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Post by aether on Dec 25, 2021 2:07:07 GMT -5
[ it was so hot and humid i've just been sat inside with the AC on all day xD i dream of a white christmas one day!
hope you have a great holiday! C: ]
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Post by parisiansteve on Dec 25, 2021 16:30:23 GMT -5
[ One day for sure!! It is charming in a lot of ways.
In a sad twist of fate, I have contracted the omicron variant of COVID on Christmas Day. Woke up feeling kind of sick and got a test to be responsible and - whaddya know. Feeling a bit down about it; my family and I have been so careful throughout this whole thing, getting all of our vaccines, double-masking, etc. but it seems like this wave is quite the kicker. I'll be on a bit tomorrow and the next day, but taking today to decide what's next. Hope you're all staying safe! <3 ]
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Post by aether on Dec 25, 2021 16:48:45 GMT -5
[ oh no! I'm sorry to hear that :C this variant seems to be so much more catchable. It's spreading like wildfire here, too. Please take care of yourself and don't stress about replies at all! Just rest up, eat chicken soup, and distract yaself with plenty of movies or shows and stuff Cx from what I've heard this variant feels a lot more like a flu than traditional covid for the majority, so fingers crossed it passes by without issues <3 ]
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Post by parisiansteve on Dec 28, 2021 17:58:17 GMT -5
[ thank you so much for your kind words <3 good news, i've been revived! i was a bit out of it fir a few days, but i feel ready to return xD Symptoms were pretty mild but really just laid around and watched TV lmfao
I'm looking forward to writing tonight after dinner! Can't wait to hear about your holidays!! ]
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Post by parisiansteve on Dec 28, 2021 23:37:07 GMT -5
[ okay so it seems i've made a promise i could not keep - i am deeply sorry my friend. I WILL write tomorrow morning! THAT I can guarantee! ]
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Post by aether on Dec 29, 2021 8:38:21 GMT -5
no worries! i'm glad to hear you are feeling more alive now and it wasn't too serious! i was thinkin' about ya, so happy to hear it Cx
i had a pretty quiet christmas honestly, i worked christmas eve and boxing day, as well as the two public holidays after that so i'm pretttttttttttttty buggered xD but i have the next few days off so i'm going to chillax!
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Post by parisiansteve on Dec 29, 2021 11:45:05 GMT -5
[ goodness! Quite a bit of work. I’m glad you have some time off now ^^ The holidays can always be a busy time.
I’m very grateful to my vaccines and booster for keeping the case really mild! The US is just really not handling this situation well at all, so it’s getting scary. I work in a school, too, so I’m luckily on break right now but some of the guideline stuff they’re proposing is really quite freaky. But hey, what else is new I guess! xo
I’ll be around most of the day and writing - hopefully I’ll get them done by this evening (my time) when you’re on! c: ]
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Post by parisiansteve on Dec 29, 2021 21:02:21 GMT -5
[ finishing up my posts tonight! runnin into some trouble adding in Shadethorn creatively, sorry if it's a little rough x.x ]
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Post by parisiansteve on Dec 29, 2021 22:33:47 GMT -5
OAKSTAR, RIVERSTRIKE, SHADETHORN gathering | heronclan and rippleclan | aether
Oakstar nodded slowly along with her counterpart as he listed his team. Her scathing green gaze raked across the celebratory RippleClan warriors, cold with political neutrality. It was sensible, she could admit. Maybe even impressive. She knew of these warriors by name, was privy to their skill and competence. Even Jumpfox, who looked less enthused than his companions, had something valuable to add. She snorted a small, soft laugh at his malcontent with being included on the hunt for Cedarpelt. Despite the diplomacy she had shown for most of the night, her cold and calculating nature couldn’t be held down for long. Jumpfox would have to behave himself now, especially if both she had Jackdawstar would be present throughout the search. The absolution of his guilt was not enough to make her personal hatred of him dissolve completely, no matter how well she masked it.
”Very good,” Oakstar replied, giving the leader a curt nod. ”I will come along, as well. Best to have us both there. Larkstripe will organize some small search parties around camp to see if there are any clues there. Larkstripe?” She paused and trained her gaze on her deputy, sitting dutifully at the base of the overturned monster. He was in conversation with Cedarpelt’s father, Strongwater, about next steps in the search for his son. At the sound of his name, however, he had turned to face Oakstar, looking at her expectantly. ”Perhaps you could organize a few small patrols to search for clues around camp? Maybe get the apprentices involved… it would be good for them to have the practice.” Goosepaw, Thistlepaw, and Fernpaw perked up at the suggestion, each turning to their mentors with surprised elation. Their youthful exuberance sent giddy chatter into the air, mingling with the murmurs of distrust and duty. The sight made the HeronClan leader soften slightly, a small smile dancing over her features, before returning to stoicism. She turned to face Jackdawstar again, her intense gaze fixed to his. ”I will bring Swandance, out best tracker; Stoneleap, our strongest fighter, in case we run into trouble; and Brooksong” – Oakstar cast her gaze out into the sea of pelts until she locked eyes with the warrior – “our all around most competent warrior, I would say.” She briefly narrowed her eyes against the molly’s, her countenance emotionless, despite the accolade she had just awarded. Swandance nodded dutifully to Oakstar, moving closer to the dais to join her leader. Stoneleap followed closely behind, sending an affectionate swipe of his tail over his clanmates’ shoulders.
Riverstrike beamed at her kithood companion and gave her an affectionate nudge toward the dais. Her deep blue gaze shone with pride, a purr rumbling in her chest, but her expression was not without amusement. ”First to hate him, but first to find him, I bet,” she teased. In that moment, she managed to steal another glance at Jackdawstar, standing regally on the dais. The shiver from his earlier look still lingered beneath her pelt. In the midst of the chaos going on with Cedarpelt’s disappearance, the two had not been able to steal away small moments like they used to. Her heart longed for his presence. The love with which she regarded him was tinged by yearning, profound and alive within her.
”Hey, Riverstrike,” The voice of Finchtail shook her from her thoughts. She jumped slightly at his interruption, her pelt raising at her shoulders. The stocky black tom twisted his face in confusion, side-eyeing her briefly. ”Some.. of… us were going to go back to camp and help Larkstripe organize the apprentices into small patrol groups. Wanna come?”
”Oh! Me?” Riverstrike chuckled, hot embarrassment building beneath her pelt. ”Yeah, sure, o-of course! Come on, let’s go!” She licked her chest one to smooth her fur, following the bewildered Finchtail into the ferns. The blue molly cast a lingering look over her shoulder, attempting but failing to catch the leader’s eye before disappearing into the undergrowth.
Oakstar nodded to Jackdawstar to signal she had nothing left to add, sending out a yowl for attention into the allegiances that stood before her. ”We are finished here for tonight,” she started, her voice ringing off of the trees that surrounded them. The sun was nearly in the sky now, its vibrant tendrils threatening to burst over the horizon. The inky night sky had been softened at the edges of the earth, now a deep grey, like wet stone. Dawn was near. ”HeronClan cats, attend to your duties as instructed. RippleClan,” she paused momentarily to turn to Jackdawstar, and then to Bramblefang, as well. "We send you our deepest thanks. Flat Stones, at dawn,” the calico leader gave Jackdawstar a curt nod. "See you there."
A pair of vivid yellow eyes watched from the shadows as Oakstar descended gracefully from the dais. They tracked the HeronClan leader until the ferns leading to Flat Stones closed around her slender frame, and settled after her departure. They traveled, then, to the black tom that remained positioned oh so dutifully atop the overturned monster. Jackdawstar, the unwavering figurehead, so reliable and dependable. He was RippleClan’s saving grace, their heartbeat, their lifeblood. These yellow eyes had seen him rise from promising young warrior to upstanding deputy. They had watched him grow in leaps and bounds to the position he held now. They had watched how his reputation blossomed under the sunlight affections of his clanmates. They had watched him, and watched him, and watched him. So closely, in fact, that they had caught a glimpse of his oh so innocent little… dalliances with a certain pretty young molly from across the river. Night after night, they had followed the stalwart Jackdawstar through the undergrowth of RippleClan territory, around the curving bends of the river border, and right across the Flat Stones, where he headed now with his motley crew of heroes. But leading a search and rescue patrol, he was not. Not the times those yellow eyes had followed him, at least. Those yellow eyes had seen enough, including the moments of affection that Jackdawstar believed he so easily concealed at this emergency Gathering tonight. They had watched as the RippleClan leader longingly gazed at his silver-furred mistress, and how she returned his desperation with force. Those yellow eyes, concealed on the outskirts of the milling sea of cats in the Gathering area, suddenly danced with mischief that simply could no longer be contained. Not appropriately, anyhow, for they belonged to a quiet, sandy tom with a reputation for lurking in the shadows. And now was his chance.
Shadethorn rose from his sitting position nearby Sorrelspots and Rabbitwing, pushing his way into the clearing. He watched as Jackdawstar lept from the dais to convene with his selected warriors. He rolled his eyes and scoffed under his breath. Look at their sycophantic little gazes, he hissed to himself, sauntering past his companions. As if Jackdawstar could give them anything I couldn’t… With a heavy sigh, the tom resigned himself to his fate. He would have to play the merry little game all of the RippleClan warriors did – please the benign oligarchy to wedge his way in. It would be grueling, yes… That was no question. But it would also be worth it… Shadethorn resolved to put his head down for now, complete his due diligence, and wait. Wait for exactly the right moment to strike. |
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Post by parisiansteve on Dec 29, 2021 22:34:24 GMT -5
[ wow okay LONG i am sorry
I'm going to whip up a quick cedarpelt reply and get some snacks xD ]
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Post by aether on Dec 29, 2021 23:07:37 GMT -5
[ waahhh! Shadethorn is spooky xD You've characterized him so well! Looking forward to seeing how it progresses! ]
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Post by parisiansteve on Dec 29, 2021 23:19:40 GMT -5
CEDARPELT
thunderpath | sofie | aether
The trek with Sofie lulled into a rather comfortable silence for the ginger warrior. As the sun sank low into the sky, the lingering heat of the afternoon broke. Gentle breezes buffeted across the landscape that stretched before the journeying cats. They brought comforting scents for Cedarpelt – the distant musk of the forest, the tantalizing presence of nearby prey, even the smell of decaying leaves. It was quite pleasant for the tom, who generally enjoyed the silence. Sofie’s chattering had put him on edge more than he needed during this unwelcome hiatus; the sounds of the forest bathed him in a sense of contentment. For a brief moment in their trek, he felt at peace. He might have even been able to pretend he was alone, if it weren’t for Sofie’s jumps and skips at the skittering of the wildlife that surrounded her. Sometimes he stole a glance at the molly, resisting the urge to scoff with disapproval at her greenness. He secretly hoped that her flightiness meant that she had forgotten his promise to teach her how to hunt before eventually parting ways. All he wanted was to get back home, to feel the comforting marshland envelope him and welcome him back to his kin.
However, his bucolic daydreams were harshly interrupted by the acrid scent of Thunderpath that loomed ahead. The stench slammed into his senses, forcing him to curl his nose alongside Sofie. There seemed to be something he and the kittypet could agree on, for once. The warrior caught her gaze, the sound of her voice filling his ears. His heart sunk nearly to his toes. Of course, she remembered… Despite his annoyance, though, he knew the molly was starving, He could hear the churning of her stomach and the smell the pangs of hunger wafting from her. He averted his emerald eyes, casting his gaze into the small patch of forest behind the molly. He opened his maw to taste the air, sifting through the scent of tar and Twoleg. Sofie was right. There were plenty of prey sounds around them, many of which had seemed to frighten her on their journey over.
There! He picked up the strong scent of vole nearby. “Watch first,” he muttered to his companion, urgency ringing through his words. In a graceful transition, the warrior dropped low to the ground. He slowed his heartrate and regulated his breathing, careful to not let his chest touch the dirt beneath him. Prey can sense heart beats, he made a mental note to tell Sofie. He kept his jaw open just the slightest amount to stay on the trail, his ears swiveling to the detect the rustling of the undergrowth. A flash of dusty brown in his periphery caught Cedarpelt’s attention, and he slowly unsheathed his claws, moving his body forward in a liquid motion, like a running river current. His weather muscles rippled beneath his pelt as he gathered strength to pounce and… Suddenly he flashed forward into the undergrowth, killing the small rodent with a decisive and swift bite to the neck. The warrior emerged from the brush, eyes gleaming with pride, jaws full of dead vole. He placed the animal at Sofie’s paws, before moving back sheepishly. “Why don’t you, uh, have the first bite,” he meowed, fixing his gaze with hers. “I can smell your hunger, almost as strong as the Thunderpath. You can’t learn how to hunt on an empty stomach. And besides, we have to move to a new spot to find something else. Not far, but the animals in this area will have fled.” He managed a small smile, thought it was clear that friendliness was awkward on the tom.
[ thank you my friend cx Yes he's a creep! I was thinking of having him approach Bramblefang first and being all innocent like, "oh how can i help? I would love to get more involved!" especially after the fire and stuff. Like fawning and stuff. I think it would be fun xD ] |
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Post by aether on Dec 30, 2021 8:31:51 GMT -5
 Brooksong
- With - [ RippleClan ; HeronClan ]
- Location - [ Gathering ]
- Tag - [ parisiansteve ]
The praise was said unceremoniously. Oakstar's facial features showed no signs of pride or approval. There was no fanciful reception or moment to admire. The words were simply... stated as fact. Brooksong's eyes rounded with elation at the honour, not expecting to ever hear such words from the leader who was known from being reserved and stoic. Unconsciously she leaned forward, yearning to sit in the praise for a heartbeat longer, but the cats were beginning to stir around her and the moment passed, like sands in the hourglass. Brooksong turned to Riverstrike and found her exhilaration mirrored in the light blue gaze of her companion. There was something about Riverstrike's shared excitement that warmed Brooksong's pelt and the tabby molly found herself purring wordlessly at the jest. Everything she did was often done with Riverstrike - since kithood they had been inseparable friends with each of their personality traits balancing the other. More than dwelling in the moment of praise, she would have preferred to enjoy that moment in the bubble that only she and Riverstrike had. Instead, it burst upon Finchtail's interruption. Brooksong opened her maw to interject, only to have her own name called from the other side of the clearing. Whipping her head she saw Swandance waving her bushy white tail, gesturing for Brooksong to join them. "I-I'll see you at camp-" Glancing back, Riverstrike was already disappearing into the undergrowth, looking in a different direction. We'll talk later, I'm sure. Now wasn't the time to fuss over trivial matters. In a few short bounds, Brooksong joined the chosen cats for the patrol, though a disappointment lingered in her stomach.
 With the plan set in stone, the air seemed to transform from a thunder-crackling tension to one of dutiful business. Each cat seemed to be moving about like ants, apprentices were finding their mentors, chosen cats were huddling together - undoubtedly delighted to be chosen - and others were gathering, preparing to alight back to camp. Although the joint patrols were a buzzing topic, the clan still needed hunting patrols and border patrols; things did not pause for a lost warrior. Looking back to Oakstar one final time as she addressed him, he nodded conscientiously. "Right. Let's do our best to bring him home." His yellow gaze followed the tortoiseshell as she disembarked from the dais, and he followed suit a few heartbeats later.
"Dawn is almost upon us, it'll take some time to get to Flat Stones," Jackdawstar turned his attention to Bramblefang, "take the Clan back to camp. I'll be relying on you more than ever today, Bramblefang." Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jackdawstar's countenance lit up with fondness for his friend, "But that's why I choose you to be deputy. Make sure there's plenty of hunting patrols; Drizzlefur's kits are starting to get the taste for prey now. Should anything happen on the patrol I'll send someone to get you."
Bramblefang needed no more instructions, he grinned at the leader - not senselessly, instead, he radiated with reliability. "Go catch that orange furball so that maybe this whole thing can be put to rest." The two toms shared a brief chuckle, resulting in Jackdawstar nudging Bramblefang's shoulder good-naturedly. Without the need to further the conversation, Bramblefang turned and gathered the remaining clanmates. As they filtered away into the undergrowth, the clearing suddenly felt spacious, the air easier to breath. Finally, the three warriors he'd chosen sat before him. Whiskerflick beamed beside Cloudswirl who was doing better to stay composed whilst Jumpfox twitched his whiskers, ready to set off.
"Let's go."
***
It was no surprise that Whiskerflick was the one to suggest they catch some prey before reaching Flat Stones. With the sky beginning to turn milky white, etches of orange promising a day of heat and sun, each cat managed to catch their own piece of prey and hastily devoured it. "Okay, we don't want to be late." Jackdawstar swiped his tongue over his whiskers and kicked earth over the picked carcass of his meal. The four cats trekked through the undergrowth and soon enough Flat Stones was in sight.
[ Sweet! So we will have the fire happen on this day, and the chaos will ensue Cx ]
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Post by aether on Dec 30, 2021 9:01:16 GMT -5
 Sofie
- With - [ Cedarpelt ]
- Location - [ Outside Twolegplace ]- Tag - [ parisiansteve ]
As strange as it was to admit, Sofie didn't find herself watching Cedarpelt as he slunk away to catch the vole, she was admiring him. Green eyes round, glimmering with wonder, she hardly knew where to look. She bent into her own sloppy crouch and moved her head to follow the tom, taking note of each pawstep, each tail movement, each muscle twitch. Not a single maneuver was meaningless. The concentrated furrow of his brow attested to that fact. However, the sudden burst as he threw himself at the prey made the molly jump and she missed viewing him deliver the final blow as she hastily swiped her tongue over her shoulders to soothe the bristled fur. She wouldn't let him know she'd been startled!
"Good catch!" She smiled at him, raising from her crouched position to be seated. At the sight of the prey dangling in his jaws she felt her stomach cry mercilessly; yearning to be fulfilled. She feared that if she opened her mouth she might drool like a waterfall, as her maw salivated at the thought of fresh prey. I've not eaten something that smelled so nice since Mischief helped me... I don't even know how long ago! The small, crunchy pellets her twolegs left eveyday were lacking in flavor so Sofie ate them sparingly, only when she could no longer stand being hungry. Needless to say, when the vole was dropped at her paws, Sofie looked at Cedarpelt with unhindered surprise. Frankly, she did not hesitate to crouch back down before the vole, "Smell my hunger? You must be hungry too!" Her attempt at being selfless may well not have been made as she already helped herself to a mouthful. The tantalizing taste sent a trill down her spine, making her bushy tail flick and dance at her rear. "It's so good!" Cedarpelt had offered one bite, but she unashamedly helped herself to another.
Before reaching for another bite, she took a moment to thoroughly chew her second. "You were definitely right, I was feeling famished, but this vole is better than anything I've ever eaten!" Her voice rang with a joyous laugh - it seemed at though with delicious food came high spirits.
She craned her neck to inhale another bite but stiffened upon the realization that it was Cedarpelt's prey, not her own. Sheepishly, she tilted her head, "I'm definitely looking forward to catching prey for myself." As she spoke, she nudged the half-eaten vole towards the flame-coloured tom.
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Post by parisiansteve on Dec 30, 2021 15:35:19 GMT -5
[ something funny I noticed with our time difference this morning - I went to sleep and when I woke up, you had posted like about an hour ago. It's so wild and fun to me to think about that xD To me, it looks like you posted at like 9 am sometimes!
Anywho ~ I will work on replied throughout the day today and keep working on Roots stuff, too! ^^ ]
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Post by aether on Dec 30, 2021 18:58:46 GMT -5
Timezones are so funny! Like yesterday you went offline between 4-5pm and I posted my reply at about 1am xD So I guess that would mean now it would be the evening for you, huh? I slept through all your day xD
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Post by parisiansteve on Dec 30, 2021 23:32:52 GMT -5
aether It's so wild! Like right now, it's like, what 3pm ish on Dec 31st for you? It's 11:30 pm on Dec 30th for me here in the States xD That's silly to me! You're almost a whole day ahead of me.
So I ran out of steam on the writing front today with these replies - I'll work on them tomorrow, for sure, and definitely have them up LATEST by Saturday c:
Happy New Year to you and yours! I suppose the next time we're on at the same time, you'll be in 2022 already. Time traveler! xD
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Post by aether on Dec 31, 2021 0:06:57 GMT -5
[ It is definitely pretty crazy! I wish I could be closer to an American timezone though since all my online friends are usually always multiple hours behind me Cx
No problem! With 2 RP's going now it's totally fine to miss posts on one or the other (or both!) when the mental-steam runs out. It's all for fun so no stress at all!
Yeah no doubt! 2022 feels like such a far away number, it's crazy to think it's coming in about 8 hours O.O My plans are to just chillax and play FFXIV with my partner, honestly xD
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Post by parisiansteve on Jan 1, 2022 20:44:53 GMT -5
[ howdy howdy! ^^
Sounds like you had a fabulous New Year's celebration. My boyfriend and I just watched Lord of the Rings xD
I will be working on replies as I'm settling in for bed tonight, but probably won't get to all of them today! ]
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Post by aether on Jan 2, 2022 10:09:08 GMT -5
[ sliding into 2022 in a super chill way with the ones you love is the perfect way to do it IMO x3 all my friends like to go out partying and drinking and getting up to other stuff but the older I get (says the 22 year old going on 80) the more I appreciate enjoying the simple things. Anyways, that's my ramble xD I'm going to bed since it's 2am. ]
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Post by parisiansteve on Jan 2, 2022 12:24:16 GMT -5
[ completely agree with you. I have prematurely aged. I think the pandemic only furthered my introversion and homebody tendencies xD
ALSO I FELL ASLEEP WRITING LAST NIGHT so I will finish replies tonight xD ]
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Post by parisiansteve on Jan 2, 2022 21:38:22 GMT -5
ugh I'm so sorry my friend. I don't know if I'll get anything up for tonight. I've had a tough travel/school/work day and have to get up at 4 am for another tough travel/school/work day tomorrow. I PROMISE I will do my best to get something through. Worst case scenario, I post on Tuesday night (my time). I really am so sorry! Everything happened at once in the last two days, but I am committing to this! aether
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Post by aether on Jan 3, 2022 7:55:14 GMT -5
[ No stress! Even if it takes 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, or longer I'll be here C: Real life stuff is super important and should always take precedence, so focus on that first and foremost! <3 I mean when I left for a whole uni semester you still stuck around so I feel like we are both pretty committed to this thing xD Take care Pari, and relax if you need to! ]
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Post by parisiansteve on Jan 4, 2022 22:15:56 GMT -5
I needed to hear that c’: you’re such a good person, I’m so grateful for your support! I promise that things are calming down. Tomorrow night, I’ll be ready to post a reply! I hope you’re well. I’ve really been missing writing, even in the last few busy days. I’m starting up my semester again so things will be a liiiittle bit busy on my end. But this is such a great creative release for me, so I’ll be back tomorrow and the next night ready to write!
Thank you for always being so kind and understanding my friend <3
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Post by aether on Jan 6, 2022 18:58:56 GMT -5
<3 you are too kind! Work has suddenly picked up for me since we have a small team and my boss just tested positive and then the assistant manager has to get tested because she has symptoms, and the other full timer also needs to get tested too. So there's only me and two other people who know (mostly) how to run the store so we are juggling the full time responsibilities of 3 people PLUS our usual responsibility xD so it's suddenly busy.
Take care! ^U^ I hope things are going well for you!
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Post by parisiansteve on Jan 11, 2022 0:20:54 GMT -5
Oh boy, your work situation :0 I’m so sorry. That sounds so tough. Hopefully you’re feeling alright and people will recover soon. This is such a tough time. I hope you’re finding some time to rest!
My shift is quite short tomorrow and I feel like I’m able to take a break from the onslaught of school, so I’ll be in to reply tomorrow finally! Thank you so much for your patience with me <3 I appreciate you!!!! C:
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Post by aether on Jan 11, 2022 2:57:46 GMT -5
Yeah xD it's starting to quiet down again now, one of the people are back and the others are due back in the next day or two so i will finally be back to my few shifts a week xD
I hope you've been going good! Hopefully you get time to relax for yourself too <3 Cx
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Post by parisiansteve on Jan 13, 2022 18:53:43 GMT -5
YO YO YO reply #1 incoming
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Post by parisiansteve on Jan 13, 2022 19:43:34 GMT -5
OAKSTAR, SWANDANCE & STONELEAP
flat stones | aether | jackdawstar & fam
The morning was unusually hot as the sky split into the brilliant colors of sunrise. A new season was upon them, promising green warmth and brightness. Normally, the wet cold of Newleaf would still be wrapped tightly around the marsh, but their territories now appeared burden by an early spell of acrid summer. Birdsong welcomed the coming morning and mingled nicely with the calming rush of the river that flowed through Flat Stones. Something about the scene stirred Oakstar as the landmark came into view; the feeling was strange. Perhaps it was hope, or appreciation for the unity that had been forged between the rival clans, but she was suspicious of this abundant optimism. She felt the hair on her shoulders raise and the skin beneath her pelt prickle with sudden anxiety. What if this venture was futile? What if they were putting warriors’ lives at risk, for nothing at all? Cedarpelt could truly be gone – forever. It’s not like it hadn’t happened before. A memory took her back to her earliest days in HeronClan when two warriors had gone missing on a routine hunting excursion. The group of four had split up, planning to cover more ground and find new prey deposits. However, a pair never made it to the set meeting point. After countless search parties and even more twisted rumors, the warriors were never seen again. HeronClan was divided over their fate. Some vehemently believed that they had deserted their posts, and chosen to move beyond the marshland to somewhere new. Others floated the idea of capture by the nearby Twolegs, who resided just across the Thunderpath, though that theory was always dismissed as outlandish. Most, however, assumed the worst. Nonetheless, life moved on. The names of the warriors were eventually lost to the march of time, their legacy stamped out by bad prey seasons, inclement weather events, and various political disputes between the two neighboring clans.
Oakstar wondered if the same fate would befall Cedarpelt as she vaulted up onto the stones. Their cool surface stung slightly against her worn paw pads; the past half-moon of trouble had rendered her weary. There was an ache in her joints and a soreness in her side that seemed to persist, despite any remedy Heatherflight tried. The stoic tortoiseshell heaved a light sigh, her intense gaze darkened by the realization of her advancing age. She had already lost seven lives over the course of her leadership. She found herself, recently, clinging desperately to her remaining two, privately racked by fear of any threat to her extended mortality.
It was the voice of Swandance that shook her from her existential wandering. ”I see them coming,” she said in a hushed tone, her grey eyes trained on the rustling undergrowth across the river. The thick-furred white molly buzzed with excitement; Oakstar resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Swandance was young, eager, only barely made a warrior compared to the more experienced cats she had brought along. And yet, she was an exceptionally talented tracker, truly the best among them. Stoneleap followed closely after Swandance, then Brooksong. Emotion seared through Oakstar’s heart. Cedarpelt would certainly be among this group, had it not been for his unfortunate absence.
She quickly swallowed her sadness and raised her tail in greeting to Jackdawstar as he came into sight. ”Good morning,” she greeted him, ducking her head to his warriors in a rather uncharacteristic sign of respect. "Thank you for being here. I thought it might be best to create small patrols of cats from each clan. That way, if either of our group come across Cedarpelt, he will have a familiar face to greet him. I will lead one, and you the other," The tortoiseshell molly lifted herself to a standing position, revealing her unusually tall stature. ”I figured I would have you take Brooksong and Stoneleap. Swandance is a younger warrior and I want her to stay with me for this venture. I will take with me whomever you’re willing to give up.” The leader’s eye glimmered with authority, and then challenge, as her gaze slid over to Jumpfox. Whatever earlier politeness she had assumed melted into her characteristic haughtiness.
***
Meanwhile, deep in the forest nearby RippleClan camp, a patch of undergrowth lay exposed to the harshness of the coming season. Unusually high winds began to pick up, racing through the trees, conjuring arid conditions uncharacteristic of the time. Slowly, the rising sun began to pour its light onto that meaningless patch of land. Temperatures began to rise. The skies grew clearer and clearer of any clouds. And just slightly, the smallest, most unnoticeable plume of smoke began to come to life among the trees….
[OK SO I don’t know if that’s how you were imagining the fire starting, but if not let me know and we can do something different. Though I would throw it out there just in case xD]
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Post by aether on Jan 14, 2022 7:25:46 GMT -5
[ Yay!!!! <3
The fire starting is great, exactly what I had in mind!
I'll my reply up either tomorrow of the day after, depending on how I'm going after work Cx ]
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Nov 21, 2024 15:09:07 GMT -5
Nov 21, 2024 15:09:07 GMT -5
