This place felt eerie now, stepping paw in it after so long. The deputy ignored the tightness around her heart at the thought of disturbing the rest of these cats. Countless warriors who had given their lives for RiverClan, some who she didn't know and others who Dusklion... did. Goosefury, for one. It made her wonder just briefly if this was right. But the thought of her Clanmates coming here to grieve, letting their walls down, and then being ambushed by cats from the other three Clans because the cowards had taken advantage of their disappearance and stunk up their territory... she would burn the whole forest down if that happened.
So, the best course of action, was to move the ones they could to the new gravesite, which would be the abandoned twoleg den they had stayed at. It had significance, and would hopefully be closer to the new camp whenever they found that. "...Thanks for comin' with me, you two," Dusklion looked up to her companions, Deerspark and Carpthroat. She had been surprised when the both of them had agreed to her request, because she was convinced that she would have to do it alone. Digging up bones and corpses, and moving them? No cat in the entire Clan would ever want to do that, despite the logical reasoning the deputy had - prevent the other three Clans from having an advantage over them of knowing their territory.
"We'll be movin' 'em to the abandoned twoleg den, 'n that'll be our Clan's new gravesite. I'm hopin' the new camp isn't too far from the den since Fades 'n I talked about scoutin' near the cliffs of Lionsbeach, 'n the den is already close to Lionsrange." Looking back to the mounds, Dusklion sucked in a breath. "Once we dig 'em up, we'll bring 'em over where the... the graves we dug from the battle are. I think Duskleaf tucked them around this closed-off area, so they'll be protected..."
After a moment the deputy allowed silence to flutter down between them, wishing that she could just close her eyes, open them, and have this already be done. Her heart sent a silent prayer that Fury and Lions would forgive her for what she was about to do in the name of keeping RiverClan safe. "...You ready?"
Carpthroat
RiverClan Warrior - 25 Moons - She / Her
Carpthroat dipped her head to Dusklion. ´´It´s the least we can do,´´ She replied, green eyes glittering with unreadable emotions. ´´Besides, I agree that they should be moved. The other Clans drove us out once, and I bet that, in time, they´ll most certainly try again. I wouldn´t want our deceased Clanmates to be trampled over by the very same cats who killed them.´´
A shudder ran down Carpthroat´s spine. ´´I wouldn´t put it past Twilightstar, Bumblestar, and Dawnstar to team up and drive us out again.´´
In all honesty, Carpthroat would like to sink her claws into Twilightstar for the things she´d done, and although she´d never admit it in front of Dusklion, she was sure that the RiverClan Deputy felt the same way.
The massive, marbled rosetted tabby shouldered her way through the undergrowth until she reached the graves. With a respectful nod to Dusklion and Deerspark, Carpthroat lowered her head to pay her respects for a quick moment.
After a few heartbeats, the RiverClanner lifted her head and began to dig, her huge paws making wonders as they scraped up the dirt rather quickly. She grabbed the body that lay in the grave by the scruff and hauled it out, stopping in front of Dusklion. ´´I wish more cats would´ve volunteered,´´ She mewed. ´´At least we would have had more help with carrying the bodies over to the Twoleg den.´´
[Deerspark]
He, Him\Warrior\26 moons\Riverclan
"Da da da we're dead-"
Purrks: One With The Warren [ACTIVE]
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In truth, Deerspark never really liked Sleepy Thicket. It was coated with this feeling of unease that the tom couldn't shake no matter how hard he tried. Yet he was here, shocker. No seriously, shocker. Deerspark wasn't the kind to run... Most times, but he certainly did when things just flat out freaked him out. This was one of those things and yet he was still here, his paws thudding onto the ground in a trot before digging into the earth to stop himself as his clanmates halted. He gave the two cats a sideways green glance before he stared at his paws, his ears twitching at every mew that wizzed through the air. Copper filled his nose with every breath he took and he was quick to find it's source. It was all around, everywhere.
"No... Problem." Deerspark shuffled himself uncomfortably but acknowledged Dusklion's words of thanks. They shouldn't go unanswered. Deerspark hadn't been a stranger to moving corpses across the forest floor to get to point A to point B. It was a horrible task but not one he was incapable nor scared of doing, so he felt if anycat were fit for the job, it would be him. Jeez, what did that say about him? Did he lack empathy? Wait, he knew that wasn't true.
The Two-leg den? Deerspark was honestly fine with anything as long as they would rest in peace and not mutilated pieces. He gave his fur one last good shake before he gave the deputy a sideways nod before trotting off to pick a corpse by the scruff and gently drag them over. He wasn't sure who this cat was which made his heart slightly twist for them. Nocat deserved to go unremembered, even the most "insignificant". He could only hope they had loved ones somewhere. "Ready..." He murmured between fur.
Then the air shifted, a new and undefined smell lifting into the air. Deerspark craned his neck, her green eyes widening just the slightest to look at whatever may how found it's way here. It didn't smell like any other clan (thank the stars...) but it smelt oddly familiar? Wait, since when did the stars come out during the day? Deerspark wasn't just---
"ACK!" The tom exclaimed, his short tail bushing up in alarm. He was certain he'd seen a ghost, and he had. His eyes remained in its wide position, slightly embarrassed by his yelp of surprise. He had surely been startled, especially since this cat had a voice that wasn't similar to Dusklion nor Carpthroat. So Deerspark just stared and gawked, slowly adjusting the maw of another dead clanmate in his jaws. "S... Sure. Yeah. Urm." Okay, all in favor of leaving please raise your paws? As cool as the experience was it felt so odd and unnatural.
Carpthroat´s eyes widened as she caught sight of the spirit of Goosefury. She looked down at the body that was lying between Dusklion´s paws and her own. After a moment, the RiverClanner got her act together and shook out her fur, straightening her head and tail.
´´Deerspark,´´ She fixed her emerald eyes on the tom. ´´Don´t stand there gawking like a kit. A dead warrior stands before you. Pay your respects instead of staring. Staring is what makes the encounter awkward.´´
Carpthroat shook her head. Goosefury knew Dusklion, and she could tell that the older, deceased warrior would want to talk to the Deputy. Right?
The massive RiverClanner beckoned Deerspark to her side with a twitch of her tail tip. ´´Come here and help me get the body to the abandoned twoleg den.´´ Carpthroat crouched and grabbed the bones one by one, attempting to haul the dead - and for StarClan´s sake, heavy - bones onto her back between her shoulder blades.
"It's disgusting, since all we're gonna be movin' really is... bones 'n whatever else is left-over..." the deputy murmured in response to Carpthroat's statement. Dusklion herself felt her stomach churn at the very thought. "Once you've got them dug up, take 'em back to the abandoned twoleg den where Adderstrike'll be waiting with the new graves dug. Then come back 'n grab the next." It would be different if it were animal bones, or predators. But these.... these had been Clanmates. Cats of RiverClan. She blinked and shook her head as if to ready herself to start. They would need to get a move on if they wanted to get this done quick.
But as Carpthroat and Deerspark both got set to work, the deputy hesitated. There was some sort of foreboding feeling creeping along her pelt, like they were being watched. Or... she was. But the eyes didn't feel like they belonged to either of the cats here. No, they felt different... and yet, familiar at the same time, too. Looking up, the dark tabby's eyes widened and her jaw fell just as Fury spoke. He... he was here? Down on land?? Appearing to... to her??? A nervous tickle quickly spread from her paws to the tips of her ears and suddenly Dusklion straightened up, closing her jaw and nodding.
"Y-Yes. Of course. Fury, I... I wont disappoint you! I promise!" Ears folding back as she stared at one of the three cats she admired more than any other, Dusklion felt her heart charge full speed in her chest. Disappointed.... no! No, she couldn't bear the thought of Fury being disappointed in her - she would rather have Twilightstar rake her claws over her flank a thousand times over before ever hearing that Fury was disappointed. Realizing her eyes were still wide the deputy tried her best to regain her composure, tail flicking behind her.
She recalled the dream he'd been in of hers awhile ago. It had felt like such an honor despite its... thunderous beginning. She had also been very different back then. Defensive over Fallownose's murder, not understanding the magnitude of the danger she had unintentionally shoved RiverClan into. "...I promise I'll make you proud." The words were quiet as she stared at the glimmering figure, the sting of tears present but she refused to let them fall.
Straightening up more she glanced to her companions. "I want these graves handled with respect. Dig carefully, 'n don't lose any of the... bones. If you can't carry 'em all safely, take trips. We're doin' this right." Her tone was authoritative as she glanced between both cats, before back at Fury, at which time her gaze softened. "...I hope this is okay..." There it was - the little sliver of self-doubt that was so, so rarely seen, if at all, by her Clanmates.
[ a reminder to please follow posting order and not skip over others! from here on out the posting order will be myself, dino (for the second spiritual encounter post if desired), marigoldwhisper, then paedyn also please remember that there should not be any visible bodies; these cats have been buried for a long time so at most they are digging up bones; therefore they should not know whose bodies they are moving (paedyn if you could edit your post to remove the part of it being goosefury's body, that would be great!). you don't have to describe it in your posts, but wanted to make sure to keep this realistic! ]
Her Clanmates clearly had no idea what was going on either, and that only served to panic the former kittypet further, dread filling her heart as she shrank back against her patrolmates. Wisteriawren squeezed her eyes shut.
And then… “Hi!” Followed by nonstop, high-pitched giggling as a small, malnourished white-furred ghost came fully into view, flickering wildly in and out of view for a moment before stabilizing. “You should have seen. The looks on your faces, for moon’s sake! Oh, the moon, because the sun is fake. You must request from it a boon. It is not out yet.” The little ghost chattered on, pale eyes boring into them, and then past them, seemingly talking to air. Wisteriawren was still unsettled, but less alarmed than before. “The sun can't hurt me, you see. Death is the key. A wish took my eyes. I keep half of them at all times.” The eccentric apprentice announced to nobody in particular, and then walked right through them.
“Um.” Wisteriawren blinked, looking to her patrolmates for guidance as the little spirit skipped off, and then paused and turned around, seemingly re-realizing that they existed.
“Oh, hello there! Did I already say that? Did I already say that?” The apprentice repeated like a broken record, and then turned in a circle. For another moment, her form flickering, fur turning soggy, dripping with water that didn't exist. Left ear turning shredded, a scar across her face, left eyeball missing. And then she reverted back to normal, a wide, oblivious smile still stretched over her face. “Hi!”
She'd already said that. The ghost was not done yet, though, it seemed, though she had ignored all their questions and initial hostilie reactions. Walking up to Heroneye, the vibrant spirit dulled, smile disappearing in favor of a blank stare. “Blue. Eye blue. Like night sky.” Her head tilted slowly. “Welcome back home. Is it home? Yours, or mine? Is it mine? I am still dead, and murder is not fine. Goodbye, your time is running out. No, mine.” And then she disappeared.
A small gasp escaped from Heroneye as the figure suddenly came into focus, revealing the spirit of the white-pelted apprentice. Was that... Minkpaw? Heroneye had never gotten the chance to interact with the apprentice before her death, but she could at least remember her face. Well, not exactly the horrific monstrosity she'd been expecting. Not that she was complaining, though; she'd take twenty harmless chatterboxes over the headless ghost from the rumors.
Still, though, Heroneye wasn't ready to relax completely just yet. Minkpaw seemed... off. She looked gaunt and frail, and Heroneye couldn't make heads or tails of half of anything she was saying. Death did that to a cat, she supposed. And her general ghost-iness wasn't exactly helping the mood. Flickering in and out of existence and frightening injuries appearing on one's face was far from reassuring, after all. But she wasn't attacking them or showing any signs of hostility, so there was really no reason for any of them to do so.
Though the ghostly apprentice had more or less been written off as not a threat, she couldn't help but jump (just a hair!) as Minkpaw turned to her, expression suddenly somber. Oh, no, had Heroneye managed to offend the spirit already? That had to be some kind of a record. But Minkpaw seemed to be welcoming the patrol back into RiverClan territory, in her own strange, ghostly way. Although, well, her jumbled words could just as easily be interpreted as a dark omen, or a reflection of the past. Perhaps a bit of all?
But before Heroneye could even utter a word, Minkpaw's spirit dissipated just as quickly as it had arrived. The Lionheart turned her gaze over to her patrolmates, trying vainly to hide the bewilderment on her face.
"... I think we've seen enough. Let's head back." With that, Heroneye turned around and started towards the Twoleg den, casting glances over her shoulder to ensure that her patrolmates were still following. Now, how to explain this to Duskleaf..?
Re: Sleepy Thicket
Re: Sleepy Thicket
also please remember that there should not be any visible bodies; these cats have been buried for a long time so at most they are digging up bones; therefore they should not know whose bodies they are moving (paedyn if you could edit your post to remove the part of it being goosefury's body, that would be great!). you don't have to describe it in your posts, but wanted to make sure to keep this realistic! ]
