Home October 1st

A large clearing by a lake, open to danger and bad weather

Jam

Jam stretched, so bored, so sad. The subordinate, insertname, has died and they needed to tell the clan. They clenched their jaws holding back tears as they thought of their death. That damned... whatever kind of demon spawn it was. They thought of the animal that tore insertname to shreds, with a growl of what might have been anger, or sadness, or all of the above, they flicked their tail once aggressively. The animal had green skin like the swamp and was huge with a long, scaly tail. It's jaws were long and eyes sharp with blood-lust. (Crocodile) It treated insertname with such brutality that it was unlike any other animal Jam had ever seen, oh, and Jam had seen some things. Something called a capybara, an elephant, vipers, but nothing like this.

Nothing.

They sat down and looked to their paws, the others would soon be wondering where insertname was. They would ask questions, they wouldn't hesitate to put Jam into more misery. Their white fur was getting more matted as they were in too much grief to put aside time to clean it. Jam heaved a sigh looking at the pile of make-shift dens and sitting areas. Sunning areas for the reptiles and warm, cozy dens for the mammals that lived among The Travelers. Leaf-bare was coming, Jam could smell it in the air like one might smell the smoke of a burning fire. They needed to appoint a new subordinate or they would suffer, and they would need to find a nice, warm spot to wait out the cold seasons ahead. With a low growl they decided they would have to appoint a subordinate the next sunrise when the others were fully rested and prepared for the information. With a sigh, they laid in their nest and closed their eyes, cares of the day that were weighing on them lifted off like feathers in the wind

OPEN (haha who wants to bother Jam)

Jam

Jam blinked their eyes awake, ugh, they didn't really feel like playing. They pulled the moss under them over their face like one might do with a pillow.

' ' I'm busy... doing napping ' ' Jam grumbled, turning to the other side.

Jam

Jam rose their head, they knew they had to call the meeting, they didn't want to- but knew this was the right time. It just... It had to be and the group needed support, especially with leaf-fall up and leaf-bare right around the corner. Jam took a deep breath, paws shaking. Calling that meeting would be accepting... accepting that their subordinate was really gone. They were Jam's best friend, someone they could rely and depend on when times got tough. Every cat in camp was wonderful but, Jam knew no one could surpass instername. No one. They knew they should wait until morning but now would have to do, and tomorrow they would leave the swampy lake-area. It was dangerous here, too open, too cold and wet. They would perish and lose too many if they were to stay here for the cold seasons. Jam sat up,

' ' I need to call a meeting, ' ' They said to Buck with a firm, emotionless face.

Jam leapt up onto a rock and looked around, the moon was almost all the way up in the sky now. The stars glittered like little tiny diamonds floating through the air. Bird chattered in the wind and the forest seemed to hiss like a dying balloon. Now, now to call a meeting. They thought and suddenly their voice erupted into a little sob.

A sob.

Their sob.

It was the kind of noise that you may think a bird made. The kind of noise you would never want to hear from your own jaws. But that day, that time, that night, Jam heard their little sob and it made them feel hopeless. So ever so hopeless. Their brain told them to call that meeting, then move tomorrow or you and everyone will die. But their heart, their heart, oh their poor sad little heart said to cry and sob and wail. Jam listened to their brain, they would speak truth though, they would speak the honest, sad, lonely, painful truth. From the very bottom of their heart and soul, they suddenly knew what to say. The words came like fluttering monarchs in the wind, petals of roses dashing through the air. They knew what to say.

' ' Travelers, I have come with painful, sad news. You all remember our subordinate? Yes? Insertname, oh, our sweet, wonderful Insertname. How I miss them already. You see, we went on a patrol... ' ' Jam wandered off their sentence for a painfully long moment before continuing. ' ' Insertname and I went on a patrol this morning and we were by the lake. We had found so much prey but it had lured in some green beast. Insertname was mauled by it and it took our prey. I barely escaped with my life. I've decided that tomorrow we move to a new home, somewhere far away from those green beasts. We head south, hopefully to a warm place. I pray that their soul lives a peaceful life in the stars. But, since they are gone and we are here I must appoint a new subordinate. If you feel you are worthy, please, step toward me. ' ' Jam hoped someone would step up.