[ti]Private[/ti]With The Lights Out

[Mama]

He didn't know when he'd see this place again. How would he know? With all the recent events, his mind was scattered with nightmares and showing up here. Tonight, seemed to be one of those days.

Paws crunched through the dead, forever fallen leaves, and his tail bounced at his legs. No longer was he the shy, little tom he once was. His fur was fully grown and mottled into spots down his flank, his ears defining more, and his muzzle less kitten like, and more like a wild creature. Legs long and heavily muscled, paws large and a generally dangerous look to him. Scars slashed down his neck, deep and pale, while a few were by his eye. If it wasn't for the fact he wasn't giving off the aura of one of the dead cats here (well, forever dead), he could have been easily confused as one. 

The tom wasn't sure where Sweetoak, his mentor was, but either she was scared of him too, or simply busy. With that feline, he was never too sure. As he padded along boredly, the sudden scent of cat caught his senses, and he spun towards where the source was coming from. Eyes narrowed, and he bared his sharp teeth in warning. The cats here, none of them could be trusted, could they?

[Dragon]

Maplepaw opened his eyes and found himself in the Dark Forest. A smile crested his maw and he stood up and stretched. Normally Sootface was right there to welcome him and begin his training. But this time she was nowhere to be seen. He guessed he would have to be the one to go in search of her. He prowled through the dark forest taking in everything when a scent reached him. It wasn't the scent of Sootface but it was familiar. If only Maplepaw could remember why it smelled so familiar. It wasn't until large cat came into view that he finally realized why the scent was so familiar. Pausing he tilted his head and looked at Halfpaw taking him in.

"Well isn't this a delightful surprise," he mewed calmly. He noticed the scars on the tom's neck and face and chuckled softly. "I knew Murkpaw was lying about you falling in the river. But I never imagined the cat who saved my life would end up here." Maplepaw was a little confused, obviously, the tom was dead for no one could survive such injuries but he didn't have that same aura that Sootface had. "I must say your death traumatized your family and your little sister Webkit, well Webpaw now took it the hardest. You might want to call her into a dream so she can see you, or do you not have that kind of power yet?"

[Mama]

His bristled muzzle lowered for a second as he saw Maplepaw, but he wasn't ready to give up guard quite yet. As the tom spoke, he gave a cold, thoughtful blink. {Murkpaw... told them I drowned?} was the first thought that went into his head, as he flicked an ear back. {And, Maple... Maplepaw, now, right? He thinks I'm dead, and live here. Should I tell him the truth?} Halfpaw didn't think he would. The glare in his eyes, it wasn't the soft kit he once knew. Maybe this gave him the upper paw. He'd have to see how this even goes.

"You don't know everything about me." was all he spoke. His voice was deepened, matured. His short tail flickered back and forth, and he kept an ear rotating just incase there was any others approaching. "How are my family? Webpaw? Silvermist? The others? And, what about Petalpaw?" The feline asked, with a head turn as he stepped fowards. He stood over Maplepaw, much larger then any grown cat in the clans. His claws were exposed, just incase Maplepaw did attack him. He wasn't scared to fight back anymore. He had something to fight for, and mercy didn't help him last time. It only got him killed.

[Dragon]

Maplepaw was looking Halfpaw up and down confused. The tom looked much bigger and more filled out then the last time he had seen him. But how could that be? Was it possible the tom was still alive? But how those scars he has surely they should have killed him? When Halfpaw said he didn't know anything about him he gave a small snort. "Obviously for I never imagined you would land in here. You're or you were a goody goody... or was that all an act?"

Even his voice sounded deeper and more grown up. There was no way he could look and sound the way he did if he was dead. As the tom stepped closer to him and towered over him he breathed his scent in. He didn't smell like blood or death like his mentor did. "You're not dead are you Halfpaw," he whispered softly. Somehow the tom had survived and recovered.

When Halfpaw asked about his family he sat down and curled his tail around him resting it on his front paws and sighed. "If you're so worried about your mother and siblings then return home or find some other way to let them know you're alive... But I guess I do owe you, after all, you did save my life. So your family is fine, Web still has seizures once in a while but not as often as she used to. Spider is pretty useless, Gourd and Owl are ok. As for Petal and Murk well let's just say Petal seems to have gotten over you and I think she and Murk might end up together." He yawned showing each of his teeth.

How Maplepaw would give anything to battle Halfpaw but he wasn't ready yet. He knew he needed more training before he could even think about challenging him. "Not today, but someday I'd love to battle you to see who's stronger. But not until I've completed my training. It could be fun," his eyes glinted with the excitement of fighting Halfpaw.

[Mama]

Halfpaw, slowly, sat down across from him as Maplepaw sat down. He.. he didn't need to lie. Not anymore. He wasn't going to be dishonest, if Maplepaw was honest with him. Besides, he would let the truth out, either way.

"I didn't survive, Maplepaw. Petalpaw approached me, and said she loved me. I.. I didn't understand. I was, and I'm still too young for a relationship, and I just wanted to be friends. So, she took off. Murkpaw saw us, and came out of nowhere. When I wasn't looking, he attacked me. Pinned me down, and I told him he didn't have to do it. He tore my throat out, and as I choked on my own blood, he threw me in the river." The tom started, his eyes looking to the starry border a great distance away. "I saw a light, It was blue, and bright. I don't remember what happened, but suddenly, I was alive again, and had to swim out of the rapids. I dragged myself to shore, and some rogues found me as I wandered towards town. They helped heal me, and then I went on my own again."

His ears flickered back, and he looked back to Maplepaw, meeting his eyes. "I can't go back to Mistclan. Not with him there. I didn't belong, no matter how hard my family tried to let me fit in. I know the faces and glances I got for looking strange, towering over others and not even speaking normal." Halfpaw let out a sigh, before continuing. "I'm helping Rootclan now. They aren't the same as clan cats, at least, appearance wise. And, there's another cat like me. Her name is Wisp, and she's older then me, but she's the same. Same size, same appearance, and she's kind."

His tail twitched at the mention of fighting. "I won't hold back, Maplepaw. Maybe as a spar, but you aren't ready to fight me. Perhaps in battle, but I'll always be up for some practice otherwise."

[Dragon]

Maplepaw sat and soaked in every word Halfpaw had to say. But he was having trouble believing what he had said. "I believe you when you say Murkpaw tore at your throat but I don't think he killed you. You wouldn't be alive if he had. I think you passed out from loss of blood. But by some miracle, you survived. I can't believe you died and returned because only leaders have more than one life and you are no leader Halfpaw. You're not even a warrior yet."

He could understand why Halfpaw refused to return. "Well I can see your point but what about your family? Don't you think you owe them at least a visit to say your alive and that your ok but you have joined some new clan that no one has never heard of? I'm sure your mother and siblings would be happy just to know your alive." Maplepaw shrugged, "but if you want them to think your dead still that's up to you. Just don't be surprised if it backfires on you if they ever discover you are alive and just abandoned them." Maplepaw wouldn't say anything to them it wasn't his responsibility. If Halfpaw wanted to put his family at ease that was his job.

"You're right a full out battle I don't stand a chance... yet. I haven't completed my training here with Sootface. Once I have completed my training and learned everything he can teach me then I will be ready to fight you. I would love to have a practice bout with you but I dare not without my mentor's permission. And I'm not talking about the weakling Nettletooth who trains me in Mistclan."