Dark Sunrise [open]

[Wrenstar]

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[scrolly:h(244),w(550),sy][atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/7mMA.png] The sky at Wrenstar's back was hung with clouds, deep and dark. The land of the Clans lay in deepest shadow, the forests wrought with danger, the world ruled by darkness. A gentle rain caressed DawnClan's territory. Wrenstar's fur was buffeted by the wind and the rain, but she remained still, a statue carved of determination and faith. She didn't look over her shoulder or glance around. Her gaze was directed over the cliffs, across the sun-drown-place, to the sunrise. As the burning light rose into view, it scattered rays of perfect sunshine over the unending water, turning the inky water into a sheet of cascading, rippling reds and blues. For a second, the young leader just let the peace of the sunrise sink into her mind, its ambience giving her the inner serenity she needed to start the day. Then she turned and bounded into camp, jumping up onto a high branch above the warriors' den. There she settled, deep in thought as she watched her Clan begin to stir. The sun was just above the horizon and a single beam of light filtered through the leafy canopy which formed the camp's roof, shining down into the middle of the centre clearing. The scene could be taken, she mused, as a metaphor for the world. A shadow had lain over the world since before Wrenstar had been born; far over the horizon, perhaps, the world was a better place. But DawnClan knew, everybody knew, the only way to win this would be to destroy the Higher Cats once and for all. DawnClan was still watching, still waiting, but Wrenstar was determined. It would be her Clan, in her reign, that would begin the return of the light. She didn't know when. For now, they would continue watching, continue waiting. But Wrenstar was ready. She sat back against the tree trunk, feeling the cool bark against her back. The day was beginning. It wasn't a particularly special morning, or a particularly special day, but Wrenstar prized it in her heart. Today, the sunrise had been beautiful, and that was enough for her. [/scrolly]

[Hollyfrost]

Hollyfrost yawned, stretching as she got up from her bed of moss. She stepped outside and blinked at the beautiful mess of soft colours that was the sunrise. It was one of those rare times when you could see the moon as well as the sun, hanging there, still clinging on. The stark silence was broken only by a few bird chirps. Trees loomed in the distance and the young she-cat could smell the morning dew.
Hollyfrost looked up from the mouth of the warriors' den and saw Wrenstar perched on the branch above it. She knew she should rouse the morning patrol, and even though she didn't want to, there was no way Hollyfrost could get past the watchful eyes of her leader. So she stepped into the open and looked up at her.
"Should I wake the dawn patrol?" Hollyfrost asked.

(dawn patrol should be hard... we're the only cats in Dawnclan. )

[Wrenstar]

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[scrolly:h(244),w(550),sy][atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/7mMA.png] Wrenstar looked down to see her deputy's head poking out of the den's entrance. She let a grin flit across her features and watched Hollyfrost as the cat stepped out into the open and looked up at Wrenstar. "Shall I wake the dawn patrol?" Hollyfrost asked. Wrenstar smiled as she stood up on the branch and with an irreverent mockery of a ceremonial tone, Wrenstar answered, "All cats of DawnClan hear as I speak! Today's dawn patrol will be Wrenshadow and Hollyfrost." Wrenstar jumped down from the branch and padded over to the camp entrance, her eyes glittering with suppressed laughter. The little cat wasn't one to stand on ceremony, and preferred to joke around and have everybody feel relaxed around their leader. She was hungry, and she needed a stretch after getting up so early to watch the sunrise. The dawn patrol would be a perfect excuse to stretch her legs and catch any mouse that dared cross her path. [/scrolly]

[Hollyfrost]

(we should take this RP to Dawnclan territory, right?)

Hollyfrost laughed at Wrenstar' mock ceremony and sighed with relief. She hadn't been looking forward to waking her fellow warriors and apprentices- they weren't the morning type.
Hollyfrost followed Wrenstar out the camp entrance. A bird was perched on a tree branch, but there was easier prey to be had. As they set out to the border, the bird flew away.
"Where first, Wrenstar?" Hollyfrost asked.

[Burningpaw]

While the two had the conversation, something in the shadows stirred, trying to be quiet, trying not to be curious...but eventually curiosity got the better of him.

Burningkit poked his fuzzy head out, his glinting eyes straining in the dark, straining to adjust. As the shadowy dawn light eventually allowed his eyes to see, he gasped. He had never been outside of the camp so early before - and, in the dim lighting, the world changed, took on a strange beauty. He almost gasped, until he heard the voices of two cats.

He glanced over at Hollyfrost and Wrenstar and sighed longingly. He wanted to be a warrior too! Why COULDN'T he be one already?

Sulking, he plopped himself down on a pile of leaves. Then he realized that the rustling had probably made a noise. And yelped. And jumped up. And became suddenly very, very nervous about the leader and deputy seeing him.

[Wrenstar]

((OOC: Threads remain where they were started even if the cats in the thread move))

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[scrolly:h(244),w(550),sy][atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/7mMA.png] Wrenstar nodded and the two cats proceeded out of the camp entrance. Wrenstar took the lead, tail held high and feeling on top of the world, leader of DawnClan, lord of her domain. She always loved to lead patrols- there was a special place in her heart for dawns, and leading dawn patrols, and bits of fluffy grass, and all sorts of things. Wrenstar was a quirky cat, and if she only knew one thing in the world, she knew how to take joy in the little things. The little cat breathed in the morning air deeply. "Where first, Wrenstar?" she heard Hollyfrost ask behind her. Wrenstar wiped the thoughtful moment from her mind, forcing herself to concentrate. "Let's go up along the cliffs," Wrenstar replied. "It'll give us a chance to watch the sunrise and hunt something. Then we'll turn right at just past the river and take a look down our NeverClan border, then head south, check near the big Twolegplace, and head back to camp." DawnClan shared only one border with any other Clan, and that was a short stretch of Thunderpath, the other side of which lay NeverClan- as such, they could afford to be more liberal in where they patrolled, though they always made sure to send out patrols. It was, after all, the warrior code. Wrenstar spun as she heard a small sound and sighed as she heard a yelp which was undeniably Burningkit's. "Come out," she called sternly. "Burningkit, how many times?" [/scrolly]

[Hayden]

Hollyfrost smiled as she heard Wrenstar scold Burningkit. By her count, this was the third time that the mischievous tom had sneaked out. It had become a sort of Dawnclan inside joke. Turning around to stand behind Wrenstar, she winked at the young kit.

[Burningpaw]

Burningkit looked shyly down at his paws. "S-sorr....."

He paused. "Wait a second. Are you going on a dawn patrol? OH, CAN I COME TOO, JUST THIS ONE? I promise I would make a good warrior! I'm a brave hunter and I'm a good fighter and I can kill anything!" He looked around frantically, then attacked a beetle. "LIKE THIS! RAWR!"\

Clawing hpyerly at the beetle, he managed to get the squirming thing into his mouth and looked back up to the two cats. "Om om!" He said through the bug.

[Hayden]

Hollyfrost looked away to hide the tears in her eyes from laughing. Burningkit may be a nuisance sometimes, but he sure could cheer you up. Looking back, Hollyfrost shook her head. "Maybe next time, Burningkit," She lied.

[Burningpaw]

Burningkit felt something hot rise in his throat. "Awwwwwwwww...." He sniffeled a few times, and for a second he thought he was going to cry.

But two seconds later, he changed his mind.

"Okay! But sometime soon, right? YAY!!!!!!" He jumped up and down with exitement and dashed back into the camp, leaving the two older cats to talk for themselves.

[Everpaw]

Everkit yawned as she got up. Burningkit was there talking to Wrenstar and Hollyfrost- probably begging yet again to tag along with dawn patrol.
Pawing at the line of ants trailing beneath her tail, Everkit bounced over to Burningkit. "Hi, Burningkit!" She said happily.

[Burningpaw]

"Harumph." Still a little upset about not getting promoted to a warrior on the spot, Burningkit plopped his butt down on the ground...when he heard the greeting of someone else.

"OhmygoshHIEVERKIT!" Burningkit said, immediatly jumping up. He gave a little mrrow of happiness and quickly pounced on Everkit's waving tail - but jumping back off when he saw the ants.

"Hihihihi! What are you doing? Are you playing a game? Can I play too? I LIKE GAMES!" he blurted out.

[Wrenstar]

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[scrolly:h(244),w(550),sy][atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/7mMA.png] Wrenstar laughed happily as she saw the kits playing. The younger cats of her Clan always helped her forget her worries and today was no exception. They were so carefree, so unaware of all the troubles that plagued the young leader. Sometimes she wished she could just forget her leaderly dignity and mess around with them. In fact, sometimes she did. Not now, however. Wrenstar was intent on the dawn patrol. "Oh, Hollyfrost, I don't know," she said, amused. "We could always take them a metre or two out of camp, show them the sunrise. Dawn patrol's late already, it being five minutes later won't cause any harm." Taking kits along or not, Wrenstar was eager to get going. She needed to move, do some stretching, catch a mouse. The little tabby was just about over the early-morning-calm stage and needed to drain some energy, or she really would start playing around with the kits. And even Wrenstar avoided doing that when she was about to go on a dawn patrol with her deputy. After all, dawn patrols were in the warrior code, and as such they were one of the very few things Wrenstar took completely seriously. [/scrolly]

[Burningpaw]

(Burningkit decided to let Laila post next, as he was trying to mantain posting order.)

[Everpaw]

Everkit grinned at Burningkit's response. "No, I'm not playing a game, but do you want to play one? Like butterfly chasing?" She said excitedly. "Oh, or we could pretend to battle Neverclan!" Everkit growled menacingly. Or at least, she thought it was menacing.

[Hollyfrost]

Hollyfrost stared at Wrenstar, wondering if the leader was just messing around or possibly had an overdose of poppy seeds. She decided to go with the former. Stepping completely out of camp, she caught a whiff of rabbit in the air. "So, the cliffs?" Hollyfrost asked in a slightly dejected tone. She had wanted to go to the Thunderpath.

(OOC: PLEASE can we go to the Thunderpath, Cali? The encounter with the Doctor should be fun... *cackles*)

[Wrenstar]

((OOC: You can be in multiple threads at once, Aleth. It'za called liquid time. Take a look at the Rules
Also posting order for this thread is order of appearance, it's been messed up so let's re-establish it as Wren, Holly, Burny, Ever))

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[scrolly:h(244),w(550),sy][atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/7mMA.png] Wrenstar smiled a bit as she watched the kits continue to chat, then turned back to Hollyfrost, catching her deputy staring at her with a weird look in her eyes. Wrenstar watched the cat as she stepped completely out of camp, wondering what she'd been thinking, then followed her, smelling rabbit on the breeze. "So, the cliffs?" Hollyfrost asked, and this time Wrenstar caught clear dejection in her voice. She frowned. What was making Hollyfrost act so weirdly all of a sudden? Shaking the thoughts from her head, she replied, "Yes." Wrenstar trotted out of camp, the earth firm beneath her feet and the wind in her fur. She was worried about Hollyfrost- she'd known her for a long time but only recently appointed her deputy, and she didn't know what was making her act strange this morning. Never mind, Wrenstar mused. I know she's loyal and smart- that's all that really matters. Already, though, Wrenstar was wishing she could return to the early morning cliffs with that beautiful sunrise, where it was peaceful and none of the hassle of the day could touch her. Oh well. She bent her mind and focused on the dawn patrol. [/scrolly]

((OOC: Sorry for the short posts... got no muse... now the two groups of cats, Wren & Holly and Burny & Ever, are separating, I think it works best if after Holly's next post, Burny and Ever take two posts each, skipping Holly and Wren, and then Holly and Wren's next posts document them returning to camp from dawn patrol. That way the thread all stays in one place. OK with all?))

[Hollyfrost]

Hollyfrost shook her head slightly and tried to clear her mind. "Okay, the cliffs," she confirmed with renewed cheeriness in her voice. She followed after Wrenstar in the direction of their destination, feeling strangely energised all of the sudden.

[Burningpaw]

"OH! YES! PRETEND BATTLE! PRETEND BATTLE! I LOVE PRETEND BATTLE!" Burningkit squealed. Quickly, he dashed away from Everkit, spun around, and raised his hindquarters up in the air, ready to "attack".

"Ooh. I'll be the NeverClan cat! Do you want to be the DawnClan cat?" Without waiting for a response, he attempted to pounce on her. "I am Mouse-brainshadow of NeverClan! RAWR! PREPARE TO DIE!"

[Everpaw]

"Okay! I'll be Dawnclan." Everkit said, dodging Burningkit's "attack" and swatting at him with her paw. "Rawr! DIE NEVERCLAN!"