Birchfawn watched Twilightstar leap down beside him. He noticed some of the barn cats increasing hostility while some attempted to defuse the situation. He was ready however, at the slightest agreement of battle, to leap for a cat and bowl them over - however he kept his cool, eyes staying on all the barn cats. "Moorsong is right." He mewed to the barn cats. "I pity that you were taken from your home, but we have a much larger group of cats to care for - as well as young and old - to feed once the weather becomes cold and prey goes to ground." He really did pity them deeply, but he couldn't let that pity get in the way of what his clan needed. They always came first.
Birchfawn watched Twilightstar leap down beside him. He noticed some of the barn cats increasing hostility while some attempted to defuse the situation. He was ready however, at the slightest agreement of battle, to leap for a cat and bowl them over - however he kept his cool, eyes staying on all the barn cats. "Moorsong is right." He mewed to the barn cats. "I pity that you were taken from your home, but we have a much larger group of cats to care for - as well as young and old - to feed once the weather becomes cold and prey goes to ground." He really did pity them deeply, but he couldn't let that pity get in the way of what his clan needed. They always came first.
Wolf nodded thoughtfully at the tom's response.
"Perhaps we could come to an agreement. I would be willing to help you get rid of the no-furs, without severely injuring them, of course, and you would allow ourselves to prove we belong here. " He said, swishing his tail.
"Nnnnno, it's actually impossible to dog-hunt. In a very serious, fundamental way, even. Five cats, ten cats, plans or no plans, traps or no traps, wouldn't matter. It'd be like catching the sun, you know? Dogs are just different like that. So, I'm...essentially...here to keep you from wasting your time. Aren't I such a good helper?"
Really she just wants to do everything in her power to curb any thoughts of dog-catching, even in jest, in addition to staying where it's the safest. Whiterabbit's bravery has one hard limit and evidently it is roaming these hills someplace. All the more reason for that barn to go.
Stupid dog. Making it impossible to go see fun stuff. Ugh, they ruin everything.
Whiterabbit shakes herself, flinging the bad thoughts away like dust in her fur. She'll go crazy if she has to sit and think about what she's missing out on right now and why, so she grits her teeth and pours her focus into anything else that can hold it. Wind in the grass, light in the sky, soil between her toes, Lightningstorm hasn't eaten today—hey. Hey?
Whiterabbit makes a face, looking up from the ground that she's started picking at to see the medicine cat looking away and, she could swear, looking almost sheepish. What the heck. Whiterabbit's never considered herself the fussy, nurturing kind and—stars willing—that'll never change, but she'd like to think she's got some brains rattling around under her ears. Even if she doesn't, it doesn't take a genius to spot a problem so obvious as The Designated Herbsy-Healy Cat Doesn't(??) Eat(???). And she's still got to wonder: who fixes that?
Maybe she's making issues up in her head. Maybe she is. Maybe Lightningstorm is just a naturally-super-bony animal and not getting to eat today was a one-off fluke borne of these wildly unusual times. But. How embarrassing. Would it be. If their sole remaining medicine cat up and died one day. Because she hadn't been fed? The force of Whiterabbit's sudden cringe is bone-deep.
So, sure. Maybe this is all because the times are rough and everything's weird. Admittedly, and without any true remorse, Whiterabbit hadn't been paying attention to Lightningstorm back before all of The Obstacles. But she does, indeed, have just enough brains under those ears to know that drawing quiet conclusions and not doing anything means—well—nothing will be done.
"Yeeeeah, here's hoping it's all going over smoothly. If anything, those '''barn''' cats should really be paying up with a daily tribute to save us the trouble...but I don't mind getting in there and just taking what we're owed. You know, provided it's safe." And dogless. Stars, that'll be an issue. Whiterabbit stares off after where the patrol had gone before jumping directly into her next question so that she doesn't have time to catastrophize about any impending dog encounters: "Say! Should we be sending our apprentices to feed you?"
| Lightningstorm | 29 Moons - WindClan Medicine Cat Flock Together [Tier 3] - Active | Mind Reader - Active | Dreamwalker - Inactive | Katty Krueger - Inactive
Lightningstorm nodded along as Whiterabbit spoke, not entirely certain if oppressing the farm cats and having them give tribute was the smartest of plans, but certain that something had to be done. If the other clans found out that WindClan had suddenly let a band of kittypets take over a part of their territory, they would become easy pickings for sure. The twolegs giving them a hard time was fine. Twolegs were a threat every cat could understand. Barn cats, however, she had to assume the other clans would be far less understanding of. And then in an instant she was sputtering, large ears perked up as she stared in a mix of horror and apprehension at the pale she-cat, the mention of apprentices entering her den obviously not a welcomed one.
"No! No no. No apprentices! I mean... I'm sure they won't mean any harm but... no cats coming in and out of my den as they please. Last thing I need is another pair of paws using my herbs to try and kill my patients while attempting to let me take the fall," the herbalist responded, her voice slowly turning bitter at the memory.
Lightningstorm still remembered it. The lighter, happier days of her apprenticeship. When Cowtuft would allow anyone to enter his den for herbs when necessary. When patrols could simply deposit their found herbs in with the rest of the storage. He worked on a trust based system. One that someone broke... and to this day it still ate at her that she didn't know who that someone had been. She'd had... doubts. Ideas. But nothing concrete. No evidence outside of her gut instinct on the matter. Not that it would have mattered. WindClan didn't care. They were content and satisfied seeing the medicine cat that had lived and burned for them take the fall, almost giddy in their relish of seeing one who had held a position of power falter, even if that position had only ever been used for their benefit.
They had turned on her as well, claiming that she had been the one to set him up. There had been no evidence to this... impossible to find any when the stories they spouted were nothing more than lies. Fabrications created by boredom, paranoia, bloodlust, and the need to have their moment in the light. But the betrayal upon her had left its mark. The medicine cat might have moved on some from her initial, deep rooted hatred of the cats of WindClan. Her paranoia that they would turn on her again at her first mistake.
Well... she was still certain they would turn on her. They had proved to care little for her in all her moons as a medicine cat. If anything, she was certain she knew more of every individual cat within the clan than they all knew of her with their knowledge combined. She was a tool and nothing more. But she was... content in a way now. She wasn't happy. Not really. It was hard to be truly joyful when one felt so distant from every single cat that surrounded them. Even Crowtooth, whom she considered a friend, she kept a healthy distance away. But it was what she wanted. It was easier that way, or so she'd convinced herself.
Ear twitching, Lightningstorm shook herself, unwilling to go down that rabbit hole any longer. Instead, she grinned, turning to Whiterabbit as she turned the conversation back onto more comfortable territory. That of dog hunting and how possible - or impossible - it might just be.
"You say it's impossible, then? To dog hunt? I wouldn't know about that... Impossible things, I mean. I think everything is possible, in some way. Well... maybe not everything. Don't see a cat walkin' on two legs themselves and suddenly livin' it up like one of them twolegs. But I like to think that most things that are thought up or imagined can be made reality within the scopes of what is possible in our world. We just don't know enough about these things, I think. Haven't learned enough to know just how to make it possible.
It's what makes us afraid, innit? That lack of knowledge and certainty that it is impossible? That thing that makes us freeze up and convince ourselves that nothin' can be done about it. I mean, don't get me wrong. You might very well be right but... I just think it's always better to assume that maybe we just don't know how to yet than to give it up as a lost cause," Lightningstorm mewed cheerily, her eyes alight with a sense of wonder as she looked to the clouds.
She would always have a thirst for knowledge. A hope that those things that petrified her and had no good answer weren't so... she just hadn't found the right way to tackle it yet. And maybe she never would. But some cat somewhere else, someday, would. Perhaps it was a silly notion, but it somehow made life just a little less gray sometimes.
Archipelago ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Shark ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
He/Him | Barn Cat | 45 moons | Outsider
'Maybe if i were to kill the most important people in your life- everyone you ever loved, maybe you'll have some idea how I feel!'
``That's a good hypothesis, but you're already too late.``
'What..?'
``Everyone you're talking about has already been killed. I've been around longer than you have, kid. I've seen my share of troubles. Taken my own revenge too, it leads nowhere.``
Purrks: Kitty Softpaws (T1) [INACTIVE] Bilingual (T2) [INACTIVE] One with the Warren [INACTIVE]
Killer Aptitude (T2) [INACTIVE]
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- - -
The huge, scarred siamese snorted at the words that flew by, pupils slitted and claws naturally unsheathed, too long to be sheathe fully, as the tips always stuck out. He raised his head, his booming voice carrying through the barn.
"These clan cats have no intention of letting some soft kittypets share their territory, and I doubt they'll get off their pedestals and see that this small portion of the territory can be shared. We have ten cats here ourselves, and that's not including cats who come in and stay for bits and pieces of time. Your offer, although amicable on your end, is just not so for us." The gentle demeanor the first patrol had experienced from the tom was gone. These cats wanted them to pack up and leave because it didn't suit them.
"Some of us have tried to escape, and have been brought back here." He said, glaring at Birchfawn, the scarred tom Assessing each and every cat of this patrol heavily. If they called Lassie, he, lassie and Cobra could probably take these cats. Their leader would be trouble though. Twilightstar meant 8 lives from what his mother explained. The apprentices would be easy pickings though. Archipelago had to shake the thought from his head. He wasn't that cat anymore.
@/everyone
Leechscar heeded his mother's order silently while refraining from rolling his eyes. He knew she agreed with him and was merely trying to be polite. If she wanted polite, she should have brought Batglare or Hawkbite, although Dapplebreeze was doing a great job of playing mediator.
As the two she-cats worked on smooth ruffled fur, Leechscar watched his siblings, noticing how ready Rookpaw was to run her claws through some fur. He really needed to get to know her better; he bet they'd click. He'd much rather chase these cats off than give them a time of day, but he'd hear them out since for Twilightstar's sake.
As more barn cats began trickling out of barns, Leechscar noticed one turn tail and straight up leave. Interesting. The others seemed set on stating their cases. The scarred one and the brown and cream tabby with green eyes seemed more interested in picking a fight. But the rest of the barn cats seemed to be searching for a compromise.
"You, the aggressive one, I don't recall anyone here calling you a leader. Unless you're willing to take responsibility for everyone's lives and the blood that will be spilled, I'd suggest you stop with the glaring and acting like your word is final. You have no authority or power here." Leechscar was feeling more embarrassed for Arc than angry. A few of the barn cats have already stated that they'd leave without a fight if push came to shove, but here this idiot is trying to turn them into their enemy regardless. The other barn cats should probably say something about that if they didn't actually want trouble.
"If you can't get home, that's your problem and your job to find a new one." He told Jackrabbit. "It's not our concern if you can't hunt outside of a barn and end up starving. If you want to give up and die instead of even attempting to find a new place and learning to feed yourself, I'd be happy to help with that." There was a cliff not too far from here, he'd be glad to give her a little shove if that's what she preferred. Leechscar could not stand slackers like this chatty one. There was no need for anyone to die for a stupid twoleg barn; these cats could literally go anywhere. Instead, they wanted to remain in the first place, the twoleg stuck them, deeming it their home. You'd think, with how quickly they made the barn their home, they could easily do the same elsewhere. He didn't believe the scarred one's words about the twolegs wasting their time to hunt them down after they leave, especially when he's heard the others say they were easy to replace with new cats.
"You all can't live here even if you did help us with the twolegs. Aside from not trusting you, as Moorsong and Birchfawn said, we have enough mouths to feed without you cats living on our territory and eating our prey. If it were just one of you, maybe, but telling us to let all of you stay and feed on our prey is asking a lot, especially when leafbare comes around again. There is also the problem of a group as big as yours attracting more outsiders, who will likely argue why you get to come into our territory, hunt, and live here, and they can't. And don't even get me started on potential future offspring here... no matter how I think about it all of you living here is not going to work."
There were too many problems involved in letting them all stay here. The group was too big, and then there was the trust factor. Even though they seemed nice, it didn't mean they could blindly trust any of them. Plus, they won't even be pulling their weight to aid the clan while living on their territory. They're not hunting to feed any clanmates' bellies, fighting to defend WindClan's future, gathering herbs, or patrolling the borders for WindClan. They'd just live here, growing fat on WindClan prey, and being an eyesore. Leechscar could tolerate one of these cats around to keep the twolegs satisfied enough to avoid bringing in more new cats, but there was no need for this many cats here.
However, as much as he hated to admit they could do with more knowledge. Crowtooth's proposal danced in the back of his head reluctantly. He flickered his tail to catch Twilightstar's attention.
"As much as I loath to admit it. We could try and turn some of them into clanmates, those four," he pointed his tail at Snowy Skies, Candy Cane, Cobra, and Wolf "are at least trying to be reasonable. I don't see the need for us to waste our time and energy trying to rehome all of them. Dropping them off at the twolegplace is kind enough. Or we could see if the other clans are open to taking some of them in. I'd prefer shredding their fur and kicking them out, but whatever you want." He was doubtful about his latter idea, but whatever got these cats off WindClan's territory with the least amount of bloodshed to appease his mother was the goal here.
"He's being a pain in the tail, though, can we shred him at least?" He nodded to the aggressive tom. This guy was blowing this out of proportion; he felt a little bad for the barn cats that were trying to keep things somewhat civil. Worse for the ones who said they leave without a fight.
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siggy art by redshiftreign
Dawnstar is the leader of ShadowClan. She has a semi-closed den policy as in do not enter without asking permission first or her fangs'll greet you. ShadowClan Resources ||| Dawnstar ||| ||| Kit Curriculum Finder
Archipelago ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Shark ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
He/Him | Barn Cat | 45 moons | Outsider
'Maybe if i were to kill the most important people in your life- everyone you ever loved, maybe you'll have some idea how I feel!'
``That's a good hypothesis, but you're already too late.``
'What..?'
``Everyone you're talking about has already been killed. I've been around longer than you have, kid. I've seen my share of troubles. Taken my own revenge too, it leads nowhere.``
Purrks: Kitty Softpaws (T1) [INACTIVE] Bilingual (T2) [INACTIVE] One with the Warren [INACTIVE]
Killer Aptitude (T2) [INACTIVE]
⛧⛥⛦⛧
- - -
Archipelago forced himself to go calm and collected exhaling deeply as he looked at Leechscar. "I am not the leader of this group, but the request you have for us is unreasonable. Some of us are trying to survive on what we've got goin' here. I don't mean to seem like I'm tryna' pick a fight, but I can see in your eyes you came with the intent ta run us out. I can't have these cats dropped nowhere with nothin'." He said firmly, brows knitted. He wouldn't let these cats be chased out, forced to live the life he had once did.
His gaze shifted to Snowy Skies, then apple and candy cane. "Snowy, mind findin' some prey for our guests? Maybe we can find a compromise so ya'll don't be thrown out." He nodded, before once again his gaze returned to Leechscar. And this cat said HE was searching for a fight? Damn. The scarred tom finally looked at the leader once more.
"I understand you got cats ta feed ma'am. But to force these cats out that are used ta this lifestyle ain't fair."
@Undertaker // @Luna16 // @Moonraven
__________________
CURRENTLY WORKING AT SUMMER CAMP UNTIL AUGUST 1ST, PLEASE BE PAITENT
Please feel free to bump me on any ongoing rp no matter how long its been! ❝Everything I was afraid of happening- Happened.❞
*pockets full of purrkies holder*
Hazeripple is the Commander of Grottoclan! PM if he's needed
Silverstar is the Leader of Ressurecting Skyclan They have a Closed Den Policy
《⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ Shop ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆》
⋆⁺‧₊☽The Wind’s Lament☾₊‧⁺⋆
☆-Moorsong-☆
[She/Her]
{21 Moons}
~Straight~
"You drew stars around my scars"
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Moorsong listened as both Birchfawn and Leechscar validated her previous thoughts, acknowledging the problems that could ensue by the time leaf-bare approached. It seemed this momentarily made the scarred tom pull his composure together. His next words though, they rubbed the she-cats fur the wrong way.
"Our guests?," Moorsong quietly hissed. The small she-cats fur bristled again, out of her own growing anger instead of nerves. "You reside on our territory and have the gall to call us guests?" she spat. Her previous warmth had faded, her silver gaze now sharp and calculating. She wouldn't lunge at the tom, despite the intense urge to do so. She managed to keep her self-control, instead standing still, other than her tail lashing viciously.
| Gnawingpaw | 8 Moons - WindClan Apprentice
Lyrebird's Lullaby - Active | Well Insulated - Active | Bilingual [T2] - Active
Talking. Pointless talking. That was all Gnawingpaw could hear as the adults around her proceeded to try and reason with the scum before them. She didn't like them. Not one bit. Least of all the cool looking one with the scars. Sure, he looked like a warrior, but there was no way a warrior would side with twolegs like he was. To fight for their claim on land that they hadn't even intended to claim was like, serious loser talk. Obviously it would be smarter to leave. Twilightstar was even being gracious and not killing them on the spot like she should. It was the right thing, after all the littermates she had lost to these... these... horrible twoleg pawns!
The apprentice could feel her tail lashing out behind her, staying in place only because their grandmother had silently let her know to stay put. Dapplebreeze was a fury. The lieutenant at that. Just like the leader, she would obey that command. But stars... she was sure itching to bite into that scarred tom. Make him regret his claims - that kept contradicting themselves... like, did he even have a brain - and having ever stepped paw here. She knew he hadn't taken her sister himself. Taken her grandmother as well. But that did not matter. He was siding with the enemy, and he had to pay.
"Scarface there. I don't like his 'tude. Thinks he's all that. Ugh, lame. Although maybe Leechscar will tear him a new one. That'll shut him right up," Gnawingpaw whispered in hushed tones at Gracks, her fangs glinting in a feral grin.
And then Scarface spoke again, and the large apprentice could feel her hackles raise in righteous fury. Guests? Guests?! Had this worthless peasant doubled down in claiming their territory as his own and called them guests in their own home?! Get the hell out of the way, grams! This apprentice was going to pet the back of his throat with her claws until she took the nerve he was using to speak to them right out!
"'I am not the leader of this group- Snowy, mind findin' some prey for our guests?' the apprentice uttered loudly in the scared tom's voice, her fangs bared. "That's what you sound like, it is! You're full of crap, you know that?!"
"That's quite enough out of you, young one," came the voice besides her, coaxing Gnawingpaw to stop in her tracks, staring wide eyed at her grandmother as the fury stared at the scarred tom.
Dapplebreeze's face was still the very essence of civility. Demure, diplomatic, and polite. And yet there was a coldness to her eyes as she stared at the leader now, her voice even, chastising as she spoke.
"You say you are not the leader of this band of wayward, lost felines? I believe you. You see, a leader does not let themselves be blinded by pride and foolish sentimentality. A leader looks to those who depend on them and makes right by them. The path of most resistance? Of fighting for a land you just arrived at against your will by twoleg command? Or the path of peace? Of allowing us to help find your new home? So that we may continue our struggles against the enemies that we should both share without the shedding of unnecessary blood?
Your words might be honeyed and sweet. Ill advised diplomacy laced through them. But it is for you that you stand your ground, not for those besides you. So tell us. How many of your friends will need to bleed before your pride finally abates itself and makes you see the error of your ways? I agree with you, my dear. You are not the leader. You are no leader at all," she mewed, clearly disgusted with the tom.
Quickly, as if she had no time to waste on him, the fury turned a side eye to Twilightstar, her ears still alert to the cats before them, clearly expecting the worst from the dark tom as she mewed, "I am in agreement with Leechscar. We have lost cats to the twolegs. Perhaps it is a blessing upon both groups that we meet this way after all? They are in need of homes, and we could always provide them to cats who would be willing to become clan cats. Some of our finest warriors started life as rogues. Perhaps those who choose to join us will carry the same promise within them?"
@Moonraven [Twilightstar] | @Undertaker [Leechscar] | @squidz [Gracklepaw] | @crow. [Archipelago]
| Edit to mention that Dapplebreeze has Silver Tongue Tier 2 and Agatha Kitty active here. Sorry, forgot to make a note of it before posting! |
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Lightningstorm is WindClan's current medicine cat.
She has a semi-closed den policy.
COBRA
Windy hills barn cat | 23 Moons | Tall, black tom with long fur and amber eyes
~~~
Cobra listened as the clan cats spoke. It was frustrating, but he could see their points. He glanced at Snowy Skies as the continued message quickly became that the clan cats simply had to make this call. Jack's comments were not the most helpful, but seemed generally ignored. No, it was Arc who was raising hackles.
Cobra turned his head and glared at the older tom as he not only continued to aggravate the situation, but in his usual attitude tried to order Snowy Skies around. The black mainecoon understood the worries about everything turning into a fight, but his continued missteps... For someone talking about the clan cats holding themselves onto a pedestal, he sure was standing awfully tall on his own. "Shut it." He spat, unable to contain his distaste for the older tom. This was a tense enough situation without the old fart adding fuel to the fire. It was a good thing that Arc agreed he was no one's leader, because Cobra might've had far more to say about that.
He wished he had the civility of the she-cat that quieted the aggressive little one. She had a way of speaking that could insult you so perfectly that it still calmed down a wild badger. It was kind of impressive. Even with her more aggressive clanmates, it was quiet strange how her general presence was still relaxing. And yet, Moorsong, with her generally calm demeanor, was still so bothered by Arc's words that she snapped at him. He still had half a mind to shred Arc before Leechscar could make it to him.
His ear flicked and he turned his attention back to the clan cats. Something about taking them in? He turned the idea around in his head. He was pretty accustomed to feeding himself above others, and that seemed out of the question for the clan cats. What would it be like if he did. "If... that is the compromise..." He paused a moment. His tail flicked. He glanced at the other barn cats. Some of which he liked, some of which he didn't know well, and then others... He didn't care for. He wondered if Flint was still around. Was he actually that close to his birthplace? Doubtful.
"I'd be interested in hearing more..." He offered. Why not? He not only had nowhere else to go, and was quite uninterested in the two-leg place... If his brother had been able to make it in the clans, why couldn't he? Not that he even knew if his brother did, in fact, make it in the clans.
Mosstangle is an Enforcer in Shadowclan! Mention me whenever she is needed! My characters' thoughts, emotions, and actions are simply descriptions and roleplay, and do not align with my personal thoughts, emotions, and actions. *Pockets Full Of Purrkies active!*
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Last edited by namen_roodles; Yesterday at 10:34 PM.
Re: Windy Hills
