Crash through the surface where they have hurt us

[Estelle]

Sleepysunrise
[ 13 moons | She / Her | Shc Enforcer ]

Her paws tipped dark, cold ground as she lay to rest within her usual corner of camp, the place where normally she stood guard. Warrior and enforcer for a whole five moons and not once had she slept inside the warriors' den; she had paw inside once, yes, but had been appalled by the smell and crowded space enough to neglect ever returning in there. Now, she realised that mama was much the same. She had adjusted her position just a bit today you see, for Sleepysunrise had came to remember her mama's peculiar sleeping arrangements upon the tree trunk overlooking her most valued places, and the enforcer found herself watching it as if she could will her mother back into existence.

It still seemed impossible to her. Mama couldn't be so easily killed, much less drowned, unless something had been greatly amiss. Either mama had faked her death and was alive, a painful yet relieving thought, or... She couldn't quite place the 'or' either. Mama had been a medicine cat and trained to detect and treat illness, surely she would have taken better care of herself had she fallen ill; besides, she hadn't noticed her mother to be sick during their outing shortly before her death. It was odd to think, then, what else might have taken her mama's life and felt as impossible as the earlier. Sleepysunrise knew about that one poison, the name did not come to mind or her rper and thus neither did she; but most were murderous, were they not? Made one sick and killed them later. Mama ought to know about them.

And yet. Was it not possible, to have slipped one such small berry in her food and tainted her health? The thought sat wrong with the enforcer, even more so at the prospect that one could do the same to Miss Grandmama, if that is what had affected mama. Mossfreckle had told her younger self of two poisons before, a preventative measure, and these thoughts could only push her to think she should know more about them. Just as Sleepysunrise has always been out to discover the use of every herb she could possibly come in contact with and beyond, she subtly shared the same sentiment about the plants that could cause harm to another. But she knew all too well that the likelihood of receiving in-depth knowledge of such a thing from Mossfreckle or Rookfire would be difficult, much to her dismay.

But she needed to know it. She needed to know their uses, their effects, their dangers; how to cultivate them, how to dry them, how to hide them, how to use them. It was the same mantra that danced within her head when it came to healing herbs - how to cultivate, use, dry and preserve. Every little detail, every little thing, of every skill she could ever encounter. If she ever wanted to protect her family and Miss Grandmama, if she ever wanted to amount to anything... If she ever wanted to be able to be in control. If she ever wanted to avenge mama. She needed to know everything, without exception, excel at everything. And matters or herbs and poison were no exception to that rule.

As the night dragged on and these thoughts ran wildly rampant in her mind, Sleepysunrise began to drift off into what was sure to be yet another restless sleep. After all, she had found to have some penchant for meeting strangers within the confinements of her mind.


[ @SuspiciousMindz - Decided to set up a starter right away so I wouldn't forget! Reminds me of the tree combat practice starter ahah, but that will have to be for another day ]

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Thrush]
Dark Forest Resident
Nightmare Fuel T1 | Worldweaver T1

Grief was an intense emotion that often drew the chocolate calico towards it. This rung with desire and insecurity, too. All ingredients of emotion that created an unstable mind and easy target for Thrush to reach out to. Thrush was practically salivating as these waves echoed throughout the part of the forest he stuck to. He moved through the undergrowth, hunting down the source of it. He moved quickly, silently, until the scent was overbearing.

Then, there she was. A black and white she-cat sat in the heart of the forest. Gathering himself together, the tiny tom paused his movements and instead raised his tail in a friendly manner. "Why hello there..." Thrush let his sickeningly sweet tone echo around the trees towards the she-cat. "Who are you? What brings you here?" Thrush hadn't seen this one before. She smelled of ShadowClan. She also reeked of the scents that he'd been hunting.

"You're wanting to learn something, aren't you? I can tell..." Thrush would speak, moving a few paces towards the she-cat. He still remained friendly, giving her a curious look. He was hoping she'd open up to him without much pressure. Sometimes cats reacted that way with him, especially when he was friendly like this.

@Estelle - Sleepysunrise

[Estelle]

Sleepysunrise
[ 14 moons | She / Her | Shc Enforcer | Shadow Fiend ]

It was almost expected when the landscapes within her mind’s eye changed and altered into the dark, familiar forest she now knew the name of. So many cats, so little time. It felt like every moon a new cat penetrated her mind with the promise of knowledge and experience, only to never teach or appear again. Sleepysunrise was sceptical. She had seen faces and minds pass by alike; she never could tell what their intentions were. But the better part of her didn’t care, either; all she wanted was the knowledge they kept so closely guarded.

Today it was a tom, small much like herself, he smelled of pain and suffering like the rest of the forest. She had gotten used to that scent around here; she knew not to worry. Much like a previous visit, he asked for her identity; an odd start when most had knowingly pulled her from her dreams, but then again, he hadn’t been here when she appeared. He found her. And that made her wonder if some other force had brought her here tonight, to be found by the tom that stood behind her.

She turned around, vibrant eye catching onto his with a lifeless look. She felt tired of pointless meetings. They wouldn’t let her rest properly. She blinked for the first time since her arrival, not an actual necessity within this realm, but a habit of when she was thinking.
“...I do.”
She admitted after a moment of silence, her head aside backwards to properly regard him. She had to remain composed, but questions waved around her mind.
“Can you… teach me?”
She wondered if he already knew what she wanted to learn. If these cats could enter her mind, could they read it too? They always seemed awfully perceptive. It wouldn’t hurt to test that theory.


[ @SuspiciousMindz ]

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Thrush]
Dark Forest Resident
Nightmare Fuel T1 | Worldweaver T1

Already he could tell she was smarter than most. She wasn't blindly trusting him like a lot of the cats who came here did. He liked that. It was a nice change in pace. Although, just like all the others, she seemed eager to learn. She wanted information from him, but what? He wasn't sure. No, he was not a mind reader like some of these Dark Forest cats seemed to be.

"Depends on what you're wanting to learn, dear. Feel free to tell me. Maybe I can help," Thrush spoke a little more cooly. The friendly tone remained on his tongue, not letting up the disguise he was wearing. "I'm always willing to help, but you have to do me a favor in return."

@Estelle - Sleepysunrise

[Estelle]

Sleepysunrise
[ 14 moons | She / Her | Shc Enforcer | Shadow Fiend ]

His tone was cool with hint of sweetness, it sounded a lot like that other cats'. The one who was obsessed with manners, manners he didn't seem to care about. She had forced a name out of her but he didn't ask, Sleepysunrise preferred it that way. He didn't need to know hers, and she didn't need to know his; for all she knew, he would just be another spirit with whom she shared a pointless dream. She didn't like it when they wasted a night's rest or her time.
It was disappointing, he didn't seem to be a reader of minds. She expected better of a Dark Forest spirit, but she supposed not all of them could be as... She wanted to say talented, but those who promised something but gave nothing were entirely devoid of talent. She shouldn't be so quick to judge. Her eyes narrowed, taking in his slim form.
"A favour?"
She asked, ears angled to catch the sound of his voice. She wouldn't mind a favour if he delivered. She observed him.
"...You know about poisons."
It should have been a question, but she stated it matter-of-factly. After all, why else would he have called her here at this time?
"I want to know. About them."
She paused.
"Everything."
She finally stated, lifting her eyes off the ground to look at the spirit.


[ @SuspiciousMindz ]

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Thrush]
Dark Forest Resident
Nightmare Fuel T1 | Worldweaver T3

​

A smile poisoned his lips, curling the edges in a malicious manner, though outwardly, it was nothing but friendly. "A favor, yes. Nothing but a simple favor when I ask of it, do we have a deeeal?" Thrush inquired, outstretching a paw to the Medicine Cat [just adjusting to med cat status so the timeline isn't wonky]. All she had to do was touch his paw. An agreement. A promise. Since she didn't pry on details, he wouldn't provide. She was being naive, just like her sibling, Quillpaw. Oh, how the tom stuck out to him like no one else had. T/reetiger didn't count, though. That warrior followed his lead with no questions asked and assisted in his training.

"I can give you training on whatever poisons you'd like to know, of course as long as I know them~" He'd coo, tilting his head ever so slightly as he awaited a paw touch. "I've even got friends on the other side, in other clans, that you can train with. Really boost your knowledge, how's that sound? Hmm?"

@Estelle - Sleepy

[Estelle]

Sleepysunrise
[ 14 moons | She / Her | Shc Medicine Cat | Shadow Fiend ]

He was stalling. That's what it felt like, at least, and Sleepysunrise never did like stalling. Her eyes turned to narrow slits as she watched the small tom, dragging out his words and smiling at her as if they were familiar. She had a strange urge to mock his smile - it wasn't her sort, she would have been flustered by the feeling, and she was, if it wasn't mostly hidden beneath suspicious. A favour when he asked for it, as a trade for knowledge. She cocked her head, regarding him. Part of her screamed to ask for details, to ask what this detail might entail - but she was a child, and she was reckless in her own right. The only second thought was that she didn't want to touch his dirty paw, but she did it anyway, for the briefest of moments and retracting it the moment their fur made the smallest amount of contact. She knew it was wrong to associate herself with those from the other clans, but this wasn't their dreams. This wasn't their territory. She lifted her gaze to meet his eye, tilting her head to other way as she observed him in silence. And waited for the lesson to start. If it boosted her knowledge, what harm could it bring? They had no say over the Dark Forest, only its residents did. And she would gladly be at their mercy if it gave her what she needed.


[ @SuspiciousMindz ]