Bumblestar didn't quite care that she had been followed. What she did care about were the words said to her. She straightened up at the approach of Singesmoke and Yarrowcrest and flicked the blood from her claws.
Her ears twitched. "If I killed every cat for saying something I didn't like, you would be dead right now," she said flatly. "Like I said, I punish those who need punishin'. It ain't random. She wanted to fight back, be defiant, throw threats around after told to quit. ThunderClan's safety is worth takin' a life."
She glanced over the pair. "Would you rather I lead like everybody else did? Let the Clan run wild while I sat on my ass 'n did nothing about it?"
Checkers
Loner || He/him || 1ish moon "Momma!" He wiggled towards the voice of his mother, an awkward and slow motion thanks to the snow. Something Checkers already decided he hated. Momma could make the snow go away. She made all the bad things go away. When his stomach growled at him, she offered food. When his eyes were heavy, she offered a soft bed. Now she returned to Checkers with bright fur and a lower voice. The little guy approved.
"Cold." By now the black and white rosette had reached Yarrowcrest's paws, burrowing his nose in the white fur of his Momma. Two little paws wrapped around the warrior's toes, holding them as tight as he possibly could. No leaving again Momma. He thought, his little body beginning to shake violently. A deep rumble filled Checker's ears, a sound that suddenly startled him off of Yarrowcrest's paw. What was that noise??? "Help!!!"Mother would know what that scary sound was! He was a smart mother!!!! The little kit fell backwards into the snow with four flailing limbs. "Cold! Help! Momma!!!"
yarrowcrest // he/him // 21 moons
purrks: mind reader [INACTIVE], flock together tier 1 [INACTIVE]
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The poor thing had to be frozen to the bone. What was he supposed to do? Leave him out here? He was flailing and screaming and suffering in the snow. Yarrowcrest, even though his heart hurt, couldn't in good faith leave the small kit to die in the Leafbare chill. When he falls back into the snow he panics, lunging forward to take the kit's scruff in between his teeth and lift him out of the frozen earth. Decision made. He was going to bring the little one back to camp and warm him up before bringing him before Bumblestar.
There was no way she would leave a young kit out in the freezing cold, right? Right... Hopefully... Turning back toward the direction of camp, he pads through the snow with the kit dangling in his jaws, bringing the little one to his new home.
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" oh the places you'll go, little love of mine " character bios.
gif of cloverhoney by @/ramen !
Out of the woodwork came Yarrowcrest, the cat states something that Singesmoke didn’t enough to comment on, he would end up dead regardless, who didn’t in this clan? The warrior turns back to the leader as she speaks. Yet again, it better for survival if burn agreed with her. She was aleady on high alert and Singe wasn’t really in the mood to play with her anger. “Yarrowcrest, why are you acting like this was some random and pointless action? The shecat was a threat and Bumblestar simply handled it. It’s not useful to argue about someone that is now dead, Bumblestar took care of the issue in the most effective way. The fool went after an apprentice.” Singsmoke mews, keeping the previously held flat tone.
Bumblestar wasn’t in the wrong, this wasn’t like Crackles…this was a grown warrior able to think on her own. Crackle was unstable, there had to be something that was wrong- but that was a different conversation entirely. Singesmoke’s head turns back to the shecat, once more as she flicks the blood off her paw. “What are you going to tell the clan? You already said you were handling it, I don’t think my clanmates will like the death, regardless of the reasoning.” This was more important that one’s own self righteousness, like Yarrowcrest.
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✰ [ hunting kat and dark in leafí’s basement ] ✰
“secrets you bury deep within the sand
like truth trapped in the night
the fears behind your eyes”
yarrowcrest // he/him // 21 moons
purrks: mind reader [INACTIVE], flock together tier 1 [INACTIVE]
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"I would've been dead a while ago if that were the case, I think."
Maybe if Bumblestar had executed him that day he spoke out against her declaration of war he would have been in a better place. He wouldn't have had to deal with the loss of Alderstep or Sparrowfur. Wouldn't have to deal with the death of Leechkit. But here he was nonetheless, dealing with it. Singesmoke spoke to him and he couldn't care less for burn's words. Blank stare continues to bore into the Thunderclan leader as he thinks over her words over and over and over again.
"That's not what I said. I was just making an observation. I know I can't change your mind or the way you run the clan." The tom shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, his stare finally moving away to focus mindlessly on a point elsewhere. "You easily could have just let her go and probably die in the snow somewhere but you didn't. I just don't get it. But honestly... I think the worse part is that the clan won't bat an eye. It doesn't feel right to be so blind to death."
Singesmoke had sense. Yarrowcrest seemed reliable, but also soft. Not that being soft was a bad thing - sometimes what ThunderClan needed was a lighter touch than Bumblestar could give, but it just didn't have a place here.
"If I'd let her go, she could've easily ran to another Clan and give 'em information. I'm not risking that with the way things are right now. Would rather know where someone's at than have no clue." She was trying to keep her tone level, but it was difficult given the situation. "Death happens daily, Yarrowcrest. Whether by us or the other Clans or just nature runnin' its course, it's part of life out here. We're not blind to it, but we know it happens. Should be expected at this point."
Singesmoke's question was valid. "I'll tell it how it is. They saw what happened 'n I'm sure a good chunk of 'em know what I was comin' out here to do anyway, so it's not like it'll be much of a shock. They don't have to like it, but if they can't see she was a threat, that's on them."
Bumblestar turned to lift Shadowshine's body up and sling it over her back. "If you two are out here, might as well help me bury this. We'll do it near the outer border, I don't want young cats or predators somehow stumbling across it."
Fernwillow
ThunderClan
she/her | 20 moons
[Silver tabby with white toes and sage green eyes]
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Fernwillow listened silently as Featherpaw began talking, her unease growing stronger and stronger the longer they prattled about the situation they had found themself in. This... this was not exactly what Fernwillow feared when Featherpaw had been assigned to the ShadowClan border patrol. At first she feared Featherpaw would run into cats she knew, and there would be a big scene that would put her credibility in danger. This was something she hadn't even considered.
When Featherpaw finished, looking hopefully up at her, Fernwillow felt like the biggest fraud in the forest. How was she supposed to help with this?? Her first instinct was to run and tell Bumblestar that a Hornet of all cats was potentially putting the clan in danger, but Fernwillow understood from watching Featherpaw and her brother that family relations could not just be ignored. Fernwillow stopped walking, tail lashing as she tried to organize the flurry of thoughts in her head. Eventually she sat down, exhaling a long sigh. "That is... certainly a conundrum." She murmured. "I'm... I'm glad you came to talk to me about it." She offered the apprentice what she hoped was a calm smile. "As for what you should do... I don't really have advice for that." She winced even as she said it. "My obligation as a mentor and as a warrior of ThunderClan says you should report it to Bumblestar. Whoever this cat is, who is meeting with her brother... that's still against the code. Especially allowing him over the border. However." Fernwillow brought her grey striped tail to rest on Featherpaw's back soothingly. "I'm not blind to the heartbreak cats with siblings in other clans must feel. I understand both her desire to see her brother, and by extension, yours." Fernwillow worked her jaw, trying to figure out how to say the her next thought. "I know you wouldn't do anything to endanger the clan. But I have to warn you against doing what she is. Meeting with Cloudpaw at the border... it might go fine, at first. But one day, something is going to go wrong, and that could mean the difference between life in the clan, and life as an outcast. Especially with how tensions have been rising."
Settling her sage green gaze on her apprentice, Fernwillow was overcome with sympathy. "Tell me, what do you think you should do?" After Featherpaw explained, she had the intention of asking what Featherpaw thought they wanted to do. Maybe talking about their options would help them decide.
Featherpaw puffed up indignantly. "I would never meet up with Cloudpaw at the border!" she protested. "I... I chose to leave ShadowClan. That's my burden to bear. I can see him at gatherings, but.. I would never do that." She paused. "But... I don't know that they were exactly meeting, either. It seemed like the Hornet was telling him to get lost, she just... wasn't doing much else other than that. What use are words when a cat is trespassing? What use is bragging about being a Hornet when you're all words and no actions?" She let out a huff, leaning into Fernwillow's touch.
They looked down at their paws at the question, kneading into the ground anxiously. "I... I think I should report it to Bumblestar, I guess. Let her sort it out." It felt bad, but so did the alternative - once again, half-clan relations were putting them between a rock and a hard place. They'd left ShadowClan so they wouldn't have to deal with the secrets and lies, but here they were again.
Last edited by lesbianism; January 14th, 2024 at 01:36 PM.
Fernwillow
ThunderClan
she/her | 20 moons
[Silver tabby with white toes and sage green eyes]
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[Featherpaw - @lesbianism ]
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Fernwillow felt a knot of tension in her chest loosen as Featherpaw insisted she wouldn't visit Cloudpaw at the border. Perhaps her apprentice was a little stronger than Fernwillow gave them credit for. Perhaps they had the strength to keep themself away from their brother, while Fernwillow was certain she herself would succumb. Pride replaced the worry in her chest, and she let Featherpaw lean into her.
"And what do you want to do?" She asked softly. If Featherpaw wanted to report to Bumblestar, Fernwillow would be with her every pawstep of the way. And even if Featherpaw decided to not report it, the warrior wouldn't fault them for it.
[I know you're asleep so don't worry bestie, I'm just catching up on responses! ]
``If it comes down to that we'll fight- but I don't want more blood-shed. It doesn't make sense for me to kill someone- what if they have kits? If we murder then that doesn't make us any better than those murderers out there. Death won't solve anything. I just want to get in there, grab some nice prey, maybe herbs if we come by them, and then get out without a trace. We'll need to hide our scent though- oh, perfect! Mud `` She whispered, pointing with her tail to a brown mud puddle.
She jumped in, ridding her Shadowclan-scent. `` Alright, each of you do that. I'll go with Spottedshadow. The rest of yous stay together. We are not here to pick a fight. We are here to sneakily get revenge. Okay? Okay. cool. ``
She wandered into the Thunderclan territory. Instantly the pine-scent hit her. It smelled like when she died, before she really passed out. Smelled like pines then death. She growled a second, shaking the thought out of her mind. She had a goal, one singular goal. Destroy Thunderclan. She wasn't thinking of Bravesky, not anyone but herself. She just wanted a moment of selfishness before going back to being kind and sweet and whatever crap. She was mad, she was allowed to be mad. She wanted to make. them. hurt. Not kill them, give them something worse than death. Hunger, disease, pain. Her eyes were bloodthirsy as she locked eyes with the rump of a large rabbit, just sitting there patiently on the border, gnawing on two poppy seeds. It had gorgeous, long, golden fur with white spots and two little, beady black eyes. Starrylight gently pulled herself toward it in a crouching position, paw by paw, step by step, until she was so close she could taste the old thing. It noticed her- but it was almost too late. It started to run but because of it's old age and plump size it didn't get far before Starrylight swiftly pounced on it, killing it with a clean bite to the throat. She picked it up by it's neck and dug a small hole. Placing it on the Shadowclan side of the border.
``hmph! `` She purred triumphantly, ``we're gonna eat like kings tonight! ``
Not one patrol could be normal lately. The ambush, the bodies, now this - four ShadowClan cats on ThunderClan's turf?? Had they lost their minds? Not that one of them smelled like ShadowClan, but they were close enough to that border and the other three definitely did, so what??
Bumblestar stared at them in disbelief for a moment - Fernwillow [ @Micanomancy ], Singesmoke [ @vampire. ], and Redhawk [ @tallulah ] right behind her - before the fur along her spine spiked and her ears flattened. "What the hell are you doing on our land? Get back over to your side!"
If her patrolmates wanted to launch an immediate attack, that was just fine. After everything that had been happening with RiverClan, Bumblestar was not in the mood for playing games.
Flanking Bumblestar as the patrol padded out into the territory, Redhawk had been feeling... different lately. More confident in herself, in her abilities as a warrior. She didn't stutter as much, and she carried herself with a bit more pride. Ever since she had driven that nasty ShadowClanner out from their border she had more faith in her fighting abilities.
So when they happened upon four ShadowClanners on their land, her hazel eyes narrowed slightly. Immediately a switch flipped in her brain and she squared herself, tail lashing behind her. Bumblestar hadn't attacked yet so she would wait - for one of them to run right at her. Then she could perhaps try out that move her leader had taught her. See how effective it could be.