Scars [open]

Cloudypaw, after some recuperating from the scratch Greyfeather gave her, never really thought to look at her reflection before. And for the first time, she saw something she didn't recognize.
A scar. One that ran from near her eye to the end of her nose. It left a pink mark, one that kind of stood out from her white fur with dark marks. But she had another scar, one that couldn't be seen. She'd pushed someone too far, for the first time ever. She scolded herself. She'd been too rough, too forceful.
She sighed and watched her reflection. "I'm an idiot."

"Ha ha, I'm glad we both agree." Badgerpaw's reflection appeared in the murky water. Soon, he saw what Cloudypaw was looking at. "Don't worry, you'll get used to your face after a while...that's what happened to me." He stared into his reflection's eyes, then at his scar. "It makes you look a little tougher," Badgerpaw said quietly, unsure if it was to himself or Cloudypaw.

Cloudypaw gave him a playful swat with sheathed claws. "Thanks." Then she smiled. "But I'm not all that tough, I don't think a scar will help." She gave a small laugh. "Especially when it comes to Greyfeather."

Badgerpaw shrugged. "So what Greyfeather thinks. I could care less about her. Don't worry, you'll show her some day. She will be begging for your mercy, half conscious as you fight her. She will regret the day she every laid eyes on you. She..." He trailed off, then turned to Cloudypaw. "Sorry about that, I get carried away sometimes." He sat down and started to drink from the puddle, causing Cloudypaw's reflection to ripple and become blurry.

Cloudypaw was shocked. "I...I wouldn't fight her." She could understand Badgerpaw's anger, but assuming Cloudypaw would nearly kill her? "We're Clan mates, even if we don't get along."

Badgerpaw stopped drinking, eying the water and waiting for it to stop moving. Once it stood still, he started to talk. "Cloudypaw, my life is like a ugly puddle of murky water. First, I was born, that's the rain filling up the puddle. Then, some stupid cats came along and decided to be rude and nasty, tearing a pice away from me, that they could never patch up, I can never forgive them, that's like what I just did, drinking out of the puddle. Notice how some of the water is missing and the puddle has shrunk a little? As they do mean stuff, it causes ripples in my life, that take a while to stop moving. The ripples blur my own self, like it did with your reflection. That is when I am lost, and think badly of myself. Once the ripples settle, that is when my life continues on, and I decide to ignore hat happened. Then, once the water is still, another cat, or maybe two, come along and drink, and cause ripples again. Do you understand what. I am saying?" He didn't wait for an answer. "You are kind of like my puddle, except my ripples are much longer, and almost never end. Now, what Greyfeather did is right now causing a ripple in your life. You feel angry, don't you? But, I think that your ripple is settling down. You are trying to forgive her, but sometimes it doesn't work, and you feel bad about it for the rest of your life." Badgerpaw then stared off into space and sighed sadly.

Cloudypaw sat beside Badgerpaw and leaned on him. "I'm only angry at myself for pushing Greyfeather too hard. I practically scratched myself. I can't really blame her." She looked up. "As for you...I'll do whatever I can to shrink those ripples and try to erase them completely. You're my friend, Badgerpaw, and I'll help you whenever I can!"

Badgerpaw stood up, almost making Cloudypaw fall because she was leaning on him. "Cloudypaw, my ripples don't shrink or vanish. There is absolutely nothing you can do to help me, unless if you can find my father and siblings who have probably died and have turned into crowfood." He dug his claws into the ground, then stomped in the puddle, splashing it everywhere. He started to walk away.

"Where did you last see them?" Cloudypaw called out to him. "If it'll help, I'll find them. Dead or alive, I'll find them!" She couldn't let him suffer. None of her friends should suffer. Maybe I can find Greyfeather's family too!

Badgerpaw stoped walking and shook his head. "It doesn't matter, you'll never find them...But, I last saw my dad in an ally, at twoleg place he was beating..." He took a deep breath and looked sad. "My mom took me away then and brought me here. My siblings are...I mean were with him."

Cloudypaw took a deep breath. "Then someday I'll go to Twolegplace. I'll learn to take care of myself a little better, and I'll hunt them down. If it'll stop the pain, I'll go to the Dark Forest and back."

Badgerpaw laughed. "Cloudypaw, listen, it's not worth it! They are dead, and I don't want you dead trying to find them." He thought for a moment. "But, just in case, my dad's name is Bone, my brother's name is Dawn, and my sister's name is Twilight."

ShadowWhisper appeared and saw Badgerpaw and Cloudypaw talking. She quietly walked towards them and blinked her eyes. She stood by them and said, "Hello."

Cloudypaw smiled. "Hi there, Shadowwhisper!" She rubbed her paw over her scar. "See this? Badgerpaw says it makes me look tough!"

Badgerpaw huffed and padded away to a dark corner of camp, flicking his tail rudely at Shadowwhisper as he left. Why do other cats have to invade in my personal life? He asked himself. I wish that I could go talk to Heatherfrost, but she's busy. He growled.