Jøιητcℓαη: τнε ηεxτ gεηεяατιøη ✶ αcτ ⅰ✶ яumøяs (OPEN)

Sorawind turned his head from the mouse he had been eating. Why did the camp seem so... empty? Normally there were hyper apprentices bouncing around, but not now. They couldn't all be asleep at once - there were four of them, and it was unlikely that they would all get tired and run out of duties at the exact same time. So what was going on? The bustle of cats had lessened considerably.

Unless the apprentices weren't even in camp. That was a logical explanation. But in that case, they would be in deep trouble.


Jaywhisker noticed the same thing at the same time. She had been taking a nap, but the nervous shuffling of Sorawind's paws surrounded by the usual quiet awoke her. She raised her head and, seeing that the deputy was the only one immediately visible, instantly grew suspicious.


"Where are those two," Sorawind hissed under his breath. Cedarpaw and Pansypaw were the ones he couldn't keep track of.

Dawnstar, who just so happened to be strolling past, happened to hear Sorawind hissing under his breath. She managed to hear what he muttered, too, and stopped mid-stride. "Where are who, two?" She inquired, tilting her head to the side in slight question. She had her suspicions, which crept up and gripped her like a vice, but she refused to believe them. Cedarpaw and Pansypaw weren't stupid enough to take off alone. Or were they?

Viper nodded, thoughtfully. Suddenly, a sadistic smile crossed her features. "Perfect." She slid into the undergrowth, easily concealing herself from sight. Beckoning with her tail, she gestured for Crescent to come. "We'll wait until they get closer, until they cross the border. I'll take the she-cat and you take the tom."

Cedarpaw shrugged. "Nothing bad, I reckon. I mean, all that stuff about getting hurt is probably lies to keep us tucked away in camp." He paused, then grinned devilishly. "What happens if I cross the border completely, hm?" He backed up, then ran, launching himself over the border dramatically. He landed on his paws, skidding only slightly. "C'mon, Pansypaw! Try it!"

Noticing Dawnstar, Sorawind lifted his head and relaxed his eyes. He almost sighed, but decided against it at the last minute. As calm as possible, he replied, "I don't see Cedarpaw or Pansypaw anywhere." He turned his head towards the entrance of the camp, as if to hope that they would bound in just as he said that. He then glanced back towards Dawnstar. "The camp is too quiet. Should we see if they actually left by sending out a patrol?" He moved his tail through the air a bit thoughtfully. They were short on warriors, but...

Fernleaf walked slowly out of her den, her sprial paw left a print in the soft ground. She was sitting outside her den, her tail curled around her paws. She walked to the fresh kill pile and began to eat, a bird she wasn't that hungry. After she finished she disapeared, back into her den with a flick of her tail. She checked carefully to make sure, she had the right amount of herbs. Anytime now cats would start limping in, with cuts or wounds ready to be treated.

Crescent nodded, stealthily crawling to Viper's side, his nose contiually taking in the kits' scents. He felt a few leaves ruffle his fur, but he'd complain about that later. This opportunity was to perfect to simply pass off while his fur stays neat. And besides, if allowed to draw blood, he was sure he would enjoy the blood of Jointclan kit's to be forever infused with his pelt as a constant reminder to anyone who saw him.

Pansypaw looked at little reluctant. "I don't know, Cedarpaw. I've had enough moss cleaning, and no training for a half a moon." She meowed, but the temptation of crossing the borders won over, and she stepped over. Nothing happened. She flicked her tail, looking amused and a little ashamed.

Cedarpaw scoffed, rolling his bright eyes at her. "Oh, come on. If we get caught- and I'm sure we won't- I'll take the blame." He glanced at Pansypaw again. "C'mon, I'll race 'ya~!" He taunted, then darted off into the undergrowth before she could argue.

Viper waited patiently, her tail flicking. The tom had taken off towards them, which meant Crescent would spring just as soon as he got close. The she-cat was reluctant, however, which irritated her but, as long as she got to hurt the thing, no harm, no foul.

Dawnstar hesitated, uncertain. "I... I don't know. We're short on warriors, so if something were to happen..." She trailed off, wrinkling her nose in distaste at her indecisiveness. "I'll go ask Silverstar really fast, mmk?" With that, she started back up to where his den was, her ears flicking. She wished she could make her own decision, she really did, but she was just so unsure...

Pansypaw nodded, darting off after him. "Where are we going, Cedarpaw?" She called to him,, but the apprentices was still running. She slowed slightly, glancing around. Getting caught was one thing. Getting lost was another.

Silverstar yawned, really not feeling like going to deal with all the clan cats. He was tired and stiff, even though he wasn't that old. He saw Dawnstar coming towards his den and lifted his head curiously.

Crescent watched the two apprentices closely, especially the tom. He looked at Viper, assuring her that he had it all under control, before rustling out of the bushes, his paw on the tom's forehead, stopping him in his tracks. "Now, what are you two doing out here?" He asked as sweetly as he could, prowling around until he was behind the she-cat, making sure that she wouldn't try to escape. "Now, c'mon, I'm sure your hungry, and I have some sweet berries for little rascals like you." He walked back towards the bush, staring at the two kits patronizingly, as if he would kill them if they tried to escape. Which was the truth, of course. "Come, closer!"

Before Cedarpaw knew it, someone had stopped him with their paw. Looking up, he saw a cat, must bigger than him, looming over him. He stared, wide-eyed. He prowled around, circling behind Pansypaw so she couldn't escape, either. "Oooh, we're dead. We're so, so, so dead." He moaned, frozen in place. "I-I... Oh, StarClan..."

Viper waited patiently, her tail flicking back and forth. Ooh, was this going to be fun.

"Sorawind says they can't find Pansypaw or Cedarpaw. We're short on warriors, but, do you think we should send a patrol out to see if they really did leave?" Dawnstar inquired, sitting back on her haunches and curling her tail 'round her paws.

Pansypaw froze in place when two cats appeared, one of them stopping Cedarpaw in his tracks. "Oh, yeah. I forgot about the rumors." She muttered to herself, her fur bristling. She crouched, then remembered she had lack of training. How would she defend herself against much bigger, scarier cats?

Silverstar looked thoughtful. "Send a patrol. I'll go myself, and you can stay here to watch over camp." he paused, cocking his head at her. "Unless you want to come, then I can put Sorawind in charge?" He suggested, standing up and stretching.

Crescent smirked, walking behind the she-cat and giving her a nudge towards the bush, where Viper was, and went to the tom again. "Well, of course. I had forgotten that those Jointclan warriors told about the rumors. Well, let me tell you something about them. Just, come closer, I'll tell you the truth about them," He preached, towering over the tom apprentice.

Cedarpaw hesitated, then stumbled over to Crescent for fear of what would happen if he didn't. "The truth ab-about what rumors?" He mumbled innocently.

Viper sprung, then. She bowled the small she-cat over, tackling her and pinning her to the ground with ease. She managed to get a good swipe to her side before Cedarpaw noticed, and gasped, starting to head towards them to help.

Dawnstar sighed. "I'll come. It's my fault, anyways, for punishing Pansypaw for so long. She was bound to et restless eventually." She headed down to where Sorawind was waiting with Silverstar, informed him where they were going and that he was in charge, and heade dout with Silverstsr.

Pansypaw was about to follow him when one of the cats knocked her over. She whimpered when the she-cat swiped at her side. Pansypaw wasn't very good in real combat, just small apprentice quarrels. She batted at the older cats stomach, her claws unsheathed.

Silverstar padded out of camp, following the apprentice's scent. He paused as they got closer to the border, his eyes narrowing. "Oh, great." He muttered, and picked up his pace when a faint, unfamiliar smell mixed with Pansypaw and Cedarpaw's.

Sorawind pricked his ears in acknowledgement to Dawnstar's decision. He watched her walk off, and then turned his eyes to the camp entrance, twitching his whiskers. As if just looking in that direction would summon the apprentices back. The green of the foliage was quite nice, though. Too bad Cedarpaw and Pansypaw weren't here to enjoy it.

He heard pawsteps approaching again. He turned his attention back towards Dawnstar as she approached, and then acknowledged her with a nod. So he was in charge now. In other words, there were no leaders - just two deputies. That would work - who around them would attack the camp anyway? There were always the rumors of rebellion outside the Clan, but those were just rumors, right?

Crescent gave a toothy grin, his eyes breaking out of his fatherly diguise and revealing his true nature. He placed his paws of the tom, sliding in order to pin him to the ground. "They're true, kid!" He whispered devilishly into his ear before biting into his neck.

Cedarpaw gasped. Having more fighting experience than Pansypaw, however, he managed to at least get a hit or two in. He squirmed, wriggling in the bigger, stronger toms grip. He hesitated, then went limp, holding his breath. If he was lucky, the tom would loosen his grip and he'd be able to spring up...

Viper laughed. "Is that supposed to hurt me?" She cackled, her eyes glittering with malice and her mouth a toothy grin. "Try harder, sweetheart~" She taunted, slicing at the small apprentices neck with her unsheathed claws.

Dawnstar frowned, confused and disgruntled. "What's that other scent? It's not one of our cats... The cats that have been near the border, maybe?" She was talking mostly to herslef at that point./

)Hey Branchy, did you get my form for Lion?(

Pansypaw was pretty sure she was going to die. Her vision blurred as blood trickled thinly out of her neck. Not. A fatal blow, but the pain was horrifying. So much for Cedarpaw's promise they woud be fine. She heard a rustling, suddenly, and stretched to look, but instantly regretted it when the scratch in her neck throbbed.

Silverstar sped up, not waiting for Dawnstar. The smell was very fresh, so they couldn't be far, right? He ducked under some bramble, and blinked at the sight before them. The JointClan apprentices were both pinned by some unfamiliar cats. Cedarpaw was limp and Pansypaw looked no better. He instantly reacted, racing towards Cedarpaw. He lunged, his claws outstretched at the rouge.

OOC: REVIVAL, ANYONE?

Cedarpaw was up and on his paws the second Silverstar knocked the rogue off of him. He scrambled over to Pansypaw, panicking slightly but not revealing a thing. He flung himself at the rogue which proved to work just fine. Viper, or whomever she was, was very small and very light and therefore, easy to knock over. The only bad part was that she was fast but guess what? Cedarpaw was fast, too.
Viper whirled around, back on her paws, but then it was two against one. Dawnstar joined the fight alongside Cedarpaw, hissing with her fluffy gray fur on end. She lunged at Viper, the two of them in a seeming deathmatch as they rolled along the ground.
Cedarpaw left Viper to Dawnstar who could handle it, no doubt. Scrambling over to Pansypaw, he cringed inwardly at the sight of her wound. Uhm, uhm... StarClan, what stopped bleeding, again? Oh, yes! Cobweb! He scrambled to snatch some off a nearby tree (sorry Mr. Spider, your home is saving my friends life right now...) and pressed it to the wound. "A-Are you okay, Pansypaw? StarClan, please be ok-okay..." He mumbled, wide-eyed. He licked her ear affectionately, his paws shaky.

((So does everyone know about the attack and should we come to help, or are they just fighting alone? I would post but I really have nothing to do.))

OOC: The rest of the camp can hear the attack going on and join in, so then the rogues will retreat. (:

((All right, here I come))

Jaywhisker's ears pricked. It sounded like something was going on in the near distance. And it didn't sound good. Was there a fight on Clan territory? It didn't sound evenly matched. She better go help. In a flurry of paws, the warrior had risen to her feet and exited the camp, heading for the fight.

Sorawind wanted to help as well, but he had to stay in the camp and make sure nobody was invading or anything.