Trouble's Got to Start Somewhere [Closed]

The faint orange glow settled over the forest as ShadowClan made their way out into the territories for their dusk patrols, their day only just starting. Blazeflight happened to be on a border patrol, slowly making her way around the length of ShadowClan territory. Not much needed to be said about why she was assigned the patrol alone, one only needed to know her lethargic pace to figure it out. But being alone near the border was the last place Blazeflight wanted to be, for fear that she'd get into another battle far too soon. Her senses seemed almost heightened, her keen eyes kept glancing to the other side of the border, hoping she wouldn't see a ThunderClan cat come slinking forwards. Any hopes of her fulfilling the ShadowClan stereotype were practically gone; her gait about as loud as one could get, and her pelt stood out like a single WindClanner among a patrol RiverClanners. The firey she-cat stood frozen when she heard a twig snap nearby, fretfully scanning the surrounding expanse.

Dusk was a wonderful time of evening. Marshstorm relished in the coming night, where the stars would flourish in the sky and bathe the ground below in soft lights. If he were out on a mere stroll, he would have padded up to his favourite ridge to look and speak to them. As it was, he did not have the luxury. He checked the scent markers with precision as he padded through the undergrowth. His dark pelt blending in seamlessly into the shadows as his paws found familiar ground with easy strides. He could hear noises that weren't far away, his ears twitched at them as he stepped on a twig that was out of place. It startled him, but he didn't make a sound. Instead he turned to glance at it, russet suddenly on the edge of his vision. He paused and looked in the direction to spot the bright she-cat from the last gathering.

He smiled, then padded towards the border, careful to stand a tail length away from the actual border itself. Hoping to show that he wasn't approaching to attack. His posture was loose and unthreatening, though ready if she did take it the wrong way.
"Good evening Blazeflight." He greeted, his tail flicked cheerfully behind him. "Are you out hunting?" He asked, his eyes glanced to her missing leg with intrigue. That would explain the noise. Balancing must be hard with only three legs and a short tail. He restrained a wince of sympathy.

A relaxed sigh came from Blazeflight as she spotted the dark former ShadowClanner from across the Thunderpath. Padding forward in an effort to speak to the tom, she shook her head slightly at his inquisition. "Border patrol. I'm not good for much else anymore." She mewed, sitting a good length from the border as she heard monsters whizzing past the Thunderpath nearby. They were just far enough from the rancid road that the scent didn't quite burn her nostrils, but the redolence was there for sure, threatening to sting her eyes as she looked into the tabbied toms amber ones.

Curlyfeather had never been one to like socializing. Usually, any conversation with anyone other than Cedarstorm ended with her snapping at them because she hated how judging everyone was. Even before her accident it had been that way. Well, now that she thought about it, it hadn't exactly been an accident. Sharpdung had tore her ear (not completely off, but so much so that Nettlesting had to remove it to stop infection from spreading) on purpose. So it hadn't exactly been accidental. And even now, if she could do that situation over again, she doubted she would be able to swallow her pride a flee from a fight. Maybe because every conversation turned into a fight, and the fact that fights had ruined her life, were what caused her to dislike talking to others. That and her whole deafness thing. Probably because of her own hatred for small talk, the moment she saw Blazeflight she grew suspicious. The small warrior had been going on a solo hunting patrol, something she did a lot now, and happened to see her clanmate at the border. She knew the three-legged she-cat went on nearly as much lonely border patrols as she did similar hunting patrols, so that wasn't suspicious. What did catch her attention was the fact that she was talking. To a ThunderClanner. Neither seemed hostile, actually quite the opposite. Like they were glad to see each other, and recognized each other. The immediate conclusion she jumped to was romance. Why else would two cats from separate clans who knew each other meet at the border and make conversation? Curious, she crouched down low, creeping slowly towards the two of them, praying to StarClan that she was silent. Right now, she might need to bust two codebreakers.

Marshstorm frowned at Blazeflight. He couldn't imagine how she must feel or deal with having just three legs... words died on his tongue as he thought of mentioning luck, realising it could be taken the wrong way. Instead, he opted for something simpler, with a bit of a chuckle.
"At least you get to have a few moments outside of camp." He suggested as he padded just a few pawsteps closer to the thunderpath as a couple monsters stormed by. He made no move to actually cross the path, but simply stood at the ThunderClan side of it where it was easier to talk. "I take it you've been well since the gathering?" He asked curiously.

”I try to enjoy the time I get.” Blazeflight mimicked the movements of the former ShadowClan cats, hobbling right up to the edge of the acrid-smelling path with a small grin on her face. She had no intentions of crossing the scent markers, and she was hopeful that Marshstorm didn’t either. She knew no cat would take kindly to either of them being on rivals Clans territory, and she wasn’t too sure how she might have reacted herself if the dark colored Tom decided to dart across at any moment. ”I’ve been about as good as I can be, given the obvious.” Her fur bristled as a monster rushed past her, hardly a tail length from where she sat. ”And you?”

The lack of fear scent was what worried Curlyfeather the most. When two enemy cats met at this dangerous place, they should be both scared and hostile, both of each other and the twoleg monsters. But still they seemed happy. Now her assumption that they were having a forbidden romance just strengthened. Hoping that she wouldn't heard, she tried her best to silently creep closer to Blazeflight, waiting for either her or the ThunderClan she was meeting to cross the border. Once that happened, she would have legitimate proof that they were codebreakers who were seeing each other. A bit of regret and confusion lingered in her mind. This was her former mentor, a cat that she had known pretty well before becoming deaf. A traitor was the last thing she would have expected from the three-legged she-cat. But then again, that was a while ago, and she hadn't been too close with her mentor. Since she was young, she had always been a rather independent cat. So really she had no idea. Anyways, after observing for a bit longer, she would give the ginger warrior the benefit of the doubt and talk to her about it. Purely because she already knew and liked her.

OOC: Either now or after my next post you can have them leave.

OOC: I'll be honest I forgot it was my turn. woopsy )

"I've been well." Marshstorm responded amicably. He felt some concern as a twoleg monster passed, more so for Blazeflight who had approached the Thunderpath as he had. She was less nimble though, more likely to be injured though he held his tongue against saying it, not willing to insult her by mistake. "...More than well actually." He added, his body shifted slightly with unease. "I'm the deputy now... I still can't quite believe it." He chuckled with a small smile towards her. "This was probably the last solo patrol I'm going to have for awhile. There's certainly plenty to do." He paused for a moment, a bit of resignation on his features as he realised he wouldn't really get to talk to Blazeflight again. That was a pity... "I probably won't get much of a chance to talk to you again, but maybe at the next gathering?"

Blazeflight had to question whether or not she'd heard the ThunderClan tom right... Deputy? But... The she-cat hadn't even been leader of ThunderClan for too long, so she highly doubted that she'd died, but what reason did she have to step down? Nodding her head along to the toms words, she couldn't help but keep the questions from bubbling up in her head."I'm sure they'll keep you busy..." She continued to contemplate the questions arising in her mind."Yes, the next Gathering." It might seem odd if she asked what had happened, surely she'd find out at the next Gathering, but she couldn't help asking. "So Blizzardstar, She's...?" Looking across the wide path into the toms amber eyes, she tilted her head just slightly.

Curlyfeather was sure she had seen enough. Two cats from enemy clans didn't just meet up and talk like they had known each other forever. Plus, there were subtle hints at romance. She had had been in the presence of Cedarstorm and Crowfur together enough times to know a bit about that, though she didn't exactly want to. But here it could be helpful. The smiling and laughing, then the immediate more negative emotions from the ThunderClanner, and the direct eye contact that hardly ever wavered. The only thing that made her doubt her suspicions was the fact that this was Blazeflight. Her former mentor, a cat that she had always known to be loyal. Not a traitor who would have a fling with a ThunderClanner. If it was someone she trusted less or knew less about, she would already be telling Scorchfang. While she trusted Littlestar, she hadn't fully learned how to talk to her yet, and the deputy had. After a few more moments, she decided that because she was deaf, she wouldn't learn anything more than she already had from watching in the undergrowth. Trying her best to stay silent, she crept a good distance forward, only about two tail-lengths behind the three-legged she-cat. It would be a miracle if she wasn't seen or heard.

Her question left Marshstorm shaking his head calmly. He knew he shouldn't reveal too much since Blazeflight was from ShadowClan, but he could reassure her at least.
"Blizzardstar is fine, as is Leopardclaw. You'll have to wait until the next gathering for more answers." He said seriously, but not aggressively either. His ear flicked and head turned as he heard a rustling noise, then shrugged. "Hm... I should get back to patrolling the border." He smiled at Blazeflight calmly "I wish you well, good luck with your hunting." He nodded as he turned and padded off along the ThunderClan border with a casual flick of his tail.