Swirlfall

I know she's my leader. I just might need some time to get used to this. When they come back I'll try to be nice and talk with Snowstrike. I should have known he'd get a lot of attention. He's new. I'm sure Snowstrike and I have a lot in common if I just opened up to him. He muttered, " I'm sorry Echostar and Snowstrike." " I don't know what got into me." Then he walked back to streamwind and said, " I'd more than happy to get something to eat."

Stripedheart 

"Oh!" "I'm coming Echostar!" " Hopefully we won't find anything dangerous on this patrol, right Echostar? 

Snowstrike 

Snowstrike followed Echostar to the camp entrance. "Maybe I shouldn't stay here," he said quietly. "I seem to be more trouble than I'm worth."

Appleblossom 

Appleblossom frowned. "I believe I may have come to the same conclusion as you, Leafwhisker. Strange, Swirlfall is usually fairly calm. I wonder what's gotten him in a tizzy..."

Streamwind 

Streamwind smiled. "Alright," he said.  He began speaking as he walked. "What's going on between you and Snowstrike? I mean, I know he was a rouge and all,  and frankly, I don't trust him much yet,  either. But you seem to be a little extra.. against him for some reason."

Swirlfall

"Just between you and me, I like Echostar." " But I don't want Snowstrike to leave." " I just don't know what got into me." "I think I might have a lot in common with Snowstrike if I opened up to him." I'll try to be as nice as I can from now on." " I just hope it's not to late."

Echostar

"So Snowstrike, do you know how to do a hunting crouch?" She demonstrated so he could have something to compare to. "And don't worry about Swirlfall, both of you. He's probably just a little confused, he's new to being deputy, he's probably just, um,.... You know what, let's just focus on the task at hand." 

They were on the CliffClan border when Echostar started to think if she did the right thing starting EchoClan, if this is what happens when a new cat joins.... she couldn't help but to shed a tear or two.

Leafwhisker

"Well at least he's talking to Streamwind. That should help him calm his nerves." She watched as Swirlfall and Streamwind talked. "You know, I think Swirlfall might have a crush on Echostar. It would explain why he got so mad. Well I'm off to take a nap." 

Snowstrike 

Snowstrike shook his head at Echostar's question,  then copied her movements. He didn't know much about this clan - or any clan,  for that matter -  but he figured that they would tell him what he needed to know when  he needed to know it.  And right now,  he needed to know how to do a hunting crouch. 

Streamwind 

Streamwind shrugged. "All you can really do is hope, I suppose.  And try to do the things you said you should." He decided against talking about Swirlfall's live interest,  simply because he didn't want anyone to overhear and cause the other cat any undue embarrassment. 

Appleblossom 

Appleblossom balked at Leafwhisker's statement about Swirlfall. Could it really be true? "Have a good rest..." She said destractedly as Leafwhisker walked away. Appleblossom turned and went into her quiet Medicine Den to think. 'Yes,' she thought, 'I suppose it would make sense. But...? Hm. Only time will tell..'

Swirlfall

"I'll try my best." And with that he went into his nest to get some sleep. " Tomorrow will hopefully be better than today.

Stripedheart

A hunters crouch.. " I'm going to try it too". "That is if you don't mind Echostar?" " Snowstrikes doing really well on his first try." I bet none of the other Rouges could catch on as fast as Snowstrike.

Echostar

"That's fine, but we best head back to camp now, it's getting dark." With that said she lead the way back to camp. "How about tomorrow I give both of you a little practice training? Meet me at the Entrance of camp at Sun-High." She passed Swirlfall as she walked to her den, "Good night Swirlfall." Than she entered her den thinking that there was something being kept from her about Swirlfall...

Leafwhisker

She could hear cats passing her den to go to their dens for the night. Pattering of paws on cleared out dirt, cats saying good night, even Appleblossom sorting herbs. Slowly she went to sleep.

Snowstrike 

Snowstrike followed Echostar back to camp and nodded.  Practice tanning sounded good.  He thought about following the others inside the warrior den,  but decided against it,  and instead fell asleep on the ground outside. 

Streamwind 

Streamwind sighed.  He hoped Swirlfall would be okay,  in truth,  he was a little worried about the other cat.  But at least tonight he had gone inside the den. Streamwind followed the others inside and went to sleep. 

Appleblossom 

Appleblossom had sat in the silence of her den,  going through her assortment of herbs and other things once more.  Finally,  her mind was clear enough to sleep,  so she curled up and closed her eyes. 

Echostar

Echostar awoke to the first sounds of spring, leaf-bare had been quick and calm the time. She decided to get Swirlfall to get together a hunting Patrol. As she walked out of her den the sun made her cream colored pelt glimmer like 100's of mini Suns. "Swirlfall, please assign a hunting patrol please. We're running low on fresh-kill." With that done she was free to do what she wished until Sun-High. She thought it might be nice to talk to Snowstrike for a while, getting him used to the warrior code and such.

"Hey, Snowstrike, want to join me for breakfast? Come on I know a nicely shaded tree with little bits if sun streaming through." She picked a freshly caught vole and walked under the shaded tree. "So Snowstrike, how do like Clan life? It might seem too much or too little at first but soon you'll get to love it."

Leafwhisker

She watched from her den as Snowstrike and Echostar talked. Today would be, hopefully, a peaceful day. She chose a Robin to eat. She chose a sun-warmed rock to enjoy her meal on.

Snowstrike 

Snowstrike awoke to Echostar asking him to breakfast.  He got some food of his own,  then followed her to the shade.  He shrugged at her question. "It's not too bad," he said, "But there are still quite a few things that I don't understand.  For one,  how do you all know each other?  You're all so different and don't act like you've been together your whole lives."

Streamwind 

Streamwind had decided he needed to talk to Stripedheart. After all the excitement with the rouges and then Stripedheart's own becoming a warrior,  the younger cat had all but been forgotten.  Most everyone's attention had been focused on Snowstrike, and now there was the whole thing with Echostar and Swirlfall... either way, Streamwind figured it was high time he asked his fellow warrior how everything was. "So Stripedheart,"he said once the other cat woke up, "how's warrior life treating you?  Getting everything figured out?"

Stripedheart

"It's treating me very well." "I'm figureing stuff out as I go." " It's a sunny day, and I don't want to waste it." " I'm going to warm my pelt." She walked out and found a nice sunny spot and lay down. So peaceful.

Swirlfall

"Ok Echostar." "Streamwind, Appleblossom." He was about to say stripedheart but saw her relaxing in the sun. Best not to ruin it for her. " You could get some herbs while me and Streamwind hunt." A sunny day like this would be perfect for collecting them.  

Echostar

"Well Snowstrike, we were all in worse places before we became EchoClan. For instance, me and Leafwhisker lived in the twoleg place. It reeked of gasoline and trash. We had to fight for every scrap, no one helped us if we got sick..." When she said that a terrible memory resurfaced, how her litter mates died. "But here, EchoClan, every cat help one another. No fighting for the smallest scraps, but instead sharing what you have with your Clanmates." 

"You see, here when you would've starved before,  you flourish. Here, when you would've died before, your given another chance to live. Now do you see?" She was starting to cry now, thinking of her lost litter mates. Little Thyme, Big red, Prescious Skye, Brave Flame, even Daring little Daisy.

Leafwhisker

her pelt was warm from the sun, she wished there were other elders to talk to, or kits to tell story's to. She remembered her other kits, all little bouncy bees. Well, that was till they all got greencouch. It was treatable at first, but no one was willing to get them the herbs they needed without a cost. It quickly developed into white cough, even her little Echo had it. One winter night she called to them only to find they had died. But then little Echo called out "momma?" It was the happiest thing she had ever heard, one of her kits had lived!

But now there was peace. Her Little Echo was now known as Echostar leader of EchoClan. It would only be better in her opinion if Echostar had a mate. That way she could have someone to confide in and to help her though her life. Echostar seemed interested in Snowstrike, but she couldn't quite tell in what way. As a friend, as a clanmate in need, or maybe something more.....?

Snowstrike 

Snowstrike nodded slowly. "Yes," he did quietly, "I'm beginning to." Then he saw she her starting to cry.  She had just said that they helped each other,  so he added, "Are - are you alright?"

Streamwind 

"That's good," he said to Stripedheart as she went to sun herself.  Then,  to Swirlfall, "Coming!" He walked over and joined the other cat. 

Appleblossom 

Appleblossom nodded and followed Swirlfall. It was indeed a good day to collect herbs. 

Swirlfall

 Turning his head at his leader he saw her crying. I think I'll let Snowstrike handle this. " Now Appleblossom I'll try to point out some herbs but im not the best medicine cat. " " I think we should get going now." Soon they were in the woods. Swirlfall dropped into a crouch. "A rabbit will do great." With that he got closer and the rabbit dashed. " Come back here!" He dived into a bush. A few moments later he came back out with a rabbit. " "This should be good for Appleblossom and Leafwhisker."

Stripedheart

Yawn. Oops. I fell asleep. "Seems streamwinds on a hunting patrol." "I hope he comes back with something to eat." If only he knew. " I'm going to go wait for him near the fresh kill pile." I hope he offers to eat with me. That'd be a start. I know I should do something better in this time but I think I'll just wait for streamwind to come back. If only he knew.

Streamwind 

At the same time that Swirlfall was catching his rabbit, Streamwind caught sight of a vole. He slowly crawled closer, and once he was just a few feet away, he pounced. Streamwind bit the vole on its neck to kill it. He then carried his catch back to the others.

Appleblossom 

Appleblossom nodded and then started searching for herbs. If she remembered correctly, she needed some more Daisy leaves, and possibly some Alder bark. Seeing a daisy, she walked closer and began pulling leaves off the stem, but left enough for the flower to be able to continue growing. With leaves in tow, she continued looking for other things.