Running is Futile (open)

[Semper]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac244/White_Haze_Photos/Iseeblackcatseverywhere1-1.jpg] He could not imagine having to live out in the open, and found himself extremely glad that he had not been born as a WindClan cat. The hot sun had no clouds to block it, much to the tom's dismay, but at least the trees of ShadowClan territory broke it up and provided some respite. Which was the reason why he could not imagine living in the moorland, with no trees to give shade from the sun. Hiddenheart paused in the shadow of a pine, scenting the air and looking around for any sign of prey. A seasoned warrior, he knew that he would have to use more senses that sight, but sometimes it was easier to look and see if prey had been there, before going into full hunter mode. With no visible sign of prey, the tom fell back on scent, opening his mouth to scent the air. The faint rabbit scent told him that one had crossed this path. Turning, Hiddenheart followed the scent, his black pelt blending in and out of the shadows. As it grew stronger, the tom lowered himself closer to the ground, until he finally inched forward one paw step at a time. He could see the rabbit ahead of him, and moved forward one more time. Hiddenheart was now close enough to pounce. Just as he prepared to pounce, the rabbit looked up and saw him. Fox dung! It turned to run, back feet pushing it foward. Feeling his well-trained muscles move with something now close to instinct, the tom leaped forward a few paces before pouncing, claws unsheathed. With a quick bite to the neck, the black warrior broke the rabbit's neck, not allowing it any time to make a panicked cry. Once Hiddenheart was sure that it was dead, he dropped the limp body at his paws. The tom straightened up and looked around. It was still mid-morning, and the day so far had proved to be successful. He decided to return to camp and drop off the rabbit, before going back out to hunt. Maybe another cat would join him... Not that he cared, the tom told himself. Decision made, Hiddenheart picked up his prey and started back toward camp.

[( LOST )]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,380,true]

[atrb=background,http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac244/White_Haze_Photos/black-cat-eerie_5827_600x450aa.jpg] The day was young, yet the morning's breeze whispered promises of a hot day to come. The sun had already begun its ascend into the sky, each heart beat growing slightly warmer than the last. The ebony tom took refuge in the shades of Shadowclan, a slithering shadow in the darkened haze. Liquid honey hues narrowed as the shadow warrior stepped into a leak of light, feeling the sun's warmth through a break in the branches. Onyxstar breathed in the fresh morning air before raising his head and padding onward. The tom's paws tingled as he felt the pine needs against his pads, carrying him farther from the heart of the camp. Being cramped within the place they called home was not something Onyxstar coped well with. This was a tom of isolation, he liked the silence, the alone time, and a moment to hear his own thoughts loud and clear. You couldn't always get that within the Shadowclan camp. The tall ebony warrior exhaled, banishing any doubts or worries that may have previously plagued his mind. A yawn danced at the edge of his lips before his jaws opened wide. Onyxstar padded forward at a luxurious pace, taking the moment to delve into his thoughts. Amber eyes sunk to the earthen floor and all the guarding walls toppled down. It was not until the mouth watering aroma of a rabbit and the careful prods of pawsteps that Onyxstar was snapped from his thoughts. He lifted his head, looking up just in time to see the shadowy form of Hiddenheart. A ghost of a dazzle played across the leader's maw, force of habit. He paused in his pacing, tipping his head in the slightest nods of greeting. "Greetings, Hiddenheart." A rough purr rumbled in the lanky tom's jest, honey hues fixating on the dark warrior. "Providing well for your clan, I see, well done." Hiddenheart was similar to Onyxstar in many ways. The warrior tended not to put himself close to others, from what the leader had observed. The ebony tom idly wondered if his warrior had a she-cat of his own. Hm, the thought was intriguing. Perhaps Onyxstar should pay more attention to the lives of his clan mates.

[Semper]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac244/White_Haze_Photos/Iseeblackcatseverywhere1-1.jpg] "Greeings, Hiddenheart." The tom's head shot up at the sound of the voice, claws unsheathing instinctively and muscles tensing, ready to fight. Almost immediately, he recognised the cat and relaxed, setting down the rabbit and silently rebuking himself. Hiddenheart should not have been that surprised; he should have heard the other cat's pawsteps before he moved that close. Amber eyes watched the black tom, noting, with some curiosity, that his leader looked satisfied, a small smile flitting across his face. In the back of his mind, the warrior wondered what was so satisfying. Perhaps it was just ShadowClan's good fortune, as prey was not scarce and no cat went to sleep hungry at night. Any leader would be happy with that. Hiddenheart dipped his head in greeting. "Hello, Onyxstar," the ebon feline replied politely, his tail flicking lightly. He had stopped in a patch of sun to address his leader, and now he was beginning to feel its heat upon his back. Sensing that there might be a conversation, he moved out of the sun, stepping into the shadow of a tree, letting out a soft sigh as he did so. Hiddenheart really did not hate the sun, he preferred it to rain, but sometimes the heat was too much. "Providing well for your clan, I see, well done." Allowing a small smile to flit across his features, the tom nodded slightly, amber eyes glancing down at the rabbit before looking back up at Onyxstar. "Thank you," He replied modestly, his mind wandering back to camp and the mouths his catch would feed. "The prey is plentiful, and there is a lot of it to catch." The black warrior wondered if Onyxstar would catch his subtle comment that he was not incredibly talented; he did not consider it extremely amazing that he had caught a rabbit with so much prey around. This was his take at modesty, despite his natural affinity to hunting. Hiddenheart did not dwell on that for long, however. Instead, he moved the conversation forward, asking politely, "What brings you out here, Onyxstar?" OOC: How do you do that picture thing?

[( LOST )]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,380,true]

[atrb=background,http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac244/White_Haze_Photos/black-cat-eerie_5827_600x450aa.jpg] Perhaps there was a trace of surprise that followed the leader's voice, as the ebony warrior's head shot up like the tail of a white tailed deer. Even if there had been an element of surprise to Onyxstar's arrival, Hiddenheart, notorious to his name, hid it well. Within a matter of heart beats, the raven black warrior's muscles relaxed and lethal claws fell back into the sheathes. Shortly followed, camp the composure, and Hiddenheart was responding courteously to Onyxstar's greeting. The warrior shrouded himself into shadow after that, taking refuge from the promising sun. The lanky leader found himself squinting up at the peeking light through the pines' branches, a slight irritation rising in the hollow of his chest at the heat such a sun could bring, and the problems that often followed. But today, was not a 'problem day'. Shadowclan did not need to worry about a doubt in the dry season, at least not yet anyway. Prey was in abundance, and the clan would go to sleep with full stomachs tonight. Hiddenheart was modest in his replies, as though the duty he was providing his clan were of little importance. A hint of amusement played across Onyxstar's expression. There was no need for modesty, not here, not now. Shadowclan was a proud clan, and thusly each warrior deserved every thanks they received. "Yes, the prey is plentiful this time of season." Onyxstar echoed, taken into thought just briefly. "Yet I am proud to see my warriors maintaining their duties to their clan. It lets me think that Shadowclan can make it through the toughest of times, because I have loyal warriors like you." Though the tom might have sugar coated his words ever so slightly, the shadow warrior spoke in truth. How was his clan ever to believe in him, if he did not in them? There would be no unity in that, and Shadowclan would crumble at even the slightest of winds. Hiddenheart spoke now, pushing the conversation onward. Onyxstar grinned ever so slightly, lifting his shoulders into what could have passed as a feline-ish shrug. He sat back on his haunches then, looping his tail around narrow ebony paws. "Oh, I don't know. I figured I could get a little breathing room, out here in the pines. It's still dawn yet, I suppose I wouldn't be missed, for a little bit anyway." Onyxstar was a tom of isolation, time alone was very much valued. It was the apprentices that really got him, as crazy as that might have sounded. The bouncy, needy little things. At least the warriors had mellowed out, they could very much handle themselves without direction. Today, however, Onyxstar found himself not minding the company of Hiddenheart, because unlike most felines, Hiddenheart wasn't eccentric and over the top. ooc: oh, haha. it's mostly just coding. i can make one for ya, if you want. ^^

[Semper]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac244/White_Haze_Photos/Iseeblackcatseverywhere1-1.jpg] Ducking his head slightly, Hiddenheart hid the small, embarassaed smile pulling at his lips at the leader's compliments. He prefered to stay out of the spotlight and stalk the shadows it cast, rather than be thrust in the middle with everyone watching him, but he knew how to take a compliment fairly well. Looking back up at the leader, amber orbs met Onyxstar's gaze and thier owner nodded."Thank you, and ShadowClan has many loyal and talented warriors, which is partly why we are so strong." With the topic successfully changed, Hiddenheart realized that he had left the rabbit behind, and glanced over to it, making sure that it was still there and hadn't come back to life and run off or something. He had no reason to go retrieve it now, while he and Onyxstar spoke, so he stayed put, eyes going back to the leader. The action might look rude, or like he was trying to escape, which he wasn't, for he found that he actually enjoyed this conversation. Their similarities made him appreciate the conversation; they were two quiet cats who, by Onyxstar's reply, both enjoyed their solitude. Hiddenheart nodded his understanding at his leader's words. "I can relate. The camp can get a little crowded... and loud." Using hunting as an excuse, the tom remembered many times he had fled to the sheltered quiet of the forest. Often he became fed up and annoyed by the kits cries and excite yowls or just the general noise that always came with camp-life. So he had sought refuge in the forest, with peace and quiet his only companions, where he could think and have some time alone. Solitude and privacy were nice, sometimes. "Most cats probably aren't up yet, actually," Hiddenheart continued, tail flicking. "I don't think they realize how peaceful the early morning can be..." His voice trailed off as his eyes wandered up to the tree tops, noticing the sunlight filtering through the pine branches and needles. The forest really was underappreciated, the tom mused as his gaze left the trees. Many cats used it only to stalk prey and hunt, or perhaps mark the border at the base of a pine. They did not notice the beauty that it had, despite the darkness that the pine branches often provided. OOC: sure, if you don't mind. =D

[( LOST )]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,380,true]

[atrb=background,http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac244/White_Haze_Photos/black-cat-eerie_5827_600x450aa.jpg] A mild grin plucked at the corners of the ebony warrior's maw as Hiddenheart commented on Shadowclan's strong warriors. Onyxstar nodded, and he couldn't help but beam at such a remark. "Yes, Shadowclan has many loyal and strong warriors to be proud of." The shadow warrior spoke in an even, slow drawl. He took pride in his warriors, in the clan and home he could call his and theirs. Shadowclan had a unity about them, which would certainly pay off in a time of need. By now, the topic had long since moved on. Hiddenheart, as expected, related to the tom. The camp could get overwhelming, stuffy, and all around hectic. Sometimes it was nice to just step back and breathe in the silence. Now, Onyxstar was nodding in agreement, amber hues flickering at the warrior's glance to his kill. The rabbit was mangle and lifeless, the aftermath of a fine hunter at work. At such a glance, the tall ebony tom found himself feeling a tad bit guilty. Not in the lost life of a rabbit. Not in the kill. But the fact Onyxstar was sitting here, doing absolutely nothing. Hiddenheart, at least, had the audacity to hunt in his spare time. The leader was only stalling such an act. His clan mate's voice had Onyxstar's straying thoughts whipped back into shape. Again, light amber hues looked back to the shadowy warrior as a mild smile painted its way upon his lips. "You're quite right! I don't know about you, but it's these quiet mornings that help to get me through the day. Dawn is quite marvelous, if you ask me." Dawn and dusk. Onyxstar's most favored times. Perhaps these were the births of change. Night and day. Light and dark. Or perhaps it was simply the tranquility of these changes. After all, not many changes could happen in this forest without a sign of repercussion. Day and night could change into one another so easily, with little damage. One wasn't always able to see that. Even the change of seasons, had their down sides. From the harsh cold to the boil droughts. Even changes among the clans had their risks. Now, Onyxstar was looking up to the tree tops, tracking the sun's route in the heavens. When he looked back to Hiddenheart, the ebony tom was heaving to his paws. "You were hunting, yes? I hope I did not interrupt you." ooc: awesome, i sent it to you via message!

[Semper]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac244/White_Haze_Photos/Iseeblackcatseverywhere1-1.jpg] Nodding in agreement to Onyxstar's words, Hiddenheart idly noted the similarity between them, or at least, a partial similarity. Though both took refuge in the forest, Onyxstar preferred the dawn. While dawn was a nice time, especially the moment of silence as the night animals quieted and before the day animals rose, Hiddenheart found that he enjoyed a later time. "That is understandable." Hiddenheart could not prevent the small smile that touched the corners of his lips. "However, while dawn is a nice time, I find that I prefer the late afternoon, just as the sun starts to set. Usually cats start to return to camp at that time, to visit with others and share tongues, so the forest is also quiet." And the shadows were long, providing many places to hide, should he need or want to. Though the bird song and the day animals still made noise, he also noticed that that time of day made for decent hunting as well. Prey started to return to their dens, and because they were on the move, it made for intersting hunting. Practically a natural hunter, Hiddenheart enjoyed a challenge, verses the all to often sneak-up-and-pounce tactic. Inwardly, the tom snorted at his leader's next words, asking if he had been hunting. Idly, the warrior wondered if Onyxstar could perhaps read minds, but instantly dismissed the ridiculous thought. Of course not: no cat could, whether a leader, warrior or medicine cat. Realizing that he had yet to answer, Hiddenheart nodded. "Yes, I was hunting, but it's not that important. The clan, because of the plentiful prey, is well-fed and I hardly need to hunt the prey to extinction." With his love of hunting, sometimes the tom considered it a realistic worry. "You did not interrupt anything either, for I was about to return to camp and drop this off. Did you want something?"