A Touch of Worry (Open to Oakpelt only.)

[Leopardstar]

___________________________ Leopardstar padded into her den that night, for it was cold and dim outside as well as in her own den. Bluefire padded in calmly after her, seeming to have his emotionless face on. His eyes told a different story, though. They were filled with fear, horror, and guilt. The leader, his mate, could only see this. He sat down next to her, purring and brushing his soft fur on her pelt. She couldn't help but to purr, too, as a wave of comfort washed over her like a sparkling blue wave. She had told Oakpelt, the ThunderClan medicine cat, to come to her den after they had gotten back to camp and to leave Lightpaw to tend to their sick deputy. She trusted these cats the most out of her clan, and thought they needed to know what she suspected was happening to her. According to Bluefire, it looked like her already knew. Oakpelt had yet to determined, though. Also, she needed to talk about tomorrow. Her eyes strived for rest, but Leopardstar knew she must talk to these cats, as well as Willowstar up in StarClan. She would know what weakened the ShadowClan leader, wouldn't she? Leopardstar still was eager to talk to her, either way. Now thinking of her best friend from her kit hood, Brightstorm. Why hadn't she invited her? Maybe because she didn't think of everything seriously, and she needed to confirm things before the yellow tabby blurted them out to the clan? The leopard cat shook her head, trying to get rid of the guilt she felt. Leopardstar kept her gold gaze locked on the lichen dangling from the cave's entrance, patiently waiting for her beloved friend. She was anxious to see if her predictions were true, and wanting to get her thoughts out. ___________________________ Leopardstar sees; hears; thinks; "speaks" word count: 297 tags: Bluefire comments: Oakpelt is the only other cat to be posting in this thread. [bg=000000][atrb=border,0,true]

[Oakpelt]

Oakpelt’s thoughts buzzed around like a swarm of maddened bees as he padded toward Leopardstar’s den beneath the Highrock. No matter how much he tried to reassure himself, it didn’t seem to work. This night never should have happened. Accusations, lies, even battle, at the Gathering? If he had thought about the prospect only yesterday, he wouldn’t have thought it possible. No cat was mouse-brained enough to risk StarClan covering the moon—except for Miststar, apparently. Guilt, shame, and outrage still attacked his heart, sharper than claws. How dare ShadowClan’s leader accuse ThunderClan and Leopardstar so! And in front of Bliss’star and Moonstar, as well… What was Miststar planning? Was she just looked for an excuse to shred Leopardstar’s pelt?

Had her attack tonight not been enough, for StarClan’s sake? Oakpelt’s tail drooped at the memory. He should have done something… Should have stopped them, somehow. Deep down, he knew it wouldn’t have worked—he was a medicine cat, not a warrior. But the thought of himself just <i>sitting</i> there as if his body was made of stone… Being weighed down by his own shock and horror… It sickened him. And then there was tomorrow to worry about. Fighting on the Great Rock was bad enough—Fourtrees hadn’t been the site of an actual battle since the dawn of the Clans—but a battle only between two leaders? The tabby tom’s green gaze went up toward Silverpelt for a few heartbeats as he silently beseeched his warrior ancestors.

StarClan, shine your light on Leopardstar. Prove her victorious in the battle, so that all may know the truth…

It took him a few heartbeats to realize that he was standing in front of the entrance to Leopardstar’s den. Huh. He’d been so wrapped up in his thoughts… Well, Oakpelt certainly wasn’t about to keep her waiting any longer. The tabby tom took a deep breath, flicked his tail resolutely, and pushed through the curtain of hanging lichen. He glanced around the den for a moment—even now, it was difficult not to think of Willowstar. Then his green gaze stopped on Bluefire and Leopardstar. He dipped his head to the leader and her mate in turn, then sat and wrapped his white-tipped tail around his paws.
“You wanted to speak to me, Leopardstar?”

[Leopardstar]

___________________________ Leopardstar could hear Oakpelt approaching with her long and pointy ears. She waited, but he still didn't pad in. After a minute, he came and sat down, letting in silver moonlight as he pushed back the lichen. Moonlight always had made her happy, and she pushed back a smile. This was defiantly not a time to smile. “You wanted to speak to me, Leopardstar?” The large she-cat nodded solemnly. "Yes. Um..." She stammered, looking for the right words. Instead, she just cam out with it. "I think I'm expecting kits." She looked desperately into the tabby tom's eyes, looking for some kind of emotion. For some reason, Leopardstar always found it hard to read his eyes. Maybe it was just medicine cats... "At the gathering, I kept feeling nauseous waves and my vision went blurry on and off." She went on, wanting to make sure Oakpelt wouldn't think she was going crazy because she was under so much pressure. Again, she drifted off into her thoughts. What does Miststar have against me? Did this all start because we were arguing at our mini leader gathering? Tons of questions raced through her already tired mind. How would she be fit for tomorrow's fight? Nothing seemed to be going straight, and all she wanted to do was to flop down on her soft, mossy nest and take a long, solid sleep with no interruptions. But she knew that couldn't happen. ___________________________ Leopardstar sees; hears; thinks; "speaks" word count: 234 tags: Oakpelt comments: -x- [bg=000000][atrb=border,0,true]

[Oakpelt]

”I think I’m expecting kits.”
For a heartbeat, the tom was taken aback—after all, that was the last thing he had expected! But then his expression softened, leaf-green eyes shining with a mixture of happiness and worry for his leader and friend. He brushed her flank with his tail in an attempt at reassurance, the touch feather-light. This was…a mixed blessing, maybe. Of course he was happy for Leopardstar, but with the stress of being a leader, plus the battle on the Great Rock tomorrow… Well, things could get very interesting, indeed.

“That’s wonderful,” he meowed sincerely, a purr rumbling in his throat for a few heartbeats. Then she explained about how she’d been feeling at the Gathering. Her voice was odd—as if she was trying to convince him? But it was well-known that stress did funny things to a cat. Maybe Leopardstar was just trying to make certain. A queen would probably be able to tell, though even medicine cats weren’t always sure. Oh, there were symptoms—Cloudwhisker had explained those well enough—but if the queen was very newly pregnant, it could be difficult. But as far as he knew, blurry vision and nausea were not signs of stress.

He took a deep breath and thought, trying to summon up the words that he wanted to say. Oakpelt didn’t think himself the best cat in the Clan when it came to offering advice on important matters… But Leopardstar had sent for him, and he had listened. Now, he would just have to do what he could for her.

“That’s perfectly normal. You're going to be just fine, Leopardstar,” he meowed, trying very hard to sound like a calm, confident medicine cat for her sake. And he did believe what he said--why wouldn't he? After all, Leopardstar was a strong cat, both in health and in heart. There was no reason to worry...right? She didn’t look as big as a badger—by his reckoning, she would be able to carry out her duties for a while longer, though he’d obviously have to speak to her about that. But… The battle—Miststar’s challenge—resurfaced in his mind, striking out at his thoughts as swiftly as an adder. Sweet StarClan, she could probably see the worry in his eyes.
“Leopardstar… What about the battle?” he meowed, somewhat hesitantly. StarClan knew that he didn't want to worry his leader any more, though the question had to be asked.

[Leopardstar]

___________________________ She smiled when the tabby tom sent his tail over her flank. She started to purr when Oakplet mewed, "That's wonderful." Bluefire's purr mixed with hers and he licked her cheek with a smile of reasurence. But the leader had explained what had happened to her at the gathering, and she waited for a responce. Striken from her thoughts, she heard the medicine cat say that was normal. She let out a sigh of relief and let her purr run wild. An almost beautiful purr came fro her, and her eyes wandered with pride. My very own kits! And with Bluefire! She almost forgot about what the next day would bring. “Leopardstar… What about the battle?” Her purr stopped abruptly, the den falling silent you could hear a tuft of fur drop to the ground. Bluefire had stopped purring as well. Leopardstar's eyes hardened again, and her chest puffed out slightly. She looked Oakpelt dead in the eyes, their gazes seeming to have their own secret battle. "Oakpelt, I will not back down from this fight even if it meens harming my own kits. My clan comes first, no matter what." The leopard-like she-cat spoke with honesty, her voice as solid as stone. Nothing would stop her for sticking up for her clan, and no one messed with ThunderClan without getting pay-back. She would make sure ShadowClan would not win. ___________________________ Leopardstar sees; hears; thinks; "speaks" word count: 227 tags: Oakpelt, Bluefire. comments: This is so fun! ^^ [bg=000000][atrb=border,0,true]

[Oakpelt]

Once upon a time, Oakpelt may have blinked or lowered his eyes. But he did neither. Instead, he met Leopardstar’s gaze steadily, his leaf-green eyes filled with a mixture of worry for and pride in his friend and leader. Not to mention some slight annoyance. He had not meant it quite like that… But Cloudwhisker had once explained something to him; something that Oakpelt now knew to be true.

Oakpelt, his mentor had said, Clan leaders are sometimes not so different from medicine cats. The Clan is like their family, the same as it is for us. You could say that they guide and protect the Clan as a mother or father will guide and protect their kits. And like any good mother or father, a good Clan leader will put the safety of their 'kits' in front of their own safety…

“I know, Leopardstar,” he meowed, his own voice quiet and steady. “I have never doubted you or your courage. And I will not start to doubt you now. I’m not asking you to back down from Miststar’s challenge, as mouse-brained as I might think she is. But I’m your medicine cat—your friend. I would be a fox-heart if I wasn’t concerned for your safety and the safety of your kits.”

He paused for a heartbeat, then uncurled his tail from his paws. The light brown tabby tom licked a white forepaw and drew it over one ear, as if giving himself a few heartbeats to collect his thoughts.
“You’ve proven yourself to be an honorable cat. But for StarClan’s sake, Leopardstar, be careful tomorrow. …Please.”

[Leopardstar]

___________________________ Leopardstar kept the medicine cat's stare, his bright green gaze sucking every bit of control she had in her exquiste body. She could tell by the sorrow in his eyes that he was thinking about his mentor. Cloudwhisker. She thought of him as another father. An uncle maybe. They were not related, only by ThunderClan blood, one way or another. She had been going to him for her cuts, wounds, everything, since she was only a tiny, spotless kit. It broke her heart to see him pass, only a few moons before Willowstar. Too many wonderous cats, dead, and forgoten by some. What will I be to the clan cats when my time comes? Only remembered by this stupid fight with Miststar? She listened on as Oakpelt spoke from deep in his heart. She was sure of it. A tear threatened to roll down her spotted cheek. Holding it back, the she-cat nodded to Oakpelt's strong words. “You’ve proven yourself to be an honorable cat. But for StarClan’s sake, Leopardstar, be careful tomorrow. …Please.” Leopardstar stepped over to the brown tabby and touched noses with him, her golden eyes shutting themselves off. "I will, Oakpelt, I promiss. But I'm not going to stop my claws. I'm glad your here to help me through this." She stepped back, a sadish happy smile drawn across her face. She looked up through the crack in the roof of her cave, moonlight pouring through like water down a small waterfall. It made her pelt shine a milky silver color, dappled with black-grey spots running through. "I will speak with Willowstar in my dreams tonight. I canalready tell." Her sleek head tipped back as she closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of her past leader drifting in the slight breeze. She oppened her eyes and looked back at Oakpelt. "She will invite you too, and we can all discuss more." Nodding to Oakpelt, she dissmissed him. ___________________________ Leopardstar sees; hears; thinks; "speaks" word count: 320 tags: OAKPELT comments: Now that, Oakpelt, WAS AMAIZING! We can keep going while they sleep and I will play Willowstar. [bg=000000][atrb=border,0,true]

[Oakpelt]

“Good,” he mewed, giving her a friendly lick on the ear. “I don’t expect you to—you were trained to be a warrior.” Her words rang in his mind, over and over again. I’m glad you’re here to help me through this. His whiskers twitched; of course he would be there to help. It was his duty as a medicine cat, yes… But more than that, he was glad to help a friend.

“Any time,” he continued, the sincerity plain in his voice. He blinked, and suddenly Leopardstar looked different. He knew that it was only the moonlight spilling down through the hole in the den’s roof. But now the leopard-pelted leader was silver, shining as if a warrior of StarClan had come down to the forest. The medicine cat’s leaf-green eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Somehow, he had a feeling it wasn’t just moonlight. Not an omen, perhaps. But a reassurance. There was a faint scent in the air, incredibly familiar…

"I will speak with Willowstar in my dreams tonight. I can already tell. She will invite you too, and we can all discuss more."
Relief swamped over him, a warm wave that washed away every bit of fear that lingered within his heart, even the old questions and doubts—and StarClan above, the guilt and shame. And with that relief came an all-too-welcome feeling—peace. It would be good to see ThunderClan’s last leader again. She’d been taken so suddenly… And perhaps he could apologize. For not being able to help her when she needed it. But Willowstar would surely know what to do. Even in life, Oakpelt had always thought her to be a wise cat… Recognizing Leopardstar’s dismissal, he dipped his head to her, mewed a farewell, and padded out of the den and into the night.

(Thank you! I gotta say, you're pretty spiffy yourself! :3 Sure, that sounds like a plan to me.)

[Leopardstar]

___________________________ Leopardstar gave a sweet smile at Oakpelt's good-bye and watched his pelt evaporate into the lichen and the cool blackness of the night. Turning back to Bluefire, she padded back to him and started to groom his face fur. In between licks she managed to say, "I... should probably... go... and try... to sleep... now..." The blueish-gray tom nodded, smiling at her comforting licks. "Go, don't worry about my pelt, it won't get any less messy." He pushed her off him playfully to her nest and nudged her in like a queen doing so to her naughty kits, but with a smile. Leopardstar fell into her mossy nest with a happy sigh, and curled up, letting Willowstar's aroura take her into the hunting grounds of StarClan. She had been through this process before, a StarClan cat taking her spirit with them when she last went to the Moonstone. Blinking her eyes slowly, a peacful sceen came into view. Willowstar was giving her a smile, twitching the tip of her white tail. The she cat was a gray-blue tabby with many continues white spots on all her legs underbelly, neck and the part near her snout and nose. Her eyes were a warm blue that were set on Leopardstar. ___________________________ Leopardstar sees; hears; thinks; "speaks" word count: 205 tags: StarClan??? comments: Funnnn... [bg=000000][atrb=border,0,true]