The Hunter (Open)

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

Gaara knew when they were nearing the stream. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at his companions.

"Race ya!" He cried, sprinting forward. He felt like the kit he had never had a chance to be. He leaped into the air and laughed happily.

"Oh, mother, if you could only see me now!" He exclaimed, staring up into the sky as he raced forward.

[Brambleclaw]

Birdie trotted at a pace that stayed close to Gaara. Longan shot past the two, but soon had lost energy and was beat. As soon as Birdie saw the stream, she rocketed forward and plunged into the stream first. She had always been a fast runner. He had been faster. She shuddered, trying to forget about him. She swam around lazily, smiling as the other two reached the river - Longan taking quite some time.

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

Gaara stopped beside the river and lowered his head to drink. He turned and smiled as he saw Longan lagging behind.

"C'mon and take a rest. You've earned it." He meowed, smiling. He turned and arched the whiskers above his eye when he saw Birdie.

"Enjoy the water, do you?" He asked playfully.

[Brambleclaw]

Longan curled up at the water's edge, lapping up some of the cool water an then falling fast asleep. Birdie purred.
"Today I do!" She meowed, paddling around happily.

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

Gaara smiled slightly.

"Well I guess I can't blame you."{/b] He meowed, dabbing his paw in the water. It was cool and refrshing, and he did somewhat enjoy how it felt.

[Brambleclaw]

"Hop in!" Birdie called, diving under the cool water. Fish darted quickly from their hiding places and the she-cat wished she could remain there forever. But Birdie needed air, and she resurfaced rather quickly. Smiling, she splashed at Gaara playfully before diving underwater again.

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

Gaara's eyes widened as the she-cat dipped under the surface of the water. Was she half otter or something? He warily placed his forepaw into the water, and then when he found the current was not strong he waded into the cool water. He shivered a little as the water covered his shoulders, but he turned and smiled at Birdie once she resurfaced.

"It does feel nice, doesn't it?" He purred.

[Brambleclaw]

"Yeah." She meowed, swept up in Gaara's cool gaze. Gaara was so much like him, or at least his good part. Birdie dove under the surface again, swimming to the deepest part and examining the pebbles at the bottom of the streambed.

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

Gaara experimentally stuck his head under the water. He drew it back, sputtering, his eyes wide. How did Birdie do that? He shook his head and little droplets fell from his whiskers and the tips of his medium-long fur. He looked no darker in the water than normal - a strange thing for a ginger tabby. In fact, his normally-red fur looked somewhat gold beneath the crystal waters. He turned and smiled as he saw Longan. He was glad he had taken the little tom with him. He had a friend now. Gaara turned back to Birdie. He had two friends. That was enough for him, after a life full of loneliness.

[Brambleclaw]

Birdie sat, her golden bell glittering in the moonlight. She watched as he smiled, slipping closer to her. His eyes glittered like pure pools of moonshine. She could scarcely believe she was lucky enough to be with him. Suddenly, his eyes turned to those of fiery hate.
"What did you do!?!" He screamed at her, staring down at his paws. She could hardly force herself to look, and held her gaze firmly locked with his. He let out another violent scream.
"What have you done!?!?!" He lunged at her, almost catching her as his chain choked him. He hissed, fighting and choking himself. Birdie sighed softly, watching him struggle. He glared as she sighed, taking it as useless pity. With another hiss he began to choke, coughing and trying to breath. Suddenly he fell down dead, the last of his breath escaping in a hoarse hiss.

Birdie watched Gaara as she swam in circles, trying to rid herself from the painful memories of her past. Her golden pelt was darker and sleek, more like an otter's than a cats now.

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

Gaara clumsily began to waft about in the cool water. He turned and smiled at Birdie, but noticed she seemed preoccupied.

"Compared to me you must be part fish." He meowed with a wide smile, hoping to cheer her up. He knew nothing of encouraging others, but he wanted to try.

[Brambleclaw]

Birdie smiled and splashed Gaara.
"I don't have much better to do during my day. There is a kind twoleg couple with several kids and a big pool of turquoise water I swim in." Birdie paddled around some more, fighting what slow and gentle current there might have been. She enjoyed cool water on hot days, and a warm pool of twoleg water on colder ones.

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

Gaara nodded and watched her curiously. What did she see in Twolegs? He looked at Longan on the bank. They had taken away something very precious from him. Stripped him of any ability to have kits with the cat he loved. Gaara sighed. Twolegs seemed cruel to him, but what did he know? He turned to Birdie.

"You know, I..." He froze. His eyes widened and his ears flickered in several different directions in a manner of seconds. He turned slowly and scented the air. The fur along his nape stood up.

"It's them..." he growled beneath his breath. His eyes held a mixture of hatred, anger, and fear.

[Brambleclaw]

Birdie popped up, giving Gaara a curious stare. She couldn't scent a thing! She cast a glance at Longan who continued to sleep peacefully.
"Might I ask whom?" She said with worry tainting her voice.

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

Gaara was trembling. They were not in the immediate area - that was good. But they came near this place often enough. Gaara slowly backed out of the river, his tail-tip twitching and his eyes wide.

"The cats who murdered my family. They've come for me." He growled, casting a glare over his shoulder before trampsing up the bank. His fur was so damp it stuck in odd clumps, but it was still apparent that he was frightened. They will stop at nothing until I am dead. He thought, shaking a little. He stared at the direction of their scent. It was faint, but recognizable.

"SilenceClan..." He murmured, voicing the name of many rumors he'd heard, "I should've known."

[Brambleclaw]

Birdie flew instantly out of the water.
"They killed your family?" She said in disbelief. She had never known her own family, but she knew what family meant to other cats. She gathered a sleepy Longan over to her and stood strong next to Gaara.
"What do we do?" She asked nervously.

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

Gaara looked at his paws and then back to them.

"You'd best go someplace where you'll be safe. Leave me, and you probably will have a better chance. My kin are ruthless. They will stop at nothing until the last member of their family is gone." Gaara meowed, unsheathing his claws. He felt a pang of sadness. Why did his brother and sister have to kill off all happiness he had ever felt? If he survived this meeting, he would find Birdie and Longan again. But until then, he could just hpoe.

[Brambleclaw]

[[Wait... So is Gaara related to someone like Chaos and her brother? What if they were the 'big cat' and the 'little cat' that tried to kill Weeping???]]

Birdie nodded. She turned and ran swift, Longan on her heels. When they were quite some distance from Gaara, Birdie ushered Longan into a tree.
"Stay up as high as you can. I'll be back." She turned and bolted away, leaving the young tom waiting in fear. Soon Birdie could see Gaara again.
"Can't leave you behind." Birdie said with a smile, letting her claws slide out as she waited for the cats if they would come.

[.:-Aikoa-:.]

Gaara turned and frowned at Birdie.

"You should go. Before they come. I don't want-"

"Well lookey here. It's been some time, Killer." A harsh voice sneered. Two cats stepped from the bushes. The first was a large, muscular tabby tom with blazing amber eyes. The second was a lean she-cat with a cool expression but the scent of death clung to her, making her seem more formidable than she normally would be.

"Can't say it's a pleasure." Gaara snarled. Chaos looked surprised.

"Oh? Where's the cool cat who'd never say a word in anything but that little dull voice of his? Were all of father's many lessons on being a Killer wasted on mother's baby?" Chaos chuckled dryly. Renegade grinned at Gaara and snorted.

"You hardly compare to us. All those cats you killed were easy enough, weren't they?" She sneered. Gaara was bristling, his claws unsheathed.

"Well I wouldn't mind adding your sorry hides to the list. That shouldn't be too hard." Gaara snarled. The edges of his gaze were turning red, and he could only see through a narrow tunnel-like mist.

"Oh, looks like the genetic defects are coming on. Watch out, brother, he might slay us without having to move. Just one of those bloodlust looks could kill. At least that's what father said of great grandfather, yes?" Chaos mewed pityingly.

[Brambleclaw]

Birdie bristled when the two cats appeared. But as they spoke, her fur slowly went down. She cast a worried glance at Gaara. Was he really like him? Was he too much alike? Why did she seem attracted to killers? She felt a horrible, heart-wrenching feeling. Birdie blinked it away, suddenly realizing she was a fool. Gaara was kind, not a killer. He was nothing to be ashamed of. Gaara was nothing like he had been. Birdie bristled again, looking at the she-cat menacingly. She felt strange, unlike when he was around. Gaara made her feel so comfortable, so perfect. She wasn't pretending around him. She was herself. Bubbly little kittypet self. Realizing this, she also realized that she had feelings for the tom. Gaara was unlike any other. She'd fight to the death for him, and if he would do the same Gaara was nothing like him. Birdie wasn't afraid. She wasn't scared of death. She'd tasted it before. She felt a sudden pulse of energy, and knew she would be able to do anything near Gaara. She smiled thankfully, looking at the tom and she-cat before them. SilenceClanners for sure, but something else. Gaara's family. What could she do? Would he hate her if she hurt them? Without asking, Birdie knew she would do it for him. Anything. She hoped he'd return the favor, though...

"Sweetheart, it is okay. We didn't like Oke anyway. Come here." He said with a purr that was tainted red with venom. He didn't mean a word of it. "Druid, Stork, come here. Little Birdie, you too." He continued, beckoning the cats forward. Druid was a pale midnight black with dark blue eyes. Stork was white with fiery orange eyes and a slender build fit both she-cats. Birdie hissed darkly. She was unimportant to him.
"Don't treat me like that. I....." She lost her speech with a single glare from him. Suddenly, she turned and began to walk away. He leaped at her with powerful force, tackling her to the ground. The two tussled as all he wanted was her for a night, and she wouldn't take it longer. Squealing in pain, a light at the twoleg nest came on. He gasped, backing away from her as something flew after him, knocking him to the ground. Stork and Druid fled quickly, and he got up covered in shattered clear stones. He was soaked through-and-through with strange, stinking twoleg liquid that was sticky and hot. Hissing, he stood and shook himself. He lunged after Birdie again, and she ran. Faster and faster, her heart beating. She reached the dead-end of the alley, and he came at her. She slit his throat with ruby-red painted claws, her twolegs quite enjoying to color her claws. She gasped at the sticky red blood on her paws.
"I'm so sorry," Birdie said in horror. "Fell, I'm so sorry..."