Of Bristles and Briars {Anyone}

TANGLEPAW
Live, Love & Never forget to Laugh.

Tanglepaw padded across the springy moor, his paws enjoying the soft touch of grass underneath his pads. When Riverspirit wasn't looking he had escaped their patrol, bored with what was going on. If it didn't involve Eclipseclaw ripping out someone's throat it wasn't going to be interesting. Obviously nothing of that sort had occurred. Instead he was left dieing of boredom.

Blinking he found himself halting to an abrupt stop, the bubbling stream was only a few pawsteps ahead of him. Cocking his head to the left he wondered how he exactly ended up here. It wasn't on his agenda to go this far, but he shrugged the worries away. This could be fun.

Normally most Windclan cats would detest water, fortunately Tanglepaw was always open to trying new ideas. Although his last liquid experience had been horrifying and he almost died, he wasn't against the thought of going for a swim.

"Please don't be cold." he pleaded as he extended a paw into the water. The moment his front-right paw was emerged under water he wanted to extract it back as fast as he could. Instead he urged himself to keep it submerged. One by one slowly he entered all four paws into the water. Surprisingly it was quite relaxing, emitting a gentle sigh from his throat he closed his eyes. That's when someone's scent prickled his nose. Unsure of who the cat was he called out attentively, "Who's there?"

"The Hunter"
^{Dancing with the Devil}


"Hello little one." The Dark tom stepped out of the woods and looked at the younger cat. "What are you doing out here so far from your home?" he sat down and wrapped his tail around his legs. As always, when he went out under the persona of Hunter he had rolled in pine needles and groomed his fur perfectly. That way his scent and that of Screech were two different things.

He paused. "Swimming, that has never been my thing." he said. "However I think I may try it some day. Tell me, little one, is it fun?" he paused again. "Oh, you may call me Hunter." he said. "I come from beyond the mountains." He grinned a little, flashing brilliant white teeth in a stunning smile.

TANGLEPAW
Live, Love & Never forget to Laugh.

Tanglepaw's eyes slowly narrowed as the tom spoke, but he kept his friendly aura apparent. Smiling slightly he meowed defiantly, "More relaxing than fun, but I suppose it's more enjoyable then standing around." A chill rippled unexpectedly across his spine, the cause was unknown. Was it because of the water? Or because of the tom? He shook the thought of way.

"Actually my camp is just a little ways away." he lied, cocking his head to the side he added, "I should be asking you the same question, why visit the clans?" The Hunter obviously didn't belong here, but that fact that he was on Windclan territory made it clear that Tanglepaw should be attacking him. But that would be a bad decision. The black tom seemed much more experienced in fighting than Tanglepaw.

"I'm Tanglepaw." The ginger tom wasn't sure why he told him his name, it just seemed like the right thing to do. Slowly he stepped out of the river, but he kept to his side of the stream. Away from The Hunter, blinking his blue-green gaze he meowed,

"So--What do you want?" Every decision has a purpose.

"The Hunter"
^{Dancing with the Devil}

"I'm just a wanderer and a loner." He mewed. "Seeking cats like myself to band together for better chances of survival." he said with a shrug. "I did not know this was your clan's land. I thought the lands belonged to the beings of power, and to no single being." He said, trying to sound philosophical.

TANGLEPAW
Live, Love & Never forget to Laugh.

The little tom shrugged himself, "The land belongs to Starclan, I suppose. They were here much longer then anyone else." he meowed. Biting his bottom lip he wondered why didn't The Hunter just join one of the four clans here, instead of trying to form his own. Plus another clan would ensure some issues with the other clans around the lake. The forest was only meant for four clans. A fifth one couldn't just spring out of no where and claim itself a clan.

But Tanglepaw was smart enough to keep the thought to himself and add in casually,
"Well, what do you like to do for fun?" It was a simple question, and if the tom was telling the truth when answering, it could easily reveal a lot about a cat. But if they were lying then it's a big waste of time. Simple as that.

"I like to play pranks on my siblings." Tanglepaw meowed. A small smirk flickered across his face while thinking about putting thistles in Jadepaw's nest, but it vanished once he remembered who his company was. "Otherwise training to be a warrior is pretty lame."

"The Hunter"
^{Dancing with the Devil}

"Fun?" He asked, sounding a little forlorn. "When you are an outcast, an oddity, struggling to survive... then there is little time for fun." he sighed. "I don't think I've had fun since I was younger than you." he lay down and licked his paws. "I suppose you could say I've learned to have "fun" in surviving." He said. "I can bring down a fox in battle." He flicked his tail. "I live just beyond your territory, in the rocky lands." He mewed.

TANGLEPAW
Live, Love & Never forget to Laugh.

"You've mentioned where you live, quite a bit now. You know that, right?" Tanglepaw meowed rather dryly, it was something the tom couldn't help. He was born to be rude, but he quickly dismissed his annoyance with a rather awed smile,

"A whole fox?" Flexing his claws he tried to imagine himself bringing down a fox but the idea of little tiny him killing a big 'ole fox didn't work too well. But once he replaced himself with 'The Hunter' the whole idea seemed much more plausible. "Somehow I can believe that." he slowly meowed, flicking his tail he quickly announced,

"Well I know I couldn't do that, but--" quickly he paused. He wasn't sure if this would offend the tom but it was worth a try. Plus toms were all about showing off, weren't they? "I'm pretty sure I can run faster than you." Smirking he meowed,

"Being Windclan, I was born for running!"

"The Hunter"
^{Dancing with the Devil}

"You likely could." He mewed with a chuckle. "But you know... I could teach you to be strong enough to bring down a fox. You don't need to be big. I'm not huge." He grinned. "To take down a fox you have to be smart and agile. Not just strong." he explained. "And I can make you strong. But I can see a young tom like you is smart and agile already." He knew that offering a young cat such skills and power would be an offer they would snap up. He also knew this one would take some time to work on. But he would eventually become so enamoued with the power that could be his. The Hunter knew it was worth it.

TANGLEPAW
Live, Love & Never forget to Laugh.

Tanglepaw's head snapped up in complete and utter excitement, this tom, 'The Hunter' was pretty much the strongest cat he had ever met. And now he was offering to teach him? Of course he had his doubts, but Tanglepaw was never the cat to let the negative details to rain on his parade. "You'd really train me?"

The whole concept was exhilarating, between the usual apprentice training and this extra help Tanglepaw could easily surpass his clanmates. Not to mention Thornpaw. Smiling he meowed,
"I'd be willing to learn anything from you." The tom was impressionable, once you cast a look on his well-muscled appearance you'd never forget him. The fact that he'd be Tanglepaw's secret mentor made it all the better.

"I'm sure with your help, I could become the strongest tom in all of Windclan!"

"The Hunter"
^{Dancing with the Devil}
"Of course I train you, once I give my word I am bound by it." He smiled, listening to the tom as he stated he would do anything. This was perfect.
"Then you must promise to tell no one about me. Your friends would all be jealous and they would want me to train them too." He told the young tom. "And that wouldn't be good."
"You could become strong enough to be the leader of Windclan I'm sure." He said, filling the young tom's head with ideas.

TANGLEPAW
Live, Love & Never forget to Laugh.

The little tom wasn't stupid, 'The Hunter's' warning of not telling his friends was about them finding out his existence not about jealously. But Tanglepaw wasn't going to point that out nor did he really care. If the stronger tom didn't want to be found then that was ok with him. "So--when do we start?"

The ginger apprentice couldn't start today, he was supposed to be on patrol and shouldn't have even been gone for this long. In fact he probably should start heading back before Riverspirit notices his absence.

"I kind of have to go now, I'm due for patrol and I don't want to give the tiniest hint that I'm meeting you." Motioning towards his camp, he began back-stepping until he was at least a fox-length away from the river-bed. He wasn't going to leave until he received his answer, but that didn't mean he wasn't impatient.