}i{:On Her Own:}i{

[Zaida]

The young she-kit prowled like a tigeress as she moved into the forest, quietly stalking the unsuspecting rabbit that bounded on towards its home. Wide hazel optics focused heavily on the fluffy little body, plump with promise. It was dawn, just as the fire-sphere arose over the horizon, and this little huntress was hungry for something more than field mice. She'd stalked this rabbit into this forest, seeing the perfect chance. She crouched low into the grass, eyes narrowing slightly as she saw the rabbit halting at a small pond, nibbling on a blade of grass. Her shoulderblades rolled as she coiled all her muscles, readying herself to spring. Her claws silently contracted from her paws, feeling the earth beneath them without a sound. She inched forward, keeping a firm hold of her stealth as she took another step, bringing herself as closely as possible before she suddenly burst forth in a blurr of grey and black fur, exploding from the grass and leaping toward her juicy target. Startled, the rabbit bolted away, but it was too close and she was too fast for it to get too far. She quickly advanced on it, leaping and coming down on it hard, clasping her jaws firmly around the vertebrae, savoring the snap! that informed her that her prey was paralyzed. She flipped it over with her paw, snapping into the jugular, making her catch official as the plump figure lay lifeless. Smiling slightly with pride at herself for making another catch, she lifted the rabbit and dragged it off and up into a tree, where she settled as a jaguar might do while feeding on its prey. Zaida sank her teeth into the fur, ripping it open and inhaling the ripe scent of fresh blood before she fed upon it, not satisfied until every bone was clean and gnawed. She then let the remains drop back to the earth, jumping down from the tree to bury it all before she pranced off, now searching for a safe place to sleep as the sun wove its path up the sky. She loved basking in the warm sunlight after getting a full belly, and at the moment, that sounded like the best plan. So, she pranced further into the forest, scanning the area for danger while searching for the place that would suit her.

[/font][/color][/center]

[Burning Falcon]

A shadow lurked unsuspectingly. Much more experienced than Zaida and trained in the way of the ShadeClan warriors, he preyed upon the kit, silently stalking her. It was something he had mastered over the years to make sure his ambitious and deadly plans were a success, making sure the target of his hatred always was to die.

The tabby pelt, although hit by the sun, did not glimmer as the pelts of most cats would. He seemed like a walking shadow himself, his heart cold. Claws softly touched the earth as his powerful hind legs kicked off the dirt and soared forwards, claws ready to strike the she-kit Zaida.

(oooo, it's SHADOWHEART! RUN, ZAIDA! xD)

[/size]

[.Sketch;]

<sub>There was a snap in the shadows behind and suddenly a loner stepped out the darkness. Her pelt rippled with fluid motion as the sun danced along her back. "What are you doing" her voice came out as a rough scratchy bark as she locked her eyes on the back of Shadowhearts neck. She could tell what he was doing, what sort of sicko killed a kitten. Stalking forward she stood in front of Zaida. "Do you really think its wise to do such a thing" she meowed, eyes flashing nastily as she looked the shady tom over. Something about him reminded her of something though she wasn't sure just what it was yet.

ooc; THRONE HAS COMETH TO SAVETH THE DAY..ETH!</sub>

[Burning Falcon]

He squirmed and skidded to a stop. "Move it, you stupid female!" he spat angrily, his claws kneading the dirt. With anger in his eyes, he slashed at her. Suddenly, Gator hit him in the side.

"Keep away from her, Shadowheart!" he hissed and bit the tom on the shoulder.

Shadowheart hissed and raked his claws on Gator's chest. Gator squirmed and bit on Shadowheart's shoulder. Suddenly, a force of pain hit him in the stomach and he flew in the air, hitting a tree and blood splattering against the trunk from his bloodied shoulder.

"Monster!" rasped Gator, out of breath. "Why do you do such things?"

Shadowheart blinked. Good question, it was. A spirit appeared, her form beautiful yet haunting.

"You have a choice, Shadowheart," the voice said hauntingly, her voice and figure only visible to the ex-ShadeClanner. "You know your actions are wrong...

He gasped. "Leave me alone!" he spat, pupils small as he turned and fled, the spirit vanishing as his presence left.

[/size]

[Zaida]

The young grey vix continued on her way, fully alert to her surroundings as she calmly searched for a good resting spot. It wasn't long before danger found her. Big surprise. She'd encountered rogues before, thinking they could make an easy meal out of a defenseless kitten. See, that was the difference. Zaida was tougher than you'd think. She'd been on her own almost all her life, and you have to learn quickly if you want to survive. As soon as the shadowed tom had come near enough, she'd heard him, but did not make it known that she was aware of him. There was a shift in the wind as he lept at her, and she suddenly bursted forward, even faster and more unexpected than when she'd sprung at the rabbit. Quickly moving with her agility, she bolted out of the small clearing and disappeared up a tree. She instantly became silent, her brightened hazel eyes peering through the branches that camoflagued her small figure into them. She watched the commotion below, seeing the tom that'd attempted to catch her and the she-cat that'd blocked him and helped her get away. Just incase, she eyed the branches, forming a strategy if she needed to escape again. She smiled slightly as she found the perfect route, thankful for all her tree-climbing adventures. She listened to the two felines below, watching as a second tom appeared, also stepping in to protect her. She watched in amazement as he yowled and scurried away. 'Jeez, and I thought I was the she-kit here!' She joked in her head. She snickered quietly and watched to make sure the tom was gone, eyeing the other two felines who'd come to her aid. Hesitating a moment, she lept from her perch, gliding past two other branches before landing gracefully on her paws. She then pranced over to the tom and femme. "Thanks a lot for your help. I appreciate it. Are you loners too?" She said, smiling at them both. Her eyes had shifted to a soft green color, sitting back on her hinds and waiting curiously to hear from them.

[/size][/color][/center]

[Burning Falcon]

"I'm Gator," the tom nodded, ignoring his bleeding shoulder. "This is my mate, Thorn." He flicked his tail towards the she-loner." He looked in the direction that Shadowheart had gone. "That is Shadowheart, probably the most dangerous cat in the forest. Even tough loners like us probably wouldn't stand a chance against him. Something stopped him from fighting today." He shook his head. "Anyway, what's a kit like you doing all alone?"

[/size]

[Running Wolf]

Fierce walked up as Shadowheart fled.
"Hello, Gator, Thorne. How are you both?" Fierce meowed, despite her name, she was friendly.

[Burning Falcon]

"Good," Gator grumbled, his dislike of kittypets too powerful for his own good.

[/size]

[Running Wolf]

"And before you think that I'm a kittypet, I'm not Gator, I'm a loner." Fierce meowed, always hating it when cats thought that she was still a kittypet.

[Zaida]

Zaida looked up at Gator and Thorn, smiling still. "I'm Zaida." She said, looking off in the direction this Shadowheart had gone. "Well, thanks to whatever stopped him and to you two, I'm alive to tell the tale. I appreciate it. I'm alone, because that's the way it's been since I was less than one moon." She mewed and looked to the she-cat that'd approached them. "Hi."

[/size][/color][/center]

[Running Wolf]

Fierce looked at the small kit and nodded before walking off.