Calm Winds(Open)

[Cloven]

Ravenheart

She didn't normally lay around camp when there were things she could, and very well should, be doing. But Ravenheart had been told by several cats that she should start taking it easy and get used to not doing much, at least until the kits were born and old enough to do without her for a while. She had also been warned of hunting and doing anything that might harm the kits, or herself. Which, at first, had been fine. She didn't want to hurt them, and if she ended up hurt, they might too. After a while, though, she was getting a bit annoyed.

She there was a good half moon before she was due, which for her meant several days of nothing but her bellying growing, and her insides being kicked around by tiny paws. All she could really do was wait around camp, having everyone watching her like hawks. Sometimes it felt like they were just pushing her into snapping, other times she was overwhelmed with the warm feeling of love. Today, she was pretty calm about it, not really caring, while not not caring. She was thankful to her clan for looking out for her- even if it was just her family and the family of her mate.

After cleaning her pelt for the tenth time, Ravenheart stood and padded over to the warriors den, wondering if anyone was still in camp. The day was soft and warm, so most of the warriors would be out hunting and patrolling. Hunting she wouldn't miss as much, not today anyway. She didn't want to have to clean the mud from her paws. What she wanted was to go on a patrol. Making sure the other Clans weren't crossing the lines, or stealing the prey. Not that she figured they were, but Windclan could be moused brained that way.

Sighing, Ravenheart sat outside the den, not bothering to call attention to herself. If anyone wanted to join her, they could. Simple as that. She would not make anyone talk to her. Not today anyway.

OOC: Modified; Fixed the end bit so as it makes sense...

[Ruby]

Darkstripe was not slacking off. Not after the crumby patrol that he had been on earlier that day. Sure, some would probably scoff if they noticed the extended break that he was taking, but a warrior could not be bothered by such things. The dark tabby tom certainly was not sweating it as he sat up from the shadows of the warrior's den. His brown pelt blended in nicely with the dim shade, keeping him away from the notice of any would be warriors on the lookout for a dutiful cat to assist them on a hunting trip or border patrol. Darkstripe extended his paws out in front of him and arched his back. His muscles rippled beneath his coat as he lowered down into a luxurious stretch.

So maybe it would be a good idea to do something else that was productive today. Sitting around all day was hardly his idea of fun, anyways. Darkstripe sat back up and gave his fur a hearty shake, then ran his pink tongue over his ruffled chest for a moment. Well, better get a move on. With a slight sigh, the tabby warrior turned around and began to slink towards the exit of the warrior's den. It was not until he was partway through that he noticed another cat. He recognized his clanmate immediately, and gave her a friendly nod in greeting. No doubt the queen was on rest now that her kits were on their way.

Now Darkstripe had never been particularly close to Ravenheart, but hey, there was no better time for making new friends than the present. Not to mention the benefit of putting off some of his work. The tabby twitched his whiskers cheerfully and padded over. His yellow eyes gleamed brightly in the sunlight overhead.

"Hey there! How's the prey running today?" He asked the she-cat brightly as he sat down. Now most warriors were only interested in their misplaced senses of glory and honor. All they wanted to do was fight or die for their clan, or something. Not Darkstripe, though. He knew that real honor came from the humblest of tasks. Such as talking to a bored queen. The tom's eyes glimmered with amusement at the thought.

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[Cloven]

Ravenheart

She hadn't really expected anyone to join her, some cats seemed to shy away because of her ever changing moods. So when the tom padded over, she couldn't help the smile. Taking in others appearances was something she only did when in a good mood- otherwise she wouldn't have cared less about his dark tabby pelt. On this day, though, it would help her remember his name later.

"Pretty good from what I've seen," She purred, "I'm not supposed to hunt for now." The tip of her tail twitched- but not out of annoyance. All the sudden she had the urge to go hunting. She knew that her mate would scold her to no end if he found out she had been hunting though. The worry wort. Of course, it was her first litter... She twitched an ear and smiled to the tom in front of her.

Blinking at him with soft, yellow eyes. She hadn't ever paid much attention to him before. Always busy with her own stuff. But She was sure he was a good cat. She hadn't heard anything bad about him, anyway. Darkstripe, that was his name, wasn't it? Yes, she believed so. She had been an apprentice when he was born, she could only just remember hearing about the kit. By the time he was an apprentice, she was already a warrior and trying to sort out her mood issues had taken up most of her time.

"What are you up to this fine day?"

[Ruby]

The tip of Darkstripe's tail twitched idly as the she-cat responded. He was getting the vibe that all of this sitting around was beginning to get to the queen, and who could blame her? It was times like these that he was glad that he was not a she-cat. If he ever had kits, all he would have to do is sit back and let his mate do all the work, or in this case, do nothing at all. Thank StarClan . . .

Darkstripe nodded pleasantly at the news that Ravenheart was doing well. He was, of course, oh so very interested in the happiness of the clan's queens. "Good to hear." He chirped back at her. His whiskers twitched slightly and he glanced idly around the camp for a moment before returning his gaze back to the she-cat, just in time for her to ask him a question of her own.

"Oh, you know, just getting ready for my next exciting task." Dry sarcasm was just detectable in Darkstripe's tone. He probably should do something soon; maybe a hunt or something. He did not think that there was another border patrol leaving anytime soon, anyways.

"And what about you?" He asked. "I bet you've found all of the best napping spots in camp by now, eh?" His whiskers twitched with amusement to show that his comment was of one of friendly nature.

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[Cloven]

Ravenheart

Ravenheart smirked at the tom, his sarcasm didn't bother her. She knew a lot of the cats didn't really like having to work all the time. Though, she thought, if they were told they couldn't work they would get tired of laying around after a while. Some it would take longer, but others would be back on their paws in just a few sunrises.

"Oh, I know a couple good spots,"-She purred,-"the best is probably the bushes just outside the camp." She mewed as she stretched. "Perfect for most weather." Standing, she shook dirt and dried grass from her glossy pelt. Her back was beginning to burn from sitting in the sun, so she decided she would stand for a while.

"Hey, could I maybe join you on the hunt? I may not be fast enough to catch anything, but I could keep you company?" She tried not to sound too desperate, not wanting him to just take pity on her; not that she was below begging- No. She wouldn't beg. Not today. She felt proud all the sudden, not liking the idea of other cats pitying her. "I mean, if you'd like company, that is." She added with a shrug.

[Ruby]

[atrb=width,500,true][atrb=height,400,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,10,true][atrb=style, background: #ffffff url('http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg93/ivystar815/ae750f21-d74b-412e-8708-ab06e494b735_zps9f771c6d.jpg')] Darkstripe chuckled slightly before giving Ravenheart an exaggeratedly impressed nod. "See? The work you can do here could one day define the very way that we nap in the future." He said, keeping his tone deadly serious. Darkstripe had a bit of a flair for the dramatic, but it was always of the sarcastic variety. Actually, a good majority of what he said was sarcastic. Even he sometimes had trouble figuring out when he was actually serious or just being ironic. As Ravenheart began to stretch, Darkstripe's thoughts turned back to work. It would probably be a good idea to get going soon. The Pine Forest might be a good place to start; he had been having some luck there lately. Maybe find a nice squirrel or two . . . Darkstripe's ears twitched as the black and white she-cat began to speak. He glanced over at her blankly, whiskers twitching at her request. "If you want." He said with an indifferent shrug. The tabby was not so sure if he liked the idea of leading a queen out into the territory (if she got hurt it would be on him, after all), but at least it would give the tom someone to talk to. "Yeah, why not." Darkstripe said, half to himself. He glanced back at Ravenflight. "Plus, I'm sure you could use the change in scenery." He paused and glanced over at the camp exit. "We can leave whenever you're ready."

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[Cloven]

Ravenheart

"The work I do? Define the future? I doubt it." She snorted. Figuring he was just making a joke of some sort. Thinking about the future always made her head swim. There was so much that could happen between the 'now' and the 'later.' There wasn't any real telling when or how until it happened. There was no for sure details about who would make it, and who would move on to Starclan. The only thing any cat could do was be the best for their Clan.

She doubted even the leaders and medicine cats really knew how things would turn out... Did Starclan even know? She pulled herself away from the thoughts, almost surprised Darkstripe had agreed to her joining him.

"I'm ready if you are," Ravenheart beamed, ears pricked and tail dancing behind her. She didn't remember the last time she had really looked forward to leaving camp. This would be a great change. She spared only a heartbeat on what would happen if she got heart, but pushed the thoughts away. Thinking about it only made it seem more likely.

Note: Sorry it's so short.

[Ruby]

[atrb=width,500,true][atrb=height,400,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,10,true][atrb=style, background: #ffffff url('http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg93/ivystar815/ae750f21-d74b-412e-8708-ab06e494b735_zps9f771c6d.jpg')] "Fantastic." Darkstripe jumped back up to his paws and glanced to his left and right. There were not too many cats hanging around the camp at that point; they were probably all off being productive or something. It was a nice day, though, so not even Darkstripe could really blame them. Actually, now that he was up and out of his nest, going out hunting seemed like a splendid idea. For this tom, overcoming laziness was just a matter of taking the first steps. Once he had gotten started he usually did not mind his duties. "So I'm thinking of heading towards the pine forest." He said as he gave his pelt a gentle shake. "We won't go too deep, though. Better safe than sorry, right?" Darkstripe glanced back at the she-cat for a moment before finally starting for the exit of the camp at a slow trot. "We should be able to track down something or other. Actually, I caught a huge squirrel there less than half a moon ago. I swear by StarClan, that thing was bigger than a rabbit." The tom's tail twitched behind him as he began to idly chat away. Even with the addition to his hunt, Darkstripe did not think he had to change his plan at all. As long as Ravenheart did not try to climb any trees or anything, there was not too much threat of injury for the queen. Hopefully. Ah well. The tom slipped through brambles and out of the camp, pausing at the outside to sniff the air. The sweet scent of green-leaf could be detected in the breeze, and birds chirped cheerfully in the trees far above the reach of the cats below. It was definitely a good day for a hunt.

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[Cloven]

Ravenheart

"Yes, better safe than sorry." Ravenheart smiled, agreeing with Darkstripe as he started out of camp. She also glancing around, but mainly to be sure no one tried to stop her. She wasn't sure how anyone would feel about her leaving- or that anyone really cared. She was just another cat. Just another warrior-err... queen. She didn't understand why they acted like they cared...

They do care, she told herself, twitching her tail with annoyance. We are a clan, we take care of each other. Love each other- even if we could careless. She pulled away from the thoughts and tried to focus on the bright, sunshiny day around her. Listening to Darkstripe's causal chat, turning her mind to the lighter thoughts instead of the dark ones.

"I once found a frog about half the size of a rabbit." She commented, having a hard time trying to pull the memory from her mind. She knew she had been an apprentice, that she was out with her mentor, but she didn't remember much else. She often found it hard to remember things when her moods started to shift. More over so if she was going from perfectly fine, to slightly paranoid. Worrisome. Shy.

She was fighting it more this time. Getting frustrated as she knew she was failing. She just hoped she wouldn't take it out on Darkstripe. She shouldn't. She couldn't. But she might... If she didn't watch herself.

In hopes to calm herself, she begin looking around more. Taking in the beauty of the trees and fresh life. Everything seemed so green-every shade of green. From the newest blade of grass, to the darkest needle on the pines. Her eyes widened as she seemed to take it all in for the first time. Sure, she saw it every time the season rolled 'round. It always seemed different though, never really the same. The trees were always getting bigger, and there was always something new. From a bush to a patch of dirt-or mud. It never failed to amaze her.

[Ruby]

[atrb=width,500,true][atrb=height,400,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,10,true][atrb=style, background: #ffffff url('http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg93/ivystar815/ae750f21-d74b-412e-8708-ab06e494b735_zps9f771c6d.jpg')] It was an awfully nice day; perhaps a little hotter than Darkstripe cared for, but still lovely nonetheless. As the two cats began to head into the territory, the tabby tom kept his ears pricked for the sounds of nearby prey. They were still a little too close to the camp, but there was always the chance that a mouse or squirrel might stray into the area. The sooner he caught something the sooner he would be able to go back to relaxing. "Wow, that's quite impressive." He said with a flick of his tail. His yellow gaze stared alertly into the brush ahead. It would do no good to spook the prey away. "I might have seen a toad or two around that size, but never a frog." The sound of a twig cracking a little aways made him lower his voice. "I hate going after those things. I always end up to my belly fur in mud, only to watch them bounce away. It's like those slimy little monsters are mocking me or -" Darkstripe was cut off as the sound of rustling leaves revealed the presence of a startled squirrel. The small creature darted up the nearest tree by the time the tom could even begin to give chase. He watched at the base of the trunk as its bushy tail disappeared into the leaves. "Mouse-dung." He grumbled, glancing over at Ravenheart with an weak chuckle to hide his embarrassment. "I guess talking and hunting is a bad mix after all. Who would have known?" Th tom was not too upset by the loss. He hadn't even really expected to see anything yet. Hopefully the nice weather would bring its fair share of critters out and about, and there would be plenty more where that came from. Darkstripe was sure he would not come back empty handed, but it would probably be a good idea to pay more attention.

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[Cloven]

Ravenheart

Ravenheart slowed her pace, not wanting to scare of any prey the tom may come across. She would hate to feel like a burden to him. Listening to him helped keep her mind clear.

When he broke off, Ravenheart naturally dropped to the ground, forgetting for a moment that her swollen belly kept her from going as low as she normally would. It was really uncomfortable, but she didn't have to wait long. The squirrel was gone almost as fast as it had appeared, allowing her to move into a more comfortable position. She watched it with hungry eyes as it darted up the tree, knowing that if she wasn't pregnant, she would have been able to go after it. There was no sure way of telling if she would have caught it, but it was something to for her to think about later.

"I think the only reason I caught him was because he was so big it slowed him down." She mused quietly, standing back up. "And, no, hunting and talking normally don't." She remembered the lesson being learned the hard way when she was an apprentice. Her mentor figuring she would better understand if she learned it herself. She twitched her whiskers with amusement. She may have not had the best mentor, but she did have a smart one.

"Of course, hunting without talking can be a bit boring..." She mewed thoughtfully, giving her chest fur a few quick licks to restore it to it's fine, glossiness. She normally wouldn't have given a rats tail what her fur looked like, but she had worked so hard on it all morning- and the day before, and the day before that; it seemed a waste to let it get messy without a second thought. Not that she wouldn't have time to clean it later. She blinked back up at the tom, "Talking makes it go by faster, don't you think?"