{burn brighter} open

[**Burn**]

BURNPAW was beyond furious. Of course, it didn't take much to make Burnpaw mad, but still when she got that way, the mood tended to last. Her anger gave her energy. That was probably the only reason the little grey she-cat was so far from Sunclan's camp, pacing restlessly near the iced over pool. She had run from camp and then trekked through most of the territory to get here, amber eyes burning unhappily, tail twitching and ears flicking restlessly. Even now, pacing through the drifting snow while more snow fell on top of her, she was restlessly full of energy. That was why she had taken to pacing, a tactic Blackpaw had suggested to help her burn off some of her anger. Right now it wasn't working. Later, Burnpaw would tell Blackpaw it helped but just because it would make her sister purr and smile. Now though, she couldn't stop flexing her claws. Really, if she thought about it, this much anger was simply unreasonable. FROSTCLAW had gone on a dawn patrol. He had not only left Burnpaw behind but he hadn't come back yet and it was past sunhigh. Another warrior had told her that Frostclaw wanted her to hunt. She'd been mad but Blackpaw had convinced her to just go and do it, then maybe Frostclaw would train her a little more. She'd hunted up two mice and almost had a magpie. When she'd gotten back to camp, Frostclaw was still gone. One of the other apprentices, Berrypaw or something like that, had laughed and said Frostclaw didn't want to train her. With no Blackpaw to dissuade her, Burnpaw had tackled the apprentice. The only thing that had saved his fur was one of the warriors, Tangletail, jerking her off of him and telling her to go blow off some steam and not dare come back to camp until she did. NOW, here she was, pacing in the snow, growling almost non-stop and glaring daggers at the snow under her paws. Slowly, very slowly, the anger began to burn off as she paced. It might have taken hours, but as it did, she slowed in her pacing. At last, she stopped, looking at the iced over pool, tail curled around her paws. Anger turned into sorrow. What if Berrypaw was right? CLOUDSPOT had been young and he'd been a little too goofy for Burnpaw's taste but at least he'd done things with her. He'd taken her on every patrol, promised to take her to the next gathering, trained her from dawn to dusk, hunted with her. With Frostclaw...things were different. He sent her to hunt alone, trained here and there and always seemed detached. At least Cloudspot had acted like he liked her, even when she was mad and spitting curses. He'd laughed and told her to try again. Frostclaw cuffed her around her ears and told her to do better. She hadn't realized how much she'd gotten attached to Cloudspot until he was gone, infection stealing him away to StarClan where she couldn't follow. Even with Blackpaw these days, Burnpaw felt lonely. She missed the friend she had found in her mentor. With Frostclaw, it was like he wasn't all there and he taught her weird things because of his one eye. SLIDING her front legs forward through the snow, Burnpaw laid in a sphinx-like pose. Her forelegs were completely buried in the snow. She laid her head down and stared at the drifting flakes, her amber eyes bright but this time not with anger. Around her, nothing stirred. Snow muffled noises, ice stilled everything. It was just her. CINDERHEART used to always tell her that she should burn bright because her fierce personality gave her so much energy and life. Now she felt like a fire that had had water dumped on it and all that was left was smoldering embers. Sighing, the little apprentice closed her eyes, completely still as a layer of snow settled over her back frosting her dark fur a lighter gray. [bg=1d1e20][atrb=border,0,true]

[ritz]

i am very special cause there's only one of me

Smokepaw padded happily through the snow, laughing to himself as it crunched and melted slowly under his big paws. Snow was so fun! It was snow, but then when it got warm, it turned into water. Was that some sort of magic from Starclan? Nevertheless, it amazed him. It was even better then the leaves that magically changed colors and fell from the trees. The small apprentice started bounding through the snow, losing track of where he was. Not that he really knew anyways. He had snuck out of camp, despite what his mother told him. he just wanted to play in snow other cats hadn't trodden in yet! Rowanpaw was chatting with another apprentice, so Smokepaw just left without her. Anyways, what if she decided to be a stick in the mud and tell on him? No fun. The small apprentice skipped along, farther and farther from camp and the comfortable scents of Reedclan.

Slowly, the apprentice slowed down, the cold snow soaking through his fur. That's why snow fur was such a pain, especially for a Reedclan cat. he looked behind him, looking for any trace of any other cat, when suddenly his paws fell out from beneath himself. He squealed, and fell face first. Into what? Snow, a nice big pile of it. "Hellppp, it's so cold! And it's MELTING in my FURR!!" Smokepaw squealed again, thrashing around to get out of all the snow. This wasn't so fun anymore, and he was freezing! The apprentice escaped, and quickly tried licking the snow out of his fur. It took him a few moments to realize the stupidity of that, and he started walking again, back to the direction or camp. Or what direction he thought camp was in anyways. All the snow looked the same!

He narrowed his eyes, spotting a grey figure not too far ahead. Unless he was tricking himself, it looked a lot like a cat. A grey cat. "HEY, YOU?! ARE YOU A CAT?!" He yowled ahead, creeping forward in his best crouch. Not like sneaking up would do any good, since he just yelled out loud. And the fact he had one of the worst crouches imaginable! A slight breeze ruffled Smokepaw's fur, and he shivered. Hmm, stalking the figure was too cold. So he bounded towards the grey shape. Yep, definitely a cat. "Hey, what's your name, you look sad. Why are you sad?" Smokepaw mewed, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. "You smell funny, are you a Reedclan cat that just smells weird, or are you a cat from another clan? " He added quickly, wrinkling his nose in distaste. Yuck, did that cat ever smell odd!

[**Burn**]

AN ungodly loud screech roused Burnpaw from her morose pondering. Head snapping up at the sound of an unfamiliar voice, the eight moon old apprentice rolled out of the snow, springing to her paws. Granted, she wasn't a big cat, but with her fur bristling and amber eyes lighting up with aggression she sure looked frightening enough. Tail lashing, Burnpaw growled low in her chest as she looked around for what had startled her so. To her immense displeasure, the stench of a ReedClan cat's soggy pelt was like a slap in the face for the SunClan apprentice. Wrinkling her nose, fur bristling and tail lashing, Burnpaw's bright amber eyes snapped onto the intruder that was barreling toward her as if she was someone that was supposed to welcome it. Leaping to the right, Burnpaw dodged the streak of fur, wheeling around to get a good look at it, a nice loud snarl rumbling in her chest. THE thing was...pathetic. It was dark grey, like her, but other than that they weren't similar at all. It had bright blue eyes, stank like ReedClan's marshes and was completely soaked. Granted, she was soaked too but this thing was all bright eyed and bushy tailed. It looked like an overgrown kit. Great. A freaking ReedClan kit had wandered into SunClan territory. What should she do with it? Take it home? Take it to Cursedstar? Chase it across the border? Lashing her tail, Burnpaw glared at the unwelcome disturbance. IT was...still talking...Yep, she was going to chase it off. WITH a loud snarl, Burnpaw dropped into a crouch just like Cloudspot had taught her before he died. Tail lashing from side to side, ears pressed to her skull, amber eyes lit up like flames she prowled toward the other cat. Her claws flexed in the snow. She kept a bit of distance between her and the unwelcome cat, just in case it decided to lash out and attack her. If it did, then she'd have enough of an excuse to skin it alive, right? She thought so. "GET out of here you stupid little kit! You're in SunClan territory! You're kind aren't welcome here brat." SEE, Burnpaw didn't realize she was prowling a broad circle around a fellow apprentice. She figured he was a kit. She was small, and even she was slightly bigger than this cat but in reality that was just the two moons difference in their age. Also, in her eyes, kit or apprentice, he was a ReedClan cat and there for unwelcome anywhere near SunClan territory. If the blustering warriors in camp were to be believed, that alone was enough for her to attack without even talking to the stupid thing. It was too dumb to even know where its own clan borders were! Maybe she should just attack? Mentally, Burnpaw nodded to herself. WITH a loud hiss, the older apprentice lunged at the ReedClan cat. [bg=1d1e20][atrb=border,0,true]

[ritz]

Smokepaw laughed when the grey cat got up, turning around to face him. Then she started growling. The poor little apprentice must have jumped three feet high, his fur quickly sticking up in alarm before he quickly calmed down. Why would this cat, who was only a bit bigger then he was, try and hurt him? Not like he was going to attack her. By the surprise and hostility, it was evident this she-cat was from a different clan, Smokepaw just wasn't sure from which one. He didn't even know which way he had gone. Was he even in his own territory, or in another clan's? That could explain why this cat was so mean. Not like a little apprentice could do any harm. He grinned, "Hi, my name is Smokepaw, what's yours?" The grey apprentice asked happily, obviously pleased he was meeting a cat from another clan. He never had before, he grew up with only Reedclan cats around him. What a story to tell Rowanpaw! She would be so jealous!

The cat snarled at him, and the apprentice jumped, but not as much as before. No cat ever snarled at him before, except the other kits when they wrestled. He snarled back playfully, and dropped into a crouch, mirroring the other cat. "Nice, can you show me how to do that?" Smokepaw piped up, almost falling over in his own lopsided crouch. The other cat crept forward, tail lashing, burning eyes. "Get out of here you stupid little kit! You're in SunClan territory! You're kind aren't welcome here brat." The she-cat snarled at him.

"Thats not very nice, didn't your mother tell you not to say anything if you can't say anything kind?" Smokepaw piped up, confused by the cat's actions. Woah, cats from other cats were mean! Not like he did anything. The grey Reedclan cat was about to open his mouth again when the she-cat lunged at him. Last moment, he jumped out of the way, landing awkwardly in a big pile of snow. Thrashing around, the young cat let out a bit of annoyed growl, trying to get to his paws. "What was that for, I didn't hurt you or anything at all!" Smokepaw mewed, confused. He got to his paws, and took a step forward. "What clan are you from?" He mewed, unable to resist asking the question any longer.

[**Burn**]

BURNPAW'S lunge missed. Spitting curses, the gray she-cat landed in a deep snowdrift. Whirling around, ears still back and tail still lashing, the dark little she-cat dropped back into her crouch. To her incredulous disbelief and disgust, the stupid thing was still talking, as if they were friends or something. Ha! As if she would ever put up with such a stench! Furious now with herself because she hadn't knocked the stupid thing senseless with one leap, Burnpaw was determined to make this pathetic little kit run home crying. She might get in trouble if ReedClan came calling about it but if this little thing was smart, he'd keep his mouth shut. Really she wasn't too worried about it though. SunClan could handle a few washed up catfish any day of the week. Plus, clans didn't start wars over frightened kits, because that had to be what this was. Nothing else would so innocently believe it could wander into enemy territory and not be punished, much less not know how to crouch properly. That had been the first thing Burnpaw had been taught, how to crouch for hunting and how to crouch when attacking. Those were simply apprenticeship basics. "ARE you stupid?" Burnpaw spat. "You're in enemy territory, get out! You're smelly kind aren't welcome here now leave before I get to use your fur to line my nest!" IF Blackpaw ever heard that Burnpaw was having trouble chasing off a stupid little kit, she'd never hear the end of it. Thankfully, Blackpaw was back at camp, napping after a long patrol. At least Cursedstar took her on patrols. Pushing aside the bitter thought, Burnpaw was even more glad that Frostclaw wasn't around to see this. Then again, maybe a fully grown warrior would be more intimidating than an apprentice? Huh, yah right. Burnpaw could be just as intimidating. She regularly terrified the nursery kits with her scorching glares and barbed remarks about their clumsiness and sheer ignorance. This...cat..was no different than them, clumsy and ignorant. "GO on, run home to mommy," Burnpaw growled, aiming a swipe of her claws at the blue-eyed cat. "This isn't your territory so get out!" She aimed another swipe before drawing back a few paces. Circling the cat once, Burnpaw aimed another lunge at the dumb kit, hoping to drive it off back toward the border. SHE refused to believe this thing was an apprentice, even though once she'd gotten closer she saw that he had to be at least six moons old. No apprentice would be this dumb. Or maybe ReedClan cats were all stupid and their apprentices were slow? Every apprentice got a tour of the territory borders with their mentor the day after being renamed right? Burnpaw had, she'd gone with Blackpaw. Cursedstar and Cloudspot had shown them around the whole territory. Maybe ReedClan cats were too dumb to do something that was such common sense? What did she care anyway, she'd teach this mousebrain to respect SunClan borders one way or another. With any luck, she'd have some new fur to line her nest with and a thrilling story to tell Blackpaw. Even Blackpaw hadn't gotten to chase off intruders yet, despite having gone on patrols. Then again, Blackpaw would probably have tried to make friends with this dumb cat. Not Burnpaw. Claws first, friends never. BURNPAW never understood Blackpaw's ease with making friends in other clans. It was mousebrained, the whole idea of it. Sooner or later SunClan would end up fighting with other clans so why make friends? Friends in other clans made you weak. They made you hesitate in battle when they wouldn't hesitate to hurt you. Someday Blackpaw would get hurt and Burnpaw would be proven right. That was why Burnpaw wasn't trying to be friendly with the ReedClan cat, someday he'd be an enemy. Heck, who was she kidding? He was an enemy today, an unwelcomed, unwanted intruder in her clan's territory. He was probably playing innocent, he'd probably really been trying to steal prey or trying to find a weak spot in SunClan defenses. Well he wouldn't find one. Not with Burnpaw around. [bg=1d1e20][atrb=border,0,true]

[ritz]

"Are YOU a mean cat? Yes, yes you are! It isn't nice to call other cats stupid, even if they are! Didn't YOUR mommy ever tell you that? Or are all Sunclan cats grumpy like you are?" Smokepaw retorted, not very impressed with the she-cats actions. Why was she being so mean? It wasn't like he was calling her names and trying to attack her, he just wanted to be friends! Every cat should have friends, and the only friend he had right now was his sister, since there wasn't really any cats around the same age as him and his sister. Plus, none of the warriors wanted to be friends with him because he was just an apprentice, and the older apprentices didn't want to be friends with him because he was smaller then him. It wasn't fair, but if they didn't want to be friends, then that's all it was to it, Smokepaw would just find different friends. But this she-cat didn't seem to like him very much. Why not? It's not like she knew him or anything! And why would she not like him because he was from Reedclan? It's not like he was a fox, Reedclan cat's were cats too, just like the other clans!

The other apprentice swiped at him, and the first time, Smokepaw managed to move out of the way. Second time, she knocked the poor apprentice over, who squealed with shock and slight pain. He had no training, no skills, and wasn't used to any cat actually wanting to cause him harm. "Could you stop trying to hit me please? It's really mean, and I don't want to fight." Smokepaw mewed pitfully, getting to his paws. Which were pretty frozen from just standing around. "Plus, I kinda like my fur on my body, or else I'd be really REALLY cold." He added, unsure if the she-cat would actually take his fur. But he liked his fur!

Smokepaw shook the snow off of himself, trying to get rid of it before it melted. It was already cold enough out here, and he was getting hungry. Great. he didn't even know where camp was. The young apprentice gazed up, then shrieked as the she-cat lunged again. He put up his paws in a pathetic attempt to protect himself. No claws of course, he didn't want to fight, didn't want to hurt the she-cat. he hit the ground again, and this time the snow didn't cushion his fall. he landed hard, and his side stung. He flailed, trying to get the she-cat away before he got up. "Why are you trying to hurt me? I've done nothing wrong!" He wailed, trying to get up and regain his balance. Smokepaw stood up, puffing up his chest and fluffing up his fur, looking up at the she-cat with big innocent eyes, filled with defiance. "Stop it. You're being mean." He mewed in his most grown up voice he could.

[**Burn**]

TRIUMPH flowed through Burnpaw as she actually managed to tackle the stupid ReedClan cat. Her claws sank into his fur as her body impacted with the smaller cat. Using her weight and momentum, Burnpaw sent them into a tumble across the snow. The mousebrained tom hit the ground and when he did, Burnpaw's hold was lurched and loosened, sending the amber-eyed she-cat flying away from him. Hitting the ground herself, Burnpaw felt all the wind in her lungs huff out of her. For a moment she flailed before rolling to her feet again, claws still out and fur bristling despite being wet with melting snow. Lashing her tail, Burnpaw hissed in annoyance as the silly thing started talking again, it's voice an unending and nonsensacle like the chatter of a squirrel. The whole thing really was mousebrained, who had been dumb enough to let a dung-for-brains cat like this out of their camp? If there was such a cat in SunClan, they'd be locked up and never let out for fear of embarrassing the whole clan! That's exactly what this cat was doing in Burnpaw's opinion, serving only to prove her right, all ReedClan cats had dung for brains. "YOU'VE done nothing wrong?" Burnpaw sneered, curling her lip in distaste. "You really are mousebrained aren't you? You're in enemy territory. We don't want you here so get out!" Burnpaw aimed another swipe at his nose and then a fourth at his ears. "And I won't stop, I'm defending my Clan, something you obviously know nothing about. As for the mean part?" Burnpaw gave a wicked smile, tail lashing and amber eyes flashing, "that's just me. Don't like it? Leave. Now." BLACKPAW and half of SunClan could attest to Burnpaw's meanness, not that she cared. She had her sister for company and her brothers upon occasion, what else did she need? So what if everybody thought she was mean or rough around t he edges? If they weren't tough enough to put up with her then they weren't worth her time and they certainly weren't fit to be warriors that was for sure. She knew at first she had intimidated even Cloudspot, but eventually they'd both gotten used to each other. Now the whole process was stalled with Frostclaw because he was never there. That bitter memory put a bad taste in Burnpaw's mouth and made her agression flare up again. Frostclaw probably believed every stupid rumor the clan started. That was probably why he was never around. Cloudspot...he hadn't believed a word of it and he'd fought through her barriers. Well, no one would again. Not if StarClan just wanted to take them away. Growling low in her throat, Burnpaw crouched low in the snow, muscles tense and eyes flashing, waiting for an opening to rip this silly cat apart and be on her way. HIS nonstop talking was starting to make Burnpaw's ears sore. No one in the clan was as chatty as this pathetic excuse for fur, not even Tangletail and she was the clan klutz. To an extent, Burnpaw didn't mind Tangletail, mostly because at least the crooked-tailed she-cat would offer to take Burnpaw and Blackpaw on patrols when the others were busy. They were probably the only two cats that had seen Tangletail's lopsided walk and how she ran like a rabbit to try and keep on the path when she had to chase prey. Burnpaw may not adore the she-cat, but Tangletail gave her and Burnpaw not only equal attention, but more attention than their mentors sometimes did. Cursedstar was busy running the clan and Frostclaw was busy...being Frostclaw. Other than Tangletail though, there weren't many bright and peppy cats in SunClan. A nonstop talker like this might as well have been another species all together and Burnpaw was firmly rooted in the fact that she did not like it, not one bit. He was too innocent, too annoying, too full of questions, too ignorant, too stupid and to top it all off he was from ReedClan. [bg=1d1e20][atrb=border,0,true]

[ritz]

Smokepaw stood tall, puffing out his chest and glaring at the she-cat, when a paw flashed out and swiped him across the nose. He yelped and jumped back, another paw nicking his ear. The apprentice went cross-eyed and looked at his nose, blood was already welling up on the grey tip. His ear stung, and he could feel claw marks stinging from when the she-cat tackled him. that's it. Smokepaw had enough. He had never gotten mad before, except for the time one of the warriors slapped his sister. He yelled and yelled at them until his mother came out, scolded him, and literally dragged him back to the nursery. The apprentice had calmed down in a few minutes later, and was back to himself, but he was a whole different cat then. Rowanpaw said she didn't even know who he was.

Taking a step forward, the small apprentice flattened his ears, fur bristling in frustration and anger. The stinging from the claw-marks only fueled his anger, and the tom started snarling, "You miserable piece of fox-dung, I bet you are just a cat that everybody hates. that's right. No friends, because nobody likes you because you're SUCH a MEAN, STUPID, MOUSE-BRAINED cat. I bet your FAMILY and MENTOR even hate you. That's right. Your whole clan. Sucks to be you!" Smokepaw snarled, his blue eyes glaring at the Sunclan she-cat, then he spat at her. He was on his toes, ready to jump out of the way for another swipe. No matter what, he wouldn't fight back, wouldn't stoop to her level. Smokepaw wouldn't do that. If that apprentice wanted to attack other cats for no good reasons, then that's her own problem.

Already the anger was fading away from him. He never stayed mad long. This apprentice could not hold a grudge for the life of him. Hoe he wished Rowanpaw was here. She wouldn't let the bossy Sunclan cat try and boss him around, and intimidate him. Then again, Rowanpaw would ave tried to rip her to shreds by now. Maybe it was better she wasn't here. Anyways, he could handle this by himself, he was an apprentice now. A scowl of stubbornness was written upon his face, no way a she-cat was going to boss him around and get the better of him. Nope, never.

[**Burn**]

MOST cats would be furious at Smokepaw's accusations. For once, and surprisingly, not Burnpaw. The petite little cloud of grey fur regarded him with a smug smirk. Drawing herself up out of her attack crouch, the reclined on her haunches. Fluffy grey tail came to curl around her paws and her amber eyes lit up with a light that no one would be able to read. It could be amusement or it could be murderous intent. It was likely that not even Blackpaw would be able to tell. Burnpaw's ash colored fur laid flat and she even brought her front paw up and gave it several licks before drawing it over her ear once or twice. It seemed she had completely forgotten all about the other apprentice's existence. She hadn't but for all intents and purposes it sure looked like it. Finally, the eight moon old she-cat turned her unusual gold gaze on the blue-eyed tom, a withering smirk curling her maw. "NO friends? My mentor hates me?" Burnpaw purred an amused laugh. "Oh ho aren't you just an insightful little kit," Burnpaw cooed witheringly, false sweetness coloring her tone in a most unpleasant way. Licking her other paw, Burnpaw brought it over her other ear a few times, moving as though she had all the time in the world. When she looked up, her eyes were intense enough to start a fire had the forest been dry and free of snow. "Maybe I like it that way. Keeps away brats like you." Without any further warning, Burnpaw threw herself at the smaller cat, claws extended, jaws open to grab any part of him she could reach in her sharp fangs. HE'D struck a cord in Burnpaw but she'd never let him know that. She knew Blackpaw hated her sometimes but her sister loved her most of the time. That was a two way street because Burnpaw felt the same. Cloudspot hadn't hated her. He'd loved her like his own kit, like his little sister. As far as she was concerned, Frostclaw wasn't her mentor so Smokepaw was wrong about the mentor hating her. Cloudspot never hated her, even when she raged and didn't listen. Frostclaw didn't count. He was a temporary inconvenience. As for other friends, who needed them? Burnpaw was just fine on her own thank you very much. If they couldn't put up with her, they weren't worth her time. MOST of SunClan probably did hate her but Burnpaw would never give them half a rat's tail of concern. They were her clanmates yes, and she would fight to protect them but that didn't mean she had to like them. They were nosy, bossy and altogether a mousebrained mess. Cursedstar had no backbone and none of the warriors particularly got along. Their medicine cat was a blind fool that was always glaring in the wrong direction. What did he have to be mad about? The clan provided for him! The queens were all about gossip, chattering like stupid birds while the elders grumped and complained. Why couldn't they just hurry up and die? If it came down to it, yes she'd jump up and fight for them, which was why she was trying to chase away this ReedClan riffraff. After what she'd heard though, she wouldn't blame ReedClan if they were chasing this dumb thing out too. He had a head full of mousedung and a brain even smaller than a mouse's. [bg=1d1e20][atrb=border,0,true]