ShadowClan Camp

The ShadowClan Camp is thickly enclosed with brambles, ferns, bracken, and pine trees. The leaders den is a cave with a narrow opening that widens out to a larger cave. The elders den is in an old badger set while the apprentices sleep in an old fox den. The nusery is hidden beneath a small bush with an opening and the warriors den is in a fallen tree trunk. The medicine den is in between arching fronds of fern, shutting out the sky and wind.

Longstripe strode into the Camp, carrying a two squirrels by their tails. He dropped them in the fresh-kill pile and arched his back in a luxurious stretched. He sighed. He had only been appointed deputy a few moons ago but it felt like he'd been doing it for seasons! The elders say he was to ambitious since he knew what to do as soon as he was appointed. Ye, he was ambitious, but for his Clan to be great again. He was glad he had left those mange-old fox-hearts RiverClan behind. For all he cared, they lost a valuable warrior. ShadowClan was his new home now. And thats that.

Willowdance emerged from the warriors den, her blue eyes bright. Shaking out the dust from her pelt she stretched and scented the air. Looks like someone brought food back, she thought happily. Having gone on dawn patrol she was starving. Trotting over to the fresh kill pile, she nodded to Longstripe. "Went hunting I see," she mewed nonchalently. Sifting through the pile she picked up one of the squirrels and a thrush. With a flick of her tail she walked over to the elders den. Pushing the squirrl inside she trotted back past the fresh kill pile and over to the entrance, where she lay down in some ferns. Nosing the thrush, she began to eat. Once she was done, she licked her lips and stretched, her silver fur catching the light. Sometimes it reminded her uncomfortably of Riverclan, the way it rippled like a stream when she moved. Closing her eyes, she let out a tiny purr of contentment.

Longstripe nodded to Willowdance and nodded over. His eyes were narrowed in suspicion. "I have heard you come from RiverClan?" His sat down in front of the she-cat and curled his tail around his paws. "As I am." His suspicionsoon gave away to curiousity. "Are you from RiverClan?" He challenged. There was no hostility in his eyes, just a proud question, 'Will you face the fact that you've been found out or lie?' His fur stayed flat though his eyes glittered with anticipation. He spun around and grabbed the other squirrel. He began to eat, eagerly waiting for the ShadowClan Warriors reply.

Willowdance peeled one of her eyes open as she heard Longstripe come over. Studying him carefully with an ocean blue eye, she decided that he was not being hostile. Rolling over so that she was facing him, she listened patiently. I have heard you come from Riverclan? As I am. Her nose twitched in amusement. Are you from Riverclan? Will you face the fact that youve been found out or lie? The she-cat opened both eyes and sat up, her eyes level with his. "I am from Riverclan, although I will make no move to hide it. I am not ashamed of switching clans, nor is it anyones right to chide me for it. Shadowclan has accepted me, and thats the way it is." Giving her chest a few licks, she looked back at him curiously, her gaze challenging.

Longstripe narrowed his eyes and purred in amusement. "I am the deputy of ShadowClan and I was once RiverClan." Even though he was a higher rank then her, he felt uncomfortable in her hard stare and looked away. Longstripe flicked his tail and mumbled, "I nor any other cat should question you about it again." Switching back to being cheerful again. "I havem't hunted with anyone in awhile. Would you like to come with me?" The deputy would mind some company for once. The tom arched his back in anither luxurious stretch and waited for the she-cats reply. Grudgingly, the tom admitted to himself that he admired her stubborn belief that she belonged here just as much as any ShadowClan born cat, and her loyalty to her new Clan rather than those fox-hearts. Making him want to get to know her a little more.

Willowdance noted with approval that even though he was in a higher rank than her he knew when to stop pressing for information. He knew when to be humble, an attractive virtue in cats. Standing, she listened, her tail twtching lazily. Tilting her head a bit when he mentioned hunting, she gazed up at the sky, thinking. She too hadnt gone on a hunting trip with someone in a while, and it couldnt hurt to socialize a bit with her clan. Finally returning her gaze to Longstripe, she shrugged. "Sure. Why not." Licking her chest a couple of time, she tilted her head at him. "Where too?"

(sorry for the short post)

(It doesn't matter, As long as its 2 sentences long, your fine.)

Longstripe blinked in relief. "How about to the Pine Forest. Its pretty and prey-rich there." He suggested. Then he thought. "Or would you like to choose where to go?" He didn't want to seem rude so he offered the she-cat a choice. He began to groom his fur though his eyes were still fixed on Willowdance, awaiting her reply. He finished and curled his tail around his paws.

Willowdance nodded as he mentioned the pine forest. The corners of her mouth twitched into a little smile when he asked if she wanted to choose. "No, its fine. The Pine forest is the best hunting grounds." Tilting her head at him, she looked at him questioningly. "Want to lead the way, deputy?" she gave a small purr of amusement.

Longstripe ducked his head in embarrasement at her commwnt, but realized she was being playful. "Well I am the deputy!" He replied teasingly, and headed off, tail straight up. He looked over his shoulder and said, "Are you coming or what? You can be slower than an elder sometimes!" He teased, lucky for him, the elders were asleep. -PF-

Willow's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I bet I coud be faster than you in a fair race!" she called after him, her voice light and teasing. Rushing after him, she let her tail stream out behind her.

-PF-

Longstripe padded back into the camp. He felt better now that he had stretched his muscles. He waited for Willowdance. He had come to think of the warrior a good friend. He purred and sat down.

Willowdance trotted into the clearing after Longstripe. Placing her squirrel on the fresh kill pile, she turned to Long. "That was fun," she mewed, not really knowing what to say. Licking her chest a few times, she sat down and curled her feathery tail over her paws.

"Yeah, we should do that again sometime." He looked at Willowdance for a moment then looked away awkwardly. "So, you like ShadowClan better than those RiverClan excuses for cats?" He scoffed at the word RiverClan.

Willow lowered her eyes. "Yeah. Why else would I have left? They... hurt my family. They killed their own clan-mates."Shaking her head slowly, she looked at him with her amber eyes. "Do you?" She knew wht his answer would be, but what else was their to say?

"Killed your family?" He asked softly, his face twisted in an angered expression. "Glad!" He scoffed. "I feel blessed! The hated me! They hate me because.." he gulped. "Because I'm half-clan." He finished. The deputy rested his tail on Willowdance's shoulder. "It doesn't matter, we'll get revenge. Besides, you have the Clan. And me for help." He adds softly.

Willowdance's head lowered as he told his secret. Half-clan? Thats no reason to hate someone. When he told her the clan was there for her, she nodded a little. But when he said he was there for her, she was surprised. You shouldnt be, she chided herself. He's the deputy, of course he will be there for you. "Thanks," she murmured. "They did kill my family. They killed m mother and my brother. They let my sister fight a badger when she was hardly an apprentice. My dad... I dont know. I think he's still alive."

Longstripe nodded. "My father despised me. He hated my mother because he thought he should have a more RiverClan-looking kit." He sighed a briefly looked around. He took his tail off her shoulder and said, "No problem, of course I'll always be there for you. Your my friend." He looked straight into Willowdance's eyes and asked, "You are my friend right?"

Willowdance nodded. "Of course I'm your friend. Why wouldnt I be?" she smiled brightly at him, her eyes lit up. "More so, since we were both from Riverclan. Besides, your not that stuck up of a deputy like some others are."

"Yeah, like Thrushfoot. He's a real show-off!" He joked. "And good. At least some cat recongnizes my loyalty is to ShadowClan and ShadowClan alone." His fur felt ruffled as he talked about RiverClan. But it felt nice to share his story with someone.

"Yeah..." the she-cat smiled a little. "Nice talking to you I suppose." Willow didnt know what to say next, so she decided the conversation would have to end. "We should go hunting again sometime." Dipping her head she trotted back to her ferns by the entrance, and lay down, her eyes half closed.

The deputy felt slightly disappointed as Willowdance walk away but shrugged it off. He plodded off to the middle of the clearing and lay down on a cool, shady spot. He liked it as the cold from the ground seeped through his fur. He was surprised at how warm leaf-bare was at the moment.

Willow watched Longstripe pad away. Shaking her head, she forced her gaze you look at something else. Dont be a stalker Willow, she chided herself. Thats just creepy. Nosing the feathers at her feet, she picked them up. Stading, she trotted over to the warriors den. Entering, she placed the feathers in her nest, than curled up.

Longstripe strode into the warriors den. He saw Willowdance curled up and he climbed into his mossy nest. He sighed with another glance at the sleepy warriors around him, and closed his eyes. He didn't feel very comfortable and kept shifting around his nest.

Willow slipped of to sleep, her paws twitching.

Racing through the forest, Willow felt fear. She kept looking backwards, but no one was there. Thundering paws drew closer, and as she looked back she saw the faces of her tormentors. Running faster, she tripped on a stick and fell down. They were on her like badgers, ripping at her flesh, tearing at her throat. She moaned in pain, blood pooling around her...

Willowdance thrashed in her sleep then went still, with the occasional twitching. She whimpered in pain, then fell silent.