sleepwalking past h.ope &&

[x december]

The trees were still. The birds were silent. A white ghost of a kitten cast a bright silhouette against the slumbering pine's. As she moved her face, the curve of her cheek shaded deeply, the bleak blue ice of her eyes reflected the moonlight. The moon rode high in the sky, a great white sphere in a blanket of cold, lifeless black fur. A smattering of stars blinked in the heavens, but as the kitten's bitter eyes swept them they seemed to burn out and die. As the moonlight changed its course, the kitten's slight frame as illuminated, so that her white coat was as bright as virgin snow, and her blue eyes glittered in a wild, passionate way.

Decemberkit stared out into the night, eyes wide and round. Her tail, a white strip, was curled neatly over small, snowy forepaws, and her back was painfully straight. Her ears sat pricked atop her head, and her face was raised to peer up at the sky. Decemberkit swallowed, her eyes slowly closing in one blink. Was there really life out there? Was StarClan truly real? Decemberkit dropped her head, moving it painfully. Her neck seared; she had been sat still far too long. Middle-night was approaching - she should get back to camp. Not that she'd be missed... Most of the cats of RainClan found the sight of her eerily disturbing. Decemberkit seated herself once again, a whisp of a sigh escaping her lips. She twisted around to stare at a scar over her flank. Why couldn't she remember how she'd got it? Why did it looked five moons old, when she was only three?

So many unanswered questions!

[whisper xx]

<sub>The sleek, black form of the slim tom-cat slid through the trees, his breath forming clouds in front of his face, the gentle wind whispering around him. Emerald eyes were wide open as Ebonypaw walked, searching around for anything out of the norm. He had woken in the apprentices den and didnt feel tired so had decided to go for a walk and then maybe go back to bed. A bright flash of blinding white glimmered into his eyes and Ebonypaw had to blink for a second to clear them. He padded towards the white thing and recognised Decemberkit as he drew nearer. He made sure she wasnt doing anything in particular then padded up and sat down, about a tail length away form her.

"Hello Decemberkit. What brings you out here on this cold night?" he asked quietly, shyly looking at the she-kit. He did not know the kitten well but knew a lot of cats thought her strange. He did not like to judge though, and would be perectly open and friendly towards anyone. He looked up at the sky, emerald eyes bright. He wondered what Decemberkit could see. She had been looking at the sky so vivdly with blue eyes set beautifully in her face. Ebonypaw curled his tail around his paws and continued to look at the stars as he waited for Decemberkit to reply.</sub>[/color]

[x december]

Decemberkit's attention suddenly diverted from the bleak sky. She pricked up her ears alertly, her muzzle wrinkling slightly as though she had scented something. Turning in a liquid, graceful movement, her ice blue eyes caught the movement of a black cat in the trees. The white kit turned as though calmed. Decemberkit peered up at the sky again, hearing soft footfalls coming her way. The ghostly white kitten did not turn to look at the tom, though she recognized his scent. Ebonypaw, that was his name. "Hello, Ebonypaw," she mewed. Her soft tones held none of the childish superiority of a kit; she spoke as maturely, if not more so, than the apprentice that was seated beside her.

Decemberkit turned wide, baleful back to the moon. She blinked, turning her head very slightly on one side. Nobody had ever wondered about the moon - what was it? A pool of water, high in the sky? If so, why had it not falling like a spectral silver thread from the skies. Decemberkit twitched her shoulders. She did not seem to react to Ebonypaw's comment, though she did hear it. Eventually, the kitten turned her cold gaze onto the tom, her eyes locking onto the apprentice's. Decemberkit did not drop her eyes; she stayed connected, gaze steady. "I don't feel cold," she mewed. Decemberkit swallowed, pale pink tongue slipping out of her mouth to wet her lips. "I was just wondering; why." Decemberkit did not alaborate on this - her eyes turned back to the moon, a slight crease appearing on her brow.

[whisper xx]

_{Ebonypaw nodded, understanding. He knew Decemberkit did not need nor want to be told what to do. And why should he, he was a mere apprentice himself, only 3 moons her senior. Looking back into her bright blue orbs he felt himself blush slighty under his black pelt. It luckiliy couldnt be seen. "Yes. Well, there is no reason you shouldnt be out here to enjoy the stars" he said, though he knew an owl could swoop down and take her away at any moment, especially as she was so easily seen, dazzling white pelt against the darkness of the long grass. Ebonypaws green orbs glimmered with question at Decmeberkits stamement. He flet an odd feeling of respect for the kit. She was wise far past her moons and able to talk maturly to him. "Why?" he echoed, looking upwards, inviting her to elaborate with the question in his voice but not demanding she explain, she should not have to be pressured into that if she did not want to.}[/color]

[xx summer.]

Darkness blanketed the forest, a scattering of stars and a high, bright moon being the only source of light. The trees were bare, elm skeletons, as leafbare was still upon mother nature. It was quiet -- a cricket could be heard chirping, not minding the darkness. A bubbling brook chattered away happily. A chill breeze swept through the forest, ruffling the patchwork pelt of a lone cat.

Awhisper through the trees alerted the small figure of other cats in the forest. Paws swept the forest floor as the calico she-cat headed towards the sounds. Paintedwind, medicine cat of RainClan, padded through the trees and found, to her surprise, a kit and an apprentice, staring up at the stars. With a mouth full of coltsfoot, Paintedwind could say nothing to alert them of her presence, so padded closer to them and waved her tail. She put the herbs down and smiled at the two. 'Hello. What are you two doing out here at moonhigh? Shouldn't you be tucked up in your warm nests?' she asked, sitting and wrapping her fluffy, patchwork tail around her snowy legs as she waited for an answer.

[/size]

[x december]

The kit sensed the unease behind Ebonypaw's words, and also the untruth. Danger was rife in these parts. Then again, didn't danger exist everywhere? If not enviormentally, in the very stitches of society. The pale coated kitten swallowed again as Ebonypaw's singly-spoken syallable cut the chill air. "Why." The word trembled on the frosty leaves, as though it held great unknown power. Decemberkit felt the curiousity in Ebonypaw's soul. She reached out to him mentally, attempting to let her tongue tell of what she felt inside. Decemberkit looked sideways at the black tom through wide, ghostly blue eyes, and suddenly felt very old indeed.

The kitten's ears pricked up again as the faint rustling of footsteps caught her attention. Opening her mouth very slightly, she drew in the scents through her slightly parted lips. Decemberkit turned to blink at Ebonypaw once more, "The healer approaches," she murmured softly. The white kitten seemed oddly luminous in the darkness. Decemberkit turned to slowly lower her head in respect for Paintedwind. "Greetings," she mewed, blue eyes now locked onto the medicine cat's. "The stars dance at moonhigh." This simple sentence sounded odd floating from between Decemberkit's lips. "The scent of malice disturbed me." The white kitten turned her head very slightly, so that half of her face was deeply shaded, her cold eyes once more grazing the stars.

[whisper xx]

The sound of rustling in the sparse undergrowth caused Ebonypaw to turn his coal black head towards the sound, green eyes searching for movement. He spotted Paintedwind, the medicine cat and Decemberkits words entered his ears. Healer? Ebonypaw had never heard anyone call the medicine cat a healer before. He wiped the look of confusion from his eyes as the calico she-cay approached him and the snowy white she-kit he was with and dipped his sooty head in respect to the medicine cat.

"Hello Paintedwind" he said in greetings to the medicine cat and then cast a fleeting glance towards Decemberkit. "I was out for a walk as i couldnt sleep and i came upon Decemberkit. We have just been watching tha stars" he said quietly, flicking his tail up to the sky as he spoke of the glittering stars. His head jerked slightly as Decemberkit spoke again and he looked curiously at the white femme. "Malice Decemberkit?" he said quietly, again undemanding in his question. Decemberkit had a very deep soul, he knew that and a lot of mystery surrounded the young female. All he wished was to get to know her better, he liked being friendly towards everyone, even those who others think strange, like Decemberkit.

[/blockquote][/color]

[&& oleander]

_{"I see nothing wrong with that," came a deep, husky voice from atop a large spiralling rock near the warrior's den. Unearthly eyes opened, separating the living from the lost as the gray orbs faced the bright lights in the sky. Swirls of white, gray and black churned within the depths of this warrior. Sleek-furred, he lunged from his place on the rock to approach Ebonypaw from the rear. His lissome shoulders rolled and his mostly-black tail swayed side to side. Battle-scarred Cedarshadow, with pelt tawny-brown and black, stood as a sentry for the camp. He smiled, haunting, considering the background of the tom who flashed it, and glanced up at Paintedwind and nodded respectfully to her before looking down at Ebonypaw. "Since you're up and about, why don't you finish your conversation here and take up the sentry's post with me, Ebonypaw," the tom commented dryly. "Decemberkit, you may be young, but in my opinion, there is never too early a time to learn about vigilance. Do you wish to join us?" He flashed a lopsided grin towards Paintedwind in his slightly joking manner that never escaped in the tone of his voice.}

[x december]

The kitten's cold eyes swung around in a great arc as she once again turned her cheek towards Ebonypaw. She looked at him steadily for a moment, her blue eyes scanning his as though searching for something. "Malice," she confirmed, tail tip flicking very slowly back and forth, like a metronome. The ghostly white she-cat looked down at her slender forepaws, luminous against the dark ground.

Her ears pricked high, and she raised her head. Decemberkit turned, her tail curling neatly about her forepaws. A moment later, Cedarshadow stepped from the trees. The snowy kit turned to look at the silvery skies again, eyes wide as the moon. The kitten looked up at Cedarshadow as he approached. Though he had certainly seen more moons than herself, she felt seasons older than him. Her eerie eyes raked the scars along with flank, though they never lost they serene quality. "I suppose I am obliged to join you," she mewed to Cedarshadow, nodding slightly. "Though forgive me, as my attention wanders easily." Decemberkit climbed to her paws in a gracefully liquid movement, not much taller in standing than sitting.

[xx summer.]

Paintedwind's brow furrowed in a look of wonder at the tiny kit; seeming to know so much, yet only being a few moons old. Paintedwind stood up at the presence of a new cat, and nodded in greeting to the warrior. She listened as Cedarshadow spoke, and decided to excuse herself as they planned sentry duties. 'If you will all excuse me, I must put these herbs away before any cat comes pestering me with an early morning cold.' she said, smiling at the three cats. 'I shall see you three later.' she said, then picked her coltsfoot back up and padded away, back towards the Clan camp and her den.

[/size]

[whisper xx]

Ebonypaw looked up and dipped his head as Cedarshadow appeared. He had respect for this warrior, he was a good fighter and service to the Clan. He hoped he would get a mentor like him, or even Cedarshadow himself one day. He nodded at the warriors suggestion, glad that Decemberkit was coming too. "Yes Cedarshadow" he said quietly, and stood ready to move.

His emerald green eyes swept quickly over the cats around him, pausing briefly on Decemberkit. The gleaming white kitten, wiser than he though half his age, blue eyes full of secrets and knowledge. He blinked and turned his head, so she didnt think he was staring at her. The lithe white kit was certainly surrouned by mistery, unlike any he had ever known before. With a slight sigh he looked back to Cedarshadow, his green eyes speaking for him. Shall we get going?

[/color][/blockquote]

[&& oleander]

^{"I do not mind. Even the wandering mind takes note of many minute details one would never consider," Cedarshadow said softly. The black-blotched brown tom dipped his head to Paintedwind and then turned his lithe, battle-scarred frame towards the entrance to the Clan where a leaning oak lay. The tomcat lunged onto the bark, never losing his balance, and plodded up the angled trunk to the overhanging branches. The warrior came to rest on a branch and turned his haunting gaze to Ebonypaw and Decemberkit. "You will see that night can make or break a single cat or a whole Clan. Details you can miss or details that give you away can ruin an entire prospect. Your senses must be honed in constant vigilance. Ebonypaw, tell me what your senses tell you about that bush over there," Cedarshadow said, his husky voice low. The tomcat's long tail curled and pointed towards the shrub he was talking about.}