Under the moon[Frostheart/open]

[●Sparrow»]

MALINA:: the loving

Malina walked quietly through the night, her gold tinted optics gleamed against her soft grey tabby pelt. Her body was thin, and almost pathetic looking as her sickness only got worse. She was lucky that she could get her kits through suckling and keeping them strong and safe up to this point. She knew it wouldn't be long now, until she passed on to wherever cats went when they died. Some spoke of cats in the stars and other described it just like sleeping, just without dreams. She supposed she would soon find out, what hurt her more than her sickness was leaving behind her kits. All of them beautiful through her eyes, and now she had to leave them with their father, one she wasn't sure they needed. From what she remembered he wasn't the family type of tom, but she had no choice she refused to leave her kits alone and unattended.

When she tried to find him back at the old places they once spent time in she could not find him. When she asked around she was lucky to find one old tom who had heard him talk about a Clan, and a waterfall. Luckily there was only one waterfall around these parts and so she followed the river upstream. Her children had fallen asleep so she had taken the liberty of carrying her son Snow, and daughter Feather in her mouth while she carefully balanced little Hush between her shoulder blades. Her eyes were clouded with worry, not for herself, but for her little ones. Would they be safe without her? She had always did her best to protect them, and feed them once they could chew meat. Now she had to leave them in the paws of strangers that may or may not care for them right. If only she could get better, but she knew no one with the right expertise to heal her. Now she was almost sure it could not be changed since she waited this long. Her tail swished behind her in thought as the still pretty feline moved. She made sure to stay clear of the areas deeply scented with other cats and now was walking though the split and unclaimed territory between two smells.

One smelled more of fish while the other smelled of pine and mud. Stopping she lowered her head to place her two white kits on the ground. They looked so much like Frost did that it made her heart hurt. Leaning back she grabbed Hush's scruff and lowered him down with his siblings. This tom was the only one that more resembled her, with his grey tabby pelt and white markings. Though her only white markings was on her paws and tail tip. Licking each kit in turn on the forehead she laid down to circle around them protectively. Letting out one raspy cough, she would only rest for awhile the night was young and deeper into the night she would continue on toward the waterfall. She nuzzled her tired and sleepy kits gently with her nose. "Soon things will get better." she whispered her voice kind and gentle as she curled her tail around them and herself. It was a chilly night, and her back was to the wind so to keep them all warm.

[Bridger ✘]

It was a calming night. The clan was doing well on it's own that night. No warrior was tearing a claw, no apprentice had some stupid problem like an aching belly, and the Queens and Elders were sleeping. As far as the night went, it wasn't storming, and the night didn't look too miserable at all. Any normal cat might be out in the middle of this night to hunt, or explore under the moonlight. Animals other than cats, were either scurrying about, hiding from predators, or sleeping in their little burrows or where ever those animals lived. It wasn't like Frostheart cared too much about that. What he was interested was herbs and berries rather than claws and prey. Not that it wasn't all important to the life of the clan, the medicine cat simply thought that medicine was much more important when it really came down to it. In fact, sometimes the white tom thought that clan cats took medicine cats for granted. Clan life would be hell with out a medicine cat, and here, most kits dream of being fighters for the clan. Good luck trying to fight if you don't have a medicine cat he would think. Of coarse, the medicine cat knew that it would be strange of there was more than one Medicine cat, and of coarse, kits were also pretty important, he admitted, the more kits...the better for the clan. Well, he thought they could do with out the age of apprentices, and sort of wished that kits could just skip that age sometimes.

The white tom was walking along, his white fur shining through the darkness with the light white color. He was like a little light, even though, Frostheart wasn't glowing at all, the white just stood out under the blackness around him. Upon the moonlight, his fur did seem to glow however, it gave him a star-like appearance, with frosty green eyes. He figured to himself, if he was going to be not doing something, he might as well head towards the warm rocks, and take a nap away from all the other cats. For some reason, the white tom didn't want to sleep around his apprentice in the medicine cat den, he figured he just wanted to be alone as usual. It was a very very good night, he wanted to enjoy it with out distractions. It was quiet. He wasn't quite sure where he was going anymore. His whiskers twitching a little, the Medicine cat continued walk though, losing interest in the path he was taking. Perhaps he should try going a different route, but....Frostheart had seen everything there was in the territory Why was he suddenly caring? The white Frostheart shook his head, rolling his cold frozen green eyes, Cinderpaw was rubbing off on him. Doing things the same was better, that way each time he did it, he could get better at it. Change and difference was bad. Even though he often times experienced change in his life.
In the night, a strange, different smell entered his pink nose, making the cat twinge a little. It was a cat...maybe...but it wasn't a clan cat, Not from an enemy clan. It just smelled like cat, however it was horribly familiar. Despite himself, his white fur bristled with a strange sensation, not an angry or hateful sensation, but a warm sensation that Frostheart couldn't help but to feel comforted, but also dreadfully distressed by it. One feline came to mind, and Frostheart had to follow this smell and solve the mystery. He could remember his life before being a Clan cat, and suddenly Frosthearts paws went cold, and he shivered, getting closer and closer. "Hello?" he half whispered half said out loud. He didn't entirely care if any cat could hear him, but his pawsteps were advancing greatly, until he was practically running towards the small of another cat. Then he could see something, a soft ball curled up, silver underneath the cold moonlight as he shone a white as well. One cat's name came into his mind again, but he dared not say it, he just stared from a far for a long moments, it seemed like eternity before he cleared his throat a little, glaring coldly towards who-ever-it-was.

[●Sparrow»]

MALINA:: the loving

Malina made sure to curl her body around them perfectly so that the wind could only buffet her own fur than that of her little ones. She did not want them to catch a cold, or worse. They were her world no matter who the father was, and unlike other mother loners that usually left their kits or raised them in disgust for whom the father was, she was the exact opposite. Though she had never planned on being a mother in the first place, she took on the role as needed. To her surprise the mothering thing seemed to be her calling and she took care of her kits as best as she could given the terrain and her circumstance. Lowering her head to her paws she flicked her tail around her slender bodice, her eye lids drooped slowly. Soon enough her eye lids fell completely turning her world black until her dreams took over her conscious. She dreamed that she was better, and she was watching her kits play at her paws. Feather was fretting over her brothers, Snow was trying to lead, while Hush played to his own beat. Her mouth tugging into a happy and warm smile as she watched them play.

"Hello?" The voice echoed through her dreams and she found her perfect world fading and an alarmed look came over her features as she to faded with it, the darkness closing in on her. In moments her head shot up and her eye lids fluttered open wide in shock as the pretty tabby glanced around frantically. Her golden optics gleamed like drops of sunlight in the darkness and she flicked her gaze around for the source of the noise. Her ears flicked forward as she heard the soft rustling of grass. In moments she had jumped to her paws and whirled around toward the noise, standing over her kits protectively as she let her ears fall back to her skull. Her eyes narrowed defensively, arching her back and letting out a low and warning hiss. Sad to say it wasn't the first night she had to fend off another cat, usually a tom who wanted to get lucky. She showed them a thing or two, she may not look like much but when it came to the safety of her children she was almost unstoppable.

Though she not at all prepared for what she was about to see. After a bit more rustling a tom cat appeared, his pelt white as snow and frosty green eyes staring in her direction. Her gold eyes ran along him quickly for a few heartbeats before she rose out of her protective stance. Her ears flicked back forward as she was left speechless for a moment, could this be a work of fate? Could this really be the tom she was looking for or a look alike? There was only one way to find out and so she tilted her head slightly. "Frost? Is that you?" she mewed her voice honey sweet and lace with curiosity. Her kits stirred at her feet a bit, Hush letting out a small mew and yawn. She glanced down to see them, a small smile pressed upon her lips as she leaned down and licked her kits before standing back up to full height.

[Bridger ✘]

The silver cat looked defensive at first, making his tail lash from side to side, but he did not hiss, and he did not bristle, he just stared at the cat through the cold darkness. He sat down, simply staring and observing this obvious she-cat. She looked so much like the female cat he had spend his days with as a loner....Malina, but this could not be the same one, could it. She looked sickly and pitiful, not at all what he remembered. A cold blow of wind directed itself from her to him, and he blinked at the smell. It was the same dingy smell of sickness he knew oh too well. Just like most sicknesses, there was a cent to it, a strange scent wall drifting off of the cat, if it is sick. This silver cat was sick, he did not look away from the female, Frosthearts whole body bristled for a moment, the, he shivered the chill in his body down. What...if this was Malina....what did she want with him. It was not safe here, and she would bring sickness into the clan if she stayed any longer. That settled it, Frostheart was going to tell her that she needed to leave, at first he cared for her, and would have helped her. But...that was Frost, Frost wouldn't just let her be sick like that, he would try to help her. However, Frostheart, the Medicine cat of Breezeclan, had more responsibility and Malina, was not a part of his world any longer. There was a long silence, but, Oh, how it was loud to him, practically deafening in his white ears, as his green eyes stared at his former mate. If starclan was watching, it was truly angry with him. Frostheart had half a mind to simply turn away from her, but something kept his paws stuck to the ground, as he stared at the beautiful she-cat, haunted, and disturbed by bits and pieces of his past. "Frost? Is that you?" he could hear her voice loud and clear, breaking the silence that kept the white cat to his thoughts. He backed up a little from her, but looked down to where she was licking, and much to his inner horror, he saw three beautiful kits in the darkness. His green eyes remained cold, while his face was emotionless, however his insides were twisted with worry. He hoped that the silver striped she-cat, Malina, would assure him that those, were not his kits, and he was safe from any sort of wrath that the clans may bring upon him if they ever found out. However he must stay calm, Frostheart nodded to himself a little, though it might have been interpreted as a nod to Malinas question, which he forgot to answer, because he was so deep in thought about this. He took a deep breath of the thick scent of sickness and then nodded more confidently "There was a time where I went by Frost." was the clear answer, he could hear his own voice echoing in his ear, surprised that he still wasn't trying to just leave. He stared thoughtfully down at the little kits, and shook his head too himself, because Malina was a loner...what were the chances that these kits were his. Slim. " However, my proper and current name is Frostheart." he was silent for several moments again "I assume you are still Malina, however."

[●Sparrow»]

MALINA:: the loving

The pale grey tabby kept the soft smile on her face as she looked at the tom cat before her. Her eyes searched his for a moment, catching rather quick flashes of emotion before he placed the shield back over his face. Still from what she could muster up he was worried, worried and unsure. Then a coldness that could almost burn out the light found within the female's heart. She shivered at the feeling he gave her, she no longer felt a warm when he looked at her just nothing. She knew it would probably happen, after he wanted to leave. Still she didn't realize that it would still hurt this much to see the once affectionate eyes frozen and cold. The smile slowly faded from her features and she lowered her head, she knew he wasn't the same as before. Even then he wasn't completely affectionate, but more so than this. He could probably smell the sickness on her, so she could understand his cautious paws. She didn't even want to be her right now. She kept her golden optics to the floor for the moment, as she didn't even yearn to look into his now cold eyes.

Part of her wanted to just snatch up her kits and leave, seek help elsewhere. For a moment she actually felt angry for some reason, it bubbled within her and all she could do was push it back and keep calm. She had heard stories of these Clan cats, they were suspicious and hostile to those who are not in it. Why did she expect to be treated any differently? Her body stiffened, she could feel tears swell up within her pretty eyes but she refused to cry. So she held it back, though she knew that if she looked up he would be able to see the watery look in her eyes. Though deep down she knew he wouldn't care, she was nothing more to him then a...stranger. She had to accept it, and she would not force herself upon him. Still she rose her head back up, watery gold eyes locked on his face. She could see his eyes fall to her kits, and she swiped her tail over them. She could see him shake his head, he didn't believe that they could ever be his. because us loners like to sleep around is that it? we couldn't possibly have morals? her mind challenged bitterly, so much in fact that she even surprised herself.

"There was a time where I went by Frost." he finally spoke and his voice tickled her lobes, she nodded slowly as if understanding what he was getting at. Still she remained silent, however, and allowed him to continue. " However, my proper and current name is Frostheart."... "I assume you are still Malina, however." Malina didn't wish to speak at all, and she just felt a bad sensation flow through her veins. It was wrong for her to come, they all would just be turned away. Still determination filled her form now and her gaze laced with determination now as she stared him plainly in the face, hiding her own emotions behind a veil. "My apologies, Frostheart. she spoke her voice sturdy at the moment as she slightly tilted her head in a curt greeting. "You would be correct, I still go by the name Malina. Though I did not come to talk about me, but judging by the look on your snout I know you can tell I am ill." her golden eyes searched his face for some sort of knowledgement, but she was sure he already knew.

"I do not wish for you to help me physically, the taint is most likely to far into my body, and any hope would require time, most of which I'm sure you can't spare. she replied her voice indicating the Clan that she knew he belonged to now. "All I came for was for help emotionally, then I will be gone. To....fade from this earth in peace. All I ask is....." her eyes trailed to the three kits sheltered under her tail, she sniffled feeling the tears over power her eyes as they fell. Rolling down her cheeks, her body shook with each tear. She turned her face back to him now, " That you take Snow, Feather, and Hush with you, they are still healthy and I don't want them growing up alone. Please.... I thought maybe here would be best, seeing as you are their father...." she managed to say lifting her paw to wipe away the tears, and taking in deep breaths. Still that thought of loners fooling around entered her mind. "If you remember me at all you would know I am not the kind to fool around. her eyes grew hard then, questioning as she finally returned her gaze to him.

[Bridger ✘]

"My apologies, Frostheart. " He blinked at her for a long moment, considering the apology, but, slowly, he bowed down his head in acceptance of her, his ears listening strongly, not only to her, but all around him, he didn't want to get caught talking to the loner. That couldn't be good for her, or him, especially because, she was so sick, he thought that the clan would simply chase her away. However, the white cat's medicine instincts wanted to somehow stop the sickness, to save the life of his former female companion. "You would be correct, I still go by the name Malina. Though I did not come to talk about me, but judging by the look on your snout I know you can tell I am ill." So she was sick. He knew it. Frostheart's nose wrinkled with disgust for the sickness, green gaze grew dark, thinking about as many herbs as he could, it was clearly very bad, the once beautiful she-cat looked so worn-down by the kittens, and by her own sickness. Frostheart was surprised she could still keep herself alive this long, his gaze turned to the kittens.... were they just as sick as their mother was? Surely they wouldn't be alive if they were that sick. She spoke again and when she did, he considered his options on what he could do. The white cat wondered, could he possibly take her back, even if she said that she did not wish for him too? Impossible, she was not a clan born cat after all. But...then again, neither was he. As he listened he nodded understandingly to her, until she said those words "That you take Snow, Feather, and Hush with you, they are still healthy and I don't want them growing up alone. Please.... I thought maybe here would be best, seeing as you are their father...."
His eyes widened again, before going very calm, his whole world seemed to stop, and all he could do, was lookup at the sky very shakily. What was the clan in the sky thinking now, could they see him, where they even paying attention, and were they really even there. He hoped not. Frostheart then slowly moved his head back to her, emotions trying to decide how to react on this news. "Ah." was all he could manage to speak, feeling mouse-brained for having a sudden lose for words. However, his world seemed still frozen in place, and he could not find a good emotional balance. "Is that so?" his whisper was quiet and cold, as he stared his green eyes now down at the kits, two of them did in fact have am uncanny resemblance to him, that he could not deny. When the white medicine cat looked back to Malina, she was wiping a tear away from her eyes, and he stiffened, realizing for the first time, that her heart must be broken because of it. What was it like, he quickly wondered to himself, green eyes melting away the coldness, looking much warmer than they had been before. "If you remember me at all you would know I am not the kind to fool around." He was silent, for a moment. They hardly knew each other at all anymore, and he wanted to believe Malina was making a mistake, and he really was not the father. "You do realize, with out the proper care...." he paused for a moment "You WILL die, correct?" Oh dear. Frostheart suddenly had the feeling like he was going to do something he might regret. He wasn't sure what it was just yet, but his paws were trembling despite himself. " As for the kits....will they not miss their mother?" he peered down at the kits again, and then to her. She did seem to love them. Would she just leave them and die?

[●Sparrow»]

MALINA:: the loving

Malina searched his gaze for any sort of answer, any sort of hope for her kits safety. Or for any type of reaction really, all she could see on his face was shock and blank stares. She knew it would surprise him, it would surprise anyone really if you told them they had kits. Still she could feel the teats start to form again in her eyes. what must I be so emotional! she shouted inside her brain and held the tears back this time. She was patient in waiting for an answer from the tom, she let everything sink in and give him time to think. She looked down at the three kits, it was about right. It had been about what eight or nine moons since she saw him? The good four-five moons it took to give birth to the kits, and the four moons of age they were now. It added up if you really thought about it, still she wanted to be around for the rest of their lives. To guide them, watch them grow, and have kits of their own one day. Her ears fell back in thought as she thought of the memories she would miss, but at least it could be good memories for them. Her head lowered as she felt weak and tired for a moment before she lifted her head back to the tom cat.

"Is that so?" he finally spoke and Malina watched for a moment as he came a bit closer to look at the kits. His eyes falling to the two white ones, she knew he was probably realizing the resemblances by now. "That's right, they are four moons now. They just started eating prey. Poor Hush is the odd ball of the three." she mewed her voice slowly floating back to its honey sweet tone as she talked about her kits. Though she was really indicating that he was different all around, different pelt color and more silly compared to his siblings. She turned to look back at him and see as he noticed the damp marks on her face and his face seemed to melt. Her eyes brightened, as she felt the warmth of them seep back into her form. So the old Frost was in there, deep down. Though she could tell by the look on his face he wanted to do something about her, sickness.

"You do realize, with out the proper care...."..."You WILL die, correct?" the words coming from his mouth pierced her heart. Yes she knew she would, she was ready to just accept it, but hearing it from someone else made it that much worse. She flinched at the thought, but nodded slowly. Her head fell and her gold eyes dropped to stare at her paws. "I....yes, I know." she answered softly, taking in a deep breath as she tried to look a bit braver and looked back up at him. " As for the kits....will they not miss their mother?" That did it, the tears began to fall from her eyes again. Much more slowly this time though, and she keep her eyes on the tom. "I suppose they... would for awhile. But I'd always be with them in here.... she mewed flicking her tail to point to her heart. "Even if they can't see me, I'll always be there." she mewed her voice trembled a bit as she turned her head away to wipe the tears, she hated to let him see her cry.

"I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I passed on this sickness to anyone else. To you, to the kits, to anyone. I'd rather only have me suffer than anyone else. I wish, I could stay. I wish I could watch them grow up. I just want them to know how much I loved them, how much I wanted to stay, how hard I tried..." she replied her voice was filled with a deep sadness. She curled her tail around her thin frame and looked down at the kits. " Like the moon to the sky I will be by your side. Though if one day we part, remember I love you with all of my heart. So don't cry, don't cry. Please dry your eyes, one day we will be together. I'll always be proud of the things you do, just stay strong, and stay true to you." she sang her special lullaby, her voice melodic still as she rubbed her head against their fur.

[Bear]

Alternating Dragons?

As in, you can have more than seven dragons, but you have seven that are dominant. Those seven are the only ones you can get resources from, but if you're low on something, you can switch them out. However, maybe it could be a once a week/fortnight thing? That way, people couldn't constantly switch out dragons. If this is possible, that is. That way, you can satisfy the people who want eight dragons and, maybe, keep the server from crashing. If alternating would help at all.