a nervous wreck ✦ open

[DAISYFEATHER]

[style=width:350px; height:20px; background-color:#333333; color:#ffffff; font-family:georgia; font-size:9px; letter-spacing:1px;line-height:40px; text-align:center;] [/style] [style=width:330px; background-color:#cccccc; overflow:auto; color:#000000; padding:10px; text-align:justify;][style=width:330px; text-align: justify;][style=font-family: georgia; font-size: 10px; line-height: 130%; text-align: justify;]Delicate cream paws padded along the sand and pebbles that covered the ground of the RiverClan camp, a package of Fresh-kill consisting of three fish clamped in the large jaws of the warrior named Daisyfeather. Honey-colored eyes darted to and fro in a nervous manner as she gently placed her catch with the rest of the prey the Clan had caught before backing away, her senses alert. One would think that the pale cat was in trouble from the way she acted, but it was actually just the way Daisyfeather tended to act when she was on one of her bad days. The she-cat was an incredibly sensitive feline with extreme paranoia.

On days where she was feeling particularly vulnerable, she became quite the nervous cat. “At least I've done some hunting,” she thought as she plopped herself down onto the ground with a sigh. “That way the kits and apprentices can be fed.” To try and distract herself further from the mewling in the nursery – cries she was yearning to go soothe - the she-cat padded up to the fresh-kill pile with twitching whiskers and picked up one of the fish that she had recently caught, having a craving for something moist. Taking her spot back on the ground, she began to nibble at her meal gently, determined to make it last as long as possible.[/style][/style]

[/style]

[ATRB=CELLSPACING,0,TRUE][ATRB=CELLPADDING,0,TRUE][ATRB=BORDER,0,TRUE]

[style=width: 130px; height: 125px; text-align: center; line-height:40px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1px; color: #fff; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 10px; background-color: #333333;]open! 227 words BE1545 · speech[/style]

[WILLOWSTAR]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,5,true][atrb=style, background-color:#d7d8c5; padding:10px; height:400px] [STYLE=padding-top:10px; background-color:#d7d8c5; width:350px; border-bottom:8px solid #54524e; font-size:18px; font-family:georgia; letter-spacing:-2px; text-align:center; line-height:14px; color:54524e;]SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND CLOSE THE DOOR[/style] [STYLE=background-color:#e4e6d1; width:338px; height:300px; font-size:10px; border:1px dotted #54524e; text-align:justify; padding:5px; overflow:auto; font-family:arial; color:#54524e]A figure pushed its way out from its den and stood out in the sun's light, looking around at its Clan's camp. The figure was a calico she-cat, one that smiled as she looked around at her Clan's camp. She enjoyed looking around ans knowing that everything in her sight was her responsibility. If you had told her when she was only an apprentice that one day she'd be leader of RiverClan, she would have scoffed at you for being insane. But, things had happened in her past that had changed the course of her life and now, this seemed like the most natural thing in the world. She watched as warriors left their den and moved around, grabbing prey to fuel their systems before heading out into the territory to go about their daily duties - from training their apprentices to hunting for the elders and queens. Whenever her eyes caught sight of a tom, they narrowed with displeasure and flicked her tail. Worthless bums. Good for nothing. She dragged her eyes away from them and to a shape moving around closer to the fresh-kill pile. SA small smile crossed her face and her facial features softened as she caught sight of the she-cat, Daisyfeather. Flicking her tail she headed over that way as the she-cat started nibbling on her meal. Willowstar grabbed a fish for herself and went over to lay down by the warrior. Before even digging into the piece of prey, she looked at the warrior and mewed, "How are you on this fine day?"[/style] template made by oxymoron! of back to neverland

[STYLE=width:100px; height:100px; background-color:#d7d8c5; border-right:8px solid #54524e; padding:5px; float:left][/style] [STYLE=width:100px; background-color:#d7d8c5; border-right:8px solid #54524e; float:left; font-size:15px; font-family:georgia; color:#54524e; line-height:15px; letter-spacing:-2px; padding:5px]259 words with daisyfeather [/style]

[DAISYFEATHER]

[style=width:350px; height:20px; background-color:#333333; color:#ffffff; font-family:georgia; font-size:9px; letter-spacing:1px;line-height:40px; text-align:center;] [/style] [style=width:330px; background-color:#cccccc; overflow:auto; color:#000000; padding:10px; text-align:justify;][style=width:330px; text-align: justify;][style=font-family: georgia; font-size: 10px; line-height: 130%; text-align: justify;]Daisyfeather took a deep breath. The Clan was fine. No splinters in paws, no bellyaches, nothing wrong at all. “It’s all in your head, Daisyfeather.” She thought silently, bending down to take a bite of her meal. A low murmur filled the camp and her head instantly snapped up. The cream she-cat had to force herself to breathe. It was just Willowstar. The two of them had been denmates since the nursery days. The paranoid warrior smiled and invited her friend over with the flick of her tail. Though she knew the leader disliked it, Daisyfeather couldn’t help but look over the calico’s pelt with a probing gaze. No sticks or burrs. There was a bit of moss though. Willowstar lay down beside her and, before even meowing hello, was attacked by Daisyfeather’s tongue. The cream she-cat tugged lightly at the clump of moss stuck in the leader’s pelt and continued to groom her back until sure it was clean.

Turning back to her meal with a satisfied sniff, she replied: “Willowstar, your pelt had moss on it. You know how I hate that. I simply had to do something about it: I would’ve noticed it all day until it fell off.” She said matter-of-factly, biting into her fish. “I’m fine. My Clanmates, however… Cedarcloud – my wonderful little apprentice - was limping this morning, so I took his spot in the dawn patrol and made him rest. Otterstream sneezed once, so I had to send her to Ivysong and went out hunting in her place. I’ve been busy.” She meowed, surveying camp with wide, worried eyes. A small clump of apprentices were playing in the morning sun. “Those poor dears have no idea what they may have to do come newleaf. You’re sure you don’t want to forfeit the games this year? Save the apprentices from getting hurt?” It was a question Daisyfeather brought up at least twice a year to Willowstar or Hawkclaw: anyone who would listen, really.[/style][/style]

[/style]

[ATRB=CELLSPACING,0,TRUE][ATRB=CELLPADDING,0,TRUE][ATRB=BORDER,0,TRUE]

[style=width: 130px; height: 125px; text-align: center; line-height:40px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1px; color: #fff; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 10px; background-color: #333333;]open! 327 words BE1545 · speech[/style]

[WILLOWSTAR]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,5,true][atrb=style, background-color:#d7d8c5; padding:10px; height:400px] [STYLE=padding-top:10px; background-color:#d7d8c5; width:350px; border-bottom:8px solid #54524e; font-size:18px; font-family:georgia; letter-spacing:-2px; text-align:center; line-height:14px; color:54524e;]SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND CLOSE THE DOOR[/style] [STYLE=background-color:#e4e6d1; width:338px; height:300px; font-size:10px; border:1px dotted #54524e; text-align:justify; padding:5px; overflow:auto; font-family:arial; color:#54524e]As the she-cat looked her over, Willowstar let out a soft smile and flicked he tail. The other she-cat always acted like a mother to everyone and it caused her to be well-liked by many of the Clan, even if deep inside the leader thought of it as a slight weakness on the she-cat's part. Males already thought they were th weaker gender, even if they weren't, because of a she-cat's motherly tendency...but, there were so many other benefits to their gender that made them better from their counterparts - but alas, these thoughts never reached her eyes, nor did they cause that smile to fade away. When the she-cat cleaned her melt clean from whatever obstructions the warrior saw, Willowstar smiled and purred and nodded at the warrior's explanation. As Daisyfeather mewed more about her day concerning Cedarcloud and Otterstream, Willowstar shook her head and chuckled. Then she mewed, "Daisyfeather, you should take a break once in a while from being so careful with our Clan-mates! You'll make me look bad." She gave the warrior a wink and bent her head down to take a few bites from the fish she had gotten earlier and still hadn't taken a bite from. The flavor was rich and delicious. "You’re sure you don’t want to forfeit the games this year? Save the apprentices from getting hurt?” Willowstar, when she heard these words, stopped eating and just looked at the fish again. There was no way she would ever forfeit the games. They were too important to her mainly because they did help to prove the strength of her Clan. These days a Clan couldn't afford to forfeit. Even if they do allow a tom like Hawkclaw to work their way to the higher ranks the easy way. Shaking her head, she looked at the warrior sorrowfully and mewed, "We can't afford to, Daisyfeather. Although the games may be harsh at times...they are important. The other Clans could see us as weak and choose to start a war against us and then we'll gain even more casulaties. No, the games are a way to show our young's strength and prove to the others that we aren't to be thought of as easy prey."[/style] template made by oxymoron! of back to neverland

[STYLE=width:100px; height:100px; background-color:#d7d8c5; border-right:8px solid #54524e; padding:5px; float:left][/style] [STYLE=width:100px; background-color:#d7d8c5; border-right:8px solid #54524e; float:left; font-size:15px; font-family:georgia; color:#54524e; line-height:15px; letter-spacing:-2px; padding:5px]375 words with daisyfeather [/style]

[DAISYFEATHER]

[style=width:350px; height:20px; background-color:#333333; color:#ffffff; font-family:georgia; font-size:9px; letter-spacing:1px;line-height:40px; text-align:center;] [/style] [style=width:330px; background-color:#cccccc; overflow:auto; color:#000000; padding:10px; text-align:justify;][style=width:330px; text-align: justify;][style=font-family: georgia; font-size: 10px; line-height: 130%; text-align: justify;]Daisyfeather relaxed a bit knowing that Willowstar didn’t mind. And if she did, she was kind enough not to voice anything about it. The RiverClan camp had turned into the cream she-cat’s nursery in a sense. Her Clanmates were often pampered and scolded like kits and she took their roles if she saw anything amiss. She brought nothing particularly useful to the Clan as far as skill level, but she was sweet and that was about all you could say. Though the other words used to describe her could range in how kind they were, Daisyfeather never paid them any mind. She purred when Willowstar mentioned making her look bad. She adamantly shook her head and finished her fish off with a flourish. “Now Willowstar, you know I can’t do that. What if they tore a claw and then it got infected while they were out fishing? Then their paw would rot off and-” she shuddered, staring down at her paws.

The thought of having to be a medicine cat even dealing with a simple cough made her panic. Daisyfeather didn’t do well with blood or illness of any kind. “I don’t think it makes you look bad.” She added, flicking her tail. “I think it makes you look like you have nice Clanmates.” She defended, glancing over at the apprentice’s. She made her piece and stole a glance at her leader. Willowstar had stopped chewing on her fish and was looking in their direction. Daisyfeather’s tail curled: maybe Willowstar was considering it this time! Each time she proposed it, Hawkclaw let her down gently. But maybe today- “We can’t afford to, Daisyfeather.” The words sunk to the pit of her stomach like stones and her tail drooped. “Mm. Right. What I don’t understand, Willowstar, is why? Why must we put our sons and daughters against each other? Just to see which Clan trains apprentices better? In that case why don’t we use young warriors with experience and training?”[/style][/style]

[/style]

[ATRB=CELLSPACING,0,TRUE][ATRB=CELLPADDING,0,TRUE][ATRB=BORDER,0,TRUE]

[style=width: 130px; height: 125px; text-align: center; line-height:40px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1px; color: #fff; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 10px; background-color: #333333;]willowstar! 329 words BE1545 · speech[/style]

[WILLOWSTAR]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,5,true][atrb=style, background-color:#d7d8c5; padding:10px; height:400px] [STYLE=padding-top:10px; background-color:#d7d8c5; width:350px; border-bottom:8px solid #54524e; font-size:18px; font-family:georgia; letter-spacing:-2px; text-align:center; line-height:14px; color:54524e;]SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND CLOSE THE DOOR[/style] [STYLE=background-color:#e4e6d1; width:338px; height:300px; font-size:10px; border:1px dotted #54524e; text-align:justify; padding:5px; overflow:auto; font-family:arial; color:#54524e]The leader smiled at the warrior when she started going on about all the things that could - but would never happen - if she didn't continue her crusade against the little things pesters that would grow into something bigger. Although the leader kept the smile on her face, played along with the little ploy that she always had going, even id most of the Clan was oblivious to the game, she deep inside was a little annoyed by the warrior's worries. She was leader of this Clan and she would look after the Clan in her own special way, but what the warrior was doing wasn't keeping them safe - oh no, what she was doing was pampering their Clanmates. Soon, they would all be whining art the smallest inconvenience. Where would that get them? Nowhere. They wouldn't have the strength to fight in battle when they had bigger wounds. “I think it makes you look like you have nice Clanmates.” For a moment, her eyes narrowed at the comment, but in a split second any sign of the movement vanished and her eyes were...normal once more, or however normal they ever were and it was still under debate whether that the normal, soft look she gave while under her ploy was normal. Instead she nodded at the warrior's words and smiled, "I suppose you may be right. Even if, as leader, I'm suppose to protect everyone, I suppose I can't do it all alone, can I?" After watching the apprentice's carefully, the leader looked back at the she-cat warrior and noticed the grim exterior she held. "What I don’t understand, Willowstar, is why?" Her words made the leader sigh a little on the inside, realizing this was why they needed them. They needed to toughen felines up from the beginning. Not all felines could be awarded the luxury of being soft and gentle. No, only medicine cats had the privilege of that. All other members needed to toughen up - they needed to be secure for only when the members of the Clan were secure in themselves could the Clan be secure. That started in youth, and the games helped. But - she couldn't tell Daisyfeather the true truth - a truth that went even deeper than her current thoughts. Oh no, that'd be a little too much. Instead she opted for a softer version and mewed, "Using apprentices, felines with little experience is the true strength of the games. By using experienced warriors, there is a greater chance one will be at an even greater advantage. With experience comes skills one may gain and one may lack. That'd become a slaughter ground because of the wider array of skills and experience. With apprentice, we limit the experience and therefore there is a better chance to even out the competition. They may be young, but they can show what warriors cannot: the innate strength of each Clan. It's not necessarily learned, but rather a feline is born with that strength." Alright, so it might not be a softer explanation, but it was one nonetheless, and it spoke more of the truth that Willowstar might have intended.[/style] template made by oxymoron! of back to neverland

[STYLE=width:100px; height:100px; background-color:#d7d8c5; border-right:8px solid #54524e; padding:5px; float:left][/style] [STYLE=width:100px; background-color:#d7d8c5; border-right:8px solid #54524e; float:left; font-size:15px; font-family:georgia; color:#54524e; line-height:15px; letter-spacing:-2px; padding:5px]530 words with daisyfeather [/style]