Post by mothyards25 on Apr 23, 2024 5:03:11 GMT -5
Hello!!!! I wanted to preface this a bit! This is an idea I've been toying with for years now! I have always had a large interest in paleomedia, evolutionary biology and ecology. I came up with this idea when i was still in middle school, a warriors fanfic that had velociraptors instead of cats. This is the first chapter to that! I was hoping to see if it drums up any interest and to also get some feedback on the idea! Keep in mind, so much of this is speculative and also just me changing up how nature likely worked in a lot of instances, though where I can I will do my research into the time period and truly get an understanding of this ancient era. One thing that will likely be apparent here is feather color, warrior cats plays loose with its colors as well, but its likely velociraptors probably didn't have a huge variety of color, but I will show them as such because it helps with character design and telling them apart.
Anywho! I hope you enjoy this first chapter!
WARRIORS: An Ancient Dawn
Blood sprayed, flying out over the battlefield. Soaking into the dark colored dirt of the rodentrocks. With one last scream, the area goes quite. Every soldier goes into a battle knowing it could be their last, but… a death? A dark raptor with a beak dyed red stands over another, small and pale, the color of sun kissed skin.
“Dustwing.”
“He killed Dustwing!”
“She was just an apprentice!”
“Murderer!”
Another small raptor steps forward, splaying out her wing feathers. Bright emerald green piercing through the dark, reflecting the harsh moonlight.
“You killed her!” She hissed, getting ready to pounce, only to be stopped by other raptors moving up besides the dark raptor that had killed Dustwing.
“We all fight knowing we may die.” Chirped one of the raptors that had moved up next to the dark colored one, the feathers along his torso fluffing out in a display of strength. “It’s not Bushheart’s fault.”
“Not his fault?” the small green raptor snapped, her feathers bristling. “Not his fault! She was barely an apprentice! Still just practically a chick!” she bent to pounce again, but was stopped this time by one of her own clanmates.
“Grovefeather, stop.”
“No! they ne-“
“Enough!”
“No! they ne-“
“Enough!”
All raptors turned to a large raptor who had jumped up the side of one of the nearby rocks, standing above them all. His head held high. “This territory was not worth the price of a child’s life. We retreat, now.”
“But Skyfern, we have almost wo-“
“Now!” screamed out Skyfern, before turning away. His bright blue tail feathers catching the moonlight. After a moment, a trickle of feathers stream after the Duneclan deputy. Grovefeather stood, defeated.
“Now!” screamed out Skyfern, before turning away. His bright blue tail feathers catching the moonlight. After a moment, a trickle of feathers stream after the Duneclan deputy. Grovefeather stood, defeated.
“What now?” she chirped softly.
“We take Dustwing back for her burial, and rights into Starclan.”
“It’s not fair…”
“No, it’s not.”
And so Stormclan won the Rodentrocks, with the payment of a child’s blood.
--------------------------------
“We take Dustwing back for her burial, and rights into Starclan.”
“It’s not fair…”
“No, it’s not.”
And so Stormclan won the Rodentrocks, with the payment of a child’s blood.
--------------------------------
“Arak! Over here!” the two chicks jumped and tumbled over each other. Landing in a pile, they quickly jump up and away from each other before running and crashing into each other again, spinning in the air, before landing in a heap again, laughing.
“Streak! Come over here and play with Arak and me!” Called Lightning, crouching down and wiggling her haunches. The setting sunlight sparkled off of her bright gold eyes.
But Streak was too busy inspecting the creek. Watching tadpoles and fish swim by, he didn’t notice Lightning’s call.
Arak bounded over and flipped her brother and herself. Landing hard, Streak let out a shrill shriek of annoyance.
But Streak was too busy inspecting the creek. Watching tadpoles and fish swim by, he didn’t notice Lightning’s call.
Arak bounded over and flipped her brother and herself. Landing hard, Streak let out a shrill shriek of annoyance.
“Watch it Arak! Geeze, it’s like you don’t know what personal space is!” Streak squealed angrily.
“You’re no fun! Why don’t you ever play with us.” Barked Arak, fluffing up her still partly downy feathers. She stood and shook the dirt off of herself.
“It’s because he wasn’t born right Arak! Don’t be mean!” chirped Lightning, lashing her tail.
“I wasn’t born wrong!” Yelped Streak, fluffing out his own partly downy feathers in anger. But he knew that wasn’t true. He was born small, a sickly runt. Just like their brother Geode. Geode had never gotten stronger and eventually their mother had to return Geode to the stars, but none of them really remember Geode, just that he had been. But Streak was angry, and scared of what could have happened, and if he got sick again, he was scared he was going to get left behind or worse. In fear he lashed out loudly. “I wasn’t born wrong! I wasn’t! I’m not like Geode! I won’t get left behind!”
Lighting and Arak, arched their necks back, and pushed their chins into their neck feathers, ashamed.
“What is going on over here?” Their mother, Swiftly, came from around the large pile of dirt they had been playing by and
noticed Streak’s distress. Angrily she shrilled. “Away! Both of you. I’ll deal with you later. Leave us.”
Lighting and Arak ashamedly shuffled away to hide in the reed bed.
Swiftly settled down next to Streak, and gently covered him with her wing. Reaching down, she nuzzled him softly with her beak. “What has happened my little dragon? Why are you hurting?” Sniffling, Streak spoke.
“Arak said I was no fun, and that I didn’t like to play with them. And then Lightning came over and said I was born wrong, and then I remembered what happened to Geode, and I don’t want to be like Geode and I’m scared and I, I, I…” Streak sped up as he talked and then spluttered off as his emotions caught up to him.
“Shh, shh, shh.” Swiftly cooed softly. “It’s alright, just breath.” Streak gulped a few lungsful of air before asking.
“Am I gonna end up like Geode?”
“Am I gonna end up like Geode?”
Swiftly blinked, and shook her head slightly. “Oh my sweet honey comb, no. What happened to Geode...” Swiftly trailed off for a second before continuing. “What happened to your brother still breaks my heart, but he was so sick. He never would have
grown; he never would have lived. He would have died in pain after such a short time. I returned your brother to the stars because they will keep him safe, at least until it is my time to ride the comets up into the heavens, and then I will take care of him, and I will wait for the time I will get to be with you again.” Swiftly pauses for a moment to breath. “Streak, you ARE strong. Stronger than you know. I know you will grow, and have a long life. And I will do everything I can to make sure you and your sisters grow into fully capable raptors.” She leans down and nuzzles at Streak again. “I love you, and you have nothing to
worry about, nor anything to prove. Now get some water while I talk to your sisters, and then we’ll all go over and eat the prey I’ve caught us. Alright?” She gets up and begins to make her way over to scold Lighting and Arak.
Streak sat for a few moments as Swiftly rounded the reed bed, taking a second to calm himself. He quickly preened at his chest and wingtips, knocking off some dust and pulling out some loose down. Signs of his ageing. Swiftly would teach them to hunt soon, and then he could prove he was able to survive, even if she had just told him he didn’t need to prove anything.
I might not need to prove myself, Streak thought. But I want to prove myself.
Streak made his way back over to the creek edge, the fish not holding the same interest as a few minutes ago. He took a few drinks of water, dipping his beak and tilting his head back, but the cold water soon made his stomach feel heavy.
Gazing into the water, Streak could see his chick pattern fading from his feathers as the chick down was replaced with feather sheaths and full feathers. The cream color with dark patterns gave way to his adult color, a beautiful iridescent gold brown, the setting sunlight reflecting green, blue, and red shades. He was proud of his new colors, they reminded him of his mother.
Peddling his paws for a moment, Streak finally turned from the water and made his way in the direction his mother had gone, his stomach asking for the prey she had caught.
As Streak approached the reed bed, Arak ran out from behind them towards where he could smell their mother’s prey pile. Swiftly and Lightning appeared a moment later.
“Arak!” Swiftly called. “Get back here, you and Lightning have something to say to your brother.”
Arak lowering her head, skulked back towards them.
“Yes Swiftly.” She cheeped softly.
Arak lowering her head, skulked back towards them.
“Yes Swiftly.” She cheeped softly.
Arak pushed herself into their mother’s side, but Lighting moved forward, reaching out with her beak, she sniffed at Streak’s cheek.
“I’m sorry Streak, I didn’t mean to make you so upset.” She sung softly to regret.
The song cheered up Streak a bit, showing how much she meant her apology.
“Thank you Lighting, it’ll be okay.”
“I’m sorry Streak, I didn’t mean to make you so upset.” She sung softly to regret.
The song cheered up Streak a bit, showing how much she meant her apology.
“Thank you Lighting, it’ll be okay.”
“‘M sorry to...” Arak mumbled into Swiftly’s feathers.
“Arak.” Swiftly said, giving her a stern look.
“I’m sorry,” Arak chirped louder. “I didn’t mean to be a jerk to you.” She pushed her face back into Swiftly’s feathers.
“It’s fine, I guess…” Streak said softly.
Swiftly gave him a semi disapproving look, but chose not to say anything.
“Arak.” Swiftly said, giving her a stern look.
“I’m sorry,” Arak chirped louder. “I didn’t mean to be a jerk to you.” She pushed her face back into Swiftly’s feathers.
“It’s fine, I guess…” Streak said softly.
Swiftly gave him a semi disapproving look, but chose not to say anything.
“Come my little dragons, it’s time to eat.”
All three chicks perked up, making their way after their mother.
As they arrived at the small prey pile, they could see a couple of lizards, a snake, and a small furry animal.
As they arrived at the small prey pile, they could see a couple of lizards, a snake, and a small furry animal.
“What’s that?” Arak squeaked, looking at it intensely.
“It’s called a mammal,” Sung Swiftly to learning. “It’s another type of animal, like the fish, or the reptiles, or us.”
“Or the birds!” cheeped Lighting, bobbing her head for praise.
“I thought we were birds?” asked Arak.
“No, birds are us.” Answered Streak to clarification, his notes hitting much higher than his mothers.
“Streak is right,” said Swiftly, nuzzling Streak on the head. “The birds came from the same kind of dinosaurs we are, though they split off a long time ago. But enough of that, it’s time to eat before something comes looking for our catch.”
“It’s called a mammal,” Sung Swiftly to learning. “It’s another type of animal, like the fish, or the reptiles, or us.”
“Or the birds!” cheeped Lighting, bobbing her head for praise.
“I thought we were birds?” asked Arak.
“No, birds are us.” Answered Streak to clarification, his notes hitting much higher than his mothers.
“Streak is right,” said Swiftly, nuzzling Streak on the head. “The birds came from the same kind of dinosaurs we are, though they split off a long time ago. But enough of that, it’s time to eat before something comes looking for our catch.”
Swiftly dipped her head down and took the mammal from the pile. Streak was happy that she took it, he didn’t know if he was ready to eat something so weird yet. Arak and Lightning went for the snake, leaving Streak his pick of the lizards.
He took the blue one, for himself, after all he was big enough to eat a whole lizard now!
He put his paw on the lizard, using his weight for leverage as he twisted and pulled. With a snap, and a small, quick dribble of blood, the front half of the lizard came off.
In a quick tilt and swallow, then the same with the other half, Streak was comfortably full in moments.
A little bit later, as the sun disappeared under the horizon, and the stars began to appear in the darkening sky, Swiftly sat in a small hollow up against a large tree root, her three chicks snuggled in under her wings, the bed of down being held by the rudimentary nest of sticks and moss.
He put his paw on the lizard, using his weight for leverage as he twisted and pulled. With a snap, and a small, quick dribble of blood, the front half of the lizard came off.
In a quick tilt and swallow, then the same with the other half, Streak was comfortably full in moments.
A little bit later, as the sun disappeared under the horizon, and the stars began to appear in the darkening sky, Swiftly sat in a small hollow up against a large tree root, her three chicks snuggled in under her wings, the bed of down being held by the rudimentary nest of sticks and moss.
“I want you all to sleep soundly, my little dragons.” She sung to love. “for tomorrow, we will meet someone very important.”
Lighting yawned, and mumbled sleepily. “Who are we meeting tomorrow?”
Swiftly reached down and nuzzled each of her children as they began to drift to sleep.
“Tomorrow, tomorrow you will meet Stormclan.”
Lighting yawned, and mumbled sleepily. “Who are we meeting tomorrow?”
Swiftly reached down and nuzzled each of her children as they began to drift to sleep.
“Tomorrow, tomorrow you will meet Stormclan.”