Frozen X ASHES(open)

[blackie]

step by step, the marshes got thicker, you could hear squelching sounds made when she lifted each paw out of the mud. She wasn't looking for anything paticular. She wasn't on any kind of patrol, but even if she was her effort would be non existant. A black hawk screeched, her ears flicked. She was alone, not just physically, but mentally. There was a gap that no one could fill. Not even wolfclaw. She found that she needed her family back. Her lost ones who she missed so dearly. What not a better way to show your respect by visiting the sight that they were burried. Some where under this muddy earth were her parents dead corpes were laying with there eyes wide open with fear. As grotesque as that sounded, it was actuallity. That was how Crowfrosts mind worked.

She dipped her head,her blue eyes foggy, pain filled. Most cats thought she was heartless and and bitter, but when something hurt you this bad how could you not have a heart. She jumped up picking a petal off of a small flower placing it gently in the mud."Sleep well mother..." Crowfrosts eyes danced around. Her eyes now closing. It was her wish for her mother to come down to her from Starclan.It was very unlikely. When she opened her eyes again she would be back in Shadowclan's territory waiting for the rest of the day to go by like usual."I miss you so much... I could have saved you I know it..." She turned around her tail covered in mud from sagging.

A flock of birds took off out of a lage pine tree. Crowfrost jumped turning around almost instantly."Is...someone there" She wasn't about to show fear, she was not used to showing emotion to anyone. It just wasn't her style. She took in a huge breath of air."I know you are watching me...you heard me too didn't you?" She was talking to nothing, she could have sworn someone was around. Perhaps her mind was playing games with her?

[{Otter}]

Fawnpaw was quiet by nature. It wasn't as if she meant to sneak around or anything, she just naturally stepped lightly. Some cats were annoyed by this, as she could often end up startling another without meaning to. Others saw it for what it was--a great head-start in stalking techniques. Fawnpaw didn't really mind either way, though she really didn't like to upset anyone, and therefore never enjoyed startling others.

She was out here to hunt...sort of. Actually, she had been heading for the Burnt Sycamore, where there was more prey, but had taken a wrong turn...or something. Now she was here, in what was very clearly the Swamplands. It was muddy and wet, even worse now that it was leafbare. The water was cold, and the mud was not frozen enough to walk on top of, so she was sank in halfway up her short little legs. Goodness, it was messy here!

All she was doing was trying to find a way out, so she wasn't listening or smelling for other cats. Who else would be out here? But, as was often the case, she managed to sneak up on someone, and a sudden yowl made her spring straight into the air, and she was freed from the mud with a large "squeesh" for a brief moment, before plopping back down and splattering the mud everywhere. Who was that?

Not one to talk, Fawnpaw stayed silent, muscles tense and ears swiveling in all directions. The voice was familiar, but not by much. Who was out here besides her? Surely there were no spirits here? If it had been StarClan calling, surely they wouldn't have frightened her so. Shivering, muddy, and wet, she stood still and silent, and waited.

[blackie]

Crowfrost was uneasy. Her gray fur flattened and her senses returned to normal. With a deep breath she continued on. Very aware of the small apprentice behind her. She was almost ashamed that she let the younger she-cat startle her."Why did you follow me?" Crowfrost was one of small talk. She didn't like to have full conversations. She would ask the questions and let the others answer. After that it would be a nod and another question.

"Its rude to spy on your own clan mates you know." Her blue eyes frosted over and turned cold. Ever since her clanmates own betrayal against her she did not appreciate those in her own clan. Except for Wolfclaw. SHe was very fond of him and could talk to him all day."It annoys me Fawnpaw...your daring..." She mewed. Her claws unsheathed as she lept onto a pine tree branch and hid in the pine needles. They were sharp but she was used to it by now. She jumped down, her paws landing on pine tree needles instead of mud."Unless you wandered here by mistake...then I can forgive you..." She mewed. Her tone rusty and Sharp.

[{Otter}]

Fur fluffed up on impulse as a gray she-cat appeared out of nowhere. After a moment of staring at her, Fawnpaw's fur flattened and she recognized Crowfrost. She didn't expect kind words from the warrior, really. Being one to always sit in the background and study everyone else, Fawnpaw had gathered a lot of knowledge about random cats, and Crowfrost was one of those random cats.

She was always suspicious, though Fawnpaw had no idea why. If a cat just barely managed to sneak up on her, she'd freak. Or, at least, her eyes would widen and teeth bare slightly, and Fawnpaw was good at reading expressions.

So it came as no surprise to the quiet young apprentice when Crowfrost began accusing her of spying on her Clanmates. Sure, Fawnpaw watched other cats, but never when she was in a place they couldn't see her. She didn't try to eavesdrop, though sometimes she found herself doing it, and she certainly didn't try to sneak up on anyone. But perhaps Crowfrost just didn't know this about her.

In any case, the young apprentice's green eyes widened slowly as Crowfrost went on. Her already-low self esteem always dwindled when she was being reprimanded, especially for something that wasn't her fault, but it wasn't in Fawnpaw to protest or defend herself. She sat down in the mud, trying to ignore the coldness that seeped into her fur, and looked up at Crowfrost through innocent, unhappy eyes. Why did everyone always have to accuse her of being sneaky?

[blackie]

Crowfrost whipped around. The fur on her neck bristling. Not from being startled though."Look Fawnpaw, your silence only implies that you have done something wrong..." She trailed off and turned around again, heading in the direction where their camp was. Cats would be awaiting for something, new prey, but she had nothing to offer."Can't you just answer me already your only hurting yourself in this situation." What muscles she did have rippled as she walked forward. Blue eyes burning with a fiery anger that she had never released before....not on any other cat. Except for Mallowfang.


Fawnpaw seemed to be a curious one. Her silence made Crowfrost wonder if she were simply thinking. Thinking about what was said, what she was seeing. After all, everyone saw things different, and no one could see through anothers eyes to understand."My parents were murdered...." A Nice way to start a small talk conversation.

"Don't trust your clan mates Fawnpaw. Some may deceive you. Most will lie to you. And some will let you die in a heart beat, and almost all will give you the cold shoulder on yout time of need." It was true. Her parents were left to die because one warrior wouldn't help them when they cried for help. How kind."I hope you listen...Wolfclaw...he can be trusted however..."

[{Otter}]

Silence was a mistake. As Crowfrost went on, Fawnpaw hastily mewed in her soft, tentative voice, "I...I walk soft. I..don't mean to sneak. I was looking for the Burnt Sycamore, but..." she had to stop--she never talked that much. Would that be enough of a reason for Crowfrost? She hoped so.

The gray warrior began padding away, and Fawnpaw hurried to follow her. Where was she going? Back to camp? Fawnpaw had no idea where she was, had no idea in which direction anything was. She couldn't let Crowfrost get out of sight! The small apprentice pushed her way through the cold, sucking mud in an attempt to keep up with the long-legged warrior.

"My parents were murdered...."

The words stopped Fawnpaw in her tracks, and she tilted her head to one side as she looked at Crowfrost. Her parents had been murdered? How terrible! Was that why she was so suspicious? Was it a ShadowClan cat who murdered them? She'd never heard this before.

"Wh...how? Who?" she mewed softly. Somehow, someway, this warrior was coaxing the silent little kit into speaking. Perhaps it was just because Fawnpaw was so intrigued, or perhaps it was Fawnpaw's unusually strong sense of maternal instincts. She was born to be a mother, as many cats would come to find. Even as an apprentice, she absolutely adored kits, and she hated to see any cat, no matter the age, in sadness or pain. What if Crowfrost wanted to talk about it? Well, Fawnpaw figured she'd have to make herself talk back.

[blackie]

Crowfrost was silenced. She had spoken. She had gathered a few things from this she-cat. A few pieces of knowledge. Fawnpaw was quiet and gentle. Perhaps the name fit her for more than just her pelt color."The burnt sycamore is on the other side of our territory. I can show you sometime although I am more than 100% sure that its your mentor's job to show you such things." Her mind clouded.

"who HOw....? Who.....?"

Crowfrost shifted uncomfortably on her paws. She wasn't quite sure she was willing to speak of her past."One of Elkstars minions. I can't remember the warrior's name. Who knows if they are still alive..." She shuttered.

Crowfrost led the battle patrol towards Thunderclan's camp. Her eyes were focused on her destination. She only had one goal in mind. That was to come out of the raid full alive. After all she promised Wolfclaw. She wouldn't leave her best friend to deal with Shadowclan...

"However..."She mewed as she slowly came back into reality."As my parents were being attacked and I was occupied.... Mallowfang watched. Did nothing. Watched my parents and mentor writhing in pain. He heard them call for help. He just watched....and listened."


ooc:I think im going to reveal the story bit by bit in this rp one paragraph at a time.

[{Otter}]

((alrighty ^.^))

Light green eyes widened more with every word Crowfrost spoke, and Fawnpaw's ears flattened sadly. How had she never known this? All this time, she'd been harboring some slightly ill feelings towards Crowfrost because of the she-cat's paranoia, but now she felt terrible. Crowfrost had every right to be paranoid! Well, perhaps not every right. It was only one warrior who had done it, but maybe that was enough to shatter someone's faith in their Clan. Fawnpaw wouldn't know...she knew she was too young to really understand.

But Mallowfang was not a name she was familiar with. Who was he? She figured Crowfrost needed to talk, and her interest in calming the warrior outweighed her shyness of speech. So she spoke. "Who is...Mallowfang?" Perhaps he had been old, or something, and died before she was born. Or maybe he was some reclusive warrior still around she'd never really noticed before. She didn't think the latter was right. Fawnpaw spent a heck of a lot of time watching others, and she would have noticed some random cat lurking in the corners of the camp. Probably, anyway.

What kind of cat could do such a thing, though? Watch his Clanmates suffer like that. Maybe they had been beyond help, but at least he could have given them water or cobwebs or called the medicine cat or something. In any case, young Fawnpaw was glad she didn't know this Mallowfang. He sounded like a perfectly wretched warrior.

[blackie]

Crowfrost staggered forward. Her low energy finally getting to her. You could see her blue eyes dull and not sparkle. Most days they didn't sparkle anyways however today they were dead. They looked like they just had no life. It was a sad thing to see, but happened with every season. That was how she worked. four times a year she would visit where her parents were burried. Bidding them well and wishing herself a good season until she saw them again. A crazy figure but that was okay.

Her claws were unsheathed. Many warriors were still behind her. You could hear low growls emmitting from their throats. She silenced them with a flick of her tail."SHADOWCLAN ATTACK!!!" Although her tone was bold it was not loud. What was the point in a sneak attack. She nodded to Mallowfang who entered the camp first attacking like a peaceful tom seeking help. Thats when Crowfrost and her small group sprung. That was the last time Thunderclan would be taking prey from them. However her plan had failed. A patrol had hit them from behind slowly backing them into their camp. The plan was to lead Thunderclan cats outside...She soon felt sharp claws digging into her pelt. That is when her eyes fell on her parents writhing bodies....

"Mallowfang..."She let the name linger in the air for a moment. He would have made a good warrior."He is a warrior....he would have been a good one..." She mewed."He tried to apologize by joining my raiding team a second time. That would not make it okay with me. I don't just hand out forgiveness. You earn it. He died. OF course. Trying to defend himself. I wasn't cold and let him die. I tried to save him, we all did....but it was just to late. I believe this was all before you were born Fawnpaw. A moon or so at least the first raid was. He died when you were about two moons old...about 4 or 5 moons ago."

[{Otter}]

Maybe Crowfrost needed to talk, but even so Fawnpaw regretted asking about the warrior. She gazed upon the pained she-cat, seeing her dead expression, her sorrowful eyes. Why did I speak at all? This is just making her sad... she thought unhappily as Crowfrost's mind seemed to disappear into some memory or other. Would she ignore Fawnpaw? Maybe, if the memory was too painful.

But no, as Fawnpaw watched, the she-cat came a bit back to life and began speaking. He voice was hurt, angry, bitter. And as she spoke, Fawnpaw's tawny tail drooped slightly. Every young cat thought their Clanmates were the best in the forest, would always be there for them, were faultless. Even Fawnpaw, who was more observant and contemplative than most young cats, had thought this. But hearing Crowfrost speak this way about a fellow Clanmate...how could one stand by as a cat died? How could a ShadowClan cat do that? She...didn't understand.

It all came with growing up, she supposed. As one grew up, everything became more complicated. She could already tell that by the transition from kit to apprentice. Before, her days had consisted of hanging out in the nursery or standing in the shadows and watching others. While she still watched others now, she had a greater duty to perform--train to become a warrior. When she became a warrior, things would be even more complicated--fighting, advising, training her own apprentice, perhaps. Love, hate, friends, enemies...kits. Even now, Fawnpaw knew she wanted kits. Her eyes sparkled when she looked upon the young ones, even though she was only a kit a few moons ago.

Well, she had started talking, so she couldn't stop now. "I'm sorry," she mewed, perhaps a bit lamely, but it was as sincere as could be. The small apprentice padded forward and swished her tail across the warrior's shoulder. "But...they're in StarClan, right? Your parents?" Would this Mallowfang be in StarClan? He had done a terrible thing, but from her third-party view, he had attempted to make things right, and had died in the act.

[blackie]

Crowfrost wasn't sure how to answer. She honestly didn't know where her parents were. They didn't come to her in dreams. They didn't come back at all. She couldn't scent them. She couldn't hear them in the wind. Nor could she feel them when she visited their grave. She hoped they were in Starclan, but how could she know? Most cats told her if you didn't want someone to die they would never leave your side. She certainly didn't want her parents to die. SO what was her case?

What was she going to tell Fawnpaw? SHe didn't want it to seem like she didn't believe in Starclan, but she did. She was no skeptic. Why was it that lost kits or apprentices or even warriors saw their parents in dreams. She knew it was possible. Willowshine talked about seeing her mate all the time. Maybe her parents didn't go to Starclan. She knew they were good cats. THe dark forest was not a possibility.

"I do not know where my parents are Fawnpaw. Most cats get to see their parents in their dreams, or hear them in the wind scent them so they know they are around, or something. I do not so what is my reasoning? It usually happens to kits, or apprentices, but lately some of the older cats have been talking about it. I was told if you did not want someone to leave you when the die they wouldn't, They would be with you always. I didn't want my parents to leave me, but where are they now? Not here. What does that mean for me? I can only hope they are in Starclan where they may rest in peace. That is where I want them to rest. I would love to know they are okay, or that they are watching me. Ive been waiting for that sign for moons now, and I've gotten nothing.