into the fray [ pit

[Rendezvous]

[style=text-align:justify; margin-top:40px; width: 290px; height: 290px; overflow:auto; float:right; margin-right:5px;][style=margin-top:-15px; padding-left:5px; padding-right:5px]

A wise cat would say that Shira was completely insane for what she was doing. Did she care? Nope.

The flame pointed she-cat had slipped into the cold river, the water not once phasing the feline. With only her head breaking the surface of the water, Shira reached the other shore, hostile Riverclan territory, and shook the water droplets from her fur. Easy. She thought to herself as she turned around to face the water again, her eyes watching the surface carefully. Soon enough, grey bodies began to dart back and forth in the river, some even jumped out of the river to nag a mosquito or gnat.

Sitting at edge, making sure her shadow didn't hover over the water, Shira dipped her paw into the river and hooked a fish, throwing the slippery marine animal onto the sand, before killing it with her own teeth. Clamping the fish in her jaws, the she-cat dragged the scaly prey towards a clump of reeds and crouched down, gulping down her prey hastily.

This was the first time that the she-cat had strayed so far into Riverclan territory, the scent of the fishy cats was even stronger in this area. Flicking the tip of her tail, she pushed the set of fish bones away from her frame and padded softly around the territory before ducking into another set of reeds as she scented another cat approaching.

[/style][/style]

[pit]

russetstone

He's strayed off from a border patrol, voicing that he's just be just around the river bend. Surprisingly, his Clanmates had just nodded and continued on their path. Shrugging, Russetstone turned and chose a random direction to begin. His unsheathed claws dug into the grass as his gaze swung from side to side. Perhaps he'd take a dip in the water while he had the time. It wouldn't take long, he promised himself. No one would even know he's gone.

Russetstone's green gaze caught sight of the sparkling river only a few fox-lengths later and his neck fur rose in anticipation. It was such a little thing, glimpsing at the water, but it was enough to get a RiverClan cat's blood rushing. The ruddy tom picked up his pace until he was in front of the river. His toes touched the surface and he watched the natural ripples run through the water before padding forward. He hummed happily to himself and waded through until the river reached his belly. Little fish scattered everywhere in their frantic search for an escape.

He should have noticed earlier. An odd but slightly familiar scent hit his nose and his head turned in that direction. He couldn't see anything at the moment, but that didn't matter. He was on border patrol, so he dragged himself out of the water. Russetstone let his nose guide him until he stood in front of a band of brush. All of his hairs were on end and he hissed angrily, catching sight of a defiant ginger face.

"What on earth are you doing?" he growled, pushing the brush aside. "I told you to stay away," the warrior snapped, his tail lowered in irritation.

[Rendezvous]

[style=text-align:justify; margin-top:40px; width: 290px; height: 290px; overflow:auto; float:right; margin-right:5px;][style=margin-top:-15px; padding-left:5px; padding-right:5px]

A sly smile pulled at the the she-cat's lips as she recognized the familiar face of Russetstone. "Why, if it isn't my old pal Russetstone." She purred mockingly, knowing that she got on the tom's nerves. The russet-colored tom smelled strongly of other cats, which gave the cat reason to believe that the warrior had recently came from a border patrol. "Is that retched Ferndapple around?" The she-cat's blue eyes narrowed as she thought of the Riverclan deputy. Shira didn't exactly like any cat, but Ferndapple simply rubbed her the wrong way.

Flicking her ginger ears, Shira decided to pull her trump card. "Well, you know I have every right to be here as you do." She meowed, clearly not threatened by the tom's presence. Shira was thinking of her deadbeat father, Scratch. Sure, he hadn't stayed there long enough to know his children, but their mother had taken the time to tell them of their lineage briefly.

Shira had always wondered when she had been around seven moons old why she loved the water and fish so much, that was when she recalled what her mother had told her of her father being formally a Riverclan warrior. Her mother, Clover, didn't know much, but apparently, Scratch had chosen the life of a loner over the clan life because he loved Clover. Well, that turned out to be a lie really quick, Scratch has just been a low down she-cat chaser.

Flicking the tip of her tail, Shira sat down on the soft ground, determined not to leave her place onto she got good and ready. "Does the name Otterclaw sound familar to you?" She asked curiously as she kneaded the ground with her paws as if she owned the place. "I'm half Riverclan. You wanted to know what draws me here so much, well that's why. It's in my blood, to be drawn to the water, to the fish." The cat admitted, she didn't have a taste for any other prey except for the scaly creatures of the fresh water.

Shira had it hard as a kitten, however. She didn't have a mother or father to love her, they had abandoned their rights as parents and simply left their kits to the elements. At first, during the four or five moons, her parents told her and her brothers tales about the wild clans, and their strange belief in starclan. Shira remembered nestling in a warm, cozy pile with her brothers and visualizing everything their father told him.

The she-cat remembered the only question she had asked her father, 'Why won't you go back there?' she had asked and he simply replied with 'Because there are too many fish in the sea.' And the next day, the tom had disappeared, and a couple of days later, their mother left as well without any explanation whatsoever.

With her tail wrapped around her paws she continued,"Not that I want to be a part of whatever is going on here. I just want the fish." She admitted as she licked a paw and washed one ear, completely at ease once again, despite being in the hostile territory, land filled with cats that could harm her any second. But she wasn't afraid, why would she be?

[/style][/style]

[pit]

russetstone

His green gaze narrowed instinctively to the loner's sarcastic tone. Oh, how he wanted to bat that wicked grin off her face. But he withheld, the fur at the base of his neck rose in irritation. Why did Shira seem to come out from the depths of the shadows she lived in when he was around? Why couldn't some other cat deal with her? StarClan knows they are both too hard-headed to deal with each other in a civilized matter. A small sigh escaped his jaws after she mentioned Ferndapple. Though he was slightly curious as to why Shira despised the RiverClan deputy as much as she did.

"She's not around, Shira," he muttered. But after her next comment, he let out a low growl. Her attitude really needed a checking. She was way too confident for a loner, and he would never admit it aloud, but it was a slightly admiring quality in her. Of course, if it wasn't being used against him and his Clan. His tail flicked angrily from side to side. Russetstone opened his jaws to interrupt the flame-pointed she-cat. But as she continued, he could see why she had said so. Still, she was only half-clan and wasn't currently in RiverClan. Really, that gives her zero right to be here.

"I remember him vaguely. Never really talked to him, I was young," he answers. He's not sure why he does, but something about the way she asked him made him think he wasn't around anymore. Perhaps he was dead. And darn the empathy that had settled in his belly. He shouldn't even be associating with this she-cat. Russetstone settled down on his hind legs, though, and faced Shira.

"Not that I want to be a part of whatever is going on here. I just want the fish."

Even with her impeccable tone of voice, the tom still found that hard to believe. Why would she keep coming back to this place when many of his clanmates have told her off? There were plenty of other water resources with fish that inhabit them. He had a feeling that inside her rough-and-tumble exterior, she was curious about the lifestyle.

But really, who was he to say? He never understood she-cats, anyway.

So he decided to ask the loner herself. "There are plenty of other places to go fishing. Why keep coming back to this spot? It doesn't make sense," he finished. One day she might get seriously hurt by a warrior. Not him, he wasn't into chasing every cat he sees off immediately (he probably should) but she seemed of no threat besides stealing prey. And perhaps he could sway her out of fishing in their river. Maybe he could show her a stream he knew of just outside the territory. Yes, that might work.

[Rendezvous]

[style=text-align:justify; margin-top:40px; width: 290px; height: 290px; overflow:auto; float:right; margin-right:5px;][style=margin-top:-15px; padding-left:5px; padding-right:5px]

A mischievous smile pulled at the corners of the she-cat's lips. "Nothing in life makes sense, big surprise huh?" Shira wasn't entirely sure what caused her to fish exactly at this location nearly every day. Even though warriors chased her off and threw threats her way, she religiously appeared the next sunrise at the same spot on Riverclan territory. As the flame-pointed she-cat looked to the russet tom. It was a mystery to even the loner as to what drew her to hostile territory. But as she looked at the tom, she realized that every time she did step onto riverclan territory, she would purposely run into Russetstone, sometimes even seeking him out without even realizing it.

A Riverclanner, hah! The she-cat purred at her own thoughts. "I'm sure your clan would be fine short of one measly fish. But I'm certain that you'll miss me if I leave." The she-cat meowed sarcastically as she laid down on the soft earth, with of course no intention on leaving any time soon. Furthermore, Shira enjoyed toying with the Riverclan tom. "Why aren't you chasing me off right now, hmm? Shouldn't you be doing your duty as a loyal Riverclan warrior?" The she-cat prodded as she pawed at a stray ball of moss that the wind had carried towards the cluster of reeds.

Resting those striking blue eyes of hers on the tom, she meowed again, feeling quite talkative today. "If I move to another location, I'm afraid I'll grow bored without seeing your furry face every now and then and being chased away by the occasional warrior." The she-cat let out a mrrow of laughter as she got to her paws, scenting the air for any new clan cats nearby.

Shira sighed that perhaps she would be better off if she relocated. She grew tired of losing sleep for she had to be alert in case a moon patrol was inspecting their borders. The loner simply thought that the percentage of clan blood that ran in her veins drew her to go to such dangerous measures, such as tresspassing, amongst other things. "Look, I'll go find a creek or something to fish in, and get out of you and your clanmate's fur." Sure, Shira would have to stay away from the Riverclan cats if she went through with her idea, but who was to say that the said creek or stream wouldn't be some unused portion of water on Riverclan territory. Clever she-cat, very clever.

[/style][/style]

[pit]

russetstone

He shrugged at her first comment. That was true, life was a mystery. One that kept handing him surprises, like Shira. He had never met a cat like her, especially not a she-cat with that attitude. She had a sharp tongue and she knew it. It irritated him to no end. But he was sure there was more depth to her hidden behind her smirking mask that she never intended to take off. He silently vowed that he would try to rip it from her himself. He scoffs when she insists that one fish would not harm the Clan in any way. Russetstone's green eyes glared at her when her cocky voice rang, telling him that surely he would miss her if she just took off. He tried to push down the feeling that she might actually be right.

The thought surprised him so much that he actually took a step back from the loner. He should not feel that way. The reddish warrior's gaze wavered as he attempted to keep himself calm in front of her. He shouldn't even near her, let alone talking to her. But no one was around, right? A conversation couldn't harm anyone. He shoved down the absurd string of thoughts racing in his mind and refocused on Shira.

"Why aren't you chasing me off right now, hmm? Shouldn't you be doing your duty as a loyal Riverclan warrior?"

What was she, some kind of insane mind-reader? He mentally shrugged when he thought it might not be too far from the trust. She was crazy, after all. Shira was a cat that did not heed to warnings, and he was pretty sure she never had. It was just. . .coded into her DNA or something.

His ears perked when her face changed just the slightest. What was she thinking about? "Look, I'll go find a creek or something to fish in, and get out of you and your clanmate's fur." Guilt began to build in his belly, which surprised him a little. He fought against it, though. She was a loner. She didn't belong to RiverClan and, from her attitude, he assumed she never would. Who was he to say that the Clan would even welcome her? He would, of course. Shira had already crawled her way under his fur, and so he cursed himself when he opened his jaws to reply.

"I just--" Russetstone sighed. "Let me show you a nice place." The warrior began the short trip to a small pool of water he knew of. It was sheltered, too, so he thought she might enjoy it. He actually discovered it and had been using it to fish in when the rivers were too cloudy to see the quick bodies of the fish. He didn't mind giving it up for her, especially because he felt guilty for kicking her out of her usual spot. Even though he really shouldn't. He tapped her shoulder with the tip of his tail as he passed her, hoping she would follow. Russetstone, as much as he shouldn't care, did. He's not sure what that meant, but again, he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind to decipher at a later date.