Ok...it felt kind of nice to NOT write 2020 LMAO. Welcome to 2021! To kick off the brand new year, we're introducing a round of updates, including new bio and forbidden romance rules, our Secret Santa reveal, OTM winners and nominations, our monthly patrols, and a fun new infectious disease! So make sure to check out the January Announcements for all of the new content! As we leave 2020 behind us, we hope everyone is able to put themselves first this year and practice self-care! Here's to another one! Let's write some cats!
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.
Redcloud looked around uncertainly before nodding to confirm Hazelpaw’s suspicions. ”Minnowstar was… unhappy with the way a lot of cats acted at that gathering. I got off easy compared to the others,” he meowed quietly. As Hazelpaw scooted away, Redcloud let his forepaws slide ahead of him until he was laying on the ground. It kept his profile low and relaxed with his steadily twitching tail the only sign that he was feeling uneasy.
Maybe… as long as Minnowstar wasn’t watching, he could be cordial with Hazelpaw. He was still struggling to see how being friendly at a gathering could be wrong. When the brown apprentice spoke again, his voice was low enough that Redcloud almost hadn’t heard him. He almost wished he hadn’t heard him…
Have you thought about leaving?
The red tabby froze for a moment before turning his head to make sure none of the nearby cats were looking at them. His heart pounded. It hadn’t been something that he considered, but at the same time it wasn’t something he was as adamantly opposed to as he should have been. After a pause, he turned his gaze back forwards, looking up towards the leader. ”I haven’t,” he murmured his reply. ”And…” What did he want to say? Did he even know? ”Maybe now is not the best time to talk about it.”
Post by wolfiedemon on Aug 14, 2020 21:37:46 GMT -6
Ashfrost
LichenClan Warrior
Ashfrost could see that his question had made Swansong uncomfortable. He knew that at some points she had seen what he was doing to Snowfeather during that fight... He wondered just how many of his Clanmates knew that it was him that made her injuries worse... He had come across a few cats gossiping from time to time since and they went quiet at the sight of him... That was the last thing he needed...
"I know I went too far during that... mock battle." He let out a mocking laugh, that battle wasn't a fair fight to begin with. The white pelted she-cat was still recovering and his assault only made it worse for her. "I tried to hold back, but I was consumed, it felt like, by the pressure of having to prove to them I can fight just fine." He wasn't about to tell her that during that fight, all he saw was Nightclaw as his opponent, not Snowfeather.
"Whatever she decides to do... It won't be pleasant." He murmured more to himself but it was loud enough to carry to the ears of the she-cat sitting next to him. Knowing how Minnowstar was becoming as of late, made Ashfrost question just how far his leader would go when it came to a cat from an enemy Clan. He had seen how she was during the battle with RedwoodClan and that was towards a Clan she despised....
Ashfrost turned his attention to the leaders as they began to spoke. This was the first time he actually looked at the leader of the RedwoodClan cats. The tom looked as though a breeze could of knocked him over. The ThistleClan leader wasn't much better off....
A slight shiver ran down the narrow spine of the young apprentice, as the entrance of the waterfall came into view. Her jowls clenched in a poor attempt to calm her nerves as Orchidshade’s soft mew drifted through one ear and out the other; her words directed towards their leader and not her. Her attention solely on the entrance that was lit by the full moon’s gently rays, giving it a light welcoming glow as the group drew near.
Smallpaw slowed her pace, when she realized that Orchidshade had come to a complete stop behind her with Finchstar at her side. The slim tabby turned just as the last of their clan mates brushed by them and Orchidshade’s harsh tone sliced the calmed atmosphere. She lowered her shocked gaze to her paws as Orchidshade turned towards her, beckoning for her to follow. With soft steps, the two she-cat’s made their way through the maze of cats that had already started to intermingle. A slight dip of her chin, indicated that she acknowledged Orchidshade’s muted orders as they reached the spot that was seemingly designated for medicine cats.
As Orchidshade seated herself next to the young tabby, Smallpaw took to sit on her other side, curling her thin tail across her paws. It didn’t take long before the three began to quietly discuss amongst themselves, forcing Smallpaw to inch closer to Orchidshade. Catching the end of the hesitant conversation from the lanky Thistleclan tom that sat on the young tabby's other side. Smallpaw's ear swiveled as the gathering was called to begin, and before she could give them her full attention, the young Lichenclan she-cat suddenly spoke. Her voice, soft and hesitant as she scooted herself closer to the other two. Intrigued, Smallpaw leaned forward, noting the she-cat’s furrowed brows as she told them about her dream.
Her wide gaze locked onto the Lichen she-cat, as her chest fluttered at her words. The pounding of her heart, blocked her mentor's voice as she leaned forward, oblivious to the charcoal colored tail that was enclosed around her, a warning to be silent. "Both Orchidshade and I were visited by Starclan as well. They told me 'Blessed is the dark lagoon"...." She chirped, as the Thistleclan leader ended her short announcements. As soon as her words left her mouth, a prickle of unease washed through her, causing the fur along her spine to rise, as she sense her mentor’s bright yellow eyes on her. She swallowed thickly, as she noted the tail around her twitch in, what Smallpaw assumed, annoyance.
She lowered her gaze to her paws and leaned back to hide behind Orchidshade’s frame, “S-Sorry.” She murmured, feeling her body flush in embarrassment at her uncharacteristic outburst, that Orchidshade clearly hadn’t expected from her.
Barkpaw fell over from Rowanpath's nudge, and the warrior gave his apprentice a confused, raised eyebrow. He murmured an apology, though, and helped him back to his paws with his strong tail. When the ThistleClan warrior, Cloudstep, finally answered, Rowanpath gave him his full attention. He listened with great interest, simply wanting to gauge another cat's responses and see how other warriors like him felt about the way they had to live.
"Words get your point across clearly, actions muddle and give off the wrong impression...sometimes."
That much, he could agree with - but the problem was that others didn't see it that way. There would always be cats like Hemlockheart and Minnowstar, who thought they were fighting for what was right. RedwoodClan thought the same thing. Only, they fundamentally disagreed and that meant something. Both Clans felt entitled to the Mooncave, but in different ways. Rowanpath didn't understand the dire importance of a landmark that, realistically, would not change the Clan's way of life at all. What would change it was fighting unnecessarily to the point of sacrificing lives. That was the point that the Clans were getting to...
"I'm not sure there is a good way to answer your question," Cloudstep continued on, and their eyes met evenly. Rowanpath nodded in agreement to what the older warrior had to say, following his gaze as he motioned to Snowfeather and her scars. Rowanpath pursed his lips, and he had many thoughts on the topic. He wished that he could speak on it more, but suddenly a yowl split through the air. The gathering had begun.
Hemlockheart stood tall and he stood strong at the top of that rock. LichenClan had taken over StarClan and the Mooncave. Perhaps in a literal sense, they had, but Rowanpath couldn't help the indignant scoff that escaped his maw. Several new warriors were announced, which silenced the RedwoodClan warrior. Of course it would only fuel the fire they had to fight for their right to StarClan.
Next was Thievingstar, who adorned a battle scar of her own. What sort of trouble had ThistleClan been getting into? They surely hadn't been fighting with RedwoodClan - and LichenClan must have been too busy with RedwoodClan. Was there some kind of predator plaguing them? Foxes, perhaps? No, that bite mark looked like it had been inflicted by another cat - not a large predator. Yet, ThistleClan's news told him nothing. Thievingstar simply said that they were doing very well and that they had taken full advantage of the warm season, whatever that meant. Who wasn't taking advantage of greenleaf? Was she really that bent on being dishonest? New warriors and apprentices were always good news, sure... but she had a bite mark on her neck indicating that things were not so perfect in the pine forest.
When it was Finchstar's time to speak, Rowanpath leaned back with a neutral expression. He knew Finchstar... his leader would not - could not - speak with the same kind of strength as Hemlockheart or anywhere near as boldly as Thievingstar. That was alright. Rowanpath did not care for big displays. He thought that Hemlockheart and Thievingstar were embarrassing themselves and their Clan. This gathering was not a true reflection of anything; no one was being completely transparent, he noted as he looked around at the conversating crowd. If RedwoodClan admitted to their losses, it would only make them appear that much weaker than the other Clans. To a degree, Rowanpath understood this political game that Finchstar was forced to play. He sympathized with his leader in that moment, taking note of the hesitance in the tabby's announcement.
Cloudstep, understandably, made his departure. Snowfeather would, as well, leaving the two RedwoodClan cats to their own devices. Rowanpath silently guided his apprentice to gather up the rest of their Clan-mates. Finchstar would surely want to make their leave as quickly as possible now that things were over.
Post by c a n n a on Sept 11, 2020 15:31:23 GMT -6
Hemlockheart snorted, his whiskers twitching slightly in amusement upon Theingstar's words. Creativity? Live a little? What purpose did such petty things serve under their ancestors wide gaze. His only purpose upon the blessed rock was to represent the strength and mightiness of StarClan and his clan. And the deputy believed he was doing such splendidly. He couldn't help but wonder what had come over the jet black leader. She had clearly been injured, perhaps her perpetrator had knocked her head a little too hard.
No matter, Hemlockheart cared little for the atheistic heathens in ThistleClan. Instead, his scorching blue gaze turning to the meek Finchstar as he hesitantly began his announcements. His speech matched the clans disposition; embarrassing and weak. He couldn't help the satisfied swish of his tail at his claims, only proving further the fragility of the clan and himself. It hadn't been clear before, it was clear now. LichenClan reigned supreme, both physically and in the eyes of StarClan. Silence fell over the gathered cats and it was clear there was nothing else to be said.
The blue-point deputy took a step forward, signaling with a flick of his feathered tail that business here was over. He leaped off the high rock and landed before his subordinates squarely. "Come now." He demanded. "You all represented StarClan well." Yet despite the tom's confident facade, he knew that the wrath of the dark forest waited for him back to camp. Now, he had to face Minnowstar.
Post by Egotistic on Sept 13, 2020 14:00:05 GMT -6
RATWHISKER | TC
[attr="class","next"]“I have never understood ThistleClan’s tireless problem with rogues. I’m sure your warriors are well equipped. But, I understand your concern for your leader.” Cool words, brusque, and dismissive in their countenance. I could not have expected anything more to her. We’re only friends, so long as our relationship is advantageous. And hadn’t that always been the truth of it? Even the small she-cat at their side, young in her moons and equal part naïve, was a tool in their plots to maintain the balance within their own clans. Would either of them, he wondered, honestly bat an eye if the other blundered into hardship with their own superiors? Try as he might to think highly of any of them—even himself—he knew there was little and less they could do and little and less they could spare to do, especially now, beleaguered as they were. So long as the tribe ails, Minnowstar possesses the Mooncave and the rogues press our borders, we are nothing but stepping stones to one another… and how we use each other shamelessly. Even now, his thoughts raced with his own request, and he knew Orchidshade had not faltered in insisting aid from Briarpaw; the precious lungwort over which LichenClan held a greedy monopoly was a valuable commodity that kept their interactions mild and respectful, of this he knew. Still, it did not ease his heart, and to know they were all guilty of such things only succeeded in making him feel oddly ill at ease and shameful. His eyes averted themselves as Orchidshade continued. The matter of ThistleClan’s hardships had been effectively and deftly pushed aside to address more pressing concerns into which she propelled herself eagerly. “Do you feel more confident now? In your medicine? It was Yarrowfrost who taught me most of my herbs. I had no patience to listen to Marsh-heart.”
He regarded her with something bordering on suspicion—a warriors austerity, one he still, after countless moons had failed in thoroughly shaking from his conscience—then soothed his rising misgivings with a steadying breath. Orchidshade has always honored the code. That was true enough, he supposed. And did they not share a certain comradery, having undergone tutelage beneath the same cat? Surely there was some familiarity and acknowledgment of mutuality in that alone.
Still, he chose his words with deliberate discretion. “C-confident enough to deal with the worst of the infections. Y-yarrowfrost taught me well enough in such things, although… if-if it would not inconvenience y-you, Orchidshade, once the gathering has ended, I would l-like to speak with you f-further. Alone.” He met her gaze purposefully, and in that brief exchange of glances, turned his attention aside as Briarpaw shouldered her way into the conversation. She did not stall over matters of training; her words enwreathed the subject of dreams.
She spoke of thunder, of her ancestors and the matter of finding them, spoke of the falls that tumbled and roared fitfully at their backs, and then ventured to ask them for guidance—guidance which Ratwhisker was not immediately able to provide, although the words stirred within him a sudden and insatiable prickle of tension. Find us. Had StarClan not troubled his dreams with a similar request, their voices echoing beneath the veritable weight of the earth, sending up tremors that shook his nest each night he laid down to sleep? But why would they seek Briarpaw here of all places? He could not help but wonder, a curiosity further perplexed by Smallpaw’s subtle stirring and the abating brush of Orchidshade’s own tail. In the apprentices settling, he suddenly understood that he had not been the only one to receive such omens… and that Orchidshade was deliberately opting not to share all that she knew. He held his tongue, let her speak.
“I don’t know. What do you think it means? Has Cinderface had any dreams as well? And her thoughts?”
She’s too greedy. Briarpaw would never be foolish enough to share so much. Code or not, no medicine cat was bound to share all that they learned when communing with their ancestors, only so much as all others had a right to know. A fact he did not doubt Briarpaw was equally privy to. But before he could coax her more kindly, his attention was drawn elsewhere, to the leaders who, concluding their speeches, were parting and stirring their clans back to their sides. Their time together was already coming to an end and Briarpaw’s omen with it.
Hurriedly, he beckoned her attention. “W-why don’t we discuss it at the next half-moon? By th-then perhaps our ancestors w-will have sh-shared more with us.” He glanced fleetingly in Orchidshade’s direction, then back at Briarpaw, quietly seeking her affirmation. Tags: maxx, Raven~, Snow Wordcount: 784
Had it not been for the foreignness of the transpiring events, perhaps Orchidshade would have been more attuned to the subtleties of Ratwhisker. A sigh here, the furrow of a brow. The tom danced around each thought with a sense of peculiarity and tact that perhaps, a more engrossed Orchidshade would have duly noted. Yet.... it seemed, every moon-led event was the trek through unblazed trails. It had been just a single moon since the appearance of the tribe cat Hemlock. Today, Hemlockheart's body maneuvered beneath the apex of light, a gangly Finchstar and oddly animated Thievingstar by his sides. Maybe...Ratwhisker should be worried, the she-cat wondered with the small frown of her mouth's corners. She traced the movements of Thievingstar, loose and oddly liberated compared to the once stringent and dutiful master. Strange...the world right now was so strange. This deduction brought an unnerved twitch through Orchidshade's left nostril that she wallowed. Like a fly, it quivered with its vexing buzz and did not cease until the silver deputies departing cue.
Ratwhisker dismissed her extension of aid, and for a moment, the medicine cat felt stung. The lanky tom was no longer the anxiety-driven timid wreck she had seen come half-moon. The she-cat blinked her eyes slowly to lift the gaze unwavering. This gesture was her small notion of respect though she suppressed many doubts. The young medicine cat continued, and Orchidshade obliged. She dipped her head in understanding that come the full-moon cessation, she alone would tail the behind the others.
"I agree, granted whatever fate determines that this half-moon may bring." she mewed with a deadened stare towards Briarpaw. This musing was all she delivered without acknowledging her shrinking apprentice, slunk beneath her flank's shadows. At that, the dainty medicine cat unraveled and rose to her paws. Pelts around swarmed in a congregation of waves. From the masses, Orchidshade ferreted for the tabby pelt of Rockjaw, his own flank beside the shivering Mouse-song.
"Go to Rockjaw. We'll talk later." The she-cat mewed to Smallpaw vacantly, though the ends of dry quip trickled with scorn. Orchidshade swiveled to stare into Smallpaw's sun-colored eyes, a great juxtaposition to the tirade that bubbled beneath her maw. "Go." Her order was all she hissed, sharply, before turning towards the Thistleclan medicine cat. She rose her pea-sized chin to challenge his chest and found his ears a fanning testament to the full-moons luminescent back-light. His posture kinked beneath the vertex of his shoulders to meet her face to face. Slowly, the waves of fur beat into abysmal shadow with only a few stragglers foaming from behind the tri-split congregation.
"Quickly, please." The Orchidshade mewed, her syllabus delivered like a skipping stone. it looks like...i already have patients that need tending to
Come now. Hemlockheart’s sharp call pulled Briarpaw’s attention momentarily away from her fellows. She rose to her paws to leave, but lingered as she listened to Ratwhisker and Orchidshade. The tabby had no time to answer the RedwoodClan cat’s question of her mentor’s dreams, even if she had wanted to… even if she knew the answer. ”We all had dreams...” The whispered realization was more to herself than the other medicine cats. Looking up, she nodded firmly. ”We will meet,” she mewed hastily. ”If you are still not allowed to the moonpool…” She hesitated.
Cinderface seemed to be slipping more and more towards fanaticism as each day went and it didn’t feel likely to Briarpaw that they would go backwards and allow the other medicine cats in by the next half moon. ”We can meet at the lungwort. I think…. If it was just us, that would be better anyway.” She let her implied meaning hang in the air. They needed to be without her mentor to be able to discuss anything in a meaningful way.
She nodded farewell to the medicine cats. ”It was nice to meet you,” she muttered to Smallpaw as she turned towards her gathering Clanmates. She padded silently to Hemlockheart, looking at him for a moment before following the group back towards camp.
Her mind raced. Had her vision lead her astray? Nothing happened at the gathering that had jumped out at her as far as finding StarClan. Did she need to go search the tunnels where she had been during the last thunder storm? All she could do now was go forward, keep peace until she knew what to do next. It seemed the other medicine cats were having similar dreams to her own. Did that mean that Cinderface had had the dreams to and just not spoken of them? Or was StarClan sharing with every medicine cat but her mentor?
The thought chilled the young tabby. She badly didn’t want to believe that that was true. Maybe Cinderface simply wasn’t telling her everything. By the next half-moon, maybe they would dream again. Maybe they would be able to give each other answers. But that all felt frustratingly out of reach as she followed her deputy to face the rest of the Clan’s divided leadership.
Rowanpath’s question felt loud to Snowfeather’s ears. She chanced a quick glance at the large tom, fearing that he made the connection between her and Cloudstep. She dug her claws into the ground below to calm her nerves at the thought, as the chatter from other groups filled their silence.
“We are friends…”
His words sounded hesitant to her as she lifted her gaze to meet his briefly before turning away as he continued on a more confident note; afraid that her emotions would be read by the two redwood cats. She blinked slowly, as she listened to the tom’s words and couldn’t help, but agree with them. She was never much of a fighter, which was obvious from varies scars that litter her pelt. At the sound of her name, she turned her gaze back towards him, noting the small smirk that grace his face at his next words. Her brows furrowed at his assumption, but couldn’t stop the slight lift at the corner of her mouth. He’s such a mouse-brain.
She jolted as Hemlockheart’s call echoed throughout the clearing demanding to be heard. Snowfeather focused her gaze onto the three ‘leaders’ on the high rock. One-by-one their words went in one ear and out the other, as she found her mind replaying the question that the Redwood tom had asked. In truth, the she-cat had no idea how she would react if she ever met the Thistleclan tom on the battlefield and hoped that would never happen.
At the sound of Cloudstep’s voice, Snowfeather snapped out of her thoughts. The she-cat realized that she had missed the announcements as farewells were being made around them. She felt a pain of disappointment shoot through her as she noted the tom’s own farewell to them. She bit back a sigh as she glanced at him through her peripheral vision, only to find his ice blue eyes on her before slipping quietly away from them.
Snowfeather waited a few heartbeats after the tom’s departure before whispering her own goodbyes to the two. She casually made her way through the throng of cats, taking care to make sure that she wasn’t being watched before slipping into the shadowed area, where he was waiting.
As she laid her eye on him, a grin lit her features. ”You sure have a way with words, don’t you?” She whispered, taking a step closer towards him, ”What do need to say, that you couldn’t say out there?” She asked, tilting her scarred half of her face from him.
you must go on adventures to find where you truly belong. -Sue fitzmaurice
Cloudstep waiting with mild impatience until the bushes rustled slightly and he was looking at Snowfeather again. His tail quivered behind him excitedly as he moved over and gently licked the top of her head with a slight purr rumbling from his chest. He was happy to see her again, but he had been worried too. From the way things had looked with Hemlockheart leading the group in, things in Lichenclan seemed to be tense.
"Well when you are in a clan with those of sly tongue you learn a thing or two," he mewed softly to her first comment then flicked his ears a bit embarrassed at her question, a heat rising to his cheeks. "Well i wanted to see you. Without anyone intruding really. it's been a bit and i wanted to make sure you were okay."
He stayed close to her so he could keep his voice quiet but also, he liked being near her. He liked the watery scent on her fur from the lake, the way her blue eyes watched him as he talked, how she listened to anything he had to say. He liked that he could be himself around her. And he felt like he was getting to see the real Snowfeather too. He felt another purr rumble in his chest and he lightly nuzzled the top of her head again.
"Thievingstar has implemented some new....rules," he finally said softly, "We aren't to be out alone and we aren't to be out at night. So our meetings are going to have to....change a bit." He paused and shifted a bit nervously but then looked at her with a sincere look. "I trust my sisters. Soon i'm going to talk to them, tell them about you and see how they react. If they seem....okay with it....I'm going to ask them if they can at least leave the camp so I can still see you. But it will have to be before night fall."
He turned some hearing their names called out as clanmates started looking for them and pinned his ears back, a sad look in his eyes before he looked at her. "No matter what....try to meet me at the beach that leads to the sandbar in five days," he mewed quickly before stepping forward and nuzzling her affectionately, "I'm going to find a way to leave from a different area. Wait a moment then you can come out the way you came in over here. Take care....I'll see you soon."
He gave her ear a quick lick one last time before slipping by and into the shadows, sliding through a few branches to exit a bit away and quickly trotted over to join his clanmates as they started heading out. Before they left completely he glanced back and saw Snowfeather's white form exit their hiding spot before turning and joining his clan as they quickly made their way back home. Despite the strangeness of the gathering, Cloudstep felt a quiver of excitement through his body at the idea of seeing Snowfeather again. He just hoped he could eventually explain to Thievingstar without getting his ears torn off.
Word Count: 519 Tags: Snow Notes: Cloudstep is a sneaky sneaky boi
A jutted chin and playful smirk met Finchstar’s look of appreciation. Thievingstar urged him on, a crooked smile tugging at her wild features. But his speech was… lackluster, to say the least. ”Doing good?” Had Hemlockheart clawed out more of his guts than eyeballs? Nope, there was no way she could sugar-coat this. "Just my two scents, Finchy-boy. You should practice more," she whispered to him as he returned to her side. "Your speech... In a puddle or something... To yourself." Great. Now who was mincing words? The poppy seeds must have been wearing off. "It helps," she insisted with a hiss, daring him to doubt her advice.
More StarClan drivel followed from Hemlockheart. Of course. Could anyone in their clan so much as take a piss without praising their precious ancestors? The jet pine queen rolled her eyes. Predictably, LichenClan would be the first to arrive and first to leave once again. Thievingstar’s droll gaze washed over the blue point tom’s back as he led his warriors away from the waterfall. On any other night, she would have lit his tail on fire with her lingering stare, but he had not yet earned that privilege. Such weakness was not worth the lick of her flames. Instead, she snorted, little puffs of extinguished smoke practically trailing from her nostrils.
"ThistleClan, to me!" she called to her Clan, sliding down the rocks as coolly as her injury would allow. A jump would have been more her style, but her neck was throbbing along with her bruised leg, her energy spent. The midnight she-cat was proud, but not so entirely stupid as to fall face-first from her perch. Flanked by her fellow shadow cats, she trotted from the clearing with a jolting lilt, leaving the roar of the raging waters behind.
297 words | c a n n arain | Yep, she's still nutters.
Swansong
LichenClan Warrior
"There are other ways to prove yourself in a battle," Swansong trilled softly. The bengal thought back to her own match up with Hemlockheart -- how she had used her tail to land a hit between his eyes and temporarily blind him. It was perhaps a bit underhanded, but it hadn’t caused any lasting damage. Unlike Ashfrost's claws. She continued tentatively, tongue slightly loosened by his awkward laugh, ”But it’s good that you recognize what happened.” Was that remorse he was feeling?
As she imagined the myriad of punishments Minnowstar might enact on her new prisoner, she felt her shoulders tense, and her eyes narrowed into a wince. "I know he’s not from our Clan, but… " The molly cut herself short. Her next words could have proved dangerous if spoken aloud. No cat deserves to be tortured. It isn’t the way of StarClan. Instead, she bit her tongue, altering a more appropriate response. "I hope whatever happens to him, StarClan is merciful." Of course, she knew all too well that it wasn’t StarClan that Slatestep needed to fear.
At Hemlockheart's summons, she rose to her paws, casting her eyes about for Quickstrike. His silver form was lost to her in the crowd. Glancing back to Ashfrost, she offered him a small smile. He had been honest with her -- and himself -- and she respected him for his truthfulness. "I suppose we should head back with the others. We... could walk back together, if you like." Before tonight, having not heard his side of the story, she would have avoided him, but his tale seemed much the same as Quickstrike’s: a strong desire to serve turned terribly wrong. If she could forgive her brother, then she could forgive Ashfrost, too.
Post by Izumakoto on Sept 27, 2020 11:05:46 GMT -6
something's telling me to leave but i won't i'm damned if i do ya, damned if i don't
im not tagging no thanks
What a shambles.
He had remained quiet and kept to himself for the Gathering, the mingling didn't at all interest him, not even now that he was deputy. The other clans could rot for all he minded, so long as Thistleclan remained strong, it didn't much matter.
He shifted his paws - Minnowstar hadn't shown up. Of course, as anyone might infer, he took this to mean that there had been a change in power. But as the Lichenclanner took his turn, he made no mention of becoming leader as Firfoot had thought he might. No, it was all Starclan this, and Starclan that- he yawned, he coudln't stifle it in time. He didn't care much for the devout ramblings of Lichenclannres. They were all as mad as each other in that sense. They could have their damn Mooncave. It didn't matter, in the end.
Then there was Thievingstar's address, and she took the exact same demeanour as she had done the day he had been elected deputy - the same concerning joviality that she had had since the attack. He didn't like it- no, he hated it. The news was not new to him, but she didn't mention the attack at all - of course, from a tactical standpoint, it made sense. But, he noted, some warning of rogues might have gone a long way if she cared to warn the other clans of it. Politically, it didn't make a whole lot of sense to hide.
Then it was Finchstar's turn, and as usual, he quivered like a mouse the whole time. It wasn't unusual for the Redwoodclan leader, but it was no less downright funny every time. Apparently losing an eye did nothing to steel the guy- imagine getting a cool scar like that and still being so timid?
Well, whatever. He cast his eyes around the leaders, that little group, and wondered what on earth was going on and why on earth they were acting like such fools, every last one of them.
He supposed that might change someday. But for now, that could wait- Hemlockheart whisked his Clan away, and Thievingstar called for the same.
He was more than happy to follow after her. He was sick of this place.
Smallpaw kept her gaze on her paws as they sheathed and unsheathed into the hardening earth beneath her. She was too ashamed to converse with the others, especially after she saw the annoyance flash across Orchidshade’s face after her outburst. The simple look hit the she-cat hard and she curled into herself, only catching a few words here and there from the others. Then the gathering was called to an end. Lichenclan’s deputy was the first to dismiss himself, his fierce call demanding his fellow clan mates to follow.
A soft greeting caught Smallpaw’s attention. She lifted her head, surprised to see the young Lichenclan apprentice meeting her gaze. A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth as the tabby disappeared amongst the crowd.
Orchidshade’s dry command had the she-cat scrambling to her paws and set out to find the said tom. She weaved through the thinning crowd towards where most of Redwood had started to gather. She lifted her gaze, pinpointing the tabby tom with his former apprentice, shivering at his side.
Her eyes narrowed in concern as she neared the pair. All thoughts from before vanished as she turned her attention fully to the tiny calico. Her nostrils flared, as Mousesong curled more into herself, her head hung low to the ground. Smallpaw swallowed thickly as she made it to their side, keeping pace with them as Redwood began to make their exit. Her bright gaze scanning the she-cat, pinpointing any symptoms that she could make out. This couldn’t be good, leaf-bare hadn’t even started and already illness is creeping into Redwoodclan.
he announcements were made. The gathering was over. Mistflower cocked her head as her mind puzzled everything together. These were turning into strange times on the island. But she could not dally for long. Hemlockheart was the first the call his clan together, barely leaving any time for conversations to end and goodbyes to be made. Mistflower dipped her head in goodbye to Lavendermist. "It was good to meet you, Lavendermist. I hope to see you my next gathering." And with that, the diluted calico was gone after her clan mates. Mistflower sighed and smiled at Willonshine. "Thanks for sitting with me, I better go find my brother. He wanted to walk with me back to camp."
Her pale fur glowed in the moonlight, and knowing her brother shared a similar pelt to herself Mistflower peered through the mixture of pelts and scents searching for her brother. But, despite the light from the moon the young she-cat could not find the bright pelt of Cloudstep anywhere. She had expected Cloudstep to be the one who found her, his protective nature a familiar trait Mistflower had grown to rely upon. But as she pushed through the crowd towards ThistleClan territory still his pale coat remained invisible. "Cloudstep! Cloudstep where are you?" Mistflower called out as her clanmates began to surge forward, after the leading Thievingstar. I'm going to get left behind if I wait for him...but where is he?
Mistflower shifted from paw to paw, her green eyes scanning the crowd once more. Still no sign of her brother. Defeated, Mistflower turned to follow her Clanmates, her mind wondering if perhaps she had missed her brother in the crowd and he was already ahead of her. "Oh!" There was Cloudstep, appearing beside her. "You scared me. Come on before we're left behind." With her haphazard gait Mistflower hurried to catch up with her Clanmates, Cloudstep keeping pace with her. As the siblings moved deeper into the pine forest, the scent of the other clans faded. Soon all that was left was the over powering scent of ThistleClan...and LichenClan? Mistflower furrowed her nose, breathing in to trace the scent and realizing the lake water smell hung heavily on her brother's pelt. "Shoo, Cloudstep, you must have been in the thick of a group of LichenClanners or something, you smell just like them." She caught a look of brief concern in her brother's eyes, and smiled at him. "I don't think Thievingstar will kick you out for sitting beside a LichenClanner, don't look so worried!"
The moment passed, and soon the two siblings feel into an easy rhythm together, nearing their home once again. Mistflower smiled. Despite the tension, the night had gone relatively well. She hoped, perhaps, the next gathering would be even more peaceful for the Clans. T
∙ cinderface ∙ mistflower ∙ fog that hangs in air ∙ loudstorm ∙ sun that shines above ∙ aspenpaw ∙ aster ∙ eaglefang ∙ leafdapple ∙ orchid that blooms by night ∙ sparrowheart ∙ frostkit ∙
Post by wolfiedemon on Oct 25, 2020 18:19:22 GMT -6
A smirk could be seen on the blue toms maw as Swansong mentioned the possible punishment that the ThistleClan tom would possibly be facing. "After what we did to him... What I did to him... The punishment probably would be a nice break." His claws started to dig into the ground, remembering his assault on the tom. Without much hesitation he had jumped at the opportunity to attack. Deep down, he knew it was cause he wanted a reason to stop his assault on Snowfeather but another part of him wanted to face off with a cat he knew would fight back more then she did. He needed to face off with a cat that had a reason to fight other then their leaders telling them it was part of their training.
The blue tom shook his head a bit to clear his mind of those thoughts. Right now, his focus should be getting back to the camp. Get back to his den so he could be alone again. For some reason though, being alone wasn't something he entirely wanted right then and there... He wouldn't mind having another conversation with the bengal by his side. She saw what he did, and yet she was still talking to him. Maybe talking to her more would help him later when he approached Snowfeather. He didn't want to scare the white she-cat. He wanted to help her with her attacks, help her overcome her disadvantage.
Ashfrost stood and took a few steps towards the gathering LichenClan cats as they prepared for the trek back to camp. As he did, he looked over his should at her. Her request to walk back together surprised him a bit. He was used to walking back with his brother. This was something new to him. He couldn't just turn her down after seeing it took a bit for her to even ask. "I wouldn't mind walking back with you Swansong. We could talk more as well if you like."
