Into the Earth (CedarxRusset) L0V2S0

[Cloudbat]

[bg=3b5839][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] OOC: RARF. I'm so sorry this took forever, Monster. D: BIC: Cedarstar was exploring a new burrow he’d discovered in his territory. Normally, the leader would have gone back to camp and brought a team of warriors with him, just in case, when he’d first spotted the edge of the burrow peeking through the tangle of roots. But it awoke a strange, almost-forgotten longing in him – a longing for adventure. Sense, of course, warned him that any number of things could be waiting for the long-furred tabby – predators to hidden water to ants’ nests to…cave-ins. He shuddered, remembering the one that had cost him his first life. But there was no way any cat could have predicted that one – and he’d even HAD a team check it that time. So really, I'm not taking much more of a risk, he mused to himself. Besides, who was he? Cedarstar, savior of the Clans, leader of the greatest of them all. He was confident that his 50 moons of wisdom and experience would keep him safe this time. He’d just slipped under the arching, dark brown roots dipping in and out of the ground – it was a tight squeeze for a cat of his size, but he made it. Now he smelled the moist, crumbly earth of the burrow – though no other clear scents. He was a fairly good tracker, too – not the greatest, of course, otherwise I would have been Cedarwhisker. The yellow-eyed tom chuckled softly at his little joke. Still, he could smell nothing besides the earth, the water in it, various vague plant smells, and the dull, slightly sour scent of the big oak itself. Pricking his ears and heightening his guard, he put one thickly-furred paw into the dark hole.

[MONSTER <3]

OOC: Its okay XD im pretty slow to respond anyway~

BIC: Russetfoot padded through the forest, feeling a bit more relaxed now that she had left the camp. She loved being in the camp, yes. But the noise always seemed to frustrate her, even if it didn't usually involve her in the least. As she continued through the woods, she heard the sound of another cat. She flicked her ears and sniffed the air, realizing that it was the scent of her leader, Cedarstar. She looked around a few trees and noticed him not to far off, analyzing what looked like a small burrow. " Hello Cedarstar. " She mewed to her leader.

As she approached, she flicked her ears forward. She could not smell much of a scent, but it might only be because she wasn't right beside it. She wondered what Cedarstar was doing out here- but then again he could ask the same question. He might just be out for a walk too and found something interesting.

[Cloudbat]

[bg=3b5839][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] He was brought back from his apprentice-like sense of adventure as he heard the voice of a she-cat. Russetfoot. Inwardly he groaned. Right now, he didn't want to be Cedarstar the leader - he wanted to be Cedarclaw the adventurous explorer, the young tom he'd once been. True, it was an immature desire - but he spent night and day serving his Clan, and even this indirectly was doing so. Could I not have peace and quiet for once? He turned back, facing her as politeness dictated, acknowledging her with the nod of a superior to one two levels below them. "Greetings, Russetfoot. I trust you have some purpose here, as well as I?" He said it lightly and formally, but it was a subtle hint that he wished to be left alone. Still, he could not very well refuse if she wished to explore the burrow as well. Technically speaking, he had the right to ask whether she was being productive and hunting. But he didn't feel like antagonizing her for no good reason other than his selfish desires. If a leader is to cause dissent, he mused to himself, it must be for a purpose. And I would do well not to add to those foolish rumors. He still firmly believed they were nothing more than passing complaints - yet still they persisted. The tabby was confident, however, that as long as he carried on normally, and did not give in to their petty accusations, it would all blow over. Appearing like he felt threatened would only seem to prove their claims that he did favor his old Clanmates. And perhaps he did, in some areas. Was it not natural for a cat to trust those he'd known the longest? He wasn't saying the former rogues and kittypets were untrustworthy - far from it. They were simply different. Besides, I've certainly punished my own apprentice enough, and Shrewstorm was practically ForestClan himself. How could any cat possibly think I show favoritism? After all...Russetfoot. Certainly, he didn't know her well, but he relied upon her as a warrior. I have welcomed her and many others to join my Clan, even though I myself would admit I have trouble adjusting to new cats. It just took time for the two different groups to mesh. Nothing more.

[MONSTER <3]

"Of coarse." ...Your Majesty. The she-cat flicked her ears and thought 'How polite. with a hint of sarcasm. She was very tempted to sit down, lay around, and just spend some 'quality time' with her leader. But she reminded herself that this was her leader, and she needed to show some respect- even if it was quite tempting with him wanting to be left be.

She thought about what the other cats had been discussing; Ceadarstar's favoritism. She took a moment to consider if this was part of it, but wasn't quite sure. She half shrugged to herself, she wasn't one to feed rumors. Yet, they did have plenty of evidence behind their words and reasons. Unless it came to her immediate concern, she decided not to act on the idea- but would surely keep it in mind.

"No reason not to see what my Leader has found though. Find anything of interest inside this miniature cave?" she asked curiously, taking a step closer to her leader but not any more than that. She did not want to get too close to interrupt his personal bubble, but couldn't help getting a closer look at this small burrow.

[Cloudbat]

[bg=3b5839][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] Was that sarcasm in her tone? Cedarstar usually deplored its use, but his only response was to raise an eyebrow. The ginger she-cat seemed lost in her own thoughts, shrugging to herself. Mystified, Cedarstar could only swish his fluffy tail over the grass wet with morning dew. But then she spoke again, and the brown tabby sighed mentally. While he couldn't read her intentions for the life of him, he admitted (if reluctantly) that it wouldn't be so bad to have her along. If I do by some chance get into trouble...she will help me. Right? It disturbed him slightly that even he was questioning whether non-Forestborn cats were loyal to him. Mouse-brain. He banished the unwelcome thoughts to the back of his mind. "Not yet, so you can assist me in my exploration." He said lightly, but clearly as a command. If she wanted to come along, then she was going to follow his orders. Having said so, he hunched his shoulders, leaving the bright morning sunlight for the darkness of the burrow. It was dank in here - he could feel the moisture in the air he breathed, as his paws shifted slightly in the sandy soil. Carefully, the large tom stepped forward, the tips of his ears brushing the 'ceiling' - he could feel the tips of roots protruding through, could smell the slight rot in them, sweetly stinking. Despite the possible dangers, he relaxed. Into the earth. This was the essence of his Clan. Where he was meant to be.

[MONSTER <3]

Russetfoot smiled at her leader as he spoke "I would love to be of assistance." she mewed. She watched Cedarstar enter the borrow, and tilted her head with curiosity. After a few moments, she wondered if her leader had found anything. "Find anything of interest Cedarstar?" She asked politely. Russetfoot had never been in a burrow before, and wondered what it could be like.

Her ears twitched as she listened for any noise, either coming from the hole or from the surrounding forest. The only things she could hear were some far off birds, perhaps a few squirrels, and the rustling of the wind in the leaves. She sat down, continuing to stare into the ground. What had lived here? She wondered. Could have been any animal that could dig, really. Her mind wondered how it would be for other animals that were different sizes and nature than them. Was it the same for them? Or perhaps to something else, it seemed so different? Her mind wandered, and she smiled a bit as she thought.

[Cloudbat]

[bg=3b5839][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] "Good." The leader meowed softly, but his still-deep mew echoed slightly off the earthy walls. "We must be quiet; too loud and we could startle something, or worse, cause a cave-in." He breathed in the particles of dust and moisture with his breath; it was not unpleasant, but somewhat unusual; while the old setts of the camp could be dusty, they were rarely damp unless it rained; and even then, they had rock barriers to keep the worst out...assuming Shrewstorm hadn't knocked them over again. The foolish tom sometimes seemed bent on not only others' chagrin, but his own. And then he'd complain, pretending he had no idea how it had happened. And then shirk the work needed to repair it. Oh, that accursed tom. That excuse for a warrior. Did my mentoring mean nothing to him? But this was now, and not even his wayward former apprentice could ruin it. Mentally chiding himself, he answered the brown she-cat behind him. "Not much so far, seeing as I've only gone a foxlength or so." He said with some humor in his voice, peeking over his shoulder back at her. What did she expect in so short a time? A buried cache of prey? Cedarstar chuckled to himself. Waving his fluffy tail, he half slid, half walked downwards, into the darkness. His yellow eyes reflected the scant light as his claws sunk into the soft dirt, the MeadowClanner's keen nose searching for anything out of the norm. No...still just sprawling tree roots above, the earth below him, and the darkness before him. He smiled. Perhaps this could be just the thing to make my Clan forget their petty rumors-a new burrow for us all to share. OOC: I was thinking of having a fox or badger attack them, or some accident happen. That way something (I don't know what, we could make it up as we go along) could happen to further the tensions between the former ForestClanners and the former rogues. Like...Cedar losing a life and Russet failing to prevent it? Tell me what you think!

[MONSTER <3]

Russetfoot nodded to her leader as he continued to descend into the burrow. She half hoped Cedarstar would find something interesting, at the same time that she hoped he found nothing but an empty hole in the ground. She smiled a bit as he reply, and couldn't help but be at least a little eager and excited to see what he found.

Suddenly, she heard an abrupt sound of a stick snapping. She quickly turned, and her hazel eyes widened as a pair of amber eyes stared right into hers. The eyes of a hungry fox, and it seemed that he had found his prey. You've got to be kidding me. She thought for only a second before the fox lunged at her. She jumped away as quickly as she could, but it had snagged at her leg, and sent her tumbling to the ground.

She coughed and gasped as she landed "Cedar-" another gasp caught her voice. She tried to take deep breaths, and watched as the fox eyes the burrow. Oh no you dont! Russetfoot ran at the fox and slammed into its side- it wasn't very effective, but it certainly surprised the flea-bitten thing. It snarled and turned its head to snap at her- just barley missing her by a whisker. She followed her instinct, and swatted at its face at the same time that it kicked her with its hind leg.

Once again she tumbled away, stopping at the base of a tree. She shook herself and raised her head slowly. The first thing she could spot was the fox heading straight toward the burrow- the one her leader was currently exploring. Finding her voice, she screeched "Cedarstar! Fox!" as loud as she could manage. She tried once again to stand, but it took her a few moments before she could keep herself from swaying. She hoped with every ounce that was in her that he had somehow heard her warning, because she knew that she couldn't keep the fox distracted for much longer.

[Cloudbat]

[bg=3b5839][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] Lost for a moment in his happy thoughts, he didn't immediately register his Clanmate's cut off yowl. But then the disgusting scent of fox reached him, accompanied by blood. Her blood! Twisting his heavyset frame around, the leader watched, horrified, as Russetfoot attempted to attack the animal herself - and began to rush forward as the ginger beast kicked her into a tree. A second later the fox turned to him - Cedarstar could see the vicious hate and hunger in its eyes, plain as day. Snarling, he surprised the animal by charging it, then ducking under it to bite at its underbelly. However, he had the disadvantage of the terrain - the loose soil slipped under his back paws as he attempted the maneuver, taking some of the strength from his paws; the fox took the chance and crushed his tail in its powerful jaws - his thick fur robbed the bite of some power, but it still hurt to StarClan and the leader yowled as he thrashed madly, twisting in an attempt to get free. A lucky blow from one of his wildly swinging paws tore a large gash in the fox's stomach - it snarled, backing up. The brown tabby, breathing heavily, was superfocused - he saw the tensing of the fox's muscles, the swallow as it rid its mouth of his blood and the hunching of its shoulders as it prepared to strike again. He knew he would have to compensate for the pain in his tail; his balance would be off. The leader processed all this information instantaneously, and used it to crouch down, his blood-matted tail curled to his side, and as the fox lunged for him once for he pushed upwards - his power was reduced, but his claws sunk true into the fox's throat even as it ripped his own chest open. Locked together, both collapsed, the fox dying...Cedarstar, dead. He woke in a clearing lit by starlight - the MoonGlade. Panting, he looked around, but was calmed by the familiar spirits that sat around him in a circle. He watched as a second pale outline of himself took its place among their ranks - next to the first life he had lost. "Your attempt was gallant, my son, even if you did not live to succeed in it." The deep, gentle mew of Elkstar came from a shade on his left. "But beware, my son, the rumors you fear are not entirely without base. Examine your own faults and find the truth there." Who...it must be his true father, the small, darker brown tabby tom in front of him, lean with dark blue eyes. The MeadowClan leader was dumbfounded. I have never seen Oaknose before...except when he gave me one of my lives...my second life, the one I just lost. And I didn't recognize him then. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but the vision was already fading, and then it turned black.

[MONSTER <3]

Russetfoot finally gained her composure, just as Cedarstar and the fox both went down. "Cedarstar!" She gasped before running over and realizing that the fox was still breathing. Hissing, she clawed at its eyes- so just in case it decided to live, it wouldn't be going very far anytime soon. She rushed to her leader's side, and practically went into a state of shock when she realized that he wasn't breathing. Mentally, she cursed again, many many times.

Her leader had died, and she did practically foxdung to defend him. "Cedarstar! this dosn't look good." She panicked a bit, still not sure what to do. There was certainly no way a medicine cat could revive something that wasn't breathing! so there was no point running back to camp to fetch someone. She took deep breaths, maybe if she got lucky he would still be alive if she just closed her eyes. Closing her eyes tight, she took a deep breath and held it. Please please please pleaseeeeee. . . ? She opened one eye. Nope, no movement.

She laid on the ground, and covered her face with her paws. No no no no. Not Cedarstar. She heard the fox gasp for breath and snarl a bit and she jumped up. "NO! don't you even start Mr. Leader-Killing-Fox! I will NOT deal with you too right now!" She groaned and the fox hissed a bit more before it quieted again. "YEA. Thats what I thought!" Her fur fluffed and she snorted at the fox before licking at her fur. Focusing back on Cedarstar she folded her ears back and sighed before bowing her head.

She frowned and sat quietly in front of him. What kinda warrior couldn't protect her leader? She cursed mentally again and turned her head away for a minute with her eyes closed. Obviously not a very good warrior. She sighed and dug her claws into the ground. Suddenly, movement caught her eyes and she looked up at his body. His belly was slowly moving up and down. . . wait, he was breathing! Russetfoot jumped to her paws and kept her ears folded back. What the. . ?! "Cedarstar. .? Are you. . . alive? " She whispered, her ears flicked forward, looking for anymore movement from her once-dead leader.

[Cloudbat]

[bg=3b5839][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] OOC: Russet is hilarious. XD "Mr. Leader-Killing-Fox" I giggled. BIC: Groggily, the leader slowly returned to reality. The message from his...from Oaknose still echoed in his ears, but he would deal with it later. Right now he just wanted to make it back to camp. His yellow eyes slowly opened, taking in a brown shape in front of him. Oaknose?! No...Russetfoot, obviously. Mouse-brain. But then, he had just suffered a lethal injury. Strong as he was, even he couldn't be expected to kill a fox by himself. Still, this was no time for excuses. "Of course I'm alive."He grunted, carefully easing himself into a sitting position."I have nine lives, you know. Or didn't you?"He asked curiously. Surely his ForestClan comrades had told her of the leadership ceremony - it was such an important part of their lifestyle. Perhaps he really was slipping...no.I am not responsible for my old friends' negligence in education; however, I am responsible to fix their mistakes for the good of the Clan. StarClan has given me advice, and I must take it. He looked beyond her to the fox, which was gasping, barely alive. He wondered why she simply hadn't finished it off herself, but no matter."Excuse me."He mewed, as he brushed around her, bending down to deliver a death bite, his fangs sinking through the short orange fur. A few seconds later, the animal breathed no more. "Now,"He said, shaking himself,"We need to return to camp, and notify the Clan of this incident. You will be my witness and narrate what happened while I was...out, shall we say. Come."And with that, the large MeadowClan tom began to pad back to camp. OOC: Sooo, do you want to post once more as Russet and then we can start the camp thread?