[ti]Open[/ti]Standing Guard and Catching Feathers

[M'Lady]

The home-guard was posted in the entrance to Stonehome, sitting tall and regal as he watched for any sort of intruder. It was a quiet day, a lovely day. He appreciated the feeling of the cool gentle breeze that caressed the land and ruffled his fur along with the needles of the trees. He sighed blissfully. Oh he loved the little things in this life, such as the buzzing of a cicada or the feeling of the cool earth beneath his paws. Sun at Night's End was a simple cat, who enjoyed the simple things. Of course, this all immediately shifted when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Ears suddenly pricked, and his head whipped around to the source of the motion, sky blue eyes blazing with accusation in case the owner was hostile. His gaze softened soon, however, when he realized it had been a mere raven that caught his attention. He watched as the ebony bird continued its flight upwards, and disappeared within the darkness of the needles that covered the sky. 
A single obsidian feather drifted down, dancing in the gentle breeze. He watched it with faint amusement, as it twisted and turned and eventually landed a tail length or two from his paws. The home-guard paused, before he leaned forward with outstretched claws, and pulled the long feather over to him. The kits back in the ruins would like this, they didn't often get to see much from the outside, being cooped up in crumbling stone and soft moss with overprotective kit mothers. He loved going to see them, bringing little interesting things from the territory. And this feather shone glossy green and violet in the light as it turned, they'd be sure to love it. 
A soft smile on his face and his blue gaze turned outwards to the abyss once again, the solitary home-guard protected the entrance with a long feather tucked beneath his tail. 

[silverfang218]

“Why, you seem to be rather lonely out here. Mind if a couple old fleabags come join you?” River’s voice comes out of the darkness that is the inside of Stonehome. Her keen eyes had spotted her son keeping watch, and her brother, Star that Guides, and her had meandered out here to join him. River is walking slowly so that Star can keep up; the ancient exguard’s body is riddled with old injuries received from protecting his sis, and the aches and pains that came with all that abuse has rendered his mobility rather limited. Star walks right beside River, their fur brushing though he isn’t quite to the point where he’s leaning on her for support yet. Yet.

Star’s voice, much deeper than that of his sister yet holding a deep warmth that contrasts with the sharp edge that his sister’s usually possesses, also seems directed at Sun though his words address River. “It just doesn’t seem right to make a cat sit out here alone. Guess that’s why they keep us around, eh River?” The elder tom’s words are laced with amusement.

River leads Star over to Sun, hovering near her brother as Star lowers himself into a laying position. River, however, stays sitting up. She glances at the feather her son had caught, and her whiskers twitch with approval; she tries to keep at least some track of her kits and she’s often seen Sun visit the kits and kit-mothers. That feather will make an excellent gift for the little ones. A small smile graces her graying muzzle; despite her sharp words and often even sharper tone, she loves her kits and seeing even a little nice thing from them like that makes her proud of them. Sun turned out pretty good, River would have to say, even with a blunt, grumpy mother.

[gracelyn]

A soft mrrow of pure, unadulterated happiness escaped from a long-limbed she-cat making her way through the dense forest. Her long strides alternated between walking and an excited loping, loving how the breeze blew against her face the faster she went. This was joy. Willow That Sways Gently loved to be out of camp, to run through the forest and caught the occasional prey. To not be restricted by the confines of the camp, as much as she loved her home. To Willow, freedom was being able to look up and see the sky, to run as far as her legs could take her, and to be welcomed by the sounds of the wilderness.

It had been quite the early morning for the prey hunter. Already, she had in her jaws a vole and a squirrel, freshly caught and ready to be taken back to their caught-prey pile for her tribemates to enjoy. She had buried them for a while, taking some time to go for a run across the forest, no longer distracted by the need to catch something to eat. Now, as sun began its trek across the sky, she was heading back towards camp with her catches dangling from her mouth. As she neared the camp entrance, however, a familiar cat caught her eye. Her brother, Sun at Night's End, oh-so-seriously standing guard. Idea forming in her head, she quickly shoved her caught prey into a bush before dropping into a crouch, moving around so she can sneak up towards her brother.

As she moved, two other familiar scents reached her nose. Her mother River, and uncle Star. Undeterred from her original plan, she would continue to sneak forward, getting close enough to pounce. Knowing her brother though, he probably had already detected her.

[M'Lady]

His ears pricked when he heard familiar pawsteps, both slow, one a bit out of sync. He smiled when his mother appeared, his features lighting up when his uncle showed up with her. "I don't mind at all," Sun mused, daring to step from his place to lean forward and touch his nose to her cheek and his ear, in a form of brief greeting, before he settled back into his spot. At her words, he laughed softly, a sound full of the glowing pink sunshine he was named for, a sound that reminded others of the chirping birds that colored the earliest of mornings. "Being alone is no matter, as long as you beetle-brains stay in Stonehome," he teased, tail flicking from side to side in amusement. "Even though I'm perfectly capable of protecting your tails from out here." His amusement suddenly dropped when a noise caught his attention. Ears flicked back, and sapphire eyes narrowed slightly as muscles tensed. That was the sound of a cat, rustling in the undergrowth. He could tell, from the weight of their paws and the ever so soft sound of leaves. He whirled around, blue eyes ablaze with flames, and then a scent reached his nose. All at once, he relaxed. Willow, the little mink, sneaking up on him like that while he was on duty.

"You feather-head!" He huffed, and leaped forward, his paws meeting fur, and bowling his sister over with one swift motion.

[foggy]

♚♚♚♚♚♚♚♚♚♚♚

Dusk was reluctant to interrupt the little family gathering, but she supposed it would be a kindness if she shared Sun's duties so her fellow home-guard could afford to spare some time for his family while the Stonehome remained gully guarded. The feline made her way towards them before choosing to sit slightly separate from them. Being the odd one out of a family was awkward but she wasn't about to let this distraction put the tribe in any danger, however little the chance. Sun was a good home-guard, a perfect example of what they stood for, but no cat could have perfect vision all around when fighting, play or not. "I doubt Willow was what they meant by 'protect the tribe from any threats'," Her voice was light, even teasing, even if a different guard would've scolded Sun for his lack of focus, Dusk didn't see why she should dampen the mood. It was hardly like an eagle could get the drop on them now.

After meowing a soft greeting to the others as she took her place, she began to feel her thoughts drifting to her own family. Dusk was the only guard in her immediate relations, so she sometimes struggled to relate to them when they started speaking of prey techniques and crouching positions, but she hoped to remain close to them in the same way Sun's family were. Or at the very least her sister. Family was important and it transcended all ages and stations, but Dusk couldn't help but feel like there were things slightly more important, as few as they were.

[gracelyn]

Willow let out a noise of protest as her brother knocked her over, putting up a half-hearted attempt to fight back. There were a million reasons why she wouldn't have even considered actually trying to get an upper hand. The main reason being that she knew her brother would never hurt her - as much as she got way too fed up with his excessive coddling, it was one of the reasons why she loved him as her brother. Reason number two would likely be the fact that her slight frame was definitely more suited as a hunter than a fighter, while her brother was - without a doubt - a powerful guard through and through. As they tussled, she called out a casual greeting to her mother and uncle, almost as though she was actually just approaching them, and not in the middle of a "fight" with her brother. "Sun, you have to admit, I snuck up on you! You're a terrible home guard." She teased lightly, ears perking slightly as she registered the arrival of another cat.

Moving her gaze over to Dusk, Willow meowed a greeting back, putting in more effort now for her brother to release her so that she can get off the ground.

[M'Lady]

He smirked as his sister struggled beneath him, attempting to get any sort of hold. Tilting his head slightly to the side, he responded in his similarly amused tone.

"And yet, here you are, pinned to the ground," He hummed, blue eyes dancing with flames of mischief. "The reality is that you're a beetle-brained prey hunter." He asserted. Ears flicking to the side at the sound of heavy pawsteps, he turned his head to see Dusk, a fellow home guard of the Tribe. He stepped back, to allow his sister to rise from the dusty pine needle ground.

"Ah, you must be mistaken, Dusk," Sun began, glancing at Willow as he spoke his next words. "Willow here has always been a rascal. She deserves to get shoved down once in awhile." He spoke matter-of-factly, though fiery blue eyes still contained his joking atmosphere. "In fact, if you feel like tackling her down, you might as well." He shrugged, and then quickly stepped away in case Willow tried to take a swipe at him, it wouldn't be unprecedented. He strolled to the opposite side of Dusk, to the other side of the entrance to Stonehome. Checking briefly to make sure his feather was still safe and sound, he glanced back up towards her. "How has your day been, fellow home guard? Have the stars been treating you well?"

[silverfang218]

River purrs softly as her son greets her, though she shoots him a mischievous look as Sun says the pair should stay in Stonehome; it probably wouldn't be the first time River of Stars has been found out and about (usually not far, though). Star that Guides at least stays where he's supposed to, though. The pair of elders twitch their ears almost in perfect unison as Willow can be ever so faintly heard and Sun's determination to protect the Tribe can be easily seen. They don't catch Willow's scent quite as quickly though, but the pair relaxes as Sun does; they trust his judgment as he comes to the conclusion that the sound likely comes from a Tribemate. River snorts in amusement as Sun not so ruthlessly attacks his sister; Willow's mischievous nature clearly came from her mother, and River is glad that her wayward daughter has Sun to keep an eye on her (or pounce on her when necessary) just like River has Star. As the younger pair of cats are playfighting, River turns her eyes towards the world outside, helping to keep watch while their guard is distracted by a different kind of threat.

River's vigil is over quickly as another home-guard joins them, named Dusk if River remembers correctly. The two elders wave their tails in a quick greeting to the newcomer, before River turns back to her dear brother. “I think we bring the party, Star. Everyone always show up right after we do.” Star snorts at the idea. “River, I think they just follow us around because they are scared you are going to do something stupid.” River purrs in response to the joke, though her gaze becomes mischievous once more.