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Post by Brindlebriar on Dec 4, 2020 20:46:44 GMT -5
(I figured they could’ve been closer when they were younger or something and lost contact when Pebbles parents moved away🤷🏼♀️)
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Post by ☾ ᴡᴏʟғ ☆ on Dec 4, 2020 20:57:43 GMT -5
[ the kittens without a name beside them are open to claim, as is Mazie's former mate. ]
Kasper - a large handsome white tom with a black spot across one eye and another on his left flank. he has black rings on his thick, feathery tail and long legs. he has huge paws. deep blue eyes.
Snowy - a large pure white tom with black flecks around his muzzle and paws. bright blue eyes. Morning - a white and brown dappled she-cat with a long tail and tufted ears. deep blue eyes. (daisy) Goose - a white tom with large cream patches. he has black underlining his eyes and dark brown toes, ears, and tail-tip. dark green eyes. Aspen - a light cream colored she-cat with black rings around her legs and tail. green eyes. (brindle) Deer - a light brown tom with a cream underbelly and paws, white spots on his hips and cheeks. light blue eyes. (wolf)
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Post by Brindlebriar on Dec 4, 2020 21:10:00 GMT -5
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Post by ☾ ᴡᴏʟғ ☆ on Dec 4, 2020 21:18:59 GMT -5
Discomfort settled within the tom as the question of his origins was brought up. The memories really were painful to think about, crushing almost in their intensity. The violence that he'd seen at the end of his clan... the death. Still, he supposed he owed the she-cat's something. They were keeping him company and Puma was teaching him how to hunt better. "I used to be part of a clan... a ways from here," the tom admitted quietly, his white tipped tail tucking a little closer to his legs, trying to push away the terrible feelings that swirled to life in his stomach. Luckily, Puma diverted the attention to a shrew not too far away, nibbling at a few dried up seeds. Dipping his head to the older feline, Creekpaw lifted his tail, testing the wind. The group was downwind from the rodent, allowing them the element of surprise. The tabby dropped into his hunters crouch, padding closer silently, making sure to keep low and to keep his tail straight out behind him, away from the dry leaves or rustling ferns. He padded as close as he dared, barely taking a breath, his nerves riding high. He really wanted to impress the she-cat this time, it was his nature as an apprentice. Remembering her words, the tom took his time with preparing his pounce, making sure his weight was shifted properly, his blue gaze locked on the shrew. His hind legs propelled him from the ground, Creekpaw going flying through the cold air and landing directly on the prey before quickly snapping it's neck. "I did it," he whispered, mostly to himself, excitement rushing through his stomach. "I did it!" he cheered a little louder, not enough to disturb the other animals in the area, but enough to be heard by the mollies for sure.
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Post by Jademist on Dec 5, 2020 6:01:59 GMT -5
Caylis wachted Creekpaw intently. His stance was very different from the the way she approached hunting. Maybe his ‘clan’ had tought him some moves. She wondered what it would be like to live in a large group. It was no wonder the tom seemed lonely if he came from there. The things she’d heard about clans wasn’t really positive, but that might be because of the other kittypet’s prejudices. She sprang to her paws at Creekpaw’s triumph, losing her train of thoughts. “Oh wow! That’s amazing Creek!” The fluffy she-cat exclaimed, feeling a rush of happiness for the tom. If only she could impress him with her skills. She quickly dimmed down, hoping not to have scared any prey away. Patiently she waited for Puma to guide them to the following lesson.
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Robinbreeze
On vacation till the 27th. Will work on replies when I get back.
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Post by Robinbreeze on Dec 5, 2020 7:42:00 GMT -5
Puma gave Creek a nod of approve, her lips forming a small smile. “That was good, you took your time, concentrated on where you put your paws, and your pounce was precise.” She blinked warm eyes at him before turning and digging a shallow hole, just big enough for the shrew. Motioning for Creek to place the shrew there, she turned back to Caylis. Her tone was soft as she spoke, “Now, it’s your turn. I hope you paid attention to the way Creek moved.” The dusky-brown she-cat trotted over the forest floor, sniffing the air as she went. Soon enough, she caught scent and sight of a sparrow. It would be harder than the shrew and more difficult for Caylis, but it was all that Puma had found and it would be good for their training. “Alright Caylis. The sparrow is going to be a bit harder than the shrew was for Creek because the bird will here the slightest movement and fly away. So you have to be very quiet and time your jump perfectly. Aim for where the bird would go if it flew away, not where it is now. Also, just remember that I don’t expect you to catch the sparrow, so just try your best.” Puma then crouched down, tail wrapping around her paws so it wouldn’t swish on the leaves and nodded encouragement toward Caylis.
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Post by Jademist on Dec 5, 2020 11:37:29 GMT -5
(I won’t be able to be online much tonight ;( But I’ll try to reply when I get the chance!)
Caylis nodded at Puma’s instructions. It was nice to see the more experienced molly soften a bit at the two youngsters. She was glad that she had found these cats. What would’ve happened if she had encountered someone who was hostile? Cats surely seemed to have some prejudices about kittypets. With Puma’s encouragement and Creek’s techniques in the back of her head she started stalking towards where the sparrow sat. She’d caught a bird before but never under the watchful eyes of other cats. It made her a little nervous. The dark colored she-cat made her best effort to silently move towards the feathery creature. As she crept closer a leaf rustled under her paw, which made her jump after the sparrow in the hope he wouldn’t be faster. The bird flew up at the sound and Caylis leapt after it, only managing to hook her claw on a few of it’s wingfeathers. The sparrow flew away, loudly squawking as it went. With a drooped tail she returned to the other two cats, two feathers in her mouth. “I guess this is my dinner.” She smiled lightly, trying to joke over her own disappointment.
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Post by dαιѕy on Dec 5, 2020 12:08:05 GMT -5
"DuskClan?" Ravenpaw echoed aloud, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. At Mazie's confession, the young black she-cat flicked her tail tip, thinking long and hard. She nodded at Elkheart's words, surprised that she didn't find aggression in them. Normally clan cats hated kitty pets, but perhaps they were so desperate for a sign from StarClan that this seemed to be their only hope. "Perhaps StarClan brought all of us here for a reason! I've been out here for moons and haven't seen anyone other than my own kin, so how is it that we all suddenly appeared here?" Excitement flashed in her gaze as she spoke, kneading the ground with the forepaws. She swung her gaze to Mazie, blinking at her thoughtfully. "Did they say anything? Other than coming here, of course? Do-does she miss me? My mother, I mean." Ravenpaw practically choked the words out, feeling more hollow than ever. She needed her mother now, she was still young! She was almost warrior age, and the thought of her never getting her name made her shrink.
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Robinbreeze
On vacation till the 27th. Will work on replies when I get back.
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Post by Robinbreeze on Dec 5, 2020 12:14:12 GMT -5
The dusky-brown she-cat frowned just a bit at Caylis’s failure, but wasn’t trying to put the young feline down. She looked from Caylis to Creek and back again before speaking, “You did good, kitty-pet. Your crouch was good and even though you rustled that lead, you still tried going after that bird. That’s a good habit.” She padded over to the she-cat and placed her tail along her dark shoulders in an effort to comfort her. “Don’t worry, we’ll find something else and we can all share.” Puma suddenly leaped up into a nearby tree, after a surprisingly thick squirrel. It was slow, so Puma quickly grabbed it and killed it with a swift bite. Slowly climbing back down the tree, she called, “Well, we just got lucky!” Reaching the forest floor, she set her squirrel down and settled down beside it.
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Post by Jademist on Dec 5, 2020 12:38:56 GMT -5
( I’ll wait for Wolf to reply to both situations! Also robin, are you already in the discord chat? )
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Post by Jademist on Dec 5, 2020 13:39:18 GMT -5
(Ah okay, we’ll keep you posted!! )
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Post by Brindlebriar on Dec 5, 2020 13:40:57 GMT -5
(where do we want pebble to jump in at?)
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Post by ☾ ᴡᴏʟғ ☆ on Dec 5, 2020 18:10:57 GMT -5
Creekpaw warmed right up at her praise, his eyes lit up with a delight he hadn't felt in moons. This felt like training and made the former apprentice yearn for his past life, when he had an older feline to rely on, someone to guide him. More than one, his clan had raised him to rely on himself but also to know when to lean on others for support. The silver tabby was still so young, he hated being so alone. Puma's words soothed some empty part in his soul, comforting the young tom with it's familiarity. "Thanks!" he mewed, after burying the shrew, looking at both mollies with an openness that hadn't been there before. Eager to see Caylis' attempt, the tom padded after the two and waited patiently while the smokey kitty-pet got into a crouch. He was quietly impressed with the other feline's ability to learn just from watching him hunt before her, the molly's form was actually pretty good. Creekpaw winced when she stepped on a leaf, watching as the sparrow flew away. He'd made enough mistakes and was far from the best hunter, so there was no way he would be laughing or poking fun at Caylis. He did smile at her comment though, amusement glowing in his eyes. "I can share my shrew with you, Caylis?" he offered, but then watched as Puma returned with a squirrel. "That is luck! You must be a great hunter, Puma. Squirrels are really tough to catch but really delicious," he said, letting his tail curl around his paws as he relaxed in the presence of the two she-cats. It was so wonderful to have company again.
»»---------------------►
The mewling of her kittens grew louder for a moment before Mazie hushed them gently, worry settling heavy in her stomach. She needed to find them shelter soon, this cold wind was anything but good for them. Elkheart at least didn't accuse her of lying, that was something. She had sort of expected to be scorned by these wild cats, who clearly had much more experience with these strange dreams and starry cats. Stormclaw quickly excused himself and ran off, which the molly found a bit odd. Though she guessed food was becoming more scarce. Ravenpaw seemed excited and it was almost contagious, spreading a soft smile across Mazie's muzzle. Her green orbs gentled as the young molly asked about her mother, her heart panging for this feline that she barely knew. Still, she was a mother, even if it was a recent experience. She couldn't imagine the pain Ravenpaw must feel. "Yes, she does," there was conviction in her tone now. "Shadowspirit misses you and your sister everyday but she's so proud of you," the queen mewed, earnest in her sincerity. She glanced between the two she-cats and nodded, bracing herself for their criticisms. "And, they did say something else... they- they want me to try and... start again? If that makes sense to either of you?" she mewed quietly. In the next moment she nearly jumped out of her fur at the sound of another voice. She'd let someone sneak up on her! What if it was an enemy! Turning to face the "stranger" she bared her teeth, only to pause as the words and appearance registered. "Pebbles? I-Is that you?" the queen asked, her voice trembling. It had been many moons since she'd last seen her childhood friend. Maybe she had gone crazy.
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Post by Brindlebriar on Dec 5, 2020 18:39:22 GMT -5
(im on my phone so I’m sorry my posts aren’t at nice)
Pebbles sat down loudly, his fur still on edge, a failed attempt at making his kitty-pet self look large and intimidating. His dark yellow eyes were soft. “It’s me.” He mewed, matter of factly. He looked around at the skinny cats that surrounded his old friend, his attention resting on Mazies small little bundles of kits that rested below her tail. “It is way too cold out here for these babies.” He mewed, his words laced with disappointment. Pebbles had a bad habit of seeming arrogant and cocky at times, one of his biggest downfalls. He was really a sweet and light hearted cat once one got to know him better. Seeing it had many moons since he had seen his friend, he was unsure of how to handle the situation that was before him.sniffing the air, he could faintly make out her two-leg smell, but barely. She had been out here for a while. “You still didn’t answer my question...” he mewed, his statement more soft now than moments ago. “Aren’t you hungry?” He mewed. He despised the little hard pellets his two-legs fed him, but they filled his belly enough that he never felt hungry.
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Post by fire on Dec 5, 2020 18:44:39 GMT -5
Stormclaw rushed through the forest blindly, rustling leaves, bushes and grass as he bounded away from the cats near the waterfall. Everything that he had witnessed was far too jarring for the tom; he had been on his own for almost half of his life now, and meeting and befriending cats wasn't something he did often. Add that to the fact that they had shared similar experiences to him, and he couldn't do anything but run away. For some reason, he felt like he was running away from a part of his future, and knew that he'd cross paths with those cats sooner rather than later. A part of him was curious about the group, but he pushed this down and focused on getting a morning meal. With a twitch of embarrassment and irritation, he realized that his running through the forest had probably scared away all the prey sensible enough to run. He'd probably have better luck closer to his part of the forest. Letting his paws guide his way back, he followed the path he had taken to reach this place. As he was walking, he couldn't get the group of cats out of his mind. A rustle of leaves high in one of the trees nearby alerted him to other cats in the area. Silently walking toward the sound, wondering if they were Horde members, he decided it'd be best for him to survey from a vantage point, as he preferred to do. Scrambling up a nearby tree with practiced ease, he looked below and saw three cats situated in a clearing. Two of them seemed to be about apprentice-size, while there was another, a dusky brown she-cat who seemed to be their... Mother? Caregiver? He didn't know, and didn't care. He doubted these cats had anything to do with the Horde; the Horde had ways that they moved and certain actions they did that made Stormclaw recognize how they moved, and these cats seemed much more relaxed than them. He didn't want to scare a couple of innocent cats and infuriate the older one, so after scoping out the situation for another minute or two, he scrambled back down the tree and continued on, letting his paws guide him back to his area of the forest.
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Robinbreeze
On vacation till the 27th. Will work on replies when I get back.
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Post by Robinbreeze on Dec 6, 2020 7:47:34 GMT -5
Smiling at Creek’s praise, Puna bent her head to take a bite before looking back at the young cats. Both of these cats would be vulnerable targets for the Horde, which was the real reason she had taken them under her wing. That group was vicious and, along with the hunting she was already giving them, she wanted to give both Creek and Caylis a better chance by teaching them some fighting moves. But for now, she was enjoying the company of their little sparks; she hadn’t been with other cats in a while. “After we finish our meal, we have to find a den that’s big enough for all of us to sleep. My den would only fit one of us,” she mewed softly, glancing around the forest. Just then, Puma spotted the shadow of a cat, it was moving away from them, but it gave her shivers. She stood up and walked a few paw steps into the forest, hoping for a better view of the cat. Glancing back toward Creek and Caylis, she signaled for them to wait for her and padded after the shadow. “Hey! Who are you?” she called, stopping a few fox-lengths from the black tom.
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Post by Jademist on Dec 6, 2020 8:23:16 GMT -5
Caylis' pelt tingled at Puma's praise, even though her prey had flewn away she was sure the three of them would be alright. More so when Puma managed to catch a nice squirrel in a heartbeat. She smiled at Creekpaw as he offered to share his shrew. It was really kind of him. She could see the tom was starting to open up more and so was Puma. It almost made her feel like she had family, a family where she did fit in. "Thanks Creek. And thank you Puma for helping us out. I'll be the greatest hunter once I've learned everything from you." The smokey she-cat nodded at her suggestion of finding a den for them to sleep in together. They could keep eachother warm. Caylis was alerted by the sudden call of Puma to the black tom. Her fur started to raise in alarm. She was usually very trusting of other cats but she trusted Puma's judgement more then her own.
---------------
Elkheart's hazel colored gaze followed Stormclaw as he rushed away; he might've felt too emotial at their stories. It must've been strange to hear all these things. The cream tom had picked up his gasp as he spoke of Duskclan and he wondered if Stormclan knew anything of his lost clanmates. Maybe he met one of them. Hope started to grow inside of the large tom. Wondering if his family or his apprentice was still wandering around somewhere. He'd shared a great bond with the young tom but along the way they were seperated. He knew he was alive when they fled but he wasn't sure if he still was. The uncertainty of everything prickled his fur. He hoped Stormclaw would return so he could ask him about other cats.
As Stormclaw departed another tom suddenly showed up. He seemed to be an acquaintance of Mazie. Since he didn't seem to be threathening Elkheart decided to stay put and simply gave him a nod in greeting. Nothing could surprise him anymore at this point. His gaze wandered back to Ravenpaw. "I think you're right Ravenpaw. This can't be a coincidence." The tom paused. "Or I don't want to believe it is." It gave him hope, hope of a better future, not being alone anymore and picking his life back up. His ears perked up as Mazie talked about her dream with Starclan. "Start again.." He mumbled, digging in his brain. It did sound familiar to him. He'd heard these words before. As Mazie talked to Pebbles Elkheart moved closer to Mazie and the kits. Sitting down he wrapped his long fluffy tail over the little mewling kittens, making an effort to keep them warm while he thought over Mazie's words. Hopefully he didn't scare Mazie by suddely being so close to her. It felt great to feel the warmth of other cats again.
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Post by Jademist on Dec 6, 2020 10:56:25 GMT -5
( - hopefully this works 😊)
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Post by fire on Dec 6, 2020 11:55:07 GMT -5
Stormclaw paused, stopping in his tracks as he turned around. His eyes settled on the dusky brown she-cat, and he flicked his tail irritably as she asked who he was. He'd run into enough strangers for one day. Now that he'd determined that these cats weren't part of the Horde, he wasn't interested in talking to them. He was better off on his own. "No one," he said. "I'm leaving." He turned around, not sparing another second to see what her reaction would be. His stomach was rumbling now; the lie he'd told earlier about needing to leave to find food was becoming true. His paws rustled leaves on the forest floor as he started to pick up pace. If he stuck around here too long, the she-cat might try to talk to him again.
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Robinbreeze
On vacation till the 27th. Will work on replies when I get back.
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Post by Robinbreeze on Dec 6, 2020 15:47:21 GMT -5
Puma starred after the tom until he was out of sight, not bothering to call out again. When she was sure he was gone and of no threat, she returned to Creek and Caylis who seemed a bit tense. In an attempt to calm them down, she mewed, "He's gone, was probably just passing through. No big deal." Then, she settled back down and took a few more bites of the squirrel. She pushed it toward the two young cats, mewing, "I had that squirrel earlier, so you two can finish the squirrel and the shrew. You look hungry anyway." Pushing the black tom from her mind, she allowed her mind to drift back to find a den. Puma remembered passing by a waterfall the other day, but it hadn't looked like a good place to settle. She had noticed though, a hollowed-out log near the waterfall which would make for a good shelter for the night. "Alright, I think I might know a place for us to settle for now. You two eat and then we can set off."
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Post by dαιѕy on Dec 6, 2020 19:34:03 GMT -5
Ravenpaw felt choked with emotion, nodding her response to Mazie. She hoped Shadowspirit was proud of her, wherever her paws led her. The little black Molly had promised her mom to find their missing clanmates, help rebuild DarkClan, and it was all seeming possible suddenly. At Pebbles' entrance, the apprentice scooted closer to Elkheart, only to have him slither closer to the kitty pets. A soft sigh escaped her lips, blue eyes brimmed with embarrassment. She wasn't a crying kit, she didn't need comforting from these cats, especially since they were strangers. Still, a longing ached in her heart that she couldn't seem to dull. The sound of the mewling kits made her ears twitch, and she snapped out of her trance. "Hi, nice to meet you," she muttered, before turning to Mazie and glancing at the setting sun. "I'd love you two to catch up, but it's about to get freezing out here, we need to find shelter big enough for all of us.." she trailed off and glanced between the three cats.
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Post by ☾ ᴡᴏʟғ ☆ on Dec 7, 2020 14:56:57 GMT -5
The tom shivered as a particularly fierce wind tugged at his thin coat. The sun was beginning to set and their need for shelter was looming over head. Unintentionally, he scooted closer to Caylis, pressing against her smokey flank to share warmth, an action that had been naturally ingrained in him after being raised in a clan. Creekpaw tensed when Puma left them, worried for his newfound companion, but relaxed immediately once she returned again, claiming that the strange feline had passed. Odd that he'd gone so long without sight or scent of another cat here in the forest but suddenly there seemed to be cats falling from the sky. "Thank you," he dipped his head to the older molly, before tucking into the meal, nudging the prey closer to Caylis from time to time. This felt so natural, so comforting. Like sharing-tongues back in Duskclan. His heart ached at the thought. "Shelter sounds great. My coat isn't made for harsh leaf-bares," Creekpaw admitted to the two, feeling a bit sheepish as he did so. He wanted to appear strong and tough, brave even but the truth was, the silver tabby was deeply afraid of freezing to death in out here, all alone. The mere idea of being stranded, without anyone to hear his cries for help as they grew weaker, more desperate. His whole body stiff and growing even colder by the second... a deep shudder went through the young feline. It was terrible.
»»---------------------►
Mazie grew wary as Elkheart drew closer, worried for her kittens. After all, she didn't know them very well at all. She felt the fur along her spine begin to rise, her claws itching to slide out of her paws, but the cream colored tom merely used his tail to help keep her little ones close and warm. Still weary, the young mother nodded her head in thanks before glancing at Pebbles and then at Ravenpaw, who seemed a bit put out. The need to soothe the young feline's pains sprung up in the former kitty-pet with a force that frightened her. The dappled she-cat shivered and cast her own glance at the lowering sun, fear chasing away all other emotions. Her kittens needed food and shelter and as their mother, she had the job of providing it. "Ravenpaw is right, we need to find some shelter..." she mewed, fluffing up her own thick coat against the cold. Mazie cast another glance at Pebbles, almost pleading with her green eyes for the tom to understand, "Yes, I am hungry and cold, but I cannot return to that place." No abuse was worth a full stomach, especially when it endangered the little lives that counted on her. Sure, there was always a risk out in the wild, but back with her housefolk their death wasn't a threat, it was a promise.
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Post by fire on Dec 7, 2020 15:10:13 GMT -5
Stormclaw continued on, putting the cats at the waterfall and the cats in the forest at the back of his mind. While he was curious about the cats at the waterfall, he wasn't sure if he should go back after he just randomly left. Sighing, he scented the air, trying to at least get himself a meal before he began to reflect on all that had happened that day. This had to have been one of the most eventful days he'd had in a long time. Catching the scent of a mouse, he followed it. It led him to a couple of bushes, where he heard a small scuttling sound. Catching sight of the mouse, he got into a hunter's crouch, and crept near the bush, before reaching out quickly with one paw and sinking his claws into it. He killed it with a bite to the neck, and scarfed it down, realizing he was hungrier than he'd thought.
Getting up, he wondered what he should do with his day, and began drifting mindlessly through the forest. The cats at the waterfall came back to him, and he wondered again if he should go back. Maybe he could come up with a half-hearted explanation as to why he'd left. But then, he'd probably have to contribute something to their conversation, in order to seem like part of their group and not just an eavesdropping stranger. He wondered how much he was willing to say. StarClan had visited him as well, and his Clan was ruined just like theirs. But he wasn't sure if he wanted to share information like that with strangers. Stormclaw wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't deny that he felt these cats were connected to him in some strange way, but he didn't want to open up to them either. Once again, whispers of a prophecy he'd been given long ago echoed through his mind, and he climbed into a tree and settled down, trying to remember what had been said.
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Post by Jademist on Dec 7, 2020 15:32:19 GMT -5
Caylis felt warm from the inside as well as the outside as Creekpaw sat closer to her. She enjoyed the company of the other two cats very much after having wandered around alone for a while. She nodded gratefully to Puma, a warm place to sleep would be great. Her fluffy fur had kept her from freezing but as the temperatures started to drop she felt herself getting colder every night. The smokey she-cat fluffed out her fur and shuffled a little closer to the young tom. “Are you cold?” She asked after she had chewed on a bite from the squirrel. It felt great to eat real prey. She couldn’t imagine eating tasteless two-leg food ever again after she had tasted fresh prey from the forest. It was one of the many reasons to seek a better life in the wild. Adventure, freedom and real food that filled her belly. Though she had misjudged how much effort it took to hunt daily.
———
Elkheart had noticed the young feline creeping towards him and felt a pang of guilt for leaving her side. He couldn’t ignore the mewling of the kittens though, they were so vulnerable at this age. Ravenpaw did remind him a little him of his own apprentice but it might be a projection of his loss. He wasn’t sure, his life had felt pretty empty up until today but he was sure Ravenpaw and Stormclaw were pestered with the same feeling. “Ravenpaw is right. Pebble, if you come with us we can all carry one kit and I can carry two.” The large tom suggested, waiting for the other’s before standing up. He kept his fluffy tail over the kits to shelter them from the wind that grew colder with the time. “When we’ve found a place to stay Ravenpaw and I can return here to dig up the leftover prey she caught earlier.” It would be the fastest meal for the hungry queen. They could go hunt again later if needed.
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Post by fire on Dec 8, 2020 14:37:33 GMT -5
Stormclaw stirred. His eye shot open and he looked around him, surveying the landscape he was in with shocked eyes. He had been here before. Sprawling hills rolled away in all directions, and forests dotted the area around him, standing at the edges of the grassy area. In an unconfident voice he called out, "Mistclaw? Pinepelt?" Two forms materialized in front of him; cats with starlight glowing on their pelts. One of them, a black she-cat with green eyes, stepped forward and said, "Welcome, Stormclaw, our son. It's so good to see you again."
Stormclaw could only nod. "I..." he managed to choke out. It had been six moons since he'd seen them. "I've been in the forest like you told me. Waiting for..." His brain drew a blank. "Something. Someone. And I've kept an eye on the Horde as well." His father, Pinepelt, stepped forward. "We've been watching you," he said. His parents' eyes gleamed with approval. "You've done very well. And we're glad you haven't been as violent toward them as you were before." Stormclaw said, "Thank you." He bowed his head. "I did as StarClan wanted me to."
They nodded. "However," Mistclaw said, "that's not what we came here to talk to you about. We came here to remind you of the prophecy we gave you six moons ago. Wait in the forest until the shadows of the lost Clans reveal themselves."
Stormclaw knew immediately what they were talking about. Well, not what, who. The cats at the waterfall. The ones who had claimed to be from destroyed Clans. It explained his sense of attachment to them that he'd felt as soon as he'd me them. StarClan had brought them together, from Clans likely destroyed by the Horde. So... "Our mission must be to destroy the Horde," he said. He searched their eyes for answers, but he found nothing. "The cats at the waterfall, I mean," he added, although they probably knew who he was referring to.
"That's right. Meet with these cats. You all must not only extinguish the Horde but reform a Clan from the lost Clans' ashes," said Pinepelt, his brown fur rippling in the breeze. His green eyes glowed in the twilight.
"Resurrect an entire Clan? But there's only a few of us, plus kits! And how're we supposed to finish off the Horde? We don't even know each other!" He cringed inwardly as he realized he probably sounded like a kit, but he still wanted answers nevertheless.
"You all will find a way," said Mistclaw. Stormclaw saw with shock that their pelts were fading. "Meet with them quickly. They are about to head for shelter. StarClan lights your path." Pinepelt nodded in agreement. "Goodbye, son. We love you. And Stormclaw," he added with a final note. "You may find allies in places you've already seen, besides the waterfall."
Stormclaw's eyes widened as his parents began disappearing in front of him. "Wait! Don't leave me! It's been too long!" He grabbed at the air to no avail; their pelts blended in with the slight breeze until it seemed to wash away any trace of them being there. They were gone. "Wait! Doesn't what I say mean anything?" he asked angrily. "Come ba-"
His eyes shot open. He was still in the tree. Light filtered in through the leaves and dappled his night-sky pelt. The dreams of StarClan came back to him. Immediately he scrambled down the tree and began pounding toward the waterfall, anxious to catch the cats before they left. He didn't care how much noise he made as he went, only that he arrived in time. Leaves scattered through the air as he kicked them up, bushes rustled as prey fled from his loud running. Finally, the waterfall began to come into view. Approaching his "hideout" he had used earlier that morning, he looked at the place he'd last seen the cats, and was relieved to see that they were still there. With a newcomer, he noted with surprise. Slowly, he began to creep out of the forest and revealed himself to them.
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