Lonely and Forgotten ~Open~ [crane advised]

[wolfwind]

Why can't the world be peaceful?
Why can't family get along?
And why is singing against the law.....

Leaf-bare may be barren and basically a waste land, but it brought out his paws in the snow to show that the tom basically walks on fire. He has a strong willed heart and he doesn't show it very well, not with his kittish instincts over powering him.

Firestep rested in the snow, crouched in a bundle, keeping his stomach warm against the cold touch, but he enjoyed the water seeping into his pelt. He wanted to talk to someone, perhaps his brothers? Or his sisters, or actually, what's left of his sisters, meaning Shadedwhisper. She was always busy though. Just like his parents were.

It seemed like they never had time for him. Firestep didn't care for his father as much, but Cinderflame was always there when he needed to talk, but then stupid Frecklefire told on them while they were singing and Cinderflame had shunned him ever since.
Can't they just be happy that we do something so well together? he sighed, singing softly to himself the song Shadedwhisper sang often.

"And when we were sad, she was there to dry our tears.
When she loved me."

"Just she and I together like it was meant to be,"

He stopped everyone once and I while to hum and to bury his tears that dropped off his whiskers in the snow.

"So the years went by, I stayed the same
But she began to drift away.......

Still I waited for the day, when she'd say "I will always love you," Lonely and forgotten...."

Firestep stopped to curl into a ball to think about his past and his present. The only thing that kept him going lately was Muskflower, the beautiful she-cat that was brave and well, beautiful. She too was kind as ever.

[wolfwind]

The frost trickled down the muzzle of the small tom. The cold was staring to get to him, but he remained in a ball, invisible against the snow. The earth was damp and chilly under his paws. He knew if he didn't get out soon he would catch a cold.

Slowly, Firestep raised himself out of the frozen terrin. He shook his white pelt free from the snow and he set off at a brisk pace towards camp. As he was walking along the river's edge, he noticed a bug flying overhead. He dropped into a crouch and let his kittish instincts overflow him. He awaitd the bug till it flew overhead. He sprang.

Firestep leaped up in the air to catch his prey in his paws, but his back feet slipped on his way up. Instead of landing smoothly on the ground, Firestep crashed through the thin ice that covered the rushing river. He then fell into the the freezing, surging river, limply. "Help!" he cried in alarm till he was pushed underwater and churned thourhg the torent.

Water pulsed down his throat everytime he pushed his head out of the water for air. "StarClan help me!" he cried.
What if no one comes to help? What if I go all the way to the waterfall? he thought painfully and frantically. The other thoughts crossed his mind silently, like if a cat does save him, will they make fun of him? He's a RiverClan cat, drowning!

His eyes blurred from the droplets that drained into him. The shards of the chilly water froe his throat as his damp fur made it extremely hard to swim to the surface.
Continue like this and I won't be able to make it! he thought solumnly. To admit, Firstep loved swimming, but even strong water can be his weakness.

[Crane]

The sun warmed Muskflower's pelt as she briskly trotted along the path she was following. Well, it wasn't technically a path - it was a scent trail. Belonging to Firestep. Following the scent trail didn't use much of Muskflower's mind, so as she wandered she was wondering what Firestep was doing out here. Maybe he was fishing? Oh, that couldn't be right, the river was frozen over - besides, the water was much too strong at this time.
Muskflower's ears pricked as she heard the crunch of pawsteps in crisp, clean snow. In the distance, she saw Firestep, his white pelt standing out against the pale blue sky as he leapt after something. A bug or a leaf, maybe? She purred, the noise almost sounding like a giggle. That was just like Firestep - always chasing after little flying things. She herself found it very entertaining.
But as he ended his jump, she saw his back half slip. It happened so fast - ice cracking, paws flailing, water droplets flying. With a shocked cry, Muskflower watched Firestep plunge into the icy river. Panicked, she raced towards him. It was too late to care if he saw her!
Her paws kept slipping in the treacherous snow. So much for crisp and clean - her churning paws quickly crushed it into slush.
Firestep was surging downwards with the tide! For a RiverClan cat, Muskflower wasn't a very good swimmer, but panic overwhelmed her judgement. She stepped onto the ice, holding it would hold her weight better than it had Firestep's. Of course, sh hadn't jumped onto it, so it cracked but didn't completely break.
Now she was on, she raced across it, going muh faster on the ice than the snow. This time, the slippery surface didn't hinder her - in fact, the smooth, glass-like ice allowed her to skid, so she got further.
Soon she'd caught up to Firestep. Edging closer to where the ice had melted, she managed to grab him by the scruff - mistake. As soon as she attempted to lift him, straining her neck muscles, the ice decided it'd had enough and cracked, dropping her into the river with Firestep.
With a strangled mew, she removed her teeth from his scruff - suppressing a whinging mew of disappointment. They were moving down so fast! What were they going to do?!

[wolfwind]

Firestep plummented underwater and coughed up the water that surged into his throat. He felt a sharp bite into his scruff and turned his head to see the beautiful she-cat falling into the water to try and save him.
Muskflower! he thought desperately. Had she tried to save him? If so she did a good job at staying on the ice, but the river was so strong that it probably ripped her from her position and carried her with him. Now they were both in trouble!

Through all the tension he was able to bear in mind that not even his siblings would have come to save him. Racoonpelt and Frecklefire would be glad if he didn't come back. He wondered if that was the same feeling Cinderflame and Lionstorm felt. Or how about Shadedwhisper and Flamestorm? Or even his most loyal brother, Rustlethorn. Would they risk their lives like Muskflower had done and come out on thick ice to rescue him from horrible torrents of water? Or would they let him float away bearing not one single thought of the white warrior? Firestep kicked out the thought of his family betraying him and focused on the real hero at the time. Muskflower. He had to do something before something totally horrible, even worse than what was happening now, came along to the forest in which he was recklessly living through. All because he was a dumb kit.

They were moving so rapidly! Firestep had to remember where he was. If he let them slide all the way down the river they could possibly plummet off the waterfall or even die!
I've got to do something! he thought, heading underwater quickly again. He breathed in the scents when he opened up to the outside world. ThunderClan! They were headed towards Sunningrocks.
Fearful over Muskflower being dragged away, he sank his teeth as gently as possible into her scruff and pulled his muscles out in front of him to swim towards the shoreline of Sunningrocks. He wanted her to at least get out towards the land. He didn't care who was watching any longer, all he wanted was the safety of Muskflower and him. Pulling what he could, he was only a few feet away from the sandy ground.
"Why can't I reach it?!" he muffled through her thick, water drenched fur.
There was nothing left to do!

[Crane]

As Muskpelt let go of Firestep, the raging torrent swept over her head, her thick, taupe fur pulling her under. Don't breathe in, don't breathe in, don't breathe in, she instructed herself, refusing to flail and make it harder for her to be rescued. Squeezing her eyes shut and holding her breath while she was being tossed around like a twig was very difficult.
She felt teeth sink into her scruff. Firestep!

[/b] she thought triumphantly. He was trying to save her! Oh... hang on - that meant she'd stuffed up in saving him.
Suddenly, her head broke out from under the water. She inhaled, spluttering, and then managed to keep her head above the water with Firestep's support.
But... they were slowing down now. Poor Firestep was tiring - whereas Muskflower was still relatively fresher. So, she eased out of his grip and swam the rest of the way, crawling up onto the shore.
Now, where was Firestep? She kept searching for him. Hopefully he could make it the rest of the way, otherwise she might have to get help.[/size][/blockquote]

[wolfwind]

He felt the grip slide away from him. Firestep looked up to see Muskflower pulling herself free from him and swimming up to the Sunningrocks shoreline. Good, he thought letting his whole body free from the weight of one less cat. She's safe! Now what am I to do! he thought trying to stay calm. Pulling his wet fur along with him, he made his way towards the shore. He could feel the grit and the pebbles under his paws.
"You're almost there, Firestep," he told himself, grunting in the effort to dig his claws in and pulling himself forward. He felt a rock go sharply through to his claw and he stifled a mew of pain. "Foxdung," he said when he saw the somewhat crimson water floating beyond him. "Stupid claw," he needed his wits about him for now he was making the strongest effort he could. He heaved himself forward and made his way towards a low branch. Just a little farther,

Firestep gripped the branch with his teeth and pulled himself out of the raging rapids and onto shore in the brambles. He heaved all of the air in and exhaled sharply. He was drenched, cold, and his claw was torn. Yeah, everything was fine. Now, as much as he wanted to get up and looked for Muskflower, he couldn't bear himself to. His legs were much too tired and his muscles ached. Plus, he was too slopping wet to move. Firestep decided perhaps he might just stay put. He just hoped the brave she-cat was alright.

[So, how about we move this topic to Sunningrocks, in ThunderClan. I already have a post, its called Chaos.]