inky
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Post by inky on Jun 15, 2020 16:18:17 GMT -8
007 inquiry
Houndtooth strutted proudly around the clearing. He was avoiding the tunnels, mainly because he didn’t want his newly-weaved flowers to get dirt on them. At first he thought Greycloud was crazy for incorporating heather sprigs into her fur, but now he had a small collection of aster tucked into his neck fur beneath his ear. Greycloud was right; it smelled great, it gave a much needed burst of color in his earthy pelt, plus it made him look pretty. He smiled as he thought of the words leaving the grey queen’s mouth. It was unfortunate he couldn’t see her more often, but he knew she was preparing Flymask for her litter, which was going to arrive any day. He debated going in to see if she needed anything, but he knew it would probably result in him getting an earful about greycloud ‘being able to do it herself and she doesn’t need any help just because she’s a queen’. The deputy shook his head gently, and looked up to see two pairs of cats slide over the lip of the hollow. The only tom of the group was fidgiting, eyes wide with worry as he guided a pregnant she-cat down the slope. “Be careful, Dandlioncloud!” He hissed gently, swooping underneath her to help break a possible fall. “Darling,” She smiled with a strained voice “I’m carrying kits, I’m not blind.” Her mate wasn’t convinced, and he just gave a worried whine as she finally rested on the ground. Houndtooth walked up to the four cats, dipping his head in greeting. “My name is Houndtooth. I’m the deputy of BreezeClan.” He meowed “Hemlocksnarl brought you back to our camp, I assume you want to join?” The tom nodded and looked at his mate. “I’m Duskwave, this is my mate Dandilioncloud. Will she be able to join your nursery?” The deputy didn’t smile, just nodded assuringly. “We have plenty of room. We even have a...lovely nursery helper who will make sure Dandelioncloud is comfortable.” Like clockwork, a fluffy grey she-cat emerged from the main tunnel. “I heard we have a new queen.” She sighed, tiredness clouding her eyes. Dandelioncloud furrowed her brow in confusion, but Greycloud raised her tail. “News travels fast here.” She meowed simply “Come on, I’ll get you settled. Mind the mess, the kits were trying to make Flymask’s nest larger but ended up just tearing the whole thing apart.” She told the new queen as they walked away. Houndstooth told the other three, Duskwave, a warrior, and an apprentice, to go see Yewstar for further instruction. The two red-based cats obeyed, but Duskwave stayed behind, gazing into the deputy’s eyes. “C-Can I help you?” Houndtooth cleared his throat, shifting his paws uncomfortably. “Why should I trust you?” Duskwave murmured “Some random stranger covered in petals just led my mate away.” “Don’t worry,” The deputy assured “Greycloud is the best she-cat to help your mate.” “How long have you been mates?” Houndtooth blinked in surprise. He didn’t know what to say. His mouth opened and shut. “Oh, uh, w-we’re not...I’m not...she’s not.” He spluttered, before taking a deep breath “We’re not together.” Duskwave furrowed his brow. “Then why are you the only two that are wearing flowers?” Houndtooth tilted his head with a soft smile. “It’s just a little thing we do...as friends. It brings us closer.”
* * *
“Nice form!” Curlewfang purred, helping Blackpaw up. “Shouldn’t you be training Alderpaw?” The apprentice asked. Curlewfang had been assigned her first apprentice, and Alderpaw already showed great potential. “We went out at dawn,” Curlewfang explained “I decided to give her the afternoon off. She worked really hard.” Pride shone through the warrior’s voice. “She will make a great warrior.” Blackpaw clenched her jaw and looked down to hide the envy in her eyes. While she was happy for her friend, she missed being able to lounge around all day with her. Curlewfang was really the only cat besides Oysterclaw that Blackpaw trusted. She looked up at the grey warrior, who was helping her practice her hunting skills. Her fur rippled slightly in the soft breeze, and her eyes reflected the sun. Blackpaw smiled gently, blinking before looking away from her face. Not only did she trust Curlewfang, but she was pretty sure she was starting to feel something stronger than friendship. Every time she looked at the warrior, her heart would beat quicker and heavier. It got slightly easier when Curlewfang moved out of the apprentice’s den, but being out of sight did not mean she was out of mind. Blackpaw shook her head. Oysterclaw warned her to be careful. She was still young, and one impulsive choice could hurt her for the rest of her life. So, Blackpaw kept her feelings inside. “Can we try that again?” She asked Curlewfang. “Actually,” the warrior meowed slyly “I was going to see if you wanted to go on an adventure.” “An adventure?” “You’ve never been down the cliffs have you?” “Have you?” Blackpaw gasped. Oysterclaw had told her that the cliffs were strictly forbidden. Maybe Houndtooth didn’t care as much. “I know where they are.” She explained “I know good footholds, but I’ve never been to the beach below. Wanna go?” “Will we get in trouble?” “We’ll be back before sundown. No one will know.” Curlewfang smiled and nudged her friend “We don’t have to go. Only if you want to, I just thought it would be fun!” “Sure!” Blackpaw purred “I’ve always wanted to feel sand in between my toes!” The warrior happily wagged her tail, and the two young she-cats made their way across the moor.
* * *
Alderpaw jerked awake. She rubbed her eyes and realized she had fallen asleep outside. Parting her jaws in a yawn, she arched her back and stretched her legs. She felt a bump on her back leg, and spun around. Behind her, a kitten gazed up. “I dunno, she’s kinda short.” Limpetkit assessed. Spleenkit scoffed and nudged him out of her way. “She’s taller than you.” She pointed out “Almost everyone is.” “Sorrelstone and Greycloud said I’ll grow more as an apprentice!” He said indignantly. Alderpaw smiled awkwardly and tried to walk away, but a wide-eyed grey she-kit stood directly in front of her. “H-Hi.” Alderpaw giggled. “You have spots.” Vetchkit gasped “Your fur is SO pretty!” The small she-cat squealed and rushed at the apprentice’s legs, burrowing her face into the fluffy tufts branching from her chest. Alderpaw laughed and lifted a paw, pulling Vetchkit close. “Your fur is beautiful, too!” The apprentice assured “I love the little splash of white on your nose. It brings attention to your unique eyes.” Vetchkit pulled back, allowing Alderpaw to get a better look at her violet eyes. She had never seen such a color, but Alderpaw knew they would vex many a tom or she-cat one day. “Will you be my sister?” Vetchkit asked. Alderpaw furrowed her brow. “You already have a sister.” She giggled “I’m sure Spleenkit is enough.” The two she-cats looked behind her, to where Spleenkit and Limpetkit were arguing about their height. Apparently, Spleenkit thought her brother would never be tall enough to climb the hollow. Limpetkit challenged her, and now the two were scrabbling over the dirt barrier. “I should probably stop them.” Vetchkit said with disdain “I’ll talk to you later. I must stop a disaster. Mama already has to deal with my dirty fur, she won’t like it if all of us are filthy.” Alderpaw laughed and nodded. “You should probably do that.” She purred. Looking ahead, she saw the last of the siblings, Ferretkit, looking at her with a clenched jaw. “Hello.” She greeted softly. The tom realized she was speaking to him, ducked his head to hide his blush, and hurried off after his sister. Alderpaw raised an eyebrow. Ferretkit always seemed very outgoing. He wasn’t the bashful type. Shrugging, she rested her chin on her paws and returned to her nap.
* * *
Yewstar’s eye twitched. He could feel the breath on his paws. That goddamn medicine cat couldn’t leave him the hell alone. And the leader was getting sick of it. It was none of Dotterelspot’s business what he did in the past. It was the past, and it was painful to go back to. He didn’t want to relive it. And yet, the tom still was compelled to know every single detail about every single cat in the Clan. At first, he tried deflecting it. He said that it would ‘help him with medical histories’ or whatever, but now he didn’t even bother disguising the real reason. He just wanted to stick his nose into any and all personal matters. Yewstar couldn’t take it anymore. He whirled around and was face to face with Dotterelspots. “Stop following me.” He warned. “Tell me about yourself.” The medicine cat retorted. “No.” The leader snapped “I don’t need to tell you shit. It’s my life, you don’t need to know anything about me.” Dotterelspots stiffened. “Do you know how vile it is?” He spat “Not knowing things is the equivalent of being an ignorant idiot. Knowledge is power, and it’s the only kind of power I need. How would you like it; if you were in the dark about an imperative subject?” “I’m the leader.” Yewstar scoffed “I know everything that happens in my Clan.” He spun around and walked away. However, he didn’t see Dotterelspots curl his lip, a devious look in his clear eyes. He worked his claws into the dirt, and a horrible idea bloomed in his mind.
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inky
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Post by inky on Jun 27, 2020 10:34:16 GMT -8
008 and it starts
Skuakit pushed Jackdawkit over. “What the fuck?” The small curly tom hissed. Flymask cuffed him over the ear. “Jackdawkit!” She gasped “Don’t say that! Where did you even hear that word?” Venusbite clenched his jaw and gave his son a sympathetic look before shaking his head. “The apprentices were using it earlier.” Skuakit chimed in, giving her brother a glare. The queen sighed and lashed her tail. “Don’t curse, please.” “Yes mama.” The kits meowed. Flymask got to her paws and nuzzled her mate. “Can you watch them? I need to stretch my legs.” “Of course.” The tom purred, licking the she-cat’s cheek. The kits tumbled over to his paws and nestled up against him. “I figured mama would be mad at you if I told her you said that word.” Skuakit explained, causing her father to chuckle. “Oh, it’s not that big of a deal.” He assured “Your uncle, Droserathorn, started swearing when he was around your age. Ever since he heard it in an argument. He...definitely has a way with words.” “I want to meet him!” Jackdawkit squeaked “He sounds so cool. I love all the stories you tell about him.” Venusbite looked to the clouds. “I’m sure he’ll want to meet you too, but he’s really far away. Maybe you’ll see each other in your dreams.” He meowed “Speaking of which, it’s almost sunhigh, shouldn’t you be napping with Greycloud?” Jackdawkit groaned. “It’s so boring in the nursery. There’s no kits!” “Well, it won't be boring for long!” Skuakit purred “Three queens are expecting kits!” “Besides, you can’t be bored if you’re asleep.” The father added, nudging his young kits towards the tunnel. The black tom grumbled, but his sister happily bounced away to her sleep duties.
* * *
Greycloud laid in the sun as she watched Skuakit and Jackdawkit prance around. Flymask had insisted in doing some sort of warrior duties, since she desperately wanted to be helpful. Greycloud had assured her that her kits would be well looked out for during a few hours in the day. It wasn’t hard work; she just had to make sure they didn’t kill each other. This litter got along much better than Sorrelstone’s. Both of Flymask’s kits were polite and enjoyed time together, even if they had swearing fights (which the nursery helper thought was adorable). Looking up, she caught a particular tom looking in her direction. Houndtooth promptly moved his gaze, the petals on the aster flower tucked behind his ear shifting with the breeze. She had to admit, purple was his color. Giving a small smile, she dipped her head, allowing him to resume his staring. She didn’t mind, in fact she kinda enjoyed it. When he looked at her, it sparked warmth in her belly. She refused to acknowledge this, though, so she was stuck in the Cycle of Yearning. Sometimes, she wondered if it would ever end. Did the tom even want a mate? Would he have a family in the future with the right cat? There were so many questions, but Greycloud wasn’t able to contemplate any longer. A hacking from Skuakit pulled the queen back to earth. A furrball tumbled to the ground, and Skuakit coughed through it. The she-cat wrinkled her nose and saw Houndtooth laugh before moving to clean it up.
* * *
Limpetpaw waddled along beside the figure. The apprentice yawned, not used to being awoken in the dead of night. “Where are we going?” He whispered “Aren’t the cliffs off-limits?” The figure didn’t respond, just continued walking over the moors. “Sorrelstone told me I should stay in camp.” He yawned “Promise you’ll tell her it’s important.” The cat beside him hummed. Limpetpaw felt the soft moor grass turn to bumpy smooth stone beneath his paws. He didn’t notice the figure beside him pause, and he continued to go forward. He peered over the ledge, watching the water rush by below. There was a fog covering the river, and he could barely see the beach. “I’ve always wanted to-” but he was rudely interrupted by a harsh shove. Force rippled through his flank and Limpetpaw stumbled to the edge of the cliff, slipping and falling down to the mist-covered rocks below.
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inky
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Post by inky on Jul 12, 2020 17:04:44 GMT -8
009 travelers
Squirrelblossom gasped in awe. He swiveled his head around the BreezeClan camp and squealed. “Look at all the cats, Deathwing!” He purred “Now this is a proper Clan!” Deathwing, Squirrelblossom’s traveling companion, quietly hummed, scanning the hollow with narrow eyes. He was skeptical, not because of the new home, but because of the new faces. Deathwing hadn’t had a lot throughout his life, but Squirrelblossom was one constant he had grown rather fond of. He didn’t want to lose their bond. The pale tom started to walk away, and the smaller companion flattened his ears. “W-Where are you going?” Deathwing asked nervously. “I saw a tom with flowers in his fur!” Squirrelblossom chirped “I have to go say hi.” Deathwing sighed and looked away. “What’s wrong?” The chubby tom asked him “We finally have a community! You don’t have to be stuck with me anymore! Go make some new friends, Deathwing.” He leaned forward and pressed his nose to his friend’s head “Enjoy yourself.” Squirrelblossom grinned and padded off. Deathwing looked longingly after him, tail drooping. “I don’t want new friends.” He said quietly to himself “I like being stuck with you.”
* * *
Another wail from Sorrelstone ripped through the air as she clung to her son’s body. Limpetpaw was limp(et, hehe) and sprawled out in the hollow. His water-logged body was found on the beach late in the afternoon, and the tom’s family had been torn apart by unexpected grief. Spleenpaw, Vetchpaw, and Ferretpaw sat quietly, tears dripping onto the ground as they helplessly watched their mother howl into their brother’s fur. Everyone was too absorbed into the current moment; no one noticed that Dotterelspots smelled suspiciously of blood and sea water, even though he was not visibly harmed and he had been in camp all day.
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inky
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Post by inky on Jan 1, 2021 12:30:13 GMT -8
010 flowers
Venusbite wasn’t listening. Deathwing was talking about something or another, but nothing of interest. Instead, Venusbite was focused on the nursery. He watched as Jackdawkit tormented his sister. He shook his head and raised a paw slightly, but Flymask beat him to it. She dragged Jackdawkit inside, scolding him for playing so rough.
“But mom!” He pleaded “I’m almost an apprentice!”
“Then wait until you’re out of the nursery before you hurt someone.” Flymask hissed through her teeth. Venusbite couldn’t help but laugh. Jackdawkit was his son alright. He thought back to his days as a young tom. He and his brother couldn’t keep their paws off each other. His mind wandered to Droserathorn. He wondered how his brother was holding up in RavenClan. Venus wanted to meet his nieces and nephew but they were far too far away for that to become a reasonable wish. Skua kit was much quieter than her brother, but that was to be expected. Practically everyone was quieter than Jackdawkit. Well, almost everyone. At that moment, Venusbite remembered that Deathwing was still jabbing about something. The tom abruptly turned back to his companion.
“Don’t you have someone you came to BreezeClan with?” He huffed, interrupting Deathwing “Squirrelblossom, right? Why don’t you go talk to him?” Deathwing shuffled his feet.
“We...We’re kinda on a break.” He meowed
“Well I don’t want to talk to you right now, so go make amends. It’s good to have a life friend. You never know when you’ll need it.”
***
Squirrelblossom was also sitting next to a ‘friend’. Greycloud was weaving flowers into her nest again. The purple aster flowers gave a nice punch of scent in the peaty collection of reeds and rabbit fluff. She stuck her nose into the collection and took a deep breath. When she sat back, her muzzle was dusted with purple blossoms. A small smile appeared on her face.
“Where do you find your flowers?” Squirrelblossom asked.
“Oh, they’re scattered around.” She responded “You just have to look! I can even show you around if you want them for your own nest...or maybe...someone else’s…” She gave him a knowing look before flicking her tail in Deathwing’s general direction. Squirrelblossom’s cheeks got hot.
“N-No, I don’t think he’d like that.” He laughed “Deathwing is...to macho for that.” This made Greycloud laugh. She scouted out a familiar patched pelt. She leaned in closer to Squirrelblossom.
“See Houndtooth?” She murmured “He is the definition of a masculine authority figure. But guess what. His nest is spotted with daisies.” Squirrelblossom gasped. “Anyone can have flowers in their nest. They’re soft and pretty.” The tom grinned.
“I think I know what to do.”
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inky
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Post by inky on Jan 14, 2021 14:23:53 GMT -8
011 growth
Crowheart shifted in discomfort. His paws were always seeming to tingle constantly, and his chest often felt tight with the dropping temperatures. As a kit, he was closely watched by his two-legs during the winter, though he never quite understood why. Crowheart’s toes were practically always numb, but he grew not to notice. Sometimes chest pains woke him up in the night, but it was always gone by morning. Now, though, things were starting to get worse. He didn’t feel like telling Chaffinchflower, or any of his kits. He didn’t want to worry them needlessly. Besides, Chaffinchflower and himself weren’t...mates. Yes they shared a nest and yes they had four kits together, but they were never truly connected. At first, Crowheart felt elated that someone finally took a personal interest in him, but as time went on Chaffinchflower had admitted that she really was just looking for ktis. Crowheart couldn’t blame her. He was a boring sort with no real sense of humor and awkward conversation. Their kits, though, were a whole nother story. They idolized Crowheart. The dark tom always had a composed air to him, and his fleeting smile was worth millions to the young cats. Boragekit and Arrowkit followed him around incessantly, and Codkit and Tonsilkit always straightened whenever their father drew near. Fear wasn’t the cause of their actions; they respected the living daylights out of him. Crowheart could tell the kits got nervous whenever they had to talk to him about something. He remembered when Arrowkit came to him one late afternoon to confess that she didn’t like toms the way that her sister did. She was still so young, but so mature. She didn’t know what it meant, but she was obviously distressed by it. Crowheart admitted that he couldn’t help in that area, but told her that he would love and support his daughter no matter what happened. He directed Arrowkit to Blackpatch, as she was open to talking about her own sexuality. After that, Arrowkit was much more relaxed, and he liked to think he played a part in it. Even now, looking at Boragekit as she tried to take over Dockkit’s position on the highrock, he couldn't help but wonder if his kits knew, truly knew, just how much he cared for them. He physically couldn’t form a comprehensible string of words to express his feelings, so he prayed that they nonverbally understood his love. He cherished his family, and he always would. No matter what. For the rest of his life, however long that might be.
*** “You’re fawning.” Greycloud hummed with a giggle. She flicked Curlewfang with the tip of her tail. Curlewfang grunted and huffed. “That’s not illegal.” She protested “I’m just...admiring someone from afar.” “You know what I always say.” said Greycloud, raising her nose in the air “Toms only exist-” “To hurt you. I know.” purred Curlewfang, unable to stifle a laugh “Good thing it’s not a tom, then.” Greycloud narrowed her eyes for a moment, looking at her companion in confusion. Curlewfang swallowed thickly and the queen suddenly understood. “Well, are you going to tell me who it is at least?” Greycloud purred, scooting closer to Curlewfang “Who’s the lucky lady?” “Blackpatch.” Curlewfang sighed ruefully. Greycloud did a double-take. “Blackpatch.” she repeated. Memories swirled in her mind of her own youth. Mistakes that were made with another dark-furred cat with the same name. “Yes,” laughed Curlewfang, nudging her gently “Blackpatch.” Greycloud shook her own hesitations out of her mind. It was Curlewfang’s time now, and she was happy for you pseudo-daughter. “Well, I hope it all works out well!” Greycloud purred, squinting her eyes in happiness “Keep me updated, love.” Curlewfang said something, but the older she-cat wasn’t listening. Instead, she was lost in her own thoughts. ‘I hope you don’t get hurt as much as I did.’
***
Squirrelblossom swayed nervously on his paws. The thorny stem of the rose poked at his gums, but he couldn’t stop biting roughly into the flower. The anticipation was quite literally killing him. His heart was the only thing he could hear, which is why he jumped in surprise when a cat tapped him gently on the rump. “Oh!” He gasped, dropping the flower “Deathwing, it’s you. I wasn’t sure if you would come.” He let out a nervous laugh and tucked the flower closer to him. “You asked to meet me.” Deathwing meowed “Of course, I came.” The tom didn’t notice the floral bud hiding between his companion’s feet. “What do you need?” “I just...needed to talk to you.” Squirrelblossom handed the prickly black rose over to Deathwing. The petals were plump and soft, swaying gently during the transfer. Deathwing gave a small gasp as he accepted the gift. “I know we had a falling out when we first came here.” Squirrelblossom meowed “But I can’t do it anymore. I need you, Deathwing. You complete me. We’re a pair, and we should be together. Please forgive me.” Deathwing stared at his paws for a moment, before a small smile formed on his face. “We’re okay.” He meowed quietly. “I-Is okay good?” “Squirrel,” Deathwing purred “Okay is wonderful.”
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inky
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Post by inky on Jan 15, 2021 12:16:24 GMT -8
012 tears
Venusbite could feel it. Or, a lack of it, anyways. There was something missing. His dreamwalking powers always gave him a swirl of emotion, but he had never felt this amount of loss before. The tom was careful now more than ever, Flymask had warned him not to be too lenient when it came to using his skill. Some cats might take offense to it. He agreed, it could be considered an invasion of privacy even though cats couldn’t help what they dreamed about. Venusbite wanted to reach out to his brother back home again. Droserathorn’s mind had always been hard to get into. There were so many walls built up, but Venusbite always found a way to keep in touch with his beloved litermate. However, now when he tried he only got darkness. A cold, unmoving darkness. Almost...as if Droserathorn wasn’t thinking...anything anymore. Panic suddenly filled the tom’s chest. He tried to paddle along the dark sea of blankness. He needed to see something, anything to ensure Droserathorn wasn’t what he was thinking. But he got nowhere. An idea popped into his head. Oleanderthorn was sleeping too. There was a large time difference between BreezeClan and RavenClan, but naps worked just as well as night-sleep. He pushed himself out of Droserathorn’s mind and wandered over to Oleanderthorn’s, his daughter. She was a much calmer sleeper than her father ever was. She slept with grace, curled up in a ball, not sprawled messily in her nest. She looked stolid, but her mind was whirling. He plunged into the dream.
It was a strange place. The shaman’s den walls rippled and swayed, typical of an odd dream situation. The edges of the world beyond the room were fuzzy, but the event Venusbite was witnessing was crystal clear. Droserathorn was panting heavily in his nest, red staining his mouth and belly. There was a brown tom beside him, lying deathly still. Oleanderthorn was struggling to press cobwebs to her father’s weeping wounds. It was obviously a futile effort, as blood pulsed through the thick covering. The words the two were exchanging were quiet and inaudible, but Venusbite could tell that this was a true event; it had actually happened. Maybe not exactly like the dream, but it happened nonetheless. Droserathorn gave another hearty cough before flopping his head down in defeat. He didn’t move again. The images swirled away and Venusbite woke up out of his dreams with a start. His jerks woke up Flymask. Her eyes were wide with concern. Venusbite looked at his mate for a moment before his face squished in sorrow. He gave a quiet sob, crying for the death of his brother. “He’s gone.” He wailed softly, careful not to wake up anyone else in the den. “Droserathorn is dead!” He gave a hearty sob into his mate’s neck. Flymask pulled him close and sighed deeply. She licked his cheek and murmured something into his ear. They carefully removed themselves from the nest and went through the wide tunnels into the clearing. It was empty, and Venusbite could scream as loud as he wanted to. He howled and thrashed and wailed until his chest hurt. Tears scorched his cheeks and his claws strained against the hard ground. “He can’t be dead!” He shrieked “He can’t be!” The strong wind took his words and carried them away. The tom’s voice became weak as he shouted into the sky. Flymask just sat quietly behind him, with her head bowed and quietly sniffled. She hated to see her love like this, but she knew just to let him cry it out. At one point, Venusbite had slunk back to her and collapsed at her paws. She just groomed his curly fur and hummed a gentle lullabye to him. Venusbite’s breathing was still ragged and grief rolled off him in waves, but eventually he fell asleep. They stayed there until dawn, and no one on the morning patrol questioned them. Venusbite was never an emotional sort, so the cats of BreezeClan knew to let him work through his own issues by himself. Flymask rested her chin on her mate’s shoulder. She looked over the sky and watched her puffs of breath mingle with the clouds above them. Her own eyes stung, but it was only because of her early morning. She never knew Droserathorn, but she did know how close he and Venusbite were. This would no doubt change things, and it would take time for Venusbite to move on. But that was okay with her. She knew what he was going through. She thought back to her own sister and her misfortune. She blinked and shook her head. That was another story for another day. Now, she would be here for Venusbite. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off by the rising and falling of his flank.
***
The clearing was watered with tears from many eyes that day. Now, Chaffinchflower and her kits sat in a circle around Crowheart’s limp corpse. He had passed in his sleep. Dotterelspots and Hemlocksnarl determined his heart condition got too severe for him, and his heart gave out. “Is daddy ever coming back?” Arrowkit sniffled “He wouldn’t leave us like this! He loved us too much.” “He didn’t want to go, sweetie.” Chaffinchflower soothed, pulling her daughter close. “He’s watching over you know, though. He’ll always be in your hearts.” “But I don’t want him to be there!” Boragekit protested “I want him to be here! I want him to be with us.” Her head hung in sorrow. Tonsilkit and Codkit silently stared at their father as the light wind moved his fur. “Why does he look so weird.” Codkit murmured “He just looks like he’s sleeping but, unnaturally.” Tonsilkit hummed in agreement. “I...I don’t think I want to look at him anymore.” He told his mother. “That’s rude!” Arrowkit huffed “You should stay here for his vigil!” “I will!” Tonsilkit retorted “But I just. Need some time I think.” Arrowkit opened her mouth but her mother shook her head. “Go ahead, sweetheart.” She told Tonsilkit “There’s no right way to grieve, Arrowkit. Everyone goes through it differently. If Tonsilkit needs some time to process, that’s completely alright.” Tonsilkit nodded in thanks and turned, walking off. He passed Bearclaw, who was lumbering around with Harekit and Heathkit clinging to his back. They were shrieking with laughter. Small anger bubbled in him. How dare they be having fun on the day of his father’s death. But he was too exhausted mentally to say anything. Instead, he slunk into the tunnels, went to his nursery nest, tucked his nose under his paw, and cried himself to sleep.
***
Deathwing licked behind Squirrelblossom’s ears. It was sunhigh and therefore grooming time. “You know I love you, right.” Squirrelblossom said out of nowhere. Deathwing paused for a moment, but continued his cleaning. “Yea, I know.” He meowed “I’ve known for a while now.” “Why didn’t you say anything?” Squirrelblossom gasped, turning around. “Because I didn’t want to rush you.” The other tom said gently “I love you too, and I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable until you were ready to come forward yourself.” “You love me too?” Squirrelblossom asked. Deathwing just blinked with a small smile. Squirrelblossom’s maw widened in a large grin. “Well then, would you like to be my mate?” “I would be honored to.” Deathwing laughed “Now sit still, I’m not done.” Squirrelblossom grinned and happily turned around, closing his eyes and enjoying the day as his mate groomed him lovingly.
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inky
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Post by inky on Jan 16, 2021 19:33:04 GMT -8
013 sickly sweet
Yewstar lapped gently from the small bundle of wet moss. He hissed as his throat screamed at him. “I told you to take it slow.” Houndtooth grunted “You don’t want to lose any more lives.” “I can’t believe I’m so stupid.” Yewstar coughed. “I can.” The deputy mumbled “All you want to do is prove to us that you're a strong, good leader. You don’t need to be reckless and risk your life, man. We all know.” Yewstar grumbled something and lapped again at the moss. Houndtooth looked out from the leader’s den in the hollow. He had his own separate tunnel, like the medicine den, and it had a clear view of the clearing that served as the outside camp. He watched as a glorious grey she-cat sauntered past his field of view. His tail drooped and he felt his jaw slack. His eyes were glued to the queen as she walked by without even batting an eye in his direction. The tom felt his throat tighten and he struggled to swallow. “What are you lookin’ at?” called Yewstar from behind him, snapping Houndtooth from his daze. “Nothing.” He said after clearing his throat “Keep drinking.”
***
Chaffinchflower parted her jaws in a wide yawn. Her body felt numb, it had for the majority of the past moon. She wasn’t grieving Crowheart anymore, but her kits still cried into her pelt deep in the night. She couldn’t handle it anymore. There was just an oppressing, suffocating cloud of despair clinging to everything she touched. She wanted it to be gone. “What’s wrong?” Dotterelspots asked, placing a paw on hers “You look tense.” Chaffinchflower looked to the medicine cat with tired eyes. She didn’t have to say anything, the medicine cat just nodded and swished his tail. “I thought so.” chuckled the tom. He looked over his shoulder before untucking a few berries from the fur of his neck. He placed them at the queen’s paws and leaned in close. “I found these berries earlier.” He meowed sitting down to block the view of any wandering eyes. Chaffinchflower eyed the berries warily. “What are they?” “Just take them before you go to bed. You’ll wake up a brand new cat, I promise.” He grinned. His smile was irresistible. Chaffinchflower found herself trusting the tom. She nodded and tucked the berries into her chest. He gave her a wink and trotted off to his den. The queen spotted her kits at the edge of the tunnel mouth, eyes wide and wet, obviously waiting for her. She felt a plummeting sensation, but got up anyways, and went over to her kits.
Everyone else in the nursery was asleep. Codkit was snoring loudly and Arrowkit was half out of the nest as usual. Careful not to wake anyone, Chaffinchflower wriggled her front half, hearing the berries thud softly in front of her. She couldn’t see them very well in the nursery, but she gave them a little sniff. They smelled funky, but almost every herb did. The berries smelled sweet, almost sickly so. She shrugged and poked her tongue out, lapping one of the berries tentatively into her mouth. She chewed carefully and determined the berries weren’t so bad. The she-cat swiftly gobbled the remaining berries in one fell swoop, swallowing and licking her lips after. The berries did make her tongue tingle and burn slightly. The itch crawled to the back of her mouth and slowly down her throat. Maybe it was normal, she thought, after all Dotterelspots didn’t say what kind of berries they were. It wasn’t long before her stomach began to cramp horridly. Her insides twisted and clawed at her sides. She let out a small whimper, but her throat was soon flooded with foam. She coughed, spewing red-splotched liquid from her lips. She tossed her head back and convulsed, tossing onto her side. Her lecks kicked out and her strangled meow was unheard. The incredible amount of pain silenced her, and eventually she laid still. Chaffinchflower was dead.
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inky
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Post by inky on Jan 17, 2021 19:58:05 GMT -8
014 shadow-lurker
Spleenpaw and Tonsilkit had formed an odd sort of bond. During the day, they would pass each other and say nothing, but when the sun set, a fire was lit in them. They were both insomniacs of sorts. They had convinced Mousetrap to let them out for a few hours in the dead of night, as long as they returned by sunrise. The two cats would wander - not too far- around the territory. They often settled on the nearest cliff and watched the moon rise and fall on the waves. Sometimes they talked, sometimes they just sat in silence. Tonight, they were sitting in silence with the occasional quip.
Sorrelstone was also having trouble sleeping. Even though it had happened quite a few moons ago, every time she closed her eyes she could see Limpetpaw’s disfigured corpse sprawled over the rocks. Most nights she would push through it, but that night was more vivid than anything. So, she decided to set out on a mini journey through the territory to clear her mind. She traversed through the sparse clumps of heather and peat until she reached part of the coastline. In the short distance, she could see two figures outlined in a silhouette. The wind told her it was Spleenpaw and Tonsilkit. She sighed, knowing her daughter’s tendencies. Then, her eye caught movement. There was a third cat, slinking towards the unsuspecting pair in a serpent-like manner. Sorrelstone couldn’t place its scent. It was rank and earthy, but there was something familiar about it, as if someone had rolled around in the bog. She instinctively got to her paws and stalked closer to the cats. The wind howled in her ears, and it was clear that the stranger’s minimal rustling went unnoticed. The she-cat felt her claws slip out as she pranced over the softly rolling hills. She hid behind a rock nearer to the pair of young cats. The position was perfect, and she could see the lithe shadow creeping ever closer. Distress settled into the pit of Sorrelstone’s stomach as she caught the glint of moonlight on sharpened claws. The shadow was definitely real, with real intent to hurt something. Sorrelstone bunched her muscles and readied herself for a leap. The shadow did the same thing and launched itself to the sitting pair. Sorrelstone sprang and intercepted the shadow mid-jump. She tackled it into the ground, pinning it down. It furiously swiped at her, but Sorrelstone grabbed its paw in between her teeth and crunched down, splintering bone. The cat yowled and writhed beneath Sorrelstone. It kicked out with its hind paws, making the she-cat lose her balance. She fell to her side, exposing her belly. The shadow didn’t hesitate. It reared its paw, claws straining to release further, and swung it down with astonishing force into Sorrelstone’s soft underbelly. Its paw thrashed, ripping through flesh and spilling blood onto the moor grass. Sorrelstone let out a booming screech of pain and tossed her head back in shock. The shadow twitched an ear, admiring its work, and scampered off into the darkness. The she-cat gurgled as blood filled her throat. Her cry had alerted Spleenpaw and Tonsilkit and she saw them hurtling over to her. Her vision was going fuzzy, but she distinctly remembered Spleenpaw’s face.
“I love you so much!” She sobbed “Please don’t leave me!”
And then Sorrelstone slipped into death’s embrace.
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inky
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Post by inky on Jan 19, 2021 13:44:05 GMT -8
015 exposition
Yewstar paced through the hollow. “This is ridiculous.” He muttered “So many cats are dead. It can’t be a coincidence.” “I’m sure this is normal.” Houndstooth soothed the leader “Many Clans are probably like this. Cats die.” “Sorrelstone was shredded, Limpetpaw was pushed, and Chaffinchflower was poisoned.” Yewstar hissed back “This is not just growing pains of a new clan. Someone is deliberately killing these cats! I don’t know who, and I don’t know why, but someone has to stop them.”
***
Flip Flip’s paws pounded against the hard ground. His joints ached and his muscles screamed for rest, but the tom could still feel the hot breath of his pursuiter. “Leave me alone!” The warrior cried “Why are you doing this?” No one answered him. The tom didn’t want to glance back. For one, he was dashing about unsafe territory and he had to be careful. But he also didn’t want to see the face of his chaser. Flip Flip felt his body lurch as his paw caught on an exposed rabbit warren. He stumbled and skidded partially in the dust, but he got back up and ran on. Thoughts whirled in his head. How would he escape? How would he get back to camp? Who is this culprit? Did he dare turn his head? An involuntary jerk of his eyes answered that question. He could see a flash of bright fur, but he didn’t recognize it. ‘I refuse to die without knowing who did it.’ He thought. So, he turned his head. His eyes widened and disbelief flooded his senses. “N-No, it can’t be-” He stammered, but his sentence was cut off. He suddenly felt the ground disappear beneath him. The tom floated for a moment before looking down and seeing darkness. The sinkhole. Houndstooth had warned the clan so many moons ago, but it was apparent that the gaping hole hadn’t resolved itself. Flip Flip could feel himself slipping, losing his battle with gravity, and he plummeted down into the depths of the earth, clumps of dirt and mud falling with him.
***
Houndtooth was more worried than he let on. He agreed with Yewstar; something was definitely more sinister than it appeared. But he had no real evidence, no clues, to tell who it was. Until Dotterelspots stepped forward. He looked Yewstar straight in the eye and addressed him. “Isn’t it awful?” He sneered “Not knowing the secrets behind everyone?” The leader looked at him with confused eyes “You act so high and mighty, so superior, but you’re just as stupid as a little kit. You have no knowledge of the stars, no special powers. You’re just like me.” “What are you talking about?” Yewstar hissed, hackles rising. “Great StarClan, you really are dense aren’t you?” Dotterelspots spit “It was me. I’m the killer.” The cats in the clearing gasped. “I killed Sorrelstone, Chaffinchflower, Limpetpaw, and Flip Flip.” “You bastard!” Spleenpaw howled, launching herself at the tom, but Firemouse held her back with a shake of his head. “What about Crowheart?” Boragepaw cried. “A happy little accident.” He chuckled “Poor tom’s heart gave out before I could do anything to him.” Arrowpaw squealed in horror and threw herself into her sister’s side. “We’re orphans because of you!” Codpaw bellowed. Yewstar held up his tail to silence the cats. “Why did you do this?” He said gently, more tired than kind “Why kill all of these cats?” “To show you what it feels like.” The medicine cat hissed “You think you can decide who gets to know what. Well, now you see how difficult that can be!” “You’re mad.” Houndtooth scowled “You’re a raving lunatic. You killed cats because you were angry for having a secret kept against you? How mouse-brained can a cat be.” Dotterelspots huffed. “You dare laugh at me!” He screamed “You’re just as useless! I’ll show you who’s mouse-brained. I’ve killed four cats, I can kill one more!” Houndtooth prepared himself to receive the full weight of an attack from the tom. But it never came. Instead, Dotterelspots flung himself at Yewstar. The leader was taken aback and tumbled to the ground. Dotterelspots was swift and his movements well-practiced. He knew what he was doing and Yewstar didn’t have a chance. The leader gasped as his attacker plunged his fangs into his throat. Blood spurted as Dotterelspots ripped his head back, tearing out the leader’s throat. Yewstar convulsed rapidly, and died. All life drained from his body. Houndtooth knew his leader would never wake up again; the wound was too deep. Dotterelspots stood up with a sick, twisted grin of accomplishment. Houndtooth snapped back to consciousness and charged him, tackling the murderer to the ground and posing his long claws at his throat. For a second, Houndtooth could have sworn to see a glimmer of fear in the murderer’s eye, but it was gone as soon as it had become. Dotterelspots’ teeth glistened in a sneer. “Do it,” he laughed, voice strained by the pressure of Houndtooth’s claws “Do it, you coward.” He was seriously debating it, but after a moment, Houndtooth pulled away. “No.” He said firmly “I won’t stoop to your level, beast.” Dotterelspots looked surprised “I won't kill you, but you’re not welcome here anymore. You’ve accomplished your duty, leave.” The medicine cat didn’t move. “You heard me.” Houndtooth snarled, slashing his claws over the cat’s cheek “Move!” He bunched his muscles and sprang at the traitor. Dotterelspots hurried up the hollow wall, Houndtooth right on his tail. The deputy chased him until he crossed the border. “If you ever do come back, I’ll kill you!” He bellowed to Dotterelspots, who was now disappearing in the distance. Houndtooth was alone now, standing as a leader on the edge of the territory. He would take Yewstar’s place now. He would become Houndstar. A rustling beside him took him out of his thoughts. “I hope I’m not interrupting you.” The strange cat said “My name’s Beetle, I was wondering if you knew of a place to stay nearby.” Houndtooth swallowed and nodded, beckoning the cat to follow. “How did a she-cat like you make it all the way out here?” He asked. “Tom.” The cat corrected bitterly “If you don’t mind.” Houndtooth swiftly apologized for his mistake. “Well, sir, if you’d like BreezeClan is always accepting new members. I’m sure you’ll find us a bit sad. Our leader died today, but soon we’ll be back to normal. We’re filled with very resilient cats. You’ll see.” Beetle nodded. “I’d be glad to see your camp, if you’ll have me.” Houndtooth nodded, and the two returned back to camp. His camp.
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inky
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Post by inky on Feb 6, 2021 12:17:25 GMT -8
016 a new dawn
Houndtooth took a deep breath. The past month had been a blur. A new medicine cat, a new leader, and a new deputy all were needed. But only two of the empty positions were close to being filled. He stood now at the glistening stone underground. The cliffs held many secrets, and StarClan’s portal laid in one of the secret caves. Houndtooth heard the waves of the north sea crashing gently behind him, colliding with the rocky cliffs like any other day. But to the tom, this day was special. He watched the glow of the sparkling rock ebbing and flowing in the darkness. Shadows danced on the wall, calling him closer. He took a deep breath and approached the stone. He closed his eyes, pressed his nose to the cold surface, and dipped into sleep.
Houndtooth stood in the center of the field. Moor grass swayed gently around him, even though there was no evident breeze. The sky was speckled deeply with glowing stars and everything around him seemed faded. He was in StarClan. Suddenly, 8 figures surrounded him. He couldn't see detailed faces so he was unable to directly identify them, but they all seemed familiarly shaped. He knew all the cats. Sadness, anxiety, anticipation, and hope all flooded him at once. This was his moment. It was time for him to become a leader.
All of the cats started to fade further, except for one. Instead, this cat grew more materialized, dark pelt manifesting. Deep eyes came in with it and it was in that moment that Houndtooth knew who it was. “Crowheart.” He greeted “You look grumpy even in death.” His whiskers twitched in amusement and the black tom huffed with laughter. “You’re one to talk, Mr. Best-Mentor-Alive.” Crowheart retorted. The two old friends looked each other in the eye, a comfortable silence filling the air. “Well,” the dead warrior sighed “Guess we should get this started.” He stepped forward and raised his tail proudly. “Houndtooth, I’m sure you know that life can get rough. It has its ups and downs, but you have to focus on the ups. I give you this life of resilience, so you always know when to get back up.” Crowheart approached the tom and rested his nose on his forehead. A shock wave of bright pain rippled through Houndtooth’s body. His eyes screwed shut and his shoulders started to shake.
It was only a flash, though, and after a sharp breath, Houndtooth opened his eyes. When he looked up, Flip Flip was standing in place of Crowheart. “Flip Flip?” Houndtooth gasped “You’re-” Flip Flip cut him off with a curt nod. “Unfortunately, yes.” He sighed “But it’s an honor to see you through this day. I’m here to give you a life of wisdom. There’s a thin line between bravery and stupidity. Let’s hope this gift lets you know the difference.” He touched Houndstar’s forehead in the same place as last time. Another pain rocked through him, but passed just as swiftly. He had received his second life.
A ginger tom replaced his late friend. “Yewstar.” Houndtooth greeted, sucking in air. “Hello, Houndtooth.” His predecessor meowed “Nice to see you again.” “Are you here to give me a life?” The tom nodded and stepped forward. “I give you a life of insight.” He announced “We all have secrets, but some can be more harmful than they appear; be careful.” Another shock of pain, another life. Limpetpaw and Sorrelstone were next, giving him lives for love, integrity, and mercy. Another cat, whom Houndtooth did not recognize, gave him a life of loyalty. His name was Backpatch and apparently was unsure where he was. All he wanted was for Houndtooth to promise to take care of Greycloud. The tom fumbly agreed, and the strange tom shifted away.
The next (and if he was doing the math correctly, last) cat was one Houndtooth was not prepared to see. It wasn’t a BreezeClan face, no. It was one from his childhood. “Fin…” He whispered “Fin is that you?” A bright, young face grinned back at him. Fin looked strapping compared to Houndtooth, who was hunched over in pain and had a few grey whiskers starting to form. In his opinion, his cousin looked like the picture of youth. “Hello, Hound.” Fin greeted softly “Long time no see.” Many thoughts were swirling in Hountooth’s mind. Fin had died long ago, when they were apprentice-aged. “Don’t think of those times.” The tom pleaded “Enjoy the moment, you’re accomplishing something amazing.” He stepped to his cousin and laid his nose on Houndtooth’s head. “I give you this life of trust. You always had my back when we were kits. I’ve never forgotten, and I’ve never blamed you. Don’t blame yourself. Your clan needs you like I needed you, trust them and trust yourself. You’re a smart cat, Hound, and I know you’re going to make all of us proud.” This shock was more of a lingering tingle. “I now pronounce you as Houndstar, may StarClan guide you as you lead BreezeClan to victory.” The newly-christened leader felt his head pound, as if a frozen claw had been pushed in between his eyes. He felt his paws wobble, and he fell back into reality.
Houndstar woke with a cry, tears budding at the corners of his eyes. “What’s wrong.” Curlewfang, his new deputy, gasped, rushing to him. He looked at her; truly looked at her, and began to sob. “I’m so sorry.” He sniffled, pulling her close “I’m so sorry for everything. I’ve treated you like shit and yet you’re still here. I love you so much, Curlewfang. You’re like a daughter to me and I don’t know what I would do without you. Thank you for never leaving me.” Curlewfang looked down at him with hard surprise, but her features eventually softened and she curled around her leader, her friend, her mentor. The two laid there for moments, soaking in each other’s love before leaving to go home.
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