if you're happy & you know it [ atlas

[Rendezvous]

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Rookfang crawled out of the warrior's den, and when the sun's rays met with her eyes that were still adjusted to the dark of the den, she nearly recoiled. "WHAT IS THAT?!" She yowled in exclamation before blinking a couple of times, realizing that it was just the sun. Yet again her fur was fluffed up so she looked three time her size. Seeing that a couple of cats were giving her strange looks, she meowed aloud, "False alarm! False alarm." She mewed in a hurry before bounding away from the den, wanting to get away from the awkwardness.

Not feeling hungry this morning she approached the elder's den, eager to tell the old clan cats what had been going on out in the forest. "Why, is that Rookfang I smell?" The voice came from an ancient grey tabby she-cat named Mistyfur. Rookfang purred as she stepped into the den. "Good morning, Mistyfur. I assume you're doing well?" The warrior asked as she seated herself in the den. The old she-cat nodded. Soon enough the cranky voice of an elder tom, Whitefoot, could be heard across the den. "Well? Are you here to tell us anything or are you just going to stand around all day?" Rookfang rolled her eyes. "Don't I always bring a tale for you?" When the tom didn't respond, Rookfang simply smiled before wrapping her tail neatly around her paws.

She simply went through her hunting patrol a couple of suns ago, much to the delight of the elders. Since they were disabled with the aches in their bones and their old age, they'd never be able to hunt among their fellow warriors again, but that didn't mean they couldn't relive the experience through their imagination. That was why Rookfang was here. Ever since she was an apprentice, she enjoyed telling stories o the elders and kits whenever she had time, and it looked as if she hadn't abandoned that habit yet. "Well that's all I've got for you today. I'll be back soon." Getting up from her paws she headed towards the entrance. Mistyfur croaked out a meow, "Next time bring some fresh-kill with you!"

Rookfang waved her tail in acknowledgement as she stepped back out into the clearing. The camp was fully awake now, with a hunting patrol disappearing through the camp entrance, and queens brought out their kits to play out in the sun. "Such a beautiful day." She meowed, smiling as she strode across the clearing, avoiding the tiny bodies of kits as they attempted to get under her paws. Much to Rookfang's disappointment, she hadn't been assigned to any patrols today, nor did she plan on training Blazepaw. Her apprentice had been training hard, so he deserved a day to rest.

What am I going to do then? The fresh-kill pile is nowhere near empty. Would it hurt to take a simple walk out into the woods? Perhaps even beyond that? As long as she didn't trespass on another clan's territory, it shouldn't cause too much trouble. Spotting a familiar grey and white frame out of the corner of her eye, she meowed "SHRIKEFANG!" She called out in excitement as she bounded over to the senior warrior. "Don't ask any questions, just come with me. Please? Pleaaasseeee." Despite being a warrior, Rookfang still sported a playful nature, but that what the gift of youth, right?

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Shrikefang's dream began as it often did, with fog and the snow and the forest. Doeheart stood on the edge of the wood with her crisp baby-blue eyes and smooth fawn brown pelt. His lips formed her name in his sleep, but inside the dream there was no sound. With one tail flick, Doeheart motioned for him to follow her. And follow her he did, as he always would. He desperately kept her in his sights, his heart racing at the sight of her. The trees grew sparser as they came to a small clearing filled with warriors and rogues alike, including his brother. Cedarclaw began shouting orders, and the clearing blurred with sudden movement - flowers trampled, prey abandoned, claws unsheathed, positions taken, every cat alert and waiting. Dark clouds swirled overhead. Flashes of light broke the gloom like a charge - one, two, three! A she-cat was pulling him down into a deep trench, and Shrikefang slid along the earthen, tomblike walls, hiding from an enemy he could no longer see. There was a haunting silence, like the world was holding it's breath, and then Shrikefang watched in aw as a bruising light flashed in the sky, followed seconds later by a violent force that knocked him to the ground like a punch from an invisible giant.

The air swirled with smoke and ash. Shrikefang climbed out of the trench and fell onto a cat whose bones shattered into dust. It was as if he'd been hollowed out completely. His eyes were gone, his mouth stretched into a hideous grin. Bloody tears scarred his charred, sunken face. Shrikefang gasped and scrambled forward, where warriors' and rogues' bodies alike were strewn and lay like trampled wildflowers. The beautiful trees were no more than blackened wisps now. Here and there, he caught glimpses of ghostly rogues on the field's misty edges, but when he turned is head, they were gone. Shrikefang called for Doeheart, and there she was on the path up ahead, safe! He ran to her, but her expression was one of warning. She was saying something, but he couldn't hear it. Her eyes. Something was happening to her eyes. She threw back her head and gaped her mouth in an expression of agony, and suddenly Adderthroat appeared behind her, cutting her down with a single swipe. His grey father grinned wickedly at his son, fangs gleaming.

"You've failed, kiddo." his father growled deeply.

Shrikefang woke, biting off the start of a yowl. Cats were stirring around him, preparing for the day, and a cool breeze swept in. He was still covered in a cold sweat. With trembling legs, he rose and strode towards the exit of the den and blinked against the sudden light. He needed to breath. Shrikefang shook out his gray and white pelt, feeling desperate need to run, push his limits, do something to keep himself busy. He looked up just as the dawn patrols left, leaving him with far too much free time. He grit his teeth, spotting a weak spot in the Nursery. Without a word to anyone, he strode there in a few easy strides and set to work. He began to patch it up, working furiously like it was the most important job there was. He kept getting flashes of Doeheart and his father and his brother, and every time he did, he worked that much harder. He was angry that he was having those dreams again, angry that his anxiety seemed to only worsen over the moons since his father was chased away. He trembled as he worked, his breathing labored as he tried to keep himself calm. Eventually, the nursery was so reinforced not even a twoleg could break in.

He stepped back, his golden eyes sweeping the camp for anything else he could do. Anything. "SHRIKEFANG!" His whipped around, immediately unsheathing his claws and bristling his pelt - prepared for battle. His teeth were bared and a vicious snarl was on his face, and it took him a few moments to realize it was only Rookfang, there were no rogues moving to take him down. He cleared his throat, averting his gaze and backing down, forcing his fur to lie flat. "Don't ask any questions, just come with me. Please? Pleaaasseeee." Shrikefang narrowed his eyes at her, unsure if he should trust her. But he thought of her character, who she was. He looked closely at her face, finding no pain there, discovering that looking at her brought him no panic or negative feelings. It was refreshing, to look at a cat and not see intimidation or sympathy or even anger.

"Lead the way." he answered in his deep tones, his voice like rolling thunder. He surprised himself with his answer, feeling more unsure of himself than ever. She could be leading him to an ambush. She could take him to where she wants to make a move and attack him. She could betray him. Stop it. his hissed to himself. She's a Clanmate. The child of your friends. Trust her. Despite himself, he found that he was following her to an unknown place, not knowing what she had in store for him.

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[Rendezvous]

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The young warrior jumped back when the tom went transformed into full blown attack mode. Her eyes widened in shock for a moment, surprised that her greeting had frightened the tom so. "Woah, woah easy there Shrikefang. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled gently as she padded up to the tom and abruptly pressing her nose into his shoulder. Rookfang didn't know of the senior warrior's past, and if she did, she would probably have nightmares of her own. She knew nothing of his horrors, nor had she any horrors of her own to sport. She was care-free, and without a care in the world. Well, of course she cared for her clan and clanmates, that was at the top of her list.

Fluffing up her fur like she usually did, she bounded out of camp in a hurry. "I was thinking about going hunting, but their is plenty of fresh-kill at camp." She meowed as she walked at a fast pace through the woods. It was kind of a bummer to the she-cat that she wouldn't be hunting this time around while she was in the forest, but she didn't mind. She listened to the music of the wood, the birds singing and the occasional cricket..cricketing. "Come on, we're going to fourtrees!" She spoke suddenly before bounding off again, not even waiting for the tom's say so.

Rookfang was in a particularly good mood today, she didn't exactly know why. Maybe it was because it was a beautiful day, maybe it was because there hadn't been any problems between the clans. Whatever it was, the young warrior was happy nevertheless. Jumping effortlessly over a small creek, even though she could have just walked through it, she pushed on for Fourtrees.

Hopefully her clanmates didn't wander too much about where she had wondered off to. "Tired yet?" She called back as she lowered her body to the ground and crawled through some particularly thick underbrush, even though she could have just went around. Shaking her slender frame once she had reached the other side, she bounded off again, almost as if she was made out of energy.

Stretching out her legs she ran for a couple of lengths before finally skidding to a halt, finally arriving at Fourtrees. "That was a good run!" She panted slightly as she approached one of the grand old trees before changing her mind at the last minute, almost running into the tree in the process, and jumped onto one of the boulders that the leaders sat on. "Wow, it looks pretty nice from up here." She meowed, attempting to sit up straight like a clan leader.

Something nagged at the back of her mind though, draining her happiness little by little. Shrikefang was a senior warrior, shouldn't he know a thing or two about warriors that lived around the time Rookfang was a kit. "Hey Shrikefang, did you ever know my real parents?" The she-cat meowed suddenly, looking to the grey and white tom.

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She took off quickly before he could think of what he'd just agreed to. With fur puffed out like a kittens, Rookfang bounded from camp, light on her paws and seeming to barely touch the ground with each stride. Shrikefang shook his head, taken aback by her energy, but he loped after her anyways. His strides were long and powerful, pounding against the earth and propelling him forward with force. In contrast, Rookfang was gliding ahead of him, flying through the undergrowth and soaring over roots while he himself struggled to keep up. The senior warrior was never one for speed. Climbing and combat is where his skill sets were strongest. What he lacked in speed he made up for in endurance and agility, but Rookfang seemed to be built with hollow bones for all her quickness. He heard her call back to him, slowing her pace until he was trotting easily alongside her. She stood at least a full head shorter than him, but her body was long and sleek. He would have guessed her a WindClanner if he didn't know her or her parents - both full-blooded ThunderClanners.

He nodded when she explained her plight with the hunting patrols. He'd been hoping to accompany the dawn border patrol himself. Checking the borders was perhaps the only job he did in excess. Constantly staying vigilant, being sure that now rogues were to return, to ruin his life again. Not there's much left of it to ruin. he thought grimly. Suddenly Rookfang spoke again, he caught something about Fourtrees before she was off again, like a bullet into the trees. He was left dumb for a moment until he fully processed that she'd gone off to the gathering place, for reasons he didn't understand. He sighed heavily and raced after her. A fallen tree obstructed his path and he leaped high, tucking his legs neatly under him. With a thud his limbs rejoined the ground and the gray and white warrior continued after her. It was easy for him to keep her in his sights, the white patches in her pelt flashing with a shine every time they caught the light. He kicked his muscles into higher gear, driven by an unknown competitive desire to catch up to her. He had confidence than he could, for while this forest was hard to pass though, it wasn't for a ThunderClanner. Shrikefang knew its every rock and root and rabbit-hole, so he bounded through the underbrush with minimal hindrances.

Suddenly Rookfang disappeared from sight, and unwarranted panic burst forth with a force that nearly sent Shrikefang stumbling. His heart raced and his pelt bristled, fear coming with such speed that he couldn't even comprehend why he felt afraid - only that he needed to find her. It took him a few moments to realize why she'd disappeared; she'd wriggled under a thick patch of brush, and he spotted her fur caught in some branches. Put at ease a little, but still in a panic, he launched himself from a root and soared over the brush, landing just in time to see a flash of her pelt before she disappeared into the trees again. He took a deep breath and launched after her, shaking off the start of that anxiety attack, bothered that it had come on. What triggered it? Losing sight of Rookfang? Why would that cause him to panic? Perhaps it was that she was the offspring of his lost friends, or perhaps there were deeper reasons. Fear of losing her, as he'd lost Doeheart and Cedarclaw and Wrenpaw and so many others.

Finally, he noticed her breakneck pace begin to slow until he realized they had reached Fourtrees. He caught up to her easily now, finding himself by her side as she skidded to a halt in front of one of the massive trees. He slowed to a stop right beside her, looking up into the branches as sunlight broke through. It was strange to see the clearing in daylight, so used to seeing it with the moon shining down on all the Clans. Fourtrees seemed so much more vast now that it lacked all four Clans. "That was a good run!" Shrikefang looked over to Rookfang and found her grinning from ear to ear, her pelt still fluffed up. He found himself with a small smile on his face, nodding to her. "It was." All of a sudden she propelled away from him, nearly knocking herself into a tree, bounding onto the Great Rock in only a few strides. He padded towards the great rock, following her in an easy leap onto the leader's perch. He made a sound of agreement when she commented on how the view was. What is it like with all the Clans gathered below? To command and army, to be responsible for keeping every kit, queen, elder, and all others safe and under control? he wondered, remembering when he commanded his own small militia.

Rookfang spoke up again, and he looked to her with surprise. He'd never heard her talk about her parents before, and he realized that she had no idea he'd been dear friends to both her mother and father. He stared at her for a moment, admiring that light in her eyes that remained, even though sadness seemed to linger there. He looked away again and out to the large clearing, thinking of Longtail and Honeynose fondly. "Longtail and Honeynose were dear friends of mine." he paused after saying this, remembering the way they took him in like their own littermate after Cedarclaw was killed. It was a long moment before he spoke again. "I wish you could have known them. They were brave, noble cats. They helped me more times than I can count."

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[Rendezvous]

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Rookfang's ears pricked when the tom confirmed that he indeed did know her parents, and they were even friends. "You're very lucky to have known them...I wish I could have." She meowed quietly, allowing her once proud posture to sag, revealing how she really felt on the inside. There was a time and place for everything, and the warrior had never experienced the grief over the loss of her parents. Perhaps today was the right time for her to fully experience that grief, maybe it would even put the she-cat to the test. A test to see if she was capable of overcoming the obstacle that rose to challenge the young warrior.

Now she looked much smaller than she had been when she was racing joyously towards Fourtrees. Her amber eyes had lost their glow, and her ears flicked back against her head. "What did they look like? Was my father strong? Was my mother beautiful? Did they..did they love me?" She asked softly as she looked at the tom, half wishing she could just dive into his memories and catch a glimpse of her parents, yet she didn't know of the events that plagued the tom's past and perhaps she was lucky enough not to know.

She thought of her foster mother, Owlfeather. The late queen had never been anything special in particular, it almost seemed as the brown she-cat spent half of her life in the nursery, having kits and caring for the kits of others. She had taken good care of the black and white she-cat, almost as if the kit had been her own. When Rookfang had became a warrior, the queen had been one of the first to shout her name at the top of her lungs, if one didn't know about her true parents, they may have mistaken Owlfeather for her own mother. Moons later, Owlfeather had long since joined the ranks of Starclan, officially leaving Rookfang without anyone to call family. Sure, she had her past mentor, Silverclaw, but somehow it wasn't the same.

She wanted the affection and love that only a family could provide. A simple friendship, or the ties of a mentor and apprentice, would not suffice. At one point she had considered trying to find a possible suitor for a mate within the clan, yet no tom interested the she-cat. She felt as if she was doomed to be alone until she finally joined the ranks of Starclan, but that time was moons away. Rookfang had lowered her head, her gaze staring at the stone under her paws.

Closing her eyes tightly she tried to picture her parents, any image would do. But there was nothing. No image, no voices, nothing. Many would think of her as too old to be thinking of her parents as she did. But the ones that jeered her were lucky enough to have their true parents when they had been crawling helplessly in the nursery. She didn't have that comfort. She had an unfamiliar queen take care of her, and that would never settle as a replacement.

After a few more moments of wallowing in her thoughts, she realized that she had been silent. Inhaling, then exhaling she raised her head to look at the older tom. "Sorry about that...I was just..lost in thought." She murmured quietly, half hoping that the senior warrior would have some sort of advice for her. Something that she could grasp, something that would keep her from completely falling apart.

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