Saltmeadow Marsh

[BEAR.]

Having shredded a good portion of her side, Lionstorm felt.. surprisingly relaxed as he watched her thrash in the current. For a moment, there was a pink tinge to the water, and then-- nothing. It was like she was never there.

And he liked that. It was quiet. All there was now was.. him.

Maybe that's all there ever would be.

Crossing back over the river was as easy as ever, and it served the dual purpose of cleaning her blood from his pelt. The scratch on his cheek remained an annoyance, but he didn't think it'd be questioned. If it was, he'd lie. And with any luck, no one would be a jerk about it like Fawnpaw.

[gemini]

Originally Posted by Delta

((Gahhh sorry this is so late!!))

Glazewing's eyes went wide. He had no words. Was Moonlily really saying that Windystar had died? That meant that Forestshade would take over as leader, right? The warrior shook his head. The most important thing right now was to help calm down Moonlily. He moved to stand by her side, pressing up against her, and murmured in a soft voice, "Hey, hey, just take a deep breath. Let's lay down and take a deep breath and calm down. It'll be alright, I promise." He didn't know if things would be alright, but he sure hoped so.

she just kept her gaze down. as she tried her best to follow his instructions with her blue eyes wide and scared as an idea rushed into her mind. her breaths far less shallow now she looked up and made in breaking eye contact with him. “Let’s go.” She said two words only two words. “let’s run away. I don’t have anything tethering me here you don’t either let’s leave the clans.” She said just looking up at him suddenly very somber she finically seemed like she wanted something in her life.

[BEAR.]

It didn't take too long to get to the border, and Firehawk was careful to scent the air as they neared the edge of RiverClan territory. The border was unchanged beyond the expansion, and he could appreciate that-- with RiverClan growing, they needed all the land they could get. "What can you smell?" he called to Pebblepaw as he stopped before the new scent markers. "The borders have been moved by Lionstorm, so things are a little different right now. I don't think it'll stay like this."
@Dust

[Fawn]

Fawnpaw's nose was to the ground as he sifted past the bulk of RiverClan territory toward the divider that'd formerly separated them from ShadowClan. These days, it was less of a border and more of a... burnt patch where ShadowClan's territory ended, fortunately stopping before the river. Although he liked to believe he'd come out here for scenting and hunting practice, he wasn't deaf to the nagging voice in his head that proclaimed there was more to it. Morbid curiosity, he supposed. ShadowClan was in such a unique place with no leadership and apparently faced rough times with outsiders after a fire had turned their land into charred remains. He teetered on sympathy over their bad luck on repeat.

Blinking his daze away, Fawnpaw zeroed in on his surroundings to at least attempt to have something to come back to the Clan with, but just as he lowered himself to the ground, a large rustle of nearby undergrowth startled him into whirling around. Whatever had made that noise, it was big -- not huge like a dog or fox, but definitely not a prey animal. Fawnpaw was silent as he treaded through the reeds to get a better look at whatever had come into RiverClan territory, stalking pawstep by pawstep until he could sneak a brief glimpse.

Oh. Oh stars. Not again. He was pretty sure, from the quick flash of color, that it was him. Ugh. Dustypaw. Which... as much as he dreaded the awkwardness about to happen, was perhaps better than finding a predator. The only issue was that Dustypaw was an intruder.

"Hey!" Fawnpaw called, ducking out from under the reeds while shaking the leafy bits from his pelt and racing over to him. "You..." But being face to face, he realized his training hadn't prepared him for this situation, no prior experience to guide what he was supposed to do next. "Um, you're not supposed to be here. This is RiverClan's." As he spoke, he tried to keep his posture upright and authoritative, tone even, but his impression of a warrior wavered.


@Delta

[Freesia]

Originally Posted by Dipper

Fawnpaw's nose was to the ground as he sifted past the bulk of RiverClan territory toward the divider that'd formerly separated them from ShadowClan. These days, it was less of a border and more of a... burnt patch where ShadowClan's territory ended, fortunately stopping before the river. Although he liked to believe he'd come out here for scenting and hunting practice, he wasn't deaf to the nagging voice in his head that proclaimed there was more to it. Morbid curiosity, he supposed. ShadowClan was in such a unique place with no leadership and apparently faced rough times with outsiders after a fire had turned their land into charred remains. He teetered on sympathy over their bad luck on repeat.

Blinking his daze away, Fawnpaw zeroed in on his surroundings to at least attempt to have something to come back to the Clan with, but just as he lowered himself to the ground, a large rustle of nearby undergrowth startled him into whirling around. Whatever had made that noise, it was big -- not huge like a dog or fox, but definitely not a prey animal. Fawnpaw was silent as he treaded through the reeds to get a better look at whatever had come into RiverClan territory, stalking pawstep by pawstep until he could sneak a brief glimpse.

Oh. Oh stars. Not again. He was pretty sure, from the quick flash of color, that it was him. Ugh. Dustypaw. Which... as much as he dreaded the awkwardness about to happen, was perhaps better than finding a predator. The only issue was that Dustypaw was an intruder.

"Hey!" Fawnpaw called, ducking out from under the reeds while shaking the leafy bits from his pelt and racing over to him. "You..." But being face to face, he realized his training hadn't prepared him for this situation, no prior experience to guide what he was supposed to do next. "Um, you're not supposed to be here. This is RiverClan's." As he spoke, he tried to keep his posture upright and authoritative, tone even, but his impression of a warrior wavered.


@Delta

Usually a young apprentice like Dustypaw would his mentor with him to critique his hunting technique, but the scarcity of prey and limited number of able-bodied warriors and apprentices after the fire had forced the ShadowClan patrols to split up to cover more ground while hunting. The sandy-colored tom raced through the trees following close behind a small rabbit. It wasn’t much, but at this point he was going to take anything he could get.

As the scenery around him changed from tall pines and thick undergrowth to blackened logs and ashy earth, the apprentice cringed inwardly. He was quickly approaching RiverClan territory, but he needed this rabbit. No way anyone is going to be this far out in the territory, right? he thought. He decided that he would just catch this rabbit then dart back to ShadowClan territory, no harm done!

The river came into view, and, to Dustypaw’s dismay, his prey scampered down a rabbit hole and out of his reach. Looking around, the apprentice’s eyes widened. He was definitely in RiverClan territory. Almost everything here was burned or blackened by the recent fire. And, even worse, the fresh scent of a RiverClan cat wafted through the air. Someone was here! Dustypaw spun around and began walking as silently and quickly as possible back to ShadowClan territory, but he stopped short when a familiar voice called out to him.

The apprentice felt his blood run cold. It was that RiverClan apprentice, the one from the battle and the Gathering. Fox-dung. He turned around slowly to face Fawnpaw, no doubt looking extremely guilty. “Oh, haha…hi, you…” he sputtered. He looked everywhere but the RiverClan apprentice’s face. “Sorry, I was just chasing a rabbit, but it, um. It got away,” he replied. He began to step backwards, wanting to get out of this situation as soon as possible. He tried his hardest to make his already small frame seem as small and unthreatening as possible. His reasoning was that maybe if Fawnpaw saw that he meant no harm, he would let him go. It was obvious that he didn’t want to be in this position, either.

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by Delta

Usually a young apprentice like Dustypaw would his mentor with him to critique his hunting technique, but the scarcity of prey and limited number of able-bodied warriors and apprentices after the fire had forced the ShadowClan patrols to split up to cover more ground while hunting. The sandy-colored tom raced through the trees following close behind a small rabbit. It wasn’t much, but at this point he was going to take anything he could get.

As the scenery around him changed from tall pines and thick undergrowth to blackened logs and ashy earth, the apprentice cringed inwardly. He was quickly approaching RiverClan territory, but he needed this rabbit. No way anyone is going to be this far out in the territory, right? he thought. He decided that he would just catch this rabbit then dart back to ShadowClan territory, no harm done!

The river came into view, and, to Dustypaw’s dismay, his prey scampered down a rabbit hole and out of his reach. Looking around, the apprentice’s eyes widened. He was definitely in RiverClan territory. Almost everything here was burned or blackened by the recent fire. And, even worse, the fresh scent of a RiverClan cat wafted through the air. Someone was here! Dustypaw spun around and began walking as silently and quickly as possible back to ShadowClan territory, but he stopped short when a familiar voice called out to him.

The apprentice felt his blood run cold. It was that RiverClan apprentice, the one from the battle and the Gathering. Fox-dung. He turned around slowly to face Fawnpaw, no doubt looking extremely guilty. “Oh, haha…hi, you…” he sputtered. He looked everywhere but the RiverClan apprentice’s face. “Sorry, I was just chasing a rabbit, but it, um. It got away,” he replied. He began to step backwards, wanting to get out of this situation as soon as possible. He tried his hardest to make his already small frame seem as small and unthreatening as possible. His reasoning was that maybe if Fawnpaw saw that he meant no harm, he would let him go. It was obvious that he didn’t want to be in this position, either.

Approaching Dustypaw, Fawnpaw almost stopped himself at what used to be the border out of habit, then realized Lionstorm had successfully gotten it moved further through a series of half-truths. So.. Dustypaw was indeed on what was recently claimed as RiverClan's, though it certainly felt foreign to gracefully hop across the stones in the river to reach the other side and still be in the right territory. "Yeah, hi," he said, quieter since he didn't have to yell a decent distance, but he was nevertheless alert with bright eyes and forward-facing ears.

If his stance alone didn't convey it, Fawnpaw already knew this single apprentice wasn't a threat. It wasn't an invasion or a battle patrol, and he assumed he was being honest about the reason he'd crossed the border. "I'm guessing it's weird, not having this land anymore..." he remarked, paw scuffing the ground. Dustypaw's mistake was understandable, but unfortunately not easily dismissible. Upon seeing his attempts to scoot away, Fawnpaw blocked his exit and pointed out, "Hey, wait. They're going to know ShadowClan's been over here. And.. they might assume the worst-- like a patrol trying to reclaim it. I... look," he sighed, "I know this isn't really ideal, but uh, you're.. kind of going to have to come back to camp. With me." For what was basically a request to take him hostage, Fawnpaw liked to think it was at least polite.

[Doom]

(i moved this here, i hope that's okay!)
@CasperCreates

Oh, stars that cat is huge! How did he miss her scent?

Trying to keep calm, Graypaw stepped in front of Pigeonpaw to protect her. Not many cats knew this, but Graypaw didn't believe in fighting. In fact, he was a pacifist, but if an enemy showed any aggression toward someone he cared about, he certainly wouldn't hesitate to strike. “Yes, we were only exploring,” he reassured his sister's words, partly drawing a blank on how to deal with the situation. “Not here to cause any trouble.”

He stared challengingly into the larger she-cat’s gaze. She wasn't that much bigger than him, but the difference in body mass still intimidated him. “We’ll be leaving now. There's no reason to start anything.” He meant what he said, but Graypaw didn't budge. He wanted the ShadowClanner to stand down first.

[pidgeon]

Originally Posted by Venus

(i moved this here, i hope that's okay!)
@CasperCreates

Oh, stars that cat is huge! How did he miss her scent?

Trying to keep calm, Graypaw stepped in front of Pigeonpaw to protect her. Not many cats knew this, but Graypaw didn't believe in fighting. In fact, he was a pacifist, but if an enemy showed any aggression toward someone he cared about, he certainly wouldn't hesitate to strike. “Yes, we were only exploring,” he reassured his sister's words, partly drawing a blank on how to deal with the situation. “Not here to cause any trouble.”

He stared challengingly into the larger she-cat’s gaze. She wasn't that much bigger than him, but the difference in body mass still intimidated him. “We’ll be leaving now. There's no reason to start anything.” He meant what he said, but Graypaw didn't budge. He wanted the ShadowClanner to stand down first.

Icestar's lips curled in a malicious grin as the apprentice stood up to her. He may have been large for a cat his age, but she was still above him, and her broad shoulders and freshly-scarred face portrayed her ferocity.
"You know this is ShadowClan, don't you?" she began, her gruff voice taking on a mocking tone. "We've just had a run-in with some rogues, and we've shredded them. That's what we do to trespassers in our clan, don't you know? Didn't your mommy ever tell you all those scary stories about us?" She fluffed up her fur, making herself look impossibly larger, before unsheathing her claws and swiping out at Graypaw in a quick, jolting motion. She didn't land a hit, and she did not intend to. She wasn't going to fight a couple of kits. It was simply a tactic to frighten him. Her orange eyes glinted with humor as she taunted the young cats.

"Take word back to your clan of fish-pelts. ShadowClan is under new management. Tell that insufferable yellow creature that Icestar sends her regards. Now, scamper along, little kits." She lashed her feathery tail, sending them off.

She didn't have to tell Pigeonpaw twice. The gray tabby was regretting her decision ten-fold. "C-Come on, Graypaw, let's get out of here!" She mewed pitifully, urging him to follow as she leapt farther into their own territory. Icestar, she thought to herself. ShadowClan had a new leader, and she was terrifying.

[Doom]

Originally Posted by CasperCreates

Icestar's lips curled in a malicious grin as the apprentice stood up to her. He may have been large for a cat his age, but she was still above him, and her broad shoulders and freshly-scarred face portrayed her ferocity.
"You know this is ShadowClan, don't you?" she began, her gruff voice taking on a mocking tone. "We've just had a run-in with some rogues, and we've shredded them. That's what we do to trespassers in our clan, don't you know? Didn't your mommy ever tell you all those scary stories about us?" She fluffed up her fur, making herself look impossibly larger, before unsheathing her claws and swiping out at Graypaw in a quick, jolting motion. She didn't land a hit, and she did not intend to. She wasn't going to fight a couple of kits. It was simply a tactic to frighten him. Her orange eyes glinted with humor as she taunted the young cats.

"Take word back to your clan of fish-pelts. ShadowClan is under new management. Tell that insufferable yellow creature that Icestar sends her regards. Now, scamper along, little kits." She lashed her feathery tail, sending them off.

She didn't have to tell Pigeonpaw twice. The gray tabby was regretting her decision ten-fold. "C-Come on, Graypaw, let's get out of here!" She mewed pitifully, urging him to follow as she leapt farther into their own territory. Icestar, she thought to herself. ShadowClan had a new leader, and she was terrifying.

Graypaw shrunk away at the she-cats swipe, nearly passing out from the sudden rush of adrenaline. Blinking the spots from his vision, the silvery apprentice tried to process what just happened, but his bravery was practically draining at her every word. This was a type of fear he'd never felt before, which was difficult to admit, especially since he considered himself a daredevil. This new terror consumed Graypaw, bringing him speechless and short of breath. What do I do?!

When she finally spoke her name, Graypaw cowered down beside Pigeonpaw in awe and disbelief. Icestar! Her name rang in his ears like a siren. We ran into ShadowClan's new leader! He swallowed hard, thinking this was gonna be their last adventure. If they lived, surely Lionstorm would find out one way or another, if not by via the next gathering. To his surprise, she mentioned their deputy right as he thought about it, and it sank his heart to the bottom level of his stomach. He felt like he might puke. Oh stars, we’re so dead.

Pigeonpaw had already darted back into RiverClan territory. Graypaw wanted to follow after, but he felt stuck in Icestar’s gaze, almost as if she'd cursed his feet to be stone. Desperately wanting to leave, it took no longer than a few seconds for him to go trailing after his sister (and for the first time ever, Graypaw's tail was completely tucked between is legs).

[pidgeon]

Originally Posted by Venus

Graypaw shrunk away at the she-cats swipe, nearly passing out from the sudden rush of adrenaline. Blinking the spots from his vision, the silvery apprentice tried to process what just happened, but his bravery was practically draining at her every word. This was a type of fear he'd never felt before, which was difficult to admit, especially since he considered himself a daredevil. This new terror consumed Graypaw, bringing him speechless and short of breath. What do I do?!

When she finally spoke her name, Graypaw cowered down beside Pigeonpaw in awe and disbelief. Icestar! Her name rang in his ears like a siren. We ran into ShadowClan's new leader! He swallowed hard, thinking this was gonna be their last adventure. If they lived, surely Lionstorm would find out one way or another, if not by via the next gathering. To his surprise, she mentioned their deputy right as he thought about it, and it sank his heart to the bottom level of his stomach. He felt like he might puke. Oh stars, we’re so dead.

Pigeonpaw had already darted back into RiverClan territory. Graypaw wanted to follow after, but he felt stuck in Icestar’s gaze, almost as if she'd cursed his feet to be stone. Desperately wanting to leave, it took no longer than a few seconds for him to go trailing after his sister (and for the first time ever, Graypaw's tail was completely tucked between is legs).

"That's right, flee back into the river like the little fishies that you are!" Icestar sneered after the two young cats, her whiskers twitching as she laughed with amusement. It gave her such a rush to see how much fear she was capable of striking in other cats, made stronger by the fact that she was now leader of her clan. She watched the duo until they were completely out of sight, before turning her back to RiverClan territory with a furious swish of her tail.


Pigeonpaw's heart was racing at a million miles an hour. She wasn't paying any attention to where she was going--she just had to run. She occasionally turned to make sure her brother was following her. She didn't stop until she reached the river, where she crouched down at the water's edge, panting hard. Her fur was fluffed up so much that she looked twice her usual size, and her claws were unsheathed and tearing anxiously at the ground.
"Graypaw, we're dead!" She cried out between gasps for breath. "She's going to tell Lionstorm for sure! I can't believe our luck...Oh, Graypaw, I'm so sorry I got us into this mess!" She wasn't nearly as concerned about herself getting in trouble, but she hated the thought of her brother being punished over an idea that was all hers.