A Meeting With Faunus

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

Orchidtail watched Honeyfrost with narrowed eyes.
She'ld spent the last two days watching the she-cat and Honeyfrost had hunted Desertflower, played with Maplepaw and Tussockpaw and chatted with Silvercreek. No evil plotting or sneaking out late. Nothing. Honeyfrost seemed....nice. Orchidtail stood up with an angry 'hmpf' and went to find Hawktalon. She had invited the deputy to meet Faunus, her loner/rogue friend, and today was the day. Orchidtail flicked her stub of tail in anxiety. Faunus hadn't been making any of their meetings since Sunpaw's death. The last time she had seen him was over a moon ago. The tom was rough and had resorted to living at the Two-leg Farm. She hoped for her sake that he would show.

[heartnet]

Hawktalon padded out of his den, yawning. He strecthed tiredly, shaking his black pelt. His dark blue eyes scanned the camp, smiling as saw that everything was fine. That was good to know, that everyhting was fine after such a disruptive gathering. He caught sight of Orchidtail, seeing her watch Honeyfrost with distaste. He came up behind the slender she-cat. "Something wrong?" he asked lightly, tilting his head with curiousity.

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

Orchidtail jumped and spun around to face the deputy. "Just the cat I was looking for," she meowed after she recovered from the scare Hawktalon had given her. She had been watching Honeyfrost so intently she hadn't noticed the deputy come up behind her. She glanced at Honeyfrost and turned back to Hawktalon. "There's no problem...." she mumbled. She brightened up a bit and twitched her tail. "Come on, let's go and see if Faunus is there. He hasn't actually been making our meetings so I'm worried about his welfare."

[heartnet]

Hawktalon gave a lighthearted chuckle, smiling at the surprised she-cat. He raised an eyebrow as she glanced at Honeyfrost, but didn't say anything at the moment. He nodded, remembering what she had told him about Faunus. "Alright, we have to go now and come back soon. Blizzardstar might start wondering where we are." he said, brushing smoothly by Orchidtail and padding through the entrance of camp. As they started through the forest, he glanced at her before looking ahead again. "You know, Honeyfrost has proven herself a loyal cat so far. Give her a chance." he said quietly as he kept his gaze straight ahead.

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

Orchidtail nodded and happily bounded after Hawktalon.
"I know Hawktalon," she sighed sadly," But I can't help it. I just feel wary of her." She moved up beside the black and white tom and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. "I meet Faunus on the other side of the Herb Field. Near the abandoned Two-leg place," she meowed,"I usually go through the stream so no one can follow me. "

[heartnet]

"I understand how you feel. Just try to accept her for now. Burntstar never did Rainclan any harm." Hawktalon said solemnly, but when he glanced at her, he was smiling. "I'm just asking you to try, that's all." he said warmly, flicking her ear with his tail. He nodded his head, indicated for her to go ahead. "Lead the way then."

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

Orchidtail forced a smile. "I'll try," she meowed shoving Hawktalon playfully,"Let's go."
She ran ahead, following the worn path which had formed by the constant trafficing of paws. She slipped into the stream which marked the beginning of the Two-leg place. As she slipped out of the water she froze, not from the cold but because a cat's fear scent was still fresh in the air. Paw prints were visable in the mud and her heart sunk as the scent became familiar. "Hawktalon...," she called, her voice shaking.

[heartnet]

Hawktalon chuckled, taking off after the she-cat. He slipped out of the stream, shaking the water from his pelt. He stopped as Orchidtail froze and he looked at her with confusion. Surely this wasn't the meeting place. His brows furrowed with concern as she said his name. She seemed distressed and her voice was shaking. "What's the matter Orchidtail?" he asked, scenting the air. A cat's fear scent was strong, but was that what she was so concerned about?

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

"Faunus," she whispered. Faunus had been here. That was his scent...but he was never afraid. Was he? "That's Faunus's scent," she said louder," He was here....yesterday maybe. I nearly missed it. Faunus is never afraid, he told me himself. He said he was only afraid of death. What would make him so afraid he feared for his life?" She turned to Hawktalon with a look of worry and panic on her face. Her fur was weat and muddy and any second now she was going to break down wailing. "Faunus!" she cried out desprately. Perhpas he was still here hiding. "Faunus!" she called again this time her voice souding grief stricken. He was everything to her. A father, a best friend, a companion....everything she felt she never had.

[heartnet]

Hawktalon looked around, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I can smell a hint of rogues scent." he said quietly. They had been here, but they were farther now. He came up beside Orchidtail, brushing her shoulder comfortingly. "Shh, he's scent is fairly new, but he farther off. But that might get the attention of whatever is he is afraid of." he said. His ear flickered and he nudged the worried she-cat. "Come on. We'll find him, we just have to follow his scent quietly." he meowed reassuringly.

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

"He's not a rogue," Orchidtail hissed angrily," He is Faunus and nothing else."
She sniffed the ground and air around her, trying to find a trail.
"His movements are too eractic...he's all over the place," she murmured. She leaned into Hawktalon, his scent comforting. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her head. There was something strange about the whole thing. Something missing. It dawned on her suddenly; where was the attackers scent? Who ever was after Faunus had gone out of their way to cover up their scent. But if it was a rogue why bother with disguising themselves? Unless....it was someone who didn't want to be recognised. "Faunus's attacker didn't want to known," she meowed to Hawktalon," It would have to be somebody we know."

[heartnet]

"Somebody we know?" Hawktalon repeated in confusion. He hadn't issued any patrols, so no Rainclan cat should be patrolling the border now. Besides, Faunus was headed away from the clan, why would cat chase him then? He padded forward slowly, trying to follow Faunus's scent the best he could. Then a thought dawned on him. But...Burntstar couldn't possibly be after this cat, could he? He glanced over his shoulder at Orchidtail. "Who else knows about Faunus?"

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

"Like a clan cat," Orchidtail,"They must of snuck out last night..."
She watched as Hawktalon tried to follow the scent and she too had another attempt. His scent was everywhere and in some parts washed away. It was hopeless. They would never find him.
"Um...rogues and kttypets?" was Orchidtails reply to Hawktalons question," Everyone knows the name but they just don't actually know who he is." She racked her brain for any particular cat who would know who he was. Sunpaw's killer! "Sunpaw said his name when she got killed," she said shocked. She had forgotten that Hawktalon didn't know the full story of her apprentices death.

[heartnet]

Hawktalon raised an eyebrow. Sunpaw...Orchidtail's old apprentice. "I think you better tell me the full story of Sunpaw's death and what exactly happened." he said, his voice firm, but curious. He quietly sent a silent prayer up to Starclan, willing them to give them guidance to find Faunus.

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

Orchidtail turned to Hawktalon. Her eye showed every ounce of her hidden grief and guilt. She had never shown this to the clan as she thought they would find her weak and pathetic. Instead she would go to her cleaning place and silently cry. Her legs sunk out from under her and she lay down in the wet, muddy grass. Her voice came out choked and guilt ridden. "I-I couldn't fight her. She was so...so...little. I tried...I did. I taught her some moves and techniques but it wasn't enough. The other apprentices....they..they always bet her. So, so I asked Faunus and he...he...he volunteered to teach her. She really liked him. They played lots of games and they always were jumping out at each other. And Sunpaw...she saw that rogue and thought it was him. I tried to stop her but she...she..." Orchidtail broke off with a sob and buried her face into her muddy paws. "Now I've lost both of them!" she wailed.

[heartnet]

Hawktalon sat quietly, watching the she-cat with an unreadable expression. "You let a loner train a clan apprentice?" he repeated, his eyes narrowed. "You should have known how dangerous that would be. You should never..." he trailed off as Orchidatil broke of in a sob and a wail. He got to his feet padded up to her. "Come on, stop sitting there feeling sorry for yourself." he ordered, but his eyes were soft for the she-cat as he nudged her up. "We can still find Faunus."

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

"He's not a loner...he's a...I'm not sure," murmurmed Orchidtail," And he was a really good mentor. He's trained other apprentices before....no one knew what we doing. Until....you know. Sunpaw." She turned her head away from Hawktalon. He was angry with her. She had betrayed her clan and lied to them. Not only had she hurt Desertflower and her family but she had also hurt Hawktalon and that was worse. She only wanted to be a good mentor. She turned her brilliant green gaze back to the deputy as he nudged. "You're still going to help?" she asked," You'll still come and find Faunus and bring him home?" She pushed herself up off the ground, her dainty legs shaking.

[heartnet]

Hawktalon nodded. "Yes, of course I'm still going to help. I don't approve of what happened, but that doesn't mean I won't help a cat in need. We'll find Faunus." He said, smiling reassuringly at Orchidtail. He looked around, thoughtful. "Now if only we knew where to start..."

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

"Thank-you Hawktalon!" Orchidtail meowed and she rubbed her cheek against the toms muzzle.
She stepped back and blushed in embrassment. 'I really must control myself,' she thought.
She looked around the area and tried to think of what she would do if she was in Faunus's postion.
"If I was him, which I'm not, I would hide," meowed a quite voice in her ear. Orchidtail blinked and whirled round. "Did you say something Hawktalon?" she asked confused. A faint sweet scent lingered in the air. "Sunpaw?" Orchidtail half whispered-half called.

[heartnet]

Hawktalon nodded, but didn't say anything as Orchidtail rubbed her cheek against his muzzle. He smiled slightly, then turned his attention to the problem at hand. His ears flickered and he glanced at Orchidtail. "I didn't say anything." he said, shaking his head in confusion. He opened his mouth to say something, when a warm and familiar scent caught him in surprise.'Stormheart?' he thought, looking around for the silver tom that had been his mentor. "We're with you. We'll help you find the loner to the best of our ability." Stormheart's voice said softly, giving a rusty purr.

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

"They're here...," she murmmured happily.
"Well, dud," purred Sunpaw. The apprentice never really had much respect for authority.
Orchidtail looked at Hawktalon. "If you were hiding Hawktalon where would you hide?" she asked.
"Somewhere where I can't be seen....like the Tribe," Sunpaw meowed as if she was trying to push Orchidtail into remembering something.

[heartnet]

Hawktalon nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, they are." he muttered, his brows furrowed as he thought about Orchistail's question. "I don't know...Barley's farm has food and shelter, but too many cats know about it....twolegs would be too dangerous...I guess somewhere that no cat knows much about. Not one of the clans, but some other group..." he said as he spoke ideas out loud.

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

Orchidtail smiled happily and closed her eyes. She let Sunpaw's scent wash over and trained her ears to Hawktalon's voice. "Last time I met him he said he was at the farm. No point going there I guess. He'll be gone. The tribe covered themselves in mud right? How about somewhere muddy. Somewhere where we never go...."
The perfect place formed in her mind. The marsh on Rainclan territory. It was too dangerous as many cats thought they were walking on solid ground and ended up drowning.
"The marsh!" she yowled to Hawktalon.

[heartnet]

Hawktalon nodded thoughtfully as Orchidtail spoke. When she mentioned the march, he looked at her like she had grown another head. "Not the marsh Orchidtail, we can't. It's too dangerous. You could sink and drown to death without even realizing it." he said, his expression grim. 'He will be found in mud and leaves...' Stormheart's voice sounded softly in his ears and he shook his head. "It's too dangerous, I won't risk a clan mates life." he objected to both of them, shaking his head firmly. 'Hawktalon...you need to find Faunus..' Stormheart murmured softly.

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

"Please?" she begged," Faunus wouldn't go there if he wasn't in serious trouble."
Her green eyes twinkled and she relised how fearful Hawktalon was for her. "It'll be okay," she purred," Sunpaw and Stormheart will guide us."
"If you stand on the tussocks you'll be fine," murmurmed Sunpaw," Faunus knows this."

[heartnet]

Hawktalon's eyes narrowed. "Blizzardstar would be furious if I allowed you to go to the march!" He said, but he seemed to be caving a little bit. 'You did say you would help find him. We will guide you to the best of our ability.' Stormheart said reassuringly. Hawktalon sighed. He couldn't say no to Stormheart. "Alright, I guess. But we have to be careful. And we have to hurry. Blizzardstar might be starting to worry where I am."

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

"Blizzardstar will just have to go and eat crow food," Orchidtail spat," Faunus is my friend and I have to try and save him."
She let out a most kittish squel of delight when Hawktalon finally agreed. She slipped happily back into the stream and headed towards the marsh.

[heartnet]

"Watch what you say, Blizzardstar is your leader." Hawktalon scolded, but he couldn't help smiling at her defiancy. He followed after her towards the marsh, glancing up at the sky. "I better not regret this Stormheart." he muttered, quickening his pace to catch up with Orchidtail.

[á£Îmaý---♫♥]

It was nearly sundown by the time the four cats had reached the marsh. Not only had they had to turn back and travel across the territory they had to continousily turn back as the old paths had become overgrown with gorse, bracken , bramble and a host of other impassable bushes. The only sign that they were going in the right direction was the drips of blood on the ground and the snags of rich brown fur caught in the thorns. After struggling through thorn bushes, clambering over twigs and logs and stumbling down slopes they finally reached the muddy soil that marked the marsh and the edge of their territory. Orchidtail turned to Hawktalon beaming. She was tired and worn but happy. She could scent Faunus and knew he was here somewhere. However, if he was alive that was another question.

[heartnet]

Hawktalon sighed with relief as hey finally reached the marsh. He looked around, taking it all in as he caught his breath. This had been the one place Stormheart had always forbidden him to go. "This better be worth it Stormheart." He muttered, shaking his head at the sight and picking a thorn out of his pelt. Stormheart just sighed, glancing over at Sunpaw. "Okay Orchidtail, that was the easy part. Now watch your footing and be careful." Hawktalon said, glancing over at her and taking catious steps forward.