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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 5, 2022 20:08:38 GMT -5
(No worries, I’ve been taking a while. Last few weeks of the term always consume me lol)
Mara shrugged at Frost’s sympathy, although she was a bit surprised. “It's okay,” she mewed as she padded next to Frost. As they walked the she-cat questioned her again, and of course Mara wasn’t surprised. “I mean away from the city, maybe the forest. I’ve never been any further than the river,” she replied as she thought back to the forest. She enjoyed it there, it was covered and the fresh air was amazing. “I don’t suppose you have some plan out of here, do you?” Mara finally questioned the she-cat quietly, there had to be some catch. The way the siblings were acting and Frost being with Brick, it all didn’t make sense to her. She did feel a bit like she overstepped by the she-cats gaze, but she had been dreaming of leaving this place since she was old enough to catch prey.
——
Dusk observed the toms as they approached him and Sabrina, they were large and well built, but so was his ego. He gave Sabrina a smirk as they spoke to them with serious tones of voices, he looked back to the toms and waited for them to be done speaking. He was sure that Sabrina could hold her own, and if not he had faith in himself to protect her as best as he could. “But perhaps we show your leader what happens to border crossing kits, am I right? I mean this thunder path technically is the border line,” he growled as he unsheathed his claws, taking a step forward.
Sabrina stayed close to Dusk but unsheathed her claws and spiked her hair out. She knew he wouldn’t be able to take both of them down, so she was ready to try her best.
“Let’s settle this, shall we?” Dusk growled again, taking another step towards the tabby tom. He quickly lashed out without another word, raking the tom across his muzzle.
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Post by Reden on Mar 5, 2022 21:09:25 GMT -5
"City" Frost quoted, taking note of the name, she assumed it was another word for the twoleg place. All the terms were foreign to her, some were the same here and there but a lot were different. Houses, piers, housefolk and city, all those words felt odd to say- still she would have to get used to using them eventually. When Mara asked her about whether she had a plan, Frost's expression became more cold and analytical. She had been hoping to get a little more information regarding Mara's opinion. "You seem very eager to leave if you are willing to ask me." She responded, glancing to the she-cat, looking at her face closely. She looked back ahead after a breath or two, "I miss the forest, it was my home." She eventually said, regretting her words. She was being too open, it was careless of her.
--
The tom growled and pulled back, scarlet blood staining his muzzle, as he did, the smaller tom rushed between the two cats; the cat hissed snapping at Dusk's forepaws to set him off balance before lunging at Sabrina with unsheathed claws. "You're nothing but Henry's fleas, following him around like lost kits!" He growled, his face a mouse length away from Sabrina's as he attacked.
The larger cat took the opportunity to slash at dusk, digging his claws into his pelt as the two cats tumbled onto the hard earth. The tom was skilled, not fast, but his blows were hard enough to stun a cat for a moment. His thick frame was like that of a badger, his claw's almost as long.
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 6, 2022 0:26:04 GMT -5
Mara nodded at Frost, “I’ve always thought of how I would leave.. huh I still do. Do I just run away and never look back? Oh how many times I’ve tried, but in the middle of running something told me to go back. I was a flea brain for ever listening to that,” she mewed as they slowly walked. She was surprised she was telling Frost so much, but she really didn’t care. Mara never had anyone to talk to, the friends she tried to make turned her away because she was Henry’s daughter. No one wanted to be friends with the daughter of a cruel cat who made their lives hard, but she accepted it although it hurt. “When you say the forest was your home.. Are you talking about the clan? I can’t seem to wrap my head around the fact that you and Shadow were loners, that day we saved you… We saw the clan cats you guys associated wi- I’m sorry I shouldn’t ask so many questions.” Mara interrupted herself, not wanting to overstep any further than she already had. She let out a sigh as they kept walking, she was tired of seeing the brick walls of houses and hearing the sound of the monsters.
——
Dusk winced when he felt the thud of his body on the sidewalk, his pelt also stinging from the other toms claws. He tried to roll out of the way but before he could the tom gripped onto his shoulders, his claws dug deep making Dusk shudder at the feeling.
He thought for a moment, the toms weight wasn’t anything near what he had originally thought. Dusk grabbed onto the tom and dug his claws into his shoulders and used all of his strength to yank him to the side, sending him rolling on top of the tom.
Sabrina dodged the tom quickly by diving to the side, speed was always to her advantage, not so much everything else. She jumped for the tom lashing out at any moment she could.
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Post by Reden on Mar 6, 2022 11:34:42 GMT -5
Frost had to focus to not allow her surprise to show on her face, she recalled what Dusk had told her in regards to the attack. She had been unconscious at the time, so the thought of Mara and Henry seeing Owlwing and Morningpaw did not occur to her- another mistake. She looked to the cat with a confused expression, "I'm too small to be a clan cat, my mother told me that they eat kits that are too small." She lied, shaking her head, "they're descendants of tigers and lions, that's what I was told at least. We just know a few of them because sometimes when we travelled, we ran into them. As long as you don't hunt on their territory they will normally just ask you to leave, sometimes we would have to run away though. Those two cats you must be talking about were medicine cats, so they were always more friendly. It was just the two of us so I think they felt bad. At first I was suspicious but they proved to be quite helpful. I'm sure Shadow would consider them our friends." She looked back ahead, hoping that was convincing enough. She disliked having to speak of Morningstream as if she was a stranger but it would be odd if she was close to a clan cat.
--
The dark tabby gripped onto Dusk tightly, lifting his back legs to attempt to rake the black cat's belly with his claws, "you are being foolish!" He growled, using his hindlegs to push up on Dusk's underbelly, attempting to toss the cat. He briefly glanced to his partner when he heard the smaller cat hiss, when he confirmed he was fine, all of his attention went back to the black cat. This cat was trained, well trained at that. He was not some kittypet they found abandoned. He growled and tossed Dusk, rising to his feet quickly. He studied the cat, his teeth still snarled but his eyes were clearly deep in thought. He was glad he was the one fighting this cat instead of his brother.
The pale cat growled when her claws raked his shoulder, he was much more reactive than the larger cat, expressions changing quickly as they fought. He released an irritated hiss, she was quick and it was making this harder than it needed to be. He once again lunged at her, but instead of aiming for her directly, he aimed to grab onto her hing left leg, hoping to unbalance her.
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 6, 2022 19:54:56 GMT -5
Mara nodded as Frost spoke, somewhat believing the small she-cats response. The clan cats had seemed relieved and worried at the same time when they saw the siblings, which made her believe that Frost was lying. But if she didn’t want to tell her there may be a reason as to why. “I see..” she replied and glanced around the street they were walking down, “maybe we should get back. I don’t want to make Brick too angry,” Mara teased as they walked.
——
Dusk felt his body once more slam onto the sidewalk as the tabby threw him off, knocking the wind out of him. He quickly caught his breath and stood up, regaining his focus on the tabby, he dived at the tom who stared at him blankly, knocking them both onto the ground in a brawl of claws and fur.
Sabrina stumbled and lost her balance due to the other cat grabbing onto her leg, she yelped as her body twisted and hit the ground. Her leg throbbed with pain, but she kept lashing out when she could as she lay on the ground.
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Post by Reden on Mar 6, 2022 21:00:54 GMT -5
Frost blinked, trying her best to hold a steady expression when Mara mentioned Brick. It was for the best, she couldn't afford to allow the tom to grow suspicious. However, Mara may be a great way to learn some precious information. Weaknesses, namely, she suspected that her mother would be a sensitive subject for Henry, something that could be used to manipulate the tom later on. "You're right." She stated, nodding her head. The she-cat glanced around, the path didn't seem to be turning back the way they came, they would have no choice but to simply turn around. "We should walk again sometime. Shadow is growing to be too busy for this type of thing." She mewed as she turned, looking ahead, hopefully that dog was still not out.
--
The tabby slashed at the cat whenever he could, trying to figure out who he was. He carried the scent of Henry's group but everything about him seemed off. He didn't attack or behave like any other alley cat. No dirty tricks, his posture was steady, his attacks swift and clean, it was unlike any other cat he had ever met.
The pale cat sneered, glad to finally get the she-cat in a defensive position, she was so quick footed that he couldn't afford to allow her back on her paws. Once again, he lunged to pin her down. He had no intent to kill her, his brother would never forgive him for that, but a torn ear or scarred face would be more than enough to send a message. He reared his head back, ready to disfigure the pretty she-cat, he felt some guilt but it was what had to be done. He would not let his brother down.
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 6, 2022 21:44:43 GMT -5
(These are terribly short, I do apologize.)
Mara nodded again, “yeah we should!” She mewed as she turned around, the pathway didn’t go all the way through this way so they would have no choice. As they trotted down the sidewalk she looked at Frost, “I haven’t seen much of Shadow, do you like the city?” she asked the she-cat.
——
Sabrina winced as the tom pinned her down, he wasn't much larger than her but his weight was enough to knock the wind out of her. She began to panic as she noticed the toms intentions, she squirmed and let out another small yelp as she struggled.
Dusk kicked the tabby tom away as hard as he could once he heard Sabrina yelp for a second time, he scrambled onto his feet to see the pale colored tom pinning Sabrina down. Dusk lunged towards them both to make for better timing, once he was close enough he grabbed the pal tom by his neck and forcefully yanked him down.
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Post by Reden on Mar 6, 2022 22:32:44 GMT -5
(No worries! School > Rping! Also if this is too graohic, tell me- I'll rewrite it.)
Frost glanced at the cat, a bit surprised by how easily she accepted her offer, she almost found herself smiling. She narrowed her eyes at her paws, she couldn't allow herself to grow soft over such a thing. "Good." She mewed, returning her expression to her usual neutral one, she looked ahead again. When she was asked about her opinion of the twoleg place...er.. city, she flicker her ear, "it's fine." She said simply, not really answering the question. Even though she strongly disliked it, little could be done until Henry was removed from his source of power. That tom was being relentless in his pursuit to keep Dusk here, he was getting too bold for Frost's liking. She glanced to Mara again for a moment fore speaking, "I prefer the forest, most cats would, but your father has so many members for a reason. We have little choice but to stay here." She added, once again, not really answering the question, she left it open for a reason. There were many things Mara could assume. Were the siblings here because they would not survive in the forest? Did they feel obligated because they were saved? Did they feel as though they would be killed if they left? Many options, she was curious which one Mara would latch onto.
--
The pale cat released a yowl when he suddenly felt himself get thrown, his small sized caused him to be tossed easily by the larger tom. The cat attempted to resist he tried to turn and face his attack, but the force that was used by Dusk was too great, causing him to laid in a unnatural way. A loud snap was deafening as the cat now laid lifeless beside Sabrina.
A mournful yowl could be heard from the larger tom, who rushed over, simply shoving away Dusk opposed to attack. His green eyes were wide as he shook the smaller cat, "Quill! Quill wake up!" The cat cried, desperately shaking the body of his brother. He stared for a moment before looking to Dusk, a look of shock and disgust on his face, "you killed him! You killed my brother over this? Defending our territory that your group invaded just yesterday?" He said, though his words were harsh, he had no anger in his voice, it was almost hollow. "He never wanted to be here, or fight the war that Henry started. I promised I would protect him." He looked back to Quill's body as he whisper those words, more to himself than to Dusk. Regret was heavy in his voice as he stared at his brother. Shaking his head, he bent down to smooth the fur that still laid upright on Quill's shoulder. "Leave and never come back. You have no honor, you are a merely a greedy coward, just like Henry. Leave us."
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 7, 2022 0:15:30 GMT -5
Mara scoffed a bit, “right, it probably felt like there was no option but to join… I just hope one day I get away from here. I wouldn’t mind being a loner and living anywhere but here,” she mewed and imagined a life in the forest as they walked back down the sidewalk. They were getting close to the end and the smell of dog was still stale, but the fresh scent of another cat lingered. Mara assumed it was a kittypet, given they were on the sidewalk that was lined with houses.
——
Dusk froze once he heard the toms neck crack, guilt immediately rushing over him. He put his ears back as the tabby yelled at him, they were brothers.. He took a step back and kept his gaze on the tabby, “I’m so sorry..” He mewed with a crack in his voice before turning around. He walked down the sidewalk and turned the corner, not saying a word as he stared in front of him. He had felt guilt before, but this was much heavier than anything he’s ever felt.
Sabrina’s eyes widened as the pale tom fell lifeless next to her, she quickly scrambled to her feet and followed Dusk down the sidewalk. Once they turned the corner she looked over to him with sorrow in her eyes, he looked defeated and she could tell it wasn’t on purpose. “Are you alright?” She asked him and pressed her pelt against his. They both were covered in scratches, and he leg still ached from the tom yanking her to the ground.
Dusk shook his head as Sabrina questioned him, but her pelt was comforting and he let out a low purr. “Not really… I feel so terrible.. I didn’t mean to kill him,” he mewed with agony in his voice. The whole situation reminded him of him and his sister, just two siblings in the wrong place at the wrong time. What if that had been Frost? He let out a sigh, he didn’t even want to go back to the group and face what he’s done, because surely some cat will ask.
Sabrina nudged him a bit, “I know you didn’t mean to,” she mewed softly to him. He stayed quiet for a bit as they slowly walked back to the alleyway, she could tell he was hesitant by how slow he was walking. But she kept her pelt pressed against his, she felt as though he needed and deserved the comfort.
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Post by Reden on Mar 7, 2022 19:45:01 GMT -5
Frost nodded half-heartedly, Mara seemed deep in thought so she took the chance to glance around again. The dog scent was as stale as it had been earlier, but she also caught a familiar scent. She looked up along the fence, spotting the white cat from before, chatting with a fat orange tabby. Both cat noticed the two she-cats. The fat one seemed rather fearful, getting ready to leap away.
"We don't want any trouble. There's no scraps for you two here." The orange cat called with a nervous sounding tone as the two alley cats approached, ears pinned back. He opened his mouth again but was silenced by the familiar white tom, his fluffy tail waving in front of his friends face as he quietly shushed him.
Frost inspected the two cats, keeping her pace. The orange one smelled odd, he was the fattest cat she had ever seen. He looked as if he would be heavier than Dusk. She glanced to the white cat, who gave her a gentle, apologetic smile. Her ears pinned back again, suspicious of his easy going nature. Maybe he was a spy... She glanced to Mara to see if she had recognized the cats before looking back ahead, increasing her pace. It pained her to be treated like a rat by a kittypet, in the forest she was respected and seen for what she was- a proud clan cat. Here, she was nothing more than a stray. She was so consumed in her thoughts she hadn't realized how far they had walked. She glanced behind them, the two cats were now gone- probably running back to their twolegs. "Do you know them?" She asked Mara.
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 7, 2022 20:14:21 GMT -5
Mara followed quickly behind Frost as they passed the two cats, she looked over to Frost as she questioned her, “I’m pretty sure they are both kittypets, Ive seen them here and there.” She replied and gave her a quick shrug. “Kittypets are harmless but they don’t like alley cats, as you could probably tell.” She added as they were getting closer and closer to the alleyway.
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Post by Reden on Mar 7, 2022 20:25:04 GMT -5
Frost frowned and nodded, "they didn't seem very scared. They treated us like pests." She muttered, almost sounding disappointed that she wasn't as intimidating as she had thought herself to be. The she cat cleared her throat and looked ahead, fixing her expression yet again- she was really slipping today. She paused however, when a familiar scent reached her- blood, Dusk's blood. Her eyes widened in shocked and wordlessly she raced ahead of Mara, narrowly missing a passing monster as she raced across the thunderpath. Twolegs were loudly screeching as she reached the other side, she was quick to slip away from their outreaching hands, hissing at them as she ran towards her brother. She turned down an alley quickly, one of the many winding paths that lead to Henry's group. As she turned another corner, only a few paw steps away, she glanced around, spotting a tall, black figure a few fox lengths away. She ran over, almost knocking over Sabrina as she pressed herself to Duck. "Are you okay?" She asked between heavy breaths, she hadn't had to run like that in a long time. She circled Dusk, inspecting him for any wounds, he was scratched up but not as badly as she feared. "Are you okay?" She asked again, more calmly this time.
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 7, 2022 21:31:51 GMT -5
Mara ran after Frost quickly, not quite understanding the small she-cats panic. Once they turned the corner she noticed why she had been in a panic, Dusk had obviously been in a fight.
Dusk put his ears back as Frost ran up to him, he felt so bad for what he had done he didn’t want to speak about it. But it was his sister, and he would never lie to her. “Well uh… We got in a fight with two rogues from the other group and.. I accidentally killed one of them.” He mewed seriously without a crack in his voice. One he noticed Mara his stare hardened on her, where had she been all this time and now just showing up?
Sabrina felt relieved when Frost had appeared, Dusk had been walking sluggish this whole time and he probably needed his sister. Confusion arised in her mind when Mara came around the corner after Frost, she gave the she-cat a hard stare similar to Dusks.
Mara put her ears back at Dusks stare, he stared at her as if she had done something wrong. But she hadn’t, she kept her distance when it was needed. She also didn’t know what to say regarding the rogue he had killed, the other group had taken many lives around her. She felt as though it was coming for them, it was just another warning to them for what’s next to come. With Henry’s plan to take over the pier, the other group will start to feel nervous after this.
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Post by Reden on Mar 8, 2022 18:51:09 GMT -5
( I like your new profile pic! )
Frost watched him carefully, briefly, she glanced back to Mara before looking back to Dusk, "she's with me." She said with a quick and quiet tone, giving him another look over. "Are you okay though? Are you hurt?" She asked again, "do you need me to take care of anything? Did anyone see what happened?" She glanced to Sabrina to see if she had any answers. She had to fix this, Dusk was a good cat, surely he was attacked first. If it was the other group, what if he became a target? She could go after whoever was there and maybe threaten them, no she couldn't, not with her current situation. She furrowed her brow as she thought, her rabbit-like tail puffed up as it twitched back and forth. She had to think of a plan but she was struggling. "Did they attack first?" She asked, looking up at him, he looked so hollow, it made her want to go after who ever was to blame for this situation. "Surely they were out of line to attack you, even rogue respect territory borders here." In the forest, rogues had no such honor, here however, borders were just as strict as that of the clans. A paw over meant a battle, no questions asked.
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 9, 2022 15:31:09 GMT -5
(Thank you sm!  ) Dusk pinned his ears back again as Frost asked him far too many questions, he let out an irritated sigh before replying, “we were on the border and they threatened us, they were practically ready to tear our pelts off. But I did attack first..” He trailed off and avoided his sister's eye contact. He knew she’d be irritated with him for lashing out first, and yet he had no excuse for what he had done. “But they were on our side of the border line, at least I thought they were.. Regardless I accidentally killed one, and I wouldn’t doubt if that cat would be after me.. I killed his brother.” Dusk mewed and closed his eyes, completely ignoring Frost’s reaction. The thought of killing another cat's brother made his stomach churn, how had he been so reckless? The tabby’s words rang in his mind, he never wanted to be here, or fight the war that Henry started. The words almost made him shudder, I promised I would protect him. It was just like what he had done to his own sister. There was no way in StarClan that Frost wanted to be here, yet here they were. He had killed another cat almost in the same situation as himself, and that was the reality Dusk had to settle into. If he wanted his and Frost’s plan to work out, he’d have to lose the sympathy he feels for others. Sabrina kept quiet for a moment while Dusk explained, worry clouded her mind as she listened to him. He had told her enough about him for her to understand the guilt that he feels over everything, and this whole situation was probably weighing down even more on him. “It was an accident, and you were just trying to protect me,” she tried to assure him, but his expression seemed irritated. Dusk jerked his head to Sabrina and gave her a small glare, “and he was just trying to protect his brother. What kind of rabbit-brain am I to accidentally kill another cat!” He snapped irritably, not fully understanding how he had managed to do such a thing. He had never been in a fight, at least with a cat. Where was this strength when Frost was getting her tail ripped off? He pinned his back once again, realizing his hard tone towards Sabrina as her expression changed. “I’m sorry.” |
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Post by Reden on Mar 9, 2022 18:35:18 GMT -5
Frost stared at him for a moment, struggling to hold in her thoughts. She couldn't believe he would do such a thing, how could he be so mouse-brained. Though she didn't say anything, her disappointment was clear on her face, she would be lying if she said she wasn't upset at him. Frost watched the exchange between Sabrina and Dusk for a moment before sighing and sitting down, thinking for a moment. She glanced to Mara, "Mara, I trust that you will not share anything with anyone." She said, her tone was polite, but her sharp glance made it clear that she was not asking. She had dirt on the cat, she was more than happy to use it if needed. She looked back to Dusk, "they attacked you; you killed one when they attacked Sabrina. We can't hide what happened, but we can change the narrative- we have to." She looked to Sabrina before glancing back again at Mara, waiting to see if the she cat was willing to stay silent. This was a pain. If Henry thought that Dusk had been the cause of the other group's aggression, it would not fair well for the siblings; but, if he thought Dusk had defended their territory, it was a much more forgiven story. "I will help you get out of here if you help us." She added firmly, a determined look in her eyes. "I need you to trust in me, I need all of you to. We will return to the alley, and meet with Henry, Sabrina will tell him that you two were attacked on our side of the border. You killed a cat when he tried to kill Sabrina. You then chased the other one out of the territory."
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 9, 2022 19:34:09 GMT -5
Mara gave Frost a small nod, so that she knew that she was following along. Whatever she meant by helping her out of here was enough to convince Mara to help them out.
Dusk still refused to make eye contact with Frost, he could hear the disappointment in her voice. He was already disappointed in himself, and he was sure the three she-cats were all disappointed in him as well.
Sabrina dipped her head in agreement to Frost, “okay.” She mewed and nudged Dusk, “let’s go,” she mewed and turned towards the alleyway. She looked behind her to Frost and Mara, still confused that Mara was with her. Last she knew they hadn’t talked since Mara was ordered to check on them everyday, she shrugged it off and turned her focus to in front of her. Sabrina began to trot towards the alleyway, frequently making sure Dusk was next to her, “I wouldn’t doubt if Henry will be on our tails as soon as we walk in the alleyway. So don’t look so… guilty…” she tried to mew with sincere in her voice, but if Henry was going to believe them Dusk couldn’t look like he was guilty.
Dusk looked over to Sabrina as she spoke, “okay..” he mumbled quietly, he doubted that she even heard him but he didn’t care. He straightened his posture and pushed the intrusive thoughts to the side. They turned into the alleyway and he could immediately feel eyes on him, they could all probably smell the dried blood on his pelt. He glanced over to where Henry usually is and he could see the tom staring at them, he kept his gaze and expression the same and kept walking towards the end of the alley.
Sabrina kept her pace the same as Dusks as they walked towards Henry, the eyes on her making her nervous. Never had any of the cats watched her, let alone the whole group. She swallowed hard as they approached Henry, “there were rogues from the other group on our territory and they attacked us. One of them tried to kill me, so Dusk killed him and we ran the other off of our territory.” Sabrina mewed clearly, wanting to get straight to the point so that she wouldn't have to further explain.
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Post by Reden on Mar 9, 2022 20:09:09 GMT -5
(I'm assuming that Sabrina calls him Shadow instead of Dusk)
Frost decided to stay silent, though she watched her brother intently, worried about him despite how irritated she was about his actions. When they neared the alley, she stayed relatively the same other than lowering herself slightly to appear smaller, she was too distracted to care about her act.
Henry watched the cats closely as the entered, Brick, who was not far from his father, read his head back in surprise before shooting Mara a deadly glare. He glanced around briefly, clearly looking for Toby and Haven, but stopped looking when Sabrina spoke.
Henry watched the she-cat intently as she spoke, not seeming very surprised. He looked to Frost and Mara, "is this true?"
"Of course it isn't! All of the pier cats are trained to fight, how would Shadow manage to kill one?" Brick growled, glaring at Shadow. His glanced around when others started to mutter, seeming to also have doubts about the story, "if anything, he probably got too nosey and was the one to be chased off."
Henry glared at any cat that spoke, casing a heavy silence to fill the alley, "I was asking those two." He growled, looking back to the two she-cats, "is what Sabrina says true?"
Frost glanced to Mara then back to Henry, she had been hoping that they would simply believe what was said. At least they weren't upset about the potential fight that may erupt from this incident, "we didn't see the fight but my brother would never lie about that." She looked to Dusk, she should have asked for a description of the body, that way she could have lied about seeing it. She looked to Mara again, some confusion was visible on her face. She had expected Henry to accuse Dusk of attacking first, not of him making up the fight.
Henry sighed, crossing his paws, "I'm sure I will hear about it soon enough if it was true." He muttered, unbothered by the death of an enemy. "Scarlet and Haven, you to go confirm this. I wouldn't want any rumors spreading, now would I?" He ordered, glancing to Dusk with a curious look. If the tom was really able to kill a cat with only a scratch or two to show for it, he had made a good choice by recruiting him.
"Yes." Haven mewed, stepping out from behind Frost and Mara. The cat had been clever in hiding behind the cat she had been told to guard, Brick seemed to have bought it. Toby gave her a worried glance, but looked relieved when Brick returned all of his attention back to Henry.
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 10, 2022 2:43:12 GMT -5
(Oops my bad, I definitely meant Shadow lol) Dusk glared at Brick as he spoke, if only you knew it was an accident, he thought sarcastically to himself. He glanced back at Henry, keeping his gaze steady on him. Mara nodded at Henry with a straight face as Frost spoke, confirming what she had said. There was no way Dusk was lying about it, he had shame written all over his face when they had run into him. Sabrina felt irritation run through her body, of course he wouldn’t believe us, she thought irritably as she watched Scarlet and Haven left to confirm the death. She wanted to roll her eyes but she kept her composure and glanced up to Henry. She then began to turn around to walk away, but felt his and Brick’s stare burn into her pelt. Dusk turned to follow Sabrina but couldn’t help but glance back over to Brick, who was looking at Frost. He turned back with irritation, why did she practically have to be his mate? He knew it was an act but that didn’t take away the irritation that came with it. Scarlet trotted after Haven and quickly made her pace, “do you believe that ‘Shadow cat’ really killed a pier rogue?” She asked Haven curiously but sarcastically, she herself didn’t believe that a random loner would be able to pull that off. |
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Post by Reden on Mar 10, 2022 21:31:43 GMT -5
(oof, sorry this took forever!)
Frost turned to speak to her brother, but simply watched as he walked away, glaring at Brick. She felt guilty that she hadn't thought of a better plan, if she had put more thought into what to say, and had been less panicked, she would have saved him a lot of trouble. She was surprised when Toby approached her instead of Brick.
"I'll have you come with me. I'll get you something to eat." The tom said, shifting nervously. Frost was caught off guard by his voice, she hadn't expected him to have such a soft tone. The grey tom glanced to Brick, a worried expression on his face. He was sure that the red cat hadn't noticed that Frost was escorted by just Mara, but he feared that maybe Haven's trick hadn't worked.
"Oh," Frost said in her fake voice, "I see, thank you!" She followed the grey tom quickly, she knew Brick would take the chance to bad mouth her brother if he caught up to her, and she wasn't sure if she would be able to hold her tongue. Her efforts were in vain though, as Brick was quick to trot after her.
"You're brother is a liar." He said boldly, looking down at her, "Isn't that right Toby?"
"Yes, Brick." Toby responded quietly, glancing away.
Frost looked at her paws and said nothing, even though she wanted to. She knew that if she defended Dusk, it would be for nothing. She just had to continue working from the shadows, spreading rumors and lies to help him climb the ranks.
Brick sighed, "stop sulking. I'm only being honest. He is hanging out with cowards and liars. You don't need him, I will protect you, remember? I'm giving you more opportunities than any other cat could hope for." He stepped closer and leaned his head down to match her eye level, "your brother will only hurt you if you continue to defend him like that. You made me look bad too- I offer you my protection and this is the thanks I get?" He stood tall again, "I'm Henry's son, I'm second in command. Embarrass me like that again and I'll have you thrown out into the streets." he added, turning away to go talk to Henry.
"I understand," Frost said quietly, her voice sweet but her glare was deadly. She turned to Toby, "shall we go?" She asked, following the gray cat, who was more shook up than she was.
----
Haven glanced to Scarlet and looked away, unsure of how to answer. She didn't trust the she-cat, she was better than Brick but not by much. "No idea." She said, hoping that would be enough to end the conversation. She kept worrying about Brick's reaction if he found out what happened today. Has he done anything to Toby. What about his supposed mate? She seemed like a kit half the time, surely she would anger him at some point. She felt some pity for the she-cat, if it weren't for her brother, the red tom would have most likely had no interest in her. Instead, Frost was stuck as an ignorant pawn. The small cat was cute enough that surely some housefolk would have taken her in if she hadn't followed Shadow into the alley. Oh well, Haven couldn't worry about her, it wasn't her business. She looked ahead, catching the sharp scent of blood, she quickened her steps, hoping to be back to the alley quickly. She inspected the area, Sabrina seemed to have told the truth. She sighed before looking to her partner, unsure on where the she-cat's loyalties were. She knew some cats would lie about this to help who they truly followed, others would be honest.
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 12, 2022 18:46:26 GMT -5
(I’m so sorry this took so long ;-; )
Mara stayed put and looked behind her to Frost and Brick, perking her ears to hear what Brick was saying to the small she-cat. Irritation flooded through her body when she heard his nasty words. She watched as Frost left with Toby, she then stood up and walked past Brick, “what a way to speak to your mate, brother,” Mara growled and kept her stride, making her way out of the alleyway.
——
Sabrina turned to Dusk and gave him a smile, “let’s get outta here,” she mewed softly and nudged him with her shoulder. She jumped onto the crates and onto the rooftop, leading the way to the spot she had previously shown Dusk.
Dusk nodded at Sabrina’s suggestion, “I’d love to,” he mewed with a small smile and followed her close behind as they made their way onto the tallest building in the two-leg town. Once they made it to the top Dusk put his ears back and let out a small sigh, “I’m sorry for what happened, I took it too far.” He mewed with a rasp in his voice.
Sabrina padded closer to Dusk and sat down in front of him, lifting her head up a bit to meet his gaze, “it’s okay, it was an accident that was mostly my fault, I took us to the border,” she assured him with a worried gaze. His expression had quickly changed once they were on the rooftop, he looked full of guilt and sorrow.
Dusk shook his head at her, “it’s not your fault, I should be able to protect you without killing another cat. I know no one here cares if the cat is dead, but I care what you think of me.” He explained and looked down with shame, he had grown fond of the she-cat and wanted her to see him for who he really was.
Sabrina leaned forwards towards Dusk and nudged his chin with her muzzle, “you don’t have to worry about that,” she mewed letting out a purr.
Dusk began to purr, many of the worries he had faded away quickly. Sabrina was kind, and loyal. She didn’t hesitate to fight beside him, although he wished he hadn’t put her in that position. He walked over to the edge of the rooftop facing where IsletClan lay, “I can kind of see the Island,” he said to her as he screwed his eyes up trying to see the Island clearer.
——
Scarlet let out an irritated grunt as she looked at the dead body, taking a moment to think before returning Haven's gaze. She let out a small sigh with a glare apparent on her face, “if we say it wasn’t true, Henry will just find out from the other group. They are sure to come for revenge,” she mewed sternly as she looked at the other she-cat. She’d love to lie about it- in fact it was her first thought when she saw the body. But the last thing Scarlet wanted, or needed, was Henry and Brick after her and Haven's tails for lying to their faces. “Let’s go,” Scarlet lashed her tail agitatedly as she turned around to make her way back to the alleyway. Once they were nearing the alleyway she glanced back at Haven, “we should tell Henry in private so he can choose to tell the group. I’m just not going to be punished for lying, got it?” She said gravely in a whisper before entering the alleyway. She trotted down the alleyway towards Henry and jumped onto the crates below him, making her only a half a tail length away from him, “it’s true,” she mewed in a whisper before jumping back down onto the asphalt.
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Post by Reden on Mar 12, 2022 21:46:24 GMT -5
(No worries at all!)
Bricked gave Mara and fierce glare at her words, scoffing as she walked away. The tom looked back to his father and continued to finish their discussion about the pier cats and the up coming cold. Soon the mice and rats would all be hiding away, there needed to find new sources of prey. Luckily, the snow normally kept the twolegs and their dogs away from the green place. When Scarlet and Haven arrived, Brick intended to stay to hear what they had to say, but to his surprise, Henry ordered his dismissal with a flick of his tail.
Irritation clear on his face, the red tom left the section of the alley, looking around for Mara. He was enraged, and area was the last cat to truly earn his anger. How dare she tell him what he can and can't do? He was the only one doing any work, he should expect respect from his mate and sister. "Mara!" He growled, causing many cats back away from him, glancing around for the black she-cat, worried that he would lash out at another cat if she did not appear soon.
---
Haven nodded, keeping a distance from Scarlet as she spoke. She felt relieved that the she-cat had taken the lead, it was less pressure. The tabby followed rather closely, wanting to get back to Toby as soon as she could. When they arrived, she stayed under the crates, being sure to stay out of Brick's way as he left. She pitied whoever bothered him, clearly it wasn't Toby, considering he didn't pay her any mind. Haven pinned her ears back at Scarlet's boldness, but simply nodded when Henry glanced at her for confirmation.
"I see." Henry stated, not bothered by how close the she-cat came to him. He looked down to the two she-cats and glanced around to the other cats that littered the alley, eyeing him. "It certainly seems like Shadow is becoming a fine addition then." He said simply, deciding to just let the whispering cats spread the news. "You're dismissed then." He stated, laying back down and grooming his paws.
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 12, 2022 23:32:03 GMT -5
Mara stopped in her tracks when she heard Brick yell her name, and she knew all too well that if didn’t show up, another would pay for her. She turned around and padded up to Brick, she had dealt with this kind of thing her whole life. Although she had always stood up for herself, she always paid for it too. She would often take blame for others, only because she wouldn’t be punished as harshly. “Yes, brother?” Mara tilted her head a bit, preparing herself for him to lash out at her.
Scarlet rolled her eyes and walked away, heading to the few cats she usually spent her time with. She was still a bit surprised that the black fluffy tom managed to kill a pier cat, but it would make for good gossip.
——
Sabrina stood next to Dusk and looked out to the island that he was talking about, you could barely see the outline and trees on the island. “Yea sort of,” she mewed with a smile.
Dusk looked at her, “I need you to ask Frost about the gathering, please.” He mewed with a purr.
Sabrina nodded, “okay, I will whenever I get the chance. Brick has been having Toby and Haven ‘guard’ Frost,” she replied to him.
Dusk nodded a bit and looked back towards the island, “I knew that cat was nothing but trouble. He can’t even treat his own sister right, what makes anycat think he would treat a mate right?” He scoffed with irritation, he hasn’t liked Brick since he met the red tom.
Sabrina shrugged and pressed her pelt against his, “I don’t think anycat does,” she replied with a small laugh.
Dusk laughed a bit, “you’re probably right.”
——
(I thought it was about time Morning talked to Silver :’) )
Morningstream stretched as she walked out of the den, realizing she had spent most of her day sleeping. Now she felt starving and headed towards the fresh-kill pile, picking up a vole and glancing around the camp for her father, who she felt she needed to speak to.
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Post by Reden on Mar 13, 2022 0:47:58 GMT -5
(Sorry that these are so short!)
Brick locked his sights on his younger sister and walked over to her without hesitation, stopping when he was only a whisker length away. He bared his teeth for a moment before looking down at her as if she was worse than the rats that occasionally scurried around the alley. A short sigh released before he spoke, “my dear sister, why do you insist on acting like such a mockery?” He asked sharply, pulling away, “you have done nothing for this group, you just cling onto our father’s achievements like a tick; leeching off of all the hard workers.” He said, raising his voice, making a show of it. He did this often, no cat would bother to interfere- he would kill them if they did. “Yet you feel that you can go and act superior to the rest of us- like this alley is beneath you. You’re pathetic.”
Cats were drawn closer, occasionally a sheepish mew of a agreement when Brick was close. Even the boldest cat was on their best behaviour, no one wanted to take Mara’s place.
—
Silvermist noticed Morningstream from across the clearing, he shifted nervously. They hadn’t talked since what had happened, he felt a pang of guilt at the thought. He was so terrible to his kits, he was trying to be better, but it felt like a wall was stopping him. He sighed and stood, dismissing himself from the conversation with the senior warriors as he walked towards his daughter, swallowing hard, “you look well.” He greeted with his signature smile. He tried to look confident like always, but he was finding it harder and harder to do so as of late. “Shall we share a meal?” He added, his voice quieter than it had been.
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 13, 2022 1:35:39 GMT -5
(No worries! ) Mara kept Brick’s gaze, her posture frozen as she stood tall. This has happened more times than she could count, and there was no answer that was right. If she were still 3 moons old she would have run away crying, making the whole alleyway laugh at her. But when these things happen often, you get used to it and it’s almost boring. “Are you done? Or wait, you haven’t told me that mom should’ve been here to see how useless I am yet. She’d be so proud of you, big brother.” Mara teased, keeping her expression and her eyes straight as she looked at him. She had taken his hits, and she’ll do it again. For unknown reasons she wouldn’t let herself back down, later on making herself wish she did. —— Morningstream nodded at Silvermist, “of course,” she mewed and led the way to sit in front of the warriors den. She began to eat before speaking to him, she couldn’t remember the last Ike she ate. Once she had taken a few bites she glanced over to him, “I’m sorry for everything and earlier, I was so tired and so much had happened…” she trailed off and kept eating the vole. She felt bad for not talking to her father earlier about everything, but she was also glad she talked to Owlwing and that was over with. |
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Post by Reden on Mar 13, 2022 14:46:04 GMT -5
"You have no right to bring up mother, she would still be here if it weren't for you." Brick responded quickly, giving her a disgusted look. Unlike his sister, the red tabby could remember his mother well- her smile, scent and warmth. All of that was taken away when she was born, she tore their happiness apart. "You don't even know what she looks like." He added sharply, ears pinned back for a moment. "Father only tolerates you, remember that. If it weren't for you vaguely reminding him of mother, you would have been tossed to the dogs. So don't push it. We don't tolerate soft-bellied low lives here." Once again, Brick found himself standing over his sister, his tail thrashing in annoyance when she stood her ground. She was always a weak coward, why was she suddenly being brave now.
--
Silvermist's ears perked up for a moment when she spoke, then he shook his head. "It's fine. I understand that you were probably holding a lot back the past few moons." He told her, quick to forgive, just as he had been with Aspenheart. "I know I seemed harsh, I wasn't mad at you. I was just worried. I don't know what I would do if I lost you two." He added, resting his tail on hers as he spoke softly. He loved his kits with all of his heart. He was both happy and terrified when he heard the news of Frostpaw and Duskpaw. "Just...don't be afraid to ask for help next time, please. Moonstar, Oakpelt, Owlwing and all of our clanmates will always be here for you. I know that you may feel like I'm not always an option, and that's okay. Just make sure you don't burden yourself with too much; even Moonstar asks for advice and help."
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 13, 2022 18:19:52 GMT -5
Mara still stood her ground, keeping her head straight as she looked up at Brick’s eyes. She smiled a bit once he was done speaking, “and this is how you treat her daughter in memory of her? She lost her life giving birth to the daughter that she and Henry both wanted, also losing two other kits.” Mara raised her voice so all of the others could hear, rage burning through her body, she tried to fight it as she stared at him, not taking a moment to blink. “And for what?” She snapped before he could speak, “if you want me gone, what am I doing here? If you want to kill me, what am I doing here?” Mara growled, feeling many eyes burning into her pelts.
——
Morningstream nodded a bit as Silvermist talked, finishing up her vole before he was done. She let out a sigh and glanced over to him, “I wish it were that simple, Owlwing made me promise not to say a word to anyone. It’s hard to ask advice about something you're not supposed to speak about,” she replied to him before looking away. She didn’t want to keep all that she did away from him, but Owlwing made her feel like she had no choice. “I’m not saying this to make you angrier with Owlwing, I’m just telling you.”
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Post by Reden on Mar 15, 2022 17:33:26 GMT -5
Brick rolled his eyes, she was more annoying than a tick. He glared at her and opened his mouth to speak but was caught off guard when Frost suddenly forced herself between the two. He stared at the small cat for a moment with narrow eyes, he hadn't even heard her come up to them. Maybe it was because of how light she was, but he felt some doubt at that thought.
"Mara's my friend!" Frost said quickly, her voice even higher than usual, she looked to Mara for a moment, an unreadable expression. She wasn't sure why she even forced herself into the situation but every bone in her body told her to help the black she-cat. She looked back to Brick and gave him a smile, "Mara was the first friend I made. I would be sad if she left." She added, her back to Mara as her tail puffed up like a dandelion. She glanced around for a moment before swallowing hard. "I don't like seeing you upset, Brick...I makes me sad." She mew quickly, hoping it would be enough get the red tom to back off.
Brick looked down at Frost and sighed, "I'm not upset- I was simply teaching Mara a lesson on respect." He said sharply, annoyance clear on his face. Still, he gave in. He needed Frost on his side to keep her brother in place, and there was an audience. He had to play it safe. "Let's go." He added, turning away but still giving Mara a harsh glare. He wanted to give her a slash but he decided that the warning he gave was more than enough.
---
Silvermist's tail wrapped close to his body as Morningstream talked, tilting his head as he listened. He nodded when she was finished speaking, "I know but that won't happen again." He told her earnestly, he could see how she must have felt trapped when she had been told to stay silent. Moonstar should have known, it was odd that even their leader was kept in the dark. "What happened, was odd, normally leaders know about prophecies; I don't fully understand why Owlwing felt it was best to remain silent, but I'm sure his intentions were good." the tom then shifted slightly and smiled warmly, "and I'm not angry with Owlwing. I was caught off guard, but he is still my friend. I was more upset that you all had to suffer because I thought better of Brindlefoot. I trusted her. I'm sorry that your father is such a fool."
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Post by Dawnmist on Mar 16, 2022 15:45:14 GMT -5
(Finals are over and I’m so relieved lol)
Mara looked down to Frost, shocked that she had gotten in the middle of them. But she gave the small she-cat a smile, maybe having Frost around would make Brick back down more frequently. She shot a satisfied expression to Brick, fighting her urge to say something sarcastic. Never had she left an argument between him without a scratch, all while that wasn’t so bad, something about it gave her satisfaction.
With a smile apparent on Mara’s face, she looked around to the other cats. Who were now whispering among themselves. She looked back to Brick as he spoke, rolling her eyes at him as he and Frost began to leave. As she watched them walk away, she remembered why she had called him a mouse-brain. It wasn’t because he was a literal mouse-brain, it was because he had no sense in how to treat others. She was always pushed around by him, for as long as she could remember. He was more than a mouse-brain to her, he was a fool, a coward deep down at that. Mara turned around and kept on her way out of the alleyway.
——
Morningstream shook her head at Silvermist, “if you hadn’t thought better of her, who knows if we would even be here. And I’m happy I’m here, I have the best father after all.” She mewed and gave him a smile, she knew he needed reassurance. She let out a sigh and looked away, glancing over to the big willow tree. “You deserved to know. I know I’m meant to be a medicine cat, but it’s exhausting acting like nothing ever bothers me. And I hate lying, I’m not a liar.” She mewed and then rolled her eyes, “I mean I am now, all because of Owlwing…” she mumbled the last part, hoping that he hadn’t heard it.
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Post by Reden on Mar 16, 2022 17:17:11 GMT -5
(Congratulations! Fingers crossed for you!)
Silvermist shifted, “I know, you’re good and kind. You always have been.” He told her, he knew Morningstream had good intentions, she had always been that way, even as a kit. Maybe that’s why it had caught him so off guard when he found out. Still, there was little he could do now; at least he knew that Frostpaw and Duskpaw were safe. He cleared his throat and leaned closer to her, “if it makes you feel any better… I have also been known to tell a lie here and there. And as you sister would say…” He sighed and shifted again, thinking back to how Frost would mince words and always be quick witted to stay out of trouble after teasing her brothers. “Technically, you never lied, you just omitted the truth. You said you were gathering herbs and you always came back with herbs…I’m not saying I approve of that statement but… well, you know.” He sighed again, “you did what you thought was right. Starclan placed you two in a position that few would understand. Besides, I know that I would have drag them back by their tails if you had told me. I will trust in you, Moonstar and Owlwing.”
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