[We Could've..]Quaintpaw&Whisperkit[Been The Best]

[Moony~!]

As soon as he stepped into the apprentice den his smile faded and he shook his pelt free of the droplets of water. He swiveled his ears taking in his surroundings and was relieved that no one was currently in the den. He stood at the entrance for a few moments his tail flicking back and forth; then, slowly he took a step forward. Then another, then another, and then, another. Everything was black as usual, not that it made any difference, half of the time he couldn’t even tell he was blind. Whether I can tell or not.. He thought as he averted his blank eyes to the ground, They always seem to notice. He lashed his tail, not in anger, but for the first time in ages, out of the resentment. For a very long time the tom hadn’t cared what others thought, he just stayed out of their way and tried to become a warrior his /own/ way. No one else’s. Though, ever since her death that had changed. He lashed his tail once again at the thought of Twistedsong.

Did that oblivious tom really think that Quaintpaw didn’t know the way that he looked at him? Did he /really/ believe that Quaintpaw, who could see without eyes, didn’t notice the tensing of muscles whenever he looked his way? Quaintpaw narrowed his eyes, this time out of anger at how he was being underestimated. Sure, I’m blind. He thought full of spite, But I can see better than you and your weak limited eyes. I can see not only physical things, but also that of the mind. He knew it sounded creepy, but it still frustrated him. Twistedsong wasn’t the only cat that flinched, glanced away, or avoided his gaze. Twistedsong was just the one with the strongest fear. What was there to fear about him, anyway? Do I… really look that dangerous? No one.. had looked at him straight in the eyes like she had, ever. Not even when he had sight. He took a few more steps before reaching the corner of the den. Suddenly he felt a wave of emotion rush through him. He expected it to stop at his eyes, but no. It found another route.

Though he sat there unblinking, his eyes seemed to leak liquid that many had described as tears. Even when he was a kit he rarely cried. He had always been the jumble of fur that always got into trouble, but always managed to slip out unhurt. Now, unlike before, he was hurt. Hurt more than he could imagine. Even more hurt than when his old clan had died, than when his mother had saved him but no one else. When he closed his eyes and shut out his surroundings there she was, staring at him, her broad smile still smacked on her beautiful, yet small, head. That one dream still haunted him, where Pinepaw had been in pain.. yet he couldn’t hear her cry. Well now it was even worse. The dream now had the proper sound, and he wondered how he could live through it all. Every night he heard that cry in his sleep, the cry and the shallow breathing of the she-cat as her family died all around her. Then finally, the scared look on her face when she died. She hadn’t been ready to die, so why had they taken her? Why had Starclan taken her away?

Another wave of emotion hit him and another dose of tears leaked from his eyes. For the first time since he became blind, he wished that he could show emotion. That when she died instead of sitting there calmly, his eyes blank full of nothing even close to concern, that he could have shown her just in those last few moments their eyes locked how much he loved her. How much he actually cared for her, and how he was really feeling. She had clung on longer than Giliapaw had expected her too, and Quaintpaw was glad she had. Still.. he felt somewhat odd, like those last moments made her death more painful than it would have been without them. Those moments where she screamed in fear, not pain, but fear as she realized what was happening. Those few moments she had whispered him something, but with all of his screwy hearing. With all of his ego, and how much he boasted about his skills.. he couldn’t hear. She said something, and he couldn’t make out what. To this day, where her death would have been forgotten by many, those words still haunted him. What had she said?

Quaintpaw shook his head, his eyes now narrowed in what looked like a permanent steely look. Starclan had officially abandoned him. He once again looked up at the sky and hissed, “We could’ve.. been the best. The best team of cats Starclan or any clan or creature has ever seen. And you took it all away.” His fur was standing on end as he mocked the ancient cats. He knew they existed, oh yeah, he knew. But the way he saw it, they just plain didn’t like him for some odd reason. He took in a deep breath, then let it out as a hiss. He needed proof Pinepaw was safe, and until then, Starclan had forsaken him… and he had forsaken them. Pain flashed through him as he remembered his and Pinepaw’s first REAL encounter. Back then.. she had still been a kit. She had asked him the silliest question. Not that he truly remembered his answer exactly, but he knew he had sounded pretty darn cool.

She, like many others, had been curious about his eyes. She, unlike many others, was brave enough to ask. He had lied to her at first, told her his eyes were fine.. and so was his sight. That it was just herbs that he had gotten from Giliapaw that effected the way they looked. He smiled at how innocent she had been.

“Who are you?”

“Who I am is merely not what I think of myself. For no matter what I say I am. Who I am to you, is as I am in your eyes. So alas, I cannot tell you. The answer to that question in your perspective is for you to decide.”

He had been so wise back then, not clouded by emotion but merely a way with words. Now everything he did was based on her and how she had changed him. Sometimes he would wait at Willow Grave, expecting her to show up that eager ‘teach me!’ look on her face. Other times he would sit right outside the tunnel they had used to escape out of camp and go training unnoticed. For some reason, he just couldn’t bring himself to accept she was gone. Yet, no one else seemed as devastated as he, which only made him angrier. Had no one noticed the she-cats bubbly personality? The way she treated even the condemned to be lame equally. How she cared even for the cats who didn’t care for her. The pitch of her mew, so much resembling that of a bell, and her scent. Oh, her scent was such a fragrance… He could remember her pine tree resembling scent for the rest of his life. Even now, when his nose was clogged because of his crying, and his fur smothered with water, he could imagine her scent quite clearly. So clearly in fact, that she could be right there pouncing on him to wake him like she had done so many times before.

A lash of pain was sent through him again. The last time she had pounced on him like that… had been the day she had gotten fatally ill. His ears twitched out of impatience with his mind, why did he keep lingering on such painful thoughts? Quaintpaw himself didn’t know why. But still.. he felt as if he let go of them it would be the same as letting go of her. And if he let go of her.. she would be lost from him forever. He smiled as he remembered the dialogue quite clearly.

“YRAGGGGHHHHHH!”

He would never forget that word, it was so unique, so pointless, yet still.. so precious all the same.

“Why did you wake me? I was having such a good dream. And what gave you such an urge to- wake me up in such a painful manor?”

“What were you dreaming about?”

"Nothing. It was as blank as usual. Refreshing actually. I think I heard a quick yowl that said traitor this time. That's an improvement, though not sure if that proves I'm sane or not. So. Want to go bother Briarstream until she takes us out hunting today? That outta keep us.. interested."

She never did reply, at that moment she froze, her breathing stopped, and her eyes widened. He had rushed forward and grabbed her by the scruff, dragged her to the medicine cats’ den and yowled for help. Giliapaw had done her best yet… Pinepaw had still died. Unbearable regret grasped his heart. Why had Pinepaw gotten sick while he, who had spent a night in the medicine cats’ den with the sick cats, had not? Why was life so unfair. He doubted he would ever know, still, he couldn’t help but wondering. As he continued to stare at the sky, starless and filled with the sun’s bright light he remembered the words he had whispered to the limp body of Pinepaw right after she had died.

“I’ll only admit one thing, so try to pay attention for once. Every time I see proof of your existance I know the reason I’m still existing.”

{Done}

[Wispeh-Kins]

Drip, Drip, Plip Drip
The snow above the nursery melted with much speed, spring was dawned upon the cats of Horizonclan. Even the smells of new life was sprouting in the air, the sweet tinge of pollen, and even the sight of grass on the ground brought new hope.
A bundle of orange fur ruffled as a small drip of fresh water his her pelt, bristling to flick the water off, but only the receive another drip leaking into the almost solid nursery. She lifted her nose, her eyes still closed and breathed in, letting the scents enter her body, and almost like a new energy had entered her, she hastily headed out of the nursery, ignoring any cats protest to try and stop her.
She stopped and stared at the camp, it looked like a whole new camp, snow was dripping of branches of trees around them, off of the tops of the dens, and the air felt like new life was all around them. She let out a small purr of joy.
I hope mother sees this now, the beauty of Horizonclan camp... Everything she told me she would show me one day.
She heaved a soft sigh, never would she be able to pad along with her mother again, she didn't believe in starclan, how would a cat that didn't believe in starclan go to starclan? She looked at the sky and closed her eyes.
"Where ever you are mother and father; I hope you are safe." She whispered, then dipped her head back down. She walked over to the warriors den, peaking inside, only sleeping cats, frightened to disturb them, she padded slowly over the the apprentices den. Her mind dwindled with many thoughts, she would be an apprentice one day! Training to serve the good of her newfound clan. What would Twistedsong think? She knew he wanted her to be a good Horizonclan cat, but what would he exactly think about it?
She pushed the question out of her mind and bent her head inside the apprentice den, only one cat was in there. She looked around making sure no one was watching, and entered slowly, and extremely cautiously.
KERPLUNK
In in the small kit's action to creep in silently, she had missed her footing, and tumbled in, almost hitting the apprentice.
"Er... I am sorry..." She giggled, while standing up, and shaking the loose moss off of her fur. She stared at the cat's eyes; was that tears that she saw? She dipped her head to the cat, then tilted it to the side.
"What's the matter?" She mewed while getting closer to the apprintice, and sitting before him.

[Moony~!]

Quaintpaw’s whiskers trembled, he had made sure that no cat was in the den. He flicked his eyes around searching for the sight of the cat purposelessly. Shaking his head in disgust, he swiveled his ears quickly, catching a glimpse of a kit. He whipped his head around from the sky and looked straight at the kit, catching its eye. His eyes widened as he jumped backwards. Pinepaw? His fur tingled and he eyed the she-cat, no. It couldn’t be her. His hackles rose, standing on end with surprise. “Nothing,” He mewed quietly, and guilty stung him like it had times before with Pinepaw. Why did this she-cat make him feel like Pinepaw was still there? He felt something brush his fur and a whisper in his ear, a scent filled the air and he whipped around to see nothing but thin air with his ears. He felt waves, but a picture wouldn’t make out. “P-Pine.. paw?” He blinked, wishing his sight was still there. Then he could see if he was really hallucinating. It was just as before, when she had whispered him something, yet he hadn’t been quite able to catch what she said.

He once again swiveled his ears, trying to make out a picture. But, this time even the waves were gone. He twisted around in circles, forgetting the she-cat kit was still there. Why wasn’t she there? Where had Pinepaw gone? Shock ran through his pelt, and he used his nose for once. Nothing. No pine scent at all. Was Starclan mocking him? He narrowed his eyes angrily. Perhaps they were, perhaps they weren’t. Perhaps he HAD been hallucinating. Hate spread through him, he couldn’t shake off the feeling he was supposed to have heard what Pinepaw said. What in the world could it have been? Was it just as his mother had said that he had found a companion once again? Or was it don’t forget me, or I love you, or something along those lines?

The tips of his ears burned with fury and frustration. He wouldn't have to do so much limited thinking if Starclan hadn't taken her away. He would be able to let his thoughts wander like he used to, without a care. He wouldn't stop until he knew what she had said, but until then... He swiveled his ears and caught sight of the she-cat once again, but this time he sent the waves in more detail. Yes... she was a she-cat, and just about Pinepaw's size, but her scent was unbearably tart compared to Pinepaw's. He cringed, not caring whether he hurt the she-cat's feelings now that he knew for sure it wasn't Pinepaw. Her mew, though, was almost exactly the same. Yet he scolded himself for /ever/ mistaking her slightly high-pitched voice for Pinepaw's middle-toned one.

The she-cat probably thought he was rude, taking this long to reply. He wouldn't be surprised if she ran away, or snapped at him for the way he was treating her. Like just another speck of dust to trample on, and use until he reached the top. Only, he didn't want to reach the top now. Not without someone to reach the top with. He sat quietly thinking of how he had invisioned their teamwork when he was training her. Fighting back-to-back, Yow chirping warnings of attacks and what was going on in the camp around them.. Pinewhisker and Quainteye, the inseperable two. He imagined waking up to her exasperated mew, and to updates about what was going on in camp. Them hunting together and purring at nothing. Quaintpaw had thought that Pinewhisker and Quainteye might truly exist one day, but now that she was dead... his dreams were crushed.

Though, really, what would Pinepaw think? What if she saw what he was doing now? Giving up. She would give him a good pawful of trouble if she was still alive. He would find her in Starclan someday, and he would find out what she said. But for now, he would just have to do his best to live up to Pinepaw's expectations. He cleared his thoughts, and regained his poise. Crying was not okay, it would've made Pinepaw cry also. Being rude is not okay, nor is giving up. Pinepaw spread love to everyone, and he must do the same. He let his memories of the she-cat flow over him like a river, trying to preserve as many as he could.

He straightened his back glancing upward at the sun, staring straight at it. Does it really matter? He thought, I'm already blind. Yow chirped, and pecked him on the head angrily. "Right, right." He muttered, "Gotta think positive." Yow nodded in approval then chirped again, taking flight and circling over Whisperkit's head. "Oh yeah.." Quaintpaw meowed in a low whisper that only he could hear, "Well, what's wrong with me I don't know particularly. Though, I did used to have a friend that called me crazy." He tried to smile, but failed miserably, then put on his straight face. Maybe I'll scare her away and I won't have to deal with this.. He thought miserably.
{Done}

[ADMIN~!]

StarClan had always been “there” for Pinepaw and she, like many cats, believed she would be happy to walk away into stars when she died. She expected to join there ranks, pleased with her life and the accomplishments she had made, even if she was taken away a little younger than expected. She did have things planned for her life though: her warrior name, a mate and perhaps kittens. It was a simple request, fulfilled by so many. When the dark tabby fell ill however, with the same sickness that her siblings and mother did, she hadn’t expected to be torn away then. No, she was strong. She was young and agile, full of energy and light. Eager, positive. Even in the later stages when her hearing left and her vision blurred, the small she-cat expected to make it out alive. When the day came when her body knew life was going to the next world though, fear paralysed her. Giliapaw had thought it was the illness finally consuming her, but Pinepaw knew it was fear. She wasn’t ready. She couldn’t let go.

Trembling, shaking, she tried to fight it off, but being sick for so long had sapped all her strength away. She had none left for the final battle and it was all she could do just to keep her blurred eyes open. She cried out insistently, pleading with StarClan to let her stay, to be with her clan, to live her life. She didn’t want to go. There were cats she would miss so much. She wouldn’t be able to stand not seeing them again. Her cries though, the ones she put so much energy into emphasizing their importance, were no more that a hoarse mew. Curse the heavens! Curse StarClan! They couldn’t take her away, not just yet. Let her live a little while longer, to see the sunrise once more and so she could say goodbye. If she couldn’t have a mate or kittens, or even her warrior name, at least grant her another sunrise so she could say goodbye. “Just let me say goodbye…”

It wasn’t a request to be granted though. Pinepaw’s faithful Companion, Lady, died before her Bonded did, a few hours into the night. Exhausted by the day’s tension and realization, Pinepaw had her eyes closed and didn’t see the passing of the ladybug, but she felt it. Had the kitten not been as stubborn as she was to live, she would have most likely died right then and there. Like the all of StarClan rushing down and ripped her heart out of her chest with ice-sharp claws, the pain was unbearable. What was more though was the sense of loss. The sense of suddenly not knowing who she was. Why should she hang on? What kept her grounded? It would be so lovely, just to float away, away, away... into the dark... oblivion... forever... gone.

Then he was there, and the paralysation flooded back into her limbs and mind. She couldn’t go, no. He was waiting for her. He was depending on her to find that strength and get better, so they could be together. He had never said a word, never hinted any affection, but Pinepaw had always known he would be the one she would wear her heart on her paw for. The one she would hold for. She would never let go for. ”Don’t let me go. I’ll never let go if you just hold on. Hold my paw, hold my heart.” He had helped her escape the nursery, away from her two rambunctious siblings who always seemed to forget about her, helped her shape her goals and her path, and helped her live a little. He was the one who gave her life and, dare she say it, love. At only eight months old, hardly old enough to know anything about love, but she could believe in it. After all, he was the one who gave her the courage to start training early and to not become just another apprentice. “Don’t let me go, Quaintpaw…”

When it came to the end though, before sunrise ever came, Pinepaw could feel StarClan calling to her and she couldn’t resist any longer. Though Quaintpaw sat at her side the entire time, right from the moment he brought her to the medicine den, she just didn’t have the strength to fight. She had done all that she could, and yet, it wasn’t enough. Pinepaw was going to leave and he wouldn’t be able to follow her. It wasn’t like the countless times she had tried to sneak out of camp before him, so she could surprise him at Willow Grave. He had always caught her; the fluffy tom was always able to follow. This time was different though. He couldn’t wander into the depths of StarClan looking for the only she-cat whom he’d bonded with, able to scold the dark tabby for going too far by herself. No, this time around, it would be a journey only she would be able to make. She’d never see him again.

The reserve of strength that all creatures stored for their death suddenly broke free for Pinepaw and she struggled upwards, staring at her beloved Quaintpaw in a panic. She had been in the medicine den for a long time, zoning in and out of consciousness. It gave her the chance to think a lot over. The most prominent of thoughts were her dreams to getting better and having her first night back in the apprentice den beside Quaintpaw. Earlier that day she knew it would never happen. The realization of never seeing the sunrise again reverberated in her chest like an adder’s poison, singing its way through her veins and her bloodstream, twisting her mind into panic and paralysation. Now though, now she could move and fear was back, but not for herself. StarClan would be there, would be waiting for her. No one waited for Quaintpaw when she was gone. He would be by himself and she couldn’t let that happen. Tears dripping down her soft cheeks, Pinepaw stumbled towards him like a drunken lunatic with wild eyes and her mind on only one thing. She pressed her head into his fur, rasping heavily for much-needed air. She couldn’t breathe.

“Look... look at that sunrise for me... w-would you? It’s a new... new day, Quaintpaw... new day... there‘s al-a-always a new day for you...”

When they came for her, padding out of the darkness on a path of stars, she was so frightened and angry she could hardly look at her siblings in the face. They shouldn’t be there. She had a life to live, a friend to love. She couldn’t go! Suddenly her spent body jumped up and she knelt into a crouch, snarling and snapping at the brother and sister she had once damned, but later loved. Blood - or was it? - roared through her ears as the two drew closer and closer. Go away. They couldn’t come, no. StarClan was not allowed to take her just yet! Quaintpaw was waiting for her, depending on her live for him.

“It’s too late.”

What? Pinepaw straightened to look at Pumpkinkit in the eye, cold dread curling at her paws. It wasn’t… too late, was it? Hesitantly, the small she-cat looked down to see her paws in her body. Her paws… in… her body… the world came crashing down.

She screamed wretchedly, crying. No, no no! It couldn’t happen! “Quaintpaw! Quaintpaw!” Disraught, Pinepaw swirled around on the spot, tiny little stars floating up like dust from her movement. He was crouched over her body, frantically licking her ear as if she was gone. She was gone. No, please. “Quaintpaw,” she whispered brokenly trying to pad towards him. The world was getting small however, and she seemed to be slipping away. He was getting smaller. “Qauintpaw, come back! Come back! Please, oh please… don’t leave me…” A ragged cry forced it’s way out of her maw as he dwindled farther and farther. She couldn’t reach him anymore, couldn’t hear him. “Quaintpaw…” She collapsed to the ground while Flamepaw and Pumpkinkit circled around her wracked body, trying to offer comfort, but not.

“Leave me alone!”

“It’s time to walk with StarClan now, Pinepaw.” Pumpkinkit had always been the gentle one. She licked her sister’s starry ear. The dark tabby hissed ferociously, making the other stumble back with sudden alarm.

“Get away from me! Let me go back!” The twins shook their heads, sadness reflecting in their strangely transparent eyes.


((To be completed later... again xD Sorry Moonling and Wispeh!))

[Moony~!]

(Wow.. The only reason I'm keeping this up is for Swift-dear to finish this post >O)