Twilight [cont / Dusk] [open to apprentices]

OOC: Check it.

IC: They crossed past from their meet-up in the thorny hollow, past the Burnt Sycamore, to where the Thunderpath curved away and thin scraggly trees started to push up through the damp marsh grass. They grew taller and thicker as they approached, and ShadowClan's familiar scent began to fade and mingle with the sharp scents of pine, poplar, and birch, leaves webbing overhead to cover up patches of sky. Being out of sight of the moon made her stomach churn, but ShadowClan warriors were most at home in the dark... She repeated that to herself as she picked over the rocks and roots, sticking to the shadows, the bed of soft pine needles masking the sounds of their pawsteps.

They were at the border in no time at all, but it felt like a moon's worth of nights had passed by the time she finally glimpsed the huge base of Highpine. Yewpaw cast a glance up at Silverpelt through the branches for reassurance, turned to look back at the others, and then plunged forward, sniffing for SkyClan scent.

She felt her nose recoil at the trace of other cats mixed in at the border markers. "It's those weird rogues!" she hissed to the others, circling around the pine. "Our borders overlap here..." Her hackles started to rise.

Rowanpaw followed Yewpaw. Despite his need to feel in-control he let her take the lead, for the sake of the group. He had no idea where they were going, but she did, so grudgingly he followed her closely.
"Let's go." The tom mewed as they paused at the border. He took a breath and stepped tentatively over the border, turning to look back at the others.

Bearpaw had his ears pricked for the sound of any other cats as they made their way through the shadows; his dark pelt blended in with the shadows, so he tried to use this to advantage as they walked, trying to stay well-hidden in case any of those Tribe cats really did show up. When they finally reached the SkyClan border, he scented the air; the SkyClan scent was strong, but there was something very unfamiliar in the air, as well. Was that the Tribe cats, or something else? He dug his claws into the ground, prepared to fight if the need should arise.

Echopaw padded after Bearpaw she followed his dark pelt which was hard as it blended in so well with the shadows. As they trekked on her anxiety pilled up more and more till her hackles slowly rose up and her claws unsheathed. She tried to tell herself to calm down as the others didn`t look as freaked out as she was but nothing would stop the butterflies swarming in her belly. She gulped as she scented Skyclan strongly then a second later scented some other scent. "What is that scent?" She mumbled loudly not thinking. She hurried forward to stand beside Bearpaw she does not want to be alone.

ooc: Is SkyClan allowed to post? ;w;

ic: "You go ahead, Rippedsky! I'll finish off the scent markers."

The apprentice was alone. His head was low as he scented the ground with the strong stench of pine. He wondered why they had to mark. There was an obvious difference between the two Clans- SkyClan and ShadowClan. Gorsepaw continued along the border, marking the usual rocks. He stopped at the Highpine. Just the Highpine and I'll head back to camp.

The red tabby felt eyes boring into him as he clawed at the bark at the base of the tree. He shivered under his fur. The apprentice stared out at the stretch of territory that was ShadowClan. He'd been here with Rippedsky only once. He could've sworn their cats were constantly watching them. The hair in Gorsepaw's ears trembled at a faint sound beyond the territory. Did he just hear a whisper?

The tom didn't take his eyes off of the marshy land that lie before him. He stood, unmoving. What if it really was a ShadowClan cat? Gorsepaw's legs trembled as he mustered up the courage to speak. "I- If anyone's out there, you'd better watch out!" His voice was barely above speaking level. Stiffly, he turned his head and tried to ignore the morbid ambience of ShadowClan territory.

Ryepaw followed the other apprentices over the SkyClan border and towards the tall tree that marked it.  Beginning to grow more wary, the pale ginger tom glanced around at the shadows and swiveled his ears, making use of his moons of training.  Being one of the oldest apprentices here, along with his brother Lynxpaw, it felt odd to be following the younger cats; but he didn't try to take the lead.  Let them have this  

Scenting the air, he could distinctly tell the difference between normal SkyClan and the Tribe, the latter bearing a more varied aroma of clear, cold air, wet stone, and windswept greenery.  He remembered the scent from the Gathering, when the Tribe had first entered clan land disrupted the gathering.  He had been speaking to that pretty RiverClan she-cat when they had entered....the memory entertained him for a moment until he heard something.  Rustling.  Icy eyes narrowing, Ryepaw stalked forward a few paces until a voice rang out into the night.  A SkyClan cat!  An apprentice, it sounds like.  Unsure of what to do, he waited until the other cats had reacted to this situation as well.

The tom raised his tail for them to stop and crouch. He stared ahead as the voice sounded- a skyclan apprentice? -he couldn't tell. He stayed silent, his whiskers twitching, waiting for the stranger to leave. He turned to Yewpaw for guidance, once again letting the she-cat take the lead.

The sound of a warning voice made her freeze up in her tracks, pressing her pelt to the ground. A SkyClan cat?! Yewpaw flattened herself to the ground, ears piqued for the source of the sound... Quiet, just stay quiet, please stay quiet... It was a silent plea toward her clanmates, a prayer, but if any one of them made a noise, there wouldn't have been anything she could've done to stop them. She crept forward along the ground, across the border, her heart racing, but the SkyClan scent was strong...

There.

A ginger tabby she'd never seen before, a real live rival Clan cat. And she was right behind him. Yewpaw peered searchingly into the darkness, where she knew her comrades were hiding, a pair of murky green eyes glowing in the darkness, until she met another Rowanpaw's gaze. Yewpaw held up her tail, stalking up behind them, and hoped Rowanpaw would get the gist of her plan. They had to take this cat down quietly, before they ran back to camp.

And then when they had him, they could get their answers. About everything.

Yewpaw brought her tail down as a signal, bunched up the muscles in her back legs, and pounced, silent, on the tabby tom's back, trying to flatten him under her weight.

Rowanpaw silently darted around, clamping his jaws around the ginger cat's muzzle, praying to Starclan it would stay quiet. He looked up at Yewpaw, his green eyes glinting. He tightened his grip, relishing in the feeling of power over the apprentice.

He was too late. His ears had careened back, flattening against his skull. His head whipped around to see a flash of black before being forced onto his belly by a strong force. Gorsepaw's fear-scent flowed from him like waves. His orange fur puffed up, and his claws were splayed in shock. A ShadowClan cat! He knew it! The apprentice's shoulders tensed as he tried to push the large cat off of him, but to no avail.

"Ripped--!" His frightened yowl was cut short by swift jaws. Two ShadowClan cats? Oh, StarClan! Let me go... Please don't kill me, his mind screamed. Gorsepaw's struggling became more like helpless jerking from side to side. What did they want with him?

ooc: I don't mind if he gets roughed up B)

OOC: Sweet, Rowanpaw can be a jerk then!
IC:
The large apprentice bit harder, trying to draw blood. He looked up to Yewpaw for further instructions- the she-cat was still perched on top of the ginger apprentice.

Bear paw watched all of this from the shadows, his eyes glinting in the moonlight--his claws were digging into the soggy ground beneath his paws. He wanted to fight, but it was obvious that his clan-mates had it covered--the young cat they had pinned was clearly helpless against them. Besides, before they had silenced him, Bearpaw had heard him call out for someone else, which meant that he hadn't come out here alone, either. They would need to be prepared to fight more than just one apprentice, so he kept his ears pricked, focusing more on the sounds of the forest than the scuffling of the apprentice being held down.

Echopaw buried her face into Bearpaw's fur not wanting to see this. Why are they torturing a random apprentice for!? They could have sneaked around him. She gulped as she realized Bearpaw was itching for action. Why are we doing this? She wanted to scream out but knew better of this. All she wanted was to get out of camp not this! She tried eying Bearpaw to tell him what she thinks but he was too focused on the apprentice being held down to notice.

Ryepaw was shocked when the two apprentices leaped out and tackled the SkyClan apprentice, about to open his mouth in protest. The deed was already done though, and the ginger tabby could only shake his head in disapproval. Well, there goes our stealthy entrance... Gazing around at the other apprentices, he noticed that young Echopaw seemed to be a bit worried. Smiling sympathetically, Ryepaw padded over to where she and Bearpaw were, and rested his tail on the she-cat's shoulder comfortingly. Leaning forward, he whispered; "If you're scared, it's not too late to go home." Even he was beginning to have second doubts.

Echopaw jumped when she felt something touching her making some noise where they were hiding, her claws unsheathed and fur up she twisted around to face Ryepaw. She signed lightly then shook her head at him, she needed to do this. She needed to be there for her clan not some scared cat she shook her fur out then stood up straighter. Even if she had no confidence in herself she has to tell herself to have confidence in others. They were more experienced then her they knew what to do. And if she goes back now the other warriors will question her and she does not know what she will say back. Not trusting her voice she looked to Ryepaw with a determined but frighted look.