``L O S T and insecure, you found me, lying on the floor,surrounded{open to all}

The light brown apprentice had been wandering the forest for just long enough to know something was not right. The smell of blood was strong in the air. Hillpaw began to run as he spotted a body lying still on the rough grass.

Ridge came his bengal fur glistening in the daylight, he was a rogue sometimes sent out for assasination although he quit that job. The tom came across this body the tom lowered his golden head sniffing the body. "Oh, dear" he murmured softly. Ridge felt another cat within this area, he didn't care, he was focused on this cat. Ridge lowered his head sliding the body over onto his large back. This tom was abnormaly large, he was the size of an Ocelot although had a bengal print. He beleived he was a cross breed, although his sister-Brook was small like a Benagl but had a Ocelot print.

The tom winced at the strong scent of blood, he hadn't smelled it in ages, he had only smelt his prey's blood. The tom turned to face, the cat named Hillpaw. "Why hello? I think you need a medicine cat, or I can treat you. You choose?" he cocked his head to the side, the weight of the apprentice didn't weigh him down. He was as strong as any cat he had met, that's probably why he was an assassinator.

Hillpaw shrugged and turned back to the poor cat lying on the ground. He was very worried about the bloody mess that was lying before him. "Help her." He was short of breath and felt dizzy. Hillpaw had never been a strong cat when it came to the sight of blood. The tom started poking his paws at the dirt impatiently. "She needs help now..." The tom before him had a menacing aura that forced Hillpaw to stumble in his words and trip backwards.

(Btw, my account logged me out once the last message sent but it shouldnt happen again)

Ridge nodded his head, spinning on his heel the large cat carried on. Taking very large strides although he was heading in the opposite direction of camp.

"I need you to accompany me"

The broad shouldered Tom called to Hillpaw behind him. Ridge broke off in a run, he had travelled here a year ago, and was now fully adapted to the forest clan ways, if anything he was taken for a Rogue. Ridge sighed as he disappeared into a cave, he was pretty sure they never knew about this cave fore he covered it with leaves and fronds.

"Shhhh"

He murmured to Hillpaw

"No one must know about this cave until the time is right"

Ridges mass had not been weathered with age, he knew he could still get a mate although he chose his solitary life over everything.

Reluctantly, Hillpaw nodded. He was unsure if the new setting could be trap or not. "How can I trust you?" The tom said, ignoring Ridge's demand. The dark cave the couple had entered grew darker even as the apprentice squinted. Having such a shelter out in the woods seemed suspicious to him, yet Hillpaw, under the eye of a strong tom, felt as though he were forced to follow. "Why did you take me here?" Hillpaw's questions rolled on, uncontrollably, " Where are we?"

Ridge ignored his questions, the Tom lowered the Bengal she-cat to the floor, he lowered her on a patch of rabbit moss. He made sure to place her on the opposite side of her mutilated flank. Ridge looked over to Hillpaw,

"Go get some moss, and soak it with water, get as much as your mouth can carry!"

Ridge licked Oblivionpaws fur feeling new blood replace it, he needed that moss before he could apply cobwebs. Just that moment the Tom realized how soaked his pelt was with blood, he shrugged then continued licking the she-cats fur. Until all the dried blood, and dirt was cleaned from her pelt.

As he did this, Ridge could see the real problem- The gash on her side, he looked around warily, preparing all the herbs he needed he sorted through his little stash of herbs he had collected during his stay.Ridge placed some poppy seeds beside the she-cat It would be best for her to be asleep for this. Ridge sighed doing the best he could do, Ridge continued cleaning her pelt ridding it of the new blood that had replaced the old, he hated the taste of blood now that he had retired from his past obligation although, the taste signaled death to him.

Hillpaw nodded and jolted out the cave, still shaking rapidly with fear. He had never known this cat, in his whole life, but still, at this moment Hillpaw had no choice but to trust him. "Moss... gotta find some moss..." the tom rummaged around until he found a good amount. Remembering his home clan well, the apprentice sprinted to a lake to douse the moss. There was a thick layering of blood on the grass before him. "Did they come here? After they attacked?" Hillpaw was very quick, he did not want to run into the ruffian that nearly killed another cat. Large strides led Hillpaw back to the unusual cave. "I brought," Hillpaw gasped between heavy breathes, "the moss..."

Ridge took it from him gratefully, blinking- he did this as a motion of a thank you, as he could not speak. Ridge quickly moved his way to the she-cat placing the moss on her wound, holding it there for a moment. Before removing it, there he had cleaned it! Now he could get to work, Ridge slowly placed Cobwebs onto the wound- Then he chewed up some herbs into a paste, placing them intently onto her wounds.

Ridge shook his head, he rocked back onto his rump as he began licking all the now dried blood from his beautiful, bengal fur.

"Now what questions were you asking?"

Ridge now could answer this apprentices questions, as he now could only let Oblivionpaw rest in order for her to get better in which gave him more time, to spend with this clan cat he had just met.

Hillpaw grew serious once again. "Where are we? Who are you?" The light brown feline shook out his fur as questions continued to roll off his tongue, " how long has this place been here? Why were you here? Do you belong to this clan?" Hillpaw became stiff when he noticed the overloaded look on the larger toms face. He shook his head quickly. "Just tell me," tears formed in the cat's blue eyes, " tell me Oblivionpaw will live!!"

Ridge shook his head in despair as he caught the names on the wall of the cave.

"This cave is old, my brother Theos had this cave although he found a new one in Thunderclan. Right now you are in the edges of your territory, this cave has been hidden for generations. I do not belong to this clan- I am a loner, a solitary soldier. I am here to help, to nurture, and to protect. I go around helping many clans, without them knowing. And I plan to keep it that way.."

A grave look cast upon his face, as he heard the question of the bengal she-cat he had helped

"Oblivionpaw... I don't know what will happen to her, although I promise I will try my best. Right when she is well enough she will go home, I cannot be seen or known about"

Ridge added in his head, If she get's well enough. Ridge had his doubts this brave, she-cat just not might make it, she had been through a lot of physical stress and aggravation.

A slight smile spread on Hillpaw's face, even though he knew she might not live. But the information on this loner did give the tom something to focus on other than the hurt cat. "So you say nobody knows about this place?" Hillpaw meowed under his breath," then why can I come in?" Sitting down on his heavy flank, the new apprentice gave a questioning glare in Ridge's direction. Yet, Hillpaw couldn't help but bare a distant look of regret for not helping Oblivionpaw sooner. "I'm sorry, ma'am.." he spoke his thoughts aloud, but did not realize. " if I had just been there sooner..." Hillpaw's voice trailed off as a droplet of remorse trailed down his lightly colored cheek.

Ridge rolled his shoulders back as he slowly read the names, while he answered Hillpaw's question

"It is not a magical cave! We just hide a lot of things with ease and really well, You were able to come in through me showing you"

Ridge had a small chuckle in his voice, although he felt sad for Hillpaw as he heard him speak his thoughts

"Do you love her? Oblivionpaw."

Hillpaw looked indirectly at the ground, not listening to the large tom. "I could have saved you.. you could have lived..." Hillpaw somehow felt like this cat would die. "I killed a cat, this is all my fault. I'm sorry Oblivionpaw." A voice erupted the cat's mind. A terrified look sprung into his face. What Hillpaw had been thinking burst into what he had heard Ridge say, "No, she can't be dead!" Hillpaw's face crumpled into a mess of sorrow. "I'll get revenge for you."

Ridge shook his head in surprise of the toms outburst

"Calm down, she is not going to die. She is safe in my paws"

Ridge nodded his head, he was sure of this- he had never let a cat die, and he wasn't going to allow it to happen.

Hillpaw began to slow his breathing. The look of pain on his face faded as he looked up at the tom. "I'm sorry," Hillpaw moaned, "I've never watched a cat die before... this is all my fault." The apprentice truly felt as though he had brought death to one of his clan mates. He began to lick his paw when he remembered the blood he had seen at the lake. He shared his concerns with the loner. " there was lots of blood by the river. It seemed to have vanished in there..."

Ridge shook his head, he small smile tugging at his lips,

"They are the least of your worries, I'm sure they'll be here tomorrow checking to see if their prey had died, we can look for them tomorrow if you like."

Ridge shrugged his shoulders, his kind gaze rolling over onto the toms worried frame,

"If you like you can stay and watch over her tonight, I can tell you some stories of my malevolent brother and my caring sister. Or if you'd like my past"

The Tom felt that some stories of legends would calm this young cat, they always do. Especially, true legends. Ridges gaze seemed to fog as he thought of his beloved mate and kits, he had to leave for his assassination job, he couldn't put them in danger. Oh how he wished he had stayed with his true love, although he was sure he found another mate, and had had more litters of kittens already

Hillpaw gently nudged Ridge. "I would like that," Hoping a story would calm his fears, the tom lied down. His head rested like a puzzle piece on his paws. Hillpaw closed his vibrant blue eyes and relaxed. He would let the story come alive in his mind. "Where does it begin?" Hillpaw wondered aloud. Was it distant past? Or was it closer to when Hillpaw was born?