two different worlds [sweetfur, open]

[Tigerstar]

Sneaking out of the WindClan camp proved to be not very difficult. He was the leader, after all- if he wanted to leave, he didn't have to 'sneak'. He didn't have to tell anyone why he left in the middle of the night if he didn't want to, but Tigerstar still felt the need to slip away unnoticed. Taking one last look at his Clan sleeping beneath the stars, the WindClan leader turned to leave. He stuck to the shadows on the far side of camp, exiting from behind his den with the guard completely unaware of what was happening. The sky was dark blue, glittering with little StarClan warriors. The only light came from the moon, which was swollen and nearly full. It would be time for another Gathering soon. Gatherings weren't as bad as Tigerstar previously had believed- they were the only time once a moon that all four Clans were at peace with each other. Instead of shedding blood, cats could share tongues under the protection of StarClan. If they did something bad, clouds would cover the moon, and the Gathering would come to an end. Though this rarely happened because everyone was usually sensible enough to not argue and allow it to escalate. Tigerstar was climbing uphill, his legs moving rather quickly. Being a typical WindClan cat, he loved to run. He was one of the fastest runners in the Clan. With his legs a mere ginger smudge, he mounted the hill and looked over his territory with sharp yellow-green eyes. This was the tallest hill in the moorland- he could see all the way to the other side of the lake from this point. A gentle but warm breeze blew from the mountains in the distance, ruffling his orange tabby fur. Tigerstar thrust his muzzle up in the air, his nostrils flaring as to catch every smell around him. He caught the scent of rogue and fox, but from here he could tell that it was outside of WindClan territory, so there was no need to worry. Casting a glance over his shoulder as to much make sure no cat was following him, Tigerstar plunged down the hill at top speed, a small smile on his face as he ran. This was his favorite thing to do, besides taking care of his Clan. It always calmed his nerves and made him forget all of his troubles. And if he caught a rabbit while running like this, well, then that was just a bonus.

Tigerstar rarely hunted. He ran, which was not the same thing. If he was in the mood to do something different rather than just lead his Clan, he'd go out on the moor without the intention of even hunting. And then that was when he pelted off, just sprinting around his territory like a mouse-brain. That's what some cat might call him, but as long as he brought back fresh-kill, why did it matter? After running around for awhile, eventually he would pick up the scent of rabbit, then he'd see the large creature. It would catch sight of him pretty quickly and would begin to bolt away, but Tigerstar could easily outrun it. The ground between him and the rabbit would be easily wolfed up by his long, slender legs, and he'd have it. This may not seem like a very good tactic to any other Clan- even his own Clanmates didn't see it as being very good- but it worked nearly every time.

By now, Tigerstar had reached the border with ThunderClan territory. A small stream bubbled and gurgled, the water running downhill from the Moonpool and emptying in the lake below. The stream was not wide at all- a young apprentice could probably jump across with no problem, so this wouldn't be hardly anything to a skilled WindClan warrior. But Tigerstar had no intention on crossing the boundary and dealing with ThunderClan. It wasn't like they were on bad terms or anything- nothing like that- but what would he say to a cat that caught him in there? The forest was darker than what he was used to beneath the open sky. It was like a whole different world to him- strange and confusing. How could ThunderClan cats tell where they were going, when all trees looked the same and the sun was blotted out beneath the heavy leaf covering? Why would I even want to go in there? Tigerstar thought. He preferred to stick to the moorland. Trees were for squirrels, and that's exactly what ThunderClan cats were. Though Tigerstar was intrigued by the forest. They had a small strip of it north of the Moonpool, but no one really went there because it was so out of the way and they preferred the taste of rabbit over mouse or squirrel. Tigerstar avoided it because he couldn't run under the dense foliage, and besides, it frightened him a little. He was easily terrified, of course. So much as speaking to a new cat could lead him into a chewing fit due to his disorder, even if he had it tamed for the most part. Tigerstar sat, his paws tired, on the edge of the border nearly on WindClan's scent markers. His eyes searched through the thick bushes on ThunderClan's side, not looking for anything in particular, just curious.

Words: 902  |  OOC: For Sweetfur and anyone else who wants to join!