Lessons of the Past [Whole Clan Story Event]

[Ladiebugg]

DuskPaw tilted her head, listening.

BloomKit's tail flicked back and forth as she listened. She giggled at the name FlutterBug. That's a funny name!

[Rustleaf]

Originally Posted by Rani

Crowtooth
Windclan Tunneler | He/him | 49 Moons

Power Card: Cold Gust


Cats had gathered, a good turn out with greeting individual friends like Twilightstar and Bravebird quickly fell to the wayside with Rabbitkits antics. It was, frankly adorable for all it was a mess and the tom had a chuckle forced out of him at the sudden sight, a paw reaching out to try and help right the kitten.



"Well I cant say Ive ever seen moves like that so I cant say for sure but there sure is fighting. Unfortunately though Riverclan sure deserves it windclan does not get revenge in this story, starclan gets the justice for us."
Some found that disappointing really, felt that for the price to be payed it had to be payed in blood drawn by the claws of the wronged. But honestly as long as the score was even in the end and justice was gained Crowtooth was of the mind that results mattered over the method.



He couldnt help but add a "Keep honing those skills though kiddo, you never know when Riverclan will need a good clawing with them." and a chuff at the little tom, downright charmed by the enthusiasm.



For now it was time to begin.


---


A deep breath of air was taken in as the tom wracked his mind for all details, beginning as he remembered the elder beginning.
"Now history stretches long and much is forgotten in time, but it is not quite forgotten that the camp we lost to the fire was not our first camp to exist.



Long long ago, we denned in the Sedgewater Valley."
He paused for a moment, letting it sink in that windclan had actually held camp on a border and so close to the river before continuing.


"We dwelled in burrows beneath the exposed tree roots, a strong protective structure created by the water washing the dirt away. It may seem strange to live in such confined spaces as we now live such exposed lived but back then the tunnelers were more of a force then we are now. Once upon a time the clan was split in two, half tunnelers and half moor runners."
It was a sad fact to see this loss of tradition but a true one Crowtooth had been working a lifetime to change, though progress was slow.


Here the tom hesitated, feeling it necessary to disclaim something. "Now names are one of the first thing lost to time, and Im unsure of if the ones I have are correct bar two. The windclan leaders name was along the line of Nettlestar and so we'll call him that, and he kept the peace. Through keen negotiation and devastating counter attacks to slights he kept no enemies but perhaps it was the caution cats kept towards him that made things worse.



But his methods were undeniably fight ending with his secret weapon. A warrior, a leader, a vicious fighter and strategist who's tunnel ambush tactics were so vicious his name is remembered, Flutterbug."
Now here Crowtooth expected giggles because for a cat who's methods had enshrined him in mythos so stark the tom wouldnt replicate many of them for fear of landing in the dark forest the name was WEIRD. Who named the clans most vicious fighter FLUTTERBUG?! It was bizarre and earned a confused head shake.


"A hidden tunnel camp in sedgewater valley and a reputation that scared away potential enemies..... But a chaotic clan across the border. His name is forgotten, and good riddance for it, so Ill call him Storkstar was the one to notice that the border was unusually active. A shame, had it been someone less paranoid this mess might not have happened."

 

@CrimsonOaks @talle @Dolomedes @nyx @Katiethewolfchild @MangofDoom @Rustleaf @Ladiebugg @Blazing @CloudlessEve @SeonghwasBunnyEars @blxze. @gs29513 @Artemis @MockingRabbit @Alchemist Kitsune @Morrigan @bubble[error]. @Moonraven @Estelle @GoopeyGoopz @starry @Mica

Mosspaw and Willowpaw sat listening.

[Alchemist Kitsune]

| Snowybreeze |
Heightened Perception [Smell] - Active | Rapid Recovery - Inactive | The Collector - Inactive

---

Settling down comfortably as the scarred warrior begun his tale, the gentle giant blinked owlishly, his memory alight with his first excursion out of the camp. The day Deadmoon had taken him to Sedgewater Valley to get better acquainted with WindClan's old territory alongside the borders which his clan resided within. He had asked a silly question back then. One he had hoped dearly to take back as soon as he had opened his mouth. About the river. Questioning if it was half WindClan's and half RiverClan's, or if all the water belonged simply to their enemies.

It had been an innocent enough question back then. Guided only by the concern of potential famine in the future. Knowing the river was full of fish that could be eaten if the rabbits and hares stopped running the prairies. To now learn, however, that there had been some level of merit behind his question. To understand now that the river had once belonged to the moor dwellers and not the fishers. It was... impressive, to say the least. Enough so that it left young Snowybreeze little more than a gaping tom as Crowtooth continued.

It wasn't until the mention of the genius warrior, the one venerated for his brutal strategy and keen senses that he finally blinked, the name catching his attention. Flutterbug. The name only made him think of some poor, unsuspecting warrior going along for a stroll around their territory when suddenly... BAM! A bug came flying out of nowhere, coaxing a shrill squeal of terror as the poor cat was forced to flee... or stumble. Or maybe both. Now that he thought about it... that sounded like something he would very much do on any given day. The white furred tom gulped, knowing no doubt this warrior had been named for the ability to ignite that sudden horror at the sight of some mysterious thing fluttering about your blind spot before landing squarely on your face. It must have been a truly terrifying feline to invoke such emotions on a regular that the leader had bestowed such a name upon him.

---

| Figured that if Snowybreeze used to think the name Deadmoon was obviously granted for her sheer coolness, composure, and ability to murder all enemies in the dead of night... he would find a way to be terrified of Flutterbug. Please do not mind the marshmallow being a silly. |

[CloudlessEve]

Honeykit

5 Moons

As the kit listened to the tunneler, she was confused. Another camp? What fire? Weird. As he continued, mentioning the clan once living in Sedgewater Valley, she wondered, Wouldn't that be dangerous? At the name Flutterbug, however, she giggled. That's really silly!

[gs29513]

@Alchemist Kitsune (sorry for the delay on this reply)
What Deadmoon hadn't expected when she'd taken a seat to listen to Crowtooth tell a story was for Snowybreeze to join her. It was a pleasant surprise of course, and her previously neutral, almost blank face became a smile as her son former apprentice made his way in her direction. Dipping her head she mewed Hi kiddo! (that nickname would never go away, not as long as she lived and there were cats younger than her), patting the ground next to her in a clear invitation to plop his fluff next to her. She would have been thrilled to be near him anyway, but the somewhat chilly breeze that newleaf retained made him even more welcome as a bulwark of fluff against the elements.

The story quickly absorbed Deadmoon's attention, so shocking was the thought that Windclan had once been more underground and water-friendly than she had anticipated. An odd thought, and while she could understand the wistfulness of Crowtooth as he spoke of times with more tunnelers like him, she couldn't help thinking this might be a bit better. More territory would have been nice, she supposed, but she wasn't a fan of water in the slightest, nor did she love the tunnels in any way. It was strange to think of another Windclan leader too, with Twilightstar the only one Deadmoon could remember in her lifetime. With the oddity of her own name it would hardly be proper of her to laugh at another's, and so she didn't. This fierce fighter hadn't chosen to be named 'flutter' just as she hadn't asked for 'dead' to stay with her throughout her life, and the name did have a nice ring to it. This whole story sounded surreal, though Crowtooth swore it was true. Deadmoon figured it was best to suspend any disbelief until the tale was finished.

[Rani]

Crowtooth
Windclan Tunneler | He/him | 49 Moons

Power Card: Cold Gust


Everyone was enthralled, no one had questions, time to continue.


"Now as I said, had someone been less unstable, less paranoid perhaps peace mightve been maintained, but when has Riverclans leadership ever been that? His name lost to time, and deservedly so, lets call this leader Dirtstar for his reported ~delightful~ personality. He spotted that windclan was camping in sedgewater, and despite their being no rules against it was offended at the location! At a later gathering he even declared that because the river touched it it should be theirs (despite the fact that riverclan doesnt even own the river, only the bank on the other side), and he was furious and scared.


See Dirtstar was a coward, so much so he discarded multiple deputies just because he thought they were out for him despite no evidence. So to him it did not matter that windclan had no enemies in riverclan, or that the sedgewater camp was older then even he was, this simple act on our part demanded death to Dirtstar."


The toms ears pinned as his fangs grit, a low growl rasping its way out of the toms throat.


"This leader had no morals and didnt even give us a war to fight honorably or fairly in. Dirtstar riled his warriors to a frenzy and sent them to sneak onto our land at night.


Prey was killed and left to rot to bait vultures to the area to kill us. An act that forced us even deeper into our tunnel hide out, protected from the raptors in a way our current camp is not which only enraged him.


So he went further and crueler. He had his cats (never him, for that'd risk his own hide) attack lone hunting warriors and murder them. He'd not even leave it there and on his orders their bodies were savaged and left to lure more vultures onto us, and so many clanmates were never even buried for these cruel tactics."


The thought of it all made his fur rise, and Crowtooth could remember his horror of thinking of noble warriors killed by an enemy they werent aware they had and fed to beasts. Dirtstar hadnt even afforded them the decency to bury these cats intact, and had driven the clan to fear the sky they were meant to live under.
Even now to a tunneler the thought was horrid, having been in the clan when they were forced to stay stuck afraid and sheltering underground once before and knowing how badly some cats took it.


"This infestation of vultures saved us in the end. As our moor runners learned to kill the raptors in turn (a skill even now only the best warriors have) Flutterbug was hard at work. Underground routes were put through the entire territory, leading right from the camp to places like the old cliffs.


This saved us when Dirtstar had enough of waiting, and decided to wipe out the entire clan and camp all at once, kits queens elders and all......."


Insert a cliffhanger for questions and dramatic effect.

 

@CrimsonOaks @taillow @Dolomedes @nyx @Katiethewolfchild @MangofDoom @Rustleaf @Ladiebugg @Blazing @CloudlessEve @blxze. @gs29513 @Artemis @MockingRabbit @Alchemist Kitsune @Morrigan @bubble[error]. @Moonraven @Estelle @GoopeyGoopz @starry @Mica

[CallMeCrimson]

SparrowKit

Wooaah he thought

(This is short cuz of drama)

[Katiethewolfchild]

Bearpelt listened.

Adderpaw listened.

Caterpillarpaw listened.

Foxpaw listened.

Birdpaw listened.

Swanpaw listened.

[Rustleaf]

Mosspaw:
“How close did Dirtstar come to wiping us out?” Mosspaw asked. If this story told what clan life was like, he was going to need a lot of training to get to that level of skill.

Willowpaw nodded her head wondered the same thing.
@Rani

[Alchemist Kitsune]

| Snowybreeze |
Heightened Perception [Smell] - Active | Rapid Recovery - Inactive | The Collector - Inactive

---

Shifting comfortably besides his former mentor, the gentle giant subconsciously shifted his tail as he thought he felt the slightest of tremors from the she-cat. He had always been an overgrown ball of fluffy, feathery fur, and it had become second nature at some point in his life to try and wrap up as softly as possible anyone who gave even the tiniest of hints at being cold. After all, what good was having his long coat if he couldn't put it to good use for his clanmates? Slowly, however, as the story continued, he pressed ever closer to the brown warrior, his sky blue eyes widening in abject terror as Crowtooth went into detail about the fiendish Dirtstar's horrendous reign. Having spent his entire life under the warm, caring leadership of WindClan's current leader, it was hard to imagine any clan with so terrible a feline in charge. Yes, Snowybreeze understood, of course, that Dawnstar and Bumblestar were quite dreadful cats to WindClan, but... he did like to think that whatever abhorrent acts those leaders did they did because it was the only way to help their clans. One couldn't forget, StarClan had blessed them with nine lives! Their warrior ancestors would never grant such a gift to cats with evil hearts. He was certain of that!

To learn that there had ever been a leader who had been so... just so... by golly, there was just no word harsh enough for what that no good Dirtstar had done, but it made even the quiet warrior angry enough to give a small whine of disapproval! Why, even the stories he had heard of the dreaded Dawnstar paled in comparison to what this RiverClanner had done. Come to think of it... hadn't RiverClan poisoned their claws and killed cats in combat back when he was an apprentice himself? And hadn't it been the RiverClan leader, Beanstar, who had killed Twilightstar across the border when the lilac she-cat had only approached for a peaceful talk? Hmmm... The Maine Coon mix did not want to think ill of the river swimming clan, but gosh... it was... rather hard to keep an unbiased opinion after all of that!

"N-not. To be. Rude but. By golly... T-this. Dirtstar. Was. V-very. Very. Aptly named. D-dirt. Indeed," he whispered softly, massive paws shifting uneasily beneath him, clearly regretting speaking ill of anyone - no matter who - the moment the words left his mouth.

---

@gs29513 [Deadmoon]