Tangled in the Great Escape [tagged]

[Glorilyss]

Rebellion had always been a fundamental part of her biology, though the only difference from the norm that one could see at first glance were the luminous violet eyes set in a cream face. The youth was large, easily mistaken for a newly-named apprentice, filled with all of the brash self-importance of an apprentice buoyed up on dreams and visions of grandeur. Of course, she was not quite six-moons old, and that much was evident by the wide-eyed look of wonder on the finely-sculpted face and the slight puff of fur along her back and tail. Brave? Yes. Stupid? Maybe a little. but even still, she was careful out in the great beyond, little pink nose twitching furiously at every puff of wind that brought the faintest hint of new scent to her.

Had she been younger, there was little chance she could have made the long trek in as short a time as she had - or at all. but she was nearly an apprentice, she kept telling herself, she was practically a 'paw as it was, and if they could leave camp, there was certainly nothing that could stop her from doing the same thing. Besides, despite the cream-puff colored fur that she wore, she was all but a shadow; quiet, sullen, usually isolated from the games that went on. A perfect model for the typical suburban teenager, she would have been completely unnoticeable had it not been from the vivid wisteria-colored eyes and larger-than-average build she possessed. Still, no one paid attention to her ever - why would they care if she went out? 'They wouldn't even notice if I died!' she added mutinously, a tender kitten heart struggling against the bone-deep sadness of the thought and materializing in a violent streak of rebellion. She didn't care! She didn't care about any of that!

Because of her ignorance, the she-cat wandered on, never knowing the different scents that filtered through her jaws. She didn't understand when a deeper, earthier scent wafted over her, though the difference did make her stop. In fact, she had just been about to continue on her adventure when she came across thick, flowering clump of weeds, liberally applied with the same leaf-mold scent from before. While she didn't know the individual scents of Clans, she did know enough about the borders to potentially clue in to the fact that maybe she was somewhere she shouldn't be. Of course, this only inflamed her curiosity more. Maybe if she stayed near the border, she would see a warrior from a different Clan! Then she could tell everyone, and they'd listen to her!

ooc: Twix

[Twix]

Firelight was out and about in the early morning sunshine. The light ginger she-cat was prone to waking up early, constantly trying to find time to wander off and do, well, nothing. Nothing in particular, at least. To her though, it was always some kind of adventure. Exploring far parts of the territory. Always looking for something, from new herbs, new sights and sounds, something unseen before. This time her adventure would be unlike most before. As she wandered around near the border in her search, a scent drifted towards her. Not a new scent to her, oh no, she knew this scent well. The scent of a cat from the neighboring clan, Sunsetclan.

Surprisingly, the she-cat was calm as the scent washed over her. Their was only one scent on the breeze, and her kind nature told her there was no reason to be angry. Maybe just another cat, out for a morning walk? Someone else who shared her adventurous spirit? The thought of this may have been her first instinct, but that didn't mean it was true. She knew the real anger between them, between all enemy clans, and the battles. Her mind swam with the thoughts of the battles she had seen, and her blood ran cold. She gave a shudder, and her tail-tip began twitching nervously. Cautiously, she padded off towards the border.

Nearing her destination, she caught sight of a large clump of bushes and stalked over towards them. The border would be right on the other side, and she would be able to take a quick peek of who was skulking around. Making sure to move silently, she settled herself behind them and looked through the leaves. Once she saw the cat who had managed to spook the ginger she-cat, she couldn't help but let out a small purr of amusement. It was only an apprentice, newly appointed as it looked. Another adventurous soul, it seems. As the thought passed through her mind, another scent tickled her nose. The warm, sweet smell of milk. Or was this really an adventuring kit, far from the camp? Well, Firelight would have to find out. If this was a kit, there was no way she could just walk away now. The little kit would need someone to make sure she got home, safely. Firelight knew, despite her size, she would be tired from her trek this far from home. She pushed herself out through the bushes and padded calmly towards the border. Towards the cream she-kit. Before getting close, Firelight stopped to mew a friendly greeting. "Hello, little one.", she purred cheerily.

[Glorilyss]

Despite all of her earlier intentions to diligently await the arrival of enemy warriors, it quickly became clear to the youth that this was going to be a boring task. Even still, despite her waning attention and desire to be back in her nest at the moment - after all, shadows were sparse, even this close to the border - she determined to stick it out. She could certainly wait for any cats to come on by. Besides, it would make for such a better story than that she'd gone to the border but had left before any real action occurred - not that anyone would listen to her, she thought sullenly, eyes turning down the grass between her paws.

The early-morning sunlight dappled over the buff-and-ginger-tabby's fur, sparking glints of gold and fire as the trees overhead moved in an unfocused pattern, whispering secrets in a language long forgotten. For a short while, Spark-kit amused herself by chewing on her toes, trying to get out the ever-present sand in her fur. Sure, she was of SunsetClan, but that didn't mean she had to like all of that grit, did it? Besides, it irritated the thin skin beneath her fur. Wrapped up in her own thoughts, idly wondering if she should find something to hunt and bring back to camp, the apprentice-sized kit really didn't notice that someone had crept up on her for several moments - not until a voice broke the gentle tone of the morning.

"Hello, little one."

Spark-kit leaped to her paws, momentarily tangling herself in the aforementioned chewed toes, tail whipping out to balance herself as she climbed into an upright position. Violently violet eyes snapped to the other cat, standing out against the sand-pale shade of her cheeks. They devoured the other warrior's body, taking in the elegant lines of limb and fur and tail before swarming up her neck to her face. At that point, all of Spark-kit's irritable nature came rushing back. "I'm not exactly little," she pointed out brazenly, puffing out her fur and trying to make herself look bigger than she was. "What are you doing here? This is our territory!" Despite her best efforts, her voice rose to a squeak on 'our,' causing a flood of heat to the kit's ears. Still, she pretended like she'd given the warrior her best terrifying growl, eyes sparking lavender and indigo.

[Twix]

Firelight stifled a purr at the kit's reply. "No, of course not. Forgive me." The ginger she-cat stayed where she was and took a seat, wrapping her bright orange tail around her paws. The kit was doing her best to hold up clan rivalries, ferociously defensive. Though, what else did she expect? Not many cats were like her. Maybe that was a good thing? Nevertheless, she continued on with her friendly attitude. "I could ask you the same thing. Last time I checked, I'm still on my own territory."

[Glorilyss]

Spark-kit was completely thrown off her game by the calm, collected tone of the she-cat before her. Well, not that she'd had any game to begin with, but still. She eyed the older cat warily, back half-hunched in a typically freaked-cat position, the strip of her fur along her spine sticking up in a patchwork of places. She looked, overall, a little ridiculous, sort of like someone who reads about open-heart surgery in a book trying to replicate it with no actual training. In short, the result was ridiculous and not a little messy. Despite the warrior's gentle tone and obvious lack of hostility, Spark-kit could not make herself calm down. Partly it was the training that all kits receive before they even understand that they are being molded: defend the Clan, at the cost of your life if necessary. You may have friendships with cats from other Clans, but your loyalty must remain to your Clan, as one day you may meet them in battle.

As the warrior mentioned that she was on her own territory, Spark-kit paused, baffled. Huh. That was odd. So that scent was the border! Thrilled that she knew what was going on now, though equally confused and feeling a familiar sense of awkwardness for such utter stupidity, she blinked and glanced at her paws. "Yeah, well," she started lamely, then fell silent, realizing that she didn't know how to follow up on that path. Instead, lilac-eyed face ablaze with sullen irritation, she shuffled her forepaws. "That's where you should stay. Because, well, I'm nicer than my Clanmates." Which was a bit of fluff; SunsetClan was filled with pushovers, in her eyes, but oh well. "Honestly, you're really lucky you got me and not some warrior." She said the words almost reproachfully, as if the older feline should be more careful next time.

[Twix]

Firelight couldn't help when her gaze filled with amusement, and she had to stifle a laugh at the kit's appearance. As if she thinks I'm going to attack at any moment! To reinforce the fact that the ginger she-cat wasn't going anywhere, she flopped down onto her belly and gave a large stretch. She began rhythmically licking her ginger and white fur as if she was in camp. Not many cats could resist the calming atmosphere that seemed to follow Firelight wherever she went. After a few moments she mewed softly, "You don't have to worry. I'm not going to attack you or anything. I promise.

She flashed a warm smile across the border to the little she-cat. Firelight watched as, what she thought was a kit, stared down at the border as if she had never seen it before. This pretty much reinforced that her guess was correct, and suddenly realization flashed in the little ginger kit's eyes. So this is her first time seeing it, and only now realized what it is. No wonder she thought I was trespassing! She had to stifle another purr of amusement. She listened as the kit began to speak, and this time she couldn't help herself. The amused purr came bursting out of her for a moment before finally responding. "Oh yes, of course. Very lucky indeed I should say. May I ask, what brings you to the border?"

[Glorilyss]

While the she-cat's owrds calmed her a bit that she wasn't meaning to attack, Spark-kit couldn't calm down much more than smoothing half of her ruffled fur - of course, leaving the other half ruffled. She frowned intensely at the ginger-and-white cat before her, pacing a bit to rid herself of her agitation. Could she trust her? Surely, the warrior code warned against hurting kits, but did she think she was a kit? Did the warrior code warn against hurting apprentices? She couldn't recall, though she'd tried so hard to be the perfect apprentice-to-be. Still, she knew she was large enough to be a young apprentice. Maybe she should play off of that, she decided, and deal with what came next later. After all, maybe the older cat was right. Maybe she wasn't going to hurt her at all. but still, as a cat from another Clan, she wasn't sure that she could trust that at all. Maybe better to be cautious, then.

As the older cart let out a purr filled with laughter and humor, Spark-kit felt her fur bristle. She probably did think she was nothing more than a kit! Well, she'd show her! Puffing out her chest again, determined not to let the sense of calm that radiated from the ginger, she narrowed violet eyes at the newcomer. "I came because my mentor gave me the morning off," she puffed, thinking a lie would surely work. After all, were LeafClan cats clever enough to know a lie from the truth? Were SunsetClan cats clever enough, for that matter? She pushed the thought away. "I'm Sparkpaw," she lied easily, daring the older cat to challenge her. "And you?"

[Twix]

Firelight's gaze was still lit with amusement, but she had managed to stop her purr. She had to admit the young cat's determination was great. She would make a good apprentice, and a great warrior when the time came. "Oh, I see. That was quite nice of your mentor." The ginger she-cat went along with her, but she still felt sure she was only a kit. Still, she looked as if she would be an apprentice very soon. So why not let her bask in the glory? It warmed Firelight's heart to see the depths of the young cat's loyalty to her clan. She only hoped that the she-kit would learn to listen with her heart, and her head one day. As it seemed right now, her mind was winning, along with the traditional, inborn suspicious of any cat but those from her own clan. Maybe one day she will see passed that too, as Firelight did long ago. "My name is Firelight. Nice to meet you, Sparkpaw."

[Glorilyss]

Spark-kit frowned, still uncertain about this enemy warrior's apparent goodwill towards her. Why should she be so kind? Why should she courteous, and not chasing Spark-kit from the border? Wasn't that what warriors were supposed to do? Wasn't that, technically, what she, Spark-kit, should be doing? 'but then, I'm just a kit, and I can hardly chase off a warrior!'[/b][/I] she thought sullenly, darting a glance at her little paws. Well, then, she'd gotten what she'd come for, certainly? Couldn't she leave now? "I think my mentor will be wanting me home now," she decided to reply, lifting her eyes to Firelight's face. Though eyes, so violet, so unusual, so focused, hardly quavered with her lies. "It was nice to meet you, Firelight," she replied, admittedly with the manners she had learned but a touch of reproach, "but I believe that we should both be getting back to our camps." Brave words for a scrap of a kit. Nodding once, she took a step backward, and then added quickly, "I'll tell my Clan that the border was safe if you promise not to trespass."

[Twix]

Firelight raised herself to a sitting position now. Giving a small nod and a soft mew, "That would be best. Be safe, and may Starclan light your path." The ginger she-cat was still worried about the kit's chances of getting home, but it had seemed that she had regained her energy. The sun had rose high into the sky, and she figured the little she-kit would be alright. I hope so. She couldn't offer to walk her back to camp, that would look much too suspicious, especially after going along with the lie that she was really an apprentice. She just had to believe that she would get home safely. Starclan watch over her. She raised herself to her paws and turned away as she began to move backwards, further into her own territory. Firelight glanced over her shoulder to watch her go. Flicking her tail, she gave a small purr, "I would never dream of trespassing. I promise." It came out as quiet and as friendly as everything Firelight said, and with that, she bounded off into the birch forest of Leafclan.