Windswept Plains

[BEAR.]

Note: This is a public thread, open to everyone who wishes to use it.

---

It is said that the Windswept Plains were once a majestic sprawling forest,
cut down in its prime by the introduction of Twolegs and monsters to the area.

Whether that is true.. it's hard to say, but what is known is the plains seem unnatural.
Located beside a Thunderpath, the plains are a flattened square
where flowers grow abundant along tall grass.
Only a few tree stumps near the plain's edge give any indication it was
once forested.

Though prey is possible to find in this plains, it is very scarce.

While often used as a place to socialize and recognized as so, it isn't unheard of for
cats to claim the area for themselves to stir up trouble.

[Astraea]

~burrito walked up to plains enjoying the snow it was something he never got to see and feel~

[spade]

➳ Sunchaser

Having decided to leave camp after a rather disastrous run-in with a Clanmate might have been the smartest decision Sunchaser had made all day. The young tom mumbled to himself with his eyes focused on his paws, not really taking in the changing scenery around him. He felt stupid and embarrassed and was tempted to just start running further and faster, creating as much distance as he could between himself and ThunderClan. What a wretched place, full of furballs who just wanted to make fun of him daily. Didn’t they want to find love to? Didn’t they want to feel a million little fluttering butterfly wings when conversing with the fabled “one and only”? Or was he the only one with a lick of sense in the entire forest?

Not really watching where he was going, his trajectory lead him straight into the cold embrace of a broad tree trunk. ”Ouch!” he mumbled around a mouthful of dead flowers, giving his head a shake as he backed up. The tom glared at the dark brown bark statute, an angry snort coming from his nose. "Stupid. Just about as stupid as the rest of ThunderClan. Still though, he couldn’t help the twinge of dismay he felt at the recent events that had just transpired back at camp. Sure he seemed to be the only one with his head screwed on straight, but that didn’t make it any less embarrassing to be rejected again, and in front of an audience no less.

No way was he going to return to camp over a bruised head from a run in with a rather rude tree. He had a worse fate waiting for him back home.

Side stepping around, Sunchaser moved forward again, squinting to see the silhouettes of two rather familiar faces. His pace quickened a bit, and relief flooded him as he recognized Sunpoppy and Hareflood. Finally. Two cats who would actually be welcoming to him, and not cast him away with the notion that he didn’t, and would never, belong. Breaking into a sprint, he leapt over another slain tree, easily closing the distance between himself and the two toms.

”Hi guys,” he breathed, voice garbled as he tried to speak around the dried up weeds he was still clutching. Realizing this probably wasn’t the smartest idea, the pale tabby proceeded to drop them to the ground. But that certainly wasn’t enough. For good measure, he lifted a paw and squashed it down, digging the rejected flowers deep into the thin snow layer. ”Stupid dead flowers. Stupid camp with its stupid cats – not you two, of course. Everyone else. They act like I’ve got the issue when it’s them who make everything about that place feel so… stupid.” He couldn’t think of a better word, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. ”All I wanted was a hunting buddy, but what did I get? ‘Oh no, sorry dude, I already have plans to worship my ass off later at the foot of StarClan’. I’m done this time – seriously! No laughing, I’m really done.” With a huff, the tom sat down, glaring at the smashed flowers beneath him.

@Dipper @BILL.

[Fawn]

➳ Sunpoppy 🥀

"Think they got any poppies out here?" Sunpoppy inquired dryly to Hareflood as he kicked up a dusting of snow. The barren landscape didn't have much to offer except physical distance between themselves and everything they hated, and that was acceptable for now. It was easier to dodge duties and slack off when outside the boundaries of the camp, beyond the prying gaze of senior warriors and authority figures desperate for respect.

Hopping onto the stump of a long-dead tree, Sunpoppy cleared his throat to do a brief, high-pitched imitation of Buckstar's familiar call of clan meetings before leaping to the next one with wavering grace. It wasn't often that he engaged in an impromptu game of don't-touch-the-ground, and it was a clumsy attempt at best with his twig legs and long body crammed into a tight space.

He heard the pawsteps racing toward them before he turned his head, a nasty "go away" on the tip of his tongue before he registered the figure as Sunchaser. With a flower arrangement, no less, and his eyebrow quirked.

Sarcastic, he greeted, "Wow, man, you shouldn't have." That was prior to their unfortunate demise by method of Sunchaser's paws, but the statement remained. Sunchaser was a perfectly nice guy, and the implication that he'd been turned down by some prissy feline merely Sunpoppy's pre-determined notions about the selection of she-cats in their lame Clan. Kestrelflame was different; besides, she knew they were meant to be together by the order of the universe.

"Yeah, they're stupid fake assholes," he agreed in a nonchalant shrug, returning to his mindless movement between the stumps. "Freaking jerks who don't know who they're messing with." Sunpoppy didn't know how, but he resolved to show them someday. He'd make them regret every biting remark, each taunt carelessly thrown at his friends.

His gaze settled on Sunchaser, searching. A hunting patrol rejection didn't exactly explain the flowers--well, he was sort of weird like that--unless it'd been a hunting patrol. One with someone he like liked. Posed as a teasing comment, he asked, "But really, trying to impress someone special, Chaser?"


@BILL. @spade

[BEAR.]

"Do you see any poppies out here?" Hareflood returned, gaze sweeping over the plains. There wasn't much going on here and he was itching to change that - to do something. Clan duties were a boring obligation, and breaking from that and the watchful eyes was a temporary relief. They couldn't see him out here, they didn't know.

Hareflood had followed Sunpopy onto one of the stumps, doing his best to arch his back to make himself look bigger. Stronger, powerful. The world was beneath him now and trembled before him. "Just imagine, one day we'll be above all those losers back at camp." They would be at their mercy - and Hareflood would give them none.

He hissed sharply at the sound of pawsteps, bristling his fur when Sunchaser came into sight. Of course he had to show up - why wouldn't he come to steal Sunpoppy away? Hareflood forced his fur to lie flat but did not relax, clumsily stepping down from the stump to sulk sourly as Sunpoppy's attention went to his real friend. The childhood buddy, the one he preferred over the outsider that didn't belong.

While the two talked, he withdrew himself, finding leaves from a bush by the edge of the field he could stomp on the ground into a pulp. He could be cool too! Chaser wasn't the only one here who could smash plants into the snow.

If only leaves were just as impactful as flowers. It just left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he angrily scuffed snow over the leaves he mangled.

[ @spade, @Dipper ]

[spade]

➳ Sunchaser

It was one thing to have all of ThunderClan's eyes on him - watching, waiting for him to mess up and causing rage to boil in his belly. But Sunpoppy watching him was different - embarrassment flooded his face and flattened his ears. Perhaps it was because he'd known the tom since they were mere kits. Or maybe the fact that he'd just smashed dead flowers into the ground. Either way, the warrior let out a disgruntled snort.

"Not anymore, I guess. They didn't like the flowers I picked." Okay, with it being in the middle of leaf-bare it wasn't like he expected to find live, pretty flowers. But it was the thought that counted to him. "Okay... well... you see... I didn't exactly ask her yet. But... I wanted to! But then she was leaving camp, and..." Becoming flustered, Sunchaser stood and leapt onto one of the tree stumps, swiping his claw across a rather dead looking leaf. Bringing it close to his face, he added, "Buckstar didn't even bother to put me on a patrol, so I thought, maybe, I'd ask Sageflurry... And, well, it didn't go." Using his tail, he indicated to the stomped on flowers.

"But enough about my dump of a love life," Sunchaser dropped off the stump and landed in between Sunpoppy and Hareflood, discarding the leaf with a flick of his paw. A playful smirk grew across his face as he cast a sideways glance towards Sunpoppy. "Besides, shouldn't we be talking about your luck, Pops? I mean, has Kestrelflame even glanced your way once?" If his friend hadn't caught him noticing his stares, he was sorely mistaken. A small chuckle shook the golden tabby's shoulders as his eyes glinted with humor.

Swinging his head over to a rather mopey looking Hareflood, Sunchaser blinked, prancing over a bit. "Were the molly's in RiverClan any better, Hare? I bet they were falling all over you." He wished he had the toms confidence when it came to social situations - at least, what he'd seen so far. For him, he was either overshooting by a mile or slinking away like a scared rabbit; there was no in between.

// @BILL. @Dipper

[Fawn]

➳ Sunpoppy 🥀

Sunpoppy didn't so much as flick an ear at Hareflood's overreaction to Sunchaser's approach, though he noted to tell him to cool it later if they wanted to act like they weren't doing anything wrong out here. It could've been a patrol stumbling upon them, or more likely an authority figure coming to ruin their moon. He could act as though Hareflood's hiss and bristling were problematic, but staring with hollowed eyes and a slouched figure were no less suspicious.

He blinked. "They?" How many freaking she-cats was he attempting to ask out at once? No wonder they didn't appreciate that. His idea of romance was built like a fantasy: monogamy, a singular true love, tradition, and undying devotion that outlasted their biological forms. Other possibilities were rejected. As Sunchaser continued his explanation, the picture of what'd gone down came to fruition, and Sunpoppy shrugged it off. He'd find someone better, Sageflurry was a chump. So was Buckstar. All of them. "She's stuck up." Sunpoppy didn't know her, but he felt confident enough to make the statement considering what he knew about the interaction.

While the nickname momentarily caught him off guard, Sunpoppy's minor protest died instantly when he brought up Kestrelflame. He froze. Disbelief slackened his jaw before it clamped shut, guarded. Sunchaser was not only speaking of Kestrelflame, but bringing her up the context of his.. lack of success, and that brought a sudden crash of humiliation onto him. The last thing he needed was his actual friends belittling him, he got enough of that from the stupid clan itself. Embarrassed by the burning insult, and to a smaller extent the now-open secret that he'd been desperately attempting to keep hidden, Sunpoppy's ears flattened. He hardly knew what to say, didn't think words could manage--just kind of wanted to whack Sunchaser across the face for the transgression.

Enraged and ashamed, he whipped around to stalk off. "Screw this. I'm out." Already feeling foolish as it was, he wasn't going to just stand there and let anyone--friend or not--make fun of him. Sunpoppy had better things to do, like bury himself under ten layers of snow and cry for the next century.


@spade @BILL.

[BEAR.]

It was like Chaser wanted to go down in history as the Most Disliked Cat, Ever.

First, Hareflood didn't like it that Chaser tried to jump near him - the farther away he was, the better! Hareflood didn't need to get Loser Stink on him, no thanks! He couldn't understand why Omenrage tolerated this guy.

At first, he was confused as to why they were talking about Kestrelflame. That was, until he registered that Chaser was referring to Sunpoppy's interest in her, and her.. lack of it. What the hell? Hareflood hadn't been aware of the interest and didn't care because frankly, his focus was on Chaser now. And his blood boiled further when Chaser went into RiverClan. "What the hell is wrong with you, dung-dip?" His ears were pulled back, teeth bared angrily. "Being an asshole over Kestrelflame? Really? I thought you were suppose to be Sunpoppy's bestie, but you're no better than everyone else."

He straightened up solely to stalk after Omenrage, only pausing briefly to hiss. "And don't you ever talk about RiverClan again. That's not your concern, jerk."

And then he was gone, calling after his friend. "Hey, wait up!"

[ @Dipper, @spade ;; hare has left the building ]

[spade]

➳ Sunchaser

While his eyes gleamed with friendliness as he awaited the responses, the change in the atmosphere seemed to slap him like a tree branch. Sunchaser blinked, ears pulled back against his head as he witnessed Sunpoppy's expression change. "I-I didn't mean-" he started to say, only to be cut off as the angered tom turned around to leave. Guilt bubbled in his toes and all the way up to his face, causing him to feel hot and dizzy. What had happened? He had only meant it as a joke... Dismay flashed across his gaze, feeling at a loss of words as to what could possibly get Sunpoppy to turn around.

Already on the defense, Sunchaser jumped as he heard Hareflood's onslaught of accusations. The tom tried to make himself smaller, sinking into the thin snow layer and backing up until he felt the cold tree bark against his fur. "I was only trying to lighten the mood. Honestly, I'm sorry..." he murmured, too afraid to make his voice any louder. He wasn't even sure if his words were audible, but there wasn't much time to figure that out as he watched Hareflood bound away after his childhood friend, leaving Sunchaser to stare after the two with a blank expression.

What had gone wrong? As the tom allowed himself to finally fix his posture - still keeping an eye on where the two had exited incase they decided to come back - he let out a solemn sigh. Always messing everything up. Guilt turned into rage, and the tom lashed out a paw, swiping it across the bark of the tree. That conversation had been even shorter than his nonexistent one with Sageflurry. What good was a childhood friend if you couldn't have a few jokes now and then? Sunpoppy had to know he was only joking...

With his head hung in dismay, Sunchaser settled onto the ground, resting his chin on his paws as his ears sank. He didn't feel like walking anywhere now, let alone to follow Hareflood and Sunpoppy, or back to camp. Screw both options. He'd sit out here and freeze for the day - at least it was away from any prying eyes.

[ophelia]

// @spade

Darkfire padded silently through the trees, maw lifted to the breeze. He was out hunting, along yet again. Not that he minded all that much, since company often managed to disturb his thoughts and processes, but it would've been nice to have someone...suitable to hunt with once in a while. The last time he'd been out with other cats was on a patrol with Mosswhisper and the older tom's apprentice. That had been...amusing to say the least. If you could call grass snakes amusing.

The dark grey tom finally picked something up in the grass. He checked to make sure the sun was in front of him and that he was downwind before approaching. After all, his great bulk often seemed to startle prey away. He crouched, slinking forward like a shadowy mass, and pounced. The mouse's squeak died almost as soon as it was emitted, and he picked it up in his teeth before moving along.

As he wandered on, trying to find a place to stash his first, the scent of the mouse in his jaws flooded his sense and he almost didn't notice another warrior slumped in the grass. He topped, long tail twitching back an forth for a bit before he approached. What was his name again? Something with a Sun in it. He padded forward and sat, arching his neck to set down the mouse. "Hey there," he rumbled in his low voice. "What are you doing out here by yourself?" The question could probably be returned Darkfire's way, but then again, at least he was hunting.