there's no where we can hide [ pit&fly

[Rendezvous]

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Darkness swept the landscape, giving the area peaceful yet eerie appearance. Moonlight streamed carefully into the well hidden cave that was hidden well enough on Riverclan territory. Shira crouched quietly in the comfort of the shelter that the warrior Russetstone had shown her many suns ago, and to be honest she had become quite accustomed to her little "home". The russet warrior had finally persuaded the loner to move away from the river that gave the clan its name, perhaps it was due to the common threat of warriors chasing her off again. Shira had yet to be caught by a patrol but she had most certaintly been seen more than once stealing the precious fish of the Riverclan cats.

Rising to her paws she glanced at the small pool that was nestled close to the wall of the cave. The place was perfect, and fish inhabited the crystal clear waters which kept the loner fed, and probably to Russetstone's relief, out of sight. She had been frequenting the heart of Riverclan less but she had a secret. She had found that she absolutely could not stay away from Russetstone, thus providing an explanation of why she exited her hideaway right this moment.

A couple of nights every week she would meet with the tom, share a couple of rude remarks, a couple of glares and maybe even a little something more. Shira couldn't deny what she felt for the tom. She wasn't sure what that feeling was exactly but there was something there in that bitchy little heart of hers. Smiling to herself she padded across the soft marshy ground, her heart thumping at the idea of the news that she had to tell Russetstone at this particular meeting.

She had never expected that she would befriend any cat or even love anything except life itself. But what was she doing now? She was pursuing happiness, because happiness didn't exactly run into your paws. You had to chase after it, work for it. And if that meant sneaking around in the night, speaking in hush voices? She'd do it. For Russetstone, and Russetstone alone.

The tan pointed she-cat could feel tiny movements within her belly, it was so alien to her. She was fully aware that she was carrying a kit, or maybe kits within her belly. Russetstone's kits. She thought with a purr as she came to the usual place and sat down on her haunches, her brilliant blue eyes searching the undergrowth hopefully for the familiar face of Russetstone.

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Minnowleap just couldn’t figure Thornpaw out. It was like he took every idea she had, every opinion and unwritten code that she lived by - and did the opposite. She would never have dared to challenge her mentor as he challenged her each and every day. But Thornpaw, well Thornpaw just walked right on away. He excused himself and was gone. It was so wrong, so unheard of. Yet Thornpaw stood and shrugged as if it was nothing. Minnowleap, plain and simple, didnt understand. He didnt seem in any hurry to be formally trained. If it had been Minnowleap - when it had been Minnowleap - all she could think of was acceptance. She was afraid to move or to speak, lest she earn disfavor. The only one she had trusted was Peregrinecry, but now Peregrinecry was gone. All she had left Minnowleap with was a story, but it was a story she treasured and knew she would treasure. She missed her sister, though they had only seened to know each other for a short time.

How could he just make that decision? What Minnowleap heard was Thornpaw saying that he didnt feel like being trained at that moment. He was just doing as he pleased. Minnowleap looked to him, wondering what she should do. So she had left the camp. She had slipped out, abandoned duties she might have had. She had escaped Thornpaw’s judging gaze, his eyes that saw just a little too deep. And she had run. She had sprinted, eager to flee the scene and clear her mind. She needed something, something to remake herself – to recreate herself. For moons she had lived as Peregrinecry’s sister. She had become nothing, nothing but the last vestiges of a memory. But she needed to be recreated – something that would install new memories.

She froze suddenly, a shifting in the foliage catching her attention. She dropped to a crouch, her ears swiveling forward. Her muscles tensed. She parted her lips lightly, sucking in a breath and stiffening. The scent was decidedly not clan. Her heart hammered in her chest. This was her moment, what could be her rebirth. She breathed slowly. She couldn’t see the trespasser, but in her desperate mind such a thing no longer mattered. She unsheathed her claws, digging them lightly into the dirt. She would rid the clan of a threat. No longer would she be the pathetic leftover set of a memory. She pushed herself forward, sprinting through the undergrowth with a hiss. Without a second thought, she launched herself at the intruder.

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[Rendezvous]

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What was taking the tom so long? Usually the warrior would have been here long before the moon had reached its zenith. The she-cat kneaded her paws in the dirt, her eyes searching the undergrowth for any sign of the tom, while her nose tried to pick up any trace of his scent on the wind. Yet tonight was eerily still, and after a moment a light drizzle fell upon the scenery. Luckily Shira didn't mind a few small droplets landing on her ears, for she simply removed them with a flick of her ears. This is ridiculous. She thought in irritation as she grew impatient about the wait.

She hoped that the tom had to participate in one of the clan's strange patrols or something that night. Russetstone had yet to miss a meeting so Shira would continue to wait for as long as she could. She almost purred at the thought of informing the tom of her news. Would he be happy? Or would it become a burden for she was not part of his clan? They had been doing well so far without having to live together in a clan so why should she have to change anything now?

Just when she was about to doze off sitting up, she heard something rustling in the bushes somewhere in the distance. Getting to her paws she smelled Riverclan, and for a brief moment she thought it was Russetstone, racing to meet her due to his late arrival. The loner had no idea how wrong she was. Her ears flicked as she heard the pounding of paws followed by a hiss and before she even had a chance to react, she was knocked off her paws, falling onto her back.

Shira hadn't expected a surprise attack whatsoever. Not only was she taken off guard, she was completely out of practice for fighting other cats. When she felt a shift in her belly she knew she was carrying kits so she had ceased sneaking to swim in the river, or pester Riverclan cats entirely. This was unexpected. In the darkness of night she couldn't exactly tell who this gray and white she-cat was, but one thing was for certain, she was Riverclan.

A hiss escaped the she-cat's lips as she unsheathed her claws and prepared to lash out at her attacker's face. But she hesitated, remembering the precious bundle that relied on her to protect it, to wrap it in her embrace safe from harm. Shira looked on in fear at the Riverclan she-cat, she wasn't able to protect herself. "Leave me alone!" She yowled in desperation as she attempted to escape the claws of the wild cat.

How did she know I was here? Shira thought as she finally lashed out with her claws wildly while wiggling her swollen body as much as she could. With much effort, soon enough the cat had squirmed her way out of the cat's grasp, yet even that simple maneuver had been a chore. I have no choice but to run. She decided quickly, her blue eyes widening in fear as her sides heaved.

Shira was afraid. Fear was something that the she-cat had never experienced yet today she was drowning in it for the first time in her life. Taking a few hurried steps back, she turned and ran as fast as her paws could run. Any other time, Shira would have challenged the clan cat, she would even go to the lengths of fighting against her enemy, but that was not going to happen today. Today she was going to run, it didn't matter where just as long as she got as far away from the other cat as possible.

She couldn't call for help. He would come to the rescue of a loner? Another loner? Nope. A clan cat? Nope. She was alone, just as she had been since her days as a kit. Would she die the same way as well? Her paws pounded on the soft ground, almost slipping as she ducked through the underbrush. I'll head for Horseplace.. She thought as she pushed herself, even though her paws cursed and yelled for her to slow down, to stop and rest even.

Unfortunately, her paws were winning the argument for she was slowing down considerably. Shira panted as she slowed to a brisk walk, unsheathing her claws as she did so. "I'm not afraid of you clan rat!" She hissed defiantly, the fur rising on her shoulders, the ears flattening against her head.

She had stopped a few lengths from Horseplace, the place where she had been more moons ago. Did everything always have to end where it began?

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Cowardice was a sad thing, a thing frowned upon and much mocked. Yet, it was also a thing so greatly misunderstood. He who had no fears had neither courage nor cowardice. But he who had the greatest fears, the greatest trials, and faced them the victor was the brave hero. Yet, this scenario failed to take into consideration those who had fears, but fears too great to be faced. What about when your fears haunted every step? You were expected to face what you could not rid yourself of. It stalked you in the night, then in the changing hours; and finally in every minute of your waking – and slumbering – life. It was one of the many failures of modern society, the lack of provisions for those too paralyzed to breath within the casing of their fears. Instead they were labeled the cowards, those doomed to look forever with desire upon the courageous. Yet it is never taken into consideration that perhaps it is they who are the courageous for simply rising from bed each morning to face a fresh day of terror. The world, was a sick place. One such warrior – one such coward – had lurked for moments in the bushes. Her tail was swishing against her back legs. She truly should have been happy. She didn’t have particular reason to have such a negative cowardly outlook. Peregrinecry was gone. It was a reality she had accepted long long ago. And there was nothing she could have done to save her sister. Yet this was no trauma, no horrid fearful reality. So there was no reason, no excuse, for her fear.

She would have liked to be stronger, to simply move on. But that wasn’t the way life worked. It tended to be blind, in a sense. It picked and prodded seemingly at random, choosing whomever it felt like visiting its wrath upon. It was delightfully cruel in that sense. Many believed heaven chose who would carry the greatest burdens, to increase their emotional strength or some such nonsense. Minnowleap had never been able to believe this. She couldn’t believe Starclan would be so cruel, would gleefully pick and poke at who deserved sorrow and despair. In her mind, there was no such thing as a deserving soul. And yet, for Minnowleap, this picking and prodding had come, sneaking up before she could chase it away. It had been slow, creeping over her like tar. By the time she realized her furwas slicked against her skin, she could do nothing but struggle and screech in vain. She had been trapped, remained motionless, powerless. Cowardice, anger, envy, fear, bitterness – they had come to consume her. They had settled quietly in the back of her mind, so quietly she had barely been able to notice their presence – at least not until they were far too powerful to combat. Not until they had their hold, had sunk their claws into her. And in a sense, perhaps, she was somewhat willing to submit to them.

She was too weak, too tired to fight back. She welcomed the repose, the excuse. She figured it would consume her, a welcome sort of death. It would settle over her, lull her to sleep, and it would all end. This was a depressing sort of outlook. And a part of her knew she didn’t truly wish for her own death. Yet there it was, that thought, that realization that she could have fought. She could have pushed it away. She could have been something – someone – different. But a part of her, a cowardly weak part, had chosen not to. She snapped her attention back to the stranger, her chance at redemption. The she-cat was yowling, words of a plea for mercy. But Minnowleap couldn’t, wouldn’t listen. Her heart was pounding. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. This was her opportunity. She wanted the other she-cat to scratch her, give her a scar – a reminder of her final triumph. The she-cat was backing away, but Minnowleap just kept on coming. She shrieked and yowled, nipping at the she-cat’s heels. But when she spoke, she couldn’t put true vehemence into her words. “You should have known better than to trespass on clan territory.” She was beyond reasoning, beyond the reach of sanity and logical thought.

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[Rendezvous]

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One of the first things that came to her mind was this particular clan cat was absolutely insane. Shira had ran across clan patrols numerous times, and those particular cats usually gave her a few strict words, and perhaps chased her out of their territory, but she always returned eventually. Yet this grey and white cat was persistent. Shira had been forced to slow down in her escape for the wild cat was nipping at her heels, and it wasn't warning nips either.

As she backed up slowly, she realized there was no where else for her to run. On one side there was a dirt Thunderpath that led to the lonely home of a group of Twolegs, and to her other side there was the fast current of upstream. She couldn't swim in this condition, and she sure wasn't going to try and make an escape onto the Thunderpath for there was always the threat of monsters, and even if she made it without getting hit by a monster, she'd run right into the clutches of the twoleg shelter, somewhere she never wanted to even come close to. She flattened her ears as the rain soaked through her pelt, slicking her fur to her frame.

"You crazy clan rat!" She hissed through her teeth. Just when she had began to actually like the clan cats, her trust was torn down and kicked into the dust. She had given the cats a chance, but look at the trouble she had found herself in now. She wasn't going to go down without a fight. Maybe if I got a few good hits in, I could make a run for it. Narrowing her eyes as the rain drops threatened to blur her eyesight, before unsheathing her claws and launching herself at tabby and white warrior.

Even though the she-cat was lashing out with her claws, she felt as if she was only batting at empty space. She was missing. Had she gone soft in the last few moons? Cursing under her breath she lashed her tail from side to side, not knowing how to handle this situation.

As she stood there in the rain contemplating her next move, she thought of her brothers. Jovi had long since passed, gone to wherever loners went when they were buried underneath the soil. Alas Jasper, or Kiteswoop, as he is known now, was still alive and strong. Shira almost smiled at the thought of seeing her brother, even though he had been adopted into Riverclan as a kit, Shira still loved him. He was her last remaining kin, in fact he was almost her twin. Too bad we didn't get to play together like old times, Kiteswoop. She thought as she backed away further.

She decided that she wasn't going to try to fight anymore, she was going to run and if that meant going far away from the likes of the clans, she didn't mind. Without even thinking, Shira turned and ran but she wasn't expecting what was to result from her actions. Shira only knew of the Thunderpath and the river that took up a portion of Horseplace yet she didn't know of the barbed wire that kept the thundering beasts known as horses from the outside world.

On this night there happened to be a tangled mess of barbwire intertwined with the fence, something that a careless Twoleg had never gotten around to repairing. As Shira began to ran, she unknowingly plunged into the mess, almost like a fish in a nylon net. The she-cat automatically yowled in a mix of pain and surprise as the metal thorns cut into her soaked fur. Her thoughts went wild as she thrashed around, but it only made her situation worse.

The wire wrapped around her legs, entrapping her almost like it had a mind of its own. She could feel the twoleg contraption cutting into her skin, drawing blood here and there. After struggling for a few more moments she finally ceased her fight, her sides heaving, her eyes widened in fear. Out of her peripheral vision she could still see the tabby and white she-cat.

She was trapped.

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russetstone

His steps were cautious. Russetstone had been selected to go on a moon patrol, and had to hide his disappointment. His mind had been on a totally different topic--Shira. They had planned to meet at the little cave he had shown her a while ago. The red warrior had been happy to see her finally settling in, even though he missed spotting her at the border. Which, really, he shouldn't. By any means. Russetstone's green eyes flick to his right in the darkness. He brought up the rear of the group, which he was grateful for. He didn't need prodding gazes on him right now. Guilt was beginning to swirl in his belly because he knew the flame-pointed loner would be waiting for him, and he was letting her down. It made something low in his gut twist and crack. The RiverClan warrior had never really felt like this before.

Should he really be this concerned about Shira? Their relationship was strictly forbidden and he was just digging a hole for himself. But he enjoyed her company and something within him couldn't just let her go. It was almost physically impossible. Sometimes he wonders briefly if he would ever be able to get her to join him here with the Clans. She was not accustomed to their way of life, but she was a quick learner. He just wasn't sure if her attitude would settle well with his clanmates. She was already an outsider and they would search for anything to pick on her for. Russetstone glanced back down at his paws, watching the ground. Maybe he could slip away without the rest knowing. There were four other cats, so they might not even notice. He lifted his head to explain his leave. "I scented a vole back there," he lied through his teeth, "I'm gonna go back and fetch it. I'll catch up." Most of the cats didn't even turn around, he just saw a flick of their tails in acceptance. He shrugged to himself, swiveled around and faded into the shadows.

His steps were heavy but graceful, a signature for RiverClan cats. Russetstone briefly mused that Shira had the same gait. Probably from her father. The warrior was just about to call out to Shira when he heard the furious hisses that made his limbs stiffen instantly and the fur on his nape bristle. He shoved caution aside and dashed through the reeds. He burst through the other side, eyes wide, and spotted Shira. With Minnowleap. He opened his jaws to stop them, but Shira had turned tail and sprinted away. He did not hesitate to follow her. Russetstone knew Minnowleap would be on both of their tails but he did not look back to find out. The rain blurred his vision and he called Shira's name. It surprised him how shaky his own voice was, but he pushed that aside. She yelped, suddenly collapsing into a tangled mess. When he got closer, he saw the spikes of the fence scorching her pelt and a furious hiss escaped his jaws. "Shira, please, don't move. Don't move." He frantically searched about but abandoned the though, turning violently in the direction of Minnowleap. "Go get Greystream." he snapped, his body in the way of Shira. "Go get her. If you don't, she's going to lose a lot of blood." He could feel himself shaking but tried his best to cover it in case Minnowleap decides differently. He was going to protect Shira, no matter what direction this night takes. His hard gaze fixed on his clanmate.

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Minnowleap’s heart pounded. Her skin was on fire, but she didn’t care. The sweat, the burn and strain of her muscles, all of it made her feel more alive than she had been in moons. A snarl had floated onto her lips. Her teeth were bared, a sound ripping from her throat that she had never heard before. At least, it had never come from her own jaws. But she didn’t let her own surprise stop her. She surged forward. They had passed the river, were climbing towards Windclan’s outskirts, and beyond that the loner territories. She unsheathed her claws, digging them into the dirt to propel herself forward. This had ceased to become a border dispute, a simple case of a loner too far from their homes. Minnowleap had become a hunter, a carnivore, a true predator. And this flame-point intruder was a mouse between her paws. She was prey, fit only for capture, a tool of Minnowleap’s triumph. Her eyes flicked ahead. She could just see the outline of their borders, of the ring of glinting silver wire left from long gone twolegs. She skidded to a halt, her tail lashing against her back legs. She had cornered the trespasser.

But apparently only she had noticed the approaching danger. Within moments, and with yowls of pain, the intruder was hopelessly ensnared. She hissed, the tangy metallic scent of blood hitting her nostrils. She bared her fangs, continuing to hiss. Her ears were pressed flat against her head. Her instinct was to approach, to proceed. But it was pointless. And they had crossed the boundaries. Minnowleap began to turn, to return triumphant with a story of her own moment of bravery, when a new scent hit her. She turned in time to see Russetstone approaching. She prepared herself for praise, for his admiration, perhaps a moment of awe – that moment when he finally saw her, not Peregrinecry’s shadow. But that moment didn’t come. Instead, the words from his lips were harsh, violent and angry. She recoiled physically. Her moment of bravery, of savagery, had passed. She was overtaken by her former timidness. She shrunk away, unable to even stammer an answer. Almost mechanically, she turned on her heel. She couldn’t disobey an order from a senior warrior. And she found, despite her glory, she wanted nothing more than to run, to hide, to never appear again. And so she did, back to camp, mumbled the summons to Greystream, and was gone again.

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[Rendezvous]

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Shira had thought that today was going to be the end. Apparently that wasn't what fate had in mind for her today. She was prepared to try and fight her way out of the silver wire, but her struggles ceased when she heard a familiar voice in her ears. "R-russetstone.." She managed to whisper as she caught a glance of the russet tom standing in front of her, was he protecting her from the tabby and white cat? "It's about time you came...you mousebrain.." Even though she was injured badly, she still managed to get out an insult for the Riverclan tom.

She was grateful that the tom had arrived just in time. If he had never came to her 'rescue', she would have been most certainly been killed by Minnowleap, or so Shira thought anyway. She couldn't exactly see what was going on between the two warriors, yet she did hear Russetstone snap at Minnowleap then the she-cat left the scene, probably returning to Riverclan. Shira was grateful that she liked water, for the rain that was soaking through her fur wasn't exactly pleasant. She was cold, wet and hurting from the tip of her ears, to the tip of her tail. She laid there in silence for a couple of moments before hearing something a couple of lengths away. Thinking that it was the clan rat, Minnowleap again the she-cat hissed before faintly catching the scent of..herbs.

Now this caught the cat's attention and she tried to lift her head but flattened her ears as the metal thorns raked against her pelt. Apparently the cat was a medicine cat. Shira had remembered her father telling her a story about a medicine cat's miraculous knowledge of herbs and their connection with Starclan. On top of that, even though she was a loner, Shira firmly believed in Starclan, a rare trait in the world of loners.

Shira forced herself not to try and lash out as the medicine cat approached her, looking at her as if she was an particularly tasty piece of fresh-kill. Well...don't just stand there...get me loose!" She managed to choke out as she observed the clan cat. The medicine cat, with the use of its expert paws, managed to tug at the silver wire carefully and with Shira working with the medicine cat, she was able to squirm her way out of the tangled mess. Shira exhaled deeply, glad to be free from that dilemma. Yet she didn't stand long so she was forced to lay down on her belly, where the medicine cat quickly pressed cobwebs to her wounds in an attempt to stop the bleeding of the many wounds that decorated her flesh.

Shira snapped at the cat as it touched a particularly sore spot on her pelt. In truth, the she-cat was tired and she just wanted to drag herself back to her little cave and sleep for a moon. Yet the words that came from the medicine cat's mouth the next moment caused her to flatten her ears against her soaked head. "Take her back to camp, she'll need rest. The little cat meowed as it led the way back towards camp, looking back every now and then.

The tan pointed cat looked to her mate, her blue eyes filled with fear, annoyance and pain. She slowly got to her paws, and with the rain slicking her pelt, her rounded belly was all the more noticeable. "I can't go there.." She spoke through chattering teeth. Yet she knew no matter what the hell she said, she was going to have go to the clan regardless. She'd have to wander in, all the eyes of the cats looking at her, wondering why she was there. Then they would think she was pathetic, being as battered and hurt as she was now.

Unfortunately, she knew she was going to have to swallow her pride and deal with it. She was the one who had decided to live so close to Riverclan's border, and she was the one who had fallen in love with a Riverclan tom. It was all her fault so she would have to live with the outcome. Without any hesitation she whispered to the tom, "I'm carrying your kits."

Blinking the water out of her eyes, she slowly limped towards Riverclan, afraid of what might be in store for her once she made it their camp.

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russetstone

The rain pelted his face which didn't help their current situation. His whole body was taut and tense, waiting for Minnowleap to make her move. The way she was acting, crazed and out-of-body, he was sure she would spring at him just as she had Shira. So he was deeply surprised and confused when she cowered before his words. Russetstone hadn't meant to frighten his clanmate, but it seemed necessary. His green gaze watched her turn tail and sprint away. He just hoped she would actually go get the medicine cat, because StarClan knows he is no good with herbs. As soon as Minnowleap was out of sight, the red warrior turned to face the she-cat that had stolen his heart without him even knowing. He didn't want to mess with the fence because for all he knew he could be driving the spikes in deeper. He pushed his wet nose against the soaking fur of her cheek, void of any wounds. Russetstone prayed help would come soon.

He turned around to face the medicine cat gratefully. The warrior stepped back and watched as the fence was untangled from her body. Relief flooded him when it was finally off. A few quiet words were murmured from his clanmate. "Take her back to camp, she'll need rest." He nodded hesitantly and glanced over to Shira. He knew she would not want to come, but he would not give her an option. She needed the help that RiverClan could provide. Russetstone helped her up with a nudge to her shoulder, careful to avoid any of her injuries. The tom was a decent size larger than the pretty flame-pointed she-cat, and he stuck close to her side as if to guard her from the unknown of the territory.

His mind wandered briefly to what was to come. Once they reach camp, he had no doubt that eyes would be on them, and more specifically Shira. He felt for her. Hopefully she could hide from prying eyes in the depths of the medicine cat den. If not, he would stay by her. Scratch that, he'd stay with her anyway. He just wasn't sure how his looming, constant presence will be taken. He loved her, after all. Russetstone, as a warrior, was taught to chase off loners. Instead, he'd fallen head over heels for one.

"I can't go there.."

"Yes, you can. I promise," he replied seriously. He would be with her. The russet tom padded closer to her, their pelts touching. It was then that his ears perked, flicking down at her. He hadn't remembered her stomach protruding so, but he kept his jaws shut. If she wanted to tell him something, she could. Anyway, perhaps she was just eating well in her cave. However, in the rain, which always seems to add a new level to any situation, she looked at him. And he knew then.

"I'm carrying your kits."

He barely heard her over the thumping of his pulse in his ears. A warm rush of adrenaline flew through his veins and he could not seem to rip his gaze from hers. He smiled, and despite the cold gray of the setting, it was brighter than ever. Russetstone leaned over to her while he trotted by her side. "Good. Because I love you, and I want to do this. I hope I can say the same about you," he murmured, though he had little doubt she would do anything otherwise.

[Rendezvous]

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A smile graced the she-cat's features, believing the tom's words. It was nice of the tom to offer words of reassurance, but there was still the ever present threat of the clan cats disliking the loner. She wasn't going to be welcome there, and how could their little medicine cat even consider dragging a loner back to their clan? They didn't know anything about her, except for the fact that she constantly stole their fish and intruded on their territory in the past moons.

Even though her day had taken a turn for the worse, hearing the speak those three words gave her a form of peace. "I love you too, and I trust you." She meowed softly as she carefully padded through a shallow creek onto the other side. She could still feel movement in her belly, and somehow she knew that her kits would be do soon. She didn't know exactly when but it would be soon. "Thank you for coming to my rescue back there. I wasn't expecting that...that.. clan rat to attack me like that." Shira's voice was almost a hiss for she was still pissed off about the tabby and white cat's actions. Even though she was hurting like hell, she still could spit out an insult for an unruly she-cat.

"Just keep your clanmates away from me." She hissed again as she leaned close to the tom, allowing her frame to brush up against his own. Even though she was injured, and pregnant she'd still claw a cat or two if they came to close. Mind you, she had been surprised by the appearance of Minnowleap which could explain why she had ended up in this mess in the first place.

It was ironic how the flame-pointed loner despised the mere existence of clan cats, yet here she was in love with one. Yet was it not forbidden for Russetstone to fall in love with a cat outside of his clan? Aren't we the forbidden lovers? She thought to herself as her pace slowed as she grew tired. Luckily she scented the strong concentration of many fishy cats which automatically told her that she was upon the Riverclan camp, which was almost hidden within the territory. Mind you, she had found the place on one of her intrusions a couple of moons prior.

She was grateful that everything had happened in the midst of night, for many of the clan cats were already tucked safely within their dens for the night. Panting, she looked around the camp before making out the shape of the medicine cat. The cat gestured with its tail for the she-cat to follow to the medicine cat den. Shira looked warily at Russetstone for a moment before slowly making her way to the den.

Stepping into the den, she studied the medicine cat as it pulled out a chervil root. Shira still eyed the cat warily before spotting a nest that looked all too welcoming to her at the moment. Flicking the tip of her tail she headed to the nest and immediately laid down. The medicine cat chewed up the chervil roots and pressed it to her wounds, and when it hit a particularly deep wound, Shira snapped at the cat. "Watch it!" She hissed, flattening her ears against her head.

The medicine cat backed away and nodded before disappearing into the back of its den. Shira narrowed her eyes in the direction the medicine cat had gone before looking at her soaked pelt. "I'm so tired, Russetstone. I don't want to be here at all." She meowed softly as she licked at her fur in an attempt to get dry.

"What is wrong with that cat? The one who attacked me?" She asked, speaking of Minnowleap. Shira hated the cat, and from the wounds that were inflicted from the barb wire due to the clan cat's interference, Shira wasn't going to be changing that anytime soon.

She looked about the den, hoping that the tabby and white she-cat wasn't lurking in the shadows. It wasn't that Shira was afraid, it was that she didn't want any harm to come to her kits. "What will your clan think of you bring an outcast into your camp? Surely nothing good will come of it." She wished she could leave right now and disappear like nothing had happened. Yet something inside her told her that she wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon.

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[pit]

russetstone

The rain still poured down in plump drops. It was always like that during newleaf. The water that came from the sky was always hot and dense. It made a shiver run down his spine. His green gaze scanned the area in front of them, and while all of the territory was familiar to him, this was the path his experienced paws had trotted on a million times before, just like his ancestors. The medicine cat was leading them, which he was grateful for. He was sure that if it were only him dragging a loner back to camp, more questions would arise. There would be plenty of those in the morning, he groaned inwardly. Russetstone hated answering questions. Why did cats want to know everything?

His head turned back to his mate when she spoke in a quiet tone. He would actually go far enough to call it soft. He would never tell her, but soft looked good on her. "I love you too, and I trust you." Affection shot through him at that statement, because he wasn't sure she would return it. Those words were a big step for her, he knew, and he wouldn't take them for granted. Trust was another thing. The RiverClan warrior was just as happy to hear her say that yes, she did trust him, because he knew she hadn't trusted many in her life. When born into a Clan, you are taught to trust your clanmates without hesitation. It was not so for the life of a loner; in fact, it was the opposite. Danger was lurking around each and every corner, and even someone that may seem friendly could have ulterior motives behind their actions. Perhaps spending some time in the camp with him would help teach Shira that it is alright to relax around other cats.

Russetstone's steps began to lag as they reached the entrance and he padded in beside her. He chuckled lowly when she ordered him with short words to keep his clanmates away. He couldn't really promise that, so instead he said nothing. The warrior wouldn't let anyone harm her, that was for sure. Again he grinned when she flopped down on the moss nest. She was obviously exhausted. He shot an apologetic look at the medicine cat when Shira snapped. Perhaps he should make her wear a collar that said "danger: will bite." But something told him that she'd assault him if he ever dared to mention it. The red tom trudged over to the flame-pointed she-cat and gingerly laid on his stomach.

"I'm so tired, Russetstone. I don't want to be here at all."

He pushed his cold nose into her soaking neck fur in an attempt to comfort her. This whole experience has got to be terribly confusing for her, he knew. Guilt flashed through him at dragging her through this all. "I'm sorry, Shira. I hope this will be over soon. I won't leave you by yourself, I promise," he answered in a quiet tone. He shook his head when she asked about Minnowleap. "I'm not sure. She seemed off, I don't think she was completely aware of her actions. She's not normally like that," he explained.

His green gaze watched her face as she asked a final question. Russetstone rolled his tired shoulders. "I don't know. I'm sure there will be a wide variety of reactions, but I'll be with you, no matter what they say, okay? You are the most important to me, as are our kits. If they press you to leave, I'm following, because there's no way I would ever leave you. Not now." His tone was final.

[Rendezvous]

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That's hard to believe. Shira thought as the tom mentioned that the tabby and white warrior wasn't normally like that. Once you're crazy, you're always crazy. Shira had gotten her first impression of the warrior, and it wasn't going to be changing anytime soon.

Right now, the only thing she cared about was Russetstone and the wellbeing of her kits. She didn't care about the clan's rules or codes, nor did she care about the conflict that she and Minnowleap had shared only a few moments earlier. She turned to look at the tom, his words grabbing her full attention. "You'd leave your clan for me?" She was entirely shocked that her mate was willing to abandon his own way of life if she were to be cast out from Riverclan.

Shira knew then that she loved this tom above life itself. She was to finally start a family in a place that she had hated for moons. The she-cat, despite being a loner, was a strong believer of Starclan, and she thought by some strange fate, Starclan had led her back to the clans. Perhaps it was the rightful place, even if she didn't trust the inhabitants. The flame-point she-cat licked her mate's ear, her blue eyes filled with deep affection. "I never thought I'd end up with a clan cat of all things. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me." Shira shifted closer to the tom, burying her face into his fur.

"I am sorry, though. I should have told you this sooner." She meowed, before adding "I know..the kits will come any day now." The thing was, Shira being pregnant was old news, she had allowed her body to ripen with pregnancy for the last two moons and now she was to bear the fruit of life any sun now. It was no longer a light flutter of movement, it was a barrage of movements in her belly, the little critter that rested within her being seemed to be eager to join the real world.

The realization upset the she-cat for she knew that if the clan forced her out, she wouldn't be able to travel far. She didn't want to be forced to have her kits out in the wilderness, unable to defend herself from foxes, badgers or other wild cats. She felt weak not being able to defend herself and set her on edge. Soon enough she found herself voicing her troubles to her mate. "Russetstone, I feel weak. I am unable to defend myself, I feel like a fat, lazy kittypet." She meowed quietly, raising her head so that she could look at her mate.

She was slow and awkward in her gait, she couldn't catch a fish even if she wanted to. Although she would probably make a pretty good anchor for one of the Twoleg's swimming monsters. "Your leader, what shall he think? I'm sure your clan will raise quite the ruckus in the morning about my arrival. And won't they question your loyalty?" She asked, starting to sound quite fretful, a first for the loner. She was afraid, happy, sad, affectionate and angry all at the same time.

Damn these hormones.

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[pit]

russetstone

The red tom nodded confidently at her surprised words. Of course he wouldn't leave her. They were a family now, and he would put her above everything else. Perhaps it was a bit dangerous to do so, she being a loner and all. He was supposed to be loyal to a fault to his Clan. He still was; Russetstone would never up and leave without a good reason. But he had one: Shira. If she decided not to stay, well, he'd go with her.

A smile spread across his face when she spoke again. "I would say the same about you," he added with a small chuckle. He never thought that one day he's come by a pretty flame-pointed she-cat that couldn't seem to stay out of trouble. He never thought that he'd begin to actually care for her, and end up showing her his cave he had discovered moons before. Yet it happened, and now he was in love with her, and they had kits on the way. His green gaze drifted back to her when she mentioned the kits.

"They are coming any day?" he gaped, his ears flicking to the side. She should be moved to the nursery soon, he thought. But at least she was in the medicine cat's den. She might be more comfortable in here, where there were just a few cats, rather than out in the heart of the camp with the other queens. He knew she was weary of the camp still, but as he told her, he wouldn't leave her.

"That's probably because you're carrying kits around, Shira. It's hard work, you're not supposed to be doing anything but letting others take care of you," he spoke. But a small smirk crossed his face because he knew she hated being dependent on something, or someone, in this case. She liked to do things on her own and the weight inside her belly was preventing her from doing so. He had a feeling, though, that when the kits are born, her priorities will change. It's one thing to know that you are carrying kits around. It's another thing to actually see the little bodies squirming around after they enter the world.

Russetstone turned his head to her. "Robinstar will see for himself in the morning. I do not think he will be happy about it, but I also do not think he's as cold hearted as to kick you out when the kits will be coming any time." The large tom shrugged at her comment. "Perhaps it will. But I still love my Clan very much, and if they cannot see that, then it is their faults, not mine." He hoped it sounded believable, because he could feel the anxiety of the next morning creeping into his veins.

[Rendezvous]

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The she-cat shifted in the nest as she made herself more comfortable, if that was even possible at a time like this. Shira soon found herself laughing quietly at the tom's surprise. Even though she was hurting, she was just as sassy as always. "I fear my kits will come early, I hope that Starclan isn't punishing us for our relationship." Shira strongly believed in Starclan, something that was rare for a loner, but alas even though her father had left her, bits and pieces of him were left behind in his daughter.

At the idea of having someone else care for her, the she-cat almost puked at the idea. "Russetstone, you know I've relied on only myself throughout my entire life. You can't possibly expect me to allow one of your clanmates to care for me. And anyway, they'll be much safer sleeping with a fox then tending to me." She spoke with a cunning little smirk, her blue eyes glinting in the darkness. Of course, she didn't mind Russetstone's help every now and then, but she never wanted to have to rely on another cat, it made her feel helpless.

At his comment towards Robinstar, she flicked her ears in respone. "If your clan chooses to be blind to your decisions, then they didn't deserve you from the beginning." Shira had never met the leader of a clan before, but she had always pictured them as arrogant, loud-mouthed freaks. Sure, it wasn't very respectful of her to say that, but hey she was freaking Shira, disrespectful was her middle name. Stretching her jaws in a yawn she looked to her mate. "I'm getting some sleep." Shifting closer to the russet tom she rested her head on his back, letting his scent comfort her as it always did. "Thanks, for everything." She purred as she closed her eyes allowing sleep to whisk her away from reality and into sweet dreams.

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