=^-.-^=

[10/2/15, 11:04:22 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing turned her head, smiling at the brown she-cat. “What is it? Is something wrong?” She asks. “What kind of mission?”

[10/2/15, 11:09:25 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: "It's not bad, or at least, it probably won't be. We're going to the Starclan spot. For real this time! Auburnsun told me!" Russetwood was practically shaking with excitement. Thistleruff had told them to wait a ways away while she consulted the stars. This time, the two of them would get to go all of the way! Who knows, maybe she'd get a message too!

[10/2/15, 11:17:32 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing’s eyes lit up and her mouth hung open. “R-really? We’re going to get to visit starclan? “I-I can hardly believe this! I haven’t been able to reach Starclan in many moons…and its finally happening!” She smiled widely. “Oh, before we leave, the two of us need to eat some traveling herbs. And I’m going to check on everyone else first.”

[10/2/15, 11:20:21 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: The energy of the two cats was electric. "Please do, one last checkup sounds good.”

[10/2/15, 11:49:24 PM] lizard bitch: After a few minutes, Whisperwing emerges from the den with a small bundle of herbs in her mouth. She still had to sort them out but there were a lot of cats in the medicine den right now, and they needed space.

[10/3/15, 12:00:15 AM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: "I think it's time." A kit needed tending to, but that was over with and they were ready to go. However, rumbling in her stomach stopped her in her tracks. "How about while you get the herbs together, I grab us something to eat? It would be unwise to depart on an empty stomach," the orange she-cat suggested.

[10/3/15, 12:07:58 AM] lizard bitch: Whispering nodded, turning to prepare the traveling herbs for the two of them. When she was finished, she padded out to join Russetwood. “Do you know how far away it is? Or how long we’ll be gone?”

[10/3/15, 12:17:14 AM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: Russetwood placed a vole at the white cat's feet. She had a large mouse for herself. "I don't know how long we will be away. It shouldnt be much longer than the trip with Thistleruff. We will go a bit farther than that, all the way there. I can't wait to see it for real!" Russetwood took a bite of her meal, and almost tried to talk more before she remember she had food in her mouth.

[10/3/15, 12:35:19 AM] lizard bitch: Whispering sighed happily. “I’m so happy we’re getting to do this!! And I’m so happy we’re going together! I couldn’t think of any other cat I’d rather go with!” Whisperwing exclaimed, taking small bites of her vole, she was too excited to have much of an appetite.

[10/3/15, 12:41:41 AM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: Awwww, that was really sweet. "T-thanks Whisperwing. I'm thrilled to go with you too," Russetwod mumbled though bites of mouse. Although Russetwood felt as if she could've run a marathon, her appetite was unchanged. However, she was starting to get a bit antsy. "You can do it, Whisperwing! Show that vole who's boss!”

[10/3/15, 12:55:48 AM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing chuckled, trying to hurry up and eat. Once she ate all she could, she gave the leftovers to some cat near her. She nudged the bundle of herbs towards Russetwood. “Alright, we can go once you eat these herbs. I’ve already taken mine, they’ll make sure that your strength keeps up and that you don’t get hungry.”

[10/3/15, 1:25:04 AM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: Russetwood lapped up the odd tasting leaves, and made a funny face. She coughed for a moment" a-Alright, let's go!" She sprang up and headed towards the edge of camp. Before she crossed the border, she called out: "See ya, Sunclan! We'll be back soon!”

[10/3/15, 10:31:24 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing followed quietly behind Russetwing, looking over her shoulder at the clan. “We’ll be back soon!” She said to no cat in particular. She then turned her head to face Russetwood. “So, which way do we go?”

[10/3/15, 10:40:51 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: Russetwood took a deep breath. It was great to go on a big adventure like this, especially one with such magnitude. She furrowed her brow for a moment, trying to remember what Auburnstar had told her. "Due north," she boomed overdramatically, puffing her chest out and pointing a paw in that direction. "I don't know what that is really, Auburnstar just told me it was by the river.”

[10/3/15, 11:51:25 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing nodded, looking in the direction that the orange she-cat pointed in. She breathed in deeply, then began to walk through the forest. “I hope it isn’t too far away, I don’t want to be away from the clan for too long.”

[10/4/15, 12:50:20 AM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: "Rufflebottom is capable enough. I think he can handle the task. Although I know what you mean. I've been living on my own for a while, but now that I'm here, I don't think I could ever give it up. It's really nice to have a family again." Russetwood could talk for hours if she wanted to, and a walk somewhere unknown was a perfect time. The scenery was  beautiful, especially as they reached farther and farther edges of their territory. "So, the first thing we need to find on our journey is the river. Once we find that, we just follow it up.”

[10/4/15, 1:30:43 AM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing nodded her head. “Yes, it really is nice being around other cats. I’m so glad I found Auburnclan after I had to leave Cloudclan. I don’t know what I would have done” She said softly. Her wide eyes looked around, trying to find this river Auburnstar talked about.

[10/4/15, 1:48:55 AM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: The sun was twinkling through the leaves onto the taiga floor, and the chirping of birds was heard. Although this was probably the most important thing that you've ever done, you've never felt so relaxed. "It's admittedly nice to get away after all of this tension. So much has happened so fast, I hope things are slowing down. Some of the leader issues might go soon too, now that Auburnstar's alive and home." Home. That's what the clan was: home. "I have to say though, our leader is always the STAR of the show!!”

[10/4/15, 3:57:15 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing nodded, looking around the forrest with wide eyes. “I haven’t been out of camp in long, this is so refreshing!” She exclaimed. She’d been too busy to go out, and had been sending Ruffle out to collect herbs. “Yes, Auburnstar will settle all of our issues, I’m sure of it. He is so good with things like that.”

[10/4/15, 8:23:03 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: The two cats made simple conversation for most of their day walking. Sometimes their feet would hurt, and they would rest. The two were in a discussion about what birds tasted best after having been in the sun for a bit when a sharp pain split through Russetwood. She let out a wail of pain. "Fox dung! Owie ow ow...." Russetwood turned up her foreleg, and saw a large thorn stuck in the pads of her paw.

[10/4/15, 9:37:36 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing was enjoying the conversations she was having with Russetwood, it made the journey much more enjoyable. When she heard the other she-cat’s cry of pain, Whisperwing jumped a little bit, turning to look at what was the matter. “What happened? Are you alright?” She asked quickly.

[10/4/15, 9:46:47 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: Russetwood, on three legs, turned to the white cat dramatically; an exaggerated pout on her face. She tried to giggle, but then remembered that her foot hurt. "My paw. There's a really big thorn in it." A perfect little globe of blood welled up from the side of the puncture and spilled over the side.

[10/4/15, 11:08:16 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing bent down, examining Russetwood’s paw. “Wow, congratulations! Thats a really big thorn you’ve got up in there!” She began to lick the thorn gently, trying to ease it out. When it was out far enough, she pulled the rest with her teeth. She licked the wound clean and looked up, trying to spot some cobwebs. “Do you see any-ahh, heres some!” She gently wrapped the webs around Russetwood’s paw. “How does that feel?”

[10/5/15, 9:07:21 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: Russetwood shivered as Whisperwing's tongue rasped across her sensitive paw pad. "Yeah, if I could get a medal for 'biggest thorn stuck in paw', I think I'd be a runner-up," she said sarcastically. As Whisperwing pulled the thorn out, the orange cat winced, drawing back a bit. "That feels much better! Thanks! H-hey, these cobwebs are really soft!" She placed her wrapped paw on the ground gently, expecting it to hurt; but the pain was essentially gone. "Alright! Let's keep moving!”

[10/6/15, 6:17:43 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: The two cats had been walking for about another day when at last they found the river. It shouldn't have taken that long, but they had gotten lost a few times on the way. "Hey," Russetwood mused. "At least we went pretty far forward. There shouldn't be too much more of a distance to follow.”

[10/6/15, 6:19:57 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing nodded her head. “Yes, we should be getting there soon…the cave can’t be far off by now.” She said quietly. “I wonder where it is…”

[10/6/15, 6:33:09 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: Their quiet walk was now accompanied by birds and the rushing of the river. Sunlight danced on the leaves, blanketing plays of light and shadow on everything beneath them, including the two she-cats. Russetwood got incredibly distracted at a long, twirly vine bearing large, round and orange... things at the end. "Hey Whisperwing. Look!" She bounded up to one of the slightly misshapen globes and stood upon it. "I remember these! I used to see little Upwalkers hold fake versions of these, hollowed out and filled with brightly colored things. They were always dressed weirdly when that happened. Some of the bigger ones would dress up too; and they would take sharp things and carve faces into these. They'd even make the faces glow!" The colored leaves and peculiar globes filled Russetwood with a bit of nostalgia.

[10/7/15, 6:13:21 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing squinted at the strange orange…things. “I’ve never seen anything like there before…we didn’t have these up in the mountains.” She remarked. She clawed the side of one, then hopped up on top of it like Russetwood done. “Upwalkers are so strange…I’ll never understand them.”

[10/7/15, 8:11:02 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: "Yeah. I didn't mean to go on like that for so long. These things just triggered some old memories. Do you think it's bad to think about our old lives? I wonder if other cats do it. I don't, most of the time; but sometimes memories flood back." Russetwood sighed, stepping down from her perch. "I mean, it's only natural, right?”

[10/7/15, 8:11:08 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: This message has been removed. [10/7/15, 10:03:40 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing lowered her gaze, looking down at her paws. Thinking about her old life was hard. "I think it's important to remember where we came from...but even more important to think about the future and prepare for the present." She said quietly, hopping down next to Russetwood. "I've told you about why I had to leave my old clan, right?" [10/8/15, 8:05:54 PM] 17 alligators in one large ghost costume (a sheet with eyeholes): Russetwood nodded at the smaller cat's deep statement. Sometimes she forgot that everyone else had a previous life too, that Sunclan hadn't been everything. "No, you've never told me what led you here. Even if you did, I think I was too tired at the time to remember." She laughed to herself about first meeting the white she-cat. "B-but if you don't want to, you don't have to."

[10/11/15, 7:38:17 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing smiled at Russetwood, laughing a bit. “No, it’s fine.’’ She said quietly. “The short version is that I had fallen in love with another cat from my clan…which is forbidden for medicine cats. We kept it secret for a long time…but eventually the leader figured it out. He was furious, and he banished me. I found Sunclan about a moon after that happened.”

[10/14/15, 4:36:20 PM] 17 alligators in one large ghost costume (a sheet with eyeholes): Russetwood gasped. Although she had now been taught to live by the warrior code, the idea of being forbidden to love still felt unnatural; almost cruel to her. "I-i'm so sorry. That must really have sucked. I can hardly imagine... how you felt.." Russetwood's head spun for a moment. If love could be forbidden, then was it really as good as others say? Or were the people who ban love the ones at fault? But who can control love? It is not tangible, and not always easily detected. What is the difference between a harmless crush and love? She was spiraling beyond herself and her head was starting to hurt. That was enough, she'd been staring off into space and looked weird. "Alright,"she said shakily. "L-let's keep moving.”

[10/22/15, 8:38:27 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing nodded her head, padding along softly. “We can’t be too far off at this point…” She said, looking around for any signs of a cave. She didn’t see any, but then again, she didn’t have the best eyesight.

[10/22/15, 8:53:20 PM] A spooky penguin: Russetwood's eyesight was better than her smaller counterpart. As the sun set, a waterfall was illuminated just ahead by the last of the sun's rays. A shimmering rainbow seemed to emerge from the waterfall itself. "Hey, Whis, do you see that? Its so... pretty," she nudged Whisperwing.

[10/22/15, 9:05:32 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing squinted in the direction that her friend was looking, and her jaw dropped open. “Oh! It’s so beautiful!” She smiled, running up closer to the waterfall. “I can feel that we’re getting very close!”

[10/22/15, 9:20:45 PM] A spooky penguin: Russetwood eagerly caught up with Whisperwing, who was standing near where the waterfall and river connected. Bits of mist hit her face, and she recoiled in turn. Russetwood took a few more steps up the riverbank, looking to see a cave or rock of any sort. "I can't see anything. Do you think we passed it? Maybe there's like, a sign or something." Worry crept into Russetwood's head. Maybe they did miss it. They'll miss tonight's window to speak to Starclan. They'll have to wait another day, at least. She really hoped they hadn't missed the meeting place.

[10/23/15, 9:59:50 AM] Sawyer: And as Russetwood inched closer to the waterfall and worry began to overtake her...she began to hear whispers but when she turned to look at Whisperwing the white she-cat was quietly observing the area and not speaking. The whispers were too distant to make out...but they were there. Gentle, soft, urging the she-cat to move closer. A trail of rocks in the river led closer to the water fall.

[10/23/15, 6:44:50 PM] A spooky penguin: Russetwood turned to Whisperwing. "D-do you hear that? There's voices, they're so quiet...." Russetwood wasn't sure if her friend could hear them from Whisperwing's expression.  "Come closer," murmured the orange she-cat, both to Whisperwing, and repeating the messages. She spoke again in the same seemingly entranced voice. "There are... stones; stones leading to the waterfall." Russetwood stepped forward across the rocks. If she fell, it could spell the end for her, as she was not a good swimmer; and Whisperwing may have said something, but Russetwood didn't hear. The moment came where she was right in front of the falls, spray dampening her thick coat. The rushing water nearly drowned out the rest of the world. She heard nothing but water and whispers.

[10/26/15, 10:43:27 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing could barely hear her friend, she was concentrating so hard on trying to decipher what the murmurs were saying. She squinted her eyes at the stones, following Russetwood closely. It was as if she was in a trance; she could only concentrate on putting one paw in front of the other. She breathed in deeply, feeling the water sprinkling onto her coat.

[10/26/15, 11:12:11 PM] A spooky penguin: It was at this point that the two entranced cats found themselves face to face with the great waterfall. Russetwood seemed to wake up for a brief moment, and was stricken with panic by the rushing river and pounding falls. She turned back to look at Whisperwing, who was as entranced as she had been moments before. How were they to progress? Mortal cats could not fly, and neither of the two could swim. But a voice, seemingly coming from inside of her and everywhere and nowhere spoke: "Jump forward. You will not fail." Russetwood stared down the waterfall, and it did not stare back because it was a waterfall. She looked back once again at her partner. "W-Whis, we need to go forward." Russetwood took a deep breath, and leapt through the cold water. It was a thin sheet, and she passed with ease; now finding herself in a cave.

[10/26/15, 11:59:59 PM] lizard bitch: A shiver ran through Whisperwing’s body when the two cats reached the fall. Neither of the cats knew what to do, they didn’t know how to proceed. Suddenly, Whisperwing heard the voice, the same one she’d heard earlier. It was so loud but so soft at the same time; it seemed both familiar and foreign to her. It was telling her to jump forward, and she took a deep a breath and did. Whisperwing blinked her eyes wide, looking for her companion. “Russetwood?” She called out, looking around wildly. Her eyes had not yet adjusted completely to the dark. It scared her, but she knew she was safe.

[10/27/15, 12:05:39 AM] A spooky penguin: "Whisperwing! You made it through!" The white pelt of Whisperwing was much easier to see in the dark, so it was easier for Russetwood to embrace her. "This whole thing has been so weird," she started. "We were in such trances, our bodies almost not under our control. It felt so... strange. But, this is the place, I'm pretty sure of it. And the night is falling too…"

[10/29/15, 4:50:41 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing nuzzled into Russetwood’s fur, purring softly. “I know…this is so strange. But I do think we’ve found it!” She said. She blinked her eyes as they adjusted to the darkness of the cave, and tried to see what was in there.

[10/29/15, 9:26:12 PM] Sawyer: The cave walls reached up high above both cat's heads. Jutting stalactites hung from above and water droplets fell from them. Each crystal droplet echoed through the cave and it sounded like the quiet footsteps of cats. A cluster of stalagmites jutted out from a dip in the ground surrounded by shallow water in the center of the cave. One section of the stalagmite had fallen over and lay on its side. Red stained the ground around it and with a shiver the two cats realized that was where Auburnsun must have laid and died his first time... but when the cats confronted the blood pool it was not wet... no the rock was stained permanently red. It seemed almost sacred... Warriors blood permanently stained where the clan would go to speak with Starclan.

[10/29/15, 10:46:16 PM] A spooky penguin: Russetwood was stunned by the Red Pillar. "W-wow, Auburnstar really has done so much for us, and this will be a service that will hold for generations and generations. Now, I think it is time for us to rest." Russetwood plopped down in front of the Pillar and swept the ground next to her with her tail, indicating a place for Whisperwing.

[10/31/15, 11:39:06 AM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing looked around, her pale eyes wide. She followed Russetwood to the red pillar and laid down close to her. “After so long, we’ll be able to talk with our ancestors again.” She fluffed up her her fur and placed her head in her paws, closing her eyes slowly. She wondered what Starclan had to say to her.

[11/2/15, 5:35:45 PM] Sawyer: Both she-cats awoke to the sound of bubbling water. The grass felt soft and lush under their paws and the sky above them was beautiful pale pinks and blues. Flowers were in full bloom around them and white petals danced across the ground as a gentle wind swept past the two cats. As the petals vanished a figure was seen in the distance bounding towards them.

[11/2/15, 5:44:41 PM] Sawyer: A russian blue she-cat with long fur glided across the ground. Her paws hardly touching the ground as she ran towards the Sunclan cats. She came to a slow stop as she came closer, her brilliant misty blue eyes sparkling... why i guess all of her was sparkling? Galaxies seemed to dance along in her pelt full of stares and constellations. The she-cat dipped her head. "Whisperwing. Russetwood. Brave Sunclan warriors. My name is Wolfstar. It is I who raised Auburnstar  and taught him everything he is teaching to you now. It is I who has followed every paw step of your journey from the Ice Plains to the Roofed Taiga. It is I who has sent you signs and messages..." The she-cat raised her eyes, her liquid misty eyes thoughtful. "But recently all of Sunclan began to doubt me. You believe the wolves that prowl among your forest and threatens your life is similar to I but many of you have forgotten that my warrior name was Wolfheart for my passion and dedication to the Warrior Code is as fierce as a wolf..." The she-cat swept her long fluffed tail through the air. "Because of your doubts I was unable to reach you until you came here..." The she-cats eyes grew dark. "Sunclan warriors. Those who have told you these lies about me... these other cats who have visited you in your dreams.. They are not who you think they are." The pale light began to darken to deep blues and purples...and soon black. The only light that allowed the cats to see was the glow of Wolfstar's eyes. She then closed her eyes so the two she-cats stood in darkness. The two cats could hear Wolfstar's whisper. "Be weary of the ones without stars in their fur.”

[11/2/15, 9:21:56 PM] lizard bitch: Whisperwing sat speechless for a while; her head spinning. What did Wolfheart mean? That the cats that had given the clan guidance had been lying? How had they spoken to them then? It didn’t make any sense to the medicine cat. She looked at her companion, trying to see how Russetwood was reacting, but it was too dark. “What are we supposed to do now? What does this all mean?” She said quietly, to no one in particular.

[11/2/15, 9:27:24 PM] 17 alligators in one large hoodie: The landscape was beautiful. Here, it looked like spring, unlike the real world which was working into no-leaf. Russetwood listened to Wolfstar with rapt attention, drinking in every word. She nodded solemnly at Wolfstar's final words. She awoke next to Whisperwing. "Well, we go home, and tell Auburnstar and the clan. Maybe what this means is that," Russetwood swallowed. "Maybe there are other cats, whose intentions aren't pure. Wolfstar mentioned the cats without stars. Maybe they're dead cats who never reached the stars?”