[closed] Red As Our Hearts

It had been some time since the sun had disappeared. It wasn't that it was hard to track the days - although it was certainly harder - but that such a foreboding fear and mistrust had spread that Barleytuft tried not to think about it. After all this time, the young warrior still saw no signs of his friend Oakberry, and his stubborn hope was leaving him ragged. The strange darkness didn't help him feel any better; if anything it made him feel more trapped in his own mind.

With few others to talk to, and feeling trapped even in their rather open and exposed camp, Barleytuft began to head out of camp. However, he hesitated as he spotted his former mentor and the Clan's deputy, Swiftstep. The sandy tom knew it was unwise to leave camp alone during such troubling times, but more than that Swiftstep had always been such a reassuring presence during his training. "Swiftstep," he called, trying not to wince as he heard his voice ringing in his ears. Everything felt so loud since the darkness.

The whole day, Swiftstep had been trying to keep the clan's minds off of the eerie darkness. He had played with a few kits, had shown a couple of apprentices some new battle tricks, even conversed with the elders. He wanted to do anything he could to make sure his clan-mates weren't too stressed. The tom himself could sure use some time to clear his busy mind.

At the sound of a familiar voice calling his name, the deputy turned to face his former apprentice. "Barleytuft! Can I help you with something?" The tom scrunched his face briefly as he realized he might've sounded like he didn't want Barleytuft's presence. It was the complete opposite. In fact, he longed for someone close to talk to. He was just slightly tense. "How have you been?" he quickly asked with a smile.

Somehow despite the volume and slight sharpness of the tone, Swiftstep's voice was a comfort. While Barleytuft was a full grown cat, he was still a young cat; his mentor had been a close friend during his young and formative years. The tom's voice comforted him a little, and he felt himself relax a bit. Barleytuft nodded once to his mentor, smiling lightly. "I'm..." worried, he thought, then said aloud, "restless. And you?" He glanced around the camp, still unused to seeing it in such darkness. "How is the prey running today? How is.... everyone?"

The brown tom-cat looked up to the sky before replying, "I'm slightly restless myself. The prey we can spot have been slightly difficult to catch in this darkness. I'm sure they also know that these are difficult and dangerous times. I've seen a couple rabbits step outside then rush back into their dens. They must be scared of the sky. As for the clan, mostly everyone has been tense. I've been trying all day to distract everyone from the evil that looms around us. It only works until I leave them." Swifstep sat down and sighed. After a few moments of silence, the deputy's muzzle cracked a gentle smile. "Everything will be alright in the end. I know it. Won't it feel nice when the sun returns Barleytuft? We have been deprived of the warm, welcoming heat the sun gives us for a while so when it returns, it'll be the best feeling. Don't you think? What do you feel of this situation?"

Barleytuft followed his deputy's gaze up to the sky, though his ears were perked attentively as he listened to Swiftstep's words. He nodded slowly; he'd been having trouble with hunting lately, too. The entire moor and forests were on edge. The prey was more alert and skittish than he'd ever seen them before. I'm worried about the sky, too, he thought, but I wish you'd still come out so I can feed my Clanmates. And of course his Clanmates had been on edge: StarClan had abandoned them and stolen the sun and moon away. It certainly hadn't helped Barleytuft worry less about Oakberry. She had been gone so long...

Movement beside him told Barleytuft that his former mentor had sat, and the sandy young warrior sat next to him, wrapping his tail neatly around his paws. Swiftstep's next words were warm and wistful, and Barleytuft found himself nodding. He had always been an optimist. Of course things had to get better in the end. That's why he hadn't given up hope about Oakberry. I'll let her go if I find her body. He thought about how it felt to run in the sun at her side, sprinting across the moor, and he purred reflexively.

"Yes, of course," Barleytuft mewed confidently in response. "StarClan cannot steal the sun from us forever; we're many, and we are living. We can adapt and adjust and grow like we always have while they sit up there in their clouds stuck in their ways." He flicked his ear, wondering if he'd been a little too harsh about StarClan, but he remembered Brindlestar's proclamation that "we shall follow the words of no ancestors and we shall only look to the present that we live within." It felt wrong to Barleytuft to forsake their warrior ancestors, but StarClan had forsaken them first.

Swiftstep tilted his head as he thought about Barleytuft's response. The tom then hummed in agreement, eyes narrowed  slightly. "I don't believe all of Starclan is responsible for our current misfortunes. Maybe those who want to help us and stop this chaos are being held back and can't send us any signs or can't contact us in any other way. I hope those who are responsible for this situation are not welcome to stay Starclan anymore. It's idiotic to think that pure-blooded clan cats are superior to mixed-blood or outsiders. Those not of pure origins work the hardest." Swiftstep bumped his shoulder to the other's as a playful gesture. "How is being a warrior for you?"

Swiftstep's words were just right to assuage some of Barleytuft's fears. He nodded slowly, hopefully, in agreement with the tom's words that not all of StarClan could possibly agree with this. He gazed at the sky a little more assuredly, though a deep part of him wondered darkly what hope there might be for the Clans if even their ancestors couldn't find peace. He pushed the thought away as Swiftstep bumped him and once again found himself nodding wholeheartedly in agreement. "They always think they have more to prove," Barleytuft added to his former mentor's observation. He'd never understood some cats' obsession with purity of blood, though he had to admit that he wouldn't want to share a den with some of the rogues he encountered.

Swiftstep's next question made the sandy tom burst into a purr. "I love being a warrior. If I'm the first cat awake in camp I get to be the first to ask for a dawn patrol." Barleytuft nudged his mentor jovially back and teased, "Sometime you might even let me lead one." His tone sombered only slightly as he added, "It's a little bit harder now that the sun and moon are gone along with StarClan's guidance, but that's everyone's burden to bear. I'm not about to give up on my Clan for anything."

The deputy purred as he listened to Barleytuft speak. "I may just let you lead one soon...only if you beat me in a race! Really though, i'm glad there are more cats not willing to give up on anything. I'm very proud of how far you came and how much you matured." the tom said with a thoughtful tone of voice. He loved seeing his apprentices grow to be rational thinkers as well as physically strong. He himself was a scrawny, loud and prideful cat in his youth and he was amazed how much he strayed away from his past self. It was for the better too.

The older male got up and stretched his well-muscled legs then turned to address Barleytuft. "Would you like to race?" he asked with a mischievous twinkle in his amber eyes. He was the fastest cat in the clan but weirdly enough, not many knew. He really never showed it anyway. He didn't like to brag.

Barleytuft chuckled when Swiftstep suggested a race to leave a dawn patrol. The sandy tom chuckled; his mentor was half the reason that Barleytuft was such a quick runner. Barleytuft had learned from the tom and knew just how speedy the rather unassuming warrior could be. Then again, Swiftstep was above a race, wasn't he? That must be for kits.

As if to prove his maturity, Swiftstep gave the young warrior some praise, and Barleytuft couldn't help but purr warmly in the reply. "Yeah, I was a bit of a hot-head," Barleytuft purred, dipping his head with mild embarrassment. He remembered when he had been that way, and was grateful for Swiftstep's firm paw in helping to guide him to where he was today. The young warrior felt older, too, but the eeriness around them seemed to add to his discomfort. He shrugged it off.

Beside him, Swiftstep stood, and Barleytuft did the same, arching his back and curling his tail. Swiftstep turned and asked a wry question which made Barleytuft's jaw drop. So he's not above a race... Barleytuft quickly recovered and replied with an eager grin, "Alright, then you're on. If I win I can lead a dawn patrol soon?" Then he drew back slightly, his own eyes sparkling, and asked, "What do you want if you win?"

ooc: last time I did a race we used a die roll to determine the outcome; we could do that if you wanted! if we do, I call even numbers 2 and 4 - you can have the rest for seniority and rank advantage xD

OOC: Yeah! That would be great! Btw, I hope Barley wins! ;) Also, sorry for the delay!

IC: Swiftstep purred and tilted his head as he thought. "Well, if I win, I'd like it if you'd roll onto your back every time somebody came up to talk to you...tomorrow." The deputy's gaze held a playfulness as intense as it gets. The tom wouldn't mind watching his former apprentice roll around from time to time. The older tom stretched a bit before getting into position. "Alright, first one to get to that small hill over there and back wins!"

The brown tom counted down from 3 before the duo dashed out of the camp, leaving a trail of flying dirt and grass in their wake.

The member 'Monster Middy' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Effect Dice' : 5

Barleytuft snorted, whiskers twitching with indignation and amusement, as his mentor stated what he wanted. "Really?" the young warrior laughed, but then he nodded and said, "Alright, you got it. If you win I'll roll over every time someone talks to me tomorrow." I'll look like a dumb Twoleg dog! he thought, but the challenge excited him. With that the two got into position, and Swiftstep counted down.

At "go" Barleytuft shot off like a startled squirrel, but Swiftstep was even faster. At the very start the deputy had about a tail-length on Barleytuft - an excellent beginning on Swiftstep's part - and the distance between them grew slowly but surely as they reached the mound, pivoted, and raced back towards camp. Panting heavily, Barleytuft knew he'd need to sprout wings to beat his former mentor, and he tried not to laugh as he was quickly beaten.

Barleytuft was one of the fastest toms in the Clan, or so he believed, but he had learned from the fastest! I'll get to lead a dawn patrol sometime, he thought cheerily, trying to dismiss the hint of disappointment in his belly.

OOC: Sorry about this late reply! :( I forgot I haven't responded here.

IC: Swiftstep halted to a stop, chest heaving and eyes wide with joy. How long has it been since he last had a good run? He felt like an apprentice again! The tom smiled playfully. He could sense the younger's disappointment. "Barelytuft, I was going to allow you to lead a patrol either way. I just wanted a good race. I haven't had one for quite a while." The brown tom smirked and bumped his shoulder to Barley's. "However, you'll still have to roll every time someone speaks with you. You'll only have to do it for 10 minutes in the afternoon though." The deputy soon began to walk to the camp clearing. "You'll lead the dawn patrol tomorrow." Those were the last words he said at his old apprentice before going to do some of his camp duties.

As thought Swiftstep had read his mind, Barleytuft cheered when the deputy assured him he'd get to lead a patrol. The young warrior laughed, feeling bashful that his disappointment had been so obvious, but still he purred. "Don't worry, Swiftstep, I'll keep my word," he promised with a chuckle. Barleytuft felt his spirits lifted, and then soaring, when Swiftstep said he could lead it tomorrow. The tom left too quickly for the thrilled Barleytuft to respond, but his purring could practically be heard through camp. I'd better think of who to take.