ShadowClan Grimpeak

[redshiftreign]

GROUSEPAW
THE TRAILBLAZER
"oh it's the mythical, miracle, cynical, criminal- the greatest leader you've ever seen! a propaganda machine."

sitting where he often did, around the back of the crescent of gathered cats where it wasn't terribly crowded but he could still hear pretty well, grousepaw listened idly to the meeting, ear flicking occasionally.

it was when he heard sleepypaw's name that the trailblazer's gaze flickered to fully settle on dawnstar, ears perked alertly to tune into her voice- though not that he wasn't before. grouse would never pass up the valuable information to be gained at the meetings, even if he often feigned disinterest or got a little distracted (sitting still had always been hard for him). but hearing sleepypaw's name, even after everything, made his head shift to fully appraise the grimpeak, tail curled neatly around his flank.

heh. that's funny. she's graduating before him.

well, if he was bein' honest, even if he stayed a warrior's trainee, he'd expected this. there was room for people like her in shadowclan. that fit the mold, follow the crowd, and kill who you're told.

he admittedly felt a little sick to his stomach.

three. . . apprentices. three kids. yeah. okay. yeah, he felt really nauseous.

so, the young anarchist tore his gaze down from dawn, past sleepy's salt and pepper pelt and fixated on a small pebble on the ground between his paws. glowin' had told him all about it. grouse savored the information, until that little fact. well, what had he expected? she was doing what she was designed to do. what she was trained to do. maybe he expected this.

but he had also had hope for better. she was going to be a warrior. good for her. and rook, and squirrel, too! good for them, really. all of them. he just. . . their ascension came at a bloody cost that left a acrid, iron-y taste in his mouth.

grousepaw wasn't sure he'd ever felt more alone.

[ChaosBringer.]

Stagskull



Stagskull padded over, sitting down with her tail curled over her paws neatly. She was here for the meeting and for her position of a guard. Stagskull twitched her left ear as she listened softly.

[Open]

[ellie]

｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡
ﾟ。 Mossfreckle (ShC)
　ﾟ･｡･ﾟ they/he ~ medicine cat

❦ Nestled within the mossy roots of the ancient cedar tree that towered above his den and forking in the middle creating a bough that was now occupied in the midnight hours by the former medicine cat turned enforcer once more, whether it was for her own sanity or some obligatory need to protect her little brother or some reason all her own he was happy to have her lingering scent that had become a comforting to him in the quickly passing moons as her apprentice then equal then brother, nonetheless, mossy hues flitted to the lithe grey feline momentarily before a slim and carefully perfectioned tricoloured tabby picked her way aloofly to his offplaced hallow of sanctity that resided outside of the mouth of the medicine den and sprawled towards the clearing in a tumble of gnarled and thick wooden spindles that knotted with small weed flowers and a mingling of moss and lichens. Star marked angular head canted to the side to focus mossy hues on heavily lashed amber orbs as the molly snuggled in at his side and halfheartedly asked in soft and cooing tones about his wellbeing, ”I am okay, Hazels,” Mossfreckle was not okay… well… in some sense of the word he truly was or at least was good enough at lying it into truth, he was fatigued and stressed and longing… longing for what he knew not… maybe for the world to right itself in his mind, for his paws to feel as light as air rather than lead and allow him to run from the looming cliff that threatened to swallow him whole in the wisping and taunting tones of the past that threatened to bubble up and rake his heart bitterly with long held and ignored insecurities while his starry mind reeled and tumbled into a war torn battlefield of reality and delusion… focus, focus, focus, later, later, later… he could deal with this all later, ”No one was hurt too bad all in all but Fogwatcher had his throat slit by Riverclan’s medicine cat and Rookpaw was beaten up pretty bad, guess that’s what happens when your loyalty is no longer to your past,” his tones remained deceptively calm in their demeanour - the perfect mask. Mossfreckle had little want nor need to talk in this moment, he didn’t want to share his internal war and Hazelstripe didn’t really care - she was playing a game and at the end of the day he wasn’t blind, he just didn’t care… without another word the herbalist shuffled his lanky freckled form downwards so that his angular head could rest against the stripped tabbies soft, creamy coloured shoulder, she wasn’t battered from the raid as she had stayed at the camp, she was clean and soft and lacked the bittersweet metallic tang that still hung cloying in his senses and something about that set his nerves at bay, soothed him in this moment regardless of the fact that she had no real motive besides her own gain at present.

❦ Mossy hues darted to the familiar fluffy form of the arks seemingly estranged daughter as she trodded over with her her usual huffy demeanour that make the medicine cat smile as the apprentice came over and plopped herself down at his open side, with a fluid motion the tom pulled Wispypaw closer into the cuddle and gave her a quick lick between her tufted ears, ”Hi my little shadow, I’ve missed you,” the oriental purred as he focused his gaze into her blind lapis hues, ”Well, physically they are well enough but a clan is only as strong as their minds and it seems that those in power are weak of mind,” Mossfreckle paused as he contemplated his next words carefully, ”Fear is the mind killer and when it is gone only you remain, however, Fadingsun is scared and for that his fear consumes him and Riverclan suffers,” that was all he would say, the tom wasn’t really one for affairs of the clans as his role as a Medicine cat called for a more elevated neutrality… or at least a better held tongue. Authoritative tones rung through the cleaning once more and the spotted tabby adjusted his cuddles position to get a better view of the goings on only to meet the grey eyes of a proud Rookpaw that had sought him out amongst the gathering shadowy felines, there was a look of yearning in her gaze that twinged around the edges of the blooming pride that lit fires within them, white streaked chest was puffed with joy and Mossfreckle couldn’t help but smile as pride bloomed in his own chest along with a another feeling he had felt once before for the molly… I am proud of you… white muzzle moved to utter the words silently, clearly but hidden to the world, a moment shared only within the two… stars… he was so, so very proud of the little traitor, he was happy to have her here and to have her no longer be a painful aching in his chest that had lingered in the time since their last words had lapsed.

{ @Dark ~ Hazels } { @Kix ~ Little Shadow } { @alec ~ Minky }
[ this is totally not the second time I’ve used that Dune quote in some form… ]

[Hollyheart of thunder]

Twilightkit and Fallowkit walked to the grim peak and sat down.

[squidz]

~ BRIARSPLASH ~
very large & fluffy dilute gray tortie she-cat with goldish-green eyes
[ shadowclan warrior | she-cat | 26 moons | abrasive, standoffish, loyal ]

~

Briarsplash sat a little taller at the mention of her participation in the battle and their victory — she was proud of it. Though she certainly wouldn't have minded if her claws had been a little bloodier. At her heart of hearts, Briar wasn't hellbent on others' demise — but if it meant earning her security in the Clan and mutual respect from others, she'd take it.

Her eyes flicked curiously to the apprentices that were mentioned to be named warriors. She'd heard whispers of some of the brutal acts they'd done — some that even Briarsplash herself wouldn't have considered, if she were honest. But ShadowClan was strong... they needed to prove that to the others, too. She supposed it couldn't be all bad, right? Especially after all RiverClan had done?

Moral dilemmas had never been her strong suit.

The large, fluffy warrior then settled back down, watching as the meeting continued.

[furrensic]

CW: dissociation

SQUIRRELPAW
she/her. 12 moons. small, scarred russet molly with brown markings and yellow eyes.
[ chill of death ]

the russet guard's yellow eyes slide back to dawnstar as the massive leader's voice rings out once more. she blinks, fighting back the fogginess in her mind just enough to catch what's said. ah, apprentice ceremonies. as expected – they typically happen every meeting, and this time, there's six. her heart skips a beat, brows furrowing and she sighs. she's normally happy about new apprentices but now, it feels like she's watching them step into some sort of trap. will they have to do the same thing she's done? urgh.. be happy for them, she thinks with another blink, shaking her head softly.

her ear twitches at the sound of her name. what..?? she wonders, eyes widening slightly. mouth falling just a tad, squirrelpaw's gaze flickers between pigeonpaw and mistlewhisker on either side of her. her gaze sweeps the crowd, trying to catch sight of a certain calico tom before settling back on the leader. oh, right. she's forgotten. dawnstar had promised their warriorhood if they'd all done well and, well, it seems she's done good enough for that. in the leaders eyes. she takes a deep breath, heart racing uncomfortably.

"I -- I...will..will t-talk to..you s-soon..?" she murmurs to both, an offer. as she stands, she faces mistlewhisker, offering her mentor a nod of her head before she's maneuvering through the crowd to take a seat behind the forming group of kittens. she hasn't spotted goopywhisker yet – but she hopes the calico is somewhere nearby, either in the warrior's den or watching from some spot in the crowd. she barely registers her paws shaking as dawnstar speaks of the battle, suddenly all too aware of the cobwebs plastered about her face and torso. the dull ache of healing wounds and the ringing that makes everything around her sound like muffled, incoherent whispers. her ears strain to catch bits and pieces.

apprentice ceremonies and warrior ceremonies are both things that are so sublime. a kit dreams of becoming an apprentice – an apprentice, a warrior. she feels sick, partially because of the anticipation but mostly because of the guilt that weighs heavy on her mind. she gets her name at the cost of another's life. she has blood on her paws that she can not wash off.

[ @Mica @Luminous slight interaction with both mistle and pigeon !!
@Poprock mentions of goopy ueueue ]

[Mica]

Birdpaw
ShadowClan
she/her | 8 moons | 41/100
[Grey-blue tabby with dark blue overcoat, white underside and amber eyes]
Purrks: Lyrebird's Lullaby [PERMANENTLY ACTIVE]
· · ────────────── · ·
[Mossfreckle - @ellie ] [Hazelstripe - @Dark ] [Wispypaw - @Kix ] [Rookpaw - @alec ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Birdpaw slipped out of the shadows of the camp, having heard Dawnstar’s call and chosen to watch from a shady branch until she spotted Mossfreckle surrounded by other cats. Cats that weren’t her. A horrible twisting feeling had started in her gut and worked its way through her legs until her paws were tingling. She hated it. It was ugly and she didn’t have a name for it.

It was jealousy. But she didn’t know that.

She hadn’t been spending a lot of time with Freckle recently, both due to her training and the chaos of the move and raid. She missed her Freckle. Did he miss her? Birdpaw kneaded the ground, the sick feeling becoming worse and worse. After the meeting with her family, Birdpaw had made a vow to spend more time with the cats she loved. But something had kept her from it. A wall in her mind that pushed her away every time she tried to get close. A little voice that taunted her with visions and promises of pain inflicted on her friends and family. Of course Mossfreckle had replaced her. She was no good.

Birdpaw whimpered softly, tears stinging her eyes. She wasn’t trying hard enough. A voice that sounded too similar to her mother’s scolded her for not making an effort. She had proven Mama’s point, hadn’t she?

Determination flooded her, chasing away the self-pity. No, she wouldn’t wallow. She was Birdpaw!! Weird and eccentric, but strangely endearing. She was the cheery one in her family. She was supposed to make everyone feel better, even if she felt horrible. Freckle always made her feel better, too! Tears dried, Birdpaw padded over to the pile of cats near Mossfreckle.

As Birdpaw approached, she heard Rookpaw’s name called by Dawnstar. Oooo she was about warrior aged, if Birdpaw remembered correctly. The younger apprentice gave the former riverclanner a cheery grin—even if it made her sick to her stomach to pretend to be happy—and wished her good luck.

Finally next to Freckle, her sister and an unfamiliar she-cat, Birdpaw gingerly sat down next to the medicine cat, unsure if he would accept her presence. Just being near him had the tension in her shoulders loosening, like the promise of a warm moss nest at the end of hard training. Goodness, she had missed this.

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 41 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye]
Purrks: Beefed Up T3, Shadow Fiend
· · ────────────── · ·
[Squirrelpaw - @furrensic ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Mistlewhisker listened idly as Dawnstar began speaking, calling up kits and apprentices for their ceremonies. No small amount of pride filled her when Squirrelpaw’s name was called. Mostly for her apprentice, but also for herself. Squirrelpaw had been her first apprentice, and had successfully completed her training and earned her warrior name. In a forest where apprentices seemed to go missing left and right, she considered this a success for both of them.

Mistlewhisker turned as Squirrelpaw hesitantly stepped forward, giving the russet molly a precursory glance to check how she looked, like a mother prepping her kits before they ran to get their apprentice names. “Chin up,” she murmured, voice soft. “You earned this.” She knew how Squirrelpaw felt about the RiverClan battle and her contribution to it, but Mistlewhisker hoped that today would be a step towards Squirrelpaw realizing that death and killing was simply a part of warrior life. Killing in the name of her clan was nothing to be ashamed of, even if it hurt.

With that, she gently nudged Squirrelpaw up, watching her pick her way up to the front of the crowd. First Goopywhisker, and now Squirrelpaw. Her…. Her children were grown up. The thought had her heart twisting in a mixture of pride and pain. She couldn’t protect them anymore. She prayed silently that they wouldn’t need it.

[Frozen Reign]

~Flamegaze~
She/her|Warrior|Shadowclan
Purrk(s): Silver Tongue | Active
-------------------
Flamegaze felt a spark of pride at hearing how well her old former apprentice fought in the battle. thought it was her least favorite way of settling disagreements, she couldn't dispute its role in showing a warrior's worth.

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Hawkbite]
Enforcer Commander
Shadow Fiend | Agatha Kitty | Kitty Softpaws

The battle went well, good. It sounded like he might need to make a trip to the Medicine Cat den to check on the duo stuck there. His tail tip twitched with the thought before he'd focus on the cats gathering beneath the Grimpeak. It was about time the clan earned some more ceremonies -- especially warrior ones. It'd felt like a while since the last group one. He'd have to hurry along Brownpaw's training if he wanted to see her up there soon.

[Rainpaw]
ShadowClan Apprentice
No Purrks

The apprentice listened in happily as grandma spoke of the ceremonies. The report of the battle also drew in her curiousity. She was glad her favorite cats were okay! She'd only seen practice battles with the lessons Hawkbite taught. Battling seemed scary. She wasn't sure she was cut out for that! The battle lessons already made her heart pound fast enough, she'd want to faint.