' dont sink the boat ' (open to all)

[' B r a c k e n]

Brackenfur had been wandering for awhile now. He had crossed out of his clan boundaries but this was unclaimed land. Any cat was free to wander here as he may. He had spent a day training his apprentice. Or trying to. The rain and mudslides made it almost impossible to get a decent day of training in. Then he had met the most peculiar cat ever. He had been intrigued to get to know her. He didn't know what would come of it but he couldn't stop admiring the way she had carried off food to the elders before even stopping to feed herself.

He had been bored at camp so he had decided to go wander for a bit see what he could find to hunt. He had killed a few mice and a robin that had been pecking at the tree so intently that the stupid bird hadnt even heard him coming.

Now he found himself at Whiteswan Lake. It was a beautiful place if he'd ever seen one. He stretched as he walked first front legs then the back legs. He had walked right up to the bank of the river for his first and favorite prey was fish and this lake was teeming with them. One had to be careful though for the ducks and swans liked the fish too and they could be a pain the rump to fight off. He was peering into the river when the scent of another cat flowed into his lungs--another cat was approaching.

[Head{admin}]

The day was sunny, which was nice. In fact, it was sunnier than it had been in a good while. The clear, rippling water shone like a moonstone in the sunlight, while flecks of water thrown up by the flopping fish sparkled like tiny diamonds. A muscular tabby could be seen prowling through the reeds and cattails along the banks of the lake, while pale green eyes peered at the succulent fish and honking geese with the same expression--indifference. He didn't care. Not anymore. Not in a long time.

Scarredheart was happier on rainy, stormy days. Days like those had never brought him heartache. In the past, all of his troubles and all of the sorrow he had experienced had been born on a clear, sunny day like this one. Consequently, he feared days like these, wondering what new scar would be torn into his heart. That is, he used to fear these days. No longer did he. Why? Well, Scarredheart had nothing else to cause him sorrow. He had nothing else to live for. The only reason he was alive was because he had not yet come across a cat that could compete with his muscular, thickset, battle- and sorrow-hardened body. Because Scarredheart would never just give in and let a cat destroy him...his training wouldn't allow it. No, the only way Scarredheart would die is if he came across a cat who truly could destroy him. Some days, he almost wished for that to come.

And now he was padding through the tall reeds, which cast upon him welcomed shade from the hot newleaf sun. There were often random cats hanging around Whiteswan Lake, as it was a good place to fish or catch ducks...even if the occasional swan or large goose provided some dangers. The cats he usually encountered were rogues or loners, and they all stayed clear of one another--Scarredheart had little interest in speaking with them, and they had little interest in speaking with him. But Clan cats...they sometimes came by. And these cats Scarredheart did make an effort to speak with...for reasons known only to himself.

So it was with a small twinge of interest that Scarredheart regarded the cat that appeared at the other end of the lake, peering into the water as if expecting a fish to leap right into his mouth. The wind was blowing the wrong way, so Scarredheart had no way of discerning any scent, but...this other cat was well-fed, young, and well-groomed. He did not look wary or suspicious like a rogue might, but he didn't seem so well at home in this neutral, unclaimed land as a loner would. From this, Scarredheart concluded that this cat he was gazing at was a Clancat. It was with a silent sigh that the large, heavily scarred rogue continued on his course around the bank of the lake, although now he had a destination in mind. When he reached said destination, the tom lowered his butt to the ground and waited to be noticed, and the fathomless sorrow and pain behind his pale green eyes was pushed back and replaced with a cool, nonchalant expression.

[' B r a c k e n]

Brackenfur hadn't been able to name the cat by its scent for he had yet to meet all the rouges. Not knowing his own origins the first thing he remembered was being found at the border with a gash down his side. He always tried to find out more about his past but it wasn't always the top on the list of things to do.

Therefore whenever he had the chance he tried to dig up some information from any cat that might know anything about his past. This made him a regular to all the loners, they all knew him by scent and name. This cat however was foreign. He'd never scented or talked to him before.

Brackenfur looked up as the cat sat next to him, He had a look of sadness etched across his face twinged with a bit of interest. Brackenfur noticed at once that the cat was far to young to know anything of his past. He still was intrigued enough to start conversation. "Hello there, I'm Brackenfur" He said politely for politeness gets you far.

Brackenfur and his gentlemen-ness ^^

[Head{admin}]

Deep green eyes gazed simply at the warrior, and the large tomcat breathed in the scent of CascadeClan. This "Brackenfur" was not scared...not at all. He seemed quite relaxed, actually. Did he talk to rogues often? "Greetings," he mewed, dipping his head in response to the politeness. Scarredheart's muscles remained tense, for he had learned not to trust simple tone of voice. A cat could look as polite as a mouse, and end up being as dangerous as a tiger. "I did not know CascadeClan cats wandered in the loner lands so often. I have seen many Clan cats here recently." He was just trying to make conversation. Scarredheart didn't often like talking to other cats, but...this cat seemed less judgmental than other cats. Plus, he needed to get talking to someone...because if he was left alone, his memories would swarm in upon him, throwing him into one of his dangerous, violent fits of rage...and Scarredheart didn't want that. He needed to be distracted.

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[' B r a c k e n]

Brackenfur had been peering at the cat with open eyes trying to see if the cat was a threat. He seemed relaxed enough to not being planning something dire but one could always mistaken. He looked back into the lake. He could easily see the other cats reflection and should be able to see if the cat made a move to attack him or harm him in any way. The cats voice seemed to ride on the ripples in the lake. He blinked for a second watching the ripples float away. "Sometimes even clan cats need to escape for a little bit." He said softly not looking back to the cat but watching his reflection react to what he had just said.

[Head{admin}]

"I understand that more than you will ever know, warrior," Scarredheart sighed, unable to force the sorrow from his voice. Great, he was trying to distract himself, but his mind still kept coming back to his past. This couldn't happen in front of another cat. "What are you trying to get away from now? The hustle and bustle?"

[' B r a c k e n]

"Hrmph!" Brackenfur sighed to himself. He looked up from the lake and then settled down to face the cat. Sitting with his huge bushy tail whipped around his paws. This cat had been hurt that was for sure. Who knew who or what had happened. "If only it was that simple...These my friend are matters of the heart." He flicked his ears. He hated this feeling no wonder so many elders had never had mates. Thats why they lived so long![ "And what about you eh?"/blockquote]

[Head{admin}]

"Matters of the heart." Hah. Scarredheart might have laughed...if his heart wasn't sobbing within him. Matters of the heart. "That is, indeed, not a very simple thing at all," he sighed, lowering himself to the ground and tucking his white forepaws beneath his creamy chest. Pale green eyes gazed absently into the water, but it was no reflection that he saw, nor was it the pebbly bottom of the lake. Instead, visions danced before Scarredheart's eyes...visions that made him feel like razor-sharp claws were digging into his chest. But he didn't look away. He didn't want to forget. "So what manner of 'matters of the heart' is this?" he asked finally, blatantly ignoring Brackenfur's inquiry about himself. "My name is Scarredheart, by the way."

[' B r a c k e n]

Brackenfur noticed that the tom-cat didn't answer his question in fact he seemed to ignore them on purpose. Very well everyone was entitled to privacy where they wished. The cat seemed to be seeing things in the lake that weren't there. Reminiscence it seems. "The worst kind, the ones that you didn't ask for but they just pop up." He mewed a little tired from the day but still fully aware.

[Head{admin}]

"That is a fascinating answer...in which you don't explain a thing," Scarredheart sighed, eyes softening slightly at the young cat's reply. He liked this warrior...he seemed very down-to-earth. And he wasn't nosy. "Troubles or good things? The heart can bring great joy and horrible sadness. Which is being revealed to you?" Wow, he sounded like an elder. Scarredheart flinched at the thought, shaking his head--he was not old enough to be talking like an elder. But still...he was quite interested.

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[' B r a c k e n]

"Yeah? I do that sometimes." He murmured almost inaudibly. "A little of both Id say, It could be a happy thing but it could never happen. Which just makes it sad." Brackenfur said before lapping up a bit of the water. "Sometimes i just want to say bug it all." He again turned to the other cat. "What about you my friend? I don't mean to be a bug but I'm a great listener."

[Head{admin}]

Still, Scarredheart had no idea what the tom was talking about. Had he met a girl? Is this what was going on? By the "it could never happen", Scarredheart decided this must be the case. He'd met a girl. Again ignoring the warrior's question, Scarredheart mewed, "What's her name?"

Why do I even care? Clearly this cat has everything going for him. Happy Clan cat, Scarredheart thought bitterly, frowning as his gaze returned to the still waters of the lake. Perhaps I'm trying to find hope....I'd like to know that things can work out for a few fortunate cats. Perhaps he was trying to regain faith in the cat race. Or...in Clan cats. Whatever the case, Scarredheart felt the need to know what was going on in this stranger's life...which made him feel like a hypocrite. He hated when people pried into his life, so why was he doing it now?

((sorry, suckish post x.x))

[' B r a c k e n]

Brackenfur wasn't a dumb cat. He could catch a hint. "Well her names Petalnose. But It cant happen." He kept saying that buy why couldn't it work out? Starclan strike him if he knew. He just knew that it couldn't. Something invisible as it may was holding him back. "The other day she gave elders food before she even ate. ELDERS! that had plenty of food. How crazy is that eh?" He said in an adoring yet hesitant tone. So weird but that's why he liked her wasn't it.

[Head{admin}]

Okay, even Scarredheart couldn't help but smile slightly at the tom's tone...he seemed to really like this she-cat. "She sounds like...someone I knew," he mewed, stopping himself before he said her name. Gingerleaf. She sounded like Gingerleaf. Dear, wonderful Gingerleaf...he shook his head, forcing back the sorrow that threatened to rise up and engulf him. Now was not the time for that.

"I was once in a Clan. Once I become a warrior, I never would have even thought to give elders food...that's the apprentices job," he added, shrugging his shoulders and raising his eyes to Brackenfur. "It takes a rare cat to think about that." He grew silent, and for a long moment he studied the tom before him. He was young and naive. But he didn't look like a mousebrain. His face and body simply held the trustfulness and contentment of a young warrior. Did I ever look like him? Was I ever content to just worry bout simple Clan life, or the next meal? he wondered, shaking his head unhappily. Scarredheart was still young, but...he felt so old.

"You seem like a solid warrior," he went on, dragging himself out of his reminiscing. "I don't see why a gentle she-cat wouldn't give you a chance."

[' B r a c k e n]

"I wasn't clan-born." He confessed quickly. It wasn't a huge secret but it also something you just told every cat that crossed your path. It was something that was to be told with a certain amount of discretion. His eyes widened as he placed the problem. "Sometimes its still a question with the clan cats whether or not to trust me. I can just see them now the disapproving looks and jokes Petalnose with the Bloodtraitor." He shook his head. He knew that he was being unreasonable but he needed an excuse any excuse. "Which is why I wander out here so often. I want to know my past. So i can put it to rest..." He swiped at the water with his paw shaking the mirror image till it was only ripples.