A Hunting Expedition {Open}

[» &Göldιê™; «]

A few rocks shuffled underpaw as Goldendance moved along MountainClan's territory. Drawing in the crisp leaf-fall air through her nose, the sleek warrior weaved between the stones, onto the patches of ground, seeking prey. Opening her mouth and drawing in a deep breath of air, she caught the mingled scent of rabbit and hawk. So, clearly, both were nearby. Perfect, she thought, her tailtip twitching ever-so-slightly. Now to wait until they meet.

It wasn't long before the rabbit moved out of cover, seeming secure in its surroundings, assuming the predatory feline had already moved away. Little did it know that Goldendance simply waited downwind of it, keeping tabs on it with her bright copper-gold eyes. Shuffling in among the scrubby brush, it picked a few of the remaining green leaves off the scraggly plant it was uprooting. The warrior blended in perfectly with the stones, painted gold, copper, bronze, and scarlet with the rising sun. The early bird gets the worm - and the early cat gets the bird. Or, in this case, rabbit.

She noticed before the prey did as the shadow of a circling hawk moved around and around, blotting out the sun for just a split second as it passed. Goldendance remained in a ready crouch, all of her taut muscles straining for her to leap, but she had the strictest control over herself and waited for the perfect chance, when the hawk would swoop down and take the rabbit. She didn't have long to wait, as the banded avian swooped down and held out its talons. The rabbit let out a scream as it bounded away, but it wasn't fast enough. The big bird caught the rabbit's hindquarters in its powerful talons, beginning to lift away from the ground again with the added weight of the rabbit.

Goldendance poised herself right in the path it would have to take to leave the premises, and waited until it was close enough for her outstretched paws to reach before she jumped. Scooting out of the bush at topspeed, she barreled into it, sinking her claws into the feathers of its neck. Taking a second to jerk them back out, she kicked down on the rabbit with her powerful hindlegs, snapping its neck. But she underestimated the hawk. Its razor-sharp beak reached all the way through her pelt and nicked Goldendance's own neck.

Feeling a bit of blood seeping through her fur, she lashed annoyedly at the hawk's face, but missed. The bird bucked, creating a comical scene, rather like a bull-riding tournament of sorts. This'd be a nice time for some help, Goldendance thought. Why did I think I could take on a hawk solo?

[shiningheart]

But Goldendance wasn't alone. Blizzardshard, the impossibly large white-gray tom, barreled out of the nearby undergrowth, a blur of white against green. He launched himself upward, toward the hawk. His unsheathed claws flashed in the sunlight as they stuck themselves into the bird's flesh. Ignoring the bird's screeches, his amber eyes flashed angrily at Goldendance. "And just what did you think you were going to accomplish by killing yourself?" He hissed.

[» &Göldιê™; «]

Just when she thought she might have to let the hawk go, another warrior bounded out of the undergrowth, leaping out at the hawk and sinking his claws into the bird. Nodding her appreciation as he distracted the hawk with added weight, Goldendance reached forward and snapped its neck with her teeth. It immediately stopped struggling, and she flattened her eyes when she heard his words.

"And just what did you think you were going to accomplish by killing yourself?"

"And just what makes you think I didn't have the situation perfectly under control?" The she-cat was bristling a little still, but she sat back on her haunches and began to lick the blood from her claws. She'd pulled one a little hard and it was just a tad sore, not to mention the cut on her neck was seeping blood, but she wouldn't admit it even stung a little bit. She puffed out her chest with pride. "I had it completely handled."

[shiningheart]

Blizzardshard rolled his amber eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Which is entirely the reason your neck is bleeding profusely." His gaze cut to the slash across her neck and sighed, his eyes softening a bit. 'Almost exactly like when Shiningheart almost died...' He thought wistfully. Sighing, the large tom picked up the carcass of the hawk and tossed it onto his back. "Come on. We should get that looked at before it gets infected."

[» &Göldιê™; «]

"Yeah, yeah. Which is entirely the reason your neck is bleeding profusely."

Her eyes smoldered, but she didn't say anything, her whiskers twitching frustratedly. Well, I could have used the backup, but there was no way I would seriously have gotten hurt, right? Picking up the rabbit, she glanced at Blizzardshard. Maybe he comes across harshly... but I'm sure he means well. She felt a little friendlier towards the tom, but ignored the option of an apology out of pride. "You have a point, I guess." Turning her eyes towards the camp, she twitched an ear. "So... um... what's up?" Embarassed, she licked her shoulder self-consciously. I have no clue what to say.

[shiningheart]

In all truth, Blizzardshard didn't know what to say either. Well, he did, but he just wasn't sure if he should be telling it to anyone. "Erm...Well..." He hesitated, trying to think of another thing he could talk about. He finally heaved a resignated sigh. "Can I tell you something?" He murmured, keeping his eyes on his paws.

[» &Göldιê™; «]

Goldendance watched him closely. She had only ever been close to one male... and he'd been crushed in a rockslide, losing an eye and the use of one paw, and eventually disappeared from MountainClan altogether. She hadn't really considered getting close to anyone else, thinking of her past scar as the deepest, but now... her feelings towards Blizzardshard had been growing a little more than was preferable for her. Trying to stifle them, she'd found herself thus unsuccessful, but tried to ignore the little jolt when he said her name. Him catching her failing at a hawk-hunt was difficult for her pride.

But now, he was asking if he could tell her something. He was keeping his eyes on his paws, which meant it could be something embarassing... her heart started beating slightly faster. "Yes," she replied, keeping her voice steady.

((Ooo, conflict... XD cuz Blizzardshard loves Shiningheart, but of course Goldendance doesn't know that. This should be interesting. If you want me to edit this so she doesn't like him, I can do that, just thought it'd be an interesting twist.))

[shiningheart]

((Nah, those two could use more drama than just Shiningheart being deputy. XD))

Blizzardshard stayed silent for a bit, trying to convey what was on the tip of his tongue into words. The silence stretched, from moments to heart-beats to rabbit-hops to that of a crisp leaf-bare day. He struggled to say the right words, and finally found himself saying everything in one breath. "IthinkI'minlovewithShiningheart,butshe'sdeputyandcouldprobablydoalotbetterthanme. AndIthinkVenomwindhasnoticedhowIlookatShiningheartandisfeelingabitneglected.She'sbeenavoiding thebothofuslikewehadblackcough." Now that he was finished, he took a deep gasp of air, the hawk on his shoulders trailing on the ground as his shoulders and chest heaved heavily from talking so fast.

[» &Göldιê™; «]

The warrior had been expecting for Blizzardshard to mention something about needing her to do less stupid things and focus more on the Clan's necessities, and had even dared hope that maybe he felt the same way that she did. The silence stretched on and on. When he finally spoke, it took her a good several seconds to realize exactly what he meant. He's in love... with Shiningheart. I'm pretty much the biggest mousebrain ever. She didn't reply, just mulling it over.

So, Blizzardshard loves Shiningheart. Or might. Who am I to compete? They've been best friends for freaking ever, and she's the deputy of MountainClan, for StarClan's sake. I could never measure up to that. And they deserve to be together. Venomwind probably realizes what's going on, too. I've got to ask her... but I shouldn't tell anyone about Blizzardshard's feelings unless he tells me I can... wow.

"Well," she finally said. "That's an interesting situation. But I don't think she could do better." Goldendance suddenly realized what she'd said, and felt her ears get really hot with embarassment. "Don't take that as an excuse to get cocky," she amended, voice husky with threat but really just covering for her own slip.

[shiningheart]

Blizzardshard sighed, as if he hadn't heard Goldendance speak. "Shiningheart means more than anything to me." He murmured, glancing down at his paws. "If I had to leave the Clan to hear her voice, I would. If I had to be injured in a fight just to feel her fur against mine, I would. If I had to plot against the Clan to smell her scent, I would. If I had to be a mouse-brain, just to hear her laugh, then I would. And...And..." He shook his head. "If I had to leave the warrior code and become a kittypet to save her...to be with her...Then I would." He looked at his companion, his eyes tortured and filled with anguish. "I don't like feeling like this." He muttered. "I don't like feeling wrapped around a she-cat's paws. I don't like feeling weak." He looked away, sulking. "But...when I'm with her....I don't care."

[» &Göldιê™; «]

Goldendance's eyes softened as he spoke.

"Shiningheart means more than anything to me. If I had to leave the Clan to hear her voice, I would. If I had to be injured in a fight just to feel her fur against mine, I would. If I had to plot against the Clan to smell her scent, I would. If I had to be a mouse-brain, just to hear her laugh, then I would. And...And..." He shook his head. "If I had to leave the warrior code and become a kittypet to save her...to be with her...Then I would."

Goldendance's eyes fixed on him, and she felt completely alone as his eyes met hers.

"I don't like feeling like this. I don't like feeling wrapped around a she-cat's paws. I don't like feeling weak."

I'm in the same boat as you, Goldendance thought.

"But...when I'm with her....I don't care."

A small smile came to Goldendance. "I can relate to that. I fell that deep for Snowstorm when we were both apprentices. It was a really mushy-stuff oriented relationship, destiny of love and all, very cliche. But we loved each other. Then came his accident, with the rockslide, and he lost his eye and the use of one of his paws. I still loved him, he was the most wonderful person in the world to me, and I spent a lot of time in the medicine cat's den with him.

"But then... he disappeared. It was like the world being cracked in half. I couldn't talk for several days when they told me he was gone, and ever since then, I get angry a lot easier. Many say it broke me. But I'll never break. I'll go on living until StarClan beckons for me." Her gold eyes had begun to tear up just a little, but not with sadness for her loss.

She had never shed a tear in mourning because she knew that Snowstorm wouldn't have wanted that. It was all frustration that she couldn't tell Blizzardshard how she felt about him. But she felt wrapped around his paw too, just as he was wrapped around Shiningheart's. "If I was in your position," she said quietly, subdued, "I would tell Shiningheart how I felt."

[shiningheart]

Blizzardshard was shaking his head before Goldendance finished. "I can't." He protested weakly. "What if she doesn't like me the same way I like her? What if I'm too much of a brother for her to even fathom liking me? What if..." His voice shook with the effort of conveying his fears to Goldendance. He'd never thought of the she-cat as a close friend, only as a Clanmate. "What if I lose the best friend I've had for my entire life?"

[Honorable Riri]

Jackalwind crept around...not really paying attention to the two other cats; Goldendance and Blizzardshard. His ears twitched to the subject of the topic: love. Jackalwind shuddered. Love? It never worked for the young tom. He just let it roll off his pelt...like water of a duck's feathers. He decided to make himself known, however, since it would be rude to just creep around pretending to catch prey.
Jackalwind came out of the bushes and mewed, "Hello, Goldendance, Blizzardshard." Jackalwind sort of purred...what would be their reaction to his sudden appearance?[/size]

[shiningheart]

Blizzardshard snapped his head up at the sudden appearance of Jackelwind. His pelt prickled with alarm and his muscles stiffened. How much had his Clanmate heard? Trying to play it cool, he meowed calmly, "Hello Jackelwind. What are you doing out here?" Even as he said it, he knew he sounded like an idiot. It's his territory! He scolded himself silently. He's allowed to be here!

[Honorable Riri]

Jackalwind mewed, "I'm just hunting. I was passing by and was just hearing you two talking. Don't worry, I didn't hear much." Jackalwind seemed to notice Blizzardshard's sudden surprise and alarm at Jackalwind's appearance. "I'm sorry if I offended..." Jackalwind mewed, his eyes not changing from Blizzardshard's pelt.[/color]