By Moonlight We Meet

[untilthis.echo]

ooc: This is a private RP for Dreamy and I.

bic: Night had come so swiftly, a bitter chill crossing the land as the darkness loomed over the forest and hills. Stars sprinkled the dark abyss above in a luminous shower of small white sparks. The moon, just a sliver in the sky, gave off an eerie solemn glow. The cold winds fluttered the leaves of the trees, giving off a low howl, like that of a lonely anguished beast. It was far too strange, this night was. Far too strange and thick with the scent of pain and secrecy.

The aching cold and sorrow in the night lingered over a single cat crouched in some bushes near the hills, just by the side of a forest strip. Black rimmed ears perked up and heated gold-green eyes trailed over the leaves and to the sky. Shuddering and curling into a tight ball, Echostar listened to the chirp of crickets and the howls of the lonely night. The darkness had tinged his autumn pelt to a shade of almost ebony black, hiding the bengal marks. His white diamond mark glowed like the stars above and he lifted his head when he heard a noise. All that came though, was an owl soaring into the clouds, going for its nightly hunt.

Sighing, the tom lowered his head back onto his paws and continued to wait. How much longer though? He squirmed in the bitter chill, mewing softly, "Dreamstar where are you?"

[dream.]

She emerged from the undergrowth, her pale silver fur glowing and sparkling white in the dappled moonlight that fell through the bare branches of the trees. A chilled leafbare wind swept around them, slicing through her thin fur like icy claws. But at the sight of her mate, the chill left her body. She pattered heavily over to him, her growing belly weighing her down.
"Echostar! Oh...Echo, what will we do about this?" Dreamstar looked down to where her unborn kits stay, but her eyes failed to soften. Instead, an icy weariness swept over her. Softly and lightly at first, then becoming heavier...the weight was too much to bear. Her kits would be born soon. The clan didn't know, but they would find out. The weight of all these secrets was too much to carry for much longer, and soon she would colapse.
"What will we do about my secrets?"

[untilthis.echo]

Heated and insecure eyes glanced up and Echostar gasped as Dreamstar appeared. Quickly scrambling to his feet, he tried to let out a purr to soothe his mate, but a lump in his throat faltered it. The noise came out choked, forced and anguished. He gazed at her with dark forlorn eyes, golden orbs trailing softly over her weary face to the sight of the unborn bundle in her belly. He licked his lips and shook his head, eyes glazing over as he stepped over to her and rubbed his cheek against her face. His dark tail slipped over and looped around hers, his mind trying to find the right words to comfort her. Torn between love, guilt, pain, and loyalty to his mate and his Clan, the bengal tom's voice was locked deep in his mind. A glimpse of it surface and he snatched it, whispering the first words of comfort that peeked through the hazy gaze of uncertainty, "It'll be alright my love. You'll be ok. The Clan might not suspect that the kits aren't....aren't a Thunderclan tom's. Maybe....maybe they think that a tom in your clan is the father? Do they love?" he croaked.

Eyes closing against the sudden shaft of light coming from the moon and stars, Echostar's claws unsheathed and he hissed against the thought of a cat thinking his mate was with another tom but not him. But it had to be played out, if Dreamstar and her kits, his kits, were to survive. They had to hide their secret, or else...

He shook his head, not wanting to think of that.

[dream.]

Dreamstar shook her delecate silver head.
"A tom in my clan...my deputy, Hailstorm thinks that the kits are his." Her voice faltered, and she looked for signs of anger from her mate. "I used to feel for him...but then I met you." She added a contented purr to her voice, though it didn't come out how she wanted. "I don't think the clan knows yet, but I still will be in trouble. I broke the warrior code, twice, even if they don't know it yet. How can a queen nursing kits lead a clan? Oh, Echostar, what will they do to me?" She paused, thinking of her clan's wrath. "I was supposed to be loyal to Thunderclan. To the warrior code. But how can I be loyal to those things, when I need to be loyal to you? To my kits?"

[untilthis.echo]

Echostar tried not to hiss at the thought of a cat padding after Dreamstar, claws unsheathing and softly scratching the earth. The lump in his throat forced a croaking gasp, like the sound of a warrior being choked to death and their scream stopping before it left their lips. Breathing in Dreamstar's scent to calm himself, he closed his eyes softly and cooed to her, nuzzling her cheek. He wanted to do something to her, anything to ease her pain. But nothing came to his foggy mind that could help his mate and their kits. So he whispered, "Play along. Act like their Hailstorm's. As for the Clan, what can they do to a cat chosen by Starclan to lead them? The kits will be here soon. I don't know...find a nurse cat, someone to look out for them and care for them while you stay leader. I don't know what else to do for you besides that my love."

He closed his eyes, not wanting to see any pain in the soft depths of his mate's eyes. Giving up the kits to another she-cat were all he could think of, for her and the kits to be safe.

[dream.]

Fresh pain shone in the Thunderclan leader's eyes. Give up her kits, to another queen? The idea seared right through her heart. But Echostar was right. What else could she do? She still had 5 lives left, and she was still leader of her clan. Unless her remaining lives were ripped from her...Dreamstar shuttered, and finished her thought. ...like Silentstar. It surely wasn't an accident that the former Shadowclan leader had 6 lives torn from his body. It wasn't just the sickness. Maybe Silentstar had broken the warrior code as well...? Was his death Starclan's doing? Would they do the same thing to Dreamstar? Shaking her head awkwardly, she turned towards happier thoughts.
"What will we ame our kits, when they are born?" Dreamstar asked, trying to mask the deeper unhappiness from her voice. Somehow, she knew, that this wouldn't be resolved as easilly as Echostar believed.

[untilthis.echo]

Echostar swallowed and gazed into his mate's soft depths, searching for pain and anguish. However, the dark emotions were hidden behind a veil of unreadable calmness and solemness. To quell his own rapidly beating heart and dejected emotions, he followed Dreamstar's change in subject. Facing his golden eyes on her swollen belly, a shiver of elation raced down his spine at the thought that his kits were going to be born soon, and they needed names. Licking his lips, a single ebony-rimmed ear twitched in his mate's direction and he chuckled softly, "I have no ideas love. It's strange to name kits that aren't born yet. I'd like to wait for them to be born, for us to see them to name them. But...I won't be able to do that. So let's name them."

He prodded her belly gently, closing his eyes and searching for a name for a kit, a special name. Instantly, the thought of Nightpaw and Duskpaw came to his mind. He winced, thinking of his fallen brother and sister. But why would they appear now, during this time of eerie tranquality. A breeze swept over the two cats, the soft murmur of familiar voices whispering in Echostar's ears, one deep and one femininely soft.

Drifting...

Gasping softly, Echostar straightened and swayed on his paws, looking around with glazed eyes for the unearthly voices that had lulled to him. Seeing no one, he turned a confused eye to Dreamstar. Drifting, a strange word to appear to him so suddenly. He mewed shyly, shrugging off the unease and malice that the name brought, "Driftkit? For a tom-kit?"

[dream.]

Dreamstar purred at the sound of her mate's voice. Driftkit...the name had a beautiful ring to it. "Driftkit. Perfect." She smiled, rubbing her cheek happily against Echostar's. That was one named kit, though Dreamstar didn't know how many she would have. Surely there would be two, maybe more. Names swirled around inside her head, though she could use none of them. She needed a special name. Suddenly, it came to her.
"Swirl...Swirlkit, for a she-kit, Maybe?" Dreamstar suggested. The name stirred something, vaugely, within her mind. Beautiful... She thought. The name reminded her of something beautiful. Closing her eyes, she tried to remember.
Lost in memories. She was alone. All around her was the sound of pattering rain, and the fresh scent that it brought. Looking upwards, all she saw was gray. The clouds had completely obscured the pale sun, but Dreamstar could tell that it was past sunhigh. She felt so, alone. Rejected. The feeling was terrible, yet wonderful at the same time. Her surroundings were unfamiliar. She was standing on hard, paved, twoleg stuff, right next to the thunderpath. But it wasn't any thunderpath that she had ever seen before. Monsters whisked past, but the noise was muted. Her vision was terrible. Everything seemed to speed by, before she had a chance to glance at it. The pungent scent that normally surrounded the thunderpath was gone. Her thoughts echoed through her head, more clearly than ever before.
Swirl...swirl...swirl...
The name echoed through her silent mind, and she closed her eyes, breathing in the unique scent, once more.
Dreamstar blinked open her eyes. She shook her head, trying to free herself of the confusing vision she had just recieved. Turning to Echostar, she meowed, "Swirlkit." This time, with an uncharacteristic firmness.

[untilthis.echo]

"Swirlkit," Echostar whispered softly, frowning and testing the name on his tongue. Licking his lips, his eyes softened and he nodded, resting his cheek against Dreamstar's. The strength and certainty in her tone made him shiver and he closed his eyes in joy as he pressed against her, licking her cheek, "What a beautiful name. It's perfect love."

Two kits was the most a she-cat usually had, but something inside him compelled to think of more names. After all, there was no telling how many kits in the litter Dreamstar would have. Echostar closed his eyes and thought, humming softly as the wind drifted around them. Driftkit and Swirlkit, enchanting. How many more? A sudden hiss in Echostar's ears made him tense and he snapped his eyes open to gaze around the clearing. They were all alone right? Right? Swallowing, he gazed at the moon and watched it splash its silver light on the trees, watched the shadows flicker at the moon's shimmer, watching the dancing of light and darkness. Hypnotized, he gazed at the smooth tips of shadow and light and followed their twisting path, ending his glance at Dreamstar's silver pelt and then his own dark autumn shaded one. Transfixed by the flickering shadows and shafts of light, he lost himself in their ancient dance.

He suddenly found himself sweeping away from the clearing, in a darker place where tall grass reached the sky and the moon showered against wide fields, bathing the grass and transforming it into patches of ruby flame and white fire. Breathing in and crouching against the thick scent of fire and smoke and burning grass, he coughed, almost fainting. Heaving and staggering on his multi-colored paws, the tom watched as the red and white flames surged up into the night sky, creating a figure of dark autumn brown and fiery white. It reared up, a beast of fire, wailing a loud shrieking caterwaul. Cringing, Echostar yowled as the flame cat swiped a paw and raged it over the grassy lands, burning everything in sight. When he finally opened his eyes, Echostar could only gaze in horror and awe at the scorched land in front of him.

Scorched...

With a screech, he was sent rushing back to the clearing, stumbling back and panting as if he had run miles and miles. Eyes burning with dark and wild passion, he murmured to Dreamstar, "Scorchkit."

[dream.]

Dreamstar gazed into the new, firey depths of Echostar's eyes. Something about his tone of voice, made her feel sure that indeed, there would be a Scorchkit. A tugging feeling in her paws, made Dreamstar sense that there would be more than three kits. She knew quite well, that the average, healthy clan-born she-cat, had only two or three kits. But four? That was a bit much. Still...
"Scorchkit." She repeated, firmly. "For a Tom."
Dreamstar shut her eyes tightly, struggling for another name. A feeling of sheer pride swept over her, soaking through her fur like an icy water. She was dignafied. The best. No one could ever beat her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dusty brown, mottled coat flashed past. When she looked, it was gone. A sudden wind started up, whistling and billowing around her. With the wind, can a scent. dim...faded at first, but steadilly becoming stronger. She felt the presence of many cats, admiring, and gently questioning. There was also jealousy. They wanted to be like her. No. They wanted to be her. The scent grew stronger, still. She identafied it as a herb. But which one? The warm wind continued to rush, but all the admiring voices faded away. The jealousy was still there. It hung in the air, overpowering her greatness. Shadowing her pride. Hostility surrounded her. She ran. The scent still remained, growing stronger for every pawstep that she took. The wind whistled through the leaves, making the dappled shadows flicker across that ground. But suddenly, there was this pain. She wanted to screech aloud. A sharp, searing sensation, like long, hooked claws, stuck in her fur. She collapsed. Writhing on the ground. Eyes shut tightly, face screwed up as she let out a wordless youl of anguish. What had she done, to deserve this great pain? The sensation ebbed, but only for a moment. The next moment, the feeling tore through her body, once more. No matter how much she twisted, and squirmed, the pain didn't leave. It grew. Stronger. Gasping in a breath, she realized that the scent still hung, thickly in the air. What herb was it? A painful spasm rippled through her body, and a voice, from far away, yowled hatred. Jealousy. Murder. Dreamstar knew she wasn't safe here. She struggled to her paws, and ran. But the terrafying pain made her stumble. The pain left her body in an instant, and she felt stronger. Fresh. Her powerful leg muscles propeled her foreward. Dreamstar struggled to breathe. She gasped and wheezed, taking in an uneasy breath. The air was still thick with the scent of herbs. The feeling filled her lungs, and she felt as if she would suffocate from it. Opening her eyes widely, Dreamstar saw that she was no longer in a forest. Her paws had carried her far away, to an empty and flat moorland, with short green grass. The sky shone pale blue above her head, and a few tail lengths infront of her was a herb. The thick smell seemed to be coming off of it. Dreamstar took a few steps towards it, wondering why it was growing in the middle of nowhere. Padding silently up to it, she prepared to pull it from the ground. She instantly recognised the dark green-gray leaves, and the beautiful pink flower buds. Thyme! Dreamstar pulled it from the ground, and quickly chewed it up. Almost instantly, her lungs cleared out. Her ragged breaths turned soft, and soothing. An icy blanket of calm swept over her, seeming to pick her up, and carry her away. Drifting like a cloud in the sky.
Dreamstar blinked open her eyes. She was laying on the ground, looking up into Echostar's eyes.
"Thymekit."

[untilthis.echo]

Golden orbs, hot and intense with emerald jaded flecks gazed down at Dreamstar. Echostar loomed over her, deathly calm despite his mate's sudden collapse. He realized he should have been worried, terrified even at her faint. But all he felt was eternal tranquality. The wind rushed softly around the two mates, whispering its inaudible tune and singing into their ears. Breathing heavily but softly, Echostar lowered his head and sniffed Dreamstar. Thymekit. Thyme. She smells of thyme, but it's so strange. Thyme doesn't grow around these parts, the tom thought in confusion, eyes glazing over with dark confusion and foggy affection as his tongue reached out and gaze Dreamstar's ear a single lick. He breathed into her ear, breath hot and musky, "Thymekit. Yes. Thymekit will be one of the names. Thymekit will be his name."

Echostar didn't know exactly who he was, but he did know it would be one of their kits, a tom-kit. A sudden golden glow of pride blossomed in Echostar's chest, growing and growing until it threatened to swallow every single one of his sense. Swaying with the wind that pooled around him, the tom's eyes glazed over with gray fog, his voice coming out harshly but firmly, "They will be our kits. It doesn't matter which queen takes care of them. They will always be ours. Yours. And mine. Our Driftkit, Swirlkit, Scorchkit, and Thymekit. No one elses. No matter where they go, what Clan they choose, Wind or Thunder, what path they walk, healing or battling, they will always be ours. Our kits. Our offspring. Our pride. Our hope."

His voice grew with strength into every word he uttered, filling the clearing with a dark tone of pride and power, not loud like a leader's strength, but loud like that of a gentle but battle-hardened father. Like a guardian. Gazing at his mate beneath his paws, Echostar's voice radiated from power and pride to a soft soothing rich tone, filled with adoration and love, and the need to please and protect, the need to stay loyal. The need to be with her. Lowering himself, he nestled beside his mate and licked her cheek. When he spoke again, his voice was soft, softer than the gentle brush of the wind, "Wherever they will go, we will guide them. Wherever they walk, we will walk with them, each pawstep of the way. And wherever you will go, I will be with you." he mewed softly, nuzzling her face as strange scents enveloped his senses. Scents of the wind, the Thunderpath, burning fire, and thyme. Driftkit, Swirlkit, Scorchkit, and Thymekit. Our kits.

[dream.]

[ o o c ] | woah...that was heartfelt! <3

[ b i c ] |
At the sound of Echostar's voice, Strength flooded into Dreamstar's limbs. She rose to her paws, and gazed deeply into his eyes. "Oh, Echostar, I'll be with you always, as well." Her soft purr rose up as she nuzzled his cheek. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, Dreamstar's thought's drifted back to the kits. She tried to imagine their futures. She recalled her visions of Swirlkit and Thymekit. Swirlkit. What had the eerie thunderpath vision been about? Why had her senses been dulled, and why was she in a twoleg inhabited area? Was this an ill omen? Pushing the thought away, Dreamstar focused her mind on Thymekit. The pride. The feeling of being young. These thoughts warmed her. But when the jealousy had driven her right out of the forest...Dreamstar trembled. Was this an ill omen as well? Were Thymekit and Swirlkit about to be punished for their parents actions? Were Dreamstar's and Echostar's kits doomed to an unchangable, tragic fate? Only Starclan knew...

[untilthis.echo]

ooc: Thankies! XD

bic: Echostar gazed at his love with affection and nuzzled her cheek again, taking in her sweet scent and giving a heavy sigh. As his eyes closed and thoughts of their kits surfacing to his mind, the moon was suddenly enveloped by the thin gray clouds. Eyes snapping open at the sudden shadows coming to life and weaving around the two cats, Echostar gazed around the darkened clearing. His claws unsheathed as an eerie wailing started to rise and before his very eyes came the scent and sight of heat. He gasped and wheezed as heat whirled around him, trapping him in white flames. The very beast that had scorched the grasslands was rising above the white ashes it had caused, white flame darkening. Slowly, before the bengal leader's eyes, the ruby and white flame darkened to blood red and ebony black. Hissing and crouched to the ground as another sent came to him, he turned to see a gale of wind creeping forward.

The tempest surged forward and Echostar shrieked as he was sent into his center, flying as useless as a kit caught in a storm as the gray wind and dark fire merged, consuming the tom. Screeches came from Echostar as two beast reared above him, one of gray wind and the other a mass of dark fire. Both massive beast threw their heads back and released anguished caterwauls, their gigantic claws streaming down to the tom they held in their midst. Echostar could only scream as the claws loomed toward him, the scent of blood and death filling his nostrils.

Gold eyes snapped open and Echostar glanced around, trembling. His frantic orbs caught sight of Dreamstar still beside him, and the forest clearing still around them. Panting, he trailed his gaze around the familiar sight. It was just a dream? But he had never fallen asleep. With a sudden gasp, he snapped his head back to look at the abyss of night. Thin gray clouds covered the sliver of the moon.

[dream.]

[ o o c ] | man, i don't know what to write! no muse at the moment. bear with the shortness. not much time, either. i'll try to be creative.

[ b i c ] | Dreamstar whipped her silver head around at her mate, startled by his sudden movement. Curiosity glowed in her eyes as she watched him. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but changed her mind. Tipping her head back to the stars, she frowned in confusion. A few minutes ago, the sky had been clear, and the cold light of silverpelt had shone down on them. but now, the whole sky was veiled by clouds. It continued to blot out the stars, and it completely obscured the moon.
"E-Echostar..." she murmured, "What's happening? Why is it so dark?"
And her early fears seemed to be coming true. Surveying the sky again, she saw that the cloud cover had grown thicker. They were surrounded by darkness, and it seemed that soon, the cruel night would close in upon them, sending them spiraling into nowhere.

[untilthis.echo]

ooc: Tis ok! =3...Grugh. I'm out of it too right now. T_T

bic: Echostar stared at the darkening night with heated eyes, gold orbs swirling with jaded emerald as his nostrils flared. His ebony-tinted autumn pelt flared up, the fur along his spine rising as his claws unsheathed. Tail and lips curling in suspicion and fright, the bengal tom looked around the clearing with narrowed eyes as a wind suddenly tore through the leaves of the surrounding trees. It whistled a low tune among the branches, flaring the canopy of leaves as its tune heightened. Clouds swarmed overhead, the wind pushing them farther apart and then closer together, a thin mass of looming shades of gray. The moon, stars, and expanse of cobalt night sky that had once peeked through the bleak plumes were completely covered, not a single glimpse.

Echostar swallowed thickly, as if a lump had lodged itself snugly in his throat. Still heaving with fearful breath, he glanced at Dreamstar and then around the clearing as the howling grew louder. It rang and pierced his ears, making him cower against his mate, gold eyes frantically searching for any source of light in the darkness. The howling only grew, as if its rage was being fueled by his fear. Alarmed, Echostar took a single step but a blast of ice cold wind pushed at him, knocking him off his paws with a shriek, "I don't know what's going on!"