control herself from sheathing and unsheathing her claws, tearing at the soft earth beneath her paws. Control yourself, she told herself repeatedly. It seemed to be her mantra lately... You must not be the first to draw blood. No blood can be shed. Swiftstar would flay you alive.

"At least we don't reek of RiverClan," she jeered. Mottledflower retreated as Quailsong neared closer, careful to keep her paws out of harm's way. She swiped at Quailsong's ears again, dancing away from her for a mere second before she propelled herself towards the she-cat. At the last moment, she leaped. She found herself on the other side of Quailsong and spun around; she had effectively trapped the she-cat between the river and herself. You may be able to swim, but WindClan cats rule when it comes to speed.

How much longer would this go on? Mottledflower tried to ignore the feeling that she would be in a lot of trouble if her Clan found out she had deliberately trespassed into RiverClan's territory. She also knew she would have to get out soon; staying any longer could prove dangerous. And yet... the thrill of the skirmish energized her. She couldn't just walk away now, especially after Quailsong had insulted her Clan twice before.

[katteyla]

The paw just nearly missed the silver ear on top of Quailsong's head. Quailsong took a defensive stance as the other she-cat started to run toward her, but leaped at the last second. It was an impressive jump that Quailsong would never admit to aloud. The warrior turned slowly, facing Mottledflower long moments after the she-cat had spun toward herself. Now the RiverClan warrior was in between the river itself and her opponent. It was a foolish move in the eyes of Quailsong.

The warrior noted the change in Mottledflower. The she-cat was tenser than before. This confused Quailsong; a moment before her opponent acted like it was a mock fight. Now did she wish to fight for real? Quailsong narrowed her eyes, effectively hiding her questioning gaze. The warrior figured that she would never understand the ways of other clans.

"Excuse me," Quailsong mewed calmly, "but you seem to have forgotten something. You're the one on my territory, and you still have yet to give me a reason as to why. I was planning on letting it slide, but now I'm curious. If you came only to seek a battle, do that in your own clan." The warrior licked her paw and drew it over the now-ruffled fur of her ear. She then added, "However, I can't just simply turn down a fight, you know. After all, I belong to the noble RiverClan." She rose, her claws now unsheathed, and spat, "So face me and the river now, or flee back to your clan. However, I can't guarantee that I'll let you pass me unscathed."

[hannah]

mottledflower ;[/font]

Mottledflower was confused. Was this not still some sort of game? She had allowed herself to slightly tiptoe over the border of game vs. border skirmish, yes, but she felt she was being perfectly within her limits. She flicked her tail playfully and allowed her ears to swivel towards her opponent with interest.She - Quailsong - seemed so... formal. This was why Mottledflower had a hard time adjusting to being a warrior. Every cat she had ever met as an apprentice grew up to be some hard-headed, stick-to-the-code sort of cat who somehow managed to always get under her fur. It was for this reason that Mottledflower decided to be the cat she was; a warrior could have fun too, and she would make sure the apprentices of WindClan knew that well. Growing up didn't mean letting go of having fun. Mottledflower had found a happy medium in which to balance the two. At least, she thought so.

She wasn't actually sure if she was doing anything right; cats were never clear on the warrior code with her. She understood that the borders were not to be crossed... but why? She wasn't looking for prey, and she wasn't looking for trouble. Could she not visit another Clan just for fun? Could she not have conversations with other cats without being reprimanded for "breaking the Warrior Code"? She often didn't understand the Warrior Code and all it entailed. Perhaps this was the reason for her prolonged apprentice training; however, even as a warrior, she didn't fully understand it. Her mentor, most likely, had decidedly had enough of her and urged Swiftstar to name her as a warrior of the Clan.

And now look at the WindClan representative: her eyes were still gleaming with amusement and her stance had returned to one of mere playfulness. Mottledflower constantly switched between hostility and eagerness. Her fury was only released in battle, and, even with play-fighting, it was hard for her to control her urge to fight with all the strength of TigerClan and the swiftness of LeopardClan. When she wasn't in battle, she was as timid and playful as a kir, and it was now, when she stood opposite of Quailsong, that the latter personality was strongest.

She realized that the river bubbled merrily behind Quailsong, and she wondered how she was going to make it out of this situation. She sat down confusedly, staring at the ground under her paws. She wasn't ashamed; she refused to show that. Raising her head, she met Quailsong's gaze evenly.

"This has escalated beyond the constraints of which I originally intended," Mottledflower apologized, "I did not come here for trouble; I came here because I wanted to make my first border patrol by myself a fun one. I realize it brought both of our Clans to the brink of battle -- all because I decided I wanted to have a little fun." She wasn't sure what she was doing. Was she still apologizing, or was she pretending to apologize to weasel her way out of this mess she had created? She couldn't tell. "I should have known better than to attack you; a warrior in battle can not easily be subdued. Once I feel the weight of another cat on my shoulders, I immediately react as if I were in battle -- whether I actually am or not. Surely you've heard of me..." she dipped her head in slight embarrassment, "my reputation tends to precede me."

[katteyla]

Quailsong's whiskers twitched with amusement at the end of Mottledflower's apology. Her claws receded back into their sheaths and her somewhat ruffled fur settled. She replied, "While I appreciate the show of respect, it isn't needed. I am only a warrior, and that of a different clan. It seems I am still ignorant in the ways of WindClan, as I may have misunderstood your intentions. While I can't merely forgive you crossing into RiverClan territory, there is no need to cause even more strife between our clans over such a simple mistake." The she-cat sat back, gazing intensely at the other warrior. It almost seemed as if she was thoroughly inspecting her.

"Being a warrior isn't all fun and games, as much as I'd like it to be," she continued. "If I were any other cat, you might very well be limping back to your camp right now." Quailsong gazed back at the sky, an inaudible sigh escaping her. Both she-cats would most likely be scolded for either this or taking too much time for a simple border patrol. She hoped no cat noted either's prolonged disappearance, as that would prove quite troublesome.

Quailsong rose to her paws with a minute yawn. "However, I could use some exercise if you still have the same intentions as you did moments ago. There haven't been many quarrels lately, and I've been reduced to doing only hunting patrols. But every minute we remain here, it become even more risky, whether the consequences are only quick reprimands or a large skirmish between patrols of each of our clans." The she-cat's voice became softer, as if she was only talking to herself. Her gaze had long since drifted back to the soft earth. The calming sound of the rushing river behind her made her yearn to swim. It was a shame that other clans didn't appreciate the feeling of cool water gliding over their pelts. That thought brought her back to the reality of a cat from a foreign clan in front of her. Quailsong lifted her gaze, wondering whether Mottledflower would flee, fight, or merely conversing with her. The RiverClan she-cat hoped that a full-out battle had been avoided, as she doubted that her clan back at camp would be very happy with her.

[hannah]

mottledflower ;[/font]

The show of respect? Mottledflower blinked in confusion. Since when had she shown the she-cat respect? Sure, she had apologized, but she didn't count that as showing respect; to her, it was merely a step she had to take to avoid battle. Her whiskers twitched as Quailsong apologized in return.

Limping? Mottledflower scoffed. If anything, Quailsong would be the one limping. She held her gaze steadily, but Mottledflower wasn't listening much: she was thinking. Should she go back to WindClan, where her Clan was probably expecting her to return, or should she stay to chat with this enemy warrior? She weighed the possible consequences. At best, they would get away with a simple reprimand. At worst, the Clans could launch themselves into an unneeded battle. She decided that the latter was far more likely; as a warrior, she knew she should know not to trespass on territory. She sighed; why was the warrior code so restricting? She wasn't hunting, she wasn't launching an attack (sort of). She just sought amusement and entertainment. A friend; someone in her Clan who didn't know how reckless she could be. What was so bad about wanting a friend?

She knew she would be reprimanded for thinking of the warrior code in this way. She scolded herself silently, ear flicking as she shook off the thought. She returned her attention to the RiverClan cat, nodding deftly. What had no idea what the cat had just said, but... nodding was better than nothing, right? She thought over her options. Then she spoke, regretful.

"Actually..." she shuffled her paws, "I should be getting back to my Clan. They'll be expecting me soon, and if they come looking for me... The last half of her thought went unspoken. If they find me here, I'm crowfood. She shook her head. "It's best for both of our Clans if I leave now; I've already intruded more than I should have."

She flicked her tail nervously. Would the she-cat let her pass? Her gaze shifted to the twoleg bridge further down the bank, and she dipped her head before padding cautiously towards it, fully aware that every step she took towards the bridge was another step she took where her back was towards the she-cat.

Vulnerability. She hoped the cat wouldn't take advantage of this. Who knew, maybe she would return to her side of the river and they could continue their pleasant conversation properly.