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Post by Shad on Sept 16, 2015 23:04:52 GMT
Raven The dainty silver shecat gleamed under the thick moonlight as she flowed like water under the distant tree tops. There would be a full moon soon. Approximately 3.875 days. Ah. The shecat paused, a frown marring her face for a moment. She looked up at the moon's location through the trees and mentally rechecked her math. No. 3.792. Yes, that was right. When had it gotten so late? The shecat cursed as she started moving again and picked up her speed to a brisk skip, flowing grace and beauty from every hair on her pelt. It got so late because it was near impossible to hunt in this blasted forest.Although, it was impossible to hunt in the mountains too. And the lighthouse. And-Shut it, brain. Who even asked you?You did. You are me, after all, and it would be impossible for anyone else to ask me something as-The shecat's thoughts scattered as she nimbly sidestepped a large root that would have tripped her. Stupid tree. Stupid hunting. Stupid forest.It does have plants.Plants are good.There we are agreed.
You're my own mind! Of course you agree!
Sometimes I wonder for my sanity.
Me too.At this, the shecat's blue eyes twinkled as she picked her way daintily over a small stream via a few rocks.
It would be so much faster and less effort to just wade through it.
Your pelt would get wet and that is not what a lady would do.
And who in the name of nightshade would see it?
This is clan territory. Eyes are everywhere.The shecat's eyes subtly flicked from side to side, covering the action with a refined lick to her shoulder to smooth out a non-existent kink in her perfectly groomed pelt. She had been on clan land for hours now, since just before sun up. Every scrap of knowledge she had found regarding the clans had told her they were highly protective of their land so she had wanted to greet them on the edge, with the sun well in the sky so as not to appear suspicious. She had followed scent markers (disgusting things) and now they told her she was running into the heart of the territory. By her calculations, at her current rate and considering the distance covered, she would hit the direct middle of the territory in roughly an hour's time, when the moon was at its highest peak. Great. She had wanted to do this properly. So why are none of the mousebrains showing up?
Quite the derogatory term, her brain chided, but in this instance, quite right. Although, I can't help but point out-
You never can, she grumbled to herself, faintly curling her lip. -there was that one patrol you passed-Bah! Too many cats! They would have attacked first and asked questions later.
-then the three lone hunters-
Did you see the size of that first one? No thanks. The other had some dopey look on his face like his mate just had kits (and smell faintly of kit milk) so there is no way he would have been welcoming. And the third one... Raven recalled the large white tom who had woken her from her mid-day nap with his steps below her tree and the following hour she had spent chasing off all of his prey. And the third one? her brain prompted Raven refused to be made a fool of by her own mind. She mentally lifted her muzzle and scoffed the memory off. He was too full of himself trying to look scary. Someone needed to mess with him a little bit. I was doing a public service.
Right. This is why you don't have any friends.
Again, shut up. Who asked you? No one. So hush and let me think.
Good luck at that without me, her brain purred smugly. If it was a cat, she would strangle it. Who really needed a mind anyway? Especially since she was pretty sure hers was defective in the first place. The silver shecat's inner thoughts quieted for a minute as she figured out a way to gracefully maneuver around a large fallen log. Jumping was out. Too crass. She could find a way around but hated to lose the seconds it would cost to lower her momentum and reorient herself afterwards. Ultimately, she decided to slip under it, coming out from the other side with a slow and feminine mew of effort. All perfectly calculated and executed. She patted herself on the back. Sort of. Her part of herself that was not incredibly irritating did at least. You're just afraid.Am not! she shot back instantly. Cursed Holly. That was too quick. Clearly a defensive tactic. But she was still wrong. Raven was not scared. Raven was never scared. She had no reason to be. She was a beautiful, quiet shecat coming to join the clans and reunite with her brother. All of these cats would love her. What was there not to love? She was quiet and gentle and softspoken and- Her mind burst out into uncontrollable laughter. The shecat paused for a moment to mentally bludgeon the damned thing and keep her face a calm and serene mask, without a trace of the infuriating internal conflict that waged cracking through behind empty blue eyes. You are nothing like that and you know it. You are afraid your act will fail and your brother will see that you really have not changed at all. You are still the same head-in-the-herbs kit you were all those moons ago.
My act is perfect. No one in the Tribe ever knew.
Stone did.The memory flashed through her with a pain strong enough to steal her breath. Her mind immediately relented and shied away from the hurtful thought. Cursed Holly. It just slipped out. How much longer will it still hurt? Forever? Unacceptable. She had to move past this. She was stronger than this. You hope.The shecat started moving again, her pace even faster than before, close to a run that sent dainty white paws flying over the bracken like a dove's wings. And so do you. This is our last chance to fix ourselves.
My last chance. |
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Post by Thunderstruck on Sept 17, 2015 1:54:42 GMT
The night air was silent with only the light brush of the river along the bank as Shadowfrost quietly stalked the forest. Tonight he wasn't out for anything in particular, the clan was up and he was going on a walk to clear his head. He needed to clear his head, badly. After the past few days he had, he needed to get something worked out, but he wasn't sure what. Every step he took, the pressure in his head seemed to fade. As he neared the stream he quickly looked around to see if anyone was watching him. After his last random encounter, and the subsequent conversations to follow, Shadowfrost had spent quite a lot of time practicing more refined ways to tell cats to go away. Hopefully to avoid another sobbing mess. But as his eyes glanced around the stream, the fell upon another cat sitting on the other side. Something about her seemed, familiar, But he couldn't place it. Should he chase her off the territory? Probably not. Any chance to grow bigger than Honeyhearts group would help his clan immensely.
But he couldn't just out and approach her, could he? That didn't feel right. But on the other paw, he should do something.... He decided to just wave his tail and see what she did.
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Sept 17, 2015 2:17:42 GMT
It’s okay to get lost every once in a while.
Sometimes getting lost is how we find ourselves.
The moon shone high above the forest, setting the forest floor to light and a marbled coat ashimmer. A handsome tom moved through the underbrush carefully. Nervously. Excitedly. Wondrously. Skittering green eyes and a twitching tail tip. Was he going the right way? Oh, it was so hard to know. Had he taken a wrong turn there...? There were so many different scent trails, he had no idea which one he should be following. Dots had never scented so many cats in his life. But that in itself had to be a sign that he was going in the right direction.... right?
He knew so little about the groups in the forest. Goodness, he didn't even know what they were called. Dots had only even realized that they'd existed when the war had begun. And oh, had he realized. But that wasn't here or there. What was here and now was him, absolutely lost, surrounded by unfamiliar scents and searching for one of the groups that he'd heard so little about. So little, yes, but what he'd heard had been so hopeful. Cats, living together. Like a family. Not fighting, not hurting. A better life. That was what he'd heard these cats were making. Dots had no idea what to expect. No idea where to find it. But he was diving in headfirst into any pool of hope he could find.
Goodness knew he needed it.
All he wanted was to become better. To become a part of something better. This life... this bloodshed and cruelty and betrayal- it wasn't for him. It had never been for him. It made his skin crawl and his chest tighten. He didn't want that fear anymore. He never had. And he'd heard- he'd heard that with these groups... things were better than being alone! The cats were kinder. They would end the wars, and they would work together. Like friends and family... Right? Oh, he had no idea! He'd heard so little about all of this. But he'd come south, following the scent trails of cats. He'd gone into a forest with the absolute biggest trees he'd ever seen- he hadn't even known that trees this big existed- and he had crossed a scent line. He didn't know... where exactly he was supposed to be going, but he was determined to find these cats. To find this better life. He had to know that there was something better out there. Something, in this world of chaos and terror- worth fighting for. Worth living for. There had to be a life worth being better for. And he would reach it no matter what.
Eeeeven if that meant going straight into the heart of unfamiliar territory in the dead of night. That was when these cats were awake, right? ... Right?
His pace had been leisurely, if a bit nervous before. But a sudden shift in the wind caught his attention, stopping the tom in his tracks. A cat! And a fresh one too, not like all these trails! Frosty green eyes widened with anticipation, excitement, and nervousness. So he'd been right after all! Oh- wait! They were going to get away! Dots shifted into high gear, breaking into a fast trot as he chased after the cat. Where were they...?
And then he saw her. Running through the forest quick as a whip, moonlight practically glowing on her silvery coat. Her tail streamed behind her, long and the fluffiest he'd ever seen. She reminded him of a rabbit. "E-excuse me! Miss!" he called out as he ran after her. Was she one of the cats from the groups? She had to be if she was in this place! Oh, hopefully she would turn around! Nervousness burned at his ears, but the hope in his eyes overpowered it all.
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Post by Shad on Sept 17, 2015 3:19:34 GMT
Raven The shecat stiffened where she stood on a rock half-way across a small stream. Her neck fur prickled. Someone was close. Someone was watching. Luminescent pale eyes darted over the grounds and trees. There! She saw him. A handsome black striped tom with hard blue eyes. Cold blue eyes. I almost prefer the tom with kits.
Nothing for it now. Back off. I'm taking over.
Gladly.The shecat's long white lashes lowered coyly and her tail swept around her side in a shy gesture. Should she go closer? Should she stay? Clearly she was unsure and just innocently looking for direction. She slowly, nervousness and timidity reading in every movement, put a paw on the next stone to move closer to the tom. How large and strong he seemed. Yes, he could help her surely. "Hello." The quiet soft mew was like velvet caressing a cat's skin. So innocent, so unsure. "Are you one of the clan- ?"Something crashed loudly behind the shecat. Blinking in surprise, she turned her head around to see a gangely brown tom who seemed to be made almost entirely out of elbows and knees with no clear idea of how to use any of them. He was also barreling toward her like she was the last flower in a field during mating season. "E-excuse me! Miss!"Is it lady-like to run? the background part of her whispered. No.
Can we at least smack him if he gets in range?
No! The other tom has to handle it for us!
That's lame. He looks like a creep.
The black one or the brown one?
... Can I pick both?
*sigh*
I feel like it was a trick question. I pick both.Raven blinked again, this time to dislodge the uncouth thoughts that attempted to distract her as she turned to meet this newest complication. "Uhm... yes?" she asked sweetly, although confusion and the faintest bit of alarm colored her tone as the tom pulled himself to a halt. He seemed to be out of breath from his run. He also seemed to be very animated for a cat awake so late into the night. The shecat looked over to the black tom, a trickle of fear on her face as she carefull stepped away from the brown tom and closer to the black one for protection. Was this tom with the other? Was she safe? You are such a poser.
Shut up. I'm working.
Uh-huh. The shecat looked back to the brown tom. He seemed younger. His fur was adorned with a strange coiling pattern. His paws were- "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"The Lady-like Raven was shoved to the background so quickly, if she had been anything more than ethereal she would have gotten whiplash. Raven pounced on the tom, knocking him back and rolling for a few taillengths in a decidedly unladylike manner. She scrambled away as quickly as she could, back to where he had been standing to gently paw a crumpled bush the way a mother might soothe a newborn kit and shot furious glares to the brown tom. "Are you stupid?! Do you have any idea what this is?! No. You don't. This is Coltsfoot. A very rare and valuable herb and you just ran right over here and trampled it!"The shecat fussed with the smashed plant for several more moments, before hissing in anger and frustration. "There's nothing for it. It won't grow now. It needs to be gathered and pressed." She shot a withering glare at the tom who had killed the beloved plant. "You," she snapped. The shecat stomped over, grabbed the tom by his scruff despite him being nearly double her tiny height, and half-led/half-forcibly-dragged the bumbling idiot over to the plant. "You killed it. You help me gather it. Go on. Nip the stalk with your teeth and start to put it in a pile. NO! Not like that! Like this," the shecat demonstrated then actively began collecting the plant as quickly as possible. "NO! Closer to the root! Do you want to waste it? Yes. Yes. That's better. Good job. Come on, now. I want all of it plucked and don't you dare eat any! I'll just find some yew nearby and make you give it back the hard way so don't even think about it!"The shecat and her somehow-converted-indentured-servant were about three quarters of the way through the plant when Raven felt something move behind her. Her neck prickled again and something niggled in the back of her mind as she continued tending the herb. Vague alarm bells were going off. There was something important she was forgetting. The cat. The black tom. And you just completely blew your cover. Gone. Dead. Smashed to smithereens! Congratulations! You didn't even have to get into the actual Clan Camp to turn this into a complete disaster.The shecat's ears dropped and she paused in her gathering to look back at the black tom guiltily. I don't suppose you could...?
Not even you are that good. Nice going. You have well and truly outed yourself.
I didn't do it! It was all the brown guy's fault!
Sure. Try telling the black one that.Raven cleared her throat and tried to repair her dignity that had been trampled as surely as the Coltsfoot. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing intelligent came to mind. I could come up with a few things.
Hush now. You've done enough damage!
She looked to the brown tom who was almost done with the bush -he actually was not half bad when he got going- then back to the black one. Well. This was awkward. Ya think?
"Uhm..." she attempted in her meek voice once more. |
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Post by Thunderstruck on Sept 17, 2015 3:38:23 GMT
Shadowfrost looked at the shecat with confusion as she stepped closer and asked him about the clans. Did word spread that quickly already? Before he could answer her, another new cat came barreling through the underbrush trampling the foliage as he did so. Shadowfrost's ears twitched slightly as he did so, what a waste. But as the silver shecat and this brown tom began to talk, suddenly she did a complete 180 and shouted louder than Shadowfrost would have imagined she could. His eyes opened wider than they had ever been. Shadowfrost was not a cat who impressed easily, but what happened next was going to stick in his mind forever. This tiny shecat latched onto the bigger tom and started ordering him around with a fierce determination he didn't think possible from one who only a moment ago was quiet and, honestly a tad awkward.
Shadowfrost still sat stunned in silence as she eventually turned her attention to him once again. When all she managed to squeak out was barely a noise, he remembered he had an answer to give her. After a moment of regaining his composure (Which resulted in him lowering his eyelids ever so slightly and relaxing his ears) he spoke.
"Yes... I'm from the clans, Can i help you?"
After a moment he turned to the other tom once he had finally finished his business with his plant and nodded to him in greeting, if anything to acknowledge he knew he was there.
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Sept 17, 2015 3:59:19 GMT
It’s okay to get lost every once in a while.
Sometimes getting lost is how we find ourselves.
Whew, okay, she'd stopped. Right by a stream. Dots slowed to a trot before stopping to catch his breath a little ways away from her. He might be a good climber now, but a quick sprint like that would take any sturdily built cat such as himself a moment to recover from. After a moment, he looked up at her with a warm smile. Now he could see her up close- she was a good deal smaller than him. She had a triangular face and bright blue eyes like ice. "Thanks much for stoppin, ma'am." the tom began, righting himself with a grateful bow. If his parents taught him anything, it was how to be polite. "You wouldn't happen to b-"
Dots had never heard a cat yell so loud in his life.
Even his father and Embry had never reached such volumes! Warm green eyes turned to shock quicker than you could say mouse, and then she was on him. Dots didn't even have time to react as the little she-cat barreled into him, sending the tom skirting back a good few paws. He stumbled in his surprise- green eyes wide with fright as he skirted lower to the ground. She- she'd seemed nice! Why had she-
The stranger quickly answered that question for him, crouching down to paw at a plant. She wasn't attacking him- what had that even been? What was going on? And what was so special about a crumpled up little leaf? A quick array of insults was spat at him, and Dots felt his ears lay flat. Still in shock, he didn't have much time to think about anything! Let alone a proper response. Or reaction period to a she-cat greeting him, attacking him, and then cooing over a plant. "... I'm... I'm not stupid..." he protested lamely, hurt in his eyes as he looked down at his paws. He'd only just gotten here and he was already messing up...
When he looked back up- wow, those eyes could cut through fur. And she was coming over there. Ouch! Dots let out a sharp hiss of surprise as the silver she-cat snatched him by the scruff, half dragging half leading him over to the broken greenery. She was strong! Dots stumbled after her, resisting for only a moment before just allowing himself to be lead. Pressing? Gathering? ... What? There were lotsa plants in the forest... why was this one so special? He was almost scared to ask. Maybe it would be a better idea to be quiet, actually. The last thing that he wanted as soon as he arrived in this place was to get into a fight. That was the last thing he wanted in this life period, but now most of all times.
Dots did obediantly as instructed, snipping away at the crushed plants. He hadn't even seen them there, honest! If he had he wouldn't have stepped on them! Snip, sni- Dots flinched as he was yelled at again, tail bristling and wide green eyes lowered submissively as he followed her new instruction. The stems tasted bitter on his tongue. He didn't understand why he had to cut them. Or how he had gotten into this situation. Or why they were important. But he didn't understand a lot of things. At this point, Dots decided it was just time to get used to it.
The bulky tom didn't look up as he picked the plant, but he heard the sound of approaching pawsteps. Nervousness pricked at his heart- just for a moment. An ambush? He'd been living as a rogue so long, he didn't know what else to expect. Daring a glance out of the corner of his eye. A black tom, blue eyes too. Was he with the she-cat? Slim, but muscular. And wait... did he say something about a clan? Wasn't that... another word for a group? Or a family? Dots fidgeted half excitedly half nervously, but had a mouth too full of plant to say anything.
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Post by Shad on Sept 17, 2015 4:37:52 GMT
Raven The shecat's face lit up like the morning sun with relief and thankfulness as the black tom spoke to her. Overdoing it much?
You ruined this. Watch you fix it."Oh, thank goodness," she breathed, her shoulders relaxing and her head even sinking slightly as if a great weight had been lifted. "I came to find you," she mewed, her pale eyes wide with a glimmer of hope in the darkness. The shecat blinked, a faint blush gracing her cheeks as it seemed to dawn on her exactly what she had said. "Uhm, that is- what I mean is I came to find the clans. Clan. I'm not really sure which is right."Oh god, stop. This is painful. There are three! There used to be-
Yes,yes,yes you are very smart now let the shecat do her thing and zip it.The silver beauty looked away, her face sad and lost. She curled her tail over her paws as if to offer comfort from cold -or a cold memory. "I... I lost someone. He was in the clans once and..." her voice was faint as she let out a bitter laugh. "I don't know if he is even still alive honestly."Bull. All of the data I gathered says Bolt is like a cockroach. You could probably drop a nuke on this forest and it wouldn't kill him.The soft shecat's eyes went back to the black tom and a frail, feminine determination seemed to settle over them. "But I want to try. I want to try to find him. I want to at least know. Please, can you help me? Mister... uh...?" Raven looked to the tom blankly, not knowing what name to call him. Creepy-Ice-Guy.
Cute, but I'm sure not even his parents were that cruel.
At least it would be accurate. Not like a silver cat named Raven.
You do have a dark winter coat.
It's still Leaffall. Doesn't count.She smiled vaguely when she heard the tom's answer, without responding either way to his question, but inside she positively cackled with glee. That tone of apprehension and dread. That wary look. She had only ever known and heard of one tom that caused enough trouble to bring that out in a cat. Oooooo Bolt was definitely close by. What luck! The shecat rose gracefully to her paws, having no intention of answering the Warrior. "It is nice to meet you then. I'm Raven. Now let's-"Something tickled her side and she glanced to see the blasted brown guy that had gotten her into this hole with his mouth full of her plants. He better not be breaking the stems.
The sooner you get moving, the sooner your precious plants will be safe, alright?
Oh! Let's go!"Right, uh.... you," she finally decided, apparently not needing to know the brown tom's name. "You can carry those herbs for me on the way to the camp. They would make a nice gift for your medicine cat, assuming he does not already have some, but I think extra would always be nice, right?" she directed this last part at the black tom hopefully. Oooo that's a good strategy! But do you think I could get away with keeping some without them noticing?
Yeah. Bringing a gift of plants will definitely win these cats over. It's a fool proof plan and not at all a last ditch effort to salvage this botched situation.
It's a great plan!
...God. I need help.
"So... should we go?" |
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Post by Thunderstruck on Sept 17, 2015 4:49:59 GMT
Shadowfrost's eyes dimmed in despair as she spoke. Something very familiar about this situation came to mind. Someone else came running through here looking for someone they weren't sure was still alive either. All at once everything made perfect sense. The split personality, one harmless, one destructive. The uncanny ability to somehow make him feel both comfortable and on edge at the same time. Shadowfrost was almost about to drop to the ground and beg for it to not be true, but after taking a deep breath he began.
"I'm going to take a shot in the dark here, and mind you I don't know you from silverpelt. But you wouldn't HAPPEN to be here to see a certain Black and White tom would you?"
Shadowfrost waited for the conformation he so desperately wanted to not be true, but somehow he just couldn't deny it. After a moment, he took a deep breath when she mentioned medicine cat. That was something the clan still hadn't worked out yet. However he turned around and with a flick of his tail gestured for the two cats to follow him.
"We don't have a Medicine cat yet. Unfortunately. We're just reforming after a war, actually."
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Sept 17, 2015 5:06:20 GMT
It’s okay to get lost every once in a while.
Sometimes getting lost is how we find ourselves.
Dots listened from below the two, tail twitching in anticipation. Clans. Clans! That was what the groups were called! Excitement returned to his pale green eyes as he now looked fully to the black tom. Oh, was what he'd heard about these groups right? Could it really be true? No, of course it was! Why would cats lie about such things? Even as he had a mouthful of bitter stems, hope soared in the spotted tom's heart. Alright, so things had gotten off to an odd start. But any start that got him into this clan was a good one. The silver she-cat hadn't been the clan one, the tom had. But that was okay. That was great! That meant that she was new too. Maybe he would find a friend in her? Even if she'd sort of attacked him. He had stepped on the plants... Despite his still not knowing what the plants were for, that was his bad. Maybe the black tom could be a friend too?
So her name was Raven. And his name was... well, the black tom hadn't said his name yet. "I'm Dots. Nice to meetcha!" he meowed, half muffled as he dropped the plants. "Gosh am I glad that you were looking for the clans too. And that you're a clan cat! I had no idea where to look.. So its good that you're here!" he babbled, "I wanna join too. I've heard all sortsa good things about the groups here. How ya help others instead of hurting em, and how you're tryin ta' stop the war. If even half of the things cats say about you are true, I'll be the happiest cat in the forest." he beamed, eyes practically glowing. Well... literally glowing, what with the moonlight and all. He began to emerge from his shell a bit, a charming smile returning to his face. Oh, how wonderful this was... His head raced a mile a minute. He would have a home. Friends. If.. uh... they let him in, that was!
Dots didn't know much about any black and white tom. The only cat he knew by that description was his father. And while he'd be happy to see him again, it'd be awful surprising if that was who they were talking about. As in, not likely at all. So Dots just listened quietly. oh... wait... wasn't there something he was supposed to be....
Plants! That was right! He'd dropped the stems all over his paws! Ears flat with embarassment, he quickly picked them up. Uh- carefully, that was! He had to be careful. Dots didn't really... want to get yelled at again. Especially if these cats were going to be in the clan with him. Uh.. if they let him in at all. But surely they would... right? And if he wasn't good enough to join them.. he'd just train hard enough until he could be. Dots couldn't last any longer as a loner. Not when a new dawn was just in paws' reach. He had to take this opportunity, and he had to do everything that he could to make sure that he wouldn't be kicked out. Or yelled at.. Or clawed... Or left behind.... Or called stupid again.
The muscular tom carefully rose to his paws, stems in jaw. At full height, he stood a good head taller than both of the other cats present. Shuffling his paws, Dots waited for someone to do something. Would they... go there now? Or would they stay here and talk! Either thing Dots was fine with! He was just... happy to be around other cats again. To hear voices that weren't always spitting insults or baring fangs. Goodness, it had been moons since he'd been around another cat for more than two minutes and they hadn't been trying to hurt one another. The stems might have been bitter, but Dots would be content with whatever was to come. Uh.. as long as he didn't get attacked again.
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Post by Shad on Sept 17, 2015 5:29:25 GMT
Raven The trio started walking. The brown one started talking. And, wait, wasn't he supposed to be carrying plants? The shecat shot a murderous glare back at the tom as she saw her precious coltsfoot littering the ground. She bared her fangs in displeasure for a moment, making sure the tom could see them, before he stumbled back to pick up what he had dropped. They walked. Not far. Raven was proud to know her calculations had been fairly accurate as to the distance to the camp. Dots seemed to consider striking up a conversation several times through the trek, but her sharp looks kept him quiet for the most part. When they arrived... Just how many cats are in this clan? Fifty?
Come now. Where is the logic in that statement?
Screw logic! No, wait, screw that too! They've already been screwing everything! -There are too many cats! This is almost as bad as the Tribe! And- is that-? Fml.A large white beast of a cat was lurking near the Nursery entrance. Raven waived her white feathered tail in friendly greeting. The shecat's blue eyes flashed and Raven cursed her luck. It was late at night. Of course Avalanche's other side would be out. While Raven enjoyed the darker side of the queen far more than the lighter, she did not exactly want her coming over and mucking up her newly-forming, still-good reputation. Avalanche rose to her paws as if to come over, then shot a down right furious look at the tom leading them and settled back down, facing away. Wow. That was some major resentment. "Is there, uhm, something going on between you and Avalanche?" she asked curiously, trying to keep her voice innocent. Avalanche did not hate anyone on principle and while her other side could be aggressive, she was also fairly harmless overall. |
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Post by Thunderstruck on Sept 17, 2015 19:08:06 GMT
Shadowfrost eyed the cat that stood up by the nursery. He didn't have anything worth saying to her, or the situation at hand so instead he turned to Raven, ignoring her previous question in favor of getting this over with. The less he associated with this family, the better. He had his time with them and it drove him mad.
"This is Cederclan camp, our leader is with her kits. Your brother is somewhere between here and to the moon, and as for you..."
Shadowfrost turned his attention to the other tom who followed the two back to camp. Clearly he was excited about finding this clan, Perhaps a bit too much so, but Shadowfrost didn't feel like sticking around to ask much more, he had to inform his leader of their arrival and then get back to doing... something, he wasn't sure what but he'd find something to occupy his time. Maybe he'd go for another walk. Either way, he'd figure it out later.
"You're free to speak to any who you wish, but don't go poking around the dens just yet. I need to tell Starlingfur you're here and see what she says."
As he was about to set out to find Starlingfur, he thought about asking Raven why she came all this way to find her brother, but it didn't really matter to him, he just couldn't understand why someone would admit to being related to Boltfang. But deciding against it, he set off to find Starlingfur.
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Sept 17, 2015 21:19:47 GMT
It’s okay to get lost every once in a while.
Sometimes getting lost is how we find ourselves.
The walk was a quiet one, but Dots didn't mind. He was just happy to have company. And their walk wasn't a long one- not at all. The swirled tom was surprised how close he'd been. Oh, how many cats lived here? Did they all live in one den? What was a medicine cat- no, what was medicine? If there was a cat for medicine (whatever that was) did they all have different jobs? What would his be? Oh, goodness Dots could barely think his mind was going so fast. He didn't care what job he got. Any job would make him happy. Because this- it was real. It hadn't just been a rumor. There really were groups of cats- clans here. And- wow, Dots hadn't known that brambles could grow so thick or high. Was that- was that where they were going?
He had never seen so many cats in his life.
The tom's green eyes had to be wide as the moon as he looked around the clearing. There were so... so many! Ten... fifteen... they moved so much that he couldn't even count them all. So many sizes, so many colors, so many ages, toms, she-cats, every sort of cat imaginable moved through the place. There were queens he had been right about night activity. There were even kittens, popping their heads out of logs. Dots was absolutely overwhelmed. But in the best possible way. So many cats... all living together... all getting along.. he'd always hoped that something like this could be. But in spite of himself, his faith had been low. But now.. it was real. This was real. These cats, this 'camp', this 'clan', they were all true.
Cedarclan. That was what it was called. Cedarclan, Cedarclan, Cedarclan. Clan of Cedars. But it was full of cats, not trees? Oh- probably just named for the big trees! Dots forgot so many things, but he wouldn't forget this. Closing his eyes, the marbled tom tried to burn the moment into his memory. And when he opened them again, the dark tom was speaking to him.
Go off and talk to some cats, he'd said. Oh, that was definitely something Dots could do. Very very much so something that he could do! "Yessir! Thank you sir!" he beamed. He didn't know who Starlingfur was. Strange name- starlings didn't have fur. Well, he didn't know much about birds though. Maybe some did? He would just have to find out. Oh, there were so many things he would have to find out here. And Dots was eager for each and every one of them. Who would he talk to first? Where would he go? Oh, it was best just to dive in! Giving an overeager nod first to Raven and then to the dark tom, he turned and disappeared into the crowd..
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Post by Shad on Sept 17, 2015 22:41:14 GMT
Raven The frigid ice that radiated from the tom only increased at the shecat's question. O....kay? Whatever weirdness was going on, she did not need to be part of it. At he command to sit and wait, Raven nodded with a polite smile and settled down. The black tom turned away from them and the brown one- "H-hey!" the shecat sputtered indignantly. She reached out and snapped the tom by the tail. Not enough to be painful, but just enough to hold him still for a minute! "Those are still my plants! Give them back and then you can go off and frolic," she growled, icy eyes narrowed. "What is your damage anyway?" she snapped in a hushed tone so the other cats would not hear as she bundled the Coltsfoot into a neat pile at her feet. She hardly wanted to blow her cover this early on, but honestly! What was wrong with this cat? He was more jumpy than a hare and just as gullible from the looks of things. "Why are you so excited? They don't have secret prey stashes if that's what you're after." -It had been a common misconception in the tribe that the clans had secret hiding places that held massive amounts of prey. The snow cats did not realized that unlike up in the mountains, prey could not be easily frozen for long-term storage in the forest.- "You do know there was a great war started here, don't you? These cats are not exactly sunshines and rainbows.""SWANSIKE!"Something small and heavy collided with Raven's shoulderblades from behind, knocking the breath out of her and sending her face-first into the dirt. A kit giggled from on top of her. I don't know who 'Swansike' is, but she better get over her quick before she loses a pest.Raven's darker side burst into laughter. That's what she got for being so proper and polite. Karma, man. Karma. "Swansike, you fell over," the kit giggled. Congratulations, kit. You're a genius. Now get off of me."Is it 'cuz I got big? I been eating mice like you told me!"Yeah. Lay off those. For a kit, you're too heavy."Mama said there are new cats and to go see Swansike. I didn't think I would make you fall, though! And where is Rosekit? Did you lose him when you fell over 'cuz I got big?"Dear Kava, kit, shut up and get off!Raven carefully raised herself up off the ground and slid the kit down her spine to the floor. It was brown and small, very small. It was also missing a few teeth and its eyes were a tad cloudy, not yet fully developed. Ah. That explained much about the identity confusion. The shecat would place this kit at one and a half, almost two moons of age. It is cute. ... Still annoying, she decided gruffly. ...but cute.Raven was not much good with kits but she had picked up a few tricks from Avalanche. She lowered down to talked to the kit nose-to-nose so it could get a better look at her and offered her warmest smile. "I'm not Swansike. I'm Raven. It is nice to meet you."At this, the kit frowned. It put two tiny paws right on Raven's cheeks and sniffed her, then looked over her head at her back. climbing over top of Raven's face to do it. The shecat closed one eye to keep it from being squashed and used every patient bone in her body (of which she had exceptionally few) to keep from swatting the thing off or sneezing and sending it tumbling away like a leaf. Finally, the kit stepped off her face and shook its head. "You can't be," the kit informed her. "Mama said ravens are black birds. You aren't black and you aren't a bird, so you can't be a raven. Like me, I'm a Flicker. It's a bird that has lots of colors but mostly brown. I'm not a bird, but I am brown so it's okay."That logic is highly flawed. Just because-
Shut up and enjoy the cuteness.
But it's wrong! There is no reason for-Flicker, or Flickerkit if Raven guessed correctly (and she always did), reached out a paw to pat Raven's head sympathetically. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone you messed up your name. But what to call you?"Large kit-blue eyes looked from Raven to the brown cat next to her. "What's your name?""His name is Dots and he really loves kits so you should definitely-""Okay! You can be Cots then!""-go play with- Huh? What?" the shecat asked, flabbergasted. "Cots," Flickerkit repeated proudly. "Mistlekit taught me. It means like a nest, only littler.""I know what it means," Raven grumbled, not wanting to snap at a kit, but embarrassed all the same at the idea some cat thought she did not know something. At that point Flickerkit was distracted by an approaching cat, telling her 'Mama' to come meet her new best friend 'Cots' who looked just like Swansike and Ternkit. Raven did not even look to see who it was before turning to shoot a glare at the ditzy tom. "Laugh and I will put poison oak in your nest," she threatened darkly. She was only half-kidding. |
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Sept 18, 2015 18:51:12 GMT
It’s okay to get lost every once in a while.
Sometimes getting lost is how we find ourselves.
Or, Dots would have disappeared into the crowd. If he hadn't been grabbed by the tail and dragged right back. The fur along his spine rose in surprise, and he turned to look at his captor. Raven? Oh! The plants! Dots nodded vigorously, moving back to set the plants down at her paws. Wouldn't want to forget those! It might be a bit hard to get to know the cats here if he tried to talk with a jawful of leaves. "Sorry! Here you go." he meowed, flicking the bitten feeling out of his tail.
But he couldn't go quite yet! After all, she was talking to him. And it was rude to leave a cat mid-conversation. But at her question, Dots' tipped his head. His... damage? The marbled cat looked back over his coat for a moment, before returning his confused gaze to Raven. "Don't have much. Well, I don't think so anyways. 'Cept for the bit tail and fightin scars." he meowed slowly. Was she worried about him? Maybe she wanted to be friends after all. A smile rose to the tom's face at the thought of that. Oh, these lowland cats were so kind...! But again with the surprising questions! "Prey stashes? Wouldn't the prey go bad? Anyways- I can hunt for myself. I would never steal." green eyes had quickly gone wide as moons as he shook his head. Thievery was a terrible crime. It was a rogue's crime. And with some luck, he wouldn't be a rogue for much longer. "No ma'am, I'm just happy to be here." he meowed cheerily, half dopey half charming expression returning to his face.
"The war was a bad thing. Wait no- the war still is a bad thing. But if it weren't for the war, I wouldn't even know about the clans. And the other loners- they say cats are nicer here. That they're tryna stop the war! That these new groups don't fight no-one for no reason, and that they look out for one another. It would just make me the happiest cat in the world to be a part of that. I wanna help cats. I think I can do that here. I hope so, anyways. So that's why I'm happy." he explained, eyes beaming. Nobody had ever really asked him why he did things all that much. But explaining had a nice feeling to it. Now that the war was over-or ending- and he'd found the clans, he could find a purpose. Something bigger to be a part of. Something to live for, if they'd take him. And Dots was happier than a fish in a rainstorm.
Next thing he knew, Raven was tumbling into the dust. Dots blinked. There wasn't much to trip over he- oh wait! A kit! On top of the silver she-cat's back now sat a little white and brown kitten, giggling away. Dots couldn't resist a curling grin and a little laugh. He couldn't help it- it was cute! Dots watched the interaction with a curling tail, unsure whether to interfere or not. On one hand, Raven might just be tumbling all over her plants. But on the other hand, the silver she-cat seemed to be doing so well with the brown kit! Aaaaand he didn't want to get yelled at again.
Oh- there was his introduction! Dots opened his mouth to say hello, but before he could get a word in the kit- Flicker- went on. Cots. Dots raised a brow. He'd never heard of that word before. These clan cats must teach their kits well! He turned to Raven- er, Cots- with an amused smile. "I have a sibling named Spots. If they came to the clan, we might all match!" he meowed with a glitter in his eyes. Oh! Dots slammed his tail over his mouth, nodding solemnly. He didn't know how exactly an oak could be poisoned, but he did not want to find out!
"Have you made a few new friends, now, Flickerkit?"
The voice of an approaching she-cat caught Dots' attention. He looked over to see its owner, and... Wow. She was a brown tabby- a bit soft around the edges. Her fur reminded him of tree-bark. She held her head high but looked down at the kit with such a warmth in her eyes. They weren't yellow or orange. He didn't know a name for the color, and Dots felt his mouth go dry she looked up. First to Raven, then to him.
"Shadowfrost has told me about the two of you. I am Starlingfur. Welcome to my clan's camp." Starlingfur. So she was the cat who the black tom had mentioned, and she was the leader here. Dots could see why. Her voice was business, but there was welcome in her eyes. She had this... air about her. It was so... easily readable. How did she do that? Dots had never seen a cat before who-
"Mistlekit wanted me to come get you, Flickerkit. She has a new story that she wants you to hear. She seemed very excited." the leader crouched down, voice turning from serious to warm in a heartbeat. "You can play with your new friends later. But right now, Mama needs to talk to them. Okay?" Behind her approached the black tom. Was that his name? It didn't seem very fitting, neither did Raven's. Or 'Cots'. He still had a lot to learn about forest names though, so Dots wouldn't question it.
Starlingfur returned her attention to Raven and Dots once she'd finished speaking with the kit. Flicker- or, Flickerkit, had called her Mama. Was she her mother? "Tell me," she began, eyes flicking from Raven to Dots and back again. Not unkindly, but curiously. "From where do you hail? What is it that you seek here?"
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Post by Shad on Sept 24, 2015 19:14:05 GMT
Raven The shecat blinked. Oh. The kit was this cat's. Alright then. She watched Flickerkit flounce off and resisted the urge to let out a sigh of relief. Queens did not take nicely to cats that did not like their kits. Every queen seemed to think their kits were the greatest cats ever, even though they were really just tiny snot-barf-bundles with legs that did not even work right half of the time. Raven glanced over to Dots beside her, expecting him to jump at the opportunity to talk to someone, but the tom seemed to be tongue tied for once. Clearing her throat after an awkward moment of silence, she figured he must be in some sort of weird shock and decided she had best get on with it. She was tired and just wanted to get this over with so she could find a spot to sleep. "My name is Raven. It's nice to meet you, Starlingfur. Are you the deputy then?" she asked. It was quite curious that both the leader and deputy would have kits at the same time, but who was she to judge? She was sure she would meet whatsherface-star later on, after Starlingfur gave her approval. Politics. Yuck. Raven knew of plants that tasted better than the petty squabbles some cats played with one another for power. "I came looking for my brother. Bolt. Avalanche probably mentioned me..." She added the last bit in smoothly, flicking her tail toward the large white queen that had a white kit in her paws (Mistlekit?) who was excitedly talking to Flickerkit, and a red one flopped on her back. Her eyes were calmer now. Her other nature must have subsided when the kits came out to play. Raven was not above using references to others to improve her chances of success. Avalanche was a sweet cat and was probably friends with half of the clan by now. The silver shecat would be a fool not to take advantage of her friend's popularity to help get her 'foot in the door' as they say. The shecat silently laid her tail over her Coltsfoot before the distracted Queen could spot it. No use in tipping her paw early, especially if she did not need it. She had heard several rumors regarding what the clans did to Healers and none of them were pleasant. She would keep that her little secret for now and see how things played out. |
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