Icestar's Territory

[nocturnal]

[ @punkscape ]
(Apologies on the lateness; I'm a bit behind on replies.)

A cold voice awakened the frosty warrior from his thoughts and he turned warily, attempting to ignore the flickers of movement that he could sense from behind him. "Icestar," the shadowcat meowed bluntly, not exactly sure what to think about seeing the other cat here of all places.

The presence behind him slipped deeper into the dead forest and the nervous feeling disappeared, although the knowledge that something or someone had been there made his fur prickle. At least, now, he could turn his attention onto his leader. Former leader? What did it matter? Alive or not, the black feline still held the same rank.

His reason for being here? He had wanted answers. Apparently, it had been a bad reason if he had appeared on this side - the bad side - of death. Or perhaps more than one cat had wanted to take advantage of him at this time, and this was where both of them could meet.

The large tom would've commented that; interesting, Icestar was actually dead, but refrained from doing so because he was more than just a bit aware that stating it aloud would make him sound dumb, which was not what he needed. Had he still been in the land of the living, the remark might've left his mouth anyhow, but he was the only cat who still had things to lose around here, or so he assumed.

"If there had been a reason for me to be walking around in the realm of the dead, then I cannot seem to recall it," Talonstone admitted curtly. What to say now? Well, there was really no reason to avoid the topic. "You were cast into the Dark Forest?" He hadn't been expecting for the larger feline to eternally rest in the happy fields of StarClan. In a way, seeing her against the shadows that twisted around the withered forest was much more fitting, but still... it was strange. He supposed that his mind still had trouble accepting that the leader was dead.

[pidgeon]

Originally Posted by Zesty Mango

Tulipapple nodded,” I don’t know why they told you otherwise, but that is the truth. I’m just glad you know.” she couldn’t imagine the new leader starting a war over a simple barn, but she might have just started a war.

Icestar forced her temper to cool as her burning gaze met the dead queen's once again.
"Leave me," She growled with a lash of her tail. "I have much to think about." Not so much as a thank-you, the raging ex-leader stalked away to her starry den.

[pidgeon]

@bmkmb

The warrior's innocence amused the deceased leader as she padded closer to him, choosing to take a tentative seat on the cold ground. The pine-strewn earth beneath her paws seemed aglow with frost, wherever her steps were placed.
"Not quite," Icestar responded to his question with a faint chuckle. "I wander freely between StarClan and the Dark Forest. Both are my domain. Likely my choices in life are what granted me this power, but altogether it is more a blessing than a curse." She felt more power surging through her paws here than she ever had during life, and for such a power-trip of a leader, that was saying something.

"Well, cats don't end up here in dreams for no reason," She meowed tentatively, casting a shifty gaze into their surroundings. She could, for a brief moment, sense the presence as well. Perhaps it was too afraid to show itself in front of her. "Somebody has called you here, it would seem. But they likely will not appear in front of us, not in my territory. You see, cats tend to avoid each other on this side."

The leader had been watching over her former Clan, watching as her vengeful daughter sought out the new camp.
"So Dawnstripe decided on the gorge, did she? Not the choice I would have gone with, but safe and protected nonetheless. A fine option, provided everything gets properly insulated." It would take a lot of moss and bedding to stifle the wind that likely would whip through the rocky camp. Icestar was immediately looking at Talonstone as a messenger, since she had him here. She hadn't been able to reach her daughter in dreams yet--likely because Dawnstripe hadn't slept.

[pidgeon]

@Slushie (I hope this is okay, feel free to get to this whenever you're able to)

The former ShadowClan leader had grown ever curious about what her father had told her when she lost her second-to-last life. She had never gotten to figure out what he meant by "a change in ThunderClan". Now deceased, she could wander wherever she pleased, and she found herself observing ThunderClan's slumbering territory one night.

Casting her presence out as far as she could, she mentally prodded to see if she could reach whoever may be in the leader's den. It had better not be Duskstar, she grumbled inwardly. That would be a waste of time. Icestar was sure it had to be somebody new.

Slowly figuring out how to assert herself into the dreams of the living with moderate difficulty, she found herself padding into a green forest scape, likely the dream of the ThunderClan leader. Her orange eyes scanned the area, and her ears were on swivels to catch any movement. She had to know who was here.

[nocturnal]

[ @punkscape ]

As the black-furred leader padded closer to him, Talonstone had to fight his instincts in order to refrain from tensing warily. He noticed the soft sheen of frost that appeared beneath the powerful she's paws whenever they made contact with the dark earth, but decided not to question it. The new passive ability seemed fitting, considering, and of course, it would be Icestar, of all cats, who would be the one to gain powers upon death.

The frosty warrior was a bit concerned about that chuckle, though, however faint it had been. After that experience of watching Dawnstripe, even a kitten giggling was something to be wary of. They really didn't need more insanity in their clan, nor did Talonstone need more of it in his life. He already knew his fair share of maniacs, thank you very much.

There were no such things as blessings when everything was a curse. Living was a curse, for one had to suffer to survive. Death was a curse; the dead could only make tired comments and bang their heads against trees while watching the mistakes made in world of the living. Even this purgatory was meant to be a curse, although Talonstone mentally agreed that it could also be considered a blessing. It gave the leader a choice of where she wanted to be, rather than being condemned to a single prison forever.

The leader was right; cats didn't end up in dreams for no reason. Talonstone was vaguely certain that he knew who had called him. His question was why. The weasel wouldn't show himself in front of a worthy opponent, but the only living shadowcat here could be ambushed the second that Icestar left.

Whoever had decided that any deceased cat should be allowed to walk in dreams regardless of intent must have been a lizardbrain. Living cats had no choice in the matter. All they could do was wish for the nightmare to hurry up and end. Of course, they could also be woken up from the living side of the world, but no cat would be foolish enough to try and wake Talonstone in his sleep at the risk of being accidentally harmed in needless self-defense.

"Safe camp or not, if Dawnstripe does not eliminate all of the resistance soon, then the clan will find itself in the midst of a rebellion," the frosty tom meowed. For a clan of secrets and shadows, it was humiliating how open cats were about their beliefs. There were still many of those who were against Dawnstripe's reign, though they had not loudly spoken out yet.

Personally, Talonstone was a bit concerned about the state of his clan. Until Dawnstripe was approved by the stars, she had no proof under her claim to leadership... well, that was false. The word of a leader was law, and Icestar had chosen Dawnstripe as deputy. So, according to the law, Dawnstripe was to be the next leader. Whether or not the stars allowed it would not be known to mortals until her name became Dawnstar, however, and Talonstone was not amused upon realizing that there would be a Dawn-, a Dusk-, and a Twilight-, walking around the forest. Some kittens might get the false impression that only cats with time-related names were allowed to become leaders.

[pidgeon]

Icestar's whiskers twitched with annoyance as Talonstone brought up the rebels. Upon joining the dead, the former leader had gained insight on what had been going on behind her back, if only just the basic information. Pinpointing which exact cats were involved was difficult with the amount of clanmates who seemed to be against her decision to make Dawnstripe leader, but there was one that she was absolutely certain of. She would be warning her daughter of Dawnstripe's own former apprentice.

"Any word of rebellion on the wind will be snuffed out quickly," Icestar meowed in a steely voice. "Dawnstripe may be extreme, but she is still my daughter. I taught her everything she needs to know to follow in my pawsteps. And if she steps too far out of line, I am still fully capable of stepping in. She knows what to do." The leader was perhaps too confident in her ability to control her offspring. Her main concern now was who was going to be the next deputy. There didn't appear to be many choices, she thought personally. So many cats in ShadowClan were weak, spineless traitors these days, with no respect for their leadership.

"Once Dawnstripe makes her trip to the Starcave, all will become clear, and the Clan will have to accept StarClan's will." My will.

@bmkmb

[nocturnal]

[ @punkscape ]

The shadowcat didn't doubt his leader's words - former leader, now, he supposed. He took them in as a dog would lap water, albeit with much more control and much less enthusiasm. As for Dawnstripe... the tom wasn't sure what to think of her yet. He knew nothing about the feline other than what others had told him and what he had witnessed at the meeting, which, frankly, hadn't given him the best impression. If Icestar believed in the dominating she-cat, however, then Talonstone would have to give her a chance. Perhaps she wasn't as bad as she seemed. It would take some time for him to come up with an accurate opinion on the brown tabby, anyhow.

"I doubt neither Dawnstripe's ability to lead, nor her right to do so," Talonstone shared. "However, I am vaguely concerned about what StarClan might do." Which wasn't anything new for the white-furred tom; his relationship with the stars wasn't good in the least. That shouldn't come off as a surprise, seeing that they were speaking in the one area that starcats couldn't go. "The stars do not seem to be in your favor at the moment. What might happen if they refuse to acknowledge your daughter as leader?" It was a valid point, at least, in Talonstone's perspective. The cats of stars and shadows tended to aggravate one another for whatever reason. He did hope that he wasn't overstepping any boundaries by voicing the thought; irritating Icestar was not his goal here.

[pidgeon]

"They will listen to me!" The leader barked abruptly at Talonstone's comment, allowing her rage to flare for only a moment before she recomposed herself with a deep breath. "If they do not, they will wish they had. Dawnstripe will be clan leader." She rose to her paws, tail low and twitching irritably.

"When you return, tell Dawnstripe that mother is still watching over. I await her arrival at the Starcave." Keeping her gaze on the warrior as she turned away, Icestar began padding back towards her den. She didn't particularly care if he carried over the message or not--she would see her daughter soon enough. But she would not turn up the opportunity of sending one of her former clanmates to be a messenger boy.

@bmkmb

[dino.]

Originally Posted by punkscape

@Slushie (I hope this is okay, feel free to get to this whenever you're able to)

The former ShadowClan leader had grown ever curious about what her father had told her when she lost her second-to-last life. She had never gotten to figure out what he meant by "a change in ThunderClan". Now deceased, she could wander wherever she pleased, and she found herself observing ThunderClan's slumbering territory one night.

Casting her presence out as far as she could, she mentally prodded to see if she could reach whoever may be in the leader's den. It had better not be Duskstar, she grumbled inwardly. That would be a waste of time. Icestar was sure it had to be somebody new.

Slowly figuring out how to assert herself into the dreams of the living with moderate difficulty, she found herself padding into a green forest scape, likely the dream of the ThunderClan leader. Her orange eyes scanned the area, and her ears were on swivels to catch any movement. She had to know who was here.

[ So sorry for the wait <3 ]

Buckstar crouched down amongst the flowers of Firefly Grove, his eyes wide as he watched a pillbug uncurl in the dirt. He reached out to gently poke it with a paw, and it curled into a tiny ball. He raised his head and turned toward the treeline that encircled the grove, but when he crossed back into the brush, the first thing he saw was Icestar.

His eyes darted around in confused panic before they settled on her again, and his claws dug into the dirt. Suddenly he was conscious that this was not a normal dream. Or, at least, it wasn't anymore. Because she was here and she wasn't supposed to be.

He squinted at her, trying to piece together just what exactly was happening. "Why... why are you here? And... how?"

[pidgeon]

Icestar was not done meddling with the affairs of the living. In fact, she felt awfully ambitious for a dead cat. She had been sitting in her den on the border of StarClan, brooding angrily for the last half moon. She had gone to find out the change in ThunderClan that her father had mentioned, and now it was time for her to interfere as he had implied. And she knew exactly how.

ThunderClan had no medicine cat. If Icestar could choose the most atrocious cat for the job, Buckstar would have to rely on ShadowClan for healing. Irisflame was the best medicine cat in the forest, and under her tutelage Ebonyfang would be just as marvelous. He already showed great promise. Dawnstripe could reform the alliance with ThunderClan, gaining a potentially powerful ally for the future, one that would depend on ShadowClan due to its own incompetent medicine cat. The dark leader had scoped out the clan in her own time and made her decision. All that was left now was to alert a living cat.

She thought about contacting Buckstar directly, until she figured out that a medicine cat would soon be visiting ThunderClan to help them. This would be a good opportunity to expand her spiritual reach. Besides, she respected medicine cats more than she respected other Clan leaders.

While the WindClan medicine cat slept, Icestar prepared to infiltrate Coldamber's dreams, influencing her to be pulled towards her territory.

Icestar's persistent rage had caused her to create a heavy amount of frost and ice throughout her territory. All she had to do was add some flare to it. When Coldamber regained consciousness, she would find herself in a star-strewn tundra. The whipping wind was filled with snow and hail, and frost would quickly collect around her paws. Icestar was standing a few fox-lengths away, partially obscured by the blinding frost, her orange eyes a glowing flame through the weather.

"Coldamber," her gruff voice would rasp. "You must bring a message to Buckstar." The frost around the leader's paws outstretched further and further.

"Take heed the early frost on the breeze,
It may be exactly what you need.
Fear not the aid of the shadows."

And with that, Icestar vanished behind the dark storm clouds, casting the she-cat out of her otherworldly territory.

@Rainquail