Dancing with the Devil

Starlingflare padded along the Thunderpath, his yellow eye concentrated on the ground in front of him. It had been a long time he had been on this border. The last time, a certain shadowclan cat had taken his eye. Being here caused the memories to flash through his mind.. Red was all he could see.. Pain in his lack of eye went shooting down his spine.. Not now.. He didn't need these weird pains now..

He shook his head, trying to clear the memories. He didn't need to get frozen so close to the Thunderpath. He had to be on guard. He forced his eye socket close trying to help get rid of the pain he was feeling. He froze as soon as he heard noise on the other side.. Who was there? Forgetting about keeping his eye socket closed, his yellow gaze straight across the path, trying to find the source of the noise.

Swiftpaw was walking along the border happily not a care in the world she was looking for prey.

She minded the thunderpath giving it a wide margin to avoid monsters. She wasn't really being all that quiet as she hummed quietly to herself her noise had alerted Starlingflare.

She saw Starlingflare more out of chance than out of being aware of her surroundings.

"Oh Hello! she meowed a friendly greeting to the tom across the thunderpath

"I'm swiftpaw nice to meet you she purred friendly "You must be from Thunderclan, how are you guys doing?" she asked innocently . She noticed his eye (or rather lack there of) but tried not to stare at it.

Starlingflare's mouth drew back in a snarl at the appearance of a Shadowclan cat. Of course there would be nearby. Why didn't he expect this? Though the apprentice seemed a lot friendlier than the other one he had encountered those moons ago.

"Starlingflare." The tom grumbled out. "Thunderclan is doing fine," Fine enough anyway. They didn't have any extra territory, Skyclan and Riverclan kept it all to themselves.. Prey was running out faster than they wanted, but Shadowclan didn't need to know that. "How is Shadowclan?" He asked, trying to keep things pleasant, but in truth he didn't care that much.

Swiftpaw purred friendly happy trying to make a new friend. That is good to hear! Im glad you guys are doing well she replied

"we are doing pretty good but I think everyone hates leaf bear" she answered truthfully.

She was having a hard time not staring at his missing eye though.

"errm I dont know if you noticed and I don't want to alarm you but your eye is like missing" she said in a goofy manner obviously joking a little but in a friendly way not in a teasing or mean way.

"what happened? you poor thing?" she meowed in a caring way genuinely concerned for the tom.

she really hoped her joke would be received correctly as a joking friendly way and not an insult.

He couldn't help the snarl that sat on his maw as soon as she spoke the words about missing his eye. He knew that. He was constantly reminded of it whenever those weird pains showed up. He knew she meant no harm from her tone but it still wasn't a welcomed joke.

"I'm very aware. As for what happened, talk to your clanmate Marsh something. She is the one who took it. Over a simple border skirmish too." As far as he remembered, he didn't think she ever got punished for such happening. "I wouldn't trust her if I was you. She didn't regret it one bit, rubbed it in my face as well." He told her. It probably wouldn't do any good. This apprentice probably wouldn't believe him in the long run.

swiftpaw looked stunned by his words.

"i-im really sorry" she said fully meaning it.

How had her clan done this? Shadowclan was supposed to be the heros right?

she looked at him full of sorrow "i dont know what to say she said softly barely loud enough to hear over the path.

"I promise I don't think it was on purpose"
surely marsh had not meant to do this right? swift didnt know her that well but there was no way it had been like that.

Swiftpaw shuffled her paws awkwardly feeling bad. "I promise we are not all like this, Im so sorry you had this happen to you though she hoped her apology would help even in the slightest.

"im sorry I joked about your injury I just thought it would go over better she continued. "please, forgive me" she said dipping her head in respect.

I-if I can help you in any way I will try my best she stuttered. she offered him a brief smile flicking her tail back and forth

Starlingflare scoffed. "Seeing how she gloated about my injury I think she meant to do it." He was quick to react to her words, though he was surprised about her offer of helping. Why would she want to help? She was Shadowclan and he was Thunderclan. If it wasn't for this Thunderpath, Thunderclan and Shadowclan would be fighting over more territory.

"Help me? Why? You didn't do this. You don't need to fix this. If you want to help you could get rid of that cat you call Marsh, or kill her. That option would be better." The warrior said.

Swiftpaw sighed, her goal of trying to make a new friend was going pretty poorly.

"Ermm I just meant-- I just wanted to--" she said awkwardly not really sure what to say or do for once. She shifted back and forth awkwardly

She sighed I just felt bad for you and knowing someone from my clan did it made me feel worse. I guess I just wanted to show that we dont always have to fight.
she finally muttered not really sure what else she could say.

She turned slowly from him I should uh probably get going tho before my clan figures out i'm out here on my own
she slowly started walking away but kept her ears perked up incase he wanted to add anything.

Starlingflare's ears fell flat. "Run along then." He said after her not bothering to stop her in the slightest. Some part of him felt guilty for unloading all of that on her, but the majority of him didn't. Shadowclan didn't seem like kind cats in the slightest. If he had trusted her, he probably would have lost his other eye.