The Ways Of A Warrior 2

<sup>Sorrelstrike
I'm a survivor, and I'll stay that way

Sorrelstrike lead the way out of camp, a proud grin on her face. Her first real patrol as a warrior! It was an amazing feeling, being in the lead for once. She always felt small because of being treated so under-ranked. But now she was an equal. And no one could push her around anymore.

A laugh erupted from her throat at the black she-cat's sarcastic comment, taking it with and unusual good-humored laugh. Most of the time, she always took those kind of comments stubbornly, boasting on how she would be leader one day. But now that she was not taken lightly, she found those kind of jokes amusing.

"I think we should take advantage of the river while we can before it freezes over. If we have enough time we can stop for a few land animals as well." Sorrelstrike explained rather seriously, which is really rare for the rambunctious she-cat. "Wavepaw, I can give you a little advice on how to hunt if you want. I heard you were one of the new apprentices."

She started toward the river with a steady pace, then her paws slowed a little when she heard Dragonfly's depressing comment. Replying she meowed warmly, "Ha! Stop dwelling on the past, my former tribe cat. You'll find it much more better here! If you can't go back, try to find the positives in RiverClan so you can live here as easily as back there."

Sorrelstrike wasn't one of those cats who could life a cat's spirit with warm words, that's for sure. But she couldn't help but find pity for the she-cat. It must have been hard to be without her family. But she wanted to prove to her that she can find a new one just as good.</sup>

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Dragonfly
^{Today is a good day to die}

"She's not just an apprentice, she's Snowflower's appretnice." Mewed Dragonfly.
The black she-cat thought herself in the lean she-cat's debt. She padded along, matching steps with Sorrelstrike.
"I am glad that I was allowed to keep my name." She commented. Her ears pricked forward and she looked.
"There's a cat on the territory." She mewed padding forward. She was rather shocked at what she saw.
"Is he okay?" She mewed to Sorrelstrike.

(I'm gonna take this from in my head, since no one responded to it)


Lioncloud
^{We're all mad here...}

Lioncloud rolled over and watched a bug crawl about.
"Eh...Hello there little fella." he muttered, his eyes lazily following the red and black beetle as it crawled up a stem of grass.
"You're moving so fast dude..." his voice was a slow lazy drawl, slurred by his state of being high. Everything around him seemed to be moving in slow motion, including him. It was as if the world slowed down. The poorly groomed tom rolled over and looked at the clouds. Then he rolled back onto his belly and took another mouthful of his "happy plant". He liked this one, it made things slow down. Sometimes the things he ate made him see things. That happened when ate certain mushrooms. But no... happy plant made him... happy.
His stomach growled. It also made him hungry... but he didn't want to get up from his warm spot and eat....
He yawned and flicked his ear back.

"I wonder how dirt would taste..." he mused. "Eh, I'll bet it tastes good. I mean it's the same colour as mouse eh... and mouse tastes good." He wasn't talking to anyone, just to himself... and that bug. "What do you think little fella, eh?"

He took a mouthful of dirt, and spat it out.

"Okay... eh... dirt does not taste good."

The tom looked up.
"Oh hello there dudetts..." He said, opening one eye. He moved over and sniffed at a mushroom. Oh it was one of the nice kinds that made him feel like he was flying and made things all sorts of pretty colours. Slowly he ate it.
"Oh... could you do me a favour you bodacious ladies? I'm a little hungery and it seems my paws are stuck to the ground... oh... when did you turn all bright coloured like that?"

Khaki
There’s too much pain in goodbye.

The sleek brown she-cat was wondering around near the river. She kept looking at the river surface, remembering what Lionstrike taught her. He smiled slightly as the tom's face came to her mind. He was a nice cat that was for sure. Strong, loyal to his clan and other cats, quick on answers, willing to-
Her thoughts were cut off by a scent catching her nose. she turned that was and he fu stiffened as she heard some cat's heading her way. 'Shoot! I knew a patrol would be out here. You stupid mousebrain!' she hissed at herself. She was about to dart off, but then the cats turned slightly going a little ways away. She didn't move for a while and listened as another cat spoke.
'I've never heard the names Dragonfly and Snowflower.' she thought to herself. 'Maybe they're some of Lionstrike's friends.'
She slowly padded forward and hid in the tall grass watching the cats as they talked to a rather messed up tom. They all had the same Riverclan scent as Lionstrike did, well minus the tom. So she knew they were riverclan. Now just to see what was going on.

WAVEPAW
I'm just as boring and dull as I'll ever be.

Wavepaw's eyes brightened a bit from their usually dull state, although Sorrelstrike was known for her rambunctious spirit and trouble-making aura, Wavepaw thought it'd be a good learning experience if she learned from other cat's perspectives. "That'd be nice. I haven't learned too much about hunting yet."

Lifting her head up to meet Sorrelstrike's she offered a small smile, if only Wavepaw had seen her own reflection. The she-cat was slowly growing up to resemble her mother in many ways. They shared the same body structure, and the same smile. Wavepaw would be quite surprised if she ever learned these details, the little she-kit had always grown up thinking she was nothing but a mistake. Not even good enough to share her parent's genes.

Suddenly an all-too-familiar scent caught her nose. She was surprised that she even detected it, but was puzzled why he was even here. Sure he was their clanmate, and a complete grump not to mention. But why?

CRIMSONCLAW
Life is just a test, that only you can beat.

Crimsonclaw had been walking back from seeing his apprentice make a fool of herself when he had stumbled upon a very peculiar scent. Now it wasn't the usual Riverclan smell of fish and water, no. The scent was a cat of the mountains and fresh cut grass. She wasn't tribe smelling, nor did she carry the scent of any cat around here.

Crouching he slithered forward through the tall-grass until his pale-green eyes caught hold of the intruder. Fortunately he was down-wind and she was occupied by eavesdropping on one of the patrols. Standing up to full-height he padded ever-so-quietly forward until he was a mouse-length away. Funny how she doesn't notice me yet. Clearing his throat he let out a rather dry growl,

"Care to explain why your on Riverclan territory." Without warning he aggressively advanced forward, knocking the she-cat out of the reeds and tumbling into the heart of the patrol. Calmly he followed,

"Look what I caught, why isn't it the little she-cat we scented on Stoneshade's pelt." he growled, I knew I recognized that scent somewhere..

( Who's Stoneshade? )

<sup>Sorrelstrike
I'm a survivor, and I'll stay that way

Sorrelstrike shrugged at Dragonfly's question, her gaze intensely locked onto the loner with deep confusion and annoyance. From the cat's actions and movements, he didn't seem right in the head. And for her first patrol, she didn't know exactly what to do. Especially with someone like him.

Why did this have to happen to me? Sorrelstrike moaned in her thoughts, looking at the tom strangely. "Eh..." To this, she didn't know how to respond. It wasn't like he was going to take a threat to leave their territory seriously. And she doubted that he would respond to any of her questions with clear intentions.

But, with the other cats watching her and feeling pressure from what to do, she tried her best to figure out what to do. Maybe she would get lucky. But she had a feeling she would end up like a complete idiot in the end. This was going to be hard.

Straightening up to look more bigger and threatening, she meowed in the deepest, almost sounding as if she were a kit imitating an enemy or evil cat, voice as possible, "Who might you be? And why are you in RiverClan territory?"</sup>

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Dragonfly
^{Today is a good day to die}

Dragonfly looked at the funny tom, and the she-cat that was driven out of the reeds.
"I think the tom is of not treat to us." She said, noting his lack of muscles, grooming or any form or caring for him self. She flicked her tail and waited for the tom to speak.


Lioncloud
^{We're all mad here...}

Lioncloud blinked up at the other cats. His head hurt a little, it meant his happy plants were wearing off.
"I was looking for happy plants." He said. "I eat them... and they make me happy." he blinked, wondering why the she-cat was so many colours.
"Why are you glowing like that? And how did you get to be so many bright colours... You're like a rainbow... and you glow." he turned his head to the side, drooling a little.

{{Stoneshade was a recent warrior that was killed by rouges. He helped Khaki a lot, if you want more info just read Khaki's history. and sorry i can't reply right now. i got swamped with work}}

Khaki
There’s too much pain in goodbye.

Khaki was too busy watching the group to notice the tom come up behind her. When he spoke she turned startled. She staggered out of the reeds when he shoved her and let out a small hiss, and her claws slid out. Her eyes darted at the other cats then back at the tom as he said something about Stoneshade.
'Oh no! Lionstrike's never going to talk to me for this!' she thought franticly. 'No, if I don’t say anything they won't know.'
Khaki got a hold of herself and sat up straight. She looked right at the tom that had shoved her out of her hiding place.
"I wasn't meaning to intrude. I had been wandering and I heard voices, I was just naturally curious." she mewed, her eyes slowly narrowing. "and I did not kill that warrior. I found him dead. I was going to explain, but your patrol ran me off before I could."
The words that came out of her mouth were a little harsher than she meant, but she didn't want to be blamed for something she didn't do. Especially is she had loved Stoneshade. But these cats would have never understood that.

CRIMSONCLAW
Life is just a test, that only you can beat.

"Your intruding when you place your paws on Riverclan's territory." he meowed, his usual grumpy tone was quite apparent today. "Even a kit could scent the borders, wondering or not you could easily tell where not to go." Then came the situation on Stoneshade, the tom had been a former alley of his and his death had even devastated Crimsonclaw.

Besides the scent of death, Stoneshade's pelt had been smothered by another cat's. Stumbling upon this she-cat only provided the perfect opportunity for revenge. The senior warrior had been beneficial towards Riverclan's strength, his death was something no one had taken lightly.

"Found him dead? His pelt was smothered with your scent." he growled, his ginger tail curling with distaste, "What'd you do? Roll across his body?" he muttered dryly.

Khaki
There’s too much pain in goodbye.

Khaki's tail flicked angrily at the warrior words. She sort of hesitated, not sure if she should tell them about her meetings with him. She swallowed.
'I hope this is what you want Stoneshade. she thought before opening her mouth to speak.
"I've been in this territory since I was ten moons old. When I had first gotten in here I had fallen into the river. Not being able to swim, Stoneshade saved my life. After that we had been meeting so that he could give me lessons on hunting and fighting so I could protect myself. He wanted me to join the clan. We had a bond, but not like most of the clan cats think." she paused, a pained look crossing her eyes before she pushed it away. "One day he was supposed to teach me how to swim. When he didn't come I was getting a little worried. Soon I heard yowls and I took off that way, hoping to help the cat in trouble. When I got there I found Stoneshade dead. My feelings for his loss were as great as yours. He was my friend, and mentor."
She stopped, keeping her gaze on the tom. Maybe he would understand, or maybe he would think she was lying. Either way, she knew she had told the truth. Stoneshade's story was told. That's all that mattered.

CRIMSONCLAW
Life is just a test, that only you can beat.

Somehow Crimsonclaw could believe everything that spewed from her chocolate colored mouth. Stoneshade had always been a tad bit soft, he would cave in under the sickly sweet voices of new kits. He would always be there to offer help to those who wanted it. While Crimsonclaw--well he basically ignored even the tiniest kit's cry for help. In fact he probably grumbled in arrogance and demanded for it to 'shush up'.

Perhaps this was why Crimsonclaw had always been a bit jealous of the senior warrior. The tom could be nice to everyone and be cherished by anyone. His crimson-coated self only got the attention of haughty gazes and nervous apprentice's alibis. He was the stereotypical serious, no fun and games, mentor. The one everyone hated. Stoneshade was just someone you could love, and that's why her words sounded nothing but the truth.

But he wasn't going to drop his arrogant demeanor to make the she-cat look like the good-girl. No. Life wasn't that easy, even for miscreants. "I'll let Wolfstar judge you." he growled. Cold green eyes met blue, the tom curled his lip. "Get moving." he muttered.

Ushering the 'patrol' forward he made his way to the front and began leading them to camp. He wasn't sure how Wolfstar was going to handle this but, it was going to be fair trial. Unlike Snowstar, their new leader wasn't as soft. But who knew? This would be the first time an outsider had been led into camp since his cousin's death. Khaki was in Wolfstar's paws now.

Khaki
There’s too much pain in goodbye.

Khaki's eyes narrowed slightly and her fur started to rise as the tom stated that she was to go see the leader. She didn't have time to do this! She needed to meet Lionstrike soon! She was late for the last meeting and now she was going to be late for this one. Ugh...stupid toms.
She had no choice but to follow the tom to meet this Wolfstar. Hopefully, just hopefully Lionstrike would not be in camp. And if he was maybe he wouldn't see her. Maybe she was just getting a warning to stay out of the territory.
'That won't probably happen.' she grumbled in her head. The tom in front of her was strong so there was no way she could get away from him easily. This day had just turned into a nightmare.

LIONSTRIKE
Sweet stutterer.

Unfortanly for Khaki, Lionstrike was in camp.

The ginger warrior had just entered camp and was watching as his apprentice went to show off her prize. It wasn't long after that, while Lionstrike was eating a fish, that the reeds rustled again. Looking up, and saw a patrol returning; and with them was Khaki.

As calmly as he could, the tom stood up and padded over to Crimsonclaw who appeared to be leading the patrol back. "Wh-what's g-g-going on? Wh-why are you br-bringing a loner int-t-t-to camp?"

Khaki
There’s too much pain in goodbye.

Khaki looked around the camp as she was led inside and Lionstrike’s scent made her freeze. She son caught sight of him as he made his way over to the group that held her. She glanced at the other cats, but never spoke a word. She knew if she let on too much that she knew Lionstrike that she could get him in trouble. She just kept looking around the camp, in awe of how everything was structured.
It was more beautiful, well in her eyes, that Stoneshade had explained. Everything had it's place and it seemed perfect for that reason. She saw where she guessed the leader stayed and then the warriors. She heard kit mew and looked towards the nursery. This was better organized than where she stayed, an abandoned rabbit hole on the outside of the territory.