We're Both Insane Here (Speckledpaw)

<sup>Ravenpaw
I live in the shadows, hiding from my pain

Ravenpaw followed his comrade out of camp, confusion still buzzing in his mind. There had to be a catch. There was no way Speckledpaw would drag him out along with her for a good cause. Or...am I just being paranoid?

The tom had to agree with this one thought of a positive attribute toward Speckledpaw. He didn't sense anything that could persuade him into thinking she was planning something devious. She actually showed a little less confidence than usual, which was extremely abnormal in her case. Now the only question that couldn't be suspended any longer was: Why me?

Ravenpaw sped up to pad alongside Speckledpaw, glancing at her with a curious glimmer in his pale eyes. The question couldn't be subdued any longer, or he would end up being too distracted in their training session. Hesitantly, he opened his jaws and questioned, "Why do you want to train with me?"</sup>

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Speckledpaw

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When Speckledpaw got out of the camp she shook out her fur and looked around. The scent of her mentor lead away from where they were but she didn't care about that. Her mentor was a crazy loon anyways. He was always doing strange things. But apparently it was wearing off on her because here she was with Ravenpaw, the brainless wonder, trying to teach him how to train. What was she thinking?!
When she started off she was surprised RAvenpaw even tried to keep up. She heard his question and knew then. Why him?
Why did she choose him? He was nothing special. He was an apprentice like her. Training like her...trying to survive like her. Food had been short lately and they were both starting to look thin. However the light in his eyes, it was determination and hope. It was something she hadn't seen in a while.
"Everyone else was busy...and really...you're the only one i have a chance at beating right now. Everyone else can tear me to shreds." she mewed softly, then jumped up on a rock and looked t him. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at him, trying to see where his determination came from. Why was he the only one to stand up to her? most of the younger apprentices ran away and several others just ignored her. But why was he different?
"do you wanna know why i want to get good at fighting and all this other warrior stuff?" she asked wrapping her tail around her paws flicking her ears.[/center]

She’s got a smile like California
She’s got a spirit like New Orleans
Eyes like the lights of New york City
Cool as the Carolina Breeze
But underneath, She’s got a heart like Memphis.

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<sup>Ravenpaw
I live in the shadows, hiding from my pain

Ravenpaw couldn't argue with her words. She was right, after all. He was weak. Weaker than a kit in both heart and strength. A mouse could beat him if it wanted to. But he wasn't feeling sorry for himself. Not anymore. He was going to straighten up. And Speckledpaw was his first step. Actually, instead of confused, he should be grateful. No one else trained or taught him anything. Not even his own mentor.

Ravenpaw was caught off guard by her sudden question. Following her, he neared the rock and tilted his head up, sitting down himself, but too skittish to get comfortable. When he looked closely, he couldn't help admire the she-cat. The bright sunlight was shining on her pelt, making it glimmer. She looked like the leader of StarClan on top of that rock. He never saw anyone so beautiful before.

But why was he noticing this trait anyway? Casting away the thought of nonsense he replied, "To get stronger?" It was his firs guess, which is because that is what he wanted. He was pretty much speaking his own want out loud. Hopefully it was a good guess, right?</sup>

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Speckledpaw

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speckledpaw watched the black tom closely as he padded over and looked at her. That look in his eyes was kind of freaking her out but the moment she realized it was there it vanished and he gave his answer. She let her ears flick with irritation.
"well, duh, mousebrain. Of course every cat wants to get stronger."[/color] she mewed flicking her tail, and a look of ambition filled her eyes. "i want to honor my mother and kill my father. He is the reason she's dead and i want him to go to the Place of No Stars as soon as he can. That is my goal, but right now, he'd rip me to shreds on sight."[/color]
Speckledpaw hesitated as a sense of fear swept through her voice. What was she saying? she could never face a full grown rouge alone, let alone kill him. Yeah, Speckledpaw was a mean little sucker, but to kill a full grown cat....she wasn't sure if she could to it.
She slowly blanked out as she thought about that last fight between her mother and father. Her mother had been so brave, so strong. and here she was picking on cats weaker than her just to make herself feel better. She wasn't honoring her mom at all....she was disgracing her! She felt herself shrink down slightly and her ears lay back. how could she be so stupid?![/center]

She’s got a smile like California
She’s got a spirit like New Orleans
Eyes like the lights of New york City
Cool as the Carolina Breeze
But underneath, She’s got a heart like Memphis.

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<sup>Ravenpaw
I live in the shadows, hiding from my pain

Ravenpaw looked at her with brimming admiration. He never knew what kind of past the she-cat was holding! And being strong and facing her fears by avenging her mother? What bravery! That thought wouldn't even cross his mind if he were in that position. All his thoughts would be set on would be cowering in the shadows, away from his father's threatening claws.

He knew this because once, his father was just like her father. But now all he could remember of his father was a brave and loving cat, which now he was trying to follow his steps. What would he be if he were in Speckledpaw's life? Would he be more a mouse than he already was? Maybe Speckledpaw could be the right role-model for him that could get him motivated. In some ways, of course. He sure didn't want her rude and uncaring traits. He wanted to be kind and strong. And brave, too. Which he could hopefuly inherit from this she-cat.

"R-really? I wish I was that brave..." Ravenpaw gasped, smiling. But his brightened smile morphed into a shy frown, his eyes shifting to the ground. "U-um...Speckledpaw...can I ask you something?" In a low, embarrassed tone he meowed, "C-can you teach me how to be brave? I-I...don't want to be a coward anymore. I want to be strong like y-you..." Looking up he meowed with excitement, "I-I can help you with battle training in return! Y-you know...to defeat your father! Only if you want, of course...I might not be much help..."</sup>

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Speckledpaw

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Speckledpaw looked down at Ravenpaw and was slightly surprised to see the look in his eyes. He really thought she was a great cat? How? all she had done was torment the poor tom. He didn't deserve it. He had been sheltered that wasn't his fault. And here Speckledpaw had made fun of him and mocked him. Some warrior she was turning out to be.
As she looked at Ravenpaw as he spoke she couldn't help but see how the tables were turning so quickly. He was actually saying he would help her train so she could beat her father. Most apprentices would have laughed at her and turned their backs. Here he was saying he would help even if it was much. And he wanted her to teach him bravery? He was sitting here teaching her.
Speckledpaw jumped down from her perch and walked dover beside Ravenpaw. "i don't think I'll have to teach you much. Bravery is standing up and doing something you wouldn't normally do for something you care about."[/color] she mewed quietly. He was already brave from the beginning. He just had to find it. She smiled and flicked his ears with her spotted tail.
"come on...we got some battle training to do."[/color] she mewed then darted for the training pit. Maybe Ravenpaw could turn her around and set her right. But that would take a lot of work.[/center]

She’s got a smile like California
She’s got a spirit like New Orleans
Eyes like the lights of New york City
Cool as the Carolina Breeze
But underneath, She’s got a heart like Memphis.

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<sup>Ravenpaw
I live in the shadows, hiding from my pain

Ravenpaw listened carefully to her words of wisdom, but it seemed as if he had to work on his courage on his own. She was much more matured than he was, and also smarter and more confident, so she gained her courage easily. But what about him? Will he ever find the courage in his heart, if he has any? When carefully analyzing her advice, she mentioned something about standing up for someone you care about. Who does he care about?

Snowpaw was the first cat to pop into his mind. Then Wavepaw. But his sisters are the only cats that he actually cared for. Would he do the same for anyone else? Speckledpaw. Ravenpaw thought about it. Would he? She was the first one to talk to him. Maybe he could consider her as a friend, even if she's a bit mean sometimes? Snowpaw is mean sometimes, but she's the cat he cares most for. At kithood, he never went anywhere without his white sister by his side.

Did his father have to earn his courage this way? Was he like Ravenpaw at first? The black apprentice could hardly imagine the warrior being skittish and frightened like he was. Will he ever be like his father? His two sisters were more like him than he was! Dismissing the whole ordeal, he followed the pretty she-cat to the training area. Skidding to a halt he cautiously wondered out loud, "W-what kind of battle moves should we practice on?"</sup>

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{{Hey i was wondering if you wanted me to have Sage show up or not now? if not i can wait.}}

Speckledpaw

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Speckledpaw slowed down once they reached the training pit and slowly looked around. Good they were alone. So if they made fools of themselves it wouldn't matter. She heard Ravenpaw come in behind her and looked at him when he asked the question.
"Well i nee to work on the one that Lionstrike showed us the other day. You did pretty good with it. Do you think you could show me how to do it?"[/color] she asked flicking her ears.
For once she wasn't embarrassed to ask the tom for help. Was it because they were alone? Maybe. she didn't know. Why did it matter anyways. Apprentices and warriors were supposed to help each other anyways. There was nothing wrong about it. But she had to learn to fight her father. And she wasn't going to do it alone. Not anymore.[/center]

She’s got a smile like California
She’s got a spirit like New Orleans
Eyes like the lights of New york City
Cool as the Carolina Breeze
But underneath, She’s got a heart like Memphis.

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(Sure! Best time than any ^_^ )

Speckledpaw
The cocky apprentice of Riverclan

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Speckledpaw fell quiet as Ravenpaw started explaining the leap-and-hold move they had worked on the other day. Alright, aiming and balance...those were the two things she needed to work on. They didn't seem to hard. She found herself slowly following Ravenpaw's movement and crouched down fixing her eyes on the rock ahead of them. However when she was about to move forward, Ravenpaw stopped and stood up, but it wasn't relaxed like he wanted to talk. No, something was wrong...

"I-I smell....something weird...a-a cat?"

Well it's probably you, mousebrain. That's what she wanted to comment but the moment she opened her mouth she stopped. She smelled it to. It smelled horrible. Like rotten meat and blood. Whatever it was it was dirty and disgusting. She slowly stood up as well perking her ears for any noise. That's when she saw them and went rigid. Those yellow orbs. The orbs that held her past and made her freeze in fear. The orbs of the cat who killed her mother.
"It's him..."

[/color] that was all the poor she-cat could murmur her eyes wide in fright.[/size][/left]

Sage
The despair of all rouges

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He had no idea why, but the large tom found himself wandering down beside the river that ran beside the Riverclan territory. He was frustrated, tired, hungry, and overly all...mad. The tom that called himself "The hunter" had practically tricked him into joining the one thing he swore to destroy. A clan. so what if they worshiped the Place of No Stars. It was pretty much the same thing. However he was stupid to fall for it. Well not anymore. Sage...not Snake...walked alone. No more listening to other cats. He just obeyed himself.
He let a smirk slide across his lips as the scent of a fox cub crossed his nose. Yeah normally a cat wouldn't go after a fox cub, but he was hungry and he really didn't care. He slowly stalked forward and stopped in the rushes ad perked his ears looking around. Nothing was around and he soon found the fox cub.
"Drat...it's dead."

[/color] he muttered and slowly walked over there sniffing it. It was already starting to rot, but it was food. Sage didn't care. He bent down nd started eating the rotting corpse. When he was done he sat up and licked his lip and ran a paw over his ear. however something reached his ears that made him stop. Voices....of cats....young cats at that. He smirked and slowly stalked forward. Sure enough he soon found the two apprentices.
One was small and have a raven black coat. He was showinh the other cat, a she-cat something. When he turned turned to look at the other kit he stopped. That pelt. That voice. He knew this cat. That was his kit. The one he had tried to kill before that blasted she-cat got in the way. He knew she was dead, and that made him smirk. She was unprotected now. There was no way that little runt could save her. It was time to make his move.
Just about that time the Black tom stopped and stood up. He perked his ears and said he smelled something. Good. they knew he was there. It would make it more fun. The she-cat, Speckledkit if he remembered right, soon followed suit and perked her ears. Then her eyes met his. All confidence left and was replaced with fear. Oh yes, she remembered him. Good good good. He smirked and slowly slid out of the bushes.
"What are two young cats doing out here alone? There could be trouble around."[/color] he said letting a devilish grin slide across his face in the process. [/size][/left]

<sup>Ravenpaw stood rigid. The scent moved closer, until he didn't have to use his nose to pinpoint where the unknown cat was. Instead, he used his eyes, gazing upon the newcomer as he appeared in plain sight in front of them, confidence flooding from him. He looked like a cat from the Dark Forest. His presence giving off a dark and nightmarish atmosphere. His eyes glowed brightly and flickered with murderous intent. His expression of horror gave him chills.

He was not the right cat to mess with.

He reminded Ravenpaw of his father, Ravenclaw. He had that same appearance. Except he had more mercy, while this cat seemed to have none. Ravenclaw he grew to like, while this cat he knew he would grow up to hate. Not fear. No, not this time. He wasn't going to run and hide. He desperately wanted to, but he couldn't. Not this time. And he had to prove it, no matter how stupid he looked. No, he didn't do it just for being like his father. He did it to protect Speckledpaw.

Without any warning, he ludged at the rogue, using the move he was about to make on the rock. The leap-and-hold. This time around, he aimed more precisely and balanced himself on the enemy's back, claws digging into his skin and fangs disturbing the flesh. "Don't hurt Speckledpaw!" he murmured through fur, deep inside afraid like he never felt before.</sup>

(Yeah do whatever to Ravenpaw XD Make him blind, break a bone, whatever I don't care XD )

Snake
The despair of all rouges

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Sage watched with amusement as the black tom slowly crept forward. He had no idea what he was about to get into. Sage let out a chuckle as Ravenpaw launched and let the small tom lad on his back. Yeah the teeth stung but that wasn't about to be anything compared to what he was about to do to him.
Don't hurt speckledpaw.
"It's not her you should be worried about, Kit."

[/color] he growled, them rolled over hard on top of the apprentice. He sprung away and got up crouched, baring his fang. He lunged and bowled the apprentice over and pinned him down easily with one paw. He let a sly grin spread across his face. He was going to ruin this cat's life. HE brought he free paw down hard across his face, extending his claws into his skin. He smiled as the blood covered his paws and the apprentices face.
He heard a yowl and felt his daughter bowl him over. He landed in a crouch and licked his bloodied paw and smiled at his daughter.
"We'll meet again speckledpaw...and next time...i'm going after you."[/color] he growled before darting into the bushes and away into the shadows, leaving only a trail of blood and death.[/size][/left]

Speckledpaw
The cocky apprentice of Riverclan

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Speckledpaw watching in horror as Ravenpaw, the one cat she thought would cower, lunged at Sage and cling to his back. She couldn't bring herself to move cry out for help or do anything. She just sat there crouched in fear and watched as Ravenpaw fought hopelessly against the older cat. Why was he doing this? What had she ever done to help him? Why risk his life to save her, a cat who cared for and about no one? No, that was a lie. She cared about someone. And that someone was getting torn to shreds.
She looked up as Ravenpaw gave out an agonizing yowl of pain. She saw Sage's claws rake across his face and saw the blood flow from the open wounds. She couldn't help herself. She yowled and lunged at her father, trying to claw any par of the tom that she could reach. However he pulled away and ran before she could do any damage. She didn't even hear his warning of danger to come. She swallowed and ran to the injured tom, her injured friend. She looked him over. The gashes ran across only one eye but there was so much blood.
"Ravenpaw...Ravenpaw please....don't give up..."

[/color] she murmured and let out a loud cry for help. She wasn't going to leave his side.[/size][/left]

Pain.

That was all he felt. All he could think. His attack on the newcomer was a fatal mistake. As if the tom had rehearsed his moves until they were perfect, he fluently took his own body under the rogue's control, in a system and line of skillful movements he found himself thrashing on the floor under the heavy body, suffocating under tabby fur. Pain shot through his sides, a rush of bitter-tasting blood rising from his throat and exiting through his mouth.

Coughing and spitting, the weight lifted from his body, giving him time to recover and breathe. But it wasn't long before the rogue leaped at the black apprentice, pinning him before he had the slightest chance to regain control and get up to strike again. It was over.

Ravenpaw tightly closed his eyes, preparing himself for a painful death. But he wasn't prepared for how painful it was going to be, where it was going to be landed, or what damage it was going to cause. And after he found out, he didn't want to know anymore. And sadly, it wasn't that painful moment where it fades into relief as you venture out into the stars. No, it was pain that was going to last what seems like a moon. And being left with a scar that only reminds you of when you thought you were going to die.

Pain surged through his left eye, a screech of agony echoing through the clearing. He felt the warmth of his own blood soak the side of his face. He had no idea what just happened to him, all he knew was that he was in excruciating pain. Dissolved in his own fear and pain, he didn't even notice the tom leave. He only knew when he heard Speckledpaw's voice beyond his hisses and groans.

As if the she-cat was a guide, he was brought back into his thoughts.

What...just happened? Who was that? What damage did he cause? And most importantly...was Speckledpaw ok? Ravenpaw strained to gaze at Speckledpaw with his clear eye, his vision blurred and dazed. The pain vanished for a brief moment when he saw the concern in her eyes. She cared. She was safe. Actually, he didn't regret this. He was able to protect his first friend that wasn't just a relative. He was able to stand up for someone he cared about, and keeping her unharmed.

It wasn't long for the pain to come back. Tightening his jaws to fight back the pain he managed to croak, "I-I'm glad...your safe..."

Blackness overcame the tom.

He fainted.

(I don't know what you want to do but you can either have Speckledpaw drag him, start a new board in camp, we can get other RiverClan cats we play out here or whatever you want. )