[ti]Private[/ti]We're Far from the Shallows, Now.

[Mama]

Halfpaw was certain of his decision. He knew it hurt his heart, his mind, and most likely them too, but it was right. Being close together wasn't going to help if he still felt outcasted, unwelcome. The tom padded towards the Mistclan border, hoping he could spot them before they passed by. That was, if they were even out. His tail flickered anxiously as the sun started to set, and he had only seen a few patrols. So, he made his way up a thicker cypress tree, and laid down in the branches to take a small nap.

The sound of pawsteps much later snapped him out of it, and he raised his head with a flick of his ear. The scent of cats were approaching, and as they got closer, he leapt down from the branch and quickly trotted a bit farther from the border, not noticing if it was them or not quite yet. Once a good distance, he turned his head back to peek and see who it was, caramel eyes sharpening into slits to see through the darkness.  Dragon gingersnapsdacat

[Dragon]

Silvermist was out with her family just her and her kits out on a patrol of the border together. More and more patrols were being sent out ever since news of a fourth clan settling next door to them had reached them. They had no idea who these cats were but until it was sure what their intentions were patrols were sent by several times through out the day. "Webpaw what can you smell?" She mewed as they stopped at the border.


Webpaw stopped at the new border with this new clan. "What's this new clans name mom?" She sniffed the ground then lifted her head and sniffed the air. She shook her head confused. The clan scent was familiar but strange at the same time. "I swear mom if I didn't know Halfpaw was dead I'd swear I can smell him," she mewed softly. Webpaw hadn't smelled her brothers scent in moons and catching a whiff of the familiar scent made tears spring into her eyes and she began to cry. "How can his scent be here, it's impossible."

[gingersnapsdacat]

Gourdpaw padded along beside his sister, his tail bent over her back like a protective shield. He had always cared deeply for his family, but ever since Halfpaw was lost, he had felt the need to fulfill the role of protective older brother. 
"These new cats sure do smell funny," he remarked, tasting the air. It was odd, but he could have sworn that among the scents he could detect his brother...
No, he can't be here, its just a coincidence... Gourdpaw silently attempted to convince himself of this fact, repeating it over and over in his head.
You don't smell him. You don't smell him.
There was no point in worrying his mother and sister just because his nose could never stop finding the tiniest hint of scent. If Halfpaw was alive, someone would have found him moons ago.
"If I didn't know Halfpaw was dead I'd swear I can smell him,"
Gourdpaw stopped, looking at his sister in amazement. 
"You can smell it too? I thought it was just me!"
If she could smell it, then was there a chance that there was really something there? It couldn't have been, could it? Gourdpaw could not help but feel his excitement building. He abandoned all of his former reservations, running up to Silvermist.
"Mom, I think Halfpaw might really be here!"
Dragon Mama

[Mama]

Spiderpaw trotted along with his family, his black speckled fur darkened in the dim light. His thick tail swept over the leaves, as they strolled along. He walked next to his brother, Gourdpaw, his eyes flickering around in the darkness. Slowing to a stop at the border, his eyes kept watching cautiously for any weird cat. {They do smell bad...} He thought to himself with a grumble. Just another clan to argue with, wasn't it? 

He glanced to his family as they mentioned Halfpaw, and Spiderpaw felt a sharp pang in his chest. His head lowered and he looked away from them with a frown. He missed the tom, but it was stupid to think he was still alive. However, movement caught the corner of his eye, of a form over the border moving along. Spiderpaw couldn't tell where it was going, and even if it was over the border, he didn't care. He'd show this stupid cat to not ever go near Mistclan!

With the others distracted, at least for the moment, Spiderpaw took off into a blur of fur across the border, and into a bush where he and this other cat were hidden from the other's sight. The tom leapt at this giant shadow cat with a snarl, before the figure just gave him a good smack with a paw. A yelp echoed out from the bush and all was silent for a bit of time.

Out of the bush came Spiderpaw, who was being carried by Halfpaw. The cat in his jaws looked like he'd just seen a ghost, and Halfpaw preferred not to spread Mistclan scent over the border any more. The feline had grown and towered over them, deep scars against his neck and a long dogish muzzle. Slowly, he lowered a stuttering Spiderpaw over the border, and took a step back. 

"Don't go running over the border, you can't be sure who's waiting." Halfpaw muttered, his voice more mature and deep.

Dragon@gingersnapsdacat

[Dragon]

Hearing Webpaws question she tried to remember ever hearing it. "I don't know dear I guess we'll find out at the next gathering." She sniffed the air herself to get a better scent of this new clan. When her daughter followed by her son both said they could smell Halfpaw she was about to tell them it was their imagination when the breeze picked up slightly and she too could smell it. "How is it possible?" She scanned the other clans territory for the source of the scent when she spotted a large cat. Her eyes grew wide, was it possible? She didn't have a chance to find out for Spiderpaw had gone flying across the border. "SPIDERPAW NOOO GET BACK HERE!" Silvermist wanted to go flying after her son but knew that could cause even more trouble. She stayed frozen in her spot as a moment later her son was carried by the much bigger, grown up version of her son Halfpaw but with many, many scars. When he dropped Spiderpaw on there side of the border and stepped back into the other clans border confusion filled her eyes. "H...Halfpaw? How... How is this possible? How are you alive? Why didn't you return? I...I...I..." Silvermist was unable to speak for tears were running down her face and sobs were escaping her maw.


Webpaw froze as she watched her brother flee across the border. She wanted to run after him but knew better. So she remained frozen beside her mother and watched. What happened next was so shocking she let out a scream and ran across the border after Halfpaw dropped her brother on this side and buried her face in Halfpaws fur. "Your alive, your alive." She just kept repeating that over and over as if trying to convince herself.

[gingersnapsdacat]

Gourdpaw watched, wide-eyed, as a cat that he knew to be dead stepped out of the bushes. 
"You...You..." the grey apprentice stuttered, words refusing to form. Questions raced through his mind, whirling like dangerous rapids. 
How can he be alive? Where has he been? Why didn't he come home? This last question stuck to his mind like a stubborn tick. Why had his brother just...abandoned him? 
"You...bastard."
Now he finally found the strength to walk forward, but it was not the happy greeting that his dear departed brother probably expected. All of his happiness had turned into a feeling of bitter betrayal. 
"You just...left us! You could have come home all this time...but you just...left! You let us think you were dead! You let our father think StarClan had turned their back on him! He searched for you! Every night, he tried to find you in StarClan. Every Night!"
Of course, Gourdpaw did not know if it had truly been every single night that his father had been searching, but that did not matter now. If it were not for the fact that Webpaw was standing between them, Gourdpaw would have probably launched himself at his adoptive brother. Hot tears of anger rolled down Gourdpaw's cheeks, darkening his fur.