Post by Dark Sun on Aug 21, 2021 9:47:36 GMT -5
So I just wrote a piece last night. It is very rare for that metaphorical rainbow of inspiration to erupt from my head, so I knew I had to take advantage of it. Lol. It involved a SkyClan patrol taking my OC, a ShadowClan warrior by the name of Ghosttail, to their camp as prisoner after he accidentally crossed their border. I cannot decide if Leafstar would eventually see him in a prisoner den of some sorts or even in her own leader's den. At one point during a brief conversation between the pair she wonders out loud why the other Clans are so violent. Ghosttail, being a master wordsmith and a surprisingly wise and reasonable character, attempts to answer her question the best he could. He meowed in response,
"I have a question for you, Leafstar. What is a Clan?"
After she reluctantly answers his question Ghosttail continues.
"A very reasonable answer. Now when you look outside of your den each morning, what do you see? You see your Clanmates down below sharing tongues, joining patrols, laughing, sharing conversation. We have achieved so much, all five of our Clans, and yet not much has ultimately changed at all. Even with the privileges we all share - faith in StarClan, trust and practice in the Warrior Code, Clanmates to rely on for support, even for those that are incapable of pulling their own weight like elders and kits - it is still all a matter of survival. Those that do not share what some of us might sometimes take for granted - loners, rogues, kittypets - *that* life out there is where the true test of survival begins. I've lived that life once. I was a no-name rogue on the streets of Twolegplace fighting for every miniscule scrap of crowfood or Twoleg garbage I could scavenge, not knowing if even a docile looking kittypet could be ready and able to take me down the moment I turned away and showed my back, the biggest Blindspot of any cat. Most nights were spent alone and feeling on edge, shivering, perhaps drenched from the rain, and always hungry. That kind of environment breeds viciousness, it demands it. Few cats I knew there, except for the plumpest of kittypets, were willing to exercise compassion even in the most heartbreaking of circumstances. No, you don't have to be a fox-heart if you don't have Twolegs to come back to in order to make it out there, but you must be willing to do anything to survive, and if you have a strict moral compass, you will find yourself challenged again and again to stick to it.
Many of them are desperate, especially if they fight alone. Some find strength in numbers, although that doesn't necessarily mean that they will cease serving no cat but themselves in the end. Many would kill to have this forest for their own - take BloodClan as a primary example of this. So again, when you look down below at your camp every morning and you take pride in what you see, just know that unlike what some cats might say, our connection to our ancestors, our faith in the code, even friendships... They are not akin to some great and powerful warrior, but more like a weak and defenseless kit. A kit that you must protect with your life. We could very easily be pushed over the edge, and in that circumstance, warriors would act like dogs, leaders like tyrants, elders and the sick and injured would be cast out, and queens would eat their own kits.
Tell me. When you first became leader of SkyClan back when you resided in the gorge, were you curious? Enthusiastic? Determined? But also full of doubt, like a small voice tugging at the back of your mind? You wanted to remain independent, and you still are, but from my perspective, that may not last forever, Leafstar. Maybe that is a good thing.
I strongly believe that when Ancient ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, ShadowClan, and yes, SkyClan, were first formed many, many generations ago, they had the same emotions running through them. They were vulnerable perhaps - they needed more cats to bolster their ranks, and therefore they were more open to outsiders than they are today. But over time when their strength and pride had long since been secured, their roots planted firmly in the ground, and after they had experienced many trials, they slowly realized their survival was often hanging on by a thread, or it had the potential to turn that way very quickly. To protect their own and what they had built, they closed off their borders. Those ancient cats trained harder to fight for what we believed in, until that is what became the essence of a warrior. It's not a matter of right or wrong, perhaps not a matter of choice. It may indeed be a necessity.
Will SkyClan follow the same path one day, despite the appaling generational pains you have experienced? Perhaps. But you are not cowards, merely a fledgling Clan with a world of possibilities to explore. Still following the road the other Clans have long since secured may end up being inevitable for any group, outside of those who live in complete isolation, like the Tribe of Rushing Water, and even then. You have already been tested with the likes of Sol and Darktail and his gang. You are very aware that not all cats share your vision, and that some might wish to destroy it.
SkyClan... interests me. You are all a very unique bunch. It will be fascinating to see what transpires from here."
So... What do you think? Is there any truth to what Ghosttail said? And how do you think Leafstar would respond to his speech?
"I have a question for you, Leafstar. What is a Clan?"
After she reluctantly answers his question Ghosttail continues.
"A very reasonable answer. Now when you look outside of your den each morning, what do you see? You see your Clanmates down below sharing tongues, joining patrols, laughing, sharing conversation. We have achieved so much, all five of our Clans, and yet not much has ultimately changed at all. Even with the privileges we all share - faith in StarClan, trust and practice in the Warrior Code, Clanmates to rely on for support, even for those that are incapable of pulling their own weight like elders and kits - it is still all a matter of survival. Those that do not share what some of us might sometimes take for granted - loners, rogues, kittypets - *that* life out there is where the true test of survival begins. I've lived that life once. I was a no-name rogue on the streets of Twolegplace fighting for every miniscule scrap of crowfood or Twoleg garbage I could scavenge, not knowing if even a docile looking kittypet could be ready and able to take me down the moment I turned away and showed my back, the biggest Blindspot of any cat. Most nights were spent alone and feeling on edge, shivering, perhaps drenched from the rain, and always hungry. That kind of environment breeds viciousness, it demands it. Few cats I knew there, except for the plumpest of kittypets, were willing to exercise compassion even in the most heartbreaking of circumstances. No, you don't have to be a fox-heart if you don't have Twolegs to come back to in order to make it out there, but you must be willing to do anything to survive, and if you have a strict moral compass, you will find yourself challenged again and again to stick to it.
Many of them are desperate, especially if they fight alone. Some find strength in numbers, although that doesn't necessarily mean that they will cease serving no cat but themselves in the end. Many would kill to have this forest for their own - take BloodClan as a primary example of this. So again, when you look down below at your camp every morning and you take pride in what you see, just know that unlike what some cats might say, our connection to our ancestors, our faith in the code, even friendships... They are not akin to some great and powerful warrior, but more like a weak and defenseless kit. A kit that you must protect with your life. We could very easily be pushed over the edge, and in that circumstance, warriors would act like dogs, leaders like tyrants, elders and the sick and injured would be cast out, and queens would eat their own kits.
Tell me. When you first became leader of SkyClan back when you resided in the gorge, were you curious? Enthusiastic? Determined? But also full of doubt, like a small voice tugging at the back of your mind? You wanted to remain independent, and you still are, but from my perspective, that may not last forever, Leafstar. Maybe that is a good thing.
I strongly believe that when Ancient ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, ShadowClan, and yes, SkyClan, were first formed many, many generations ago, they had the same emotions running through them. They were vulnerable perhaps - they needed more cats to bolster their ranks, and therefore they were more open to outsiders than they are today. But over time when their strength and pride had long since been secured, their roots planted firmly in the ground, and after they had experienced many trials, they slowly realized their survival was often hanging on by a thread, or it had the potential to turn that way very quickly. To protect their own and what they had built, they closed off their borders. Those ancient cats trained harder to fight for what we believed in, until that is what became the essence of a warrior. It's not a matter of right or wrong, perhaps not a matter of choice. It may indeed be a necessity.
Will SkyClan follow the same path one day, despite the appaling generational pains you have experienced? Perhaps. But you are not cowards, merely a fledgling Clan with a world of possibilities to explore. Still following the road the other Clans have long since secured may end up being inevitable for any group, outside of those who live in complete isolation, like the Tribe of Rushing Water, and even then. You have already been tested with the likes of Sol and Darktail and his gang. You are very aware that not all cats share your vision, and that some might wish to destroy it.
SkyClan... interests me. You are all a very unique bunch. It will be fascinating to see what transpires from here."
So... What do you think? Is there any truth to what Ghosttail said? And how do you think Leafstar would respond to his speech?