Tiger Tiger Burning [Bright]

[//The/Pendulum/Swings//]

Once I was a prisoner
Lost inside myself
With the world surrounding me
Wandering through the misery
But now I am free

Missy yawned, rolling over on the small bed of marsh reeds she had made into a bed the night before. It seemed strange, to spend the night in a rock enclosure instead of her usual bed, but also strangly freeing. She realised then that she was done with her kittypet life. That time was behind her. And she was happy. Stretching, she got to her paws, ready to face her new forest cat life. Jumping down from the small ledge where she had spent the night, she made her way through the swaying rushes that surrounded the large peak, trying to sense if others were around. She couldn't tell for sure, so she left the safety of the rock and ventured farther out into the marshlands.

An overcast shadow brought her attention to the sky and she hissed with fright. A falcoln was circling a few yards away, obviously looking for somem small morsel to pick up. Running, she hid under some reeds down near one of the puddles that dotted the landscape. Flattening herself as far down as she could, so that her belly fur was brushing the mud, she waited for the terror to pass. As the shadow dissapeared, she looked out, calling quietly into the wilderness. Hello?

You gave me a breath of life
Unclouded my eyes
With a sweet serenity
Lighting a ray of hope for me
And now I am free

[[Wow. Kinda bad post. Oh wells. It shall do.]]

[[don't]fear[the]reaper]

[[That it shall.]]

Plaguestar's ears perked up at the sound of another cat's voice. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. He didn't recognize it. Could be part of Mintleaf's rabble, the large tabby thought as he gave the air a quick sniff. The scent, too, was unfamiliar. Instantly, Plaguestar's hackles raised. Trespassers, rogues, here, on his territory! He wouldn't stand for it, not for a moment. Cautiously, he followed the sound and smell to its source.

Imagine his amazement when, at the end, he found a she-cat, pressed to the ground in what he smelt as fear. A threat, Plaguestar? the MireClan leader asked himself as he calmed down. Only if you're afraid of muck-loving she-cats, maybe! The cream-brown tabby chuckled at that thought. Normally, the tom was more gloomy and pessimistic about things, but since his discussion with Darkpaw, he'd been feeling a little more light-hearted. Sharing his secrets with the apprentice had eased his burden quite a bit, and tonight, Plaguestar planned on a naming ceremony for the three MireClan apprentices: his half-sister, Baypaw; Mirrorpaw, the cool-headed young she-cat who shared Darkpaw's ancestry; and, of course, her brother, Darkpaw.

Mind, Plaguestar was entirely worry-free. He and Darkpaw had gone on a mission to retrieve their deputy, Spectrumfire, only to find him dead on WillowClan territory. The wounds on his corpse were minor; something an apprentice could have done, but nowhere near bad enough to kill the powerful deputy. The body had stank of WillowClan cats, which hadn't confused Plaguestar much, but... well, it worried him, to say the least. Darkpaw had handled the scene well, though, far more maturely than Plaguestar would have expected.

MireClan needed cats, especially now that their deputy was dead. Three more warrirors wouldn't help much; the Clan needed she-cats, kits, and, of course, even more warriors. This cat here didn't smell of any Clan.

"Hey," Plaguestar called out to the smaller feline. "What're you doing here? There's mud all over the forest, if that's what you're after." Instantly, Plaguestar regretted those words. How could he say something like that? It wasn't like him at all. Looking embarassed and more than a little awkward, the tom watched the newcomer with sky-blue eyes. Great. I've gone and screwed that up, too. Some leader I am!

[//The/Pendulum/Swings//]

Missy raised her head as she heard the approach of a body. Raising herself a little from the mud, she peeked her head over the reeds. There stood a tom. No collar, his pelt dirtier than she'd seen on most, but still mesmerizing with the mottled colors that ran through his coat. A real forest cat. She thought, surprised that she had found them this fast. He didn't seem dangerous, so she raised herself fully from the reeds and approached. "Actually no, that is not what I'm after." A light laugh escaped her mouth. "But there is a reason I am here. I am looking to become a forest cat. That may not be what you call yourselves, but I can learn your customs. As for me, my name is Missy. You could say I am a loner, now that my family moved and abandoned me. I've been living on my own for seasons now. And I've always been intrigued with your ways of life. I am a quick learner, and am a pretty good hunter already. That is if you are willing to take me in, I would be most grateful. But I would understand if you don't want the likes of me in the forest. In that case I would be more than willing to move on, and you would never have to see me again. Ending her monologue, she took a breath and stayed quiet, waiting for the tom's answer, hoping somehow that this was the home she had been looking for.