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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 10, 2020 1:36:46 GMT -5
Here is our thread!
Plot: A rogue pack of cats have their sights set upon one of the lake clans' territory. They have been plotting to overtake the territory and drive the clan cats out. The rogue pack's plans are ramping up as they grow close to the execution of their plans.
Within these plans, a cat is meant to infiltrate the clan, grow close to them and gather as much information as possible. Rowan is not meant to do anymore than gather information and prepare his rogue pack to strike at the weakest parts of the clan. Of course, his rogue pack doesn't expect that he will start to fall for one of these loyal, strong clan cats.
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The Rogue pack:
The clan:
Chasmclan Leader: GINGERSTAR- A cream colored molly with light green eyes. Reserved, diligent, Stubborn. Deputy: QUAILPAD- A gray muscular tom with amber eyes. Alert, Hard-working, Quick tempered. Medicine Cat: WHITESPARK- A white long furred molly with amber eyes. Caring, Disorderly, Busy. APPRENTICE:SHADEPAW
Warriors: CROWCLAW- a short haired, black mackerel tabby tom, with amber eyes. Weak-willed, Cheerful, Clever. SHADOWNOSE- a black classic tabby tom, with short fur, and green eyes. Fast-paced, Consistent, Conscienceless. ROOKSTORM- a short haired, black she-cat, with copper eyes. Thorough, Self-assured, Unhappy SNOWMASK - gray she-cat with lighter chest, face, and paws.Insensitive and Traditional BRAVETHORN - dark brown tabby tom with pointy ears. Unsympathetic, Self-critical, Action-oriented. APPRENTICE:WETPAWCOPPERSNOW - light tortoiseshell she-cat with a scar on their face. Friendly, breezy, Gullible. SWEETFERN - light tortoiseshell she-cat with long, fluffy fur. Motherly, Truthful, Imaginative. APPRENTICE: ASHPAW
HAYFLAME - Cream tom with amber eyes. Family Orientated, Boastful, Messy. MISTYGLOW- white she-cat with green eyes. Peace-maker, Insecure, Sincere. ☾ѕησσzє☽: SOFTCHIRP- Cream molly with green eyes. Trusting, Sympathetic, Opionated. Apprentices: WETPAW - black and white she-cat. Complacent, Approachable, Obnoxious. ASHPAW- Gray tom. Fast-paced, A poor team worker, Easy-going. SHADEPAW - brown tabby she-cat.Committed, Humble, Inactive. Queens/kits: ASHENDREAM- pale tortoiseshell molly with blue eyes.Bad mannered, Compassionate, Thorough. SPARKLIGHT- Cream molly with green eyes.{Mother to Duskkit, Flowerkit, and Longkit}. Rude, Traditional and Group-dependent. Elders: SPLASHTAIL - silvery gray tom.Possessive and Harsh KESTRELFROST - brown and white tabby tom.Unsentimental and Selfless SKYWATCHER - Black she-cat with a painful burnt scar. Dramatic, Reluctant. Relationships:ParentsGingerstar is mother to Hayflame, Softchirp, and Sparklight. Skywatcher and Splashtail kit’s are Crowclaw, Rookstorm, Shadownose. Kestrelfrost is father to Bravethorn and Shadepaw. Sweetfern and Quailpad kit’s are Coppersnow and Ashendream. Shadownose and Mystyglow are parents to Wetpaw. Snowmask and Quailpad’s kit is Ashpaw. MatesQuailpad and Snowmask are mates. Splashtail and Skywatcher are mates. Bravethorn and Sparklight are mates. Ashendream and Hayflame are mates.
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 10, 2020 2:16:07 GMT -5
I've got it now please wait as I take an eternity to roll a rogue pack... x.x
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 10, 2020 2:24:22 GMT -5
(Sure as long as you are okay with that!)
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 10, 2020 2:58:10 GMT -5
(Sure! Just to help you, let's assume my rogue has a convenient injury that he needs healed and thus he is loitering in the clan's territory!)
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 10, 2020 3:29:13 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Strange cat ♦𝔹𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣
↦↦✿↤↤
Softchirp had only just awoken, her eyes adjusting to the dim sunlight in the den. She could already tell all the other warriors had left to their own duties, what time of day was it? She couldn't tell from her position, she was facing away from the entrance. As she had noted before, Sunlight was pouring into the den but it wasn't strong due to the woven branches. A soft sigh escaped her, Gingerstar would most certainly be on her case soon about oversleeping. No kit of mine will make me look a fool to the rest of the clan! Her mother's voice rang in her ears. She quickly brought herself up and turned to leave the den. Oh no, the sun is actually shining brightly outside. Gingerstar will have certainly realized I am not among the rest of the cats in the clearing. Her tail drooped as she squeezed her way outside, voices reaching her ears now. She kept herself small, trying to slip past the eyes of any cats.
"You're finally awake." A molly's voice called out from far away, she slowly turned and lifted her head to meet the eyes of the leader. The rest of the clan seemed to stop talking at this moment too, watching them intently. Yay, your daily gossip about me will begin soon it seems. Without being called over, she began her trek over. She noted Quailpad was looking smug sitting beside Gingerstar. She wanted to swipe his muzzle right then but she knew it would only give more punishment for her. "What took you so long, you went to the Warrior's den at the same time of everyone else." Her mother scolded, voice barely breaking above a whisper as she tried to hide her anger from the rest. Softchirp tried to think of an excuse to give but her mind drew a blank. "Of course, no excuses. Well get ready, you're going on a patrol with Hayflame, Shadownose, and Snowmask. Maybe your littermate can teach you a thing or two about being a warrior."
After she thought Gingerstar was done, she pulled away and began to make her way to the fresh-kill pile, she was hungry. Last night she had gone without a meal since she had been out too long to get any prey. A throat cleared, she sheepishly looked back to Gingerstar whose look said it all. You can eat after you finish your patrol. A soft hmph rang in her own throat, a warrior was no good with no energy but it appeared she would have to hold off even longer. She quickly found her brother standing by the exit of camp with the other warriors. Hayflame looked at her with pity while the other two seemed to be trying to look anywhere but at her. When she found herself next to them, they gestured for her to quickly follow, no words exchanged. The molly didn't even attempt to make small talk, welcoming the silence in the patrol. The silence was short lived though as Hayflame fell back to walk beside her.
"Why do you wish to anger Gingerstar all the time?" He asked, tail draping over her back in comfort. Softchirp refrained from letting out an angry hum, it wasn't like she went out of her way to be on her bad side! Gingerstar was always harsh on her kits, trying to hide any favoritism but Softchirp was on a whole new level, it was as if Gingerstar didn't even want to acknowledge she was part of the leader's lineage! Instead of answering the question, the small molly pulled away and walked on her own. As they contiued their trek, a scent hit her nose very clearly. Rabbit...can I sneak off and hunt it? The three cats were now ahead of her, all lost in their own conversation. She quickly stopped and watched as they continued on ahead without her. Sometimes being paired up with warriors who don't care for me is a blessing from Starclan themselves! Once their shapes were far enough away, she began her pursuit of the prey. It didn't taste too far away...she could catch it and be back in the graces of her mother. It would be so simple...she thought but the rabbit was far away and downwind. It would most certainly notice her before she even had a chance to grow nearer. Don't let that stop you!
She crouched down and slipped throw the grass, watching intently as it munched on something she couldn't see. When she felt close enough, she took off in a sprint after it. It began to towards the border, her quick on it's paws. She took a chance and leaped into the air onto it's back, sending them both rolling around. It gave a sharp kick to her stomach but she ignored it as she bit down on it's neck. It squirmed only a bit longer before giving up and relaxing in the warrior's jaw. Pride washed over her pelt as she stood back up, shaking her pelt. She was about to make her way back to the patrol when movement on the edge of the border caught her eye. Is that a cat? She dropped the rabbit and approached cautiously, trying to size up the cat before her.
"Hey, who are you?"
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 10, 2020 9:01:58 GMT -5
The dark brown tom-cat padded through what seemed to be the border into the clan's territory, only having a rough sense of exactly where it was. These clan cats were so obsessed with every hair-length of territory and yet he found it difficult to place exactly where one of the clans started and the other one stopped. This wasn't helped by the rumors of how often they seemed to be fighting each other, reportedly for more hair-lengths of the territory. It was a weird way to do things, and he much preferred the coherent and orderly rogue pack. Every cat knew who was in charge, who to obey, and there weren't questions or fights about what belonged to who. One orderly pack was so much better.
Of course, it was growing harder to manage the growing rogue pack with only the territory they had. The little corner of twolegplace, made up of a middling number of human nests and abandoned human places which the cats had taken to, was becoming too small to host the number of rogues that had seen it as wise to place themselves on the rogue pack's good side. It was a sign of success, really, to flourish in this way and have such a problem--but it meant they needed something larger, and the closest clan to the humans' place seemed the most logical. Of course, some members of their group had sensibly mentioned that the other clans would likely not welcome this takeover, but...he wasn't worried about that right now. They would take this clan with their superior numbers and they could deal with what came next at that point.
"We're counting on you, Rowan." The sweet voice of Ebony drifted back through his mind, leaving a stupid smile on his face for a few seconds though there wasn't anyone to see it. Even as she gashed his pelt open to make his insertion here seem credible, he had hung on Ebony's every word as she repeated how important this all was to them and doted on how important a role he played. "I'll miss you terribly, dear, though I know what you're doing is so important, and when you come back with all the information we need, I'll be right here." Even having only just left, Rowan knew he would be gone for awhile, and he already missed the sweet chime of her voice, the traces of jasmine one could catch from her scent.
He was brought back to reality by the sting of his side. She had got him good, and though he knew it needed to look bad for him to have any chance of infiltrating these cats, he couldn't help but lament how well she had cut his side. His side was becoming stained with blood more quickly than he realized it was going to, and he realized it would soon be leaving a trail. Swallowing anxiously, realizing he needed to hurry up and get caught, he increased his pace a little despite the protest of his wound.
When he first saw the approaching cat, he pretended not to notice, shifting his gaze downwards towards his paws while keeping an eye on the horizon as he saw the cat catch a rabbit, making the task look quite easy. Then, the cat seemed to finally notice him. He kept padding forward until the cat called out to him, bringing him to a stop as Rowan finally looked up, warily sizing the cat up as she addressed him.
Not too fast, take it bit by bit, He reminded himself as the cat seemed cautious of him--of course, she was alone, so that made sense. He arched his back somewhat at her, fluffing his fur up and making himself appear like he was trying to be threatening, without really achieving it. "L-leave me be," He called out, a shake to his voice. "I-I'm just moving through. I was..." He gulped as he saw the tension in the warrior, the uncertainty about the foreign-smelling tom-cat roaming her territory. "...they chased me out. T-they gave me this..." He let his back settle a little, then adjusted his body to show his wounded side. "J-just let me get through your place, please..." he pleaded, though in reality he knew how fiercely protective of their space the clan cats were. Any threat to their territory couldn't just be allowed to move through unchecked. If he could avoid getting chased out of here, he knew she would bring him right to her clan.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 10, 2020 19:24:58 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝔹𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣
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She took a quick look at the wound he was showing, trying to not let the panic in her surface. This cat did appear alone and hurt, wasn't it true a good warrior wouldn't let a helpless cat die? She could tell his battle stance wasn't exactly one to be intimidated by, surely she could fight him off if he did pose a threat to their territory. She took a small breath, taking a few small steps closers so she could thoroughly inspect the wound on his side. She didn't have much medicine cat knowledge, only the basics given to each cat of the clans. It was still bleeding, she'd have to at least grab some cobwebs to stop it before she let him any further, the trail of blood would alert any of his attackers to his whereabouts. This would cause trouble for Chasmclan later if she did let him pass.
"Don't be scared, I can help you. Your wound is still bleeding, if you are to come any further I would like to stop that so it doesn't leave your.." stench. "smell all over the territory." Signaling for him to stop, Softchirp made her way further into her territory, sniffing around for any herbs that may help. Sometimes cobwebs would grow here, she just needed to find them. After a few more heartbeats of searching, she nosed her way right into one. Holding back a sneeze, she carefully pulled it away from her muzzle. It was decently sized, maybe it would be enough but she'd just have to risk it. She didn't want to leave him alone for any longer than needed. Turning back around, she made her way over to where she last saw him.
"Here, let me see your wound. I may be able to stop the bleeding." A sudden thought entered her head, Hayflame and the rest of the patrol would be well on their way over here before she knew it. What if they choose to attack this cat? It would be an unfair fight even if there was only one of them. Pressing the thoughts back down, she went about dressing his wound.
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 10, 2020 21:05:55 GMT -5
Rowan was...surprised. His story seemed to reach the warrior almost immediately, which just didn't match the stories that he had heard since he was a young cat. The rogue pack had plenty of tales of encounters with the clan cats, and, well...Softchirp was receptive to his story, almost immediately displaying an empathy that, honestly, took the rogue's deceptive display off guard. He wasn't ready for her to accept his story so readily, and she seemed prepared to help him almost immediately. It didn't match in any way the stories that he had heard, and in some way it made him a little nervous--was she trying to fool him? To get him into a vulnerable position?
He couldn't protest as she told him she wanted to gather something to treat the wound for the sake of covering his scent. Rowan lowered himself towards the ground as he gazed towards the clan cat, trying to hide the surprised from his face as he gazed towards her. "T-thanks..." He stammered, half from deception, half from genuine appreciation for her empathy. It was....something he wasn't used to experiencing.
He didn't leave as she headed off to find whatever she was speaking of, taking this time to reorient himself to selling the story as well as he could. When Softchirp returned to him, he focused on her, and tried to suppress any display of hostility as she made an effort to draw closer to him. "I-I can't believe you are..." he murmured quietly. It wasn't a lie like his story--a clan cat taking her own resources to heal his wound was something Ebony never would have imagined happening. "T-thank you...I appreciate it." He mewed as he looked up at her. He knew his role was to continue to play her, but he couldn't forget this display of empathy, something that felt so foreign to him from anyone other than his own Ebony.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 11, 2020 18:34:06 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝔹𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣
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She looked him over once more, feeling satisfied with the looks of the wound now. She gave a small purr at his thanks, taking a step back. "I wouldn't think much of it, I'd hope if I was hurt a stranger would do the same." She was about to say more when she saw a flicker of cream out of the corner of her eyes, great. She let a low sigh out and waited for Hayflame to come bounding over. He arrived in a few short strides, looking between the two of them.
"Who is this, Softchirp?" The tom asked, he didn't sound angry but she could see the two cats behind him were. Their fur was bristling at the sight of an intruder, waiting for Hayflame to give a signal of attack. Softchirp quickly stood between them and the tom, turning her chin up to give her the appearance of being larger than she actually was. Hayflame, of course, seemed unphased by her movements still standing there and sizing up the cat.
"He was hurt, I think we should take him Whitespark to see if she has anything that could heal him." Snowmask and Shadownose finally turned their focus on her, looking at her like she had sprouted a second head. Her brother didn't seem too convinced either, scoffing at her. "I'm serious, he's not a threat to our clan. Look at him, he's hurt and doesn't look like he could even take you on, let alone all four of us." The cream tom gave him one more look over, before giving a begrudging now.
"Very well, Softchirp. You want to get on Gingerstar's bad side again? You're welcome to. Shadownose, Snowmask, go behind him." The two warriors were quick to take up behind him, tails lashing as they gave him a hard shove to move forward. Softchirp was about to say something when she bit her tongue. Fighting them on being too rough wasn't going to ease the tensions surrounding them now.
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 11, 2020 19:09:24 GMT -5
Rowan plastered half a smile on his face as Softchirp told him she hoped another cat would do the same. From where he was standing, it seemed like a quick way to get oneself ambushed, and while he appreciated the depths of her empathy, as he stared at her he wondered how long she was going to make it when the inevitable invasion occurred.
Then he was the one to look a fool as he realized too late that several cats had grown remarkably close without him even noticing--so much for being the ambusher. His hackles raised as he saw how angry the rear cats looked, and he quickly stepped back, knowing he needed to play this out while his instincts were yowling at him that this was quickly going to turn more dangerous for him. They didn't seem to be any bit as hospitable as Softchirp was trying to be.
He sucked in a quiet breath as Softchirp maneuvered between them, the tension hanging around the five cats palpable and dangerous. He dared not turn away, expecting one of the cats to spring past their clanmate if he did so; but his wound was starting to sting a little more than it had been and he wondered why Ebony had cut it so widely. Oh, rat-dung...This wound is going to knock me out before these cats even have the chance. It was a dramatic exaggeration; the wound wasn't that bad, but it sure hurt and he didn't want it getting infected and leaving him dead in these cats' paws.
He released the breath in a quiet and relieved sigh as the second-calmest of the warriors finally conceded to bringing him back. He tried to tell his gaze as the two warriors maneuvered, but it disippated completely as they gave him a hard shove which made him have to correct and bend awkwardly to keep from tumbling over his own paws. "Gahh!" He winced loudly as his wound shot pain through him like fire, and he tried to quickly get back to a normal standing position and weather the hurt. Hissing quietly to himself, he avoided glaring back at the two cats, certain they wanted a reason to flay him alive.
He prepared to fall in step, whether behind Softchirp or Hayflame, trying to keep up and avoiding getting a stinging reminder that he was essentially a prisoner now with another shove. In his own head he started cursing that he had to be in this situation.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 11, 2020 19:58:15 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝔹𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣
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Softchirp shot the tom a look of sympathy before continuing forward beside her brother. As they began to walk back, she remembered her rabbit. Breaking away, she raced to where she had left it and picked it up. It smelled so good she could just eat it right then and there...but she couldn't. She knew the other clan cats would be even more furious to watch her chow down on the prey before returning it to camp. Her tail swung low as she rejoined the group in silence, no words of praise shot her way for the great catch. It didn't bug her though, this was to be expected after she forced them to bring back the outsider. Hopefully this prey will be good enough to convince Gingerstar we should keep him in camp. She could see the clan's camp ahead, dipping deep into the earth so they could watch for any intruders above. She let her paws guide her down the side of the camp. She could hear Shadownose and Snowmask arguing behind her over who would get to tell Gingerstar about the new cat. You should both know Hayflame will take the lead on that one. She couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy, it wasn't fair that Hayflame was the more liked out of the three littermates. She couldn't dwell on these feelings long, reaching the bottom of the slope and falling behind as he went to get Gingerstar. She left for only a short bit, putting her rabbit on top of the prey pile then returning to the others.
"I'm telling you, we shoulda tossed him over the side!" Snowmask grunted, ignoring the fact that the cat they were speaking of was right beside them. Softchirp pushed the two lightly aside, sitting beside the tom now. She couldn't imagine how it felt to be in unfamiliar land like this and hearing the cats talk about ways to rid themselves of him already. He only just stepped his paws inside the camp!
"Gingerstar will handle him, she probably will send him off with his tail between his legs!" Shadownose purred, practically bouncing in his spot. Did the clan really have nothing more exciting than a hurt cat? She brushed her tail over his good side, pressing her muzzle to his ear in comfort.
"Ignore them, Snowmask and Shadownose have always been more hostile than most." She whispered before quickly moving away, she could hear her mother approaching even from her. The leader's cream fur shining ever so lightly in the sunlight making her look even more leader like than normal. Softchirp tried to keep her head high as she caught eyes with her. Their staring contest was short lived as Gingerstar turned to Rowan, narrowing her eyes into slits as she looked him over. After a few heartbeats of silence, she finally spoke up.
"He's no more of a threat to us than a rabbit, send him to Whitespark to get fixed up." Softchirp's muscles relaxed, she didn't even realize how tense she was. It was all good now though, he would be treated and be back on his feet quicker than he would have out in the open like he was. "Softchirp. He may be harmless as is, but as long as he remains in our camp he's your responsibility. He needs food? Better get to catching. Nest is too old? Find bedding. I don't want to hear your arguments, you made this decision as soon as you chose to bring him here."
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 11, 2020 21:36:26 GMT -5
Rowan was holding his tongue the whole way back to the camp, feeling a slight alarm rising within him as Softchirp padded away to retrieve her catch--leaving him padding along with two cats who seemed ready to skin him and one he couldn't quite place. But she returned rather quickly and he was still alive, and he felt like he could relax the slightest bit.
Any ease he felt evaporated as they approached and padded through the entrance to the camp. His eyes widened as he saw the number of cats in the camp, trying to get a quick count as he scanned around him. He would need to catalogue that information.
Rowan's mouth dropped agape as Gingerstar made herself known in the camp, the sun shining brilliantly upon her pelt and displaying the regality of her rank without a doubt. There is no doubt--that must be their leader. She looks... The rogue couldn't hide the awe from his face. His leader looked strong and competent, but this cat...she put Rowan's leader to shame.
He gulped as the leader passed her judgement of him, knowing he wasn't in any shape to argue with anything that Gingerstar decided. Perhaps it was just being surrounded by so many foreign cats, but he was experiencing a rush of fear staring up at Softchirp's leader. When she called that he would be allowed to stay, he sighed quietly with relief, and additionally, when she proclaimed that Softchirp would have full responsibility for taking care of him, he couldn't help but feel a little more safe than moments before.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 12, 2020 8:37:27 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝔹𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣
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After her mother turned and left, she flicked her tail against the tom's shoulder. "Come on, let's get you to Whitespark." She stood up, making her way to the medicine cat's den. As they padded in silence, a though hit her. "I just realized, I don't believe I never caught your name." She gave an awkward chuckle, feeling silly for not even asking him for his name. Things happened so quickly she wasn't sure if she would have even had a chance when they first met. Her ears went down once more, it was quiet foolish to take him in without even knowing his name. But a true warrior always helps those in need. She repeated to herself, she had done a good deed why did it feel so bad?
Probably because I'm stuck watching this cat now, on top of all my other duties I'm basically their own personal servant. She tried to remain neutral as she walked inside Whitespark's den, the medicine cat was back in her herb store it sounded but Shadepaw was out front and center.
"I heard what happened! You're really a rogue?" Shadepaw's eyes were wide with amazement and Softchirp had to hold back a bitter remark. Rogues are dangerous, this cat barely looks like it could hurt a fly. She left the two alone so she could get the actual medicine cat and not her apprentice. As she approached the back, the scent of herbs wafted up her nose causing it to scrunch up. How a medicine cat can live with these smells was beyond her. Whitespark was hard at work, barely looking up when she had entered. She cleared her throat to get the attention of her, hoping that would suffice. Back in the medicine cat's den, Shadepaw had begun her onslaught of questioning.
"Who hurt you? Was it a badger? It doesn't look like a badger, more like a cat. Oooo Did you hurt the cat? Did you win? Probably not since you need our help, huh?"
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 12, 2020 15:26:16 GMT -5
Rowan nodded in affirmation as she flicked him with her tail and he turned to follow her towards the medicine cat's den. He turned his gaze to focus on her face as she mentioned that she hadn't even asked his name, and he chuckled as he mused to himself that that was true. So eager to help that you didn't even stop to wonder who I was? The smile on his face would look to those out of his head to be a humorous reaction to her comment, but he was truly wondering if many of the clan cats were like this one. Certainly not the warriors to had escorted him from behind--they were harder and suspicious. But cats like this, he knew, were easy to play.
"No, you didn't," He said after chuckling. "My name is Rowan." He had argued back in his pack that there was no strategic purpose to hiding his name. The clans weren't going to know the names of cats from far out of their own territory and he wasn't going to be recognized. "It's a pleasure to meet you, by the way," He chuckled again, thinking to himself that this was the only cat so far who had tried to help him. "Your friends there would have skinned me alive without you."
Shadepaw had a different sort of energy that took him off guard, like she was about to bounce into the sky with excitement, apparently at seeing him. "Uhh...I..." He had to reorient himself from not getting flayed by warriors to a cat who was too curious to be scared of him. Doesn't that get cats killed? "If a rogue means...I live in my own place, and not in one of the clans, then yes..." His ears twitched as a slight smile remained plastered on his face. This apprentice had no fear and didn't seem to understand tact, but he didn't grow offended by the curiosity. Such was youth.
"Well it...no it wasn't a b-...yes it was a cat a-..." He bit his lip, looking up to try to catch Softchirp's attention, but it seemed she had disappeared through the den, and he was all on his own. He inhaled a breath through his nostrils and released it through his mouth, letting the cat get all of her questions out before he continued responding. "I was in a fight with another cat. I just happened to run into one of the cats who won't just wave their tail at you and let you on your way. And, well, I don't know if I'd say I won..." He went along with her witty analysis of his wound. "I'd say we tied. She is pretty hurt too," He shrugged. Ebony's voice echoed in his head. "Aww...I'm really going to miss my personal fur groomer. I'll have to get up to get my own prey now...Life will be so much harder without you." Trying to keep his smile from widening as he thought of the she-cat lamenting his absence.
"But this might get a little bit worse, if uhh....I let it sit too much longer." He raised an eyebrow at the apprentice, wondering if this was the end of her onslaught or if she would have a sea of follow-up questions since he had been so open to answering her first six questions.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 13, 2020 1:19:50 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝔹𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣
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Shadepaw certainly looked like more questions were about to come spilling out, still in awe at this stranger standing before her. It wasn't everyday she saw an unfamiliar face and she wanted to learn as much as she could about the outside world. Her father always told her that outsiders were to be feared, savages. This cat looked harmless to her though, well he could probably take her on but he definitely wouldn't be a match for a cat of say...Quailpad's size.
Finally, Softchirp returned with the medicine cat in tow. A bundle of herbs was in her mouth as she calmly walked over, shooing Shadepaw to the side as she began her work. Softchirp looked over to the apprentice, noting her wide eyes in amazement. Hopefully she didn't chat his ear off too much, should I apologize? I know Shadepaw's...a bit much sometimes. The soft ginger she-cat weaved her way around Whitespark to the other side of Rowan, dipping her head back into his ear so she could give her apologies without offending the brown tabby she-cat.
"Apologies for her, I hope it wasn't too bad." She pulled back and let Whitespark work away, watching as she went about her work applying different herbs. "How's it looking, Whitespark? Is he going to be okay?" She tried to hide the concern in her mew, it would be quiet sad to go through all this effort for him to just pass away from his wounds.
"He'll be fine, I'm sure of it. Just needs a few days of nothing too strenuous and he will be back on his paws in no time." The white molly had pulled away now, examining her work for a moment before gesturing for Shadepaw to come closer. If this was any other scenario, Softchirp would laugh at how close she needed to be to see the fixed up wound. "Shadepaw, you're breathing onto his wound, back away." Sheepishly, she backed up and looked at her mentor.
"Can he stay in here? I wanna know moreeee" She dragged on the end, pleading with wide eyes. Whitespark gave an unreadable look to Rowan, her eyes scanning him up and down. She didn't seem to convinced, probably not wanting some stranger to be in the way of her work.
"No, I don't think he can. I'd rather not have more bodies in here than needed." Softchirp suddenly remembered she'd have to get him a nest, but where would it go? He couldn't just sleep among the warriors. If he slept outside he'd risk getting rained on..what to do. She could put his nest in the corner of camp that remained unused for the time being, usually it was used for overflow in the Warrior's den but they were lacking in that department. The den had sat empty since she was a kit. Wait will I have to move in there too? Someone has to watch him but I like where my nest is...
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 13, 2020 12:55:59 GMT -5
Rowan gave the quietest sigh of relief, grateful for the return of Softchirp with the clan's medicine cat just in time to save him, when it seemed Shadepaw wasn't going to relent and hadn't caught his subtle hint that he might want to get the wound taken care of. Note to self: Be blunt with this one. It seemed the life of these cats didn't take them out much. He wondered how one could handle such seclusion every day of their life. It certainly seemed that Shadepaw had an ache to see some of the rest of the world.
His eyes widened a bit as the medicine cat pushed the apprentice aside and got to work on him without a work, pressing the wound with several things he didn't recognize and leaving him to wince and sting in pain. He leaned his head closer to Softchirp as he noticed her drawing just a bit closer, and he took in her apology without much of a visual reaction.
"Hmm...well, I know she's never seen a badger before, because I wouldn't be here if I'd fought one of those. It sounds like she's dying to explore more than her corner of the world." He decided to be rather candid with his observation even though the cat was young and seemed to be responsible for similar things as the cat who was treating him now. She probably wasn't supposed to go anywhere on her own, if he had to guess. "But she wasn't a problem. Thank you." He wanted to end with grace; he certainly didn't want to make it out like the apprentice had annoyed him. The last thing that he needed was to make Softchirp think he found the apprentice annoying and leave him with one less potential friend in this hostile territory.
Rowan had to give a quiet sigh as the medicine cat reported his state. It was still a relief to hear that he was going to get better regardless of him having been pretty certain of it anyways. Padding through the Clan territory on his own, he had been growing worried it would start to worsen, but the medicine cat sounded confident he would recover quickly.
Of course, he was reminded then of his mission. If he was expected to be healed in just a few days, it was probable that he was going to have to find a way to secure his stay for longer. A few days was not going to be enough for their purposes. Maybe if I agitate the wound, I could-
His thoughts were cut off as the apprentice nearly buried her muzzle in his side to get a look at the wound, his pelt prickling with a little bit of discomfort as he sat still, not liking being the object of so much examination. He didn't like being in the spotlight of so many cats; it was good he wasn't taking a look around to see how many cats were watching him.
The apprentice might have been more curious than anything else, but the medicine cat read as flatly suspicious of him and left no doubt that this place still wasn't going to be welcoming. He sighed quietly with a glance at Shadepaw, noting whether she looked disappointed or resigned. Maybe I could win some favor with her by offering to share more later. Whitespark though, it seemed, had no interest. That was a barrier he wasn't sure he could break.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 16, 2020 8:26:35 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝔹𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣
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Softchirp left his side once more, retreating deeper in the medicine cat's den for some moss nest, she knew Whitespark kept some extras in case the apprentice's didn't want to go hauling it across the territory. She was quick to grab a piece, gesturing with her tail for Rowan to follow her out of the medicine cat's den.
"I will be by later today to check on your wounds, remember nothing too strenuous while they heal." Whitespark commented, turning back around and whisking her apprentice to the herb part of the den. Once outside, Softchirp began her way over the spare warrior's den, tail flicking behind her absentmindedly. She was almost to it when Quailpad made his appearance finally. He gave a small look to the tom with her, tail fluffing up in hostility before returning to look at Softchirp, refusing to acknowledge her companion anymore than his hostility.
"Why are you only carrying one nest? Do you think we will let him sleep alone?" His voice was suggesting a challenge, obviously wanting Softchirp to fight him on this. Her eyes went down, she knew this would happen but still a part of her hoped she would still be sleeping in her own den. The spare warrior's den was more windy at this point in time, not being taken care of by anyone since it was deemed unneeded. Instead of giving an answer, she brushed past the gray deputy and into the den, hoping Rowan would be quick behind her but he was stopped by the deputy, his fur now ruffled from the blatant disregard Softchirp given him. "You. Don't think you're welcomed here, if Softchirp wasn't the leader's daughter you would be out in the territory bleeding away, dying." He grunted, taking his leave finally.
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 16, 2020 12:56:25 GMT -5
Softchirp was out and signaling at him before he knew it, and Rowan was about to turn and follow right away when he stopped himself for a moment. "Bye," He softly mewed to Shadepaw, before turning back to Softchirp to scurry after her and fall in step beside her just a couple pawsteps behind. He didn't want Shadepaw to think he minded her questions, and he certainly could use a cat who was so interested in his life out of the clans' territories if he ever needed something.
He would have to hope he got the chance to talk to the apprentice again to try and become more of a friend. Once he did that, hopefully, he would start to be generally less disdained by these cats. He was jarred from his thoughts as Quailpad appeared, bushing up in hostility at the sight of him. He fought to keep his hackles from raising, not wanting to reciprocate and appear to be matching a threat.
As he heard Softchirp hurrying into the den he caught the point and tried to scurry in quickly after her, but the deputy was fast to get in his way, and sucking in a breath and holding it he met Quailpad's gaze, saying nothing before Quailpad reminded him just how lucky he was to have been encountered by the daughter of Gingerstar. He frowned, but he showed little more physical reaction than that, keeping his calm and cool in the face of this hostility. There was the clan cats he had heard about. They weren't all great and the tales must have had some truth to them.
Once Quailpad took his leave, Rowan entered the den behind Softchirp, muttering some inaudible curse to himself before looking up at Softchirp and opening his maw. "Some friend you've got there," He mewed quietly, with a fake note of cheeriness to it. He didn't want to push the warrior's buttons, but he wasn't looking forward to a pawful of days under the scrutiny and hostility of many of these cats.
He looked around the den, taking in the state that it was in and giving a quiet sigh. His voice lost any drip of irritation from when he spoke before, as he commented on its state. "I guess I couldn't expect a padded bed," He commented wistfully, noting the holes and breaches where the cold was certain to slip through and make his rest a cold affair. So much for nothing strenuous. I'll be tossing, turning, and shivering all night.
Then he remembered what Quailpad had just said, and he realized she was going to have to endure the cold as well. Because of bringing him back. A rush of guilt spread across his pelt making it prickle uncomfortably, and he felt bad both for his first comment, and for getting her in this situation at all. He had a mission to do, but how Softchirp had treated him so far had activated his ability to be empathetic in return. His mouth parted halfway, he tried to think of some apology that could suffice for the comfort she was going to be losing, but no sufficient words came to him, and he stood looking stupid for a few more seconds.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 17, 2020 11:18:59 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕊𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕟
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A bitter laugh escaped before she had time to stop it, busying herself with the placement of his nest. It would need to be in at least a decent place near the back of the den, she began to tuck it in the most covered spot, working her paws over the fallen pieces of den to smooth it out. She wouldn't consider Quailpad a friend, the furthest thing from it actually but she didn't want to involve the stranger in her own problems. It wasn't his fault the clan was hard on her. Nope, just the perks of my birth.
"We aren't really friends, he's just the deputy. I wouldn't concern yourself with his words or many of the other warriors. They're pretty harmless most of the time. I've just taken to letting it brush off my back." She turned her head back to look at him, offering him a small purr before turning back around. "As for the den, I can fix it up I'm sure. It's seen worse conditions, one time it rained so hard the camp had at least a mouse tail length of water inside it." She mused, remembering the days of her youth fondly. Back then she was just adored by the clan, her little quirks and need to help those around her admired. The oversleeping was still a problem but it seems everyone assumed she would grow out of it. Finally, the nest was deemed good enough for her and she took a few paw steps backwards to examine it. "I hope this is a decent place for it, I can bring mine in later tonight. No point in hurrying you around the clan, huh?" She laughed once more but this one was more genuine.
Her stomach was still hungry, giving a testing growl to her. She would need to eat soon but it could wait, she had plenty of her own questions brimming in her mind about the stranger. Now would be the perfect time for her too, the clan was more interested in their own duties for the time being and they were far enough away in the den to not be overheard. She tried to think of where to begin, she didn't wanna come across as the same as Shadepaw but the tom was a mystery to her. She had only encountered maybe two cats outside the clan in her time and each one had little to say to her.
"So did you know we were a clan? Or were you just lucky to stumble upon a group like ours?"
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 17, 2020 12:18:46 GMT -5
Rowan watched with interest as she did her best to weave something that would provide him with at least some modicum of comfort, wondering to himself how much he was going to need to thank her for before all of this was over. He listened to her and was surprised to hear that she got enough of this hostility, or something similar to it, to learn how to handle it effectively. His gaze showed his uncertainty as she turned to offer him a purr, and he let his thoughts spill from his mouth.
Well, that doesn't make a lot of sense," He mewed, thinking about how much she had been helping him. "You've been nothing but kind to me, and I can assume you've tried the same with your clanmates. Why would they treat you like that?" In truth, it wasn't very different in his own rogue group--cats mostly kept to themselves, as suspicion had to be the name of their lives when other groups were increasing in strength and mounting pressure on them. But a cat like this didn't deserve that to be the default, he felt certain of that.
With a bit of a chill down his spine he replayed in his mind Quailpad telling him he'd be dying out on the territory if things went his way. Perhaps he shouldn't be so surprised that they were that way with her. At least the leader had evaluated him as no more threatening than a rabbit in his wounded condition--that was something for him. But Softchirp would have to deal with it daily if she got grief from her own clanmates.
He marveled as she told him how high the water had reached in the den. "Okay, well, all the same, I'm going to go all Quailpad on you if it gets flooded when I'm sleeping in it, okay?" He mewed with humor dripping in his voice, unable to keep a smile off of his face as he said it.
He took her question in as she voiced a milder curiosity about him and from where he came. His grin stayed plastered on his face and he chuckled on top of it. "Well, Shadepaw," Playful mocking was clear in his mew as he turned to look at the nest she had fixed up for him. "Is it okay if I settle down for a minute? My side still hurts," He tested the nest for a moment, unfamiliar with how it felt and surprised by its softness, he stepped fully onto it and gently settled down on his left, uninjured side, curling his tail around his underbelly and settling down in a half-relaxed posture. Always protect your underbelly, no matter how much you trust the cat next to you. His mother's simple words rang in his head as he settled down.
"Actually, I had heard stories before. You're nothing like the cats in those stories," He simply mewed, not saying anything more about the savagery he had heard in the tales as a kitten. "I knew that...well...you clan cats lived in this direction, but honestly, I was just looking for something to stop the bleeding when you stumbled on me." He delivered his lie with total coolness, not blinking as he gazed up at the she-cat.
"I'm not saying I believe every story I hear, but it is better to be safer with an injury like mine, which is why I just asked you to let me move forward," He quietly mewed, averting his gaze for a moment and gazing out of the den for a few seconds, before his gaze returned to her. She had truly surprised him when she basically wouldn't let him go without helping him. Not only had it made his job much easier, but it had made him think about the stories versus what he was hearing from the cat in front of him at the time. "It could have gone a lot worse for me if you hadn't found me," He remarked upon the obvious.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 17, 2020 12:58:55 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕊𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕟
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His own question prodded her mind, making her take a step back to think. It was certainly a bit weird to an outsider that she would be trusted as such by her clan. Though, to her, it was normal. A fact of life, nothing more or less. She tried to find the right words but her mind failed her right now. Eventually, she began to speak "I think it's normal, to be quiet honest with you. I am held to higher expectations here, Gingerstar being my mother and all. I tend to fall behind my brother though, whether it's waking up too late or being deemed to soft to those outside the clan." She gave a sheepish look to him, trying not to offend. She thought he was wonderful so far but the clan had their own reserves of course. His next comment caused her to give him a playful bat with her paws on his good side, she didn't think the den would fill with water but it would be amusing to see him try and act like Quailpad.
She bowed her head finally, letting him take his spot in the nest. Her ears were burning now though, embarrassed to be compared to someone much younger than her but it would have to do for now. She knew he was teasing but it wasn't really a desire for her to come across as the apprentice. Upon answering her question though, more spilled into her mind. Her whiskers twitched for a few moments before she settled herself down near him, laying directly in front of. He looked funny from here to her. He seemed a bit surprised by the nest but she just chalked it up to it being new, loners had their own nests didn't they? Or did they just sleep where they landed? That didn't sound too comfortable to her. She couldn't imagine sleeping on the ground she was laying, she would be restless all night and still exhausted the next morning.
"I won't lie, yes it may have been much worse for you if I hadn't been the one to stumble upon you. Hayflame has a bit of sense to him but he has kits in the clan. I don't think he'd be so willing to let you cross into our territory. As for the other two bumbling mouse-brains with us, they wouldn't have hesitated to fight you. They tend to claw first, ask questions later." A sudden sense of dread hit her, her clan was quiet hostile to outsiders but she never played it much mind. It wasn't like she had found any injured ones before or spoke to them long enough to realize they too were cats trying to survive. Having one sit before her, pleasant as can be, made her feel regret to the ones who had crossed paths with the other warriors. They may have been in similar situations as him, she wouldn't know. She only heard stories from when the patrol arrived back to camp and they always painted it as defending the territory against some treacherous being. "So you're a loner or rogue or whatever, huh? That must be a bit difficult, right? Not having cats to depend on. My clan might be a bit rude to me but I don't think I could survive without them, they helped fix wounds on me, gave me food and shelter when I couldn't do it myself. "
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 17, 2020 13:41:08 GMT -5
"Well, that's dumb," Rowan didn't waste any time protesting Softchirp's rationalization of how she was treated. "You're just a cat too. Just because you were born to a special cat doesn't mean cats should look down on every mistake you make with extra scorn," It wouldn't be right to say he didn't believe it, but Rowan was certainly trying to play into her good side.
Of course, it wasn't even too different in his home. The kittens of the leader were assumed to be the next leaders, and thus they received all of the weight, judgement, and expectations that came with the post, even before they understand its gravity. Too soft to those outside the clan. Her words echoed in his head, and he tried not to bite his lip without success. "So the normal is attacking any cat who steps a paw in your land?" There was a bit of judgement that he couldn't hold back as he asked the clan cat about something that, unbeknownst to him, was a part of their Code.
Rowan watched her closely as Softchirp settled down right in front of him, his gaze almost unblinking and intense as she did so. It might not be visible on his face, but he was still trying to read her. He would never settle down so closely to a cat he had just met. Then again, perhaps in the safety of one of these camps, things were different than in the more cutthroat expanse of the city.
He sighed quietly as Softchirp answered his question by explaining how the various cats probably would have handled him if they had encountered them instead of her. He was realizing how doomed his mission could have been if any of the other cats had found him, and he silently thanked whatever had caused her to encounter him. His leader would have had his throat if he ruined this for the group. He decided not to push her anymore on the standard hostility that they displayed. Of course, he looked like he had encountered the same thing beforepaw, and he needed to be careful to remember that.
He had to start being very cautious as she asked him about his life more specifically. "Not every cat living in the city would claw my pelt off. Most will just watch you to see if you're a threat, and won't bother you if you pass on." It was true in the rogue group--most cats didn't bother each other if others didn't bother them. Though they were a group, it was more in the sense of being obedient to the leader as long as they kept everyone under control. But he couldn't hint at being part of a concrete group.
"There's one cat I can always rely on if I need her," He quietly mewed, thinking of Ebony with a slightly wistful taste to his tone. But besides that, he didn't really have any cat watching his back. He was normally unnoticeable, unimportant, and that was really why he had been picked for this. "But...being alone isn't easy." He cast his glance out of the den again, the slightest bit of envy at being in this clan coming through his voice. "And you're right--wounds can be a real problem when you're alone. If I passed out..." He bit his lip, not wanting to continue speaking down that path of logic.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 18, 2020 23:04:24 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕊𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕟
↦↦✿↤↤
"Well being the kit of our leader can sometimes bring a positive. Hayflame is held in a positive light and quiet possibly one of the most liked cats in the clan. He wouldn't be as noticed if he was just your average warrior." She mused, flicking her tail absentmindedly. She didn't think it was the worse thing in the world to be Gingerstar's kit. She certainly cared for her mom deeply and felt she needed to defend her clan now. She did mess up quiet a bit, like not waking up till midday most days or messing up a catch that even an apprentice could get. When he brought up his own life, her ears perked up once more. When he brought a cat he missed, her heart fell. She didn't realize he would have a friend, was his friend waiting for him?
"Well hey, you're here now. It might not seem very safe, but I promise you the clan will keep you comfortable. They may seem kind of rude but deep down they would lay down their lives for the cats inside our walls." She purred, still feeling slight pride of the cats she grew up around. "Your wound will heal and you'll be back at it before you know it..." It suddenly hit her that the tom would be leaving some time, most likely soon too. She didn't really want him to go, so far his company had been welcoming for her. It wasn't everyday she could speak to someone and they not give her a scowl. She tuned those thoughts out, she still had more questions for him.
"So you mentioned the city, what's that like? Like what do you eat in the city? I can't imagine there's rabbits running around." She teased, she never had been in the city but she was sure it was nothing like her own daily life. "Is it busy there? Lots of cats?"
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 18, 2020 23:58:06 GMT -5
Rowan didn't allow himself to show any visual reaction when she spoke of the 'benefits' of being the leader's kit. Frankly, it left him feeling a little sour--What a life. You just have to be born to the right one and everything is laid at your paws.--He bitterly thought to himself as he wondered if Hayflame would survive the clawings he'd have to go through to reach the higher ranks, even if he was born to the leader.
Still, he tried not to let any of this show, perhaps just leaving a bit of an awkward silence for a few moments between the two of them. He needed to keep those thoughts to himself. He had to be careful. "He sounds like a lucky cat," He carefully murmured in response. "I don't know why you would deserve any less."
He took in a deep breath as she promised he would be safe here. He had to admit that the camp--it looked secure, the cats inside were strong and seemed to be prepared for threats. He had to imagine that it would make a good base for them and that it could serve well--if they could handle being in such tight quarters with so little space. He tried to count in his head the number of cats who were loosely a part of the group--at least, those who would obey an order if the leader happened to be near. It took him a few moments, but he starting losing count around thirty. He wondered how the camp was going to fit that many.
You'll be back at it before you know it. Her words echoed in his head and he couldn't help but let his smile widen a little bit. "All thanks to you." He quietly murmured, though he shyly averted his gaze and looked out of the den again. Never too soon. She had just saved him--gratitude had to be pawed out gradually to keep unsuspecting cats interested. That was the game.
He felt the slightest twinge of guilt, the way he had to play the only cat who was being nice to him so far. Have to do it for the group. I'll be on the run forever otherwise. His eyes glazed over slightly, and he lingered in his mind as she was asking him about the city. He didn't care that much if he met his end. What did he have that was worth much anyways. Ebony. They'll kill Ebony if I fail.
He sucked in a breath and quickly refocused his gaze on her, his eyes returning to their normal brightness; it was clear he had been in something of a moment, though perhaps he was simply thinking on the city. "Oh, um...Well, yeah. There are plenty of cats. Y'know, lots of luxurious cats live happy in their little gardens with the inside spaces where they sleep. I never was for that life, though." He shook his head. "The city is really big, and you can get lost really easily if you aren't careful. And if your go into the wrong part of the city..." He left it there, letting the ominous effect of his silence deliver the message. "I lost a brother. He wandered into m-...uhh...some other cats' territory. Apparently there was a group of them. He...they left him there." Rowan sat there just a couple seconds, thinking back to that trip with his brother.
He suddenly jumped up a little, trying to perk up. "Wow, I let that get glum, huh? They aren't all like that, of course. There are some really nice cats. I bet you could talk to almost any of the cats in those gardens. Maybe they'll hiss at you at first, but they're a bunch of softies, if you're just nice." He blinked at her slowly, his light amber eyes shining. "You're pretty good at that. I bet you could teach it to some of your friends here, too." He winked at her, though he didn't really foresee many of these cats taking a more positive perspective of him.
"Oh, uhh...food. Right. Umm..." He shrugged slightly. "Lots of rats, I guess. Hard to find much more. Umm...Occassionally a bird lands close enough and I'll snatch that up. A good treat. O-oh, and..." Rowan's mouth started watering and his gaze drifted slightly up, slowly, as he remembered a catch he had made quite a while ago. "D-duck..." He whispered. "Duck is so delicious." He seemed to be reliving his catch as he sat there, staring up stupidly near the roof of the den.
Then he blinked and his gaze came back down to her. "But you've asked me a bunch of questions now. It's my turn!" He stretched his leg to playfully bat her shoulder as she had bat his belly. "What do you eat here? How much do you get out? I can't imagine you can stay cooped up in this tiny place all the time." He took a slow breath, really noticing in this moment how fresh the air was. "Oh, but the air is so clean..." He mewed quietly. "D...do you live near w-...water?" His mom had always told him that clean air always came in from the water, before the big dumb creatures used it all up with whatever they did in the big houses.
Well, and...he hadn't ever seen water. A real body of it. His wonderlust might have been creeping onto his face a little.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 20, 2020 4:55:13 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕊𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕟
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"Well he may be considered lucky I suppose, he inherits our mother's strength and our father's size." She joked, their father had been a large cat she heard, she never met him of course but the stories made him seem like a good cat. Apparently, Hayflame looked almost exactly like him. She quickly shift once more, it wasn't like she hadn't thought she deserved the same but deep down she knew her brother was better than her. "I don't think he and I deserve the same treatment. He is more reliable than me, I tend to oversleep as I've mentioned and I'm not always the best in hunting or border patrols." She felt weird telling this to a stranger, especially since she didn't really discuss this with others.
When he began in on his own life, she listened intently. Her eyes wide with wonder at the thought of cats living outside her borders. It seemed like a rough life, he had lost a brother to it. She couldn't imagine the pain of that, if Hayflame was to pass away she would be devastated or even Sparklight, her sister who she wasn't super close to. She tried to picture herself outside her clan, roughing it in this so called 'city'. "I'm sorry your brother met such a horrible fate..." She trailed off, she could technically relate in a way she supposed. "My father passed away before we were old enough to remember him, it was a horrible thing...According to the stories I've been told it was a fight against some foxes who had made one our borders their home." She flicked her tail, trying to recall more details but her mind failed her. She could only remember bits and pieces of the story, no one really spoke of her father after she had become an apprentice.
She gave a welcome to the subject change, it was nice to not dwell on the past emotions. At the mention of what prey laid there, she scrunched up her nose. Rat didn't sound very good to her, it was a last resort for herself and many others. Why did he continue to live there if things seemed rather...bad was beyond her. She wasn't about to question him about that though, it wasn't her place to bring up how horrible it sounded.
"Oh..hmm. " His own questions made her think, there was lots to eat here but she couldn't just list all the birds that showed up in the fresh-kill pile. "We have several birds, a few mice here and there, and rabbit. It's the clan favorite, rabbit that is. Have you ever tried it? I can get us some later probably, you'll love it! As for if we have any water near our territory, we do. You just ended up on the wrong side of the border. The water is on the opposite side, not too far of a walk. If you're feeling better soon maybe I can show y-" She cut herself off, clamping her mouth shut. He wouldn't stay after he was healed, he couldn't. The clan would want him gone as soon as the wounds showed signs of improvement. It brought a bit of sadness to her, they had just met but she never spoke to anyone in the clan like she did him. She felt comfortable in his presence. She quickly changed the subject, trying to forget the embarrassment now filling her. "I don't think I've mentioned this to you, I have a sister in the clan too. Sparklight, she's a queen. Uh that means, expecting kits by the way, don't know if your terms are the same as ours"
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 20, 2020 12:50:58 GMT -5
Rowan had to smile as she described the traits Hayflame inherited, and he let his own tension about inheriting such things go as she joked about it. He needed not to seem at all hostile, after all. "A powerful combination, I'm sure," his eyes glinted thoughtfully. "Remind me that I can't go Quailpad on him." His smile widened and he kept his gaze fixed on her.
He gave a sigh as she expressed her apologies for his loss, about to thank you when she started speaking of her own father. He slowly inhaled and watched her intently, taking in the details she had been told and his eyes widening as she said he had supposedly been lost to foxes. "Oh, my..." He sighed again quietly. At this point his weird posture changed a little, his tail slipping from being pasted against his underbelly and falling to the floor as he relaxed his shoulders a little and leaned forward, just a little closer to her. "Losing a parent is really hard, but...you can't even remember him. That's a special type of gap in your heart." He mewed quietly, solemnly. The complexity of such emotions were difficult to contend with, and he certainly didn't hear a lot about them in his hostile and suspicious home. The chance even to express sympathies was an attractive chance to him, and he leaped upon it, even if it kept the conversation on more dismal topics.
As their conversation returned to the everyday life, Rowan tried to place a smile on his face, though he still felt the weight of both of their losses on his spirits. He wouldn't normally share any of this with an outside cat, let alone a stranger from a clan he was meant to spy upon, but for the moment...it was making satisfying conversation. She will...not like when my group comes, and she learns what I am... He kept this thought hidden behind his drawn smile.
He marveled at all the different food they got to enjoy. "Holy...holy misty breath of the ancestors, that is a lot of different types of food. Several birds? Well...yeah, I guess that'd make sense, being you have an open space here that's a little more friendly to birds than the city." He was pondering all of the prey when she mentioned the water. His eyes began lighting up as the cat starting offering to show him where the water was, but as she abruptly shut her mouth he suddenly realized that he was supposed to be like a prisoner in here, and his hopes of seeing a body of water for the first time were crushed underpaw. His face likely showed his lament as he cast his gaze down at his paws, trying to recover from the surge of excitement and its subsequent loss.
"Oh, that's great. We say they're preparing to mother." He lifted his gaze from his paws, hoping the sadness was gone from his eyes. "So you're going to be the playful and cool sibling of the parents, right? The one who sneaks them just a few pawsteps out of your camp, and they adore you and always want to be around you?" He mused jokingly, wondering what it was like to get to see a sibling have kits. "Really, I hope so," He murmured quietly. "I don't even know where any of my other siblings are. If you aren't taken away from them, you should enjoy their presence in your life while you can," It was a sentiment that was sweet in its own way, hinting at him not having much in the city, but it almost seemed to hide a note of ominousness to it, like he believed such treats could be gone at any moment. It was held in a strange tone behind his words, and it didn't match how he had been speaking with her before.
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Non-binary
☾ѕησσzє☽
no im not okay, I suck at a game I play 8 hours a day
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Post by ☾ѕησσzє☽ on Apr 24, 2020 5:13:45 GMT -5
»𝕊𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕡 ♦𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 Shadowkit 's Rowan ♦𝕊𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕟
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"He would certainly be quiet the foe to treat that way." She purred, flicking her tail. "I recall once in our youth, Sparklight and I decided to put a fire ant in his nest. We were only apprentices at the time but he still managed to take us both on afterwards." She put her head to the side, as though trying to pop her neck. "Hurt for a while afterwards and we all got put on elder duty, taking care of their nest and their ticks." She tried to remember her days as an apprentice, when she and her siblings got along better and felt it was them against the world. Funny how time changes those things. She brought herself back to the real world rather quickly, trying to keep up with conversation.
"I guess you can say that, though honestly it might hurt worse to know him and have lost him. It's not like I won't see him again anyways, he's watching and waiting for us in Starclan." She suddenly remembered he didn't know what Starclan even was, how strange. "Starclan is where us clan cats go when we die if we were good in our life. I believe my father is resting there, he has to be. He was quiet the warrior I heard." She couldn't help her purring as she tried to picture a flame colored tom standing strong in the middle of the clan. He had to be special enough for Gingerstar to fall for him, her mother was quiet hard headed.
"Oh, it is quiet a lot of prey! I always thought as a kit I wouldn't be able to try it all but over the seasons I've been able to. I'll try to bring you a bird you haven't tried, I'm sure I can find one." She hesistated now, remembering the mention of water. She wanted to show it to him so bad, she wanted him to be able to see it. "Hey...when you're somewhat healed, let's sneak out and look at it together, the clan won't miss me." She teased, head bent low towards him as if it was possible for the other clan cats to hear them. She quickly brought it back when she realized how close she was to him, heat rising to her ears in embarrassment. She could scent the city on him from how close she was, at least she assumed it was the city it was unfamiliar to her.
"I will try but I feel like Sparklight or Bravethorn will have my ears if they caught me taking them out of camp. I will be sure to give them plenty of badger rides though. Those are when a cat lets the kits ride on their back." She added, she needed to remember he wasn't a typical clan mate. The terms they used would differ from his own. "I'm sorry about the city life though, I couldn't imagine being taken away from my siblings. They may be quiet annoying at times but they are my family."
Her stomach gave off another loud growl, telling her she better eat soon. "Hey, do you want me to get you one of those birds now? We can share it. I have to go grab my nest anyways."
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 24, 2020 8:22:30 GMT -5
Rowan raised his eyebrows and stared at Sparklight with a slightly agape jaw as he pictured the fallout from the fire ant. “I can’t decide if that was incredibly brave of you two, or incredibly stupid, but either way, he must be something special in a fight.” No, really though...I won’t be the one fighting him by any means. A frown replaced his smile for a moment and he looked away, trying to push the thought of fighting out of his head, trying not to provoke her to ask him what was going through his mind.
He tilted his head at her opinion, feeling differently than her. “I barely remember my mother and never knew my father, which...I guess I’ve never really had to mourn either of them...” it wasn’t the happiest thought to him, but he was trying to understand the way that she might be looking at it. Still, he wished he could have had a parent at his side at least for some time, to show him to survive.
He blinked at her incredulously as she described a place that they all went after. It was a foreign idea to him and probably drew the most uncertain reaction from him, as he didn’t understand how she knew that or what that place would be. He had never heard of something like it; in the city, if you died, you were gone. Seems kind of fantasy-like. He kept his thought to himself, guessing it wasn't the right thing for him to interrogate, not this early on at least. "That would be nice, so you could meet him some day," He cautiously mewed, though he tried to bring a glint of humor back to his voice as he opened his mouth.
"Though, I hope you don't intend to join him any time soon. I still need protection from Hayflame, and Quailpad, and those two grouches from outside," He lowered his head closer to the floor of the den, making himself look smaller in front of her. "How could I ever defend myself from them on my lonesome?" He put anxiety in his words, but the grin that was back on his face showed the mock nature of it.
His smile widened as she mentioned bringing him a bird he didn't know, about to thank her for the offer when he noticed a hesitation in her gaze. His smile faded and he kept himself quiet while she thought until she spoke up again. He took in a breath, having to take a moment to recognize she seemed serious even as she teased a bit at the end. He raised an eyebrow, about to jump back with a tease that bordered on being flirty, when she suddenly pulled away. He could see the embarrassment in her expression, and as he realized he might be making her uncomfortable, embarrassment flushed through his pelt as well as he realized how close he had pulled, and he carefully stopped leaning in towards her, feeling a bit guilty for how he'd made her feel. "A-are you sure? You shouldn't r..." He awkwardly cleared his throat, stammering now to get the words out. "...risk your pelt for my sake. I mean, what is Gingerstar going to think of that?" He quietly doubted the proposition as much as he was burning to just say yes.
He listening to her speaking a bit more about her sibling's kits, wondering what that had to look like. A kit grasping on for dear life on a grown cat's back? It sounded like it would be entertaining to watch. He finally looked at her again, trying to forget his embarrassment as she offered him another apology. "Please, stop apologizing," He murmured quietly. "It isn't like any of this is your fault."
He was happy at the prospect of getting a bird to eat, and he nodded briefly. "That sounds great, Softchirp. Do you need help? You've already done so much for me, I hate to keep taking up every moment of your time attending to me." He mewed sheepishly, trying not to let his embarrassment show itself in his words or his face.
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