Just Watching

[Featherstar]

<sub>Yeah, I know what you're thinking.
She's back? Again? Good grief, will this chick make up her mind?
And the answer, my friend is. Yes. And probably not.

The small form of the cat crept silently forward, crossing the StoneClan boundary and slunk on toward the crags, rocks and cliffs that surrounded the StoneClan camp. One could not climb very high up into the mountains, the reason StoneClan territory did not extend upward, but one could climb a short distance, at least enough, if one were so talented, as to not be seen by the Clan members passing below. Heard? Unlikely. Smelled? Possibly. But as the she-cat launched herself upward with powerful limbs, the wind blew in her direction and she was confident she would not be spotted.

She really was not an intruder. She lived by the motto, once a member of a clan always a member of a clan, unless you're kicked out. And she'd not been kicked out, she'd, much to her shame, left. And so, at least according to her own policy, she was not tresspassing on StoneClan land, merely exploring some not seen in a while places very quietly. Now whether or not Snowstar or Warfox would find this policy to hold true was something the brown and tan fae had yet to find out. But, given her past record, unless the leader and deputy of her clan had very much changed, she'd a feeling they would be at least a little happy to see her.

I hope.

But Featherstar wasn't really aiming to be seen. She just missed her old land and wanted to be there again, maybe even to stay for a while this time. She did miss her clan and wanted to catch up with all the kits who'd since become warriors she suspected. She'd like to meet the new ones as well, if she were allowed, and check up on her old friends. She missed them all. And she wanted to get back. But there was no way under heaven that she was going to waltz right into the camp, not having been there in moons, and expect not to be attacked by at least an apprentice or young warrior. And that she did not want to fend off. Afterall, they were her clanmates.

So Featherstar crouched low in the rocks, invisible, inaudible, and for the moment undetectable, waiting for someone to come along. And then we'll see what happens.

Maybe it'll be good.</sub>

[Snowstar]

<sub>Snowstar was seen a good majority of her time patrolling the mountainside. Scaling the rocky landscape, leaping from rock to rock with the grace of a cougar. It seemed so long ago that she was here being accepted herself. As she patrolled, she let herself remember.

She was a young cat back then, fresh out of apprentice-ship age, about. So young and wild as she was back then, so sweet and so innocent. She remembered Featherstar well, of course, her first ever leader. Though Snowstar was a nomad to begin with, she acted as if she had been born here in Stoneclan and lived here all her life, so close to the Warrior Code did she follow it, and so faithfully did she lead Stoneclan.

She recalled speaking to the leader after she approached; it had been sunset, and how kind and authoritive did Featherstar appear at the time. She remembered the maze; it took her a long while to remember it's twisting and turning pathways, where as now she could do it with all senses off.

How she missed Featherstar.

... Was she thinking to far into the past, or did she come across Featherstar's scent? As soon as it occurred to her, it was gone in the breeze. She shook her head to clear her mind before continuing her patrol.

She moved through the ranks so fast. First, with the disappearance of Frosteye, she became deputy. Then the disappearance of Featherstar herself, just as Snowstripe at the time had become pregnant. How kind Featherstar had been when she found out. And now Snowstar had 3 kits to show for it.

She paused. Yes, she couldn't miss that scent now. She raised her head, looking out amongst the rocky landscape. Few things moved that Snowstar did not miss, but for once, she could not pick out Featherstar amongst the rocky ruins. If there was one cat who probably knew this terrain as well as she did, it would have been the leader before her.

Featherstar.</sub>

[Featherstar]

Terribly sorry I let the entire summer get away...

<sub>Peek a boo
I see you.

From where she sat, or laid, or crouched, what have you, Featherstar could see and scent everything that was going on below her. So when Snowstar moved into the meadow, the old leader was aware, and she smiled. She'd missed her old friend just as much as Snowstar had missed her. But she didn't reveal herself, not yet. She had faith that her old deputy would eventually spot her, or smell her. She didn't think she'd be heard.

Finally, the black she-cat looked up and called her name. She did not look directly at her, rather a little to the right, but she was close. Featherstar smiled and stood, quickly making her way down the rocks in a series of well-practice, graceful leaps. Nodding her head once at Snowstar, she spoke softly, as she always did,

Snowstar. How goes it in the Clan?

In my clan as well as yours.</sub>

[Snowstar]

<sub>So busy was she deep in thought and reminiscing, she almost missed the scent of the former leader. She had no intentions of chasing out Featherstar. Once a member, always a member indeed. Though it was a little much to continue to be a member and come and go, Snowstar was perhaps feeling a touch of her old comradery with Featherstar. Perhaps that was what allowed her to turn a blind eye to this rule for Featherstar, and let her feel a tinge of joy as she called out Featherstar's name, and thus she appeared a short distance from where her eyes were trained.

The pretty brown she bounded with a trained excellence only mirrored by the compact Snowstar, and the black and white leader turned to face Featherstar and meet her a couple rocks up, purring midly, sage eyes allowing a slender tinge of emotion to enter her normally mild eyes.

Featherstar! A pleasure to see you, as always She purred, tail arching in a cheerful manner over her thin back, looking over the old leader.
Things are well enough. Food is plentiful, there are many kits in the clan, and enough hard-working warriors She said calmly, taking a seat on the rock besides Featherstar, watching her, a small smile on her muzzle.</sub>