Guardians of the Fortress [active non-rescuers]

[Lionflame]

Lionflame's amber eyes flashed briefly as he watched the rescue patrol leave, from the darkness of the Medicine Cat's den. Without him... But someone has to stay to guard, and defend it I will. Cherrysky was too weak still, not in her body but in her mind. Lionflame's own mind felt numb, and everything seemed so dream-like - apart from Brakenpaw's low caterwaul.
Now his mind was slowly turning on, and a slight headache made his brain throb. Had he eaten anything...? A taste of herbs still lingered. He'd probably taken something against the pain in his shoulder and then fallen asleep... The warrior's gaze flicked over his shoulder to where Cherrysky lay, then back to the almost-deserted camp.
Hidden in the shadows, with a bird's eye view of the hollow, Lionflame crouched down to wait.

[Cherrysky]

She had been stuck in a camp full of nothingness for almost a moon now. However, Cherrysky couldn't find any reason that this would be different from the outside world. What was there out there? Nothing. Nothing gave her purpose anymore, and no where was home. During the time that she had been here, her body had almost returned to a normal state. Her spotted pelt still had gashes along the side from the badger attacks she had been through, and she was still underweight. This was from her refusal to eat. It was bad enough that they were still keeping her here, she wasn't about to make things worse and eat all of their kills. Of coarse, Cherrysky couldn't help but eat one piece of kill a day. It kept the hunger pains at bay as well as the two medicine cats that seemed to hover over her. As long as I don't pose a threat. And try to keep her health somewhat presentable.

Her emerald gaze flickered over to the golden tom standing in the middle of the ThunderClan camp. It was the same tom that had brought her to the camp, the same one that seemed to hover over her when the medicine cats were not there. Was this his side job or something? It wasn't like she had any where to go. Anywhere important to be. "Why do you look so disgruntled?" She asked, reading his expressions. After being around him for this long, she was beginning to pick up his mood vibes. They were very, very subtle. If you weren't paying attention, you wouldn't notice. She didn't have anything to do, so she was beginning to catch every little mood flux he had. Great, now I'm becoming in tune with my prison guard. Lovely. Her gaze turned back down to the ground, not very pleased with this new thought.

[.::CreekPaw::.]

The longhaired tabby strode beautifully into camp, his pawsteps graceful for he had practiced walking that way and he was in a very good mood. He had been in a bad mood earlier, for the nighttime was filled with bizarre dreams and had given him a fat lip.

Creekpaw looked up as he entered camp and nearly dropped the leaf that held the poppy seeds and the feverfew he had been carrying. Where is everyone?! He rushed to the medicine den to look for Bellrose and when he couldn't find her he set down the herbs and dashed back out into camp. "Lionflame, Cherrysky, what happened?" The medicine cat apprentice asked worriedly.

What was the reason for this emptiness? Surely it wasn't some insane evacuation that had left behind these two warriors because they were injured? No, Bellrose wouldn't have let that happen. . . and she would have surely come to me, her handsome apprentice, right? The young tom thought, a little vainly.

He paced over to Lionflame, glaring at him intensely for an answer.

[Lionflame]

Lionflame's gaze followed the small figure as he trotted into the camp. His ear barely flicked at Cherrysky's question, his eyes intent on the arriving medicine-cat apprentice. He seemed to gather himself up almost imperceptibly, like if he was instinctively standing to attention.
"Badgers have attacked the WindClan camp," he answered in his low, rumbling voice. "Most warriors in camp have gone to help, and we -" Have been left here?"Have stayed back to guard the camp, in case of retaliation."
For only a split second, the tip of his tail hovered in mid-flick. His mind was getting clearer, and his thoughts had abruptly shifted:
Hmm... I wonder...

[Cherrysky]

The spotted she-cat couldn't help but scoff as she listened to their conversation, her empty gaze staring out at the scenery in front of her. More like left behind to guard the prisoner, if you ask me. He must feel some irritation for their decision- to leave him behind to guard her while they went over to WindClan to be heroes. She certainly did. They could let her go whenever they wanted, but they chose not to. Being held against her will to do nothing but sit and rot for the rest of her mortal existence. Isn't very different from the rest of life. Captives to this tormenting thing called life- a puppet on strings. Sigh... Life sucks.

[Lionflame]

Lionflame absent-mindedly rolled his wounded shoulder, causing pain to ripple through his system. It sort of surprised him, but he kept his face shut and swallowed the pain without a wince - except for an almost imperceptible flinch.
Most probably that Cherrysky thought she was being kept prisoner. It would explain the look in her eyes when she loooked around the camp, and especially at him. Maybe she even tought that he was her jailer - well, that was a great improvement already.
She's getting annoyed. Cherrysky might try to muffle it down, but emotions were stirring in her once more, as much as she denied it to herself. That look in her eyes were the proof. Although still glassy and greyish in appearance, those eyes held a new flame of life. Faint, flickering, but present.
Of course, Lionflame wouldn't tell her that he himself was held captive in this den. He would certainly not reveal the pain he was experiencing. He hadn't told the medicine cats - and, lukily, they had never noticed. Simple-minded Lionflame would tell them if he had any problem? He used to. But not anymore. That's why he held Cherrysky company. Not only did she need the captivity, but he needed the poppy seeds.

"Only a very good actor can be a very bad one."

[.::CreekPaw::.]

The tabby muttered something to himself as he looked at the two of them. Lovely. He thought with a grimace. The tom looked over Lionflame's shoulder and pulled out some poppy seeds, not letting the warrior have them yet but inspecting the shoulder. "What happened? He asked dryly. Creekpaw was suddenly in a bit of a worse mood.

Why didn't she take me with? I could have been more help at a freakin' battle than here where all I need to do is give a cat some mousebrained poppy seeds! He let a hiss out under his breath and flicked his tail.
How frustrating. Hopefully Lionflame's shoulder would be a bit more of a challenge. No. . . I don't really want that. The tom sighed lightly and managed a serene half-smile as he looked over the wounded shoulder. It would just be mighty boring around here. . . and yet vexing because deep in his heart Creekpaw knew this was a biggie. Who's lives or limbs would the badgers claim? He shook the thought away.

Fox dung on those troublesome badgers.

[Lionflame]

Lionflame looked at Creekpaw, puzzled. "What happened... apart from a badger attack and weakling cat?" his eyes held genuine innocence and puzzlement. Why is he looking at my shoulder like that? There's nothing wrong. Lionflame's natural simple-mindedness was kicking in again. He actually didn't understand. He actually felt nothing in his shoulder.
Perhaps the poppy seeds were kicking in as well.

[Cherrysky]

The sound of a gruff tone made Cherrysky's empty gaze turn in curiosity. Creekpaw... great, I've learned the names of all my captives. Wonderful... was giving the golden tom the evil eye. The spotted she-cat shifted where she was, facing her body more toward the confrontation. Her emerald eyes quickly picked out what was wrong. His shoulder... again. Gah, why was he being so simple-minded? Just ask for help, smart-one. She thought. He was in constant pain from his shoulder!... although she was probably the only one who noticed it. More irritation flooded into her features. Why would anyone want to go through that kind of pain for pride? Pride! It was the most useless emotion ever. The only one more useless the pride was love; because everyone knows that once you fall in love, you don't belong to you anymore. Once you fall in love- it's over. Sure you get the giddy feelings, but what happens if the love doesn't work out? You put your heart on the line just to get it smashed into a million pieces? Psh! Forget that!

Even though her mind was full of disdain, Cherrysky could still feel a hint of wist. Her emerald eyes narrowed and she shook her head. What do I need with love? She thought. She had never needed it before, and she didn't need it now! Who would love her anyways... Clearing her mind again, her emerald eyes turned back to the scene in front of her. This could be interesting. She thought, chuckling without humor.

[Lionflame]

Lionflame's eyes and body were as inexpressive as ever, looking straight at Creekpaw. "Now that you're here, I can go and catch some prey, yes?" he said pleasantly. He padded out of the den, as calmy and normally as ever. He wasn't limping one bit; in fact, he seemed to be moving smoothily and harmonuously. His tail flicked briefly as he disappeared behind a curtain of sunlight, out of the den and into the world.


TO:: (don't post me, I'll post you. Not going anywhere, just coming back with a mouse or two. We do have to guard the camp.

[.::CreekPaw::.]

The fluffy tabby muttered to himself and flicked his tail in frustration as Lionflame left. I am sure there was something wrong with that shoulder! He thought with a scowl. He glanced at Cherrysky and sighed. "Are you injured?" He asked, seeming a bit bored to be left behind when he could be treating many nasty badger wounds somewhere.

Creekpaw sat down and glanced over his shoulder at the stacked herbs in the medicine den. What was Bellrose doing at this very moment? He let his thoughts wander and exaggerate themselves intricately. Augh. Boredom has got to be the worst feeling. . . other than ugliness. The tom thought, looking back to Cherrysky.

[Cherrysky]

A frown crossed the spotted she-cat's face as Lionflame exited the camp. Well there goes the entertainment. She thought sourly, putting her head back down on her paws. Just when something interesting may have happened, Captain Air-head decides to go play chase with a mouse. Sigh.

Or pretend to at least. Cherrysky knew he would probably come back with nothing. Even the egotistical apprentice could probably see that Lionflame's shoulder was bothering him. If he had only taken those poppy seeds sooner...

Ohh yeah, she knew about the golden tom's sneaky tactics. Using her as a reason to stay near the medicine cat's den. Then, when no one was looking, BAM! a few poppy seeds would go missing. His shoulder would be fine and no one would notice a thing. Cherrysky was the only one that knew... and for some reason, it seemed he trusted her enough not to say anything. Crazy tom. She thought, closing her eyes. She had nothing to keep her from rating him out... but, then again, why should she say anything? It was better if she just let things be.

"Are you injured?" The big-headed apprentice's voice broke through her thoughts once more, and Cherrysky reluctantly opened her eyes. "No, I'm fine." She replied, giving him a reassuring smile. The spotted she-cat had been saying that so often, even she almost believed it now. Even the fake smile was convincing!...Sigh.


[No muse... sorry]

[Mapletail]

"Oh, my," came a voice. "If it isn't our dear princess Cherry." Sunlight briefly outlined a slender shape, and Mapletail slipped into the den. The tortoiseshell resembled her brother in many ways, but smaller, more delicate, livelier and more temperamental. Her silver-green eyes flickered from one cat to another. Where her brother's face was like a marble statue's, hers was an open book; cross to not have been sent to the battle, impatient because of her itch to move.
"What may this happy little convention be?"

[Cherrysky]

The spotted she-cat had to use every ounce of her will power to refrain from rolling her eyes, or letting out n irritated hiss. Ohh, joy! She thought sourly. The world greatest pain. Unlike Lionflame, Mapletail was one of the cats that she couldn't stand to be around. Egotistical, irrational, irritating, fickle, whiny... and everything else that annoyed Cherrysky rolled into one small body. The worst part of it all- Mapletail probably knew that she irritated Cherry too.

Her facial expressions and posture remained unchanged as Lionflame's sister came to sit by them. "What may this happy little convention be?" Irritated. Most likely because she was left behind like her brother. Unlike Lionflame, his sister was an open book. Cherrysky never had to ask Maple what was wrong with her; even if she did ask it would be unnecessary, considering the tortoiseshell she-cat was going to tell everyone what was wrong, regardless if she had been asked or not.

"Wouldn't call it a 'happy convention.'" Cherrysky finally replied, turning to face Mapletail. "Most of the cats still in the camp are pretty upset." May as well get it over with... Cherry didn't want to talk to Maple; it was more like Mapletail wouldn't leave her alone until she did. For some reason, the tortoiseshell she-cat got some twisted sense of humor out of watching other's irritation. Did she really know how incredibly annoying she was? Doubt it.

[Mapletail]

Mapletail's face kind of merged into a sulk, although in the foreground it remained unchanged. "Well... some do have to stay and guard." But of course you know that, Cherryblossom, she added to herself. She didn't really mean to be so irritating and moany towards the RiverClanner, but a strange aversion drove her to spit in outsiders' eyes at every occasion. Most of the time, she barely had conscience of it.