He wrinkles his nose. "Ew, don' eat me. You can 'ave my sister 'nstead, Bravekit's gunna be better tasting for sure." He really only half believed what his leader said, though he had breezed right past that comment. Why was she being so snippy?? It's not like Hollow had said anything wrong. Unless... oh, no! Had she figured out his plans to usurp her power and take control of all four Clans??? Oh stars, he had to back track now, throw her off his trail... where was Bravekit to bail him out when he needed her!?!
"How did ThunderClan get founded, though? You're our leader, you've gotta know everythin', right?" Yes... yes, flattery would do wonders! No one would suspect they're going to be overthrown by a cat who speaks of them favorably... and Hollowkit doesn't really have to pretend to dislike his leader, either. He's had little reason to look down on her and so far she still hasn't given him any.
"Great, I'll go find her later, then." Bumblestar's tail tapped against the ground in barely concealed irritation. "Look, I haven't a damn clue. Go ask one of the elders or somethin'. I'm barely forty moons old, 'n if you keep asking me stuff about this, I'm gonna make up random crap about cats with wings and fire-breathing lizards 'n feed that to you instead of giving you a serious answer. Okay? Elder's den is wide open." She reached out to prod him with a forepaw. "Get goin'."
Oh, was Bumblestar sleeping? Oopsies! Berrykit bent down, ready to pick up the mouse and the flowers she had dropped. She'd come back again later, no problem! But they were hard to pick up, and her mouth hurt...
A grunt and the sound of shifting moss made her mismatched ears prick. Lifting her head, the torbie-and-white she-kit saw that Bumblestar had woken up... and was now staring at her. Jeepers! Those green eyes were, like, super scary! Bumblestar didn't have a nice face like Mama and Papa. It was a scary face. Yes, a very scary face. Was that why she was the leader? Because she scared people with her scary face? Personally, Berrykit wouldn't want someone with a scary face, but hey, she wasn't the Clan leader.
Huh? Berrykit glanced down at the mouse and the flowers. The flowers were a very pretty yellow, quite bright against the den floor. The mouse smelled really good. The flowers also smelled good. Were they edible? Wait, what was she just thinking? Oh, right! Bumblestar had said something that she'd found weird.
Keep them? But... but they were for her! Berrykit stared at her gifts, then at Bumblestar in astonishment. How would someone else "find more use for them"? They were for her! Did Bumblestar not eat mice? Or flowers? Now Berrykit felt sad. Maybe she didn't like the gifts. Maybe she shouldn't have come here at all...
Oh! Her question! Berrykit had a question! She'd almost forgotten. She listened as Bumblestar explained, her blue-and-gold eyes growing wide. "Ohhhh. Cool! That makes sense!" she squeaked. Mystery #1 solved! What were the other mysteries?
Right. #2: Why doesn't Bumblestar like my gifts? #3: Where did Mama and Hornetkit go, and when will they be back, if at all?
Well, now she felt extra sad. Berrykit didn't like feeling extra sad. Mild sad was easy to push away, but not extra sad. Her eyes began to well with tears.
"B-but I got these for you!" She prepared to nudge them toward Bumblestar, then remembered that she didn't like them. What now? "Do you not eat mice? I'll get you a..." This word always threw her off. "A skirrel! Or a jumper-" she did not care that they were called rabbits "-or do you eat plants? I'll get you plants! Even if they're stinky! I..."
Berrykit collapsed onto the ground and began to sob. When she spoke, her voice was choked and blubbery.
"I dunno! I dunno anything! I wanna know where Mama and Hornetkit went! Why did they disappear? You're the leader! You're smart! Where are they? Why did they leave me?"
oh for the love of everything that enabled her to keep the last remaining scraps of her sanity
Bumblestar's ears flattened against her skull as Berrykit broke down into incredibly noisy sobs. One paw reached out, wavered, and then pulled back a split second later. "Okay- great stars, just- quit that. Hush." Pat. Pat. Two very uncertain, very light taps on the top of Berrykit's head, meant to be comforting but probably coming off as the exact opposite.
Bumblestar pushed a breath through her nose. "I don't know where your mom went, or your sibling," she managed awkwardly. "Lot of cats go missing every moon 'n I can't keep track of 'em all. But I- you know, I'm sure they had a good reason for leaving 'n maybe they'll be back soon."
Utter dung and she knew it, but hopefully Berrykit would buy it, because this blubbering was starting to get mildly aggravating.
Not hearing the approaching footsteps, Swanpaw nearly jumped out of their skin when they felt a touch at their shoulder and subsequently a brush past them into the den. ”I’M SORRRYYY DON’T EAT MEEE!” She wailed, jumping back.
Oh, false alarm. It was Bumblestar. There was just one thing…
That was worse.
Pelt burning hot with embarrassment, Swanpaw looked at the ground and dragged her feet as she followed after the clan’s leader. She was cooked. She had messed up so badly and now she was about to be exiled. She wouldn’t see Mommy, Daddy, Sunpaw, or even Elkpaw again! This was terrible, so very terrible…
”B-bumblyst-star.” She cringed inwardly as she once again made that mistake. Ears pinned against her head, she closed her eyes tightly and crouched down to make herself look smaller. ”M-may I a-a-ask you s-something?” She braced herself for the no, for the yelling she was sure to come. She deserved it after all, how could she mess up so much?
If one more cat shrieked or sobbed in her general direction, Bumblestar was going to tie their muzzle shut. With a self-controlling exhale, she dropped what she had been carrying onto the den floor and turned to stare down at Swanpaw, looking very unamused. "Go ahead."
Berrykit was so caught up in her distress that it took a moment for her to process Bumblestar's words. She expected some kind of response that answered her desperate cries, her agony, her longing for her lost family. Because surely the great leader who spoke to StarryClan knew these things. Surely she was wise even though she had a scary face. She raised her head, tears and snot streaming down her face like rain, vibrant gold-and-blue eyes huge and swimming with salty water. She was so caught up in the moment that she forgot to wonder why her eyes could produce flavor.
So, she was being told to... stop? Stop what? Crying? Talking? Flavoring her food with her eyes? What would Miss Old and Wise One Who Didn't Eat Mice say? Surely she'd produce some answer from that huge bank of wisdom, reaching into the depths of the stars and the sky.
Bonk.
Berrykit blinked, staring at Bumblestar's paw in immense confusion. Why-
It hit her on the head again.
Bonk.
The torbie-and-white she-kit jumped back, rubbing her head with one paw. Why had Bumblystar hit her? Granted, it wasn't very hard, but still. Is she giving me some kind of special leader powers? Excitement briefly replaced Berrykit's confusion and sadness. Is that why I had to stop crying? So Bumblystar could give me ultra cool powers?! Maybe that was her ultimate wisdom! Her starry sky sun wisdom!
...oh. Bumblystar didn't know where they went.
Berrykit deflated, becoming a sad ball of fluff and tears. Her lower lip trembled. She doesn't know? But - but a leader was supposed to know everything! They talked to StarryClan and all that!
"Lots... of cats... go missing...?" Berrykit kept her wide-eyed, curious expression, though her inner gears were working overtime. She can't keep track of them all..."Oh," was all she could manage, still stunned and confused. Why would so many cats leave the bestest Clan ever?
However, she quickly perked up as Bumblystar said they'd be back soon. "Really? Yay!" She hopped into the air and ran up to the brown-and-cream she-cat, attempting to give her a hug. Then she remembered that this was the leader, so she backed up. "Thank you! I hope they come back soon! I've got loads to talk about! Like... like... I caught a biggie moss ball! Yeah! A biggie one! And I got to do the awesomest thingie ever! Talk to you! The leader of... of... Tun... ThunderClan! You!" Berrykit began to move in a circle. They were gonna be home soon! McScaryface told her so!
"But..." A sudden wave of emotion brought Berrykit to a halt. She knew they were coming back soon, so why did she feel sad? "I wish I knew why they left. It's been so lonely without them. I..." She didn't know why she felt the need to confess this, but it came bursting out. "It's getting hard to remember what Mama sounded like. I - I love her! I really do! Same with Hornetkit! But... why wasn't... why?"
Berrykit shook her head in confusion. Then, without giving Bumblystar a chance to respond, she sprang up with a very high-pitched, loud, painful squeal. "IDEA I'VE GOT THE BEST IDEA EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Something flowed through her veins - something fiery, something motivating, something exciting. "If I des... des... tell you about Mama and Hornetkit, you'll be able to help me find them!"
Berrykit began to pace. She frowned really hard, doing her best to drag them up from the dredges of her early memories, fighting off pangs of sadness that it was so hard to remember them. It's okay! I'll find them soon, I know I will!"Mama... her name was... really long! Fire... fly... splash! She had orange and black and brown fur with stripes! Little fur bits on her ears! Her eyes were super cool, too. They were odd colors, and one had a scar! Hornetkit... gold! With stripes! Yellow eyes, too! They sounded like... like this!" Because Berrykit didn't want to admit that she had forgotten their voices.
She squeezed her eyes shut. Conjured up memories of Mama and Hornetkit. Then she spoke in Mama's voice.
[Lyrebird's Lullaby: ACTIVE]
"Come now, Berrykit. It's time to go to sleep now."
The voice that came out of Berrykit wasn't Berrykit. It was a she-cat's voice, slightly deep and very soothing. The voice of an adult.
Berrykit gasped, then giggled with excitement. Wow! I didn't know I could do that!
"And Hornetkit sounded like..." She focused hard on her brother's memory.
"For the love of StarClan, Berrykit, be quiet!" The voice that came out of her was of a younger kit's, a tom-kit's.
"Wow! I didn't know cats could do that!" Berrykit grinned and looked at Bumblystar hopefully. "Now you know them! Surely you know where they went now?"
"Great, I'll go find her later, then." Bumblestar's tail tapped against the ground in barely concealed irritation. "Look, I haven't a damn clue. Go ask one of the elders or somethin'. I'm barely forty moons old, 'n if you keep asking me stuff about this, I'm gonna make up random crap about cats with wings and fire-breathing lizards 'n feed that to you instead of giving you a serious answer. Okay? Elder's den is wide open." She reached out to prod him with a forepaw. "Get goin'."
Well, this conversation has gone decidedly nowhere... Seriously! How hard would it be to give him some answer? Even a lie would suffice, though Hollowkit found the ideas of cats with wings a fire breathing lizards she mentioned mildly absurd (who would ever believe things like that could've been real?). So, obstinately, Hollowkit plants hit butt firmly in place and blinks up at his leader, face set in its perpetual frown.
"Okay, so you don't wanna talk about ThunderClan's founding," he observes, pointedly ignoring the request to leave her in peace. Yeah, following orders wasn't something he liked doing and, as much as he respected Bumblestar, he didn't quite fear her like he probably should. "How do you run a clan? Everyone talks about how you made us stable again, or whatever, how'd you do that?" A different question... maybe this one would suit her better and, besides, Hollowkit could probably use this information in his quest for world domination one day.
Only a season cycle older?? For a few moments, Kestrelpaw genuinely attempted to puzzle out this mystery. That couldn't be. Wolfhive was... older. Than her. Thus, old. But he wasn't as old as Mr. Fleck, or else she would call him something along the same lines. Nuh uh though. Papa wouldn't like it, so Kestrelpaw didn't like it. Oh no! Why was she talking to the cat Papa didn't like?
That question would remain unanswered because Kestrelpaw was too much of a coward currently to face the truth. Or maybe she was too proud to admit the truth? Which was it? Probably the latter.
Like a delayed lightbulb finally clicking on, the blue-eyed apprentice blinked rapidly. "Papa isn't a crab... crabapple? What's a crab? Is it a good thing? Actually if it's a good thing then I'll go tell Papa he's a crabapple. Nobody can pretend to be him because he's so cool." A pointed look in the Head Hornet's direction. Hmph. Pretending to be Papa was so... she couldn't think of a synonym for un-cool.
Speaking of un-cool... sick? Curiosity instantly won over her mock facade of grouchiness (if Mountaintalon looked so cool being grumpy, so could she). "Why'dja get sick, huh? I never been sick before, or at least I don't remember- hey, I'm nine moons! I'm not little! And I'm going to be the best warrior ever, even better than you, yknow?"
As tempting as it was to tell her a crabapple was a good thing... "Crabs are these... hard, living rocks. They pinch you if you mess with them. A crabapple is like a berry, but when you use it to describe someone it's 'cause they're kind of like a crab - angry." And boy, did Mountaintalon seem to be. "So, you can call him that but I wouldn't call it good.. and I'm not sure he'd take nicely to it."
If Mountaintalon already gave Wolfhive the stinkeye as-is, Wolfhive wasn't sure what to expect if Kestrelpaw called him a crabapple and Mountaintalon found out the origins. Oh well... he didn't care what Mountaintalon thought, he just didn't want Kestrelpaw to be hurt over it. "Just something that happens." The cause, the why.. he didn't know. "I didn't get sick before RiverClan poisoned us, 'n since then I get it so-often. Takes the wind outta me." In more than one way. Wolfhive was exhausted. "I'm sure you will - you're almost done with your training, right?"
Twisting her head around at the sound of a familiar voice, Nightgaze gave a bright grin of greeting as Wolfhive came into her line of sight. "Oh, Hiya, Wolfy! Comin'!" Trotting bouncily after him, a few moments after. She'd kinda guessed what it was about but knew nothing else.
Gaze briefly flitting over the den, she turned her attention to Wolfhive. So Boss had accepted her, huh? Felt surreal. Unexpected, because she had here doubts that Bumblestar would want to reinstate her after she failed last time but seemed she had earned herself a second chance. No way she could let it go to waste. "Really? Wow...I can start as soon as I'm needed! But, sure, guess I do need to learn what's new since I was last one. My head's blank at the moment so no questions right now."
Wolfhive figured this might take a moment; he wanted to make sure Nightgaze had a solid second to register this new information before things got started. "I plan on starting things today, actually - but there's a few things I want to go over.
"I know when you were last Hornet there was little direction, but I intend to change that. You might have noticed I haven't been rushing to add more Hornets on - this is because I want to be certain the cats I select can handle anything that's thrown at them. I want no uncertainty; only action and confidence.
"My expectations of you as a Hornet are simple: guide and guard. Alongside the rest of us, you will be on the look-out for problematic behaviors or threats: acts of treason, intruders, cats attacking their own Clan-mates.. anything that is not befitting of what it means to be a ThunderClan cat. I do not expect you to be up all day and night; we have multiple cats for a reason, but I do expect you to do your best.
"To guide, in this case, means to help teach our Clan-mates. Apprentices who lack training; warriors who wish to improve their skills. Even fellow Hornets or our high ranks, if they wish to enhance their abilities. But apprentices are my biggest priority - many of them struggle to get sufficient training, and we need to be a source they can go to for aid." A pause, contemplation. "You helped me, and I hope you can help others." He wondered how things with Mantispaw were going - he'd have to ask once they were done.
He had a couple more things to address, but would pause here for now. "Any questions so far?"
Mudhound
Thunderclan Hornet | They/them | 35 Moons
Bilingual T2 | Flock Together T3 | Rapid Recovery | Beefed up T3
This really just was a bad situation and the tripods head sunk down into their sisters bedding, one single brown arm reaching out to paw at Redhawk as a silent bid for cuddles. Bumblestar would say no, given she was in 'work mode' even if it was her nest but Redhawk would indulge the softy, something Mudhound soley needed.
Everyone seemed to have ideas and help but wracking their brain for info the hornet found themselves coming up short, having nothing to contribute on that predator in particular. Except.... "I dunno much about owls but I know some about birds. Tracking where they sleep might not be an option, a lotta birds dont sleep in one tree in particular so the 'evidence' left behind might not be a promise of a consistent resting site. Except when theyre nesting on eggs or young, and if you find that then theres a whole other issue. So are you sure theres a nest cus you keep saying nest but nothing seems to be confirmed."
Mudhound was ignoring the part about remains, not wanting to think about miss feather-fluff in that state and frankly not really knowing how to help here. A lotta their info seemed redundant.
"Your plan sounds smart Bumble, but you should take Spiderthroat and everyone and leave me with the camp, I dunno if Im much help against an owl but he can climb." Everyone else here could really, though Redhawk... She hadnt tried again yet, despite Mudhound gentle bids. They flinched too at Spiderthroats question about the limb, more aware then most about the current state of it given how close they were with Redhawk. It was as healed as it was gonna get and Redhawk could walk on it, but that was part of the problem. The leg wasnt gonna get any better then it currently was, and what it was was poor, though the tripod tried to keep the hope that their beloved friend hadnt really stress tested it to see its full capabilities yet so it could be better then it seemed.
She/her - 68 moons
Massive brown bengal molly with amber eyes
It was as if the voice of her leader sent a reminder through Hawkcatcher's body. Loyalty, which for her was respect, washed over her. It cascaded over the fury, and grappled with it, before finally pinning it down as the massive warrior stepped in.
"I was out hunting, near the outskirts... when I smelt fox... and found Dovefluff's fur scattered around, joined by blood smears and the stench of a fox." Now the claws came out again, sharp tips poking out between the brown fur of her paws, and briefly reaching the ground. "There was no body or anything for a burial, nor a clear enough scent trail to follow as far as I could discern."
The news caused Bumblestar's expression to drop. Dovefluff gone, so soon after Mushroompaw... She clenched her jaw. "How far did you search? Are you sure there was absolutely nothing to find? No tracks, no dens, no fur, nothing?"
Cautiously padding over to Bumblestar's den, the small grey warrior attempted to lick down a few stray pieces of moss and debris that littered her pelt. She would need to make herself a new nest soon seeing as she'd practically torn apart her current one with her pacing around in circles in an attempt to psych herself up to speak with her leader outside of polite greetings every now and again.
Clearing her throat, Mistheart ran a final paw over her face before stepping up to the den entrance.
"Excuse me... Bumblestar, may I speak with you for a moment?"
[ Oops... seems like the leader's den is currently unoccupied! B//umblestar's been here recently, but she isn't in right now. You might have better luck in the clearing. ]
Re: ThunderClan Leader's Den
