the lion and the mouse;;

[რoonwhisker]

"Come on, even kit could have caught that mouse!" came the voice of a large tabby cat. Her red-orange-yellow eyes glittered in the sunlight. The she-cat smiled and laughed, "I'm kidding yaknow," she meowed. The figure next to her was almost a look-alike. But this tom was smaller and had yellow eyes. He smiled back. "Shutup, it was fast!" He said. Rainclaw raised her eyebrows, "Alright, if you say so..." she said. She scented a vole, and automatically went into her hunter's crouch. Rippedheart sat back, She can have this one, but for my sake I hope she doesn't catch it... he thought. But alas, Rainclaw silently headed to wards the vole. The poor vole didn't know what he was getting himself into. If he would've known that a large tabby cat was going to hunt and kill him today, he wouldn't have left his nest.

Rainclaw was as silent as possible. She slowly crept up to the vole and felt her heart beat increase Relax, it's only a vole She felt the vole's movement through the ground. Then, so quick that if you had blinked you would have missed it, she pounced upon the creature and bit it's neck. It was dead. She smiled and dropped the dead vole to the ground. Rainclaw brushed a few pawfuls of dirt atop it. The she-cat turned to her brother. Her expression seemed to say, Look-at-me-I've-always-been-better-than-you-and-I-always-will-be! Rippedheart sighed, it was always like this. Rainclaw was one of the best warriors in IvoryClan. But Rippedheart was smart. He knew how to test her nerves. "You're a great warrior," he said. "Thanks," she replied, not really listening.

"You remind me a lot of Darksong. You guys would make a good couple."

Rainclaw stopped. Her muscle in her body tensed up, she turned to him. "Darksong? You think?" she wanted to know what her brother thought, but she didn't want to seem like she was interested in the black warrior tom.

[Đarκsong]

Secret padded about in the forest idly, having just eaten a squirrel and satisfied his hunger. He was too restless to return to his den though. His old paws just itched to move. He tasted the air to check and make sure a clan patrol wasn't nearby. He picked up the scent of only a few cats.

For some reason, Secret decided to get a closer look at the cats. Just to see who it is....

He spotted the two cats, but stayed hidden and listened to what they were saying. He heard the name Darksong mentioned. That was it for him, he had to approach them. He was sure these two cats wouldn't be able to harm him much.

"Darksong, you say?" Secret said as he stepped out from the underbrush, "Trust me, you don't want anything to do with that worthless piece of foxdung."

[რoonwhisker]

"Trust me, you don't want anything to do with that worthless piece of foxdung."

Rainclaw looked up, it seemed as though another cat had entered their conversation. It seemed to be a cat that wasn't familiar to her, but then how did he know Darksong? Speaking of Darksong, this cat had just insulted her schoolgirl crush.

"Excuse me?" she said. "Darksong is one of our clan's best warriors I'll have you know," she paused, then realized she was speaking to a rouge. "Who are you anyways? And why are you on IvoryClan territory?" she asked. She unsheathed her claws, ready for a fight.

Rippedheart gulped. No need for fighting. He knew if there was a fight he would be embarrassed by his not-so-good fighting skills. But he figured he'd at least try to look like he was the best warrior in the clan. He puffed our his chest. You're ok, You're ok, Calm down calm down,

[Đarκsong]

Secret was not at all threatened by the she-cat's words, "I'm just a rouge, no one of importance to you.....and let's just say I know Darksong pretty well." He said, trying to keep his identity hidden from these cats, yet letting himself have some fun. He rolled his eyes at her unsheathing her claws and the obvious terror of her companion.

[რoonwhisker]

"I'm just a rouge, no one of importance to you.....and let's just say I know Darksong pretty well."

Rippedheart watched his sister's eyes fill with fire. Rainclaw looked back at the rouge, "And how do you know him?" she asked. Rainclaw knew she should've told him off and made him leave. But they always say curiousity killed the cat.

[Đarκsong]

Secret smirked, loving every minute of this confrontation, "That's none of your buisness." He told her, "If you have any brains at all, you'd have him kicked out of the clan before he does something stupid." Secret was meerly trying to cause trouble, "He's just like his father. One of these days, he'll snap. Then you'll be sorry for trusting him."

[რoonwhisker]

"That's none of your business."

"I diffidently think it is," she said. The wind blew through her fur and made her shiver. It was getting cold, and Leafbare with coming.

"If you have any brains at all, you'd have him kicked out of the clan before he does something stupid."

"Like what?" she asked.

"He's just like his father. One of these days, he'll snap. Then you'll be sorry for trusting him."

Rainclaw couldn't believe her ears, she'd never seen Darksong make a mistake in her entire lifetime. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. Rippedheart sat back, watching his sister interagate this rouge. It was question after question. He knew that if Darksong wasn't involved in the conversation Rainclaw would've pushed this rouge out of IvoryClan territory.

[Đarκsong]

Secret was beginning to wonder why this she-cat was so interested in Darksong. I doubt she's his mate....but she sure seems to like him... He thought. He looked her over from head to tail, then said, "You're probably too young to have known Tornspirit." He assumed so since she was young and his death was nearly 25 moons ago, "He was born a rouge and overall a good cat, but living in your clan turned him into a terribly unpleasant cat. He became very angry and snappy. One day, he lost it." Secret told her, "Darksong, then Darkpaw, had come back from training and was confronted by him. Tornspirit attacked him, and was then exiled from camp." He remembered the next part of the story quite vividly in his mind, "Tornspirit then came to me, begging for help. He hated himself. So I helped him with that problem...." Secret said, smirking.

[რoonwhisker]

"You're probably too young to have known Tornspirit."

Rippedheart looked up, his ears alert. He knew that name from somewhere. Yes! Carmeltail told him stories or Tornspirit when he was an apprentice. She said he had been pretty evil.

"Darksong, then Darkpaw, had come back from training and was confronted by him. Tornspirit attacked him, and was then exiled from camp."

Rainclaw stared. Just stared. "So that's why he always acts as though he woke up on the wrong side of the bedding," she said.

"Tornspirit then came to me, begging for help. He hated himself. So I helped him with that problem...."

Rippedheart spoke, "So you killed him? That's horrible!" Rainclaw stared, in disbelief. She had been talking to a murderer this entire time. "I think you should come with us to camp," she meowed.

[Đarκsong]

Secret simply smirked at their reaction. Why was it so bad that he assisted in Tornspirit's death? He wanted to die. I did him a favor! He thought. No harm in that.

"You think that I would? No." Secret hissed at Rainclaw, "I have done nothing wrong. If anything, I helped your stupid clan!" The old tom cat then began padding away, flicking his tail defiantly at the clan cats.

[რoonwhisker]

"I have done nothing wrong. If anything, I helped your stupid clan!"

"Stupid?! You have no--" Rainclaw started to say, but was then interrupted by Rippedheart. "I think you should leave now," he meowed. This cat was only going to cause trouble, and the worst case scenario was Rainclaw attacking him. Rainclaw stopped talking and turned to Rippedheart, she wondered why he was being so assertive. He usually just went with the flow, but she trusted him. "I agree," she said.

[Đarκsong]

Secret turned back towards the two clan cats for a moment. They were just letting him go. Such fools. "You're actually going to let me go, just like that? Wow, you are quite mouse-brained...." He said, mocking them. He was a bit relieved, yes, that he wouldn't have to fight these cats. He was just surprised they let him off so easy.

I didn't think the whole clan would be stupid like Snowdrift! I guess I was wrong. He thought to himself as he padded back to the Two-leg place.

[რoonwhisker]

"You're actually going to let me go, just like that? Wow, you are quite mouse-brained...."

"Just go," Rainclaw muttered. Rippedheart stared, watching him go. The siblings didn't speak untill he was gone. The wind blew through their fur. Rainclaw scented prey all around, but she didn't bother. She turned to her brother, "We can't tell anyone about this, I just have a feeling that we shouldn't say anything right now," she meowed. Rippedheart gulped, "Ok, I'll keep the secret," he meowed. I'll keep this one, just like all the others,

[♫.Starredmyst]

"Silv, have I told you you're a mousebrain lately?"

"Yes. Three times today. I dunno why you think so."

"Gee, it just couldn't be because you think you can catch more prey than a senior warrior. Why'd you have to go and dare him?"

"Because he was bragging. Anyway, I hadn't dared him yet when you called me a mousebrain first thing this morning."

"StarClan, I don't even remember why I called you one!"

"Well, it must've been by accident, then."

"No, I'm sure you did something stupid to deserve it..."

The two young warriors had been arguing vehemently from the time they left camp; both of them seemed to be enjoying the fight immensely, although they dropped their voices as soon as they reached a spot with possible prey. Apparently Silverdust had struck up a dare with one of the Clan's senior warriors -- whoever caught less prey by the end of the day had to jump off the sunning rocks in camp into the sea while singing some stupid song. Risingdawn had been disgusted by the entire idea, but grudgingly agreed to help his sister out.

"I was actually pretty good --" Silverdust began, but suddenly Risingdawn stopped stock still, flicking his tail against her pelt to shut her up. His eyes narrowed.

"Silv. Over there," he said quietly. "I smell --"

The she-cat had raced off before the tom could finish his sentence; she didn't catch the scent of whatever prey her brother had spotted, but she saw where he indicated and began stalking towards it. One step -- two step -- she still didn't smell it, but what the heck --

With a war cry the she-cat jumped out into the clearing, and caught Rippedheart's tail.

The ensuing round of screeches and accusations sent a frantic Risingdawn speeding after his sister, crashing through the underbrush at top speed, convinced he'd have to save his sister...

Of course, the only time Silv needed saving from her best friends was when she had done something particularly stupid to earn their annoyance. Like now.

The bright grey she-cat had bitten hard down on Rippedheart's tail before realizing what it was, and on realizing it had promptly jumped back and yowled out defensive apologies that didn't sound remotely apologetic. With a disgusted snarl Risingdawn dragged his sister back and told her to shut up, then turned to the other pair ruefully.

"Sorry 'bout that. Silv's been very...Silverdust-ish today." He cast the she-cat a dark glare, then added, "As I was saying before someone decided tails taste good, I thought I smelled a trespasser. You guys have any clue what was going on?"

[რoonwhisker]

The topic of Secret was closed. The two cat's didn't say anymore about it. But thoughts crumbled through Rippedheart's head. Who was that cat, why is he here? What is going on with the clan? What happened with Darksong? So many questions. Then of course out came the question that always remained inside of the petite cat's mind. Who's my father?

Rainclaw didn't think about her father much, it wasn't that she didn't care. It was that, well she didn't really care. All she cared about was getting better status in the clan. Rippedheart sat, pondering his thoughts in silence when all of a sudden, he herd a yowl and a sharp pain go up his spine. The source? His tail.

"OWWOWOWOW!" he exclaimed. He spun around, ready to attack the intruder. Only to realize that it was Silverdust. "Holy StarClan! You scared the fur off me," he meowed, licking his tail. "And you scared all the prey out of the forest!" Rainclaw meowed, laughing. She greeted the two cats happily.

"As I was saying before someone decided tails taste good, I thought I smelled a trespasser. You guys have any clue what was going on?"

Rippedheart's expression become blank. Oh crap, we can't tell, but they're our best friends! Rainclaw frowned. She couldn't keep secrets from them. But she had to! Then the memories came. A certain memory, of when Rainclaw and Silverdust had been kits. They had snuck out of camp in an attempt to hunt. No one had caught them, and they'd never told anyone about it to this day. (Besides Rippedheart and Rissingdawn, who were in on the secret in the first place). "Can you keep a secret?" she said.