I.Wasn't.Looking.For.Perfection>>[Open]

[nightcloud]

//:To say she was incredibly talented and beautiful was an understatement. She was really, truly incredibly talented and beautiful. Okay, that's just what she was told often. But then again, she couldn't help it could she? She was a born and bred, original wild cat, an ocelot to be exact. What else did you expect?

//:A spotted femme with the most unusual hazel optics passed the entrance of the camp and soon the dens and the medicine cat den. Heading straight for the fresh-kill pile, she quickly snatched up a tasty morsel, a squirrel persay. And not the fattest squirrel at that. But then again she didn't need much, never did when she was getting seconds.

//:Anyone that had been observing Goldenleaf would have realized that she had been getting seconds for the past moon and a half. Why? No one knew because no one had asked. And no one had asked because no one had even noticed because she was oh so sly... or did someone watch the beautiful feline?

//:Looking around and saying hellos, she took a quick, hurried look around the camp and bounded past the guard at the entrance. Out of camp, Goldenleaf began to pick up the pace, noticably as well, irritable that she had his impeccable feeling that a cat was following her.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Nightpaw sighed as he padded into camp, a squirrel clamped tight between his jaws. Food was getting scarce; he'd been lucky to get this scrawny sample today, and had boasted about it until Mothflight's pointed reminder that cats needed the food rather badly sent him ducking his head and hurrying back to camp.

Now he dropped the squirrel into the freshkill pile, ignoring a pretty-but-too-old she-cat as she came up; selecting a particularly juicy thrush, instead, he picked it up and headed over to the elders' den.

"Food," he mumbled around the bird, and one of the elders -- a tom, not one he knew well -- cheerfully came up to take it from him. Duties thus relieved, Nightpaw returned to the pile and went for his squirrel --

Only to find it being taken by another cat.

Now, normally Nightpaw would have shrugged this off. However, the young tom had had a particular hatred of the scrawny, climbing brand of rodent ever since a certain episode with a tree and a thornbush, and --

Hang on. Hadn't that cat been at the pile when he put the squirrel down in the first place?

"Hey," Nightpaw said, rather sharply, padding after the she-cat. She was very pretty, he noticed distantly, but didn't let it get in the way of what he needed to say. "You're not allowed to take two. Food's scarce."

[nightcloud]

//:A vehement hiss came from her angular maw as she dropped the furry tailed rodent. Would you like to run that by me again and get your face ripped off? For emphasis, she fully extended her now unsheathed and slashed the air only milimeters from his nose. Now, leave me alone before I actually aim. Flicking her tail, she picked up the squirrel and went off into the nearest spit of vegetation.

//:The goddess seemed to be looking for someone, for she paused every few steps to sniff the air and she parted her jaws slightly. Still feeling another's presence, she silently ignored it, but her fur stood on end. What business do you have telling me what to do?! Just think. I'm a warrior. You're an apprentice. Apprentice go away. Warrior stay. She hissed with not only a hint of sarcasm.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Nightpaw's eyes narrowed at Goldenleaf's arrogant tone, and although he tensed as she took aim, he didn't flinch away.

"Warriors aren't above the rules," he spat in response to her sarcastic comment, stalking after her, "and anyway, at least this apprentice has the maturity to own up to his mistakes. My mentor's a senior warrior and my uncle's the leader -- put the squirrel back or I'll call one of 'em. You want kits to go hungry because you think you're better than me?"

[nightcloud]

//:Goldenleaf dropped the squirrel, threw back her head and laughed. Do you think that really matters? Go tell! And as for saving kits from starvation, I'm doing just that. Now, leave me alone! She hissed in a dangerously low tone. Then, whirling back around, she reared, and gave a loud meow. Suddenly, a tinier, carbon copy of the ocelot temptress herself bounded out of nowhere, seemingly.

//:Dropping the squirrel, the kit began gulping the squirrel in very hungry bites. Looking at Nightpaw, she said with fangs bared, a look of intent hatred in her eyes. You weren't supposed to know about this, but Cloud couldn't wait. Giving her kit a lick, she stalked toward the young apprentice, her hackles rising to incredible heights.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Nightpaw's teeth were bared in a snarl and the proud young apprentice was more than ready to snatch his prize out from under this rude she-cat's nose --

Until, that is, her words penetrated -- and a kitten tumbled out in their aftermath.

The young apprentice stared at the little ocelot as it gulped its meal down hungrily; the anger slowly left his expression and his ears folded back in confusion.

"Why...isn't she in the nursery?" Nightpaw asked slowly, looking up at Goldenleaf. He didn't seem particularly intimidated by her defensive posture, but then, he didn't like to show it when he was. "Cloud -- isn't a Clan name, is it? How come you're...keeping her secret?"

[nightcloud]

Goldenleaf's ears became pinned instead of perked and she snarled in undisguised contempt, It's easy to see.... She's not even half-clan. She's a full blooded ocelot, like myself. How would the clan feel if I was suddenly to appear with a kit and no father? If I was to even consider bringing in the kit, I would at least want to benefit the clan with another warrior.

Turning back to Cloud, she signalled for her young daughter to appear at her side. She's exactly 6 moons on this very day, but yet she is taller than all female apprentices at this age. She will make a great fighter. I have thought about her living in the clan, but I have had to figure out what I must. Cloud looked at the dark apprentice, her vocals released in a thoughtful tone. I have spoken to my mother about such things, but I have yet to make up my mind. She tells me everything that has ever gone on in the clan and I feel a need to stay put until spring, where prey is abundant.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Nightpaw still seemed a little rankled by Goldenleaf's tone, but as he watched the kit -- well, apprentice, sort of -- he began to relax completely. In his limited experience, she-cats showed their best side to their kits, and any she-cat was a little softer with a kit around.

He dipped his head to Cloud in silent greeting, a sort of acknowledgment of the littler she-cat, and then looked up at Goldenleaf. "Well, you're Clan by declaration if not by blood, so she is half-Clan," he pointed out. He wasn't entirely sure why Goldenleaf was talking about her mother when she was very obviously the only ocelot in the Clan, but he let the matter slip by and stuck with what he understood. "She'd make a wonderful addition to the Clan, like you said, and --" he hesitated, but it only felt fair to point the other side out too "-- uh, even if you did choose to, um, leave the Clan at some point, Cloud could get more extensive training here than just you could teach her, with so many cats around, right? And you could get in trouble for hiding her, more than you would if you brought her in."

[nightcloud]

Hmm.... By your reaction, I suppose the others would act the same way. And you are right, but those are points I hadn't already thought about myself. But I am a great teacher. But I have no idea if it would be the right choice and why I say this, I will not explain. By now, Goldenleaf's vicious, defensive side had left her and she looked quite pretty, sitting and looking amiable as ever. Her eyes glittered in thought as she looked at Nightpaw.

I guess I really haven't a choice, do I? Either way, she's bound to be discovered. Well, I came to the forest to do what I had to do. I'm going back to camp, with Cloud. Come along, shall we? Smiling at Nightpaw, she purred at Cloud and gestured for her to follow. Trotting past the apprentice, she called back, Sorry for my disturbing behavior. I am not always so, but I have been trained to act likewise because of some of the cats in this clan. She stopped and looked back at him.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Nightpaw decided against pointing out that he was a fairly sensible cat compared to others -- especially considering the way rumors had been flying about Patchstar's insanity, right? After all, he knew better than to believe them ooc;{poor deluded nephew that he is}...

But Goldenleaf was looking very pretty in the winter sunlight, with her carbon-copy daughter just as nice beside her. Nightpaw, having not quite reached his full growth, was within a few whiskers of the young she-cat's height, but didn't seem particularly intimidated by it. "All right, then," he answered Goldenleaf, clearly rather relieved by the she-cat's change in demeanor. "It's -- good to know. And Cloud," he added to the younger cat, perhaps a little hopefully, "if you need anything to, yanno, learn your way around and stuff, I'll be around, okay?"

[nightcloud]

Goldenleaf looked back at Cloud, and her already bright pink nose became the third shade of red. Then, she giggled and looked at Nightpaw. You know...I would like that. A lot. Maybe later tonight? Goldenleaf looked at the two with soft eyes and something vibrant flickered there. However, no one saw it because no one was looking.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Nightpaw purred cheerfully at Cloud's words, suddenly feeling oddly giddy.

"Sounds good to me," he answered eagerly. "How about I meet you in front of the apprentice den at, umm, sundown? I'm gonna be a warrior soon," he added in a confidential tone, "so I know as much about the territory as any other cat."

[nightcloud]

Cloud actually gave full throated laughter. I shall see you then! See you soon, Nightpaw! Purring loudly, she went past him, rubbing her coat along his as she went. Catching up to her mother, Cloud licked her shoulder in respect and they both entered the camp again. Already gasps were heard and whispers were talked in auds.

O.O.C.-You can bring whatever characters you have in, if you want.

[♫.Starredmyst]

OOc;{Considering one of my characters is said senile leader, this should be entertaining. >3}

Nightpaw started back, surprised, as Cloud's pelt brushed against his. However, a silly sort of grin lit his face as he trailed after the two of them, tail held jauntily high.


"Oi. Riss. Wake up."

The ginger tom was sleeping. Very well, thank you very much, and sleeping deeply for the first time in ages; sisters, however, seem to have no sense of when one doesn't want to be woken up. With a groan, Risingdawn rolled up onto his paws and glared blearily at his sister.

Silverdust was all but dancing in place with excitement. "Come see, Riss! There's a she-cat coming around camp, that ginormous one named Goldenwhatever --"

She saw her brother wince and made an exasperated noise. "Not Goldensun, mousebrain, the other one that's bigger -- that ocelot. And she's got a little clone with her! Come see!"

Reluctantly, the tom followed his sister out into the gossipy throng.


"It wasn't a snake," Starredmyst was sighing at her father in disgust. "It was a vine; one of the kits must have gotten in here somehow and left it."

"It was a snake," Patchstar maintained stubbornly, glaring at the limp piece of greenery sitting outside his den. "It tried to bite me."

"Daddy, we need to talk. I --"

Whatever Starr was about to say, however, was cut off by a sudden crowd that had grown about the camp's entrance. Startled, the she-cat glanced over to see the problem, even as a pair of cats stalked past her.

"-- don't care if it's an ocelot, I don't care if it's StarClan themself! I was sleeping!"

"-- ohh, but the kitten's so cute...and she's big too."

Patchstar's eyes narrowed at the mention of Goldenleaf causing a stir. It was really rather astonishing, the number of former rogues who lived in camp and belonged to the Clan -- lately, especially, as Patchstar had been doing his honest best to keep them at least a little unhappy.

"That sounds like something we need to see about," the fat old tom said irritably, cutting off whatever his daughter had planned to say. "Come with me."

Sighing and promising herself that their heart-to-heart would come at some point, Starredmyst followed her father to the center of the throng. It seemed that Goldenleaf, who she knew by reputation if not face, had brought a stranger into camp and was causing quite a stir about it. Patchstar shoved his way straight up to the she-cat.

"And what is going on here?" he growled.

[nightcloud]

Goldenleaf knew that bringing her daughter would cause a raucous. Sighing, she looked about camp, seeing the throng that was pitching a fit and gossip about her coming in with her protege. Hissing when the crowd got too close, she about slashed out when a tom reached for her daughter. Calming herself, Goldenleaf watched with pride as her daughter kept the cats at bay. Looking just like the devil himself. However, she calmed down when the crowd stayed a respectful distance away.

When Patchstar came up, Goldenleaf nodded, but her eyes and Cloud's eyes held a very dangerous, high strung fire. Goldenleaf's silky voice turned cold and even had a touch of steel to it. I brought my only living daughter to the clan. I decided that I couldn't keep it a secret any longer, so I brought her hear. Do you have a problem with it? It did have a touch of sarcasm, but that was something most likely Patchstar would not hear. But she made it clear to the rest of the clan as she gazed down at the old tom.