Like A Ghost {Hawkie}

[» Sacrifice]

Where had he been? Had he seen StarClan? Had he actually been killed in the battle with Renegade? Why had he suddenly come back to MapleClan, just out of the blue? So many questions the other clan cats had asked the black and white tom when he had first appeared, and were still asking him because of the fact that he had refused to answer any questions. What mattered was the fact that he was back, and the past was just a written page. Sure, he could look that page back over, but nothing had really motivated him enough to actually look backward in time. Fangslash had always managed to do that; bug everyone in camp without even trying, but also leaving them interested in what he had seen, for it must be something really interesting, or else he wouldn't be hiding it, right? Or maybe it was just something really boring, or maybe nothing at alll. It would literally drive everyone who cared enough to ponder why insane, and that was one of the reasons, the most amusing one anyway, in which he had chosen to reveal nothing about what he had seen, or for that matter, done after the battle.

Ah, the tunnels. One of the places that one could wander their hearts out, and never get lost. After all, one path would eventually lead you back to the entrance, although there were multiple levels in the caves. He would know, as an apprentice he had spent most of the time wandering here, as his mentor had always been busy with someone else it had seemed. Being sufficent though, he had taught himself to hunt and fight. But having no true mentor had left a lot of time open to do things, well, that probably any die hard clan cat would do more then frown on. It wasn't his fault though, restrictions were always meant to be broken, there was no good apprentice who didn't at least wander into the Loner's Meadow. It took a fantastic apprentice to get into the rogue lands, for the wrong step there would mean nothing short of death, unless of course, the rogues saw possible potential in the apprentice. It was amazing how easily the young was corrupted, to lead a life of darkness and decit, rather then a life of light and truth that the clans tried to follow.

With the early morning's sun rising on the horizon, the haze that always surrounded the tom seemed to shine even brighter, giving him a ghostly apperance. And suddenly, there was a shift in the wind, revealing the fact that he was not as alone as he had once thought. Turning around to face his challenger, striped face touched with faint curiousity, although his silvery blue eyes gleamed with wary-ness, the strange marked tom's gaze focused, looking for who was with him, but knowing that the cat wouldn't be found unless he wanted to be found. And unless it was a clan cat, then he was a sitting piece of prey, waiting to be ambushed. Backing up slightly, so his flanks were protected, although his claws were not drawn, Fangslash awaited for whom it was this early in the morning, ready to fight if needed. Fleeing? That was out of the question.

[H-a-w-k-i-e]

Although the scent came from in front of Fangslash, the deep voice that pierced morning silence came from behind, as a black tom, bathed in the silvery gleam that his pelt gave off as the sun's rays hit it, revealed himself as his paws landed softly on the undergrowth. Talonfang, as usual, was up before the rest of the other warriors, and, fancing himself a stroll, found himself at the tunnels. Perhaps it was his heritage, but there had already been many a times he'd found himself drawn to these tunnels, if not those of the rogues'. The dark warrior would have entered the tunnels, if a scent had not reached his nose. Slinking away quickly, his dark form raced expertly up a tree, gaze flickering, searching out the intruder.

Who he saw surprised him a little, but he wasn't too shocked. Seeing the familiar black and white tom, Talonfang dropped down the tree. He knew, both as a feeling and a solid fact, that his kit-hood friend wasn't dead like the others had though. Fangslash wouldn't go down that easily, after all. If he did, he probably wouldn't have been Talonfang's best friend. The tom generally had pretty high standards.
"Look what the mice dragged in?"

[» Sacrifice]

There was faint suprise in the tom as Talonfang appeared in front of him, although nothing too major. What generally suprised him the most was that his kit-hood friend was still in the clan, with the rogue heritage that Talonfang had, Fangslash had always thought that he would someday join up with the rogues. His loyalty seemed to be firm though, maybe that was why everyone seemed to like the tom so much. He gave off a general feeling of being trustworthy, to call in everyone with a single grin. It was a rare talent, but not exactly his true personality. You see, like Fangslash, Talonfang was a cat of many sides, and each personality was different. Although, this thought happened to be a touch bitter, one could bet that his true personality hadn't been lost, as the black and white feared that he had. After having to change his personality to fit everyone's needs, it was amazing that he managed to keep track of his own life. However, the slight grin that the apperance of the silvery black tom produced was something that wasn't forced; Fangslash was glad to see his old friend, probably the only one he had missed.

"Mice are very annoying to converse with, I miss over half of what they have to say, and when I ask them to repeat it, they run off as though I was going to eat them. I usually do, but still."
Silvery eyes still focused on the tom in front of him, although his posture had relaxed, Fangslash shook his head, as if conversing with mice had always been a major concern of his. Few could understand his odd sense of humor. Very few could see that he was glad to see his friend, not annoyed at mice had he had seemed to be.
"Honeystar's still got her tail in a knot, I'm betting? I mean, having to accept rogues into the clan, is there any greater horror?"
Chuckling to himself, the relation between the two cats had always been rocky, and just getting along tended to be a challenge. It wasn't so much as the fact that Fangslash didn't respect her leadership, it was usually the fact he couldn't stand being bossed around by anyone. Which was what had made the two quick friends as kits.

[H-a-w-k-i-e]

Eyes dancing with amusement, Talonfang grinned, letting out a quiet mrrow of laughter. He'd missed Fangslash's odd sense of humour. In the clan, there hadn't been all that many who'd understood, and it often confused other cats, and even ended up in misunderstanding.
"They're motor mouths. I haven't been able to have a good conversation with a mouse either."
Purring, he touched noses with his friend. Talonfang, though friendly with the rest of the clan, was rarely as close to other cats, besides his sister, Swiftpelt, who'd died from the Circuits' sickness. Back then, the clans still had no idea why so many cats were falling ill and dying. Talonfang had been furious that Honeystar had refused to do anything, when Clopar had visited the clans at the gathering, but he didn't say anything. There was no use; the Mapleclan leader was much too stubborn. She never listened to what any other cat said, anyways.

"Yeah. Nothing much has changed. Though my kits did get her rather riled up the other day.
Talonfang was itching to get his old friend up to speed with everything. Mountainbrook had been much too tired after giving birth and having to keep their rowdy kits in line. Covepaw, Badgerpaw and Gyrpaw were by nature, inquisitive, and the unknown beckoned them, not unlike Talonfang as a kit. Even when he was still in the nursery, he was rarely in camp. He was more often exploring, and up in trees, trying to hunt down owls and other raptors. Talonfang finally perfected the art of raptor hunting by the time he was an apprentice.
"Did you get a good break?"

[» Sacrifice]

"Maybe its for the better, all they talk about is food. Please don't eat me, do you know where some food is? Food? Food? Mate? I need to help my large family? Have you eaten anything? Where? Quite annoying, which is why I tend to eat them."
Looking faintly smug, as though he was glad that he decided to show mice exactly where the food went, for him anyway, Fangslash laughed softly, touching noses as well with Talonfang. It was good to be understood, finally. So many didn't get his odd humor, and trying to get them to understand it was pointless. It was much easier just to let the rumors spread, to tell you the truth. Of course, all thoughts of that had stopped with the sickness. Fangslash had been around when Talonfang had lost his sister, but around the time when Clopar showed up, he had been away more and more. He missed most of what had happened, but stories travel fast, and knowing Honeystar, it hadn't been too hard to guess her answer. Talonfang's anger had told him a lot as well. Not that it was easy to read the silvery black tom, even one as close as the black and white tom was, it could still be a challenge.

"Something very big is going to happen, very soon. Your involved, and something like Golden Honey? I don't know, StarClan doesn't want me to feel this. Just, be aware of whats going on around you."
All the humor gone out of his gaze, Fangslash stared at his friend, ears flattened slightly. He had always gotten feelings, and most thought him to be part Circuit. Nearly every time things had come true, although the feelings themselves were vague. Not many trusted the tom on those issues, but if anyone would listen to him, he knew who it would be. After a moment, his expression cleared, replaced by a lighter, more open one. His news had been told, it was time to see what had happened in the clan while he had been away.
"I scented some of your kin in the canyon while I was away. Congrats on finding a mate by the way, from what I could read, those two toms of yours were bound and determind, although a bit lost all the same." A faint grin flickered once more, as the thought of Honeystar getting upset was always a lot of fun.

Shrugging slightly at the question, Fangslash seemed to be a bit more thoughtful then his usual self.
"At times, yes. It was good to be away from the laws of the clan, and away from those who are too tight to accept a joke. But at the same time, I missed those whom I could trust. After all, where I was, trust meant you would die. No questions asked. Its much easier to be around everyone nowdays."
Offering a ghost of a smile, Fangslash shrugged, well, as well as a cat can.
"How has life been since I've been gone? You itching to tell me, I can see."
Ah yes, it was good to be back.

[H-a-w-k-i-e]

"Something very big is going to happen, very soon. Your involved, and something like Golden Honey? I don't know, StarClan doesn't want me to feel this. Just, be aware of whats going on around you."
Talonfang's ears perked, before flattening again. This was a rather vague statement, and if one did not know Fangslash as well as Talonfang did, they probably would have simply ignored it altogether. But the black and white tom was eerily precise, his predicitions often hitting their mark. There were rumours throughout the clan that the tom was in fact of Circuit descent. It wouldn't have been surprising, considering the diversity of the cats of Mapleclan. Rogues, Loners, Kittypets...they had them all.
Talonfang's amber gaze narrowed thoughtfully. Golden Honey? Most honey was a golden colour. And it probably wasn't that simple. It didn't matter if he had no idea what this was about; Talonfang was never caught completely unaware.
"Hm. I'll keep a look out then."

The mood shifted from being solemn to lightening up again quickly, as the subject switched to that of his kits and mate. A faint smile on the dark tom's face, he sighed deeply. He'd expected such behaviour from the three siblings even before their birth. Having both parents of rogue heritage, not to mention their father hailing from infamous ex-rogue deputy Hawktalon, it was to be expected that they would be tempted to bend the rules a little. In fact, if they'd been as obedient as purely clanborn kits, Talonfang would have been worried.
It were the quirks and shadows that gave a cat their character, and differentiated them from any other old cat. Seeing that they were his own kits, he wasn't too worried about them being in the canyons. Gyrpaw, in particular, was plenty smart enough to handle any situation. In addition, Badgerpaw's brawn and size would no doubt give them another asset.
Talonfang also had his cousin Crackett keeping a discreet eye on the two toms as well.
"I suppose it's my kind of character building. Honeystar wouldn't agree, I'm sure."

As much as the silvery black tom seemed to blend in well with clan life, he felt just as comfortable leading a life outside Mapleclan. Though he wasn't away as much as his old friend was, there were many occasions where the warrior would be up and about, here one second, away the next. Just recently, he'd been heading down to the canyons to visit relatives, until he had to go save Gyrpaw and Badgerpaw from Honeystar's wrath.
"The open skies, no doubt, have their attractiveness, but I suppose life in Mapleclan has been steady...if not a little dull."

[» Sacrifice]

Once he had spoken his little words of warning, it seemed that they didn't interest the tom anymore. Usually he wasn't so outspoken with his predictions, but it wasn't as if there was anyone else out right now. Very few ever ventured out this time of day, before Dawn Patrol, and far enough away that the patrol wouldn't find them for a while. Fangslash was prepared for when they did; he had a small stock of mice hidden, his alibi being that he was simply hunting for the clan he had come back to. No doubt that few would think his story true, but there was no other he was going to give anyone, and with his stubborn nature, well, pushing would only give you more resistance. Nobody could get past that wall if he got into his determined mode, not even Talonfang. For the moment though, his tongue was loose, and his spirits high.
"Of course, I'll be around to watch as well."
With a swift wink to the other cat, his words were riddled with meetings that weren't exactly clear to anyone, even the strange black and white tom. Oh well.

Grinning ever so faintly, the trouble that the two toms were causing was sure to rile up Honeystar. After all, cats of her clans are in the canyon, ones who had previously made her angry not to long ago. Of course, with her cold, and not trusting her warriors or rogues, the only way at the moment that the two would be coming back would be on their own will. Eventually they would miss the steady pace of MapleClan, but for the moment, with the wildness of the rogues, it would be a while before they would be expected. Not that he expected Talonfang to worry, after all, the tom himself was of interesting blood-line, and nothing could stop his children if they made up their mind, much like their father. As for who their mother was, he didn't know. Somebody interesting, that was all the tom would bet.
"With that, I agree with you. There is a wild-ness in the canyon that the clans lack. If anything will train you how to survive on your own, it would be the canyon. Not to mention it really lets someone know who they are. It is very, refreshing."


Honeystar's wrath though was something even a full warrior would cringe from, internally. She had a short fuse and a sharp tongue, and when she got angry, the best thing to do would be to step back, and hope not to be noticed by anyone. Which was sometimes more difficult then thought, especially with those looking for thrills, whom decided to tell off whoever was trying to silently escape.
”Sometimes a steady pace is nice. It suits those who haven’t known anything aside from it. And then, there are those who yearn for the wild canyons, the peaceful meadows, and everything outside of the clan. Sure, they learn to live with what they have, but there are some things that won’t die.”
Shaking his head, Fangslash grinned slightly at Talonfang.
”Like the rest of your line, it seems your kits have inherited that yearning.”

[H-a-w-k-i-e]

Talonfang grinned, eyes shining with a mixture of both amusement and fatherly pride. For now it seemed that the toms would have a bright and interesting future ahead of them, at the rate that they were going at. Even he himself hadn't been as openly troublesome as they were. Yes, Talonfang did enjoy venturing out frequently, but he was never caught. But then again, he probably didn't have the same amount of boldness then. It must have come from their mother.
"We can't help it. I suppose some of us are just too curious for our own good."
He purred, laughter rumbling in his throat. Toms, especially were always looking for ways to prove themselves to others. Covepaw showed the same yearning to explore; he'd seen in in her eyes, but she was not quite as daring and reckless as her brothers. Perhaps that would be something that would save her from trouble that her siblings were sure to encounter.

Sniffing the air, Talonfang was able to pick of the scent of the mice that Fangslash had hidden away and he sighed, heading in its direction
"They're not going to buy your alibi, you know?"
He was rather fond of his friend, yes, but his stubborness was almost unparalleled. Talonfang was sure that it even, perhaps, rivalled that of Honeystar. Digging up the fresh-kill, the silvery black tom picked up a few mice by their tails, so that Fangslash didn't have to carry as many.
"Speaking of kits and mates,"Talonfang mumbled around his burden, "shouldn't it be about time you found someone, old friend?"

[» Sacrifice]

"Thats the truth. And some still are, even if they aren't caught in the act."
He had never figured out how Talonfang had managed it, to get in and out without even raising the alarm that he was going to the canyon. Fangslash had given up trying to get out long ago, he just lacked the natrual grace that was required. He had always loved a show though, so maybe there was more then one reason that he had always been caught. Very few loved explosions more then Fangslash, and need not to worry, he had been in his own that he had somehow managed to cause. He had once been a much desired tom, sought after because of who he acted to be. He had never found anyone though. It hadn't been hard to see through their masks, and that had basically made the tom give them a cold shoulder. He didn't need that hurt, especially when it was so easy to see what their true goal was. Ever since those days, she cats had never really gotten along with him, but for the most part, the tom was never around long enough to miss their company.

"Of course not; but I do have the proof that I was hunting. Maybe just not for them."Grabbing up a few of the mice by their tail, how ironic really that he had caught mice, before Talonfang's question caught him. It was as though he had been broadcasting his thoughts, Famgslash had forgotten how easily he had always been able to be read, at least, from his friend.
"I guess. I haven't found anyone yet though. Of course, I haven't been around camp too much. You have any, shall we call it, recomendations?"
He couldn't trust his own judgement, or so he told himself. The times had changed too much, it wasn't as easy to read people as it had been in the past. There was no way for him to know what everyone thought, and he wasn't going to trust the random stranger.


Old habits don't die easily.