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Post by nem on Sept 11, 2017 12:08:46 GMT -5
Compared to many LightClan cats, Rookpaw did not get up early. In fact, he was the last apprentice to get up. Plus, his measure of being awoken was not so pleasurable.
"Rookpaw!" A voice screeched into Rookpaw's ear as a paw jabbed into his side. His legs shot out and his eyes snapped open as he let out a small yelp. His head was still cloudy when he looked up at the cat that had awoken him. Aspenlight. Not him! Rookpaw could deal with sour (Hollylight), and he could deal with passive-aggressive (Graylinglight), but he could not deal with a cat who felt like he was above the warrior code itself. "Rookpaw, this is at least the seventh time I've had to do this in the last half-moon!" Rookpaw could feel specks of Aspenlight's spit on his nose. "StarClan requires you to wake up early for you to serve LightClan. Do you understand what will happen if you wake up just a little bit later?"Rookpaw nodded instinctively, his stiff muscles jittered slightly. "I'll-I'll try to wake up earlier.""You say that every time we do this," growled Aspenlight. "But guess what? There's been no change in anything." Rookpaw was scooped up by Aspenlight's paw and placed on his feet. "You better try harder, or there may not be an opportunity to wake up again." The bony tom padded off, leaving Rookpaw on his own. Rookpaw straightened out his back and licked down a few clumps of fur that had started to stick out. The small bruise on his side that Aspenlight had given him made him wince. How was a cat allowed to be this much of a jerk? Then, he remembered the preacher's specific words. How was he supposed to try to wake up earlier? And, most importantly, what did his threat even mean? Maybe he could just fall asleep earlier. Yeah, that might help. Rookpaw headed out of the apprentice's den and noticed a group of fellow apprentices, all talking over a few pieces of fresh kill. He decided that it might be weird if he joined them. So, briefly, he grabbed a mouse and sat in a more remote corner of camp, next to Briarcrow. He looked out onto camp, noticing cats speaking with one another. At that moment, he felt a little bit of desire to be doing what they were. So, he looked at Briarcrow and tried to strike up a conversation. "Aren't you going to eat?" He asked, noticing that the tom didn't have any prey at his paws. "It looks pretty odd with you just sitting there." Rookpaw didn't really know that much about Briarcrow, other than his name and appearance. So, he wasn't quite sure what to expect. (Quote from his first appearance:) He paced up to it and jabbed his paw into the apprentice's ribs. "Rookpaw!" Aspenlight yelled.
"Ow!" The gray tabby tom jerked awake, his eyes widened and ears back. His expression only intensified when he met Aspenlight's eyes.
"Rookpaw, this is at least the seventh time I've had to do this in the last half-moon!" The silver tabby spat, his bony tail curling and uncurling behind him. "StarClan requires you to wake up early for you to serve LightClan. Do you understand what will happen if you wake up just a little bit late?"
Rookpaw nodded, shivering. "I'll-I'll try to wake up earlier."
"You say that every time we do this," Aspenlight grunted. "But guess what? There's been no change in anything." He pushed Rookpaw up to his paws. "You better try harder, or there may not be an opportunity to wake up." Aphelyon |
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Post by Aphelyon on Sept 11, 2017 12:25:56 GMT -5
Briarcrow barely acknowledged Rookpaw as the preacher apprentice came to sit beside him, giving him no more than a sideways glance and perhaps a slight, irritable twitch of the tail. Of all the places in camp, he thought, why here? He supposed the apprentice just might not be quite old enough to have picked up on the "we pretend that Briarcrow doesn't exist" thing. He ignored the younger cat for a bit longer, until he spoke. Briarcrow considered not responding at all, but decided that would be rude. Not that Briarcrow really cared if others thought he was rude- all the more reason for them to leave him alone, after all- but he decided that in this case it just wasn't really worth it. So, he raised his head, casting the younger gray tom a short glance. "I already ate," he lied, flicking his tail. The truth was, he wasn't really hungry. He never was, to be entirely honest... he found eating to be more of chore than anything, as he did with most things. He did it only for survival, but otherwise tried to avoid it. "And besides, who cares if it looks odd? What will they do, cast me out?" he added, a bit of a bitter note in his voice. For all he knew, really, they could... the preachers could very well find a way to cast a cat out of the Clan simply because they didn't like them. Still, Briarcrow supposed there was little danger of that. He just wasn't really worth the effort or attention, after all.
(sorry it's kind of short)
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Post by nem on Sept 11, 2017 13:51:24 GMT -5
(Rookpaw is an ordinary apprentice by the way. Sorry if it seems like he's a preacher apprentice) Rookpaw's eyes clouded in confusion. How could any LightClan cat, old or young, say that? It was not only disrepectful to the Clan and their tradition, it was disrespectful to the world, the forest, and Starclan itself. Such a rude cat deserved to be an outcast from the Clan, to be shoved onto a flimsy raft of fallen twigs and wilted grass and then forced to float off to sea. However, Rookpaw chose not to say spiteful words out of the goodness of his heart. But, he did speak anyways. "Everyone cares if it looks odd!" Rookpaw exclaimed. "Didn't you have a mom or a dad that could've taught you this?" He was reminded of his own parents, Sparrowstar and Mapleshine. They'd taught him so well, though they clearly had almost no love in their relationship, and Rookpaw often wondered why. "And, yes! StarClan can refuse to let you join them, and the preacher's wrath is definitely something to watch out for." With a shudder, he was reminded of his incident with Aspenlight recently. His side still felt like it was on fire. "Plus, you've already been casted a few odd glances. It's starting to make me feel uncomfortable."(Also, I don't think I care about the length of your post that much.) Aphelyon |
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Post by Aphelyon on Sept 11, 2017 14:04:03 GMT -5
Briarcrow twitched his whiskers, somewhat amused at the apprentices' outburst. "So... StarClan will refuse to let me join because I'm not eating extra prey?" he asked, tilting his head. "I've already hunted, and no patrols are going out at the moment. There is nothing for me to do. So, I should eat more just for the sake of not 'looking a bit odd'?" He let out a short laugh. "If that's the worst fault that anyone can find with me, I must be doing quite well. And besides, you're the one who chose to come over here, so it's not my fault if that's making you uncomfortable." He pushed himself into a sitting position, arching his back slightly to stretch. "Also," he added, looking down on the smaller tom, "I'm glad to know you're not a gossiper. If you did, you'd know full well that I grew up with no parents." His voice was light as he said this, but his tone grew more serious, as if to chastise the apprentice for making such a low comment.
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Post by nem on Sept 11, 2017 17:51:50 GMT -5
After listening to Briarcrow, Rookpaw's tail slashed from side to side. His head grew fogged by a dark thunderstorm. "That's not what I meant!" He spoke, his hackles raised. "Maybe go somewhere else! Maybe use your ability to sit down and watch things to guard camp!" He sighed, realizing that he would never get his point across properly to this stubborn warrior. "Be productive or something I guess." He got up onto his feet, grabbed the prey, and started to pad away from Briarcrow. "Oh, and also, I didn't smell any prey on your breath. I know you were lying." He flicked his tail one final time before swerving away to another part of camp. Just as he strode away from Briarcrow, the announcement that Leafkit was a liar spread around camp. He noticed the stunned kit, looking around and stammering that the words spoken about here were not true. His heart filled with pity for the she-kit. He never lied about visions, and he wasn't quite sure why other kits did. However, he knew that her lies had something to do with her mother. He was in the nursery with Foxtail for about two moons, only one of which she spent nursing kits. Even though it was short, he managed to see just enough of her parenting style to understand what suffering Leafkit may be going through. Briefly, Rookpaw picked through his meal and tried to catch a patrol that was just leaving camp. After all, a cat that did nothing was not appreciated by StarClan. Aphelyon |
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Post by Aphelyon on Sept 11, 2017 18:12:45 GMT -5
Briarcrow rolled his eyes as the apprentice stomped off, more convinced than ever in not doing anything. As if the lazy apprentice could lecture him about something like that. Oh well. That's what he gets for hunting early, he supposed... whiny apprentices who think they know better than warriors. Not that Briarcrow considered him an authority of wisdom or experience, but still, the apprentice was barely old enough to even call himself an actual cat instead of a kitten. Still, Rookpaw wasn't incorrect in that Briarcrow's previously-comfortable corner was now catching wandering eyes.... though, he felt that likely had more to do with the apprentices' outburst than with Briarcrow himself. Knowing his Clanmates, they would assume he had actually done something to upset the emotional little pipsqueak, and the last thing Briarcrow wanted to be known for was antagonizing apprentices. Well, perhaps not the last thing.... but it was high on his list of things not to make a habit of, at the very least. Getting to his paws, he stretched his front paws out in front of him and arched his back- he had been starting to get stiff just laying around anyways. Next, he glanced around the clearing, wondering what he could get himself into now. Cats got suspicious if one decided to go off alone, so doing so in the light of day, when prying eyes were watching for any minuscule sign of wrong-doing was, perhaps, not the best plan... especially after Rookpaw's little scene. A few cats were hanging about the camp, most sharing prey or tongues, but it didn't look like there was anything in particular going on for the white tom to easily involve himself with.
(I feel like at this point I should note that all of this salt is entirely in-character. Figured I should specify because I can think of more than a few people out there who would take Briarcrow's in-character salt as a personal out-of-character attack.)
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2017 20:00:25 GMT -5
[ time skipping to night now:
if you have an "undesirable" character, i have some news for you. those cats will now sleep in a den seperate from the warriors, in the medicine cat's old den for ~symbolism~ i guess. leafkit will also probably be hanging out there i assume, and to honor her arrival there's some kinda slumber party happening i guess. hooray, nobody loves you leafkit
forbidden pairs also might be sneaking away if you're a part of one. up to you all if you want them to head out (although they should be conveniently far away from sparrow & storm, who are heading to the moontower i think. saving the most scandalous parts for later).
thanks for reading. i'll get my own starters up soon. unless you wanted to start, December ]
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Post by Card against Humanity on Sept 11, 2017 20:22:58 GMT -5
Nightstorm was nodding his head and getting up to follow her on the hunt. He figured that it might help him relax a bit, especially since Foxtail couldn't bother him. But things did not go as he initially planned.
He overheard foxtail asking Aspenlight a question, and he instinctively looked in that direction. It didn't take long for him to figure out what she was asking, and his breathing stopped for a few tense moments. Leafkit says she had a vision?
When he heard Aspenlight's deduction, and Foxtaik's reaction, his heart sank in his chest.
Watching Foxtail reject Leafkit shocked him...at first. He couldn't believe a mother would do that to their child. But after a few long seconds, he realized that this was all normal for Foxtail.
Why couldn't Rowankit have lived instead? She might have actually become a preacher.....unlike you.
He wanted to move, he wanted to do something. Anything. But he couldn't move.
You're just another liar.
He eventually snapped out of his memories, but still only barely realizing that he had been standing there shaking in the middle of the camp. He quickly looked around, his eyes wide, before he saw Swiftstrike and remembered.
He quickly began to walk at a fast past towards the camp entrance. He needed to get away from Foxtail now, before he did something drastic.
December
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Post by December on Sept 12, 2017 11:29:13 GMT -5
STORMPATH
The Moontower | Moonhigh | Waiting for Sparrowstar (This is like 300% less Fun Moontower Symbolism than I wanted, RIP. Also, Alex, I think Swiftstrike is about to be occupied by the Leafkit's rejection plot, but we could say that they hunted for a bit, and I could have her check up on him in the morning.) Stormpath's day passed with agonizing lethargy, hours melting together like honey, slow and sticky down his throat. He faked his way through a border patrol, through a visit with Echoheart, through a dinner spent surrounded by Clanmates who didn't know him like Sparrowstar, who didn't understand the thoughts that tore through his head. There was an impenetrable border between Stormpath and the rest of LightClan, an unseen force that separated him from everything they knew and everything they believed a cat could be. No matter how much he wanted to, he could never cross to the other side, and he knew that it showed in his every interaction, all his awkwardness and all his stilted conversations. If they knew where to look, they could find the undercurrent of fear without much effort at all. That evening, he curled up in his nest with the rest of the warriors. He closed his eyes and drew his breaths in long and slow, kept his body still but his posture loose. It was a well-practiced art, blending into the background, but he'd been clinging to it for seasons, and it came to him as easily as stalking a mouse in the forest. As the moon drew higher, he quietly got to his paws, exited the den, and left camp without even a glance over his shoulder. Whenever he got caught, he usually explained that he'd gotten restless and had decided to put his energy to use by going on a late-night hunt. Luckily, tonight, the camp was largely deserted, and he passed through without a word to anyone. Stormpath moved through the forest at a brisk pace, over rocks and under bushes and past looming trees, until he came to the Moontower. He stopped for a moment to gaze up at it. Here, everything was quiet, safe. A slight breeze touched his fur, carrying with it the crisp scent of ocean. He still felt that perpetual twinge of being watched, but in the dead of night, with StarClan granting him quiet access to their sacred spot, he could almost pretend to believe they'd never be caught. He shook the thoughts away and padded to the old twoleg garden. He spent as much time as he felt he needed rolling in the flowers to disguise his scent, and then he stayed for twice as long. He didn't believe in being too careful. When he emerged, he was dizzy with the overpowering scent of old herbs, and blossoms and leaves clung to his pelt in odd places. He shook off the worst of the damage. Then he grabbed a bundle of white blossoms, carried them to the base of the Moontower, and placed them delicately before the Gods. He paused for a moment before bowing his head. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "If I were stronger, I -" But there was no point in what-ifs. StarClan could not judge him on the cat he wanted to be, only the cat he was. He shook his head and tried again. "Please accept this offering as an apology," he finished instead. "Whatever else I've done, know that I mean it from my heart." With nothing left to say, Stormpath slipped into the Moontower and began the excruciating wait. (@animefreak) |
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Post by PatienceTheVirtue on Sept 12, 2017 16:05:20 GMT -5
--Leafkit peered through a small gap right next to the entrance of the nursery as night fell. She hoped no cat would see her just as much as she hoped some cat would and invite her in. It'll never happen. The calico she-cat made out the bodies of everyone in the nursery, pinpointing them as much from their vague shapes and colors as from the breathing patterns she'd learned to memorize. I hope I can sleep without them. A now-familiar pang went through her as her mind flashed through the playful scuffles and banter she'd participated in, some not that long ago. After the vision debacle, the other kits acted like she were crowfood riddled with blackcough. In fact, that's the sense she'd gotten from most of the members in the Clan, former friends or not. I live here, but I don't belong here.
Movement inside the nursery mentally shoved the kit back to the present, and she backed away hurriedly. She shouldn't be caught. But where do I go? Leafkit's gaze flicked back to the nursery, but she knew she couldn't go back there. Her gaze traveled over the rest of the dens' entrances, the slow, steady pace wavering as she reached the den of the undesirable cats of the Clan. I'm not one of them! I'm healthy and I didn't lie about having a vision! the she-kit thought fiercely, one last act of defiance, one more moment of clinging to the hope she would be accepted by the Clan still. She continued looking down the row of dens until she ran out of places to peer, gaze resting on the entrance - or exit.
Leafkit's heart felt like it broke for the hundredth time that day. That was the only other place she could go. She was no leader, no apprentice or warrior or elder, no preacher despite her abilities and how hard she'd tried, and she was no longer accepted in the nursery. I don't belong here, her mind echoed yet again. She felt the hope physically drain from body, bleeding into the ground under her feet like blood from a killing blow. There's nowhere left for me in my Clan. At least, nowhere she could return from to live the normal life she'd always dreamt of.
It took everything in Leafkit not to wail her heartbreak to the Clan that had rejected her. Her breath huffed in and out of her like hiccups as she fought to control herself, slowly angling her body toward the den of the undesirables. There was no way to tell if even they would accept her, but there was nowhere else to turn. Not unless she wanted to go out, completely untrained, and attempt to live off of the land she'd barely glimpsed, let alone set paw in.
Leafkit's dragging paws and drooping tail left a trail in the ground as she walked the path to the den, mind warring with anxieties from all over the place. Will they accept me? Is it better or worse if they do? Are they as awful as I've been told? Should I run so my Clanmates don't see me coming to this? Each thought took more and more out of her until she couldn't manage to put energy even into thinking. Events would unfold as they would, as they already had. She'd just have to deal with whatever happened next.
Leafkit paused at the den entrance, peering in without being able to make out anything. "Hello?"
((Any of the undesirables can chime in, but I know December was going to come in with Swiftstrike for sure.))
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Post by December on Sept 12, 2017 17:41:51 GMT -5
SWIFTSTRIKE
The undesirables' den | Moonhigh | With the rest of the undesirables and Leafkit "Hello?" Swiftstrike's blue eyes flashed open at the words. Truthfully, a part of her had been half-expecting them all evening, but the confirmation that Foxtail hadn't found a way to forgive her daughter and the rest of the queens hadn't taken pity on the young kit made her blood boil. She knew from bitter experience who was really at fault for Leafkit's lies. Unfortunately, that cat was probably sleeping warm and safe in her den, surrounded by the kits she still had use for. They make us one way, she mused, and then they blame us for who we become.Slowly, she rose to her paws and made the long journey over sleeping bodies and around swaying tails, careful not to disturb her denmates or agitate her bad leg. "Hello," she greeted, pausing at the entrance. "Do you need a place to stay? It's alright. You can come in. Whatever they think's wrong with us isn't catching, I promise, and we don't judge anyone here." At least, most of us don't, she thought. Still, any cat who tried to shame Leafkit for falling for her mother's manipulation would have to deal with Swiftstrike in the aftermath, and bad leg or no bad leg, that was hardly a position any of her Clanmates wanted to be in. "I've got some extra moss," she added, because even if the rest of LightClan forgot it, her good side was as rewarding as her bad side was terrifying. "We can make you a makeshift spot for now. Won't be as comfortable as the nursery, but nothing is, except maybe where the preachers sleep." ( PatienceTheVirtue) |
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Post by nem on Sept 12, 2017 18:08:28 GMT -5
When Leafkit spoke, Boragetail's head zipped up from her nest. Her eyes were widened in surprise that a cat would be visiting them, though she soon realized that she shouldn't be. When Foxtail had cast her out for faking signs, plus her panic attacks, she slept with the undesirables. It makes sense that Leafkit would too. Looking upon the she-kit with pity, she tried to think of a way to help, to be generous. She hadn't talked to the kit that much, but she knew that Leafkit must've not thought highly of her. Maybe if she showed herself to be kind, she could make a new friend, despite her, uh, problems. "You can take my nest," Boragetail interjected. "It's fresh; I replenished the moss earlier today." Her hazel eyes pointed towards Swiftstrike. " I will take the extra moss." Standing up and stepping out of her nest, she allowed Leafkit to get inside, tensely hoping she would accept the offer. She knew she wasn't a bad cat, and she hoped that she could convince Leafkit that she wasn't too. ( PatienceTheVirtue) |
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Post by PatienceTheVirtue on Sept 12, 2017 20:27:55 GMT -5
--Leafkit stood as still as an oak tree as she absorbed the information being flung toward her - that she was being accepted, that she could still find a home within the Clan, that these cats she'd feared, ostracized, even slandered were the ones replacing her family in as gentle of a manner they could. As emotion overwhelmed her, she began shaking like her namesake in a storm. She struggled to push out words before things progressed too far in the beginnings of a potential disagreement; she didn't think she could handle that on top of everything else. "I-I don't think I can sleep yet," she mewed shakily. While she was being honest, she was also afraid of picking a side so early on in her acceptance to this group, the only one she had left to become a part of. She was also afraid of picking the "wrong" side - which cat does the Clan dislike more? Which cat is going to end up being less kind? Which cat might abandon her if her visions continue?
"Th-Thank you," Leafkit choked out before she got too overwhelmed by her thoughts again. Despite her wobbling legs, the small cat tottered into the den a bit further, still afraid to fully enter. These were the living cats she'd been taught were going to the Dark Forest; who knows if a misstep would cost her more than her reputation with the Clan? A single trodden tail could spell disaster.
Still shaking, Leafkit lifted her wide-eyed gaze to each of the she-cats that had spoken to her, taking in who they were and trying to connect the horror stories she'd heard with the hazy outlines and soft voices promising her the acceptance she'd never gotten from her siblings and parents. "Thank you,"she said again, her voice almost a whisper as she looked earnestly back and forth between the two pairs of gleaming eyes welcoming her. Her voice dropped even lower as she continued, "What do I do now?"
(( December nem ))
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Post by December on Sept 12, 2017 21:00:44 GMT -5
SWIFTSTRIKE
The undesirables' den | Moonhigh | With the rest of the undesirables and Leafkit Swiftstrike's heart ached for Leafkit - for Leafkit and all of the Leafkits she couldn't reach yet, still sleeping beside Foxtail or Silvernight or whatever other queens were jumping onto the preacher fad these days. She thought of her own siblings, so close but so far, and she had to take a moment to steady herself, because if she wasn't careful, the impulse to transcend her mortal form and rip them all away from Silvernight with the force of a thousand suns was too great. "You rest if you can," she answered, as gently as she could manage. "And if you need to talk, then we listen." She cast a gaze around the room - at Boragetail, at Breezefeather in his nest, even at Whitetalon. "Most of us... we've been there. We remember what it's like." She touched the tip of her tail to Leafkit's shoulder. "You're not alone anymore, Leafkit." As she glanced around the den, Swiftstrike couldn't help but wish she'd wandered here as a child. How much pain would she have been spared if she'd been raised by cats like these, broken by life's hardships but whole by virtue of overcoming them all, accepting because they still craved all that they'd never been given, stitched together by trauma and grief and the ugly looks tossed their way? Would it have saved her, knowing these cats? Could it have taken the fire of her anger and turned it back to warmth? Her eyes drifted back to Leafkit. Could I save her instead? she wondered. Make it all worth it somehow?And it would never be worth it, not a single thing she and the other undesirables had been through. She knew that. Except - You're not alone, she'd said. And looking around, she was beginning to realize that she was no longer alone, either. ( PatienceTheVirtue nem @anyone else with an undesirable who wants in on the validation fest) |
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Post by December on Sept 12, 2017 21:53:38 GMT -5
... ↪ I love this clan. I love this plot. You're all so beautiful, but writing? I don't know her lmao I couldn't be more unmotivated BUT THIS PLACE IS GREAT idk what to do
I'll also be away all weekend for my birthday, but when have we not taken a few days off from posting anyway. I know I should get a Whitetalon post up but my brain won't think it >_< I'm dead I'm not used to roleplaying anymore help me (I totally understand how you feel, and we'll respect whatever choice you end up making. I'm actually also going to be busy this weekend with my best friend's birthday, so like, same boat RIP. And everyone else gets stuff like that going on, too. If it makes you feel better, you could just have all of your characters be asleep for the nighttime portion of the plot and see if you have more inspiration/time to write when we get back to daytime activities? I know sometimes a little break helps with stuff like this.) |
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Post by Aphelyon on Sept 12, 2017 22:37:50 GMT -5
(Yeah speaking of all this what's going on right now that I could get any of my current three involved in? Besides Leafkit in the undesirables den it doesn't seem like there's much going on lol)
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Post by December on Sept 12, 2017 23:02:11 GMT -5
(Sorry, everyone! The next day will be easier. We just have a few plot things to get out of the way. I can also have some of my characters wake up if anyone has absolutely no one to interact with right now.)
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Post by Aphelyon on Sept 12, 2017 23:03:38 GMT -5
(Hmmmm. I probably need to go to bed anyways so I'll work it out if it's still night in the RP whenever I'm able to be on tomorrow lmao)
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Bisexual
Darkηesque
DreamCloud96 at the original wcf. Member since 12/21/09.
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Post by Darkηesque on Sept 13, 2017 1:50:52 GMT -5
... ↪ I don't want to leave! I offered my character to be an integral part of the plot so I have the responsibility to uphold it. I just have to force myself to write (((: Thanks for understanding though~ But here's something
... ↪ ~ Whitetalon | Undesireables' Den -- It was already going to be an uneasy night for many considering the announcement made today and Whitetalon should have known it was going to make its way to interrupt his attempt at rest. Sleep was the only real escape. A place where he could dream of a LightClan that actually upheld its laws. It seemed only the outcasts could see the abhorrid amount of deception that took place around them while everyone else turned a blind eye.
Whitetalon still liked to believe their gods were merciful, watching over everyone equally and that they, too, didn't approve of LightClan's corruption. Not that the white and pale orange tom could point out any of these things. The undesirables were all ignored for the most part or thought of as filth, but many took care to make sure that he was the worst of the bunch. Nothing he said would be taken into account by anyone. Amongst LightClan he was the golden goose of compulsive lying and an infamous heretic.
When in truth, he was quite the opposite. It's cats like Leafkit who ruined his reputation. Too many claims to visions for many, many moons made his actual, reliable gift to speak with StarClan and their ancestors another blasphemous tale. His preacher's apprenticeship was taken by a fake that somehow actually managed to weasel herself in around the sea of made-up stories. Whitetalon learned to stop speaking of his claim a long time ago. It had only made him worse in the eyes of his clanmates.
The bottom line is that the tom resented the mew of the tiny newcomer, but he knew that Leafkit could not have known any better. He, too, lifted his head from his nest and angled his ears towards the conversation with slightly narrowed eyes. The 'vision' the young she-kit tried to peddle had already made its way around through camp gossip. Mostly it was thanks to the word of his little sister, Honeypaw, earlier that Whitetalon was aware of the villanous part he had to play in her tale.
It was probably best if he didn't speak up now. |
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Post by December on Sept 13, 2017 11:38:54 GMT -5
(Ohh, gotcha. I'm glad you're not leaving. We would've missed you!)
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Post by PatienceTheVirtue on Sept 13, 2017 15:08:46 GMT -5
--Leafkit could tell from Swiftstrike's hazy outline and glinting eyes that something beyond the present was going through her head, and it put the kit on edge. The silver tabby she-cat was nothing but welcoming, but Foxtail had also been welcoming just before disowning her - how could Leafkit distinguish true sincerity when she swore she could see it in both cases? She jumped slightly as Swiftstrike spoke again, then forced herself not to flinch away at the soft touch she was given.
Leafkit stared intensely, wide-eyed, at Swiftstrike's face, letting silence drag out for a few moments. Within the angular features she wanted to find the answer to true sincerity, true welcoming, true honesty. The brief moments her gaze met the older she-cat's, she saw in them strong emotion, and had to once again force Foxtail's image out of her head. The way Swiftstrike glanced around at the others, as if she were a lion surveying the pride that she had had fought for and fought with, was something she'd never seen Foxtail do with her kits, let alone her Clanmates. The single-minded intensity Foxtail had stared at her with when she'd had a vision was nothing compared to the fire in Swiftstrike's eyes, never wavering as it passed over more than just herself. It was in the nuances that Leafkit had learned to identify her denmates when she was in the nursery, and it was in the nuances now that she found herself relaxing at the lingering touch on her shoulder. It was the nuances that calmed her hitching breath and shattered frame of mind.
"I'm sorry," she mewed softly, her own sadness dulling enough to allow compassion and empathy to burrow in, hard and deep. She had always been on the side that had hurt these cats that were being so kind. Now that she were looking through the glass to where she used to stand, it was terrible. An acidic, slimy feeling wormed itself into the pit of her stomach as she remembered these were the ones that she had lobbied against in the fake version of her vision. "I'm sorry," she said again, more emotionally, ears burning when she realized she kept repeating herself. She could find no more to say, and lingered mentally on the new negative feelings that had pushed themselves to the front of her mind and bottom of her stomach.
At Whitetalon's movement, Leafkit almost fell back into her former complete state of panic. Then she recalled the horror stories shared about him; he was the same as her. Her aching chest twinged again in an unfamiliar way, other negative emotions briefly forgotten about, and it took her a few heartbeats of consideration before she identified the new feeling as hope. She may never be accepted again by the Clan, but she could find someone here to help her through these experiences. Someone that was said to talk to StarClan might be able to explain why they had punished her so completely when she wasn't a total liar - when she truly was chosen by StarClan to spread their word. She swished her tail shyly as she realized he was paying attention to her and the events she had caused to unfold in his den as he'd tried to sleep. Almost unconsciously, Leafkit shifted closer to Swiftstrike, attempting to cut off Whitetalon's view of her. "I should've come earlier," she mewed to no one in particular, almost only to herself. "I didn't mean to make your nights harder. I just couldn't figure out where I- where I was meant to be anymore."(( Darkηesque you don't have to respond if you can't find time or anything, just wanted to make sure you have the opportunity so i added Whitetalon ))
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Post by December on Sept 13, 2017 17:01:46 GMT -5
SWIFTSTRIKE
The undesirables' den | Moonhigh | With the rest of the undesirables and Leafkit Swiftstrike stood in silence as Leafkit scrutinized her. If it had been any other cat, she might have grown irritable with the attention, with the wide-eyed fear, but she understood Leafkit's distress. Her own mother had prevented her from straying too near to the old medicine den, too. Whatever Leafkit saw must have soothed her, which comforted Swiftstrike in turn. She certainly didn't want any drama. Which was why, moments later, Swiftstrike frowned as she noticed Leafkit edging closer to her. She could practically feel the anxiety radiating off Leafkit in waves, in stark contrast to the relaxation that had seem to come over her only moments before. Swiftstrike had assumed she'd really be able to warm up to them that easily, but apparently not. Concerned, she followed her gaze across the den to Whitetalon. Oh, she thought quietly. Of course."Is all of this about the 'vision'?" she asked, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice. "Don't worry. You aren't the first cat who's wanted to stomp me out, and you won't be the last. Nobody's succeeded yet, so I think we're all good." Her eyes softened, laughter giving way to sympathy. "It's not your fault, what your mother taught you. You're only a kit." She wondered what the rest of the Clan would think if they could see them now: the undesirables, corrupters of the innocent, vehement deniers of StarClan's word, LightClan's most shameful secret, taking care of the kit that nobody else wanted. Pride soared in her heart like an eagle. We are more than you know us to be. We always have been.(@patiencethevirtu3 nem Darkηesque etc.) |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 18:15:32 GMT -5
When the moon met the middle of the sky, and when darkness finally seized the land, did the brown-furred leader creep out of his den. At this time of night, not many cats lurked. Positioned near the entrance was Finchflame - a quirky and excitable young warrior, though not so dutiful, it seemed, for she had fallen asleep in the middle of watch. From the rejects' den, hushed voices could be heard: the angry cripple, the insane Foxtail kit, and...if his ears did not deceive him, he heard the most recent liar of a child, Leafkit. He sniffed disdainfully. At least she had found her place quickly enough.
Deciding that the coast was as clear as it would ever be, Sparrowstar padded towards the camp exit, but paused beside the snoring ginger she. It'd look suspicious if he didn't wake her, wouldn't it? Although, she might make inquiries as to where he was going, try to follow him, or start gossipping if he did stir her. Wolfstar...I am not your best child; but please, advise me now. The leader prayed silently.
Though of course, his gods would not help him sneak off to go break every law they've set. Despite it being only late greenleaf, a single leaf slipped down from a tree, whisking past him, and...ah. When the leaf rested, it was in front of his own den. There wasn't need for a preacher's interpretation. The message was loud and clear: go back.
"My lord." Sparrowstar whispered, sorrowful yet firm. Not for the first time, his tail tucked itself between his legs. "As wise and as glorified you may be, my lord Wolfstar, I cannot, and will not, obey. I am sorry." With a final, short look at the snoozing guard, he slipped out of camp and towards the Moontower.
By the time he arrived, the moon was much lower in the sky. No doubt there was still plenty time left in the night for his lover, though Sparrowstar feared (fear seemed to be quite abundant on this night) Stormpath might've grown agitated waiting, or that he might've given up altogether and turned back home. Perhaps that would be for the best, though. Collecting himself with a deep breath, he entered the tall wood building.
"Hello?" The leader called out. |
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Post by December on Sept 13, 2017 19:11:12 GMT -5
STORMPATH
The Moontower | Moonhigh | With Sparrowstar (Wow um... gay.) The longer and longer Stormpath waited, the lower the moon sank in the sky, and the further his heart dropped with it. He shivered against a suddenly-cold breeze and drew his tail close around his body, eyes trained on the cracks of sky he could see through the Moontower's grand entrance. He blinked at the stars, so cold to him now that he was an unrepentant failure in their eyes, and tried not to allow himself to think the worst. Maybe Sparrowstar had simply fallen asleep waiting, he reasoned. He tried to console himself with the image of his mate curled up in his nest, chest rising and falling softly, worries fading away with each exhale, overcome by a peace that he so rarely felt in his waking hours. It would be selfish to wish him away from that world, selfish and cruel. Maybe he was late instead. Had enough time passed between meetings that he'd forgotten when to leave camp to make it to the Moontower by moonhigh? Had he gotten held up by some random interloper along the way? Had he gotten injured on the walk to their meeting place? Was he caught in battle with some ferocious creature now, struggling to hold his own in the dead of night? StarClan, please -Or maybe, a voice sneered in the back of his head, he's never coming back. He swallowed hard. He knows he's wasting his time with you. How could you sit there and ruin his reputation? Why would he let you? He's Sparrowstar, ruler of mortals, and you're just some ordinary warrior already marked for the Dark Forest. Maybe he's just finally opened his eyes and seen how much more important his fate is than you are. Besides, you pushed him too far today, bringing up Alderpaw when he obviously doesn't want to talk about it, bothering him until he agreed to another date when you knew he'd been trying to pull away already...Give it up, the voice continued. You know he's never going to -He was torn from his thoughts by the sound of pawsteps in the distant, soft but certain. He jerked to his paws, shaky with adrenaline and fear and longing, longing like the waters of the river being pulled back to sea. "Hello?" a voice called into the darkness, a real one this time. "Sparrowstar?" Stormpath replied, unable to keep the raw hope from coating his words. He peered into the shadows, and sure enough, there Sparrowstar was, silhouetted against the night sky like some kind of heroic warrior from one of the elders' old tales. Stormpath stood rigid, cataloging every inch of him, making sure his mind wasn't pulling any tricks, making sure he was here and real and they could be together once again. "You came," he breathed, and suddenly nothing else mattered. (@animefreak) |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 19:46:33 GMT -5
When the familiar voice responded, guilt washed over Sparrowstar. What...what was he thinking? It hadn't actually set in before that moment: by being here, by being with Stormpath, he just pissed off a literal god. Wolfstar's well-known intelligence made his wrath all the more terrifying. Not only did he guarantee himself a spot in the Dark Forest, but he just guaranteed himself, and likely everyone he's ever loved, lives full of tactful chaos and desolation. He...he could turn back. If he left now, Wolfstar might forgive him. He ought to, right? Sparrowstar's entire body tensed with apprehension and doubt, and he took a small, tentative step backwards with one hindpaw.
You came. The relief in the warrior's voice tore Sparrowstar's heart up into thousands of pieces. He made as if to respond, but choked on his words and his emotions and he dropped his gaze to the ground. The leader loved Stormpath—more than he loved anyone or anything else. More than he loved any god. "I'm sorry," He whispered for the thousandth time. "I-I...uh," No, he couldn't tell him about the sign. This was his own cross to bear. He wanted to protect Stormpath, his Stormpath, he best he could. He took another shaky breath just to gather his bearings.
"I didn't mean to appear this late. I'm afraid I, uh, fell asleep waiting, for moonhigh." Sparrowstar lied, forcing confidence into voice. "You checked the permitter already, correct?" He didn't care about the stupid perimitter, but it was a good way to change the subject and forget about his mini-panic attack. |
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Post by Aphelyon on Sept 13, 2017 20:56:29 GMT -5
(December wanna throw Marigoldsplash and Briarcrow together? Kinda wanna see how they interact passively before they get paired. Seeing what kind of relationship/opinions of each other that they have previous would help to gauge how things will go... later lmao.)
After his early morning break, Briarcrow had spent the rest of the day hunting and patrolling, making any excuse he could to "scout ahead" or "trail behind" or "check over there" or essentially get away from the rest of the cats on his various patrols. It wasn't their vaguely scornful looks that bothered him, nor their condescending tone when the spoke- he'd grown used to that quickly as a kit, and the briar wall of spite and defiance which he'd built between himself and them in his mind was more than enough to protect him from their mild disdain. No, what always got to him were the few moments when his Clanmates' judgement lapsed, when they forgot that he was supposed to be wrong and that they were there to correct him, harshly if needed. It was the moments where in a moment of forgetfulness they might offer an approving look or praise, or even simply offer the brief escape of humor. Those were moments when it seemed that the divide he had formed between "himself" and "everyone else" began to fill... those were the moments that offered hope. And hope, he'd learned long ago, could be very dangerous. Thus, he found any excuse to patrol alone.
The soft voices which floated from the undesirebles' den kept the white tom awake, despite his wanderings of the previous night and his undeniable exhaustion now. He needed to sleep, he knew, or he wouldn't be able to function well tomorrow. Still, the voices- just loud enough to hear through the parting branches next to his nest, too quiet to make out the words- seemed inviting. Kind. He could hear Leafkit there, and he realized that tonight she was accepting her fate as, if not one of them, then something close. Briarcrow felt a pang as he listened to her high, quiet voice. This otherness that they shared was something he had never fully come to terms with. It was the reason that, despite everything, he still slept in the warriors' den- apart, perhaps, from the others, but still beneath the same branches. It was that hope that perhaps despite everything, someday the Clan would come to accept him. Now, he lay in the quiet of the den, listening to the breathing of his Clanmates around him and the voices of those outside, and he felt thoroughly divided. He wanted what they had, all of them.... a place to belong. Logically, he knew that that would never be with the more devout members of the Clan- not with the state of things as they were- but it was that ever-present, obnoxious, dangerous hope that kept him from following in the paws of a cat less than half his moons.
It was well past moonhigh when Briarcrow finally accepted defeat and, with a quiet sigh, rolled to his paws. Another sleepless night it would be, then. He carefully made his way out of the den, pausing for a moment with his pale fur illuminated by the moonlight beyond. The camp was so peaceful at night, dappled with moon light and moon shadow. Everything was black and white and blue, all light and darkness with no in-between. In the gentle moonlight, the familiar shapes of the dens almost looked like home. Pushing that sentiment from his mind, the white tom surveyed the camp and the darkened treeline around it, considering his options. He could hunt like last night, but even now the fresh-kill pile was stocked- it would be pointless to fill it in the night so that his catch would only turn to crowfood in the morning. The borders were checked and marked, and while he could always check them and mark them again, he felt no need nor desire to do so. As he thought, his gaze fell upon Finchflame, slumped near the entrance and clearly asleep. Well, Briarcrow thought... if he must be exhausted and alone with his thoughts, he may as well be doing something useful in the meantime.
Briarcrow padded over to the she-cat quietly, considering how best to wake her. His first thought was to just jab her in the ribs and tell her to scoot, but he decided that such an aggressive awakening might startle her and, in turn, awaken some of their Clanmates. Thus, he opted for a more gentle approach.
"Hey, you," he meowed quietly, brushing his tail against the she-cat's flank to try to wake her up. "I'll take over the watch. Go get some real sleep."
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Post by December on Sept 14, 2017 15:10:04 GMT -5
STORMPATH
The Moontower | Moonhigh | With Sparrowstar (I'M LOVE THEM? Also replies are about to be slow for the rest of the week/the weekend because it's my best friend's birthday weekend and he's spoiled af. Marigoldsplash coming soon.) Stormpath frowned as Sparrowstar stumbled over his words, a wave of concern overtaking him, but luckily, his anxiousness passed soon enough, and Stormpath figured it was probably just residual nerves from the long trek to the Moontower. He still had a few of those left himself, though the more honest part of him couldn't help but point out that at least half of his jitters came from Sparrowstar's presence alone. "Of course I did," he replied. He'd what felt like lifetimes ago, but Sparrowstar didn't need to know that part. His words gave way to silence, and suddenly, Stormpath felt himself scrambling for purchase, tossed in every direction by a sea of fear and longing and guilt. He never knew how to untangle everything that lay inside of himself, but he was always a little less certain when Sparrowstar was around, a little less mindful of all of the places he could trip and twist his paws. The distance between them lately made it ten lifetimes worse, and suddenly he didn't know up from down, didn't know left from right, only knew that Sparrowstar was his north star and that he'd follow him until the world caved in beneath their paws and their was nothing left but the rubble of the cats they'd used to be. That, or until Sparrowstar decided he didn't want him around anymore. He swallowed, hard in his throat. "I - I missed you," he admitted, dropping his head. He found himself suddenly unable to meet Sparrowstar's gaze, afraid of what he'd find there. "Did I do something wrong? Because I never - I didn't mean to upset you. Whatever it was, I'm sorry." (@animefreak) |
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Post by Aphelyon on Sept 16, 2017 15:22:01 GMT -5
(....bump?)
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2017 11:58:41 GMT -5
[ this is rushed to the max don't @ me ]
Sparrowstar nodded awkwardly at his affirmation. "I had assumed as much. Didn't hurt to confirm, though, I suppose..:" He trailed off, scuffing the hard, dirty flooring of the Moontower with his forepaw. No matter how hard he tried to relax and focus on the meeting, he couldn't shake his feelings of dread and apprehension. By disobeying Wolfstar, he chose to live his life with Stormpath: but by disobeying Wolfstar, would they even have a life at all? How long would it be until something dreadful happened, dreadful enough to divide them forever? When you were raised to fear the gods' wrath, it wasn't easy to turn your back.
For a few moments, the leaders' thoughts paused, and he looked hesitantly to Stormpath. It didn't take a hawk's eyes to see how suffocating the silence was for him. Once more, guilt washed over him - heavens above, if that much made him so miserable, what good was his choice even making...? I'm sorry, he wanted to repeat those two words for the hundredth time, but the other tom spoke first.
"I've missed you too, more than anything. But I have obligations, Stormpath. I'm a leader and a father. My days are long and busy, my nights plagued with worry. I can't...I can't come out here every single night and keep my clan—my family—safe at the same time." That wasn't what he his question was inferring at all, but he had no response for the reality. He couldn't tell the truth, and he couldn't lie. "You bear no blame in the matter, so..." Sparrowstar averted his tired gaze to the side again with a heavy sigh. "So just...stop blaming yourself."
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DM me if u want