RiverClan Clearing

[paedyn]

Rosehawk - RiverClan Warrior
The Collector
Agatha Kitty
Chill of Death
___________________

The Wildrose Bengal shook out her pelt as her apprentice approached her. ´´I´m taking you out to work on your hunting skills,´´ Rosehawk mewed, frosty blue eyes narrowing as they met Cricketpaw´s gray-blue hues. ´´It appears that Floodsight got me called into Stormstar´s den. Not happening again. Let´s go.´´

Truth was, Rosehawk wasn´t happy. She´d have to speak with Floodsight. However, she wanted to focus on Cricketpaw´s training. The warrior hoped her mew sounded cheery as she headed towards the camp entrance and / or exit.

[ @Silvershadow13 ]

[Neptune.]

Larkwing
~<>~
27 moons || she/her || RC Warrior || Kitty Softpaws, Mind Reader, Killer Aptitude T2
scarred, scrawny dilute tortoiseshell; green eyes

During the half walk, half sprint, mostly hobble back to camp, the adrenalin running through Larkwing's veins had slowly ebbed. She half expected the ThunderClan warrior to be right on her and Salamander's tails, but it seemed he was smarter than that. She wasn't sure if she should laugh or cry at that. But finally, finally, they'd returned to camp.

Chipmunk still dangling from her jaws, Larkwing all but collapses once the safety of home is realized, a strangled half-yelp half-growl escaping her as she jostles broken limbs. Stars, that hurts. Her vision is still dancing in front of her, pain making her see stars. She wants to cry, to be a kit again, and curl into her mother's embrace on one of the rare days Lilyfrost had decided Larkwing was worth loving. She wanted a father who she had never really known. She wanted Scorchedhollow, her mentor and the cat who had really been more like her dad. She wanted Rushwater, Wither... she wanted Fishfreckle, too. The comfort of his pelt against her own, the assurance of his presence next to her.

She wasn't actually still mad at him for the otters... she had been for a while, but it had worn away as fast as the salmon swim upstream. She still needed to apologize to him.

"Sal-Salamanderpaw, go get Stormstar," she says, dropping the chipmunk and addressing the apprentice with a slight pant in her voice. She had to report on the apprentice's... choices... but the leader's den was so far away and Larkwing was so not looking forward to even that small walk across camp.

[ @nyme || @taillow || @Dark ]

[korok]

☾ Brokenstream | 26 MOONS | HE/HIM ☽
header & divider by @/Marigoldwhisper



Brokenstream was immediately alerted by the fear scent that was wreaking havoc through the clearing as Larkwing and Salamanderpaw emerged from the entrance. Casting a glance at the apprentice as he was instructed by Larkwing to get Stormstar, the Lionheart wasted no time as he bounded to stand in front of the clearly injured warrior. Her tail looked…odd. And her leg was bent unnaturally. His stomach churned at the sight. ”What happened?” He gasped but didn’t wait for an answer. With Salamanderpaw already on the way to get the RiverClan leader, he knew he would hear soon enough. ”Stay here, I’m going to get Berryshine.” He mewed hurriedly, bounding off towards the medicine den.

”Berryshine!” He yowled for the newly appointed medicine cat. ”It’s Larkwing- she’s been badly hurt!”

( @Neptune. | @squidz | @nyme )

[nyme]

WE'LL BUILD A FIRE IN YOUR EYES

── ⋅ ⋅ ── ! ── ⋅ ⋅ ──

SALAMANDERPAW . 7 MOONS . SHE/HER . RIVERCLAN

Salamanderpaw flinches. Go get Stormstar. Her ears burn and her mind buzzes with a flood of the most terrible, weaselly thoughts: that she should nod her head and then not do that, she should go and hide, she should be trying to get her story straight in a way that makes it sound less damning than it is, she should be finding someone, anyone, who she can make agree with her, argue for her...her stare drops. First to Larkwing's twisted leg, then to her belly, then to the ground. Larkwing has had about the worst day a cat can have, and while that tom had sounded like he was acting on stuff Salamanderpaw had no part in, no personal experience with, she had still brought her to him. And then just stood and watched. So maybe the time to go worrying about herself has long since passed.

Salamanderpaw wants to apologize. For not listening, for not being able to help, for Larkwing's leg and tail, for her to have to find out such grand news about herself from someone who wanted her dead. Who would have killed her, were it not for that. Those kits of yours. She's been trying to figure out how to even begin to say sorry for—for all of that, only to remain silent this whole time because. Because where would she even start? What good could possibly be done, now? The silence continues as she nods her head, eyes still downcast. Maybe she can't bring herself to apologize yet, but she can at least be obedient now. She can even pretend it makes up for her failure to listen before.

Brokenstream's cry for Berryshine rattles her for no good reason. She just forgot how public of a space they're in, now. How many cats could see this. Stop it. Just go get Stormstar. Brokenstream is the recipient of a dazed look of acknowledgement and maybe a half a nod, all sheepish. All guilty. Then she's moved past all of it. Then she's scaling the little path up to Stormstar's den. Then she's not quite poking her head in, but still hovering where she'll be heard if she's loud enough (and Starclan, she hopes she can at least manage to be loud enough):

"Stormstar," a beat. Stormstar, it was an accident. He came out of nowhere. I'm still good, I promise I'm still good. No. None of that. Not now. No matter how badly she wants to. "Stormstar, Larkwing's—I got Larkwing hurt. Brokenstream's getting Berryshine. She wanted me to get you."

@Neptune ; LARKWING
@korok ; BROKENSTREAM
@taillow ; STORMSTAR

[taillow]

Stormstar - RiverClan Leader

Already exiting her den at the sound of Brokenstream's voice, the RiverClan leader nearly collided with Salamanderpaw as the apprentice came up the path. Her ears were pinned but listening while her gaze rested on - oh lovely. "Time to see if Fishface carries out his threat," she muttered under her breath with a lash of her tail, brushing past the 'paw as she bounded to the clearing.

It was obvious that Larkwing would need Berries' attention - what with her leg and tail all twisted in the wrong directions. "What in the hell happened??" A rogue attack? A predator, maybe? But then the stench of ThunderClan hit her and Stormstar's eyes narrowed. "Did a thunder-rat do this??" she barked, swinging her head to stare at Salamanderpaw, then back to Larkwing waiting for any sort of explanation.

[ @Neptune. @nyme @korok ]

[Neptune.]

Larkwing
~<>~
27 moons || she/her || RC Warrior || Kitty Softpaws, Mind Reader, Killer Aptitude T2
scarred, scrawny dilute tortoiseshell; green eyes

Luckily, a crowd had not gathered. Would one soon? Oh, Larkwing knows this clan so well that she has absolutely zero doubt there would soon be a semi-circle of cats gathered around to watch the spectacle that is her broken form on the ground. She's sure they'd all love to see that. Anyway, not the time for sardonic comments.

Brokenstream is over first, calling for Berryshine (probably smart of him), and Stormstar soon follows, her ears pinned and, oh how Larkwing does not envy being on her side of this... mess. Well- she does, actually, but only in the sense that Stormstar isn't currently sporting two broken limbs.

She grits her teeth as she begins to explain, voice lower so as not to draw too much attention. She's about to report on Salamanderpaw's failure to follow orders and blatant disregard for Clan borders... the poor apprentice doesn't need this to turn into public humiliation where every cat can see and hear. "Took Salamanderpaw out hunting, replenish the fresh-kill pile," she nudges her chipmunk with her uninjured paw, as if the dead rodent lying mere hair lengths away wasn't enough of an indication that she'd brought it back.

"Salamanderpaw saw a squirrel... on ThunderClan's side of the border. She got tunnel vision and ignored me when I called her back," a pause to catch her breath and to offer the young calico a sympathetic glance. Larkwing understood tunnel vision, she truly did. "The border- it seemed empty, there was no other way to drag her back and I wasn't- I wasn't going to let ThunderClan kill her without at least trying to bring her back.

"That, um, what's his name? Wolf something? The one- the one always by Bumblestar's side- must've- must've been patrolling, hiding his scent. He attacked. Got me good," a humorless, pain-filled chuckle escapes her, an attempt to ease her own nerves that were still very much frayed. "He doesn't- he doesn't like me much, said a bunch of- I don't remember? I don't remember what he said... but he wouldn't kill me." That was the most shocking thing that happened. She'd thought she was dead. But he let her live, let her escape with only some broken bones. It was far- she doesn't want to say 'kinder', because it wasn't kind, but it was a much more gentle fate than she'd expected to be given.

[ @nyme || @korok || @taillow ]

[squidz]

| BERRYSHINE |

small & nimble dark brown she-cat with darker flecks and light, leafy-green eyes | the collector

[ riverclan medicine cat | she-cat | 12 moons | timid, kind, hardworking ]

—

Brokenstream's sudden yowl snapped Berryshine out of her relatively peaceful herb sorting; immediately jumping to her paws (after nearly jumping out of her fur), the small brown she-cat darted out, glancing incredulously at the Lionheart. "W-What's wrong—!?"

Oh. The fear scent filled the air, and her green eyes immediately flicked to the crumpled form of Larkwing in the clearing. A stab of fear went through her chest and she raced over, eyes widening like two moons. Oh, the unnatural angle that her one leg and tail were bent at... with a shudder, Berryshine immediately looked at Stormstar and Salamanderpaw, catching the last bits of Larkwing's story that explained what happened. Dread pooled in her belly.

"Stars," the medicine cat breathed, shaking her head to snap herself into concentration. "O-Okay, ah... help carry her into the den!" The last thing Larkwing needed was everyone staring at her broken form, even more so with the painful procedures that she was about to perform on the former leader.

[ if i missed anything lmk ]

[ @taillow - stormstar | @Neptune. - larkwing | @nyme - salamanderpaw | @korok - brokenstream ]

[nyme]

WE'LL BUILD A FIRE IN YOUR EYES

── ⋅ ⋅ ── ! ── ⋅ ⋅ ──

SALAMANDERPAW . 7 MOONS . SHE/HER . RIVERCLAN

Salamanderpaw shifts a little to allow for Stormstar to ease by and then she follows her down, trying to ignore the apprehension that's knotted up somewhere low in her chest and only winds tighter when Larkwing starts to tell the story. Salamanderpaw cannot help but admire her, here, giving her report in spite of it all. She's speaking low enough (oh thank goodness) that Salamanderpaw has to really inch in to hear. She glances hopefully over at the freshkill during the course of Larkwing's explanation, sensing a possible lifeline she could sink her teeth into...only to deflate almost instantly. It doesn't look nearly sorry enough for her to be able to justify having done this with a big pout and, b-b-buhhhhht the Clan really needed it; Salamanderpaw will just have to stick to the truth. She wanted that squirrel to make herself feel better.

"He said he wanted to make you bleed," she finally speaks up. Salamanderpaw remembers. She's not getting that stranger or his words out of her head for a good long while. "And cry. And that next time he's gonna kill you." She leaves out the other very big thing he said. That part really isn't any of Salamanderpaw's business. Larkwing has been pretty merciful in relaying the situation, all things considered; honest but not derisive, even when she's probably earned the right to be. Salamanderpaw wants to cling to that, so she'll keep her nose out of the warrior's private business and she won't refute what all's been said. There's really nothing she could say for herself that would somehow improve this situation. So when Berryshine mentions that someone should help carry Larkwing into her den for treatment, Salamanderpaw is quick to offer: "I'll help!"

Still looking for that lifeline, for some way out of sitting here in her guilt, for a means to avoid having to sit through any further discussion of what she'd done and what had happened to Larkwing because of it. Still, in some small way, acting on those weaselly thoughts. She doesn't want to be stuck out here facing Stormstar by herself.

@Neptune ; LARKWING
@taillow ; STORMSTAR
@korok ; BROKENSTREAM
@squidz ; BERRYSHINE

[korok]

☾ Brokenstream | 26 MOONS | HE/HIM ☽
header & divider by @/Marigoldwhisper



As Berryshine followed his quickly out of her den, she instructed them to help carry Larkwing back. ”Of course.” He nodded. As he looked back at his injured Clanmate, his stomach churned a bit again. How could any cat do this to another cat? Why would they? This was just downright cruel. As Salamanderpaw offered to help, Brokenstream frowned. ”Fine, but you should see Berryshine too for the shock and to make sure you weren’t hurt.” He mewed as he helped lift Larkwing. ”Come on.” The Lionheart began to stagger back to the medicine den.

( @nyme | @taillow | @Neptune. | @squidz )

[taillow]

Stormstar - RiverClan Leader

Border crossing. Of course. Ears now totally flattened, the leader looked at Berries as the medicine cat arrived. "Salamanderpaw, stay right here." Fuming. She was fuming. She knew this cats mentor had not been around in awhile, wherever Beastspark had disappeared off to lately (probably to follow his failure of a mate), but still. No one thought to teach her borders??

Words hinged on the tip of her tongue but she swallowed them and looked at Brokenstream, then Berries. "...Fix her leg, let me know when you're done." And then she moved her gaze to Larkwing, smoldering with disappointment. There was more she wanted to say to the former leader, but for now she'd hold her tongue. Part of her was conflicted, because the cat she figured the leader was talking about was Wolfhive, and he had every right to attack a warrior over the border. On the other paw, it was just to retrieve an apprentice - a broken leg seemed absolutely way too unnecessary when simply driving them off would've done the trick.

"Borders," Stormstar snapped, spinning around and facing the 'paw now, "are there for a reason. Scent-markers. Each Clan has its own territory, 'n if you hunt on their land they've got every right to chase you off - you're both lucky nothin' else happened!" Stars, if this had been ShadowClan, she could easily be speaking to two corpses right now. "When a warrior calls for you to come back to their side durin' a patrol, it's for good reason. Could be a threat, somethin' you can't see or don't know about. I've got half a mind to make you Salamanderkit for the next moon. Our neutrality with ThunderClan is tentative, 'n I don't wanna give Queen of the Tree Rats 'n her Tree Rat Son a reason to come 'n try to find us!"

Her rage boiling, the leader began to stalk back and forth, muttering several words under her breath that couldn't actually be spoken out loud.

"...You're not goin' to the next gatherin'," Stormstar finally decided as she swung back around to look at Salamanderpaw. "'N for the next half-moon, you're to be in camp doin' chores - elders den, nursery, whoever needs help in them. Once that half-moon is up you're to find one of the Lionhearts 'n have 'em show you the borders 'n their scents. If I hear about you crossin' them again, you'll be Salamanderkit until I say otherwise. Got it?"

[ @Neptune. @korok @squidz @nyme ]

[ salamanderpaw has been confined to camp until 10/10 and is not permitted to go to the october gathering! she will need at least three posts of her helping in either the nursery or elders den by this time. after that, she will have until 10/26 to find a lionheart and do a border tour of all four clan borders! once that's all done, have her and the lionheart selected report back to storm by mentioning me here or in her den ^^ ]