Can You See Ghosts?

[Crane]

Leiko padded through the forest silently, her moon of practice as a ShadowClan prisoner making her steps silent. Although she was mostly as peace since she and Skyfire had their 'session', there was still one thing she felt she needed.
She missed her Julian. And, although she knew you can't see ghosts, she kept turning around every few seconds to see if he was following her.
But Leiko's legs were getting tired. She wandered over to the base of a pine tree, where some roots and dirt made a little alcove out of the bone-chilling wind. She'd wait here until it stopped drizzling, then see if she could catch some prey and had back.
Her breathing slowed as she rested her eyes a little. Maybe a little doze wouldn't hurt...

[xx snakey]

Infectedsound

Infectedsound's paws steps were light on the soggy ground, the light drizzle pattering agaisnt her seemingly inperatrable pelt. She shook herself for good messure and padded on, glancing around as she went. She seemed to be in a pleasent mood today. No doubt something in thise forest would turn it sour. Then her eyes met with a tabby sitting near a tree not too far off. Infectedsound didn't recognize this tabby, her pale ginger fur was foriegn to the she-cat and so she dropped into a crouch, creeping along the spongey pine needles and grass below her feet until she was about two fox lengths away from the other cat. She parted her maw, tasting the air. It was a she-cat and smelled vaguely like a rogue. As Infectedsound watched her, her molted gray fur bristling and standing up despite the moisture, the rain started to pick up, hazing her vision of the cat even more. She lashed her tail, letting out a low, threatening wail that echoed through the pine's around her and made for a very spooky sound. She waited for the right moment to attack.

[Crane]

Leiko heard a rustle in the pine needles a few fox-lengths away. Her eyes flew open. The misting rain made it near impossible to see the feline figure a small length away. Leiko's heart started hammering in her chest.
There was no way the she-cat couldn't have seen her. Leiko stood up abruptly, her tail erect and her fur bristling. The rain washed all scent away. How was she supposed to tell who it was?
Suddenly, the cat let out a eerie, blood-curdling wail. Leiko growled threateningly, tensing her muscles. From the other cat's stance, Leiko thought she was going to attack as well.
Letting out a fearsome yowl, Leiko flung herself into the air, for a moment wondering what it would feel like to fly... Then, she landed on the ground behind the cat before it had time to turn. Raising a paw, she slashed her claws down the cat's flank and dodged away, waiting for the next attack.
Ha. None of these dumb forest kitties knew any of her and Julian's secret moves.

[FireFlyDragon]

[Marshflight]

The day was cool for the tom that was padding back from hunting, the deceased mouse clamped in his jaws lay nearly invisible as his form smoothly brought him back towards camp. So far the day had been clear, but now as the night began to creep upon the weary sun the world around him had begun to shift. Mist was now breeding among the tall pines, turning the usually safe and familiar forests into a trickster’s playground for the unwary. Marshflight, though in a slight hurry to return to camp for the night took his time. He already knew what would happen if he hurried in such conditions. After all, mist wasn’t all that different from morning frost was it?

As his orbs blinked to clear his view and distance tree roots they caught upon something he didn’t expect to see out and about. Once more his eyes blinked, his auds twitching as he tried to decipher if this was just a figure of his imagination or a real thing. The trailing scent that followed the form told him just who and what this ghostly figure was and spending only a few moments to bury his catch he set out after the previous rouge cat Leiko. His pawsteps, though quick were hushed upon the nettle littered earth and now in the thick of leaf-fall there was little to rustle upon his coat but the wind as he bounded after the quickly disappearing she-cat.

He was worried, if only slightly at the prisoner’s behavior. Wasn’t she supposed to stay in camp? What happened to those warriors watching her? Well whatever had happened the large tom scented no blood on the air, or heard fear-filled wails between the trees. So she must have sneaked out. Or been let out…His mind whispered, but that seemed unlikely.

His paw steps slowed as his senses suddenly pointed him towards the roots of a rather lonely pine. His instincts called upon his stealth crouch as he neared the large specimen, though he was careful to stay out of sight and scent of any possible nearby cats. His tail flicked at his sudden caution, could this rouge be that dangerous to him? His mind chewed the thought, though his orbs kept close watch upon the seemingly deserted area that seemed to call his attention.

A sudden eerie noise sent shivers, and no doubt startled shocks down his spine, and in a brief wave of fear Marshflight’s claws unsheathed and fur gathered into spines at the sound. As the noise faded off into the misty woods a movement caught his orbs that demanded his attention. It appeared that Leiko had indeed been resting behind the twisted nest of roots and now, upon hearing the strange noise had leapt out of the tom’s sight. Disregarding his previous caution Marshflight bolted from his hiding spot, skirting the surrounding wilted flora to see Leiko land behind a she-cat that smelt familiarly like ShadowClan. Before a word could leave his maw the cat struck, sending a bolt of not fear, but anger through the tom.

Letting out a snarl he found his way between the two fearsome she-cats, his body blocking out both of their views of one another. “Stop now” He rumbled, ears more or less foreword in posture, but his form tense incase one decided to spring again. “And you, Leiko-” He swung his head around to stare coolly into the she-cat’s orbs. “What are you doing attacking a ShadowClan warrior?” His orbs narrowed slightly, warning her to stay still. No matter what this warrior had done she had no reason to attack her, what had brought her to do such a thing? Considering how dangerous it was in injuring a member of a clan that held her life in their paws. “Someone explain to me what happened.” His head turned to look at the stranger warrior, and then Leiko once more. He wasn’t in the mood to tack on a please for their sakes.

[xx snakey]

Infectedsound

Infectedsound regarded Marshflight with little attention as she spun around, blood gushing momentarially out of her wound. As the rain camr down faster, in gray sheets her fur began to meld in with the back ground around her, her bright acid green eyes bright in contrast. They shone errily in the half light of sunset and her tail stood straight up, but she still crouch. She judged the distance between her and Leiko and smirked, her mouth twisting up more then usual. Springing, she arched over Marshflight like a fox, landing on his other side and kicking out with her back legs to pushing him away. She hit him squarely in the side, she thought, since at such a distance it would be hard for him to evade. Her blood splattered the ground as her hind legs steadied her and she swiped at the other she-cat with both front paws, claws extended. Her eyes glowed with a sort of silent fire as sher sprang away from the other, out of harm's way. That was a tactic she had learned with the badger, attack then retreat, attack then retreat. Over and over, and it worked. She crouched silently, waiting for her avisary's next move and totally ignoring Marshflight.

[FireFlyDragon]

[Marshflight]

As the silence continued save for the sudden whispers of rain Marshflight in turn remained still, his molted pelt turning even darker as the chilled rain began to seep through his coat. He was keeping one eye on each she-cat, knowing that from the silence at least now they didn’t intend to back down. His call was right as the grey she-cat, the one who had been previously hit prepared herself for a leap, thinking fast Marshflight tried to get close enough so she wouldn’t have the room to take off, but the she-cat was quicker.

Like a hare she leapt over the tom’s back, and only the rush of the already sound filled air alerted him to her attack. She attempted to land a blow to his side, and more or less succeeded, though thankfully his large body and spread stance was enough to keep him from falling down completely. With only the few moments that his head was turned she had already sprang and did her best to claw at Leiko. Marshflight hoped that the she-cat could dodge as he was temporarily out of synch with himself. He had to admit he had been caught off guard, and as the ShadowClan warrior sprang away he took his new place once more in-between the two cats, one bleeding and still attempting to fight, the other as far as Marshflight knew untouched.

The tom knew he was being ignored on purpose, possibly to boil his blood and cause him to make mistakes when the she-cat brought the battle upon them. Or maybe she just didn’t want to speak, and that was fine with the tom. Because, personally it didn’t matter that she had caught him off guard just moments ago, at least now he knew there was a coming battle. Now, standing to shield Leiko his auds flashed back against his head and his words came out with a warning tone. “If you didn’t know before Leiko is a prisoner of ShadowClan” His orbs locked with the grey she-cat, her form crouched and looking more then ready to continue with the fight. “But now that you do know stop the battle, otherwise it is my duty to protect her.” A threatening hiss left his maw as he continued. “And I will, so be warned.” She could take his words to heart, or not for at the moment it didn’t matter. It was her choice, and he would act on either that she choose.

[Crane]

Leiko glanced at the big tom who had entered the scene. ShadowClan - at least the rain hadn't gotten rid of his scent yet. Her eyes flickered back to the smaller cat, who, compared to the big tom, she realised was a she-cat.
It looked like he was trying to step in. What, because she was a prisoner she couldn't fight? The she-cat sidestepped the larger tom and charged at Leiko. Leiko snarled furiously. Wasn't that rude amongst the Clan cats? To ignore another warrior? Whatever. This fox-dung she-cat was going down!
Leiko stepped back, but the lighter she-cat was quicker and swiped her claws across Leiko's face. Leiko yowled in defiance, lashing out blindly. But the nimble brat had already stepped back. Leiko's body tensed, ready to jump over to the she-cat again. However, the ShadowClan tom stepped in front of her.
Leiko sighed, and relaxed. She couldn't fight if the tom told her not to. As much as she hated it, even one of the kits or apprentices would outrank a prisoner. But couldn't she at least help in the fight? She padded to the side of the tom, pale green eyes glaring at the she-cat, daring her to come closer.

[xx snakey]

Infectedsound growled at Marshflight, sounding more like a pissed badger then a slight framed she-cat. "You caught me on a bad day, Marshflight." She snarled, her twisted mouth springing up into a joker grin as she bared her teeth. "Would you like to take the prisoners place underneath my claws?" She whsipered, his eyes flashing with rage. She didn't know why the sight of the prisoner had mad her so angry, but it had, and she had to take that anger out on someone. Without waiting for him to answer Infectedsound leapt at Marshflight, her paws squared up with his shoulders. As her paws conected, she twisted in the air, pushing away from him and springing nimbly away. She hoped that would knock him down and give her a chance to attack Leiko again. Then she noticed She'd landed on the other side of him, giving her a straight shot at the other she-cat. He claws dug into the muddy ground as she pounced toward the ginger cat, swiping at her flank while she raced pasted, stopping to crouch next to a pine not to far off. The slash in her flank was starting to sting, since the mud had caked her paws when she ran.

[FireFlyDragon]

[Marshflight]

As the scene continued Marshflight was thankful that Leiko stood down, deciding to listen to reason then continue with fighting. He knew it must have annoyed, even angered her that he stepped in, at least that’s what had been radiating off the she-cat before. But now she had calmed, and her coat was sleek as her fur relaxed though she wasn’t afraid to taunt the opposing silent she-cat.

A infuriated snarl told Marshflight that this other opponent wasn’t going to back down as easily, or back down at all as she finally let loose rage throbbing verses. As the last words of her threats died off Marshflight replied quietly, though in no way was he going to be pushed around any longer. “You had no order to attack the prisoner! So if I must bleed in order to right your wrong so be it!” His fangs shone pearl whites as his ears flashed back, a hint of anger tinting his words. “This attack and lack of respect is degrading of a ShadowClan warrior.” But she left no more room for argument as she once more lept forward, attempting to land a blow to his front. Bad idea when he was facing the she-cat and ready for the rush.

With a guttural growl Marshflight flung himself forward at her attack, the drive received giving him more then enough strength to stay upright, even enough to attempt at landing a hard blow with sheathed claws upon her retreating form. Though he wasn’t the slightest bit pleased with this she-cats behavior he really didn’t want to start a bloodbath. That would only worsen the feelings between them all. The tom figured his hit was hard enough without claws to at least knock her off balance, if only for a moment.But even if she had been knocked off balance she still did her best to get another hit off at Leiko, for the she-cat had conveniently landed upon his other side.

The ground was a good deal of mud, wet and still damp thanks to the misty diamonds falling downwards. As Marshflight whirled around, ready to try and once more stop the violence he could feel his paws ever sinking lower and growing slippery with a thick coating of wet earth. The opposing warrior also seemed to feel the mud, for as she attempted to stop her paws slid still a decent amount over the ground, setting her resting place among the wet roots of a nearby pine. Marshflight was already moving, his speed increasing until he was pelting full blast towards the she-cat. It took only seconds for him to hurdle him self towards her, his paws connecting to damp and clumped fur as his form wrapped itself around her own slight body.

Unsheathing his claws and hooking them into her just enough to hold on to her withering form if she decided to struggle he let out a yowl. “Leiko, get back to camp, you’ll be safer there.” His hind legs curled themselves as they hooked lightly upon the grey she-cats pelt, Marshflight doing his best not to draw blood but still hold her down. Hopefully his superior size would help him out, that was unless this she-cat was stronger then she looked.

//ooc// Hehe don’t think Infectedsound will be to happy about this. Oh yeah and if her claws were unsheathed when she attacked Marshflight just tell me and I’ll add it in XD It just seemed like she was just trying to get him out of the way and not hurt him…Yet.

[Crane]

Leiko whined uneasily as the she-cat charged at Marshflight. She was totally unprepared when the nimble she-cat came racing towards her side. She cringed down and the claws only cut her lightly, but still enough to sting and drip blood.
She wanted to fight, to help Marshflight out. Her claws itched to rake through flesh. But she couldn't. It felt like she was turning into a Clan cat, having to obey all these rules. But she had to, or she'd probably be killed anyway.
She let out a growl of triumph when Marshflight got the she-cat pinned. Take that! she snarled mentally.

[xx snakey]

Infectedsound wriggled underneath Marshflight for a moment, trying to devise a plan. Her mind was racing, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She enjoyed the clarity of fear. Then she stopped wriggling, went limp and sighed. "You forget me, Marshflight, as has the rest of the clan." She murmured, looking wistfully, almost misty eyed. "No one cares once a new trouble arrives, past glories mean nothing to any cat but elders who wind their tales all day until your story is so twisted you aren't even yourself anymore. You're some foriegn cat in a far off battle created to entertain kits." She paused, doubting Marshflight or Leiko knew what she was rambling about, but she hoped her ramblings would make them think she gave up. "Do you know what it's like to be forgotten Marshflight? Of course you don't, your everyone's friend, everyone's ball of fun. But after they play with you they'l toss you away, I'm sure of it. I'm sure." Her mouth twisted in an evil grin, her paws finding purchase on the ground underneath her. Then she started laughing, an erie sound in the quiet forest. "Do you remember me, Marshflight? The kit that killed a badger?!" She pushed herself upward, propelling her leap with all her might and hoping to loosen Marshflight's grip on her so she could spring away. She hit the ground running, scampering away to once again take shelter in the roots of a pine. "I must say though, you are a very worthy advisary." She meowed, looking to Leiko as well. They put up a good fight. She enoyed that, but her flank was starting to hurt badly, she had to stop soon before she hurt herself more.

[Crane]

Leiko flicked her tail in impatience as the she-cat blabbered on and on about memories and stories. But she knew she was beaten. She scrambled out from Marshflight's grip and went to hide under the roots where Leiko had been resting before.
Leiko sighed loudly. Now the fight was over, she was really bored.
"I'm going back to camp," she told whoever was listening, sticking her nose high in the air and trotting off in the general direction of the camp. Maybe she'd hunt a little first - that rule about feeding the Clan first didn't apply to her.

[FireFlyDragon]

[Marshflight]

The she-cat as thought struggled beneath him, though much to his surprise she fell limp within moments. His tail thrashed uneasily but he didn’t loosen his hold as of yet, though neither did he tighten it. As the warrior’s mouth opened he listened with care, with his heart open as he took in her words. In truth her words were at first confusing, though he felt that they were, in some ways true. He could feel her shifting beneath him and he tensed, though his pale orbs were always focused upon her own intense gaze.

A sudden eerie sound penetrated his ear fur and as the she-cat let loose her last few words she accompanied it with a launch upwards. His paws stayed firmly upon the ground, but without a word he lifted himself off the she-cat, allowing her to scramble away from his large form to the safety of a nearby hoard of roots. His fur relaxed as his gaze drifted over the blood crusted she-cat crouched defensively before the dominating pine.

Leiko announced she was leaving, and Marshflight was glad of this, perhaps this would allow the other she-cat to stop this meaningless and unneeded fight, though he guessed she would need to stop soon anyway from her wound. He meowed a quiet goodbye, though he advised she head back to camp soon before turning once more back to the crouching warrior.

All was silent for a few moments as he thought quietly, his orbs holding a note of thoughtfulness and no annoyance or anger as they might have done before. “I think-” He started, voice soft considering their previous rustle. “If you don’t want to be forgotten, do things worthy of remembering. Just make sure it won’t be hatred that churns other’s bellies while they do so.” He gave her a slight dip of his head before turning away, though he paused at their small clearing’s edge. "Make sure you get your wound seen to, we’ll need all our warriors for the coming leaf-bare.” His paws left little sound nor marks as he walked off, his shoulders slipping past browning ferns as he did so. Making small reflecting diamonds sprinkle to the already damp ground at his passing. Leaving Infectedsound alone in the pines.