Google dot com says the traditional gift for a four year anniversary is fruit & flowers?? How festive! In honor of our fourth year on the world wide web, we are requesting bouquets and fruit baskets or cash donations to the whip-a-rain-fund 😌 Oooooorrr we guess...alternatively...we can put on a big, month-long celebration featuring a warm-and-fuzzy event, scavenger hunt, a raffle drawing, and a freakin' prize wheel??! See the September Announcements for more information, and don't forget to check out the September Patrols too!
The Apostles is a warrior cats roleplay based in northern Wisconsin. On Lake Superior, the wild cats have made the Apostle Islands their home. It is on these islands - Rocky Island and South Twin Island - that the clan and tribe cats have lived in a peace and harmony that ebbs and flows with the tide.
But as the tides turn, so does the truce that binds them to one another; and as the water raises, a darkness follows, an evil that will end in bloodshed and violence.
...I'm Hollow like a corpse, babe, full of no remorse, babe...
‘You'd better meet me again here! Tomorrow! Wait, no that doesn't work. Two days from now. At nightfall okay?’
Hollowheart pushed his stretching limbs upwards as his back arched. His wandering gaze passed over oceanic eyes in awe of his tallness. The ThistleClanner’s words had been explosive to Hollowheart. The colorful cat was so sure of himself that the silver tabby would show. Would Turtledove even show? The question caused a smirk, the idea that Thievingstar was at her limit with such a bubbly warrior. His tail swept the earth, and he chuckled with a pair of eyes still on him. Deciding it was time to depart, if he remained longer, Hollowheart risked falling asleep. I can’t be stopped... But you can try. He almost whispered, instead, giving the clanmate a copper wink as he passed them.
The tom padded for the border with his claws unsheathed, on edge and anxious inside the dark. On the outside? He made ground towards his destination, cool as a cucumber on the exterior with ambition. Hollowheart would kill in the dark if something unwanted even grazed him with a touch.
The dark night was warm but retained a redeeming breeze to it that Hollowheart could appreciate. A walk of this level felt longer than usual as he weaved past thick trunks, all for one cat. He stopped to look over his shoulder and scan for the eyes behind him. But luckily, there wasn't a she-cat purring her way up to him to be his lover for the night. I’d hate to let such an initiative down if one did follow me. I must have been sneaky enough. He mused before finally reaching the RedwoodClan and ThistleClan border.
He watched Turtledove, who seemed to have already crossed and was searching for him. His focus on the task of waiting for him was admirable. Hollowheart waited for Turtledove to inch closer without the knowledge that he had arrived. When the pretty tom got near Hollowheart in a flashy display, he lunged out at him, tackling him. “Aww, were you starting to think... Maybe I wouldn’t come see you?” Hollowheart began to ask for answers that would fuel his love for the humiliated answers of others. The RedwoodClan warrior stepped off Turtledove, giving him a moment to recover from being pushed. “Well, I am glad to see you. It makes me so happy to see Thievingstar didn’t kill you in the two days that have passed since we last spoke.” He meowed and slid to circle Turtledove, looking for signs of injury. Unable to discern any cuts or bruises in all that fluff that would serve the sadistic streak in his bloodstream.
It was a warm night. The day's heat still stuck around, stubbornly holding onto the ground. As Turtledove made his way through the pine forest, he was thankful the day had been warm. With the dark sky and eerie silence, it was the only comfort. Wind slipped through the trees, chilling the tips of Turtledove's fur. He'd been careful leaving camp and was sure no one would be following him. Still, he could feel eyes on the back of his neck. If he got caught here, he'd be in trouble. His clan felt no love for outsiders, but the itch in his paws compelled him to keep going, to meet the handsome tom who waited for him at the border.
As the pines gave way to an open creekbed, Turtledove glanced around. He couldn't spot anyone. With an open mouth, he tasted the air. It smelt strong and woodsy, but not fresh. The coast was clear, so he took a hesitant step closer to the creek and then another one. Eventually, he was at its edge. The water was cool and made his paws shake. Fixing a determined glare, Turtledove continued through the water. It would not stand in his way. Apart from the soft splashing of water, the creek was quiet and on the other side of it, Turtledove could not see anyone. He looked up at the moon, trying to see if he got the time wrong. But when he looked away, something flashed beside him. Before he could react, he was thrown down, and Hollowheart hovered over him from a successful pounce.
Turtledove looked up at the tom, his face growing flushed. "I-I um." He said, finding that his words were stuck in his throat.
No! This wasn't the time to get lost in his long, silvery fur. Turtledove was here for a reason. When Hollowheart moved away \, it was easy to push to his paws and stand confidently. With a determined huff, Turtledove fell into a battle stance. He hardly remembered the stances his mentor had shoved into his head. He'd remembered them long enough to pass his assessment, then forgotten them. His skills had decayed with disuse, and his posture was lacking. But he had determination.
"Of course! I'm serious about this you know? I'm going to get stronger. I'm going to be the best ThistleClan warrior ever."
An amusing, chuffed sound escaped Hollowheart when the ThistleClan warrior tripped in his words. Lifting his brows to find the silly cat transitioning into a battle-stance in front of him. Fighting is what we should do but... The scent of ThistleClan was undeniable whenever the warm wind whistled his way.
Taking the moment to admire Turtledove’s confidence before him, no matter whether it was forced out of his body or not. He didn’t seem like the confident type, at least not to Hollowheart. Getting stronger is one thing, but being the best is another. He mused about Turtledove’s endearing aspirations. But with the tone of his voice, the silver cat wondered if it was to appease someone compared to being his own desire.
He stepped lightly towards Turtledove, attempting to make nothing of getting closer. And his amber eyes burned into the pretty mismatched green and blue as he did so. If Turtledove were to strike him, so be it. Hollowheart wasn’t too bothered at the prospect of losing flesh; this ThistleClan cat was one of a kind. Bending down to his level, Hollowheart brushed into his cheek with the tender caress of his own cheek. Mingling the scent of tall old trees with Turtledove’s fresh pine scent.
“Do you really want to fight me?” He asked with a pause before pushing into his cheek more. “Don't worry, I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to find out what that feels like...” Hollowheart spoke softly while trailing off and closed his eyes with a small smile to enjoy the moment. Even if it was possibly fated to abruptly end.
Turtledove was struck, right in the heart. And no, it wasn't with Hollowheart's claws or teeth. It was a gentle caress, the other tom touching his cheek with his own. His breath hitched. Hollowheart smelt like the forest, but different from the pines. With legs woobling, Turltedove stepped back, but even as he put distance between them, he couldn't stop staring at the silver tom. At his lean phisque and smooth, shiniy fur. Fixing his mouth into a determined line, Turtledove fell into a stance again. He crept forward, eyes still on Hollowheart.
In order to get his beating heart under control, Turtledove slowed his breathing. He stared at the forest beyond Hollowheart instead of his pretty eyes. He smelt the minty pine needles instead of thick redwood trees. With a timid growl, Turtledove leapt at Hollowheart.
His paws caught on a rock, sending him tumbling forward. But he didn't fall to the ground. He fell for Hollowheart instead, hitting the other tom's chest. They fell down, with Turtledove ontop, his fur pressed up against Hollowheart. Pushing up on his front legs, he hovered there, unwilling to move. Not just yet.
"Y-yes" Turtledove said, feeling hot under the touch of Hollowheart's breath. "This is fighting."
As Turtledove stammered in his step once backwards before advancing, it caused Hollowheart to feel rooted in place. Knowing very well that if the tortoiseshell had been training he could be walking up to rend his face. But Hollowheart remained disciplined and feared no living entity, even at the prospect of being sent reeling. Gambling on there being no claws and only a smooth budding romance.
But it had been anything but when the Turtledove tottered over a rock. A poorly placed asteroid crashing into him in the moonlight. “Ack!” Hollowheart exclaimed, half growling at the idea that a warrior could be this clumsy. Rolling his eyes, feeling the cold undertones of his skin growing hotter from their contact. It hadn’t been all in good taste; the smell of pines was very potent, but Hollowheart swore he smelled another tom. He did mention needing more training from another warrior. Frozen in place with that thought preventing him from opening his mouth on the matter. There was little true reason to manifest a crazed demeanor when they were meant to enjoy the night.
The odd warrior picked himself off Hollowheart’s chest and bore down a stare with illuminated eyes. “You were taught some weird fighting then.” Hollowheart teased before suddenly taking part himself by curling his back to propel himself slightly. Latching and tugging the largely white neck of Turtledove. Tapping their heads together lightly as he hit his back into the ground again. Taking his teeth off the warrior’s fur before Hollowheart used his back legs to push himself further across the dirt. “I should teach you how to actually fight, yeah? Just not tonight of course.” Purring and letting out a chuffed breath as Hollowheart nudged Turtledove to find a place tucked under his chin. “Would you like that?”
