The Royals (Join for Cat Politics)

- Pinestep -

He paused. "Lot's of things. Right now I'm trying to think of a way to improve the systems here, maybe a way to solve conflict, but I'm at a loss for ideas," he said, sort of in a disconnected way, like he wasn't really thinking about what he was saying. He lifted his head, looking over the meadow. "One thing I've been wondering about recently was other cats. Y'know, outside the castle. Are there any other groups out there? What are they like?" He sat down, placing his tail over his paws. "I realized that for someone who can speak with dead cats, I don't really know much about the world outside."

(Sorry for a late reply, I was eating ^^)

Alright! ]
_{Flickerpool had mindlessly been wandering the halls of the castle before she twitched her ears to look up. The Grand Hall. She thought, realizing where she had ended up. Standing outside the entry way to the hall, the she-cat nodded slowly to herself before she sauntered in. Though unsure of what she was expecting. She hadn't even hunted that day, would it really be okay to enter so soon?}

Oak jumped and had to depend on his most basic reflexes to catch a mouse.  He killed it quickly and sniffed--it smelled healthy to him, which was a promising sign.

"Thanks, Fox," he meowed, and purred. "Want to have a catch-off?  We try to catch as many of these mice as possible until we kill all of them--which is kind of unlikely, I guess--or all of them run off." He darted around the ginger she-cat, already following the scent of another mouse. "I'm up by one!"

(If anyone's lonely Maplefall and Sunpetal are both open, wandering the halls randomly)

- Archclaw -

Archclaw sighed, making his way towards the Grand Hall. He was on a break, and honestly, he needed one. Recently it seemed as though his job was wearing him out much quicker than it used to. He decided to go to the Grand Hall because, even though he didn't talk to too many cats there anymore, it was nice to see his clan enjoying their time, even if things seem to have been a little tense lately. He entered the Great Hall, not really paying attention to his surroundings for once, and was surprised when he bumped into a tall ginger cat. He backed up, clearing his throat and said, "Sorry, 'bout that." He recognized that this cat was Flickerpool, a cat whom he hadn't spoken very much with.

(I'm new myself so I wouldn't know ^^)

(Lol yes they're so OP right now I love it)

Oak growled playfully and lunged toward a mouse, but it skittered into a tiny hole before he could land his claws on it and he went searching for another.  He took note of his form as he moved--his tail was positioned well, but his hind legs were angled wrong.  They were preventing him from propelling himself forward as far as he could go.

His next catch was more successful, like Fox, but even though he took extra care of his form it seemed like the last one he could get.

"I'm stuck on two!" He called back. "But I'm not admitting defeat!"

(Uh-oh I think Oak's starting to have a crush on Fox I can feel it)

((Ahah cute))

Fox laughed and sat down, starting to groom her coat and check she hadn't hurt her paw. 'Well,' she said, still catching her breath; 'I'm afraid I am. Jeez, how do you lot do this all day and not get tired?' She whined, as she tried- and failed- to make her chest fur stay down. It was simply too feathery.

"We're not all muscle like the guards--we're built for stamina, not strength." Oak purred as she tried to smooth down her fur and looked back to all the mice they'd caught--five in all. "Wow!  We got so many.  I guess that must have been a mice nest.  Doubt we're going to get much luckier than that." He padded toward the heap, sniffing out each one in turn.  He noticed an odd smell on the second one he'd caught and twisted his muzzle into a frown. "I think this one's rancid." He leaned closer and nodded, then kicked it aside. "Well, it's still a good haul."

(I'd like to personally apologize for posting three times in a row ahhh)

Fox proudly nodded. 'I don't think I've ever caught this many mice... ever.' She said, watching as he carefully identified the bad mouse from the rest. 'Let's go out it with the rest of the prey, then we could maybe go tell your mentor?' She said, as she struggled to fit two of the mice into her mouth at the same time.

(I'll start.)

- - Dewfern

"Well, I saw him out my window," she mewed before hearing Thunderheat come through the door. "Hello Uncle. We were all just talking." Dewfern paused for a moment. "What was that yowling I heard in the distance? I can only assume it was you," she inquired with a tilt of her head. "And why are you all scratched up..?" The realization hit her when she saw his bloody fur and multiple gashes that it may have been more serious than she thought. Did they get hurt? He looks like he just ran out of the Rat's Nest? she thought while she stared worriedly at his scratches.

- - Lighttail

The garden was calming down a little, and since Lighttail didn't care the slightest bit what Sandstripe and the others were mumbling about, she lied down in a nest with a couple small blood stains from past wounded cats. Her day had gone from calm and boring, to quickly dealing with family drama and bloody guards and hunters. She sniffed a nearby daisy and smiled slightly for the first time in and entire day. She wasn't the happiest or calmest cat in the world.

- - Tawnyclaw

"Yes, well..," she began with a sigh. "He has been... strange lately. Surely you've noticed how he's been changing over the past few moons." Tawnyclaw tilted her head and gave her a blank stare, trying not to spark another political debate. She didn't want to be called out for treason and get whatever punishment Thunderheart was planning.

@tinkerzb & Sootfeather ]
_{Flickerpool almost jumped at the sudden collision but quickly recollected herself. Her blue eyes met with the royal guard's quickly and she tilted her head lightly at his apology. "It's fine. None harm done." She replied with a rather awkward tone. Her word choice a bit odd on it's own as well. The pale ginger tabby's eyes flickered as she held her stare on Archclaw. "Though I'm not sure how the king would have reacted if he had seen you do that." Added on the hunter soon after. Perhaps if said a different way it could be a nice joke but given her flat tone and face, such words usually hung uncomfortably.
The she-cat was ready the flatten the fur that had been ruffled before her ears rose at the voice of Sunpetal. Instantly she nodded in greeting back. The she-cat's eyes slowly trailed to the belly of the expectant mother. Suddenly she felt a bit odd.
Motherhood in itself was something she was intrigued by, but she wouldn't dare ever commit to being one.}

Sunpetal purred when she noticed Flickerpool's eyes wander down to her belly.

"It's gotten bigger," she mewed. "They'll be born soon--a moon or two, I think.  I'm kind of terrified, but an excited terrified, right?  You know, the kind of terrified where you also can't wait . . . to be . . . terrified . . ." she realized she was rambling and cast a warm look to Archclaw. "Hello there!  How's your--uh--guarding going?"

(So I tried bolding my dialogue . . . is this a strategy that works out well for you guys RPing?)

(tinkerzb, that really helps me read the posts. I'm gonna copy that. >:3)

(That sounds really cool! Do you have anything in mind?)

(Speaking of ideas, since everyone is barfing creativity like I like, I'm thinking about writing some lore for the priests to follow and use, because you don't really have much to go on besides vague ideas right now. Would anyone be interested in me adding that?)

- Archclaw -

"Ha. Ha. Yeah," He said, kind of awkwardly, fore he wasn't sure if that was a joke or not. There was a bit of a silence, where Archclaw just sort of stoically stared back, his eyes flickering around the room a few times. He was honestly a bit thankful when Sunpetal joined this fail of a conversation. "Hello, how are you doing, Sunpetal? Guarding is going well, everything seems.. peaceful," he said, placing his words carefully. He had heard that Sunpetal was expecting, and by the looks of it, that was definitely true. He would be excited to see new blood in the clan, although he wasn't the best with kits, so he usually stayed away.