live.my.life.ALONE___forever.now;;

[Đarκsong]

Sitting and watching the monsters rush by had become an everyday thing for Spirithunt. It was new-leaf now, so twolegs were slowly trickling back to the twoleg place. It was a day just like this when...."it" happened.

The grey tom hated to even think of that horrible day. The gruesome deaths of his father and sister still haunted him. Deep down, he felt terribly responsible for it. Talonfall's taunts were right.

Yet Spirithunt knew his family didn't blame him. He was young then, but still the remorse tore him to pieces. Even though it had been many long and lonely moons since it had happened.

As the cars stop passing by, he padded out onto the Thunderpath. The pavement was warm on his ghostly white paws. He reached the otherside and sat down facing the forest. He was on Ivoryclan territory now.

Spirithunt couldn't place exactly what was drawing him back to this dreadful and evil place. Perhaps it was his loneliness. Or maybe it was that crowfood he ate at sunhigh. Who knows.

He was figuring in his mind what the clan was probably like now. Redstar had defiantly died, and most likely Talonfall took his place. Yikes. That would be a death sentence for Spirithunt. Deputy? Who cares. It was probably someone horrible if Talonfall chose 'im.

Then a thought brought excitement to the tom. What if Darkpaw was still around? Surely he'd either be a warrior by now. Well, that is if he wasn't exiled. As he recalled their brother-like bond and constant shenanigans, a smile played upon his lips.

Spirithunt really hadn't spoken to any cat in a long time, so any company besides Talonfall would suffice. He scanned the forest before him with icey orbs.

[რoonwhisker]

"I swear to StarClan if you kids don't stop arguing I'm going to kill you both myself!" The voice of an angry elder could be herd within a hundred mile radius of the forest. "Hey Mum try not to scare all the prey out of the forest," Rippedheart meowed, giving Rainclaw a wink. She smiled and winked back sleepily.

Her stomach was still huge, but she felt like she could fly. The weight was literally lifted off her shoulders. For once, she was overly happy and filled with joy. She had two new kits back at the nursery. Arrowkit and Greenkit. She hadn't told anyone what their names would be except Darksong, because they'd decided together a few hours ago. She was really tired, kits were hard work. So Wiltedflower had offered to watch her bundles of joy for a bit while she went for a walk with Rippedheart and Carmeltail. Oh how she'd missed to forest air.

Rippedheart was happy to have them together in one place for once. He hadn't been out with Rainclaw for quite a while because she'd been really pre-occupied. They'd only been apart for a bit, but it made him realize how much he loved her.

"Hey, wait. I smell something!" Carmeltail meowed suddenly, slowing her pace to a stop. Rainclaw looked up at her, wondering if she was just confused of whether there really was something. She sniffed the air the meowed, "She's right. It smells like loner or rouge." Rippedheart stopped to smell as well, and nodded his head in agreement. "Alright, I'll check it out and you and Rainclaw go back to camp and warn Patchstar," he meowed to them.

Rainclaw shook her head. "No Rippy, if we warn Patchstar it'll end up like what happening with Secret and Darksong. Plus, I'm not leaving you," she added. "My old bones could use a fight," Carmeltail commented, taking the lead to follow the scent.

Rippedheart sighed. She-cats could be so stubborn. Especially the ones related to him. Without another meow, he followed them. The three followed the smell for a few minutes until they came across a gray pelted tom. "What are you doing on IvoryClan territory?" Rainclaw asked, taking initiative.

[Đarκsong]

Spirithunt heard cats nearby, then the trio appeared before him. Two cats he did not recognize, along with an older one that seemed to ring a bell in his mind. Carmel-something? Carmeltail. That was it. He figured the other two cats would be too young for him to remember. Perhaps they were Carmeltail's offspring.

The young female spat a question at him so he responded with; "Oh nothing, just curious what's been going on in the clan since I left." He hoped they wouldn't attack him. Well, he was on the border, so he wouldn't have to run very far.

Spirithunt looked to the ginger elder, "You wouldn't happen to remember me would you, Carmeltail?" He asked with a smirk, "Spiritpaw sound familiar?"

[რoonwhisker]

Rainclaw and Rippedheart were both a bit dumbfounded by his reply. He'd been part of the Clan? He looked to be much older then them, so they both turned to look at their mother for answers.

Spiritpaw, it couldn't be. No, it just couldn't be. Her apprentice that was exiled for attacking another warrior? Talonfall. That was who he'd attacked. He could be dangerous. How could she have been so stupid? Gone looking for a fight with her daughter who'd just had kits and her pansy of a son. But then again, Spiritpaw had never been the type to attack anyone. Carmeltail had barley been teaching him anything before the attack.

"Spiritpaw!" she exclaimed, almost smiling. "I haven't seen you in forever. Where have you been? And what happened? Redstar said you attacked Talonfall, but I didn't believe it," she meowed.

[Đarκsong]

"Actually, I've changed my name to Spirithunt now." He corrected. He thought at first it was rather silly of him to give himself a warrior name. Then again, he felt he had been through enough that he deserved to be a warrior.

"I live on the other side of the Thunderpath, in an old fox den." Spirithunt explained, "And Talonfall deserved it! It was NOT my fault! He's not leader now, is he?"

[რoonwhisker]

Rainclaw and Rippedheart just sort-of sat there staring. They were way out of their league.

"Ah, Spirithunt. Sorry, and I believe you. Talonfall was never one of my favorite cats," she paused to laugh, "Oh no, he's been long dead. You see, Redstar went nuts and chose Patchstar--er, pelt to be leader. Talonfall freaked out and stuff and he died," she finished.

"Oh! I forgot, these are my kits. Rainclaw and Rippedheart. I'm an elder now though," she meowed. "Rainclaw, Rippedheart this is Spirithunt, my former apprentice," she meowed. "Hi nice to meet you," Rippedheart meowed. Rainclaw nodded in agreement, she was too tired to say anything.

[Đarκsong]

"Patchpelt? You're kidding!" Spirithunt laughed at the thought of it. That fat dumb thing leading a clan! He said nothing about Talonfall's death. Sure, he hated the cat, but would rather not be disrespectful to the dead. He nodded at Rainclaw and Rippedheart when introduced.

"Sometimes I miss being in the clan, 'specially all the trouble Darkpaw and I used to get in to. He still around?"

[რoonwhisker]

Carmeltail nodded, "And he's going insane, too." she meowed. At the mention of Darkpaw, Carmeltail looked over to Rainclaw. Rippedheart laughed. This would be amusing.

Rainclaws eyes widened when he mentioned Darkpaw. "Yes, he's still around. I had his kits a few sunrises ago," she meowed, wondering how he'd react.

[Đarκsong]

Spirithunt smirked, "No surprise there." He said about Patchstar going crazy. Then, he was confused about their reaction to the mention of Darkpaw. They all looked to Rainclaw for an answer.

"Really?!" He replied, surprised, "Didn't peg him as the type for the whole mate-and-kits thing....I'm surprised he didn't do something silly and end up exiled like me." Spirithunt said that, but then realized it may have offended Rainclaw. Ah well.

Then at the mention of 'mates', he thought of a question for Carmeltail, "You still with Almondpelt?" He guessed Rainclaw and Rippedheart must be his kits.

[♫.Starredmyst]

It felt strange to have the acrid scent of Twoleg creatures in his nose again, after so long without them -- first traveling through the wilds, then living in the empty Twolegplace for nearly six moons. Still, Ghost found himself enjoying it -- it was a kithood smell, odd as that sounded.

The young tom padded down the verge of the road, breathing deep. His necklace clinked in time with his steps, steady, not wavering as creatures roared past him. They didn't often try to hurt cats, and when they did, they were fast enough that there was no use moving away.

Ghost's ears flicked as he caught a whisper of familiar scent. One -- no, two. He vaguely recognized a cat who lived near here, who'd visited Twolegplace from time to time; more distinctly, he recognized IvoryClan. His hackles went up, but curiosity prodded him forward.

"Well, isn't this a nice little gathering," the young tom sneered as he came within earshot. There were four of them -- the rogue, and three IvoryClan cats, all quite friendly with each other. A few moons ago he might not have dared such a rude comment, but rough times and physical growth had made him bolder. "Whatcha doing with them kitties, Spirithunt?"

[Đarκsong]

Spirithunt stared at Carmeltail, confused at her slow response. He thought it was a simple question. Then his ears flicked towards the sound of another cat approaching. He turned to spot Ghost, a fellow loner he had briefly been acquainted with.

"What's it to ya?" Spirithunt replied to Ghost's rude remarks, "I'm just catching up with some old clan mates." Then, feeling the need to play with Ghost a bit added, "I'm perfectly capable of good judgment, Ghost, you don't need to advise me."

[რoonwhisker]

Rainclaw and Rippedheart looked at each other. Could it be? Was this named cat their father? Almondpelt. Rippedheart was tempted to ask who it was, but he was silenced by Rainclaw leaning over to whisper in his ear, "Don't embarrass her. We'll find out later."

Carmeltail hadn't been ready for the question of doom. She'd stared for a while, before quickly coming to her sense and replying with a quick, "No."

Then the rouge came into play. Carmeltail didn't recognize him right away, but Rainclaw and Rippedheart did. It was one of the rouges that Patchstar had almost killed. Rainclaw become offended by his comment quickly.

"Them? We're IvoryClan thank you very much and if you had any--" But she was interrupted by her brother. "Hey! I remember you. You're with the other rouge that Patchstar was all stupid about," he meowed quickly, putting the tip of his tail onto her back to give her the hint that she should stop talking. For once, she did.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Ghost listened in silence to Spirithunt's explanation, his eyes narrowed. He snorted at the rogue's comment.

"You sure about that?" he retorted, prodding the tom back. "If you didn't need it, you prob'ly wouldn't be getting it from a tom half your age, right?"

"Them? We're IvoryClan thank you very much and if you had any--"
"Hey! I remember you. You're with the other rouge that Patchstar was all stupid about."
The other cats were yowling at him. Ghost sneered, turning to them.

"Oh, yeah," the white tom answered insolently, flicking a lazy ear in Rainclaw's direction. "IvoryClan. With the twisted logic and the fat, lazy, idiotic tom for a leader. That's what makes you less than nothing on my radar, kitties.

"Old acquaintances?" he added, turning back to Spirithunt. "I'd be glad to be rid of them, if I were you."

[Đarκsong]

Spirithunt padded up to Ghost and stared down at him with icey orbs. He was terribly sick of this tom, "Know your place, Ghost, and mind your own business." The gray tom hissed darkly at him.

He couldn't believe Ghost's judgments and rudeness, "Sure, Ivoryclan has the worst leader ever, but that's no reason to act hostile towards all clan cats. You are quite ignorant and judgmental in your insults. You are not old or experienced enough to say such things." Spirithunt also stealthily unsheathed his claws. If Ghost continued to pick a fight, he'd get it.

[რoonwhisker]

"I'd be glad to be rid of them, if I were you."

Rainclaw snorted and Rippedheart looked nervous.

"Worst leader ever doesn't even cover half of it," Rainclaw sneered. She looked over at Rippedheart. "You know, we Clan cats really arn't that bad. It's just cats like Patchstar that give us a bad name. Maybe when Moonwhisker is leader she'll let you join us," Rippedheart meowed, smiling friendly. He thought Ghost was pretty nice, and he was in good shape. He'd be a good edition to the Clan.

Carmeltail looked over at Spirithunt, "So would you like to see Darksong sometime?" she asked.