Shadows in the Mountains [P]

[Rizo]

WOLFSONG & MOONFROST

It had been many moons since they had taken to the mountains in search of their lost sister. The silvery she-cat let out a sigh, letting her gaze wander over the stones of the foothills.

At least the snow has melted...

Truthfully she was beginning to lose hope. Her best friend was dead, her mate was missing, and now her little sister. She glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of her other sister continuing to investigate the underbrush for any sign of the missing. The black tabby was nose deep in a juniper bush, ears swiveling, mouth open to catch any faint scent.

Closing her blue eyes for a moment, Wolfsong took a cleansing breath, then padded back to Moonfrost.

"I don't think they're here either. We should cross this location off of our list," she said, and Moonfrost gave a hoarse, agreeing chirp. The dark striped warrior gently placed her tail tip on Wolfsong's shoulder before padding farther away, finding a path through the foothills to continue their search.

Wolfsong stifled a sigh and padded after her sister. This search was truly fruitless, but she was grateful that through everything she still had her sibling to comfort her. Moonfrost had always been by her side, and the silver tabby was certain that without her, she would have lost her mind a long time ago.

She looked up suddenly as Moonfrost's tail went high in alert as she fervently sniffed at the ground.

"What is it, Moonfrost?" Wolfsong inquired as she padded to Moonfrost's shoulder. The dark warrior's eyes were glittering with both joy and alarm as she indicated a bramble in front of her. Wolfsong opened her own jaws and drew the scents over her tongue. Shock tingled through her paws.

Riverclan scent?!

{ @poppy @taillow }

[taillow]

DUSKLION
she/her | riverclan deputy | 29 moons

It had been quite some time since her and the former RiverClan leader had spoken. The last interaction they'd had was when Dusklion had asked for Birds help in gathering up any stray kits or younger apprentices before they had to flee their home. There was still an uncertainty there between them, but due to everything else she'd been dealing with over the last several days the deputy had no energy to try and sort through it right now.

Still though the Clan needed food, and Dusklion didn't want to just rely on patrols. So she had recruited the ragdoll in the hopes that she could see how she was doing healthwise. She seemed... okay. But the dark tabby was no medicine cat and couldn't really spot an illness so quickly like they could. "Hopefully there's somethin' out in these mountains for us to find. It won't be good if we settled somewhere with no prey," she tossed to Birds with a look to her companion.

Before she could say much more though the scent of outsider hit her nose. It smelled similarly to how the mountain was, but Dusklion wasn't used to all of that yet which made it easier to pick up the scents nearby. Signaling with her tail for the former leader to follow, the deputy slunk around a patch of bramble bushes to spot a pair of cats nearby. They must be at one of the borders the patrol had set up. "Sorry, this territory's been claimed. Move along." It felt like a dagger to her chest to not immediately drive these cats out, but RiverClan as a whole was still new to this area. As much as Dusk wanted to chase them out, she didn't want to start something that blew back on the Clan.

[ Birdsnow - @poppy ] [ Wolfsong, Moonfrost - @Rizo ]

[Rizo]

WOLFSONG & MOONFROST

Both she-cats turned with a start as someone spoke behind them. The silver striped warrior tilted her head at the newcomer, jaws parted slightly to draw in the scent. Her dark pelted sister waved her tail in a friendly, non-threatening gesture as she turned and padded closer. The pair stopped a couple tail-lengths from the stranger.

Moonfrost looked over the other cat, giving a hoarse, inquisitive chirp. Wolfsong dipped her head respectfully. "Pardon us, clanmate. We don't recognize your specific scent, but it seems we are all from Riverclan. Were you sent to find us?" Wolfsong asked as she sat and gently wrapped her tail around her paws, her sister quickly following suit.

Moonfrost couldn't keep the sparkle of excitement from her gaze. She had missed her clanmates and friends so much. And her son!
Pikestar. Wormbite. Cloudpaw. Are you here as well? Will I see you soon?
The black tabby let her paws fidget against the ground at the thought of seeing her family again, those that she had left, anyway.

Wolfsong flicked an ear as her sister's excitement rubbed off on her. Meeting the gaze of the warrior in front of her, she blinked her eyes in a friendly manner.
"Ah, pardon my rudeness. I am Wolfsong, and this is my sister Moonfrost," she added, realizing she had completely forgotten her manners.

{ @taillow @poppy }

[taillow]

DUSKLION
she/her | riverclan deputy | 29 moons

...Alright, so Birds had disappeared somewhere. Dusklion gave a snort of frustration but moved it to the back of her mind to deal with later. Right now there were two outsiders facing her - wait. From RiverClan? Not dropping her walls even a little the deputy narrowed her eyes. "I don't recognize a hair on your pelt," she countered, taking note that there wasn't any familiar scent on these two cats. They didn't... seem hostile, but the deputy wasn't wanting to take any chances.

Wolfsong and Moonfrost... well at least they had Clan names. Didn't... didn't Bites say something about a Moonfrost once? The name was faintly familiar. At this Dusklion forced her fur flat and blink curiously at the two of them. "...Does the name Bite- er, Wormbite, ring a bell for you?" If they happened to recognize that name, that would clear up any misconception regarding if they were RiverClan or not. Dusklion trusted the former Lionheart undeniably.

[ @Rizo ]

[Rizo]

WOLFSONG & MOONFROST

Moonfrost's icy orbs sparkled as she heard the name of one of her best friends. She nodded and let out a happy, hoarse chirp. Wolfsong gave a smile and nodded.

"Yes, of course we know Wormbite. He's one of Moonfrost's closest friends. They were Shields together," the silver tabby explained. "Pikestar, Wormbite, and Moonfrost are best friends, and Moonfrost is Cloudpaw's mother," she continued before her blue gaze narrowed in concern.

"Are they alright? What is Riverclan doing so far away from our territory? What happened?" Wolfsong inquired, genuine concern lacing her voice. Moonfrost realized that her sister had a point. They hadn't expected to run into Riverclan so far from home. The dark tabby's gaze darted around, looking for other Riverclanners that may be nearby. Were her friends okay? Was her son okay?

{ @taillow @poppy }

[wolfie]

┆彡 T H E S I N - E A T E R ☆

HE . HIM . 55 MOONS . RIVERCLAN WARRIOR

heavily scarred & malnourished black tom with white speckles; cloudy light amber eyes. walks with a prominent limp & has protruding fangs that overlap his bottom lip.

content + interaction warning : this character frequently explores themes of mental health, complex trauma, and abuse

---

└➤ ⌗ @taillow @Rizo

the camp felt stifling, suffocating & all words of unfamiliarity that seemed to set his fur ablaze with a insatiable need to move. moreover, the territory itself was still unknown to him. the more familiar wormbite he was the less nerve-wracking ,, the change of surroundings was. (it truly had to be ironic that the moment he returns riverclan is exiled from their own home.)

at least there wasn't any sand & and the ground wasn't so,, wet. a small win. riverclan's territory always bothered him a bit with the abundance of soggy soil and mud in the warm seasons. he liked - water, actual water, but even the transition in-between was undeniably unpleasant.

the sin-eater trailed through the territory, jaws slightly parted for any hints of prey. always beneficial to bring additional prey to help maintain the pile. however, strangely enough - wormbite does not smell any. he only smells riverclan and - and the scent of cold rain & fresh grass. it causes him to pause, blinking rapidly. no, surely? it had to be .. it was impossible. (wasit?)

suddenly, his pawsteps pick up in speed and he is trampling through the underbrush to the source of the scent. if he returned, then - maybe. it gives him hope and he clings to it, even if it may be brief. eventually wormbite crashes through the bushes, leaves sticking out of his short black fur that were snagged on his way. he pants, shoulders heaving up and down before squeezing out a raspy, "m - moonfrosst??"

---

★ ULTIMATE PREDATOR ★ JUST A SCRATCH ★ SHADOW FIEND

[taillow]

DUSKLION
she/her | riverclan deputy | 30 moons
go with the flow, rapid recovery, beefed up t3, mind reader

The recognition served to cause her doubt to faulter momentarily. Bites was one out of the few cats that Dusklion would trust with her life - if this 'Moonfrost' was the friend she recalled hearing faint murmurs about throughout the camp, then perhaps there was no danger here at all. Shields... that was the old Lionheart rank name. The deputy recalled it from when Beansprout had changed it at the beginning of his short leadership. Though, her maw twitched in a snarl at the mention of Pikestar. "I doubt Bites is friends with a failed leader," she muttered quietly, shaking her head.

So they didn't know? Straightening up, the deputy parted her jaws to explain when the familiar scent of Bites flooded over her. Looking over, the ex-Lionheart's recognition was the last missing piece. So these two cats were who they said they were. "You know them?" she asked, just re-confirming to make sure. Looking back between the two cats, Dusklion blinked. "Pikestar is gone - stepped down 'n vanished not long after," his failure, the deputy wanted to add, but avoided it out of worry of irritating Bites if he truly had been friends with the leader, "...After that, RiverClan went through a slew of leaders - Beansprout, Gingerstar, Larkstar, Birdsnow - but they all didn't last long as you can see. Our leader is Fadin'star now, 'n I'm deputy - Dusklion."

There was too much to explain really, and the deputy wasn't particularly keen on going over the details of RiverClan's exile again. "...Lots. No one was puttin' their paws down on RiverClan cat's causin' trouble with the other Clans, 'specially WindClan, 'n that led to Twilightstar allyin' with Bumblestar 'n Dawnstar to drive us from our home for two moons." ...There was also the part about Fallownose, but frankly the dark tabby wasn't keen on announcing that right away, still very acutely aware of Bites being here now. He already knew, but she didn't want to have to say it in front of him again.

"Have you two been up here this whole time??"

[ Moonfrost, Wolfsong - @Rizo ] [ Wormbite - @wolfie ]

[Rizo]

MOONFROST
54 Moons | She/Her | Heightened Perception (Hearing)

She had been sitting and listening to the warrior, confusion clouding her gaze, before she heard a familiar voice. Her sensitive ears quickly swiveled to pinpoint the source, excitement tingling through her dark pelt.

Could it be?

The familiar pelt of a snow-flecked black tom appeared, and without waiting another moment, Moonfrost leapt to her paws, running full-tilt to her longtime friend. She rubbed her muzzle along his side in a joyful greeting, her hoarse, distorted purr rumbling from her chest and echoing lightly off the surrounding rocks. Without a doubt, this was Wormbite, one of her closest friends. The joy at seeing him again was overwhelming, and she couldn't help but give him a friendly, affectionate lick on the head.

Wormbite, my friend! I'm here!

WOLFSONG
54 Moons | She/Her | Go With The Flow

Wolfsong had been about to reply when her sister rushed away. Leaning over to look past Dusklion, a smile grew on her face as she saw the reason. Wormbite was here!

"Wormbite, it's good to hear you. We were just speaking to..." she trailed off as she turned her attention back to the warrior in front of her.
"Apologies, I don't believe I caught your name," she said with a friendly smile. Her expression was quickly replaced by one of confusion, however, as the warrior explained what they had missed.
Ah, so she's the deputy. Dusklion. A respectable and fearsome name.
Wolfsong dipped her head respectfully as she listened.
"Dusklion. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am... I am sorry to hear about the trials that Riverclan has gone through. I'm also very sorry to hear about Pikest-," she stopped herself and cleared her throat. "To hear about Snowleap. He was very close with Moonfrost and Wormbite."
She looked sadly at her forepaws for a moment.
He was a good cat.

Bringing her blue eyes back up to look at the deputy before her, she tilted her head.
"I can only assume that Gingerstar was previously Gingerfrost, and that he has passed on to be with StarClan, but I don't recognize the other names," she says before adding, "It seems we've missed quite a bit during our time away."
So many friends and family are gone now...
The silver tabby shook her head at Dusklion's question.
"No, we only recently got back to the mountains as we were concluding our search. We traveled far looking for signs of our sister and my mate. I can only assume they have also ascended to Silverpelt, because we have found neither fur nor scent of them, let alone anyone else from Riverclan. The first clan scent's we've found since leaving were the ones you saw us investigating when you found us," Wolfsong explained, dipping her head respectfully once more.

{ @wolfie @taillow }