Races (open)

[Sasha]

"Well, what's gotten into you, silly kiddo, I--" Silversun took a few steps back, lowering to a surprised crouch. She stared at the apprentice, eyes widening. For a moment or two, she could hardly reconise him. Starclan, she prayed. Help us.

"You've got those...loner's eyes," she whispered, not intending for him to hear. Honestly, she didn't care either way. Her speech failed, and she felt like bawling. "You...you got that...that...deathly look on ya, kiddo. Snap yourself outtah it, kiddo." Her eyes narrowed, flashing. "Or...or...or I'll knock it outtah you!"
He's a spy!
The thought flashed in her mind and stuck there. He's a loner's spy! He's looking for you, Silversun. Rojor wants you dead, you remember that. He nearly killed Stargazer.
"I'm not gonna let that happen again, hear?"


In the undergrowth not too far away, a gray she-cat snapped up her head.
She could smell blood.

[**Liz**]

Do it.
Do what?
Kill her.
WHAT?!

Darkpaw was slowly becoming more of himself, and Silversun's panicking was snapping him out of it. He took a step forward, licking the blood from his teeth.
Yes. Kill her.
Get. Away. From me.
What? Don't talk to me like that-
He pushed the voice from his head and looked at Silversun, disgusted with himself, and dazed.
His head was pounding, his father was furious. That wouldn't be the last thing he'd heard from Deathfang. Darkpaw's voice was still not quite his, his eyes were still dark.
" Silversun," he rasped, " I don't quite understand."
Against his own will, he chuckled, darkly. Starclan help me, he prayed. There must be something that can save me.
Suddenly, his head was throbbing, and Darkpaw stepped backward, howling with pain. His father screeched-
KILL HER!

[Sasha]

"You're all dark an' cold-hearted an' you're gonna tell Rojor to come an' kill me an' Star an' I can't let you do that." Her words fumbled over each other, she stumbled with her sentences and hardly breathed as she spoke. Silversun shook her head. "I don't know you, kiddo. You're actin' weird, stop it!" she shouted at his chuckling, and he did.
Because of Silversun?
She didn't have time to think about it; Darkpaw had begun howling in pain. Silversun's repeated plea of 'stop it, stop it' rose to a shout, and she shook in her fur, twisting away.
"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"

Stargazer leaped onto the human path, reconising the shouting as Silversun's. Was she under attack? Her mind raced as she ran, skidding to a stop between the two cats. At first, she didn't see Darkpaw, her back was to him.
"Silversun, Silversun, you're okay, shush. Shush." Stargazer pressed her nose against her friend's shoulder, hushing her.

She quieted and stopped her chant. "He's got...got...them loner eyes. Eyes of a loner, y'know? When they get somethin' and rip it up to pieces an' kill it...he's got those eyes, y'know." Silversun narrowed her eyes as she regained control.

"He?" Stargazer spun then, realizing the wailing wasn't coming from Silversun, but from the apprentice. "Darkpaw!" she cried, though took a small step toward him. "Are...can I--"

"No!" Silversun hissed, digging her teeth into Stargazer's tail, pulling her back. "You should've seen th'way he tore into that squirrel there!"

[**Liz**]

Kill them, Darkpaw. Kill them both, prove yourself.
No...Deathfang, I'd never hurt Stargazer...or Silversun for that matter. Darkpaw shook his head viciously.
Kill them, Darkpaw. Kill them-
Thrashing wildly, Darkpaw threw himself up against a nearby tree over and over, his actions uncontrollable. A large gash stained his white striped nose.
" No. No! NO!" He screeched, trying to drown out the voice. He thrashed and screeched and squirmed, not knowing that his father was already chased out of his mind.
" I would never...They are my friends!" He wailed horribly. " I WILL NEVER HURT THEM!" Accidentally, with one last thump on the head, Darkpaw knocked himself out. He lay still, so still, that a passer by might take him for dead.
Barely breathing, Darkpaw dreamed-

Deathfang looked up in horror. He'd been taken down, by an apprentice? The late Shiverpaw stood, hissing and spitting, fluffed out in all her fury.
" You, you stay away from Darkpaw. Or I will kill you."
Deathfang chuckled darkly. " I am already dead."
" Then I will make you die again."
Deathfang snarled, lashing out at her. She caught his paw in her mouth and threw him to the ground, stepping on his throat, choking him.
" You stay away..."

[Sasha]

Stargazer watched him, her ears flat against her skull, jaw open in a silent scream. "No!" she cried as the apprentice crumbled to the ground, the silence forboding. "Darkpaw!"
The gray warrior rushed to his side, begging him with her eyes to move. "Silversun," she whispered, twisting to look at her friend. "Silver, comrade, friend, you must get the medicine cat! Please hurry!"

Silversun shook her head, shivering. "I...I haven't seen 'er for d-days, Star."
"Get someone, Silver!" Stargazer sobbed, lowering to press her chin against Darkpaw's shoulder.
"I can't move, Star," she whispered, lowering to a crouch, freezing where she stood.

Furiously licking Darkpaw's bloodied face, Stargazer sobbed lightly. She rose, glancing from side to side, searching for something to help the fallen apprentice. She rushed to an old tree, stealing cobwebs and shaking off the spiders, nearly apologizing. No time for that. Stargazer pressed the cobwebs against his muzzle with her paws, twisting so she could cleanse the forming bump on his head.
She paused. "Darkpaw," she whispered into his ear; the bleeding began to cease, and she nuzzled his cheek. "Comrade, please wake up."

[**Liz**]

His head, once buzzing with activity, began to clear. His throat was sore from screeching, his ears were ringing-
His cheek was wet?
Groaning Darkpaw reluctantly began to waken. He was shaking, shivering with pain and exhaustion. His vision was blurry, his senses were weak and useless. His ears buzzed.
But he could still smell.
" S-Starg-gazer?" He whispered, pressing his nose accidentally to her shoulder. He breathed in, his legs shaking, his tail twitching.
His voice was now his. His eyes, were normal.
He was Darkpaw.

But, Deathfang still lived inside him. Darkpaw didn't know what it would take to get Deathfang out of him. But he would find a way, he had to. Before anyone get hurt.
" Stargazer...Silversun." His eyes working more normally, he turned to Silversun, seeing the fear. Speaking to both of the she-cats, he bowed his head.
" I-I am so...sorry..." his voice shook heavily and he had to crouch down before he blacked out once more. The dark tom continued. " I don't know what-who you think I am, I am not him. Rojor, was it? No. I am no loner spy. And I will not hurt you," his voice was stable, he said this more clearly than any other. " I will never hurt you."

He lay on the ground, closing his eyes. His ears were perked, he was still very much responsive, he just needed to sit.
He suspected the two she-cats would either leave him, or-
" If," he rasped, " You're going to kill me, please, do it now."

[Sasha]

"Is that there your wish, detective?" Silversun lifted her body an inch, letting out a low growl.

Stargazer turned her head away from the other warrior, closing her eyes. "I wouldn't let that happen, Darkpaw," she said sharply, shaking her head. The tears had stopped, but her eyelids felt heavy; too heavy to lift. She did anyway, and her eyes flashed a deep gold. "What...whatever you are going through...I will help you. Always remember that. I would give my life for a comrade," she murmured, pressing her nose against his cheek. "I would not be afraid to give my life, Darkpaw, if I could help you."

"Now hold it!" Silversun cried, sudenly up and awake out of her shocked state, "what's all that? I wouldn't let you die for him, Star. You heard what he said. Somethin's trying t'get him t'hurt things. He could slip, Star. He could slip jus' like Rojor's lil' girl did." She warned, shaking her head, her fur rising.

"You be quiet, Silversun!" the gray warrior hissed, piting in her direction. "I want to help him. I'm sure there's something we can do."

Silversun scoffed. "Other than die. I'm not lettin' you help him if it ends with you dyin'."

"It will not end that way, comrade," Stargazer whispered, shaking her head slowly. "I'm not sure how I know, but I know. You shouldn't be so dark-minded, Silver. Are you feeling better at all, Darkpaw?" she asked quickly, changing the subject.

[**Liz**]

Darkpaw held his breath. Silversun seemed eagar to kill him. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the blow.
As Stargazer spoke, he relaxed. She would never hurt him. His blood ran warm again.
He sighed heavily, listening to the conversation the two were having.
" Thank you Stargazer. I would die for you, and Silversun. I-I'm not well, but I don't want to go home." He wasn't sure where he wanted to go. Maybe just to sit here a while.
But, his interest was peaked, his thoughts were now diverted. Who was this Rojor fellow?
He thought about asking, opening his mouth as if to say something.
" Who-?" but, not sure how Silversun would react, he stopped, and looked down at his paws.

[Sasha]

Stargazer glanced over at Darkpaw, her smile faltering. Without turning, she called out to Silversun, "Silver? Could you bring the prey back to camp?"
"Star..."
She turned to look at her. "I do not need you gaurding over me, Silversun. I thank you, comrade, but it is not needed." She smiled sweetly as Silversun roughly picked up the squirrel.

"Alright." She turned once with a warning glance for Darkpaw, narrowing her eyes and flicking the tip of her tail. "Crazy little..." she muttered, walking stiffly back to camp.

Looking over her shoulder at her friend's dissapearing tail, Stargazer snorted. "She will get over herself and warm up to you, Darkpaw, don't worry.
"Your question...is about Rojor, correct?" She asked, looking back at him with warm eyes. "I can tell you about him, if you truly wish to know."

[**Liz**]

Darkpaws ears perked up, although his head and heart still felt like stone. He managed to shift positions in order to see her properly. His voice was ragged, and he had to whisper.
" It was about Rojor...but, if you don't want to tell me then that is fine."
A bird fluttered down on a branch overhead and chirped loudly. It's voice bounced around wildly in the walls of his head. He closed his eyes in pain.

[Sasha]

Stargazer laughed weakly, keeping her voice soft. "It's alright, Darkpaw. I can tell you." She paused, taking a breath, closing her eyes in thought. It had been a long time since she's talked about Rojor, not since she'd told the leader everything he needed to know before allowing her and Silversun into the clan. She was still thankful, it had ben a miracle.

"You may know this already; Silversun and I were once loner cats. Rogues, if you wish. We had been born into Rojor's pack and we hardly knew of anything else." She shook her head sadly. "Rojor was a cruel, cruel beast. He didn't much like the idea of Starclan; any clan, for that matter. He forbid us to speak of the clans in the forest nearby. If Rojor was angry, you were no longer his comrade." Stargazer paused for a shudder. "You were his victim. Pain was common, and we had to medicine cat to help us live through bruises and broken bones. My mother, however, used to meet the old Thunderclan medicine cat. She called them 'classes.' She learned how to be a medicine cat [without the visions from Starclan, of course.] She taught me what she knew, and I helped the cats.
"One night, I was foolish. I tried to find my way to--" her eyes widened suddenly, and she shook her head again; a fierce side-to-side shake, whipping her head back and forth.

"Rojor was an unforgiving cat," she said slowly. "He told us to kill without remorse, and we had to. If we didn't, we would die, or the ones we loved would die by Rojor's claw. Silversun and I couldn't live that way any longer, we left.
"And here we are." Stargazer paused, panting slightly.

[**Liz**]

Darkpaw watched Stargazer carefully.
This was hurting her, it was painful and he could feel it. As she spoke, as he listened, he felt as if she were describing his own father. He looked at her in concern as she stopped, panting.
" Stargazer," he purred softly. But he didn't know how to consol her, so he only asked, " How about you and Silversun? How did you and her get here? How did you meet?"He paused. Maybe he shouldn't talk about Rojor anymore, maybe he should have just shut up. But he was Darkpaw. And he was a tom.
He growled deeply.
" Rojor sounds like my dad..." He drew in a sharp breath, eyes blazing with fury. "I swear, Stargazer, that if he ever comes in here I'll show him what no mercy feels like."

[Sasha]

Tell him? Might as well, she thought. He is a fellow comrade, a good comrade. "She and I met by fate, I suppose." Stargazer shook her head sadly. "Silversun was the only one who seemed to have any ounce of remorse when our group was responsible for another cat's death just as I did. She can be foolish, but she protected me. I must admit, I am softer than she is. At least with strength. She has her moments, as you saw, but she may very well have a better head on her shoulders than I. I am so confused." She sighed and looked back at Darkpaw, her eyes dimming.

"Silversun and I were taking a stroll near the Thunderclan borders; we met the old medicine cat who knew my mother. He reconised me and we three became friends.
"Rojor caught me trying to...contact Starclan." she began, her breath shallow. "I felt his claw across my muzzle, and...and there was nothing for a good time after that. I woke up to Silversun's voice and the taste of blood; Silversun told me I had been unconcious for hours and she had brought me to Thunderclan for help. She told me she was tired of Rojor, and I agreed. When she suggested joining Thunderclan...and the fact a few cats supported us...I...well, I must admit, I was nearly faint. I could hardly believe my luck."

Stargazer gave him a half-hearted smile. "I thank you for your kindness, comrade. You and Silversun have said the same thing; she wants his hide for hurting me. I've told her before, it had just been a scratch..." she shivered. "But she...acts like it had been so much worse, I always wonder."

[**Liz**]

Darkpaw purred deeply.
" Don't worry about it Stargazer, my friend." He bowed his head so his nose touched the ground for a moment, breathing in the scent of the grass.

" My father and mother were like that." He lifted his head from the ground for a moment, his eyes still shut. " Starclan forbid if the three ever got together." He joked darkly, although he didn't even find it funny. It was as if he were praying for them to never meet. Although, since his father was dead it was only his mother he had to worry about now. He looked up with sad eyes.
" I-I know what you mean, though..."

[Sasha]

She smiled at him, glad to have met the young tom. He was a good cat, even with his earlier outburst; she could tell by his eyes. Oh Starclan, she joked, how clishe'.

"I could hardly imagine three of them," she said softly, shaking her head. "What trouble they'd cause." Stargazer purred, attempting to lighten the mood right along with him. Her ears lowered slightly. "Not a very easy kithood, comrade?"