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ThunderClan Leader's Den
Thick, hanging lichen hides the entrance to this large, fallen log near the back of ThunderClan's camp. Numerous claw marks gouge the inner floor of the den. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Surprisingly unhesitant, Cinderpaw strode her way into the leader's den for the first time in a while. She took a moment to inspect her work patching up any holes in the den from the inside for the first time - it looked passable, at least. Exhaustion etched clear on her face. She wasn't quite as well-versed in herbs as she should have by now, but she was sure plenty busy training Thunderclan's little soldiers, and dealing with their camp being dragged into hell. Yet, despite what she taught them...
"We need to talk." Cutting to the chase was what she was best at. Her tail-stump twitched anxiously behind her, the only thing giving off what was bubbling within her. Since last gathering's whole mess, she'd sure as hell been thinking. The justification of their deaths back in full force, her own clan being partially to blame... don't get her wrong, she was sure as hell Thunderclan's wrongdoings had been brought up in anything but bad faith, but still. What damn liars her clanmates were. Yet again, Cinderpaw found herself in a loop of needing to staunch their lies and being beat to the ground for it. Yet again, Cinderpaw spoke. And she would make sure they listened after all that was still happening to their children, his child."We can't bring apprentices to Gatherings anymore. They're not safe, not with Shadowclan in the forest." [ @Eaglet @dino. hope you guys dont mind me reposting this since it got cut off, if its an issue tell me] |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
bumblebreak === > @Eaglet @littlelove She had been gathering up the last scraps of her nest from what would soon be solely Thrushstar's den when Cinderpaw strode in. Bumblebreak's ears shot forward as she raised her head to blink at the medicine cat apprentice. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Thrushstar He thought the den was rather comfortable. It was large enough for cats to lounge in even though it was within a log. Thrushstar put effort into building a nest for himself with his paws. Nothing exceptional was added by him to it. He liked basic things, thus an uninteresting old moss nest fit him perfectly. And he hoped that, with his nest-building and decorating abilities, he would never pick up Russetpaw's habit of tucking feathers into his fur. His paws molded the moss into a form he was happy with. Orienting himself so that the sun wouldn't hit his face. His ear twitched, and his eyes darted across to the den's entryway. Finding Thunderclans medicine cat apprentice advanced into his den with heavy steps. Her pawsteps caused thunks against the wood floor. Thrushstar blinked, making out their differentiating figures of Bumblebreak who was already in his den. And Cinderpaw with her aura. He made a courteous head turn. Listening to what Cinderpaw has to say. Cinderpaw made the decision to prevent apprentices from attending gatherings. Which didn't surprise him. She was undoubtedly chosen to represent the younger members of this clan. Wanting to shield them from any potential threat. Naturally, he hesitated before responding right away. Bumblebreak jumped in and gave her suggestion while she was in here. Yes, he could still vividly recall it. Their decisions on how to handle trespassers are the cause of Dawnpaw's riotous killing. Indeed, it had been almost four moons ago. He exhaled. "I see your reasoning and intent to protect the youth of our clan. It is an expected decision given the looming danger of what Shadowclan is even preparing to do at the following gathering. However, as Bumblebreak noted, several of the apprentices there do not possess the necessary knowledge. Up to the age of about 16 moons, they are still being trained. Of course, you, Cinderpaw, are an exception to that rule. Your claim, Cinderpaw, is supported by the murder of Dawnpaw. And why I set those rules of steering clear of Shadowclans borders." "Even if we plan to keep apprentices from going to the next gathering. There may be things that are concealed or ambiguous that we do not know about. Pushing back their experiences of seeing the world is one thing, but prioritizing the clan's safety is entirely another. Consider this carefully, as well as the outcomes and potentials for the two possible courses of action." "One. We send apprentices to the gathering as we have done in the past. As it is customary for our clan to do so. But there can be risks, as Cinderpaw had already stated. We certainly don't know what Shadowclan is up to, especially for the younger cats. Or what will happen when that gathering starts." "Two, we keep them back by forbidding them from attending any more gatherings. OR, stop them from going to the following one. I predict that we will face opposition to our proposal if we bring it up with the clan. Apprentices for eons have gone to gatherings to see where the world of warriors lies. Instead of cooped up in the Kit Corner and being taught how to behave, gatherings are there to teach apprentices how to be warriors and how to interact in reality with cats from another clan. Naturally, the Kit Curriculums were established to teach the knowledge of the world and proper behavior to kits before they become apprentices." "Simply, if you wish to prevent cats from going to gatherings. Then expect some opinions from the cats in the clan. I could care less if you have no interest in those viewpoints or what they have to offer. Having said that, none of us are certain of Dawnstar's thoughts. What she has beneath her massive, enormous frame. I'd be surprised if she didn't want any source of conflict to erupt." "I want to delve deeper into this. Even the smallest things can, in my opinion, have the biggest effects. Of course, I don't want to complicate things too much. But I will hear from each of you and get the reasons why. And my final say will be said." His speech flowed off of his tongue like water. He has heard from the two and their opposing opinions on what to do with the apprentices at the gathering next month just from the little parts. He won't make a decision until he has learned more about their reasons for wanting this or that. Simple. His nest has been spared from interference for a while. Waiting patiently for both of their responses to his explanation. [ @littlelove, @dino. ] |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Flameheart Noticing Bumblebreak- or, rather Bumblestar, now, enter camp, the Head Keeper stiffled a yawn and got up to follow her into the leader's den. Although she knows Bumblestar might be tired after the trek to the Starcave and back, Flameheart figured it was best to not have Bumblestar wondering what her Clan was up to in her absence. The large tabby cleared her throat before entering. "Welcome back, Bumblestar. I trust it went well?" she dipped her head before moving on to the topic at paw. "I just wanted to let you know things went well here. I had a few cats round up the kits as you instructed,. Rainfall seemed to have disappeared, so I had Houndchaser look for her inside camp walls, and... nothing. She's not in camp and hasn't showed up. My best guess is she went missing and I don't expect to see her around in the near future. I had Spiderthroat and Roseraven see if there was a dire need for herbs and then tidy up the dens if there was none. I also stationed guards for the night for security reasons and allowed anyone to hunt because StarClan knows we need food, so long as they informed me beforehand so I knew who was in the camp in case a problem came up." She dipped her head once more before sitting down. "Last but not least... I didn't want any arguments to break out so I had anyone who wished to speak more on last night's meeting come speak with you directly." That just about covered it, so the young she-cat fell silent to listen to what her leader had to say. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Houndchaser They/Them | Thunderclan Warrior They should’ve washed their paws off and they knew it, but this…this was something far more important. They didn’t even wished to talk about it, yet they had to tell someone and Bumblebreak was that somebody. “Bumblestar? Is it ‘star now? I…I…have something to explain and warn you about. I- We were kidnapped. Me and what I believe to be, a riverclan apprentice…I don’t remember how or why…but I…” no. they didn’t want to talk about it. who would want to say those words? Houndchaser didn’t even want to be in here anymore. They felt the sickness and the memories of just a few hours ago come back up. The warriors blue eyes search the ground, gaze refusing to meet the leaders as they took a hard gulps their ears now pinned as a paw touch’s the tip of their muzzle. “It…” switching topic as they felt the sickness and bile taste now to begin to rise. “The child is safe, I left them at the border. I came to report back to you that the outsider has been dealt with..I just….I didn’t want to…I ” Their voice trailed off, eyes now closed as they try to think of something much happier while waiting for the leader’s response, the blood on their paws now sure to stain the dirt below them. @dino. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Bumblestar was just finishing up moving her nest—again—when Flameheart stepped into the den. The smaller she-cat glanced up from her moss kneading and gave Flameheart an grateful nod, just barely managing to stifle the proud grin that threatened to take over her features at hearing the new name from someone else's mouth. "It went fine, yeah. Shame about Rainfall, I'll have to get another forever queen in place." She was a tad miffed the Head Keeper had given the search job to Houndchaser, of all cats, but... whatever. They'd proven useful, at least, despite their nonsensical words during the last meeting. "Thanks for keeping things from collapsing around here. Knew I could count on you. If that's it, you're good to go." What the- Bumblestar's ears swiveled forward as Houndchaser appeared in her den, bloodied and looking rather ill. Her shocked eyes stared them down for a moment, not even sure how to respond to something like this. "I- Great StarClan." She had to fish for the words. How did something like this even happen? A kidnapping?? "...Tell me where this happened, and then go to Roseraven and Spiderthroat immediately." They looked as if they were about to be sick, and she really didn't want to deal with that in her brand-new den. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
https://f2.toyhou.se/file/f2-toyhou-...513?1680687351 GENTLEDOE messy-furred brown she-cat with heterochromia. she/her Bounding up to the leader's den, Gentledoe stared at the entrance for multiple heartbeats. Huh. Even in the old camp, she had never really... gone into the leader's den. She had no need to. But with the recent incidents happening almost back to back, Gentledoe was growing more and more concerned with the safety of ThunderClan. She only hoped she wouldn't be bothering Bumblestar with her presence. [ @dino. ] |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Houndchaser They/Them | Thunderclan Warrior She was in for quite the treat, the warrior joked mentally as they escorted the group to the den. Tapping their paw on the front wall before entering with hopefully all three of the trouble trio. But just before they did, they responded to Crowpaw’s statement. “I never said you were in trouble for speaking up about what you think is right, you’re all in trouble for disturbing what you try so hard to defend. How do you think that made Dovefluff feel when a group of inconsiderate apprentices ruined her and the clans’s last few moments with Echokit? How you would you all feel if someone did that to someone you love? Not too good i’m going to guess”, Clearing their throat as they turned to Bumblestar. “Aye, these three were making a scene during Echokit’s vigil, petty insult and threats of throwing each other into a hole. Cracklepaw started it all, Burntpaw reacted and Crowpaw did as well. I would ask them all for what happened for the whole story as I stepped in near the tail end. Springpaw was almost involved but I just told them to pay their respects and go to the apprentices den, they didn’t insult anyone or at least as bad as these three. I’m handling Springpaw’s punishment personally so you should have no issue with them. Thank you, have fun, if you need me to stay, let me know and if you don’t I shall be returning to the vigil to properly give my respects and support Dovefluff.” Houndchaser gave a nod to the leader, preparing to leave the den if Bumblestar so allowed, the fluffy cat tapped their paw on the ground while moving towards the side as too allow all three apprentices a full view of the small leader. @dino. @Leafí @Dabi @SpiritedWarrior |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Burntpaw scoffed
"Bumblestar! Can i Protest against me and Crowpaw Getting punished? at least against Crowpaw getting punished? He was Only Trying To Help! Perhaps in a Better... manner then i did. Cracklepaw told Dovefluff to throw the kit in a hole already and get over it! who does that?!" Burntpaw sqealed in protest. "Crowpaw was only trying to put them in their Place and get em to shut their loud mouth! they've been saying rude stuff all the time about the dead! the dead have to be respected" the apprentice mewed with a fire of defiance "I won't plead on My Case, no, i admit to telling the tom off and saying i'd gladly shove him into a hole. that probably was to rash and definitly not something i should have said there or then." He sat straight up " i will take a punishment if so be it, but i won't like it! I think It's Ridiculous that Houndchaser thinks Crowpaw and i are in the wrong as well! " he glanced at all the cats in the den "and don't bother to tell me to shut up! cause i won't! straight to the point is i hate staying quite when i have something to say" he snarled. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
v-Crackle'paw-v ( 36/100) It was both a mental and physical struggle to drag himself to his blatant doom. For he knew that right around the corner was unnecessary punishment! Punishment that he clearly didn't deserve! Who started the argument? Crow'paw and Burnt'paw! Who threw the threats around first? CROW'PAW AND BURNT'PAW! He was the victim here! And it just wasn't fair! Huffing out silent complaints, the tom stomped his way towards the leaders den. Burnt'paws words immediately met his ears as he made it to the undesired location. More ridiculous comments just fused his temper more. Snarling loudly he attempted to shove Burnt'paw out of the way so he could give his own correct input. " For gods sake you absolute MORON, no one wants to hear your ragtag opinions! So SHUDDUP! " he made once last attempt to body check the apprentice out of the way before moving onto his own pleas."Anyway... I would just like to say Bumble'star.... THAT EVERYONE IS LYING- I DIDN'T START THIS! IS WAS THOSE TWO!" tipping his head in a gesture at Crow'paw and Burnt'paw, he glanced at the leader " They threatened ME FIRST! They said they would bury me in a DITCH for pete's sake! And I don't know about you, but that's a VERY cruel threat! One that I didn't deserve! " pretty much wailing at this point, Crackle'paw stamped his paw down before collecting himself and moving on. " Also, in my defense against those STUPID ALLEGATIONS! I only said to chuck the kit in a hole because it was already DEAD! Why doesn't anyone get that!?" groaning loudly, the off-white tom gave another look at his two tormentors. " But I guess I should have some patience with cats who are pretty much as dumb as a soggy pile of mold..." he bit back a sly smile that threatened to show. Right now he was playing innocent, so it was of up most importance to show how considerate he really was! Now let's just hope Dumbble'star bought his coy... // @SpiritedWarrior @Dabi @dino. \\ (Forgot the mentions lmao) |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
[ @Solar @Dabi @SpiritedWarrior @Leafí ]
Bumblestar could hear the eardrum-bursting howls from her inside her den. They jarred her from her sleep—she wasn't even sure how or when she had fallen asleep in the first place, was she really that tired?—but before she could jump to her paws and race out into the clearing, Houndchaser herded three cats right into her den. The news made her pause. A kit was dead? For StarClan's sake. First Darkpetal, then Blackfir, now Echokit. "I'll handle Springpaw. Don't worry about it." She sent the warrior a single look that clearly meant "leave" before turning to the trio. Burntpaw's explanation and Cracklepaw's outburst only served to tick her off further. "Okay. WHAT the hell." This was a whole new starsdamned level of idiocy. Her eyes found Cracklepaw first, practically burning. "You. I'm at my limit with you. First with Darkpetal, and now this crap. I've got half a mind to kick you back into the nursery until you figure out how to get it together, but frankly I don't trust you not to start somethin' else with the kits or queens. I want you to clean out the apprentices' and warriors' dens, and you're staying home from the next Gathering. If I catch even a glimpse of you there, you better PRAY to StarClan you can run faster than me." Although Burntpaw and Crowpaw were much less at fault here, she still swept a furious glare over all of them. "Your behavior today has been HIGHLY inappropriate, 'n that goes for all three of ya. Cracklepaw: thin freakin' ice. One more incident with you and I'm gonna start rethinking your rank, because clearly you aren't mature enough to be an apprentice." She was tempted to drag him out to the edge of the territory and dump him there herself, in all honesty. "Crowpaw, Burntpaw: if somethin' like this happens, I expect you to find me or another warrior and let them step in, not handle it yourselves, in front of the grieving mother, no less. I'm incredibly disappointed. You two, go see what Dovefluff needs help with. Cracklepaw, start on those dens now. I want walls reinforced, dirt and dust cleaned out, and every inchworm-length of both spotless by the end of the day. Find a warrior to go with you and look for supplies; if I catch you out of camp on your own, you're going to be in a much deeper pit than you've already dug yourself. All of you, OUT. I don't want to hear another damn word about any of you causing trouble again." [ @lio ] She lifted her head as Gentledoe stepped into her den and offered the she-cat a small, slightly strained smile. "Yeah, 'course. What's up?" |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
https://f2.toyhou.se/file/f2-toyhou-...513?1680687351 GENTLEDOE messy-furred brown she-cat with heterochromia. she/her With the leader's response, the tabby she-cat curled her tail over her paws and took a deep breath. How was she to word this? Hm. [ @dino. ] |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
His Bumba seemed to be snoozing, so little Wolfkit took advantage of the leader's vulnerable state.
He crept over to her side and without warning, began to scramble onto her. He had one thing on his mind: EARS. On her back, he plopped and began to paw at her ears. Once he had one in his paw, he began to chew on it. Nom nom nom nom!! [ @dino. / done w permission ] |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Post-meeting, Alderstep made his way to the back of the camp to the fallen log. Never once in his life had he ever stepped foot in the leader's den. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad, but he was about to break his record. He had yet to decide if the reason for doing so were good, too. Each step he took and every second spent hesitating filled him with more dread and apprehension. To say he felt wholly unprepared wouldn't be far from the truth.
Don't get him wrong, Alderstep was more than happy to serve his clan. It was just that there were a lot of cats in the clan that would be watching him carefully for any slip-ups. Life in the limelight had never been designed for him, and it felt so glaringly obvious now more than ever. Alderstep supposed this was the whole point of faking it until he made it. He'd just have to pretend to be indifferent, and nobody would know any better. He'd also have to sell himself the best lies he's ever told if he was going to believe that. That was enough nervous stalling, however. The new deputy stretched as far as his spinal muscles would allow before he pushed through the lichen. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance as the lichen brushed against his fur. To think that he'd be spending time in this den now was horrifying, given that he loathed the sensation of the vegetation touching him. He could only hope for the restraint to keep him from ripping the lichen to shreds. "Bumblestar?" Alderstep announced his entrance, schooling his expression into neutrality. He assumed that the scarred leader has summoned him to yell at him or something so he would know what to do. He took in the inside of the fallen log, before sitting down and neatly wrapping his tail over his white paws. Mentally, he was preparing for whatever Bumblestar had to say to him. It wasn't that he couldn't take criticism, but confrontations always had him walking away shakily. Being scrutinized was an experience Alderstep had spent a long while avoiding, which probably wasn't great because he wasn't used to it. And he'd probably have to get used to it soon since he was now the second-hand to the clan leader, who happened to be viciously intimidating. Normally, he'd be his normal snappy self right back, but he didn't dare to think he'd get away with that. Perhaps later, when he wasn't alone in Bumblestar's den, where it'd be super easy for her to murder him. Hah. It'd be hilarious if Alderstep died at his leader's paws. [ @dino. ] |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Oh, well, this was far more interesting than she really thought it would have been originally. Her expression took on a more serious edge. The deaths had been unexpected and rough to navigate. And with rogues apparently running rampant, it wouldn't hurt to have stationed guards. "That's a great idea. You're free to go ahead and organize that however you want, so long as it actually works out. Good thinking, love." She found it odd to no longer be sleeping in a den that a dozen other cats also called home, but there was just something about the solitude that was simply peaceful. ...Even when she did wake up to a furball nibbling on her ear. With a drowsy snort, Bumblestar's eyes flickered open and she tilted her head to tug her ear out of Wolfkit's mouth, blinking at him blearily. "The hell are you doin' in here? It's like... the middle of the night." Bumblestar looked up from trying to squish a wad of moss into submission as Alderstep pushed through the curtain of lichen that shielded the entrance to her den. She tossed the moss another glance, then batted it aside and turned to face her new deputy properly. He had taken the initiative to come find her before she found him—that was a good start, at least. Maybe she wouldn't be chasing his tail to try to get him up and running. Now out of sight of prying eyes, the cream and brown tabby seemed far more at ease than she had earlier at the meeting, and she regarded Alderstep with a much less judgemental stare. "Good to see you came to me first. I just wanted to talk to you about what I expect to see from you, as I already have with Drizzlecloud and Springpaw." Much of it would likely be the same basic gist, but she still felt like it needed to be said just in case. "To start off with, I know this is new to you. I'm not gonna be pissed if it takes you a moon or two to get used to it, but if it's been a while and I've noticed that I don't see you around much, that you haven't been sendin' out patrols or getting involved or helpin' out where you're needed, we're gonna start having some issues, yeah?" Should be clear enough. "I want patrols sent out in a timely manner, I want reports gathered the same way, and I wanna see you actually out and about, involved in things when you're needed and even when you're not. You understand me so far?" |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Ah yes. Alderstep loved when his brain guessed things and got them right. It made him feel less braindead. He returned Bumblestar's stare, though he doubted he looked as captious as she. He hunched over a bit, finding ease as he realized that the leader was actually pretty informal, in the "no honorifics" way and not the "feeling like sleeping in" way. Maybe he could get away with being a bit insolent. Stars know that he'd wither away if he had to keep a tamp on his tongue whenever he felt like being insensitive.
"Hmm. Yeah. I understand," he answered. Patrols seemed easy enough to manage. Gather up some cats, send them out, and join them if time allowed. It helped that he'd been on them before, obviously. Reports, though. Flameheart probably knew more about those, what with her being the head Keeper and essentially taking over all deputy responsibilities for the last moon or so. He supposed he'd have to rely on the Keepers telling him things and keeping his eyes and ears perked for any and everything going on in the clan. That in turn meant he'd have to be involved. It was all daunting, for sure, but he'd manage. Alderstep had no choice, either way. Don't say it. Don't. Just don't. It was definitely not time for being petty. He asked a question instead. "Sooo...I can just barge in here whenever to report and stuff?" Well, technically it was his den too. Rather clearly, he didn't view it that way. Alderstep still clung to the memory of sharing a den with annoying, snoring warriors that woke him up when he fully planned on sleeping later. Painfully, he was aware that it didn't even matter what den he was in anymore, because, at the end of the day, there wasn't anyone to cling to stubbornly. Alderstep was struck suddenly with a bout of horror. What if Bumblestar wasn't a sound sleeper? If she snored loudly or something of that sort, he just might follow the latest trend and disappear into the night. Probably not, though. He only indulged dramatics within his own mind. [ @dino. don't mind me replying not even fifty minutes later :whistle: ] |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Mmmm on this day Mudhound felt kinda guilty. They hadnt been around since the first interaction bar occasional grins and good mornings as the two bustled around with clan life. Turns out being a clan leader meant that Bumble-sis was super busy and didnt really seem to have free time. Plus while things had steadied since the last meeting and all that happened in between for a long moment there the maine coon mix was a little bit startled and unsteady around their sibling. Interacting with Roseraven and finding her very nice and how well things had gone at the meeting appointing the new high ranks had soothed that though. (Drizzlecloud especially was a good choice in Mudhounds eyes, that was a nice cat.)
Things were fine now though! It was all water under the bridge! Water under the bridge and Mudhound needed to congratulate their sibling and make sure everything was going alright for them! Well.... That and talk about something rather more serious. A nagging issue the tripod had noticed since coming home they couldnt ignore and at least had to ask about. " 'nafternoon Bumble! Wow things have been busy I didnt know thunderclan life was like that but cats are saying this is normal chaos! You looked super small on the crest hehe but leader like if that makes sense? Anyway heya! Cool den! How are you doing?" The warrior sat with a thud, grinning at the smaller cat as they looked around. But their not wagging tail betrayed a odd undercut to their cheerful attitude. @dino. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Bumblestar gave him a curt nod. "Good. Yeah, if you need me for anything, just come on in. I'm not gonna be picky about who enters my den unless they're annoying me, so stay on my good side and we won't have problems." Her tail flipped back and forth for a moment before she carried on. "One more thing, 'n then I'll let you go. This is my den; I want you in the warriors' den still. In case something stupid happens, like a tree falling on top of me and crushin' all nine lives outta me, 'cause StarClan knows with past leaders' track records, that's a real possibility and ThunderClan doesn't need to be out both leadership ranks. Also, I like my space. Not keen on sharing." Oh, joy. More noise to brighten up her day. Bumblestar lifted her head as Mudhound entered her den and did her best at a polite smile, not wanting to scare their sibling off. (She still wasn't sure how to feel about that. Elated that one of them had come back? Concerned as to why the others weren't? Who knew, really.) "Yo. Uh... thanks, I guess?" Was the small comment a compliment? She knew she was much smaller than the rest of her siblings compared. "I'm fine. A little tired, I guess, but that's not really new. You?" |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Ah, no problems meant joy and sunshine for Alderstep. As long as he wasn't annoying. Easy enough. Although... "So you snore, then." Perhaps not the greatest thing to say, but being offhand was just so fun. But hey! Now his sleeping dilemma was solved. And Bumblestar's logic made sense. StarClan forbid both leadership roles die in the same embarrassing event. Alderstep would never show his starry face again if he died by getting crushed in his sleep. Not the way he wanted to go, for sure.
Anyways, he was feeling claustrophobic in the leader's den. The nasty den with disgusting lichen covering the entrance. How Bumblestar stood that, Alderstep would never know. Casting a glance at the wad of moss the leader had essentially tossed to the side, he rose to his paws. "Well, since that's all, I'm gonna go." The deputy made sure to take semi-tiny steps leaving, just in case Bumblestar had any last thoughts to throw in. But if not, he was going to go find himself something to munch on before doing some sort of activity. @dino. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
"Tired? Then sleep Bumble-sis! I almost got eaten once because I didnt sleep enough, I thought a lynx was grandma, that couldve ended bad. Luckily she was nice about it once I explained. But still that was me you gotta clan so more could happen! Plus its not healthy or something? I dunno you should sleep after this."
Mudhound was completely unaware they were probably the reason Bumblestar couldnt sleep. Still they were worried about their sibling and made a mental note to throw a squirrel at her later just in case her sibling wasnt eating. Shouldnt be hard to do and didnt even require bothering Bumblestar for long, because maybe the tired was stressed tired. Logic intelligence dumb emotional intelligence smart as they were Mudhound was well aware how much pressure was on such a young leader. Especially given the transition wasnt smooth and had such big pushback at the beginning. If they were closer the warrior would try and get their sister to open up and talk about it but..... They might not be at that point yet. Besides Mudhound was here for another reason that was more urgent. A reason that was yet another conversation that hurt to talk about. A list: why had their grandmother taken some siblings and abandoned the rest, how could one apologize for abandoning a sister because they thought they were dead, how does one fix a relationship like this, and where are Houndspirits kits. "Bumblestar where are Houndspirits kittens?" A long silence as the tripod struggled to get their words. "I came back because of a dream with Houndy-sis where she told me you guys were here and a bit of other stuff and at the time she said there was a patrol going out to get the kittens that lived." This caused a flinch as Mudhound forced themselves to power through. "Did.... Did they not make it? Rainkit and Skykit that is.... Or did something go wrong with the patrol I just.... I need to know why theyre not here." Hurt hurt hurt and the maine coon was still and droopy for it. Still they asked. @dino. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Oh, fantastic. Thank the stars she wouldnt have to argue about this. At his comment, the corners of Bumblestar's mouth quirked up in a lopsided smile, amusement lacing her tone. "Yeah, sure, I snore. We'll go with that." ...Actually. She had no clue if she did or not. Maybe she'd find Gentledoe later and take a nap, then get her answer later. Alderstep rose to leave, and she let her deputy go. "That's all, yeah. Remember: no problems, or you'll be out faster than you can say your own name." She was starting to like Alderstep. She really hoped she wouldn't have to go that route. Bumblestar had to blink and then squint, wondering if she had heard her sibling right. "You... explained to a lynx, that you thought it was your grandmother," she echoed, disbelief clear in her voice. Mudhound hadn't struck her as a liar, or even a truth-stretcher, despite being so gung-ho. Maybe she'd been wrong. "...I'll sleep later. I've got things to do." Thinking. Patrolling. Picking up after the others. That sort of thing. Mudhound's next question made her expression falter. Her lips twitched once and then she looked away, claws tapping on the wooden floor of the den. It wasn't that she'd forgotten about Houndspirit, or Houndspirit's kits—she hadn't, truly—but grieving the same damn sister for the third time over had become emotionally draining, and she hadn't had much thought left over for kits she hadn't met and likely never would. Then everything went to hell, and her priorities had shifted drastically. "I, uh... I don't know." A carefully controlled tone as one claw idly scraped a line into the bark. "I wasn't part of that patrol, and I never heard anything about how it went. I don't know what happened, or if it even was finished at all. I'm sorry. I've had bigger things on my mind lately." |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
'I've had bigger things on my mind lately.' That made Mudhounds ears dip flat for a moment. 'Bigger things' What do you mean bigger things?! Bigger then the remaining lives of a kit?! Your own niece and nephew?! The clan was important but wasnt this too?! The normally easygoing maine coon wrestled down their flash of anger forcing themselves back into order momentarily thankful for their flopped ears not showing emotions well. They didnt need an argument with Bumble-sis. They didnt even want one in any way. So no more anger just an aching quiet sorrow.
The warrior looked away idly explaining their prior statement far too casually for the actual word content, using the time as a moment to mentally prepare for their next ask. "Mmmm? Yeah lynx's are cats arent they? Just big and strange. So they speak like us just big and strange. It takes a bit to understand and more to speak back its more throat-y(?) then normal speaking but it works. The older ones are more like snooty then the babies, I think they think theyre better because theyre big but eh, but yanno. Cats are cats." They smiled a bit eyes distant tail wrapping around to rub at their stump. "Dogs are hard. Twolegs are impossible. Dont like them." Mudhound sighed now able to rally themselves and looked back at the leader. It was strange with their silly goofy carefree attitude wiped clean with the addition of cares they were a lot more... Solid. Steadfast. In the present. "Id like there to be another patrol to at least get answers of their fates even if we cant bring back them or their bodies. I dont have to lead it but I cant do it alone or even know if I can do it without sort of abandoning the clan and I dont want to abandon you just after getting you back. But I also dont want to abandon them, it wouldnt be fair or right. It would be quick and fast and Ive even thought of who would be good and would be happy to organize this myself. I have their descriptions and where the rogues should be. I know the twolegplace." The warrior stopped for a moment jaw flexing as they tried to think of more to say but really..... What else was there? The information was there just. "Please Bumblestar." @dino. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
...Yeah, no, she wasn't going to understand the whole lynx thing anytime soon. Maybe Mudhound just had an overactive imagination. It seemed on-brand for them, anyway. Bumblestar fell still, jaw working silently, as her sibling carried on. This sucked, honestly. She understood the reasoning, she really did—she knew kin meant a lot to a lot of cats. But this... "I'm sorry," she said again, with a forced edge. "I can't allow that. ThunderClan has too many issues already going on as is; I can't condone sendin' my warriors out to scramble around Twolegplace for kits who may not even be there anymore. I need everyone here so we can focus on restabilzing." Her claws caught in the bark with a harsh srrrratch and she retracted them. "And I don't wanna catch wind of a patrol being organized behind my back, either, 'cause if that happens, I don't care if you find those kits or not—everyone will be in trouble. Am I clear?" |
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Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Bumblestar had just been about to go find Frogpaw herself when, lo and behold, the apprentice stepped in. The cream and brown tabby sat up straight and fixed Frogpaw with a steely stare, not having forgotten the scene that had unfolded at the Gathering. Her explanation did not make her feel any better about this. "Good to know you can at least recognize when you're in hot water," she said gruffly. "Just stop the damn crying, it's irritating." The crying made Bumblestar want to swat her upside the head. Utterly ridiculous, how hard was it for someone to keep their composure? "You're an apprentice. You should be focused on learning and providing for ThunderClan instead of galivantin' off with cats from other Clans. You said it taught you that there isn't any peace? You should've understood that already. What it should have taught you is that you are young, and inexperienced, and in no way equipped to be pursuing something like this, especially with someone of his rank, and especially with someone you should be considering an outsider. Stay there, I'm not done with you yet." With a lash of her tail, she shouldered past Frogpaw and stuck her head through the curtain of lichen. "Alderstep!" she barked. "My den! Now!" [ @valery ] |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
https://f2.toyhou.se/file/f2-toyhou-...513?1680687351 GENTLEDOE messy-furred brown she-cat with heterochromia. she/her With Bumblestar's approval, Gentledoe smiled and dipped her head in thanks. Her ear flicked at the little touch of 'love' at the end, a faintly amused glint shining in her eyes. [ We ignore how late this is. ] |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Alderstep had been enjoying his wonderous day (read: wondering why all his friends kept disappearing) and chewing off one of his claws absentmindedly when he heard this nagging, grating voice that could only be Bumblestar calling his name. His head whipped around to see the leader peeking her head out of her den. Oh boy. That was frightening. Did he do something? Was he finally in trouble?
Only one way to find out. The deputy trotted over to the den, forcing his fur to lie flat. He'd gotten caught off guard, and now his tail had fluffed up in his startle. He only hoped he could pass it off as his natural state. Alderstep quickly forgot his worry about his appearance when he saw none other than Frogpaw in the leader's den. "You!" he snarled, letting his emotion get the jump on himself. He couldn't even blame himself entirely; the tom had been repressing his general dislike for everything ever since he got the shiny new rank of deputy. Why not let his anger out on some random, idiotic child? Wait, no. That was probably not a good idea. Subtly (because there wasn't much of a difference between his natural annoyed state and his angry state), he reigned in his words. "Care to explain the completely silly scene you started at the gathering?" he hissed, lashing his tail as he glanced over at Bumblestar. He should probably step back, figuratively and literally. So, Alderstep did just that. This wasn't his territory anyways. Handling children would always be an unobtainable skill to him; he was convinced of it. He only hoped Bumblestar was any better than he. Probably not. But then again...she did have her own kits, right? The tom looked down at his white paws. "Sorry," he muttered. "You needed me?" Alderstep fixed his gaze onto Bumblestar, decidedly ignoring Frogpaw now. The cat in charge had to have called him in for a reason other than him just yelling at a 'paw. @dino. @Loveless.Fawn |
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Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Oh, boy. Alderstep looked just as pissed as she was. With a flick of an ear, Bumblestar scooted back to give her deputy room to sit. Ugh, it was getting crowded in here. She wanted to make this as fast as possible. "Yes, you were all of those things," she snapped at Frogpaw. "Now, I already have an idea of what I think is a suitable consequence for whatever you've done here, but-" She gave Alderstep a pointed look "-I want to see what Alderstep thinks, first. If I think it's fine, I'll say so." |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
The deputy winced as he noticed how close Frogpaw was to crying. He was really this close to praying to StarClan, despite the lot of losers that they were, she wouldn't cry. He looked away from the young cat, meeting Bumblestar's glance as the leader spoke. Oh, so he was gonna suggest what to do with her? Bumblestar must want to give him practice in punishing cats. Looking back at Frogpaw, he inhaled slowly. Alright. Easy-peasy. "I'm suggesting that you are confined to camp and demoted temporarily." C'mon, he wasn't gonna let her off that easy. Alderstep glanced at the leader, wondering if she approved or not. He was just glad he refrained from a certainly insensitive joke meant to lighten the mood, just a little, so a certain someone wouldn't cry and make Alderstep embarrassed. He got a feeling the joke would've just made Frogpaw cry for real. Eesh. This whole situation was a giant mess. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
The pinned ears were longer lasting this time and more obvious. Perhaps it wasnt as threatening as a normal cats ears but Mudhound was never going to be an intimidating cat despite their size. Maybe that wasnt the important thing though when the clear disappointment in Bumblestar was glinting deep in Mudhounds eyes. What had happened to her? What had happened to rob this cat of its beating heart. Where was the basic compassion anycat should have to another living hurting being, much less the compassion a leader should have for their clanmate. Because the kits, those that still lived Rainkit and Skykit were Bumblestars clan and her responsibility now too. They were not missing cats abandoning their home they were stolen taken and failed by the clan. Didnt that mean it was owed to them for the clan that had a duty to protect them and failed to at least try to do right by them? Did Bumblestar realize that in the pursuit of the greater good, her justification for this, she was setting herself up for the death and pain of the individual who made up that greater? You cannot have a whole without a part and to sacrifice the part for the whole would eventually leave you with nothing. This felt like a fundamental thing Mudhound was realizing about their sister something they had to know if she knew. She'd still love Bumble-sis even if this was an intentional part of her that crawled up the warriors spine, the maine coon mix wasnt sure they were capable of anything else, but to love they'd need to know. The good and the bad. Love despite the bad. They hoped they didnt need to, that felt like it'd feel like how they ripped apart in the past, just in the soul not the leg. "I know that word I think. 'Condone' Doesnt it mean to be ok with a bad action? How is saving or at least bringing closure to a horrible loss bad? Why would you have to 'condone' what is a good action? Is it because you feel the clan might fall without even three of its warriors? Sister the clan is recovering fine under you, we have new high ranks who are learning, we have a new camp, we have ever growing confidence in you that will come with time and good actions. Isnt that re-stabilizing already? And dont tell me that's down to just three or four warriors because if a clan falls in under a week due to the loss of even two its not going to survive anyway and wouldnt it be better then to figure out what to do once it does?" They werent at war, they shouldnt be, the gathering was coming up and what little conflict that was to be found could be settled. Little border squabbles happened as often as it rained and how often was it that rains turned into an actual flood. Bumblestar was capable of making peace for the clan as she was making the clan strong again, Mudhound knew she was. Those were two sides of the needed coin regardless of their faith in their sister so even the idea of her not being capable of that simple thing was.... Bad. Storms on the horizon brought by paws and not just a twist of fate. "Bumble-sis arent they thunderclan? I know there was a promise to bring them home and make them one of us like they should've always been. Doesnt that mean something? Anything? Even if they werent our sisters doesnt the lives and stories of innocent kits mean something even if it is only two cats looking for under a week." Quieter now a blameless honestly aching to know question, Mudhound trying to understand. "Can you really live with not trying at all... Because I can live with failure as final as it can be but not even trying to do something is different, isnt it." (So sorry this took so long I am drowning irl rn this is still happening. tried to keep this as muddy as possible in their weird emotionally smart way but still feel off kilter about this ah well) |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
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Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Bumblestar's ears twitched as Alderstep gave his suggestion. Not half-bad, honestly. Kind of in line with what she herself had been thinking. "Right, so here's what's gonna happen." Her gaze skewered Frogpaw again. "You'll be confined to camp for a moon, and since I obviously can't trust you to not go wandering places you shouldn't be, someone's going to be keepin' an eye on you. If they catch you misbehaving, or leaving camp, or doing anything they or I don't like, they'll be reporting to me and I'll have you demoted faster than you can blink. "Confined to camp means no training outings with warriors, no patrols, no nothing. And I want you to stay away from the medicine den unless it's for an emergency injury, don't bother my medicine cats with your nonsense. You want something to do? Clean out the dens or help out in the nursery. If I find you stepping even one paw in the medicine den and I don't see blood, I'm not afraid to make you start over from scratch and claw your way back up." Her stare remained unwavering. "Do I make myself clear?" |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
Alderstep kept a keen ear perked, listening carefully to her words. As much as he hated to admit it, he was learning from this just like Frogpaw. And he used to think his days of lessons were over. Hah. Overall, Alderstep found no quarrel with Bumblestar's actual decision. He'd gotten confinement right, so the deputy took his little victory there. But Frogpaw wasn't getting demoted (probably fair. Looking back now, demotion seemed a bit too harsh), so he'd been off there. Alderstep couldn't keep his curiosity from flashing across his face about the tidbit about the medicine den. He honestly had no idea what went on in there, so he'd have to trust Bumblestar on that one. It's not like Alderstep had a choice to trust, anyway. He had no place to choose, what with his lack of experience. He kept quiet and peered at Frogpaw, trying to study her reaction. He had to make sure she wouldn't cause any trouble, though the tabby got the feeling she wouldn't. Frogpaw looked like she was actually listening, which was better than what he'd have expected from any of ThunderClan's 'paws. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
There's something that goes, "Keep your face to the sunshine and you can't see a shadow." How Alderstep wished that's how life worked, but unfortunately, the shadows decided they did not want to go unseen. Figuratively and literally. The tabby's claws itched to scratch something up as he turned from the clearing to go talk to Bumblestar. Today could've been a good one, for all he knew, but of course, there had to have been a dramatic she-cat and a bloodthirsty kit. Well, the kit wasn't as much a problem as he was a bother, but still.
And now he had to go talk to the wonderful Bumblestar. Alderstep resisted his impulses as he poked his head into her den, frowning instinctively at the lichen. Eugh. Add it to the list of things that were ruining his day. "Hey," he started informally, twitching an ear. "Firestream just showed up, said she was attacked by a ShadowClanner at Herondive Hollow. Thought I'd let you know, since...yeah," the tabby trailed off with a shrug, hanging out by the entrance. This should be rather quick unless Bumblestar had something to say to him. He hoped not, for the sake of his nerves. Anyway, there was no need to get comfortable for a chat in her den. Whatever it was, Bumblestar didn't seem to like sharing, which he respected. He wouldn't either, but he didn't necessarily get a choice. What was he doing again? Oh, right. Complaining to the leader. @dino. |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
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Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
The blatant disappointment in Mudhound's eyes was enough to make Bumblestar's fur bristle. No, Mudhound didn't get to be disappointed in her. Mudhound hadn't gone through what she had endured, they hadn't seen the state of chaos this Clan had been in, hadn't witnessed the decisions Bumblestar had had to make. They didn't get to be disappointed in her for this! Thorny words sprung to her jaws but she swallowed them down, and forced the spark of anger in her eyes to fizzle out as well. Bristling shoulders and claws stuck once more into the bark beneath them were the only two signs that she was ticked. There was the urge to swat Mudhound over the head, as horrific as that was to her, as her sibling started off with hurling a definition at her. She swallowed that down, too. "Cats vanished during the collapse too," she stated flatly, "but you don't see me sendin' out search parties for everyone who didn't make it to the new camp. Or even every cat who simply up and goes missing or is stolen or whatever the hell happens on a random day. I don't- ThunderClan doesn't have the resources to spare. If I tried every single time, I'd run this Clan ragged. 'N unfortunately that goes for kits, too." She glanced away again, unhooking her claws once more. "It sucks. I get it. But I've got an entire Clan to focus on now, 'n that means I can't send cats after every kit snatched from a queen who was wanderin' around in places they shouldn't have been." Yeah, it felt a little cruel to say that about her sister, but Houndspirit had died three times in Bumblestar's lifetime, and she witnessed more cats who were even closer to her murdered by badgers or by crumbling earth or by other Clans enough that the process of greiving had started to become obsolete to her. She was tired of it, simply put. And she didn't need to have her cats chasing after the wishes or the spawn of the dead. "It's still no. And I mean what I said; you start this patrol anyways, knowing full well I told you not to, and you 'n whoever else you drag along with you is gonna have to answer to me." |
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
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Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
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Unfortunately, she had to yet again push the urge down when she heard what he had to say, and her expression immediately soured. "Great," she muttered darkly, turning to face him fully. "Damn rats just can't keep their claws off out territory. Is Firestream okay?" |
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