RPGTopia

Spottednose soon joined his companions are the tunnel, yawning as he greeted them. "Good afternoon, she-cats and toms!" he mewed.

Falconflight got to his paws. "Glad you could join us, Spottednose," he mewed with a touch of amusement. "Come. Shadowstar wanted us to check the RiverClan border and report straight back to her if there was any flooding." His amber eyes met the gazes of each of the cats in his patrol. "I don't think I need to remind any of you to be careful. But all the same. Let's try to avoid getting soaked." With that, he turned and led the way out of camp.

"No need to tell me that twice," Spottednose replied, trotting after Falconflight...

Mapleleaf and Swanfeather brought up the rear of the patrol as Stormheart padded at Falconflight's shoulder.

At the river, a couple of RiverClan cats were crouched on the opposite bank, their gazes focused on the waters with fierce concentration. They knew all too well the dangers the river offered, as well as the barrier it provided between them and the other Clans. Once the floods came, fishing would get harder and land-living prey would drown.

Firestreak was watching a particularly interesting squirrel carefully, the rodent milling about on the ground for some reason, probably foraging for food. The exiled tom new he'd have only once chance at catching it, knowing all too well that they could climb trees far faster than a cat. Bringing himself as close to his prey as possible without exposing himself, Firestreak waited until it turned away to look at something before springing out from the undergrowth. The rodent didn't know what hit it, and the orange and white tom was able to quickly finish off his prey with a swipe of his claws. Picking up the squirrel, he brought it to the relative safety of the brush and began eating, the scent of water reaching him, but he paid it little mind...

Spottednose took his time during the walk, enjoying the beauty of the forest now that newleaf had arrived. Not only was it warm and prey was plentiful, but hostilities with the other Clans would be very low...

Falconflight paused at the border. The river looked slightly swollen with melted snow, but not at the danger point just yet.

Ferallion's green eyes peered down the length of the river, seeing the group of cats in the distance. When the breeze permitted, their scents drifted past his nostrils. "Hmm, clan cats. Thunderclan. Think they're here to try their paws at fishing, brother?" He mewed. Tiberium, who was now on his right side licking his left flank, looked up to his brother. He then swung his head about to look at the patrol. "Thunderclan cats? Fishing? I didnt know we'd be having entertainment after our meal, Ferallion" The white tom growled, glancing back to his brother, a grin on his maw. "Though they're probably here to check the river. Make sure it didnt flood because of the meltwater"
"Like our burrow?" Ferallion growled, flattening his ears. "Yes. Like our burrow. We'll need to find or make a new one soon" Tiberium replied, before going back to grooming himself.

Spottednose looked mildly concerned when he saw the river. "Er, what exactly are we going to do if it floods? The camp's far enough away... right?"

After eating his fill of the rodent, Firestreak brushed the skeletal remains aside, focusing on the smell of water. The exiled tom didn't realize how far he had wandered; he was now, apparently, near Riverclan territory. Taking a few tentative steps back, he found himself falling into a bush, just as a few carrion birds arrived to pick at the squirrel carcass. Gradually he heard the sounds of other, larger creatures moving about around him, his own sense of smell overwhelmed by the bush for some reason, whose scent was quite strong, even from a distance. This, however, also worked in his favor; the other creatures moved around him without noticing, moving toward the border of Riverclan and Thunderclan...

"That will depend on how far the river floods," Falconflight meowed. He watched the RiverClan cats for a moment, then added, "For now, it looks like we're okay, but we'll need to keep a close eye on things." Stormheart was looking around, having detected an unfamiliar scent. Two of them, actually, and close by too. When he spotted the cats relaxing on Sunningrocks, one white, one gray, he flicked Falconflight's shoulder with his tailtip and nodded towards the strangers. The deputy turned towards them and began to approach at a quick trot, calling out, "Hey, you two! Who are you, and why are you on ThunderClan's territory?"

This ought to be interesting... Spottednose thought as he followed Falconflight. Despite his outwardly calm manner, he was on alert now, listening and seeing everything around him. He didn't want to walk right into some sort of ambush by rogues or RiverClan cats, as unlikely as that might be...

Tiberium raised his head again and looked towards the source of the voice. "Not even a 'Good morning' or 'How are you?'" Ferallion growled before laying his head down on the rock, his ears still down. When the deputy neared, Tiberium mewed "Last I heard, the river was neutral territory, clan cat. As for who we are, we are just two loners trying to enjoy a nice newleaf morning." He smiled at the brown tabby.

"The river itself may be the border between two Clans, and thus neutral territory," Falconflight meowed, slowing as he neared the two toms, "but the Sunningrocks belong to ThunderClan. Be you loners or Clan cats, you're still trespassing." Stormheart, noting the fish bones and scales scattered around the area, commented, "Non-RiverClan cats who don't mind getting their paws wet for a meal. Surprising. Where do you come from, and where are you going?"

"Alas my beloved, it is time for us to part ways" Ferallion growled melodramatically before hopping off of the sunning rock. He stretched himself out after he landed. "I believe that is what some call...personal business, clan cat" Tiberium replied to the warrior, before he too got to his feet. It seemed like the two cats would have to take their leave soon

Spottednose leaned towards Falconflight. "I think we can let this one go," he whispered to the deputy. "They're just a pair of lazy loners. No need to start anything if we don't have to..."

Falconflight nodded. "Follow the river upstream," he meowed to the two loners. "Jump the small stream that branches off it and keep going that way. Once you've crossed that stream no Clan will challenge you. it's neutral territory." He glanced at Swanfeather, then Stormheart and Mapleleaf. "Safe journey to you," the deputy added.

Tiberium nodded and flicked his brother's shoulder with the end of his black ringed tail. He then bounded off along the river bank, heading against the current. He was planning to head that way anyway, towards the hilly grassland just before Windclan territory, to see if he could find an abandoned burrow for him and his brother. Ferallion moved up beside him and growled lowly "A clan cat? Calling us lazy? Im sure we do more in a day than most of the cats in a clan, laying around their camps while the others work"
"Says the cat who watched me get his breakfast" Tiberium growled with a smirk. "You know full well I cant fish, Tiberium. If it were moles or squirrels, then you'd be watching me" The gray tom mewed proudly, puffing out his chest, which only looked bigger because of the long fur. "I could always teach you, you know" Tiberium replied, only to get a snort from his brother. "No thanks, I dont like wet pelt like you do, Tiberium" He was smirking now

After a short pause, Spottednose meowed, "Well, that was exciting. Where to next?"

Falconflight watched the two loners until they were out of sight, then mewed, "We may as well mark the border here and then head for the ShadowClan border. A little luck and the warmer weather will keep them civil for a few moons yet." At his word, the other three cats headed off to start scent-marking.