broken_locks (shock)

[ace]

Acelyn

the broken locks were a warning...

[/i][/color][/size]

... you got inside my head.

[/i][/color][/size]

Acelyn's paws were rapid against the ground as she ran, mud splattering onto their snowy white surface. Her tail flailed behind her like a streamer, its feathery form sticking out of the tall grass. She didn't care about being discreet, oh no. She just had to run. The barn, it had been filled with other cats. Ace had felt their eyes on her, watching her with curiousity brimming in their depths. Why couldn't they just leave her alone? That was all she wanted, to be alone. Her mother had obeyed that wish without even knowing it. The only cats Acelyn would ever allow to come back in, to judge her, to love her were her father, brother, and sister. She stopped abruptly, nearly toppling forward as her small paws skidded against the ground. The pretty white and silver fae looked down at said paws, taking in their muddy appeal. Ace missed her family, all minus her mother, visiting her, talking to her. She hadn't even talked back, they just talked to her. She had felt so much safer.

Still, Acelyn was content with her life now. After all, it was her mother's fault. She took them away, she demanded that they no longer visit her. Acelyn knew why, too. Her mother believed that Acelyn wasn't... normal. She blamed her for all the family deaths, and probably her own, too. Her mother had been very convincing, very manipulative. It wouldn't have been difficult for her at all to change the minds of her own family. Frowning, Acelyn continued to walk, her tail falling from its large height and now trailiing in the mud. The sticky, brown stubstance ruined its feathery softness, and Ace's tail was filled with a sudden new weight. She cringed, but this could all wait until she got to the oak tree. Once she could lay down and feel safe, she'd clean herself up. Her safety was more important then cleanliness, though.

The area around her was so peaceful, so quiet, that Acelyn felt at ease enough to take slow, gentle steps. Now she was careful to get no more mud on her paws, and she lifted her tail about a mouse-length from the ground, although the new weight of mud on it made it difficult. Oh, no matter. The long-legged fae continued walking, arriving at the oak tree within moments. Acelyn walked over to her favorite spot; she knew where it was, only because of the indents in the grass from her lying their so often. With one flick of her ear, Acelyn lay down, feeling the grass wrap around her belly and legs. Since she was so tall, Acelyn could just barely see over the grass. That was all she needed, however, to make sure that no one was coming. Something inside of her made her feel confident in her safety, though. She didn't know what it was, but somehow she felt... untouchable that day. For now she shrugged it off, and began to lick the mud off her paws.

The taste was hard and crusty against her tongue, making Acelyn gag. She dreaded moving on to her tail, but she had to. It would irritate her to know end if she didn't get rid of the sticky substance. It felt as if ages went by before she moved on to her tail, and now it was much more difficult. Her tail, thanks to its plumed and feathery figure, choked her with long and fluffy hairs as she tried to lick off the mud. Acelyn coughed, finally giving up on her tail and just leaving it alone, mud still barely clinging to the tips. She'd find a stream later, perfect to wash it off in. For now, with the sun trying to reach her through the tree's branches, Acelyn decided to relax. With her ears still pricked, the little femme allowed her head to fall to her paws, though her eyes remained open, and she allowed her mind to wander...

Acelyn could tell that she didn't have much time that day, though she had no idea why. She knew by the way the stream raced past, going at a much higher speed the unusual. The clouds moved across the sky rapidly, as if in a race. Small prey, such as mice, would scurry by her with cheetah speed. Everything, it was just going so fast. The wind buffeted at her, making Ace fluff out her fur to shield herself from the sudden cold. This wasn't right. Why was this happening to her now, of all times? Everything, everything except her, was moving in fast motion. She'd take a step, and it would take her ages to get her paw to the ground. Acelyn winced, closing her eyes and squinting them completely shut. This wasn't right at all. Acelyn couldn't handle it anymore, she pushed this world completely out of her mind for the timebeing. Maybe it was a sign, maybe danger was coming...

When Acelyn opened her eyes again, she was back. Her world, the normally imperfect one, was exactly where she wanted to be. She didn't understand, though, why her normally perfect world, her sanctuary, turned into such turmoil. She blinked, gazing around the area with her dark blue eyes. Though she saw nothing, she could hear a few rustles here and there. Acelyn didn't dare confuse this with the wind, though she wouldn't run yet. There had to be someone there, and she had to be sure of it before she gave up her spot. She wouldn't fight, but if neccisary she would run. Cautiously, Acelyn got to her paws, prepared to run if ever neccisary.

[S C O R P I A]

===================
Shock
===================

Shock left the barn to go for a hunt, but so far hadn't even bothered scenting for prey. Later he would catch something, but for now he was tired and wanted a place to relax. Outside of FleetClan territory the Tall Grass continued, and this is where the loner was trotting, trying to find a decent place to sit down. It had been a long, hard Leafbare, but he really didn't feel the need to eat right now. Many would think opposite, considering Shock's bony frame, but the tom hardly ate, even if he did survive the winter easily. A few other loners that lived in the barn had told him he hunted the best when snow was on the ground, considering it matched his pelt so well. Shock didn't think he hunted better than anyone else, but was happy to accept the praise. After all, Clockwork was the cat who taught him, so he got the credit. The grass rustled as Shock pushed through it noisily, it was exceptionally difficult to keep quiet in this area, it didn't matter how experienced you were.

The sun shone brightly downward, and Shock was greatful for the warmth it brought him. When a winter such as this one finally passed, it seemed everyone was always happy. Its just like the saying: You don't know what you've got until its gone. Shock had encountered his very first Leafbare this year, and was quite surprised by the emptiness he felt in his belly all the time. Even when he did get a piece of freshkill, the feeling of fullness was still only temporary before your stomach fell back into the pit of hunger again. Shock purred at the thought of the sun returning, and bringing the prey with it. Why, he could pick up several mice on the way back to the barn without even trying! As the weather warmed up things would only get better. It wasn't just the clans that would thrive!

Shock, for the first time, opened his mouth to scent the air. He was overwhelmed by the smell of rabbits and grass, and realized how close he was to the FleetClan boarder. Backpedaling a few steps and turning on his heel the opposite direction, Shock shook his head at how absentminded he was being. He had crossed that boarder before, only to be chased off by a patrol almost immediately. The memory caused a smile to erupt of Shock's face, and he began to quicken his step, grass touching the tip of his chin and tangled with his long legs. The loner scented again, deciding he should probably catch something before he was out for too long. There were a few injured cats he had volunteered to feed as well, so extra prey would be needed.

The scent of blackbird hit his nostrils, and Shock struggled to locate it. He silently cursed himself for choosing to come to this area, for he could barely see over the grass. Suddenly a blur of a dark shape cascaded over his head in the opposite direction, and Shock took off after it. His paws hit hard on the ground as the tom thrusted himself forward, extending his stride to the full length and digging his claws into the ground for a better push. He narrowed brilliant blue eyes and controlled his breathing; hunting a bird in flight was a difficult technique he had not yet mastered. His prey was heading for a large oak tree, and unaware of his chaser, perched itself on one of the branches. The tom still couldn't see above the grass too much, and was unaware of the other cat at the trunk.

Shock took the roundabout way, and slowed down to make himself scarce. If he could come from behind and catch the blackbird off guard.... The loner pressed himself to the ground and hid beneath the grass, gazing upward to the low branch the bird was perched on. Shock held his breath, circling the tree until he was at the back, the opposite side that Acelyn was sitting. He kneaded his paws on the ground with anticipation. But no, he knew to wait for the right time. Merely a few heartbeats later, Shock dug his claws into the earth and launched himself upward, sailing toward the branch. The bird gave an alarm call and fluttered upward, but the loner managed to snag it by his claws just before falling on the other side of the tree. Shock quickly bent his head and ended its life, disappointed with his sloppy catch.

Sighing as he turned the other way, the tom noticed for the first time there was another cat only a few tail lengths away from him. He gave his chest fur a few quick licks to cover his embarrassment, and gazed at the she-cat somewhat shyly. The other feline looked about his age, and Shock was amazed by how beautiful she looked. She was white with silver patches, and had stunning dark blue eyes. For a few moments, the tom stood staring at her, almost forgetting about the real world and how much of a mousebrain he probably looked. After a few moments he snapped his gaping mouth shut, only to open it again to speak.

"Hello."

Shock knew he probably looked like an idiot, standing and staring at the she-cat. The tom had never seen her before, and had never been around many females for that matter. He simply gave a half smile and looked away awkwardly, trying to figure out why he was being such a mousebrain.

I never acted this way around Clockwork!

status;[/i] finished
puppet; shock
word count; 985
muse; purdy good
other; awwwwwwwww.... *pulls out bag of popcorn* this will be a cute love story! XD Shock is so adorably awkward... [/sub]

[ace]

Acelyn

the broken locks were a warning...

[/i][/color][/size]

... you got inside my head.

[/i][/color][/size]

Acelyn didn't know how long she was standing there, or how long she would be standing there. So far, nothing had alerted her to another cat's presence. She didn't see why she was still there, when instead she should've been half way to anywhere else by now. What kept her there, she did not know. Maybe it was her instincts, telling her that if she left, she'd be running from nothing at all. Why waste her energy running from this "cat" if so far a cat hadn't even shown up?This whole day has just been strange,

[/color]Acelyn thought to herself with a frown. Just as she started to lie back down, a noise caught her attention, something that made her fly upward in fright.

The alarm call from the blackbird echoed in her ears and she turned, taking this as an excuse to run as she let out a soft cry of fear. She looked nervously up at the tree, watching as another cat barely managed to snag the blackbird in its claws. Acelyn watched fearfully as the cat fell to the ground, feeling the urge to turn tail and flee. But, the same thing that had kept her in place before was holding her down like glue now. She couldn't move. She stared at the tom, watching as he licked his chest fur a few times, clearly embarrased. Ace didn't see anything for him to be embarrased about. From what she saw he was a very handsome tom, with a stunning white pelt. Acelyn couldn't see his eyes at that moment, but when she did, she was, well shocked.

To her, they were stunning. It was as if they darkened as they moved on to the pupil. Acelyn, so caught up in staring at his eyes, didn't hear the tom as he mewed "Hello."[/b] When she did, however, she snapped out of it. Her tail twitched back and forth, her claws sheathing and unsheathing against the ground. Oh, she felt the urge to just run. She always has before. What made now different, what made this cat different? Acelyn looked right up at the tom, taking in his awkward smile, and something in that smile made her muscles relax a bit. Any tension she felt in her shoulders was lost, and her claws remained in their sheathes. Still, her tail continued to lash, as if reminding her that this was a possibly dangerous cat. That this cat would look at her and figure out the truth about her, and leave. Acelyn didn't believe it.

What was one supposed to say after another said hello? Well, they probably were supposed to return the greeting, right? Acelyn opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. She remembered how her voice used to sound; It used to be practically magical, melodic. Would it still sound the same? Acelyn took a deep breath, to calm her nerves and to try and clear her throat. Finally, she opened her mouth again, and this time words actually came out.[/size]

"H-H-ey..."[/color][/b] Her voice came out stammering, quiet. Any cat would be able to tell that she hadn't spoken a single word in a long, long time. How long ago had it been? Acelyn scanned her memory, and realized that it was after when Payson died. Her mother wouldn't speak to her, so she wouldn't speak either. The only place Acelyn did speak during that time, was to her deceased loved ones in her mind. Sadly, her mind didn't count much for the real world. If it did, the world would experience much better days. At least, that was Acelyn's opinion. Her definition of perfect was in that world. Would this tom reject it? This tom... Acelyn looked at him and realized that she hadn't recieved a name. Quickly, she decided to fix that.

"I-I'm Ace-Acelyn."[/color][/b]She cringed at her mistake. She had to calm her voice. She tried her best to regain her composure as she again mewed,"I'm Acelyn,"[/color][/b] Acelyn couldn't help but smile, a bit proud of herself. She hoped that the tom would take the que to give her his own name, seeing as how she didn't want to embarras herself anymore by saying anything else. Acelyn looked at the tom's stunning eyes, looking for any trace that he thought she was indeed a freak, and that he shouldn't be wasting his time. Most cats did that. She'd be used to it by now. It'd only prove to her that from now on, she needed to run.

The scent of blackbird made her stomach growl, and she cringed from embarrasment. Of course, that would happen now. Why would it not? Acelyn shuffled her paws sheepishly. There were too many distractions. A beautiful little monarch butterfly fluttered past the two cats, and Acelyn felt the urge to chase it. No, not in front of this cat. She didn't know why, but Acelyn wanted to matter to him, to be somewhat important in his eyes. That wouldn't happen if he thought she was weird or un-natural. She sat there, a thoughtful look appearing in her eyes. Why did this tom matter so much? She'd never really tried to impress other cats, but then again she never gave them the chance. Her mother had rejected her to her face, so that surely mean that others would, too. Right. Acelyn sighed. She couldn't know for sure. This cat mattered, for some reason. Acelyn didn't run when he arrived, that surely had to mean something.[/blockquote]

[S C O R P I A]

===================
Shock
===================

Shock half expected the other feline to have left as he looked the other direction. So when the tom turned his head back again, he couldn't help but feel a little bit surprised that she had not left yet. As he looked at her again, he noticed for the first time how jittery she looked. As if interaction with another being was odd to her; as if she hadn't spoken to a cat in a long long time. Shock didn't judge, though, he knew that some of the best didn't speak much. Wasn't that always a lesson? You should be seen, not heard? Well, this tom was following this rule for sure, only he didn't realize he was. He was just afraid to talk, was all. That was the only core reason. Brilliant blue eyes stared at his paws as the loner shuffled them, not knowing what to say. The she-cat hadn't spoken yet, and he wasn't sure how to ask for her name. Or if he was suppose to, for that matter. Maybe they were just meant to sit in silence, staring at their paws and waiting for something to happen. How odd would that be?

Suddenly Shock heard a rumble. He looked up and looked at the she-cat, her belly to be more specific. The loner smiled sympathetically, he knew how embarrassing that could be and couldn't imagine how terrible she was feeling. Shock gave a small purr and picked up the blackbird, gently laying it at her paws. He backed up a few pawsteps and sat down, wrapping his white tail neatly around the front of his body. He still couldn't get over how beautiful Acelyn looked, and was trying to figure out if this was real beauty, or if he just hadn't seen a she-cat in a while. The tom shifted through his memory for the appearance of his mother, Dutchess, but he could find nothing. Shock came back to reality and remembered the other feline,

"Here, you can have it. I can always catch another."

Shock gave another smile, trying his hardest not to look like the idiot he was obviously being. Brilliant blue eyes closed and opened again, thinking about the sloppy catch he had with that blackbird. Shock silently cringed. He would have to ask Clockwork to give him another lesson on bird hunting so that would never happen again.

"H-H-ey... I-I'm Ace-Acelyn. I'm Acelyn,"

Shock lifted his head, mouth slightly ajar. He stared at the she-cat, mesmerized by her voice. He didn't notice her mistakes at all, no, he only heard the soft, beautiful tone coming from the she-cat's mouth. Acelyn. Acelyn was her name. Shock quickly closed his maw, looking at the ground again. He was staring, and the she-cat was probably thinking about how much of a freak he was. Eyes closed, he tried to clear his thoughts of anything negative and start over. But he couldn't. Every mistake he made in front of Acelyn would be remembered, repeated time and time again in his cluttered mind. Shock wanted to run away and forget this she-cat, but he knew he would never be able to. Had he left immediately, she could have been erased from his mind. But not now. He was in much too deep.

"I'm Shock," The tom meowed, "Acelyn is a beautiful name," He added, "It fits you"

Shock looked away again, now paranoid and wondering if he was looking at the she-cat too much. He stretched his maw in a wide yawn, and detected a scent. The tom couldn't be quite sure what the scent was, but he had certainly detected it. Shock rose to his paws, neck fur bristling, and drew in more air. It was... unfamiliar. Not FleetClan or MysteryClan, the two scents he knew by heart, and no other clans had ever strayed near here. Shock looked at Acelyn in confusion as he stared into the grass, which was now rustling. Whatever was pushing through was big, and very clumsy. It was barging through without a care in the world. Blue eyes narrowed and turned back to Acelyn again. The tom was rooted to the ground, and didn't know what to expect.

Suddenly, it bursted through the bushes, and Shock gave a yowl of freight. The dog was massive, his giant head swiveled downward toward the cats as drool dripped from his mouth. It hadn't moved, but its eyes were bloodshot, and large white teeth were visible inside its mouth. The dog growled, only a tail length away from Shock, who was still rooted to the ground. The loner stared with his mouth open at the canine, fur standing on end and making him look twice his size. That would have been helpful had he not looked so afraid. Suddenly the dog lunged forward with a mighty growl, and Shock found his legs. The loner dodged and retaliated with a swipe to the muzzle of the beast, and while it was distracted darted toward Acelyn, giving her a nudge as he passed her.

"Run!"

As Shock pushed through the grass toward the barn, he could only hope two things:

That feline followed, and canine did not.

status;[/i] finished
puppet; shock
word count; 878
muse; eh, just woke up from a nap. I'm kinda only half here.
other; nope[/sub]

[ace]

Acelyn

the broken locks were a warning...

[/i][/color][/size]

... you got inside my head.

[/i][/color][/size]

"Here, you can have it. I can always catch another."

[/color][/i]

Acelyn blinked, surprised. The robin that the tom before her had caught earlier now lay at her paws, tempting her to rip it to shreds. Still she kept her cool, not sure if she should really accept the offer. When cats offered prey, were you supposed to accept it? Or when given the gift of food, were you supposed to think of it as a pity treatment? No cat other then family had ever given Ace food. Normally she was the one catching food herself, and whenever she tried she tended to fail, hence her rather scrawny figure at that moment. Acelyn tilted her head to the side, still not sure if she should eat the robin. She wanted to, in fact every part of her was simply screaming to tear the prey apart in ravenous gulps. What if the tom hadn't really offered her the prey though? What if he hadn't meant the offer?

You can't afford to think so much,[/color][/i] Acelyn thought to herself with a frown. She'd starve if she didn't learn to accept what was handed to her. Finally she nodded, smiling ever so softly as she murmured a rather quiet thanks. The white and silver fae took one small bite at first, and the warm taste of the bird against her tongue felt amazing. As Acelyn looked back over at the white tom, she suddenly felt guilty. This was his prey; he'd caught it fair and square. Would he think of her lessly? Would he think of her as a scavenger, a mouse-brain that had to mooche off of others to even eat every day? Acelyn's ears flattened at the thought. She still couldn't understand why this cat's opinion mattered to her so much, but it did.

"I'm Shock. Acelyn is a beautiful name. It fits you."[/color][/i] Acelyn felt the tips of her ears grow hot at the tom, Shock's, words. As she thought back on her life, she realized that she never received a compliment quite like that one. One that made her heart flutter just a tad in her chest, one that actually boosted her confidence, if only by the length of a kit's claw. Still, it was something that took just a little bit out of Acelyn's self-conscious attitude. Suddenly she felt much more comfortable around Shock. Her mind focused on the compliment, and she realized that normally when one was complimented, they would return another compliment to the cat. As Acelyn looked over at Shock, who was smiling at her and making her butterflies return even quicker, a million compliments simply swarmed into her mind. Shock was an extremely handsome cat; Acelyn found that she admired everything about him. His eyes, though, were his most amazing feature, and Acelyn felt that she couldn't look into them without getting completely lost.

"Th-thank you,"[/color] Acelyn mewed, her stuttering no longer from her lack of speaking, but instead out of nervousness. "Shock... that fits you as well. Especially your eyes, they're t-truly amazing."[/b][/size] Acelyn looked back down at the robin, embarrased. Maybe she said the wrong thing. Or maybe a too common thing, after all a tom like Shock surely was complimented a lot. Acelyn's ears flattened yet again, as they often did when she was nervous. Her paws shuffled as well, one going over the other in a swaying motion. Shock was still studying her, and though she found it flattering, it also worried her. Was he looking for something wrong? Surely that wouldn't be too hard for him to find.

When Acelyn looked back up again, Shock had his maw stretched open as he tasted the air. Acelyn tried to mimick his actions, but she didn't scent anything odd. Then again, Ace had never bothered to memorize Clan scents. She didn't care to, for she was never far off the loner terra, if she ever was. To her all cats smelled the same: threatening. All except Shock, she realized with confusion. Otherwise she would've run away a long time ago. Shock was different, and Acelyn wanted more then anything to understand why. What made her trust him so much already? Acelyn was jolted out of her thoughts as Shock's narrowed blue eyes returned to her, and suddenly she felt a jolt of fear. Only now did she hear the large creature lumbering through the tall grass. Her fur started to rise, and her claws unsheathed into the ground.

Shock's yowl sent Acelyn into full panic mode. Her eyes stretched wide as the monstrous beast charged forward. Its bloodshot eyes focused on the two cats, and Acelyn could feel her paws shaking against the earth. No, this was all too familiar. How long ago was it that Blair was murdered by a relative of the dog, a relative known as the fox? This creature was much larger, and much more threatening then a fox, but that didn't stop the memories beginning to force themselves back into their mind. Acelyn whimpered, trying to push them away, but failing miserably, as her surroundings started to change...

Acelyn watched from the side-lines as Blair and Payson continued their play-scuffle. Ace, never one to really focus on fighting, was perfectly content just observing. Payson was clearly into it, her pretty green eyes narrowed with total concentration. Blair, who was already much bigger then both Payson and Acelyn combined, seemed rather distracted, though. His blue eyes continued to dart back and forth, paranoia taking over his features. Acelyn narrowed her eyes, wondering what was wrong with her brother, when his terrified screech filled the air. Acelyn had noticed his expression go fearful, and had even noticed him stop focusing on Payson, but she hadn't seen what he was looking at. That is, until she saw the firey red pelt of the fox.

Acelyn could barely move. Her paws shook in terror against the ground. Blair was barking out orders to Payson, telling her to get Acelyn and run. Payson, as stubborn as she was, simply refused, telling Blair that she would help him distract the fox. Acelyn could see the fear on her sister's face; she knew as well as anyone what would happen to Blair if he stayed. Finally, after more of Blair's convincing, Payson hurried over to Acelyn and nudged her once. It took a few moments, but soon the two she-cats were fleeing for their lives.

Acelyn was brought back to the present by Shock's frantic nudge. His white pelt disappeared into the tall grass, and Acelyn felt a sudden stab of fear. What if she'd lost him? The dog was almost recovered from an attack, most likely delivered by Shock, and Acelyn couldn't run. Actually, she could. She was in fact racing away as fast as her paws could carry her, which honestly wasn't as fast as she had hoped. Acelyn didn't know when she had started running, it all happened so fast. She could hear the dog behind her, its paws pounding furiously against the dirt. Acelyn let out a frightened cry, pushing her paws against the ground to give her more momentum. Any mis-step would be the end of her. If she even stumbled, the dog would be on top of her. Acelyn had never felt so focused on just running in her entire life. That, and finding Shock. She was sure that she was catching up to him; he had run off in the direction of the barn.

"Shock!"[/color][/size] Acelyn cried, her throat aching from all the running. She could feel herself slowing down, after all her paws were already feeling as if they were on fire. Acelyn gave herself a mighty push, flying forward with a burst of speed that didn't last more then a few moments. Ace knew for a fact that, no matter what, she wouldn't last much longer in running. Her sides were heaving with the effort to even keep just inches in front of the monster. The dog didn't seem tired at all.[/blockquote]

[S C O R P I A]

===================
Shock
===================

Shock forced his legs to stretch out further, powered by adrenaline and fear. He was aware of Acelyn behind him, and she wasn't as far from him as she had assumed. The tom had no idea what to do. He wanted to turn around and help the girl, his new friend, but that would be putting himself, and possibly her, at risk. Shock felt the devil and angel on his shoulders fighting, one telling him he was being selfish while the other explained he should be saving himself. The loner narrowed his eyes and concentrated on not tripping over anything; that would be fatal. He panted; breath coming out in short gasps as he tried to push his paws to move faster, but they wouldn't. If the tom stretched himself out any more he would stumble.

Shock perked his ears at the sound of Acelyn's panicked meow. He gasped; her voice was further away than it was before! She was falling behind! The tom felt energy rush through his paws, but he couldn't bring himself to speed up any more. His friend was in danger! But... she wasn't a friend, was she? Shock's mind debated. He had only known her for a few moments... but she was so... amazing. Shock knew that and couldn't fool himself into anything else. Even if they weren't friends she had no reason to be hurt by that slimy excuse for a canine. The loner suddenly dug his claws into the ground, turning sharply and running in the opposite direction; towards Acelyn. Dirt flew up behind him as he ran faster than he had ever before, knowing that the mangy mutt wasn't too far away.

And then he saw him. Everything seemed to go into slow motion as Shock saw Acelyn running from the dog, as he pelted in the opposite direction towards it. With a mighty yowl, the loner leaped into the air, launching himself at the beast's face with claws unsheathed. Shock made contact and the dog yelped, leaping backward as he was slashed across the face. The cat wasn't finished yet, though, and bit, clawed, and hissed with all his might. The dog snapped in random directions, confused by the speed that felines had. This didn't distract him for long, though, and he lashed out a massive paw, striking Shock on the side of the head. The tom stumbled for a moment before retaliating, leaping onto the beast's back and clawing with all his might. As the animal yelped and barked threateningly, it started to roll onto its back. This is when the loner made his escape.

Shock leaped off of the back of his opponent, following Acelyn in the direction of the barn. He pumped his legs and forced himself to move away from the mangy dog, panting and feeling rather light headed. He was bleeding in several places and it looked worse because of his white fur, but adrenaline was still in place as Shock pelted to catch up with Acelyn. Breath came out in short gasps and the loner felt himself slowing, but the barging noise the dog made was far behind him, and Shock allowed himself to do so slightly. With an extra burst of speed, he crashed through the last of the tall grass, landing clumsily next to a tree much farther away from FleetClan territory they were before. Shock collapsed on his side and gasped for air, hearing the sound of the dog's bark still, though it was far away. They had outrun it... for now.

Shock forced himself to his paws, blood trickling down the side of his head and on his flank. He struggled for breath, but knew he had to continue in case the dog were to return. "Acelyn?" The tom's voice was raspy and barely audible with his breathlessness. He looked around, scenting for the she-cat. "Acelyn where are you?" Shock frantically glanced around, hoping she wasn't hurt. His heart filled with panic at the thought of blood gushing from a wound on her throat, and quickly shook the thought away as he assured himself she had made it to the barn, safe and sound. How had a dog even gotten here? No two-legs lived in the area, so it had to have either traveled a long distance or been wild. Either way, the loner didn't want to think about it.

Shock felt the adrenaline wearing off as he limped forward, wincing at the shriek of protest his wounds gave him. But he had to find Acelyn. He had to make sure she was ok. Brilliant blue eyes narrowed with concentration as the barn came into view. He couldn't see the she-cat anywhere, and a flare of fresh panic came into the tom's chest. Shock forced his paws to keep moving though. After all, she had to be around here somewhere.

Right?

status;[/i] finished
puppet; shock
word count; 819
muse; fine, but I wish it was a bit longer
other; nope[/sub]