[ti]Open[/ti]I can feel it in my bones

[Miss Tactical]

Talon rested his chin on his paws, the rise and fall of his flank was rather steady. Occasionally, a paw would give a slight twitch as he dreamed of running through the territory of thick trees and tendrils. However there was something off about his dream, loud rumbles, and blaring high pitched noises. He twitched his whiskers and eyes tightened as he heard yelling and commotion…was he still dreaming? One eye and then another, the brown tom peered from his nest and out into the clearing, home guards and prey hunters had established themselves, To-bes scrambled near their mentors. With narrowed eyes he padded into the clearing with haste looking around.

There were lights far into the distance, and loud noises that made the ground rumble beneath their paws. Occasionally it would stop before starting up again. He sighed softly. ”Don’t panic…its far off from us still. Talon had feared that this would happen, eventually their home that had been their home since ancient times would be long lost, but he didn’t want to come to that just yet. Their ancestors had been silent, and sickness was spreading like a wildfire…they just buried a home guard yesterday evening over illness it wasn’t something Talon wanted to admit…but he felt they were falling into pieces.

The ground began to rumble once more and he flattened his ears against his head lights began to get brighter the noises louder. As he investigated the sky he saw trees coming down in the distance, what was happening here. He took a nervous breath before looking at those around him. With the telling and ceremonies to be held, he wasn’t sure if they would even make a few more days. ”I will come up with a plan…or something. He didn’t really know what to do or what to say, the brown tom huffed slightly, he couldn’t fathom leaving his home but…with all the rumblings and noises lately…would they have a choice?

[Broadwaykat]

There was a sort of nervous, uncontrollable energy that permeated the camp. Everyone surely could feel it, from the youngest kit to the oldest elder - and it made everyone sit on the edge of their seat. They were adrift in the world as ever before. But if anything, they were not ready to give up.

Shadow, for one, was doing what he did best in times of trouble; patrolling. He could feel the unsettling rumble under his paws, he could see the lights growing closer; and yet, he did his best to keep an eye out for the more mundane dangers; strange cats, the scent of dangerous animals. But the world around them had gotten quite - as if the land under their paws was dislocated from everyone else. An island that wasn't an island.

With no Healers to turn to, there were a few who stepped to the forefront of leadership. The senior cats did there best, but even some young cats like Talon were clearly taking the pressure on their shoulders and trying to make something of themselves. As he came back world weary, paws aching, he noticed the younger tom and approached him, head down as if he couldn't really carry the pressure of his own head on his aching shoulders.

"Anything?" He asked, not elaborating what anything meant. It could mean a number of things. Talon was of course one of the last to be with Firstspeaker when they passed. He apparently had a claw in the world of their ancestors. They had yet to tell them what to do, but they were waiting. Always waiting.

[Miss Tactical]

Talon’s fur began to rise at the uncomfortable feeling of dread. He coughed once, the cold burning his lungs. It was the words of Shadow that caught his attention and drew him back. He turned around and looked at the tom as the words ‘anything’ hit him like the cold water in the rapids stabbing his chest. He didn’t need to elaborate what anything meant. They were clearly in danger, and there had been no words on what to do. He fidgeted momentarily before staring into the trees were bright yellow orbs stared back him. In the distance yelling could be heard from the furless bears. He turned around to look at Shadow and shook his head with a sigh. ”No…nothing quiet. Not even a single scent in the breeze or an awkward chirp of a cricket.” He whispered softly.

He flicked the tip of his tail in irritation. Had they really abandoned them with all this danger? He had a horrible taste in his mouth as he figured out what they should do. Sure the furless bears were still far off in the distance, each day they made their way closer and closer and he honestly thought that perhaps they would just go home or go away…however in the deepest part of his hear the brown tom knew they wouldn’t. He looked up at the ancient ancestors they wouldn’t stop because perhaps it was their stone they were looking for.

”Perhaps….we cannot stay…” He murmured. He wasn’t talking overly loud per se….enough for those close by to perhaps catch a word or too. The sick would be difficult to move but…the lives of so many more were at risk. ”Sand near loud waters is very ill…I don’t see him making it much longer…Song of Bird has also weakened…I just hope when we do our burial ceremony they find their way to our ancestors….I fear for the worst Shadow and I think we must prepare for that.” He mewed firmly. He was confident lately, He knew deep down what they would have to do eventually it was only a matter of time.

[Broadwaykat]

Miss Tactical (Sorry, forgot to tag you, m'dear)

Although the older tom may have already expected the answer, it still sent a chill through his body. Imagining that the loved ones who protected them from the heavens - his loved ones - had suddenly abandoned them with no leadership seemed to freeze his very bones, to say nothing of his heart. As loyal a member of the tribe that he was, he couldn't help but wonder what they had done to deserve such treatment. Why were they set adrift with the threat of annihilation on the horizon. What did every cat - every kit born into this Tribe without sin or experience, deserve this abandonment.

He allowed his head to droop ever so slightly as Talon's words continued to weigh on him. The air tasted foul, the ground shivered as if it itself were feeling it's last moments come upon it. Talon seemed to have come to the same conclusion that many of them had - although it was a bitter thing to swallow. Shadow swallowed and chose his words carefully.

"Every guard knows that...that sometimes when there is no other choice...there is no dishonor in retreating." He finally admitted, as he stared carefully straight ahead, not looking upon anything in particular. "In fact, in many cases it's the only way. If it will save more lives than cost them, then it is the best thing to do, isn't it? When even the spirits are silent, that's left to us to..." He trailed off, as if unable to comprehend what he was saying himself. None of them were trained to have the connections that Firstspeaker had had...or Stream, for that matter. And yet they were dead and gone and they were adrift.

With a heavy sigh, he squared his shoulders."Perhaps it is time that we follow our own pawsteps for a while. Do what we, the living, think is best. Perhaps once we step back for a moment, we will be able to hear our ancestors again. I for one can barely stand the noise those creatures make. They could be bellowing out our decisions for us and we simply can't hear it over those ghastly growls."

What remained unspoken, however, is how many others would be willing. He barely thought he himself would ever imagine such a retreat - even if deep within his heart he only hoped it was a temporary one.