Few Steps too Far {{Thistlespot}}

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No matter where you go, Cloudstep, i will always be right there with you.

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That was far from what Cloudstep felt as he quietly walked along the Thunderpath on Windclan's territory. At this moment, he felt as if Heatherflower was far from him and he himself had no idea where he was. He was just here int eh world walking, no planned destination in sight, no planned idea for the days and moons to come. He was just there, doing his duties as he remembered. But he Knew that was wrong. That wasn't what his mentor had told him. She had told him to be alert, watch his clan and take care of them. How could he take care of them if he couldn't even take care of himself?

My little Cloud, you are so stubborn sometimes even for a kit.

That's what his mother would have said if she was still alive. however if she was still alive he wouldn't be who he was today, Medicine cat of Windclan. He'd still be roaming, having to search every night for shelter. He wasn't happy his mom had died. He missed curling into her fur and her telling him stories. He also liked having a den to himself and the occasional warrior or apprentice who would help him with his duties. That was why he was so down now. His head and heart were torn and he just needed time to breath. To be on his own.

I belong here. This is my home and Windclan is my family.

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He raised his head some with this new though going through his mind over and over. He had to protect his family, his clan. So why was his this far from the camp? Oh he remembered now, he was checking to see if some Horsetails had happened to grow on this side of the Thunderpath. So far he didn't recall seeing any, but he spotted a few just across the path from him. He stood there twitching his ear. That was Shadowclan territory and he would probably get his ears clawed off for trespassing. He sniffed the air but he couldn't tell if there were any other cats around because of the stench from the Thunderpath. He quickly scanned the boarder and looked around for monsters coming that way. Maybe if he just stayed on the thunderpath he wouldn't trespassing. No one really claimed the Thunderpath as their territory.

Slowly stepping onto the hard Thunderpath he had a face as the hard tar scratched at his paw pads. He didn't see how anyhting could stand to be on this. He quickly skittered across and found some horse tail and began to chew at the stalks. His chews were so loud that he hadn't heard the monster until it was only a few fox lengths away. His froze his eyes wide. suddenly something hit him hard throwing him into the grass.
'This is it. I'm dead,' he thought pitifully.

He slwoly opened his eyes and stopped seeing grass around him. He slowly sat up and glances around he froze seeing a cat getting up a few tail length away form him. He stopped slowly regonizing the spotted pelt of Thistlespot. Uh oh...he was about to get it.

Word Count: 536 {{NEW RECORD!!!}}
Tagged: Thistlespot

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[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, border:0px solid #d3c5bb;border-radius:100px;width:480px;background-image:url('http://i.imgur.com/bnwH44b.png');background-position:top;b ackground-re peat:no-repeat;background-color:#8d131f;width:456px;background-position:top;background-repeat:no-repeat;padding-top:320p x;padding-bottom:10px;padding-top:315px;] Thistlespot Thistlespot "Are you sure you're okay?" The former medicine cat eyed her suspiciously. He knew her better than anyone so even if she lied and said everything was fine he'd probably see right through her in an instant. The young she-cat gave her most reassuring smile. "It's nothing, Bluetail, I'm just a little nervous." She eyed the coltsfoot and gently nudged it forward, the elderly tom had been having some difficulty breathing ever since the cold started to set in. "Now, be a good elder an eat your medicine, I'll check on you later, ok?" Bluetail nodded an obediently chewed the leaves while still keeping an eye on her, she knew that look, he wasn't satisfied with her answer but he wasn't going to push her anymore. She always liked that about her mentor. Thistlespot sighed and left the elder's den, Bluetail was right, she had been a little jumpy that day; the reason was simple and complicated at the same time: she had a 'feeling'. It wasn't a strong one like the one she got when she saved Rainwhisker but it wasn't exactly weak either. Her whiskers twitched as she thought about the meaning behind the sensation in her chest, what exactly was it trying to say? She stared at the camp entrance and decided that a walk would help decipher the message, when she felt her heart relax she knew she was doing the right thing. The medicine cat was sure no one would question her odd behavior and she knew better than to doubt her instinct, it had saved quite a pawful of lives in the past. Now, where to? She silently questioned herself as soon as she was out of the bramble tunnel, this was usually the hard part, figuring out where she was supposed to be and why. A soft gale of wind ruffled her fur, it brought the acrid scent of the Thunderpath with it, the spotted she-cat smiled and headed towards the monster dwelling road. Let's just hope I'm right. She trotted through the marshy lands, her steps were light if still firm. Thistlespot knew she was going to the right place because the anxiety that was pitted in her stomach softened the closer she got to the WindClan border. Soon she broke to a run as a new sensation arrived: the prominent feeling of danger. Someone was in danger and she needed to hurry up. The spotted she-cat stopped and stared at the Thunderpath, there on the middle of the road stood a WindClan cat, she grimaced, a monster was about to hit him. Without really thinking she bolted forward and tackled the young tom, knocking both of them to the safety of ShadowClan territory. She cringed at the acid scent that the monster left behind and slowly stood up, a light trembling courses through her strong legs. She opened her eyes and soon recognized Cloudstep, the medicine cat of WindClan, he looked frightened. But then again he always looked scared she recalled. "Are you hurt?" She gave him a quick sniff and inspected the general aspects of his appearance, there were no deep wounds, just a few scratches from the fall and lots of ruffled fur. "Can you walk? Does it hurt when you put pressure in any of your paws?" She gently nudged him and helped him get up, she watched his reactions closely and sighed in relief when all the apparent wounds he presented didn't seem too serious. But then again she didn't know him very well, her whiskers twitched, surely if he was hurt he would tell her, right? She looked down at the chewed leaves she had somehow managed to knock along, then it hit her. "What exactly were you thinking? If you wanted Horsetail you could have just asked." Her tone went from alarmed to gentle as the feeling of danger faded away, she was glad she had arrived on time and a little upset the tom had placed himself in danger so recklessly. Thank StarClan I had a feeling this morning, Cloudstep. word count :: 667 words. tagged :: Cloudstep

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"Are you hurt?"

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No, from what he could tell he wasn't hurt. He sat up and gave himself a small shake. If anything had been hurt it was his pride. Being saved by another clan cat. But Cloudstep guessed he was lucky it was Thistlespot and not a warrior. The warrior would probably have let him get hit. He had a few minor scratches but nothing that wouldn't heal. He was about to reply when more words spewed out of Thistlespot's mouth.

"Can you walk? Does it hurt when you put pressure in any of your paws?"

"Thistlespot, I think I'm okay. No need for so many questions," he mewed quietly but took a few small testing steps. Man he was going to be sore tomorrow, but he could walk. Every joint moved fine and nothing seemed to terribly uncomfortable. Thistlespot had finally gotten quiet still looking him over. He looked away as a pained look filled his eyes. She reminded him of Heatherflower, not how she looked, but how she acted.

"What exactly were you thinking? If you wanted Horsetail you could have just asked."

Cloudstep sighed. He knew that question would have come up eventually. He flicked his grey ear some and actually tried to come up with a legitimate excuse. Nothing was coming to mind. He really had no need to need horsetail right now. He could have waiting until the next gathering.
"I really don't know, Thistlespot. I don't really need any," he admitted weakly, "I just...i saw it and thought it might be nice to have some just in case."

His paw scuffed at the dirt some and his eyes were intently staring at the ground. He really didn't want to tell her what was wrong. He didn't want to tell her he had another dream about Heatherflower dying. He didn't want to tell her that he felt like him being a medicine cat was a mistake. She would tell him he was crazy and that he just needed some help. He had thought about the idea, asking a warrior to help out around the camp some, just an extra paw or two. But he wouldn't, he couldn't admit that to another medicine cat. Even if he was the youngest one in all the clans.

Word Count: 373
Tagged: Thistlespot

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[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, border:0px solid #d3c5bb;border-radius:100px;width:480px;background-image:url('http://i.imgur.com/bnwH44b.png');background-position:top;b ackground-re peat:no-repeat;background-color:#8d131f;width:456px;background-position:top;background-repeat:no-repeat;padding-top:320p x;padding-bottom:10px;padding-top:315px;] ”Wounds in the flesh I can heal, but a broken spirit not even the best of all medicine cats.” Bluetail growled at Spottedwing while looking at her thin frame over his shoulder, she was hungry but she couldn’t bring herself to eat. She eyed the mouse, sighed and went back to sleep. A broken spirit and heart is as lethal as deathcough… she shrugged the quick memory away and instead concentrated on the tom in front of her. Thistlespot could almost see the inner workings of his mind slowly tinkering away, trying to come up with a reason for his reckless behavior. Alas he gave up and finally spoke the truth in what she considered a weak whisper, she leaned in to listen closer to his very soft voice. "I really don't know, Thistlespot. I don't really need any," She narrowed her eyes as something else came into mind. There was another reason, a justification for his actions and behavior. Something he didn’t want just anyone to see, not his clanmates, not the warriors, not the rest of the medicine cats. It was deep and personal, buried deep inside. "I just...I saw it and thought it might be nice to have some just in case." The medicine cat knew that face all too well, the young tom sighed and Thistlespot looked at him with gentle eyes. He was hurt, she could tell from a foxtail away. He was hurt and was screaming for help even if he would never admit it to himself. His mind drifted again to troubled thoughts and the spotted she-cat placed her tail in his shoulder to call his attention in a polite manner. She took a deep breath and with the same mellow tone spoke. “Are you hurt, Cloudstep?” She looked at him directly in the eyes, by experience she knew eyes betrayed thoughts and emotions, they were windows of understanding; if she looked at his eyes she would know if he needed help but most importantly, if he wanted help. “I don’t mean a scratch or a sore muscle… Those can be easily healed,” she paused and thought carefully about her words, she recalled what Bluetail once said in his attempts to make her feel better after she lost Leopardheart. “A wound not in the flesh but in the heart can be as mortal as the worst of greencoughs.” She looked for his eyes and held his gaze, no pity reflected in the pale green but a strange and deep affection and compassion. “Are you hurt, Cloudstep?” word count :: 423 words. tagged :: Cloudstep.

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