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Post by Jekyll on May 19, 2020 23:11:49 GMT -5
Further along the cliffs of Skyclan territory a yew tree stood tall and proud, it's leaves stretching out so it could catch the sunlight. The roots were jagged, clinging to the rock and dirt and within their grasp lay a large bracken bush. The yellow flowers were in bloom, their scent hiding the one of the horror that had happened. The thick scent of fox clung to everything and hidden by a boulder a few tail lengths away, was a body. The deep brown fur of the she-cat was matted and bloody, her ginger and white markings darker because of the scarlet liquid and her mouth hung limp and open, her blue eyes open wide but holding no sign of life in their depths. A chunk of the she-cat's throat was gone and scratches lined her fur, the scent of fox sticking to everything on her and almost completely hiding the lingering scent of a mother's milk. Deep within the shelter of the bracken bush lay a nest of moss and feathers and within it, the bodies of five small kits. A pure black tom lay small and cold, his ribs showing horribly through his fur. Beside him was a light ginger she-cat who looked the same, her mouth open in a last silent cry for food. Within the entrance to the den was a larger brown tabby, his huge white paws still outstretched as if even in death he was trying to make it outside to find his mother. The last two moved only slightly, their ribs showing and their hips jutting out through their fur. A smaller one was a pale ginger tabby but even though she was small her size, she was still stronger than her brother, her paws moving now and then and her jaws opening to cry out every now and then. Her brother was a brown and ginger tabby, though he had more brown in his fur than ginger. He lay still and silent beside his black furred brother, the hunger beginning to take him as well.
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Post by Moonblazer on May 20, 2020 11:14:14 GMT -5
“All I am saying, is that we would be much better off if we prioritized rock climbing even more.” Redspring grunted to Ashfeather and Willownose, the stern she-cat thinking of their fallen clanmates as they patrolled together.
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Post by Willow on May 20, 2020 11:26:18 GMT -5
Ashfeather shuddered as he saw the image of his clanmmates bodies falling once more. "Perhaps we should even try and teach the older kits in the future... just in case something like this happens again."
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Post by Moonblazer on May 20, 2020 11:29:01 GMT -5
“I agree. That would be...” Redspring trailed off, her muzzle lifting as a strange collection of scents filled her muzzle. Her fur bristled and her eyes narrowed. “Ashfeather. Willownose. Do you scent that?”
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Post by Willow on May 20, 2020 11:39:14 GMT -5
Ashfeather scented the air, eyes widening "Is that.. Fox? Where could that have come from? Shouldn't the fire have scared it off?"
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Post by Frozen on May 20, 2020 12:08:21 GMT -5
Willownose’s fur bristled as she noticed the scent. “It shouldn’t be here at a time like this... I hope nobody got left behind.” She mewed, hoping that was not the case. If a Clanmate survived the fire, only to get attacked by a fox...
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Post by Willow on May 20, 2020 12:11:58 GMT -5
Ashfeather hesitantly walked towards the scent. "I smell more than fox though, is that blood?" he mewed in horror. "We should go make sure no one's out there!"
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Post by Willow on May 20, 2020 12:12:17 GMT -5
Ashfeather hesitantly walked towards the scent. "I smell more than fox though, is that blood?" he mewed in horror. "We should go make sure no one's out there!"
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Post by Moonblazer on May 20, 2020 14:24:20 GMT -5
Redspring moved quickly towards the scent, her eyes widening as she began to see traces of blood and fur around the patches of bracken. She gagged a bit, hissing out. "Ugh, it smells awful! What in Starclan happened here?..." She flicked her ears as she heard the sound of faint movement and quiet wailing. "Ashfeather? Willownose?...Something has happened here..." She called carefully.
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Post by Willow on May 20, 2020 15:58:58 GMT -5
Ashfeather flattened his ears, carefully surveying the area. Moving behind the bolder he tensed as he spotted the poor she-cat. “Oh Starclan..” he whispered looking at the mess of blood and fur.
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Post by Frozen on May 20, 2020 18:49:52 GMT -5
"Oh no..." Willownose flattened her ears. The she-cat had clearly been fighting for her life. She hoped she hadn't been in too much pain before it was over.
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Post by Jekyll on May 21, 2020 22:41:44 GMT -5
Within the yellow flowers and the flowing stems of the bracken bush, the pale ginger tabby she-cat suddenly mewled again, her jaws stretched open wide to show pearly white teeth and a light pink tongue. Her mewl was high pitched, reaching through the den around her to the cats waiting beyond. As she did so her legs also stretched out, kicking at the air as she had rolled onto her back.
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Post by Willow on May 22, 2020 9:06:16 GMT -5
Ashfeather tensed once more at the sound of a shrill cry. "Is that.. a kit?" he mewed, scenting the air again and moving towards where he had heard the sound.
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Post by Moonblazer on May 22, 2020 22:54:27 GMT -5
"Starclan above, I think it is." Redspring bristled, both suspicious and concerned at the sound of a kit. She tracked towards the source of the scents, perking with shock as she noticed the little den. She swallowed, creeping closer and peering into it.
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Post by Willow on May 25, 2020 20:06:09 GMT -5
Ashfeather creeped right behind Redspring, his face falling when he noticed the unmoving kits. "Oh my." he mewed quietly, trying to push the image of Shadowmask's kits out of his head. "Little ones?" he called halfheartedly, unsure if any of them were alive at this point. "Can we help you?"
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Post by Frozen on May 25, 2020 22:11:42 GMT -5
Willownose winced as the scene unfolded before her eyes. "This is awful." she shook her head. "Are... are any of them alive?"
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Post by Jekyll on May 25, 2020 22:27:58 GMT -5
As if to answer the questions of the three cats, the small ginger tabby cried out once more, kicking her paws and causing her weaker but bigger brother to mewl because of her loudness, though he stayed deathly still instead of moving around like his sister. The ribs showed through on both kits and their hips bones were jutting out, the eyes of the small beings still tightly closed as they were only a few weeks old.
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Post by Willow on May 27, 2020 12:24:36 GMT -5
Ashfeather took a deep breath, scooping the kits closer to him gently with his paws. He licked them like he had seen his sister do, seeing if he could get a better reaction out of them. "Come on little ones. We'll help you."
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Post by Moonblazer on May 28, 2020 8:45:12 GMT -5
“Well. It’s clear by the scents what’s happened here.” Redspring sighed, scenting around while Ashfeather and Willownose inspected the kits. “The mother is...not a variable, anymore. Great Starclan, just what we needed. Motherless kits on the territory.” Her voice was gruff, but her eyes flickered with a hint of sympathy for the kits.
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Post by Frozen on May 28, 2020 13:32:02 GMT -5
Willownose was relieved to see that two of the kits were still alive, but she was worried that they didn't have much longer to live. She flattened her ears. "If we leave them here, they will die."
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Post by Willow on May 28, 2020 16:20:10 GMT -5
Ashfeather looked at Willownose and Redspring “We have to bring them back! They are won’t survive out here and it’s our duty as warriors to protect kits no matter what.”
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Post by Jekyll on May 28, 2020 17:25:48 GMT -5
Maybe they bury the mother and the other three kits together and later on when Flintkit and Condorkit get bigger they can be taken to see the grave and their old den and learn about how they came to the clan?))
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Post by Willow on May 28, 2020 20:24:22 GMT -5
That’s fine jekyll I’m not sure whose going to end up raising them but they can certainly be curious and the queen who does raise them can point them to Ash, Red or Willow)
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Post by 🌙Moonpower🌙 on May 30, 2020 18:43:49 GMT -5
Spiderpaw laid down with a huff of exhaustion from treating everyone's wounds. Echopaw and Leapingdoe were still in conditions that needed watched over, but he needed a moment to rest.
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Post by Moonblazer on May 30, 2020 18:56:33 GMT -5
"Agh...it always has to be difficult, doesn't it?" Redspring sighed, her gruff voice softening ever so slightly as she gazed at the surviving kits. She shook her head. "We'll have to bury them before their scents attract foxes...We can take the kits back to camp too."
Cardinalblaze's tail flicked as he paced, a hint of worry in his eyes. Was ShadowClan doing okay? Had they lost any more clanmates? He worried for his sister and mate as well, missing them both even if he had not been gone all that long.
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Post by 🌙Moonpower🌙 on May 30, 2020 18:58:44 GMT -5
Cliffheart flicked his tail with near impatience. He wanted to get back to ShadowClan and see his mate and kits.
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Post by Willow on May 30, 2020 19:07:53 GMT -5
Ashfeather nodded, extracting the two kits from the nest and placing them nearby in the shelter of a different bush so they could keep them close. Ashfeather took a deep breath before picking up one of the tiny still bodies. The tom felt his heartbreak as the kit barely weighed anything. He said a quick silent prayer to Starclan, he knew these were clancats but they deserved better than this. Moving further away from the bush he began to bury the tiny kit's body. The tom too solemn to speak.
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Post by Foxstar26 on May 30, 2020 19:11:04 GMT -5
Cometblaze sat on top of the cliff, waiting to be ordered something to do. He was digging his claws into the ground, scare of climbing down after he almost fell going up.
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Post by Moonblazer on May 30, 2020 19:20:31 GMT -5
Redspring moved to pick up another of the passed kits, her ears pinned back with revulsion and faint pity. Poor scraps...not even a chance to live. She silently buried the kit beside Ashfeather, paws working into the dirt methodically.
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Post by Willow on May 30, 2020 19:30:44 GMT -5
Ashfeather nodded to Redspring once the kits were buried turning back to the mother's body. "This area will probably smell of fox and blood for days, I hope it doesn't bring anymore tragedies about here." he mewed, glancing over at Willownose and the two remaining kits.
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