Dew
โ avid book reader โ
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Post by Dew on May 21, 2024 17:47:37 GMT -5
 Palestream Palestream watched as Burntears danced around the leaf, trying to catch it. It was quite funny, but she tried to suppress her giggles. It was a childish thing to do, but who would say anything? At least Burntears had the bravery to do it in front of all the cats here. Palestream would never.
The sudden tickling that started on her head confused her, and she flicked her ears trying to get it off, only to realize that it was the leaf that Burntears had been playing with. Palestream let out a laugh, and the leaf fell off her head. "I don't think I've ever seen a twoleg. I've only heard stories about them from the elders" She said, looking down at the leaf. They had told her that they were better off never to see a twoleg again, as they only caused trouble. But they had also mentioned that they only had fur on their heads, which was so weird! We are so lucky to have not seen any for generations!
She/Her - Warrior
๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ  Gingerflame Gingerflame's gaze rested on the nursery, where his mate, Silverfern resided, and in her, was his kits. He felt warm all the way through when he thought of them, even if the kits wern't coming at the best time. The were due during leaf-fall/bare, which in fact, was the worst time to bring kits into the clan, but he would find a way to feed them. He would find a way to feed them all.
Greyhawk joined him in the midst of his thoughts, never a cat of much words. At least not what he had seen. Gingerflame caught a whiff of the mountain air on his pelt, and listened intently when Greyhawk told him about a hawk. A day old....
"Hopefully shouldn't be much of a problem. I'll tell patrols to keep a lookout, maybe we can even catch it if it shows up again" Gingerflame said, his tone thoughtful. "Thank you for telling me, want to share this rabbit with me?" He asked, flicking his tail toward the rabbit he had started, but really, only a few bites were taken out of it. It was a better way to use it anyways.
Him/Him - Warrior
ladylantsov
[is it bad that I just realized that the leader and deputy both have kits on the way?] |
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Post by ladylantsov on May 21, 2024 17:51:01 GMT -5
|| My god there will be some egos in the nursery
โWell my mamโs leader.โ
โWell my dadโs deputy!โ
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Post by ๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ on May 21, 2024 18:53:21 GMT -5
BurntearsWarrior * 36 moons * She/Her * tagged; Dew --------------------------------------------------------------------- The pale she-cat tried to hide her slight embarrassment. "Well...I haven't seen them either, but Oakstreak used to tell Owlpaw about them when he was still just a little puff ball. He said they had weird stuff on their heads, and patrolled up the mountain. He didn't say why, but I don't think he knew either." Burntears gave a wistful sigh before she pounced on the leaf again. It was the little things that gave her life meaning, and she hoped that every cat in charge would stay distracted enough to let her continue to play her little games. "Sooo...why are we up so early?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------- OakstreakMedicine Cat * 95 moons * He/Him * tagged; Feathertalon  --------------------------------------------------------------------- "And what did I tell you about talking back to your mentor?" The crotchety tabby snapped back. He didn't know why he bothered, the apprentice was still flapping his gums. He ignored the small cream colored cats words as he mentally prepared himself for another climb up the mountain. He would go with a warrior escort instead if he could've, but he knew if anycat else accompanied him and he was unable to stand, the only one who would help him was the insufferable little runt beside him. When the words stopped coming from his apprentice he silently started out of the den. "Don't forget. Silverfern has a litter coming so we need to make sure the borage stores are as full as they can be. I won't be the medicine cat who gets their ears clawed off if we lose anymore kits this year." Blunt and tactless, he was sure to bring up the sourest of memories for anycat to hear.
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on May 21, 2024 19:16:02 GMT -5
Buckpaw ยป
Oakstreak's snappy reply rolled off of Buckpaw like water on a duck's plumage. The old tom's temper did not faze the young tabby like it would any other cat - having trained under Oakstreak for almost six moons, Buckpaw had grown used to the tri-limbed tom's snappish replies and scathing words. Not that his mentor's attitude had bothered him at any point during his training. The old medicine cat's nasty attitude was nothing Buckpaw couldn't handle.
Cream tail twitched like a chittering squirrel's as he rolled his shoulders in a shrug. Teeth flashed as his lips pulled back to expose a cheeky grin. "Talking back to my mentor is bad manners, but come on, you know it's not nice to call your Clanmates mouse-brains! You wouldn't be happy if some cat called you that, huh?" Bright eyes remained situated upon Oakstreak a moment longer before Buckpaw quickly turned on his paws, bounding through the atrium of camp and toward the well hidden path that would lead the two tomcats outside. Even from here Buckpaw could smell the tantalizing scents of the forest that awaited them - the crisp decay of falling leaves, the sharpness of the chilling mountain breeze. If he breathed in deep enough he could even make out the faint aroma of flowers that still clung on to life despite the cold snap that had blanketed the territory. Surely there were still plenty of herbs to gather.
The topic of Silverfern's kits sent a shiver of excitement pulsing through Buckpaw. His thick pelt fluffed out, whiskers and tail trembling. He bounced upward, a trill of laughter slipping off his tongue. Leaf-bare wasn't a good time to bring kits into the world, but kits were always a blessing regardless of the season. Buckpaw couldn't wait to meet the queen's upcoming litter. "I counted a lot of borage earlier!" Buckpaw proudly exclaimed to his mentor. "But you're right, we need even more with the kits on the way. I'll make sure to get a huge jawful when we find some!" The cream tabby was certain that they'd find a fruitful patch of the long green leaves that grew close to the ground. ConiferClan was lucky to have quite a few patches of the herb growing in their territory, but it was all dependent on whether or not the frost had choked the plants out.
Oakstreak's next comment about losing anymore kits had an actual effect on Buckpaw - the tabby remained silent longer than usual. He slipped out of camp without another word, mulling over the statement his mentor had made. The last thing the Clan needed was for any of the kits to not make it. The last thing the Clan needed was for Silverfern to fall into the same depression that Goldenchill had tumbled into when she had lost her litter; Buckpaw and his littermate Snowpaw had not been born yet when Goldenchill had given birth to, and immediately lost, her litter, yet the event was something Buckpaw knew well. The golden tabby queen was a helpful presence around camp, but sorrow followed her like a shadow, and any cat with any of their senses about them could feel just how badly the loss of her kits had taken a toll on the older molly.
Freeing his mind of such thoughts, Buckpaw chuffed, shaking out his pelt and fluffing it out against the cold wind that rustled through the land. "I'm gonna find Snowpaw a pine cone, too. I don't know if he'd want one, but he'll get one!" For any other cat Buckpaw would bring them back an actual flower or a special herb, but knowing his brother's disdain of herbal plants, Buckpaw decided he'd stick with a pinecone for now. Surely Snowpaw would enjoy that if anything.
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Post by ๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ on May 21, 2024 20:09:38 GMT -5
SnowpawApprentice * 11 moons * He/Him * tagged;--------------------------------------------------------------------- Snowpaw was just now rising to join the rest of his clan, having emjoyed his plentiful sleep. Upon noticing that most of the other cats around were outside or still asleep, Snowpaw tried to slink as steathily as he could out of the den. He found the perfect place to hide himself while he waited for his mentor to eventually arrive and gather him for either training or some kind of patrol. Priming himself, he readied his body to pounce on whichever cat was unfortunate to be caught in his wake. Sure, they might not appreciate it, but he was having fun.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- OakstreakMedicine Cat * 95 moons * He/Him * tagged; Feathertalon --------------------------------------------------------------------- Oakstreak couldn't help but feel his backfur prickle upon hearing the young cat speak so fondly of his brother. It was yet another thing about his apprentice he despised. It was as if this young cat was a reflection of who he could have been if he had embraced his destiny. Instead, he became this bitter old tom who actively did everything he culd to escape his fate. "Only if you can carry it back with everything else we have to bring back." The borderline elder opened his mouth to better scent the territory around them. He was making his way to the first herb spot they needed to check. Catmint, the most important of all. Soft yet agitated grunts would escape the brown cat on the steeper segments, having always stuggled to scale them since his injury. He hoped that wolf had gotten what was coming to him every time he woke from his violent nightmares, but wished ill on the distant wolf again every time he tried to scale anything with the slightest challenge. Getting old wasn't helping, which annoyed him more.
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Dew
โ avid book reader โ
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Post by Dew on May 21, 2024 20:12:33 GMT -5
Palestream Palestream nodded, although she hadn't heard it from Oakstreak. Oakstreak was an... interesting tom, grumpy all the time and... well, that about summed it up in her mind. Sometimes she joked she was so careful about not getting hurt or sick because she didn't want to spend time with the medicine cat, but she didn't really care. To be honest, she was more scared of pain in general then spending time with Oakstreak, Buckpaw was training there after all, and he was just a bundle of joy, the opposite of Oakstreak in fact.
"This is the normal time for warriors silly! Don't you remember? That way we can have some time to talk and wake up before the day really starts. At least that was what my mentor used to say" Palestream explained, but she was smiling all the while, even if it seemed that she was lecturing her friend.
She/Her - Warrior
๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ |
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Post by ๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ on May 21, 2024 20:20:19 GMT -5
BurntearsWarrior * 36 moons * She/Her * tagged; Dew --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Oh." An airy, carefree laugh took over her as it all was starting to sound familiar. Had it really been that long, or was she just that scatterbrained? "Well, your fur is looking very shiny and beautiful today. I'm surprised the toms are able to keep their eyes on the prey around you." Oh Burntears, did your mind think about anything else? Leaves. Kits. Toms...maybe a squirrel or two. Otherwise, her head was always in the clouds.
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Dew
โ avid book reader โ
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Post by Dew on May 21, 2024 20:33:47 GMT -5
 Auburnpaw So what if she had snuck out of camp this morning? She hadn't been caught, at least not yet, and she hadn't been injured either. All she had wanted to do is see the Scorched Plain again, and see the stars. She could see them really anywhere in the territory, but then again, the thick trees covering most of the land didn't let you see much of the sky, and the Scorched Plain fascinated her, so she had gone ahead. Who was going to scold her for being curious? Lots of cats. That was true, but who cared? Cleaning out the bedding was not going to stamp it out of her, nothing will!
It had been amazing too! The canopy had been burnt away so she could see the sky, and wherever she stepped it seemed to release a puff of ash. Although the fire had occurred lots of seasons ago, the greenery was still slowly returning, and the devastation was easy to imagine. Auburnpaw wondered who she could ask about what they had done, when they had seen the fire, was't Cedarstar still alive then? Had he been well, healthy? He had lost his final life only a few moons ago, and although she had been very young, she could remember the clan reaction. Not really surprise, but sadness. It made Auburnpaw hope that Briarstar lived forever.
She had come in through the dirtplace, which like always didn't smell good, but today it smelled very stinky, like somecat would have dumped rotten crowfood out of their rear end, or even their mouth. Now she was sitting off in a corner of camp, slowing grooming the vile scent of the dirtplace as well as the ashy smell of the Scorched Plain from her fur.
She/Her - Apprentice
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Post by aquatail on May 22, 2024 1:19:17 GMT -5
I'll put up a starter soon
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Post by aquatail on May 22, 2024 1:49:53 GMT -5
Silverfern
She sat in the nursery grumbling that she should be outside sharing a mouse with her mate. Instead here she was. She wished she had some company or some playful kits to look after. "Patience she thought "when your kits arrive you probably will be wishing that they would give you some sleep." She knew she had to at least have a stretch of her legs even if it was just a walk around camp. She yawned and got out of her nest. Her bulging belly weighed her down but after a few seconds she balanced herself. She walked outside. She smell of fresh air was so beautiful. She started her stroll getting a few questionable looks from her clanmates as she walked around camp.
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Post by ladylantsov on May 22, 2024 5:54:58 GMT -5
GREYHAWK
"Not hungry," he wasn't often these days. The smokey-grey tom's ears prick forward as a familiar, plump figure withdrew from the nursery. He swallows, but it feels dry and thorny all the way down to his belly. "It looks like you're needed elsewhere, anyway," he had to force the hollow echo out of his voice.
Greyhawk refuses to follow his next instinct upon spotting the expectant queen, which is - as it had always been, to look for Goldenchill. The golden ghost of a shecat he called his mate. She'd grieved openly, the whole clan - him included, gave her the space she needed to face what had happened to their kits.
It's a mercy the tom cat doesn't allow himself, doesn't think he deserves.
Goldenchill grieved kits only she had known, and had known them from the first flicker of their heartbeats and their kits had only known her. It didn't feel like he had the right to grieve, to compare his hurt to his mate's. So he bottled it, hid it and refused to let anyone see just the effect it had had on him.
Part of him had died with his litter.
He'd spent that day convinced the worst sound he'd ever hear, was the screams of his darling mate as she kitted. It wasn't long after that he'd realised what an utter fool he was for believing it - far from it. It was the silence that should have been filled by his children's first breaths, the mewls for their mama, and her delighted purrs at meeting her children. The kits they'd spent so, so long hoping for.
Then the Goldenchill's all-consuming grief when she realised three lives had been taken from her, before they'd ever had the chance to breathe. Only to be repeated again less than a moon later when the one survivor, his tiny, tiny son, followed his sisters into the ground.
"I'm not too tired - I can take a patrol out, check it hasn't nested too close to camp, destroy it if it has," Greyhawk continued. Anything to distract himself, anything to be away from camp feeling as useless as he had that wretched day. "Offer a little peace of mind, for your mate." |
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Post by whispering on May 22, 2024 11:51:32 GMT -5
He gave a long sigh, begrudgingly put at ease at Briarstar's reassurance, relaxing instantly at her touch. She had that effect on him. He'd say he hated it but then he'd be lying. Eagleswoop watched her as she whisked past him, savoring her lilt as if he would never hear such a delicacy again.
The sudden movement beneath her flanks against him caught his breath. It was something he still hadn't grown used to. "Our little warriors," His deep meow sounded, lowering his head to be level with their kits, with her belly. A rumbling purr sounded when he watched them squirm and move, as if Briarstar had eaten mice whole and they fought to escape their captor. A particularly big kick caught his attention, and the purr turned into laughter. "They are already little fighters. We shall name one Tigerkit if they look like me." It was a powerful name to have. But any kits of theirs were more than worthy of such a name.
Eagleswoop then snorted, averting his amber gaze to his mate at her next comment. "Please, cats babying the great Briarstar?" He knew his mate wanted to keep her image, she wanted to be feared. Respected. But bearing his kits wouldn't change that, not in his eyes. It only made him admire her more. "I live to see the day." He reached out a paw to playfully cuff her shoulder. A move he would've put more power behind had she not been pregnant. Stars, how he missed their sparring sessions.
"All I'm suggesting is you at least tell Oakstreak. And maybe... I can mention something to my father. I'm sure he has some advice to give." It wasn't that Eagleswoop was nervous about fatherhood. or that he couldn't keep a secret. He just wanted his leader to ensure her safety, and their kits' safety. And most of all, he wanted to boast about his offspring. He and his father were rather close and he hated lying to the elderly cat. And the boasting matches Gingerflame and he could have. A faint smile crossed his maw at the thought of rousing the ginger deputy.
But it was his mate's decision. He would not overstep her boundary. No matter how much pleasure he could seek from their clanmates knowing the truth.
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on May 22, 2024 12:28:23 GMT -5
Buckpaw ยป
Buckpaw looked at his mentor with an amused, questioning gaze. Was that supposed to be a challenge, something to deter the young tom from finding his brother a pinecone? Surely Oakstreak had been training Buckpaw for long enough to know that the cream tabby was not afraid of any prerequisite the old medicine cat threw his way. If Buckpaw wanted to bring back a pinecone for Snowpaw but had to carry every herb they found on their expedition back with them, then that was exactly what Buckpaw was going to do.
Before he had a chance to respond with his typical upbeat words, Buckpaw noticed the change in his mentorโs demeanor. Oakstreak was a grouchy old tom, and Buckpaw had never known him as anything else, but using the term โoldโ in relation to Oakstreak was accurate. As a youth of only eleven moons, Buckpaw considered a lot of his fellow Clanmates to be old. Briarstar, for example, was a cat the medicine cat apprentice would consider old despite being aware of how the leader was only in the middle of her life expectancy. To a young apprentice a seasoned warrior with the rank of leader would always be an old cat. Even cats like Palestream were considered old in Buckpawโs mind, though the light-furred molly was nowhere close to being an old warrior.
Oakstreak, on the other pawโฆ
Age had creeped up on him and was not treating him kindly. Perhaps part of it had to do with the traumatic injury the old tom had sustained seasons and seasons ago, way before even Buckpawsโs own parents had been alive. The medicine cat apprentice was well aware of how old injuries could hinder the body later in life, and while there were quite a number of herbs that could be used to mitigate some of the pain, there was no cure. If there were a cure for such ailments then Oakstreak wouldnโt have to be in pain all the time. Sorrelsnap wouldnโt have had to retire just a moon prior - the poor ginger and white tomcat could barely get up in the mornings due to achy joints. With fluid limberness still in Buckpawโs movements, the young tom couldnโt even begin to imagine how it felt trying to get up only to be halted by stiff muscles and bones burning with pain.
Pawsteps once brimming with excitement slowed down, pausing to allow Oakstreak to catch up to him. Slowly Buckpaw eased himself against Oakstreak, allowing the old medicine cat to transfer part of his weight into the apprentice. โItโs cold out here,โ Buckpaw mewed, โso I thought we could warm up together.โ An airhead at times, Buckpaw at least realized that outright telling his mentor he was helping him walk was a bad idea. Instead, putting it off as if the wind was cutting through his thick pelt sounded like a better option - an option that would maybe allow Buckpaw to keep his ears from being swatted off.
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Post by ๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ on May 22, 2024 13:00:58 GMT -5
OakstreakMedicine Cat * 95 moons * He/Him * tagged; Feathertalon --------------------------------------------------------------------- The old tom had half a mind to swat him, but if he did hit the young cat too hard thy would both fall over. Instead he opted to grunt begrudgingly in response. It felt like only yesterday when Buckpaw and Snowpaw were still little kits. They were so much more likable then. Helpless, mewling little tufts of fur. It was almost enough to make Oakstreak smile. Almost. Upon reaching the herbs they were seeking, he expertly began to extract them. With as much experience as Oakstreak, it would be surprising not to have such skill with identifying and picking out the plants. Truthfully he had always been good at it, much to his own dismay for most of his life. Begrudging acceptance was more commonplace for the cat now. As he handed off the newly extracted catmint to his apprentice, he immediately started to trek toward where they would find their next quarry. He still pretended like he could walk on his own, even if he secretly needed the help. "Only a moon until you get your warrior name pipsqueak...don't think that will change the fact that you still have much to learn. If I can get as much sense put into your head as I can within the moon, I'll ask Briarstar about retirement." The torture would soon be over.
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Post by whispering on May 22, 2024 13:41:37 GMT -5
You didn't say much for the first moons of your life. In fact, you didn't even mewl when you were born. I thought you were stillborn or a mute.
She was not a mute. And unfortunately, she had not been born dead.
One of your great-great ancestors on your mother's side was mute.
Her father always joked about it. He always told his stories unprovoked. And he'd finish with laughter Silentshadow had quickly grown to hate. A laugh that made her fur stand on end and icy fury swell in her belly. Why she was hearing his voice now, his laughter, she couldn't understand. But every night he appeared in her dreams; memories of the time they'd spent together before, rare moments of bonding which she hated. It hadn't started immediately after his death either. It occurred after she received her warrior name, her first night in her new bedding after sitting vigil. It was as if Flinthawk was still playing his games with her, even in death. He was haunting her. The black-furred molly couldn't remember the last time she had a good night's sleep. All she wanted was one night, or even a full day, without hearing her father's voice. But no, that would be too easy. What does he want from me? To think he was haunting her because she hated him would be too on the nose.
Flinthawk and Wisteriamoon didn't feel remorse for their daughters' feelings towards them. They wore it proudly. It was a part of them: her father's pride and her mother's icy criticism. Silentshadow liked to think she was born quietly because even then, she knew she was born to overbearing, abusive fox-hearts. Why wail at birth when she had years of suffering to come?
But why was Flinthawk intercepting her everyday life now?
"Rattlepaw, get up." Her sister was another story. A sad story. Pitifully sad. But Silentshadow loved her; she harbored a fierce need to protect her from their mother's lack of love and their clanmate's piteous stares. Of course, Silentpaw hadn't been too happy the night she found out she passed her assessment while Rattlepaw had failed. I'll never speak to you again. She vowed, turning her back on the pointed molly. But she couldn't bear not talking to her sister. They understood each other through their trauma. They were all they had. That was why she would tell her about her dreams and the whispers. And she knew all she had to do was call to get her sister's attention. Silentshadow was a warrior now; Rattlepaw could come and go with her as she pleased. It's not like Briarstar will take her out, anyway. Or anyone, for that matter.
Now she led her sister deep into the forest, into the whisper woods where they wouldn't be bothered. They could say they were doing a bit of hunting. Leafbare was coming. No cat would question it. Did their father talk to Rattlepaw, too? Wisteriasnow? She had to know. She was itching to find out. And it would be easier to speak with her sister before she could approach her mother about it.
The black molly paused under a tall pine, her ears pricking as she listened to the chilling winds. She could hear the voices very faintly. But she couldn't make out their words. Her father wasn't here now.
"Sister, we must talk. I brought you here because I know you will listen." As delusional as Rattlepaw may have been, she always listened.
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Dew
โ avid book reader โ
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Post by Dew on May 22, 2024 14:59:33 GMT -5
Palestream Palestream hoped that her friend would come around eventually, get up on her own and know what to do. Although, she liked the way that Burntears acted, it was fun and she felt like she could be herself around the mostly white molly. Maybe it was the she-cats aloofness that made her want to hang out with her.
At the next words that just, popped out of Burntears mouth, and she couldn't suppress a giggle, even a laugh that just, exploded from her mouth. "Well I'm flattered" She said, the laughter reflecting in her eyes. Palestream tried to clean her pelt every morning, she didn't want to look like she had just woken up in front of her clan, but the thought of attracting any toms, or she-cats had never really crossed her mind. Sure, she loved the idea of having a mate and kits, but it wasn't like she was trying to impress anycat. In fact, it seemed that Burntears was the first cat who had ever noticed, or at least commented on it.
"I guess it's easier with a shorter pelt, but yours looks nice as well" She said, although she wouldn't be surprised if Burntears wasn't listening. The warrior had that look in her eyes, saying that she had gone someplace else in her mind. "Burntears, are you even listening?" She asked, flicking her tail in front of the molly's eyes.
She/Her - Warrior
๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ Gingerflame Gingerflame looked over to where his mate, Silverfern, had exited the nursery, her belly swollen with kits. She must be hungry, maybe even angry had him right now, but it was still early, and he had to finish this hawk business with Greyhawk before he went up to her. And he still needed to figure out patrols for today. He had a general idea of what they were going to be, but he wasn't one hundred percent sure yet.
"That would be great Greyhawk. I'll send the rest of the patrols out once more cats wake up, but why don't grab two other cats and check it out" Gingerflame's tone was soft, knowing that Greyhawk must be thinking of his own mate, and his kits that hadn't survived. Despite Greyhawk trying to hide it, Gingerflame could see how the event had affected him, and he tried to have the senior warrior doing something most of the time, as it seemed like his way to cope. Gingerflame nodding his head. That way he could finalze patrols based on who was still in camp, and share some of this rabbit with Silverfern. "Good luck" He said, before picking up his rabbit and padding over to where Silverfern was.
"Good morning M'lady, how would you like to share this rabbit with me?" He asked, dropping at their paws. He liked the way that she was bold and smart, and the way that her long fur almost always looked nice. Some cats would say that as a younger warrior he was very obvious about liking her, but he liked to belive that he had done a pretty good job of disguising his crush. Still, every time he saw her, his heart couldn't help but jump as he reminded himself that she was his, and he was hers.
Him/Him - Warrior
ladylantsov, aquatail
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Post by ๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ on May 22, 2024 15:19:38 GMT -5
BurntearsWarrior * 36 moons * She/Her * tagged; Dew --------------------------------------------------------------------- Burntears was always ever so grateful for her friend's seemingly infinite patience. Palestream was usually the only cat other than her dearly departed mate that seemed to ever be able to put up with her intensely scattered brain. She was listening, it just really didn't look like it. "It is tougher...but at least it doesn't get so cold. I know you have a hard time during leaf bare." The barely present blue pigment in her eyes settled on her friend as she began to purr at the many memories of them curling close to each other within their nests for warmth when they were both fresh faced warriors. Good memories...
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on May 22, 2024 15:25:35 GMT -5
Buckpaw ยป
Taking into account that Oakstreak said nothing upon Buckpawโs comment on needing to stay warm, the young tom remained at the elderly healerโs side. What he had said wasnโt an entire lie - the wind was rather chilly out here upon the bleak mountain slope, and even with his thick pelt Buckpaw could feel the talons of cold trying to pierce through the layers of fur upon his body. Leaf-bare was never an easy season; he and Snowpaw had been born at the beginning of last leaf-bare, and while the two had been confined in the comforts of the ConiferClan camp, Buckpaw could still recall the hardness of the season. Warriors returning from patrols with snow caked into their fur, his mother being one of the few cats to receive prey if prey had even been caught. Cats had starved last leaf-bare. Some went to their nest to sleep away their hunger only to never wake up again. Prey and herbs were more important than ever.
Once again Oakstreakโs age positioned itself into the forefront of Buckpawโs mind. The changing of seasons was always harsher for those more advanced in age. With Oakstreakโs past injuries hindering him more and more, how would this coming leaf-bare treat him?
This was not the first comment Oakstreak had made about his retirement. A part of Buckpaw was relieved knowing that his mentor realized just how quickly he was aging, yet another part of him dreaded the day in which his mentor made a nest inside the eldersโ den. Was Buckpaw ready to take on the full responsibilities of a medicine cat? Would he be ready to earn his full name in the span of just one moon? Excitement danced with anxiety at the thought. He had to tell himself that if Oakstreak of all cats thought he was ready to graduate then surely he had learned enough to care for the Clan as their sole healer, and yetโฆ
The sight of fresh catmint sparked a thrill inside the cream tabby. Excitement overtook the anxiety, paws shuffling and tail quivering with energy that needed to be released. โIโll check in on you in the eldersโ den everyday, okay, Oakstreak? I know youโll have Sorrelsnap to spend time with, but youโll need some cat to talk about herbs with.โ That was a promise Buckpaw was not going to break, not that he was one to break a promise he made to begin with.
Needing to hold true with his first promise, Buckpaw gently picked up the catmint into his jaws, careful to not crush any of the precious leaves. With the catmint securely in his jaws he padded back to press against Oakstreak, determined to give his mentor support as they traversed the territory in search of herbs.
Rattlepaw ยป
โHow much longer are you going to wait on becoming a warrior? Any cat worth a single mouse tail would have been named a warrior five times over by now, and yet here you are, still a pathetic โpaw. I canโt say I ever imagined favoring your sister over you, but here we are.โ Her motherโs words were icier than the wind that howled through the trees and across the mountain slope. Her motherโs eyes were narrowed into emotionless slits, a sight that Rattlepaw had become all too familiar with. Had there ever been any emotion in her motherโs gaze? Had there ever been warmth in her motherโs words? Even as a tiny, defenseless kit at the curve of her motherโs belly, had Wisteriasnow ever reflected a sliver of love for her daughters?
โAre you Rattlepaw or are you Silentshadow? Speak." Wisteriasnowโs tone lowered, grew harsher. Steelier. Icier. Rattlepaw lowered herself to the ground. Her body yearned to tremble and shake, but she held the movements back, knowing that if she showed fear her mother would only latch on to that and escalate the situation even more.
In the flash of a second pain blazed hot across Rattlepawโs face. Like lightning crackling through the sky, claws stormed across the young mollyโs visage, blood following the vicious attack. Metallic warmth trickled across Rattlepawโs face. She lurched backward, an involuntary hiss escaping her jaws as she half shuffled-half rolled away from the vicinity of her mother, who was calmly licking her claws clean of the blood she had drawn from her own daughter.
Rattlepaw wanted to be shocked at her motherโs blatant display of aggression. She wanted to be surprised that Wisteriasnow had raised her own claws toward a kit she had raised, but this was not the first time something like this had happened. Wisteriasnow acted physically toward Rattlepaw before; it had been some moons ago since the last occurrence, but the scar still stung just as harshly as it had the day she had received it.
Movement from her mother caught Rattlepawโs attention. The young molly shrank back, flinching underneath Wisteriasnowโs dark gaze. โPerhaps if you canโt be a warrior then at least you can look the part.โ And just like that Wisteriasnow turned on newly cleaned paws and slipped away into the thickets of the forest, leaving Rattlepaw shocked and painful as rivulets of scarlet stained her fur.
A briar had caught her in the face was what she had told any cat that questioned her upon returning back to camp two sunrises ago. No cat seemed to question it - after all, a failure like her would be the type to get attacked by a plant and come off on the worst end of it. Since then Rattlepaw had cooped herself up inside the apprenticesโ den, tucked as far away as possible from any of her denmates. Fortunately no cat paid much mind to her, and all the more fortunate no cat - specifically her new mentor - had come looking for her. ConiferClan had given up on her just as she had given up on herself. Why Briarstar had decided to become her mentor and then not even try to train the apprentice was beyond Rattlepaw, but she didnโt mind it. For the most part. Was it heartwrenching to know that her new mentor had already given up on her before training had even started? Yes. But was it also relieving to know that she didnโt even have to try anymore? Again, yes.
Rattlepawโs stomach twisted with emptiness. When was the last time she had eaten anything? By StarClan she couldnโt remember, but a useless cat such as herself deserved no prey, and honestly, a part of her was grateful that she could still feel hunger. It at least meant she could still feel something. Even the fresh wound across her face no longer elicited a pain response from Rattlepaw, so feeling hungry was something of a relief in her eyes.
The lynx point made no signs of acknowledgement when at first her name was called. Momentarily she believed it to be a trick of the ears, her stomach growling in such a way that it sounded reminiscent of another catโs voice.
Black fur in the distance told Rattlepaw that this was not the case. Silentshadow. Her sister. Her littermate. The one cat that could understand her.
โI canโt say I ever imagined favoring your sister.โ
Wisteriasnowโs words had dealt no damage there. Why wouldnโt a mother favor a cat like Silentshadow? She was a warrior through and through and deserved her name more than any other cat in the Clan. Rattlepaw could see that, so why couldnโt their mother?
Slowly, shakily, Rattlepaw pushed herself up. Her fur was a mess, ruffled more so on the side she had been laying upon. Her already lithe frame was erring on the side of bone thin from the meals she had skipped the last few days. Dull blue eyes were listless until falling directly on the sight of her littermate, a hint of warmth burning beneath the cloudiness. Rattlepawโs movements were jerky, yet as she came to stand beside Silentshadow she pressed her face into the warriorโs shoulder, drawing in the familiar, welcoming scent of the one cat who actually cared about her.
Side by side the two mollies slipped away from camp and made their way to the part of the forest where the pines grew tall and the cedars loomed with shadow. Moss painted their trunks thickly as vines crept along the bark like monstrous fingers attempting to escape. Whispering Woods was a sacred place, an area that some were afraid to venture too deep into, but here, where not many dared to explore, Rattlepaw found a semblance of peace. Even if voices sometimes darted through the air, originated from something disembodied and long dead, Rattlepaw found it oddly serene here, a place where she could relax.
Ears swiveled in the direction of Silentshadow as blue eyes peered around into the darkness. โIโm listening,โ she whispered, voice breathy and a mere ghost, yet Rattlepaw knew if any cat could catch her words, it would be Silentshadow. Her sister understood her, that much Rattlepaw knew for certain.
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Post by ๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ on May 22, 2024 16:04:08 GMT -5
SnowpawApprentice * 11 moons * He/Him * tagged; whispering --------------------------------------------------------------------- The young cat waited for what felt like forever, and yet no cat was new enough to fall for this trick. The rambunctious tom had pounced on many others by surprise so many times he would be a little shocked if anyone did fall for it! Oh well. He slunk back out into the clearing, eyes narrowing in search of his mentor. The cat in question had been rather reclusive lately, and as much as Snowpaw wanted to burst into the leader's den to grab his mentor...he knew better. Instead he made a mew of excitement as he bounded over to the entrance to it. Come on, Eagleswoop, any second now."A hunting patrol sounds reeeeeaaaally fun this morning!" He said to no one at all, in the hopes to grab any attention.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- OakstreakMedicine Cat * 95 moons * He/Him * tagged; Feathertalon --------------------------------------------------------------------- Medicine cat or no, if he ever heard about herbs again after his retirement, he was sure he might perish right at the word. He leaned into Buckpaw this time, though subtly for the sake of his own ego. He did need help, whether he liked it or not and this little thing was sent by Starclan to torture help him whether he liked it or not in kind. Keeping his emerald gaze on the path to what they needed next, Oakstripe felt something change within him. Now that he was retiring and Cedarstar was gone...what did he even have left? "Why did you choose this life anyways?" His tone was definitely snappy and rude as per usual, but there was a genuine curiosity in there. He couldn't imagine why someone so young, so full of life to live would ever choose to live intentionally in the shadows of everyother member of the clan. If his memory served right Buckpaw hadn't been forced into being his apprentice so why?
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Post by aquatail on May 22, 2024 16:12:49 GMT -5
Silverfern
She saw Gingerflame and made her way over to him. She licked her lips " I'd be pleasured" she smiled. Everytime she saw him it was like the sun after the night. She rubbed against him and purred " I've missed you my love" she said. Before sitting down next to him. The rabbit looking more delicious every second. "Soo... Not to rush or anything but can you still share the rabbit" she eyed it hungrily.
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Post by ladylantsov on May 22, 2024 16:23:19 GMT -5
BRIARSTAR
Tigerkit. Sheโd claw the ears off of any cat who dared to mention the grin that blossomed to life on her features at the idea. Oh. She could almost picture him, that set of paws currently pummelling her insides, curled up at her belly. Nuzzling sleepily into her belly fur, milk-drunk and brand new to this world, looking so much like his father that it might snatch her breath away.
โItโs a good name,โ she concedes, any emotion strangled into dust before it could even leave her tongue.
Another, very strong kick makes the molly flinch, it steals the air from her lungs and she lifts to her paws, giving her body a shake, dislodging which ever little one had made a game of lodging itself near her hips. โStarClan seems to be in a habit of taking clan kits away from us too soon at the moment,โ her voice is steely, but something darkens in her gaze. She steps closer to her mate, wanting his warmth for a beat. โI doubt theyโd appreciate me frollicking about instead of tra- resting in the nursery.โ
But taking her leave would mean her clan losing another Hunter, gaining another mouth to feed.
Fending for her kits or feeding her clan, it was a cruel choice.
โYou canโt pull the wool over my eyes, tomcat,โ the warning sound from the pit of her gut could have intimidated any badger in possession of their wits, like a thunder rolling over the hills. โItโs not for my benefit you want this news out,โ she adds, allowing a little more of a chuckle to seep into her words the second time her scarred maw parts. โYou want to brag to any and every cat whoโll listen that youโre going to be a father,โ she rolled her amber eyes skyward, to where starlings could be seen playing beneath the cloak of cloud. โI give you the go ahead at noon, and by moonrise the birds will be singing the very same tune.โ
Sheโd seen the shine in his eyes when sheโd first revealed her suspicions, how heโd leapt with delight as she trembled with fear, that pride that sparked in him more fiercely than any wildfire as he watched her swell with his kits. Heโd been so ready to become a father, there had been an instant sheโd regretted aver keeping the privilege from him. While it hadnโt quelled her own fears, which swelled in her gut as fierce as any riptide, he allowed her to believe these kits would, maybe, just maybe, be okay.
She could mess up, her little ones could hate her all they liked. But their father would be incredible.
The molly would defend them till her death, their tom would show them what it was to live.
Briarstar shakes her head ruefully. โYou just canโt wait to tell Gingerflame that youโre gonna be a father, make wagers on whoโs kits will be made warriors first.โ She ducks her head down to rasp her tongue over her chest.
First to open their eyes, first to catch a mouse, first to disown a parent, the list was sickening and ripe with opportunity. The molly turns her gaze back in the direction of the elder's den, where the prickly elder still hadn't emerged. Unsurprising given the early hour, her whiskers twitched. "You're lucky you have someone to ask," she admits softly.
Wondering if her own mother had survived more than a couple of moons into Briarstar's apprenticehood, had been anything more than a fleeting memory at the back of her mind all these years later, she wouldn't be so apprehensive about becoming a mother. She'd fought hawks, distracted wolves, watched bears roam the mountains.
Seen threats that would send a lesser cat trembling into their dens, tails between their legs.
But motherhood was something she'd never imagined. Was terrified of ruining. |
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on May 22, 2024 18:22:43 GMT -5
Buckpaw ยป
It was no secret that Oakstreak despised his role as a medicine cat. He grimaced at herbs, winced at remedies, and flinched at poultices. Anytime a cat came to him looking for medicinal help he would grumble and gripe, cursing his patient with every fowl phrase he could think of. Many a time he remarked about how he hated his role, yet there was no denying just how well of a medicine cat Oakstreak was. He knew cures for every ailment a cat could name, memorized the effects of every single herb that grew within this very mountain range. Oakstreak was a skilled healer, no cat could doubt that, yet Oakstreak would always roll his eyes at such talents.
In a way Buckpaw understood the old tomโs hatred for healing. It reminded him of Snowpaw, how his brother always curled his nose at the sight of any herb that Buckpaw had tried showing him, of how Snowpaw would curl his lip up when the aroma of flowers hit his nose. Sure, the hate that Snowpaw harbored and the hate that Oakstreak carried were two very different kinds, but still, they were similar enough that Buckpaw could relate the two.
Carefully the cream tabby lowered the catmint onto the ground. He cast a glance toward his mentor before looking away, staring off toward the distance where coniferous branches tickled the sky, where snow decorated the tops of peaks. A dove gray sky promised more snow to come. โI donโt think I had a choice in the matter. Being a medicine cat was something I was born to be,โ he told his mentor sincerely. โI want to help my Clanmates in ways that donโt involve unsheathing my claws and drawing the blood of my enemies. I want to heal wounds, mend bones, and be there to guide cats when they need help from our ancestors. I know you never wanted to be a medicine cat, but maybe you should stop and think about it for a second. Think about your role in the Clan deeper than how youโve ever thought about it. Youโre the first cat our Clanmates go to when they need help. Youโre the first cat that StarClan whispers to when something has gone wrong. You face battles unique to the warriors around us. We may not be a Clan leader, but in some ways, we hold more rank than even those who command us.โ Coming from Buckpaw these words were very well a surprise, but the way he spoke them, the sincere truth that rang in his speech, the pure belief he held onto with every word, it was clear that he truly believed in everything he had just spoken. Behind all the laughter and bubbliness, there was a wise soul residing within Buckpawโs chest.
โPlus,โ he added, a twinkle of humor lighting up his face as he turned to look back at Oakstreak, โI just think herbs are pretty neat!โ
Goldenchill ยป
Alone in the nursery was nothing new to the large golden and white molly. More often than not she was the only living thing within the moss covered stone walls that made up the soft sanctuary. At times the solitude was preferred, a semblance of peace for the queen. Yet at times the solitude harbored cruel intentions, a monster that crawled from the boulderโs cracks and snaked its way into her very mind. Flashes of small kits would dart between her vision, echoes of tiny mewling ringing within her ears. Often sheโd be so sure that she had caught a glimpse of the bright ginger pelt of the only son she had once had, or sometimes sheโd spot the fleeting pale tortoiseshell pelt of her daughter that never had a chance at life. It was times like that - times like right now - that clouded Goldenchillโs sense of emotion and caused her to stumble down a dark path in which no light was cast.
The coming of kits was always something to celebrate, and Goldenchill was always one of the first, if not the first, to congratulate any new parents upon announcing upcoming kits. She had done as much for Burntears when the molly had moved into the nursery, and she had done the same a moon prior when Silverfern had made a nest inside the safety of the boulders. She had always been happy for any queen who came to live inside the nursery, yet every single time a new mother made their arrival and then had kits to care for, a hollow sense of longing would open up inside Goldenchill. She hated that she felt that way, but there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing that could heal the wounds that had scarred the aging mollyโs mind and heart.
Day by day she watched as Silverfernโs flanks swelled with the promise of new life. Once upon a time Goldenchill had felt the same swelling, the same flutters and whispers of tiny kits figuring out how to work their paws and move their tails. She recalled how wonderful it felt to know that she would soon have the chance at being a mother.
Until it had been taken from her in one cruel swoop. Three kits lost before they could even be found. One passing into the shadows before he could even witness a moon of sunrises. There was only so much that she could share with Silverfern when it came to motherhood.
Goldenchill may reside in the nursery permanently, but Silverfern was the true queen, a real mother. She was something that Goldenchill would never be.
Oftentimes when her heart began to ache for a dream she would never achieve, Goldenchill would search for the presence of her mate. Falling into habit, her limbs pushed herself upward and then out of the nursery where green eyes scanned the camp for any signs of the large gray tom that she had fallen in love with seasons and seasons ago.
There, not too far from the pitifully small fresh-kill pile, was the tomcat she was searching for.
Despite the horrors attempting to creep into her mind, Goldenchillโs maw loosened into a smile as she padded up to her mate and lovingly brushed her muzzle against his cheek. Her thick-furred tail wrapped around the fur of his own. โYouโve been busy and itโs not even sunhigh yet. I can smell the mountain breeze in your fur,โ she purred. Greyhawk had always been that way - not happy unless he was out there doing something for his Clan. He was a hardworking tom, dedicated to his Clan. It was just one of the many reasons of why the tabby loved him as much as she did, for who could deny admiring a warrior loyal to their Clan?
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Post by ๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ on May 22, 2024 18:40:12 GMT -5
OakstreakMedicine Cat * 95 moons * He/Him * tagged; Feathertalon --------------------------------------------------------------------- Silence echoed between the two toms for a long time as Oakstreak contemplated such an answer. Ridiculous. He thought so anyway, but knew that his apprentice certainly wouldn't share such a view. The three legged cat pondered, chewed on, his thoughts before they came spilling out of his mouth. So long he had wondered why this cream tabby who was basically like a kit still to him, was so deeply infuriating to the old cat. He knew why, and refused to ever acknowledge it. He wouldn't dare. "You don't understand what it's like to be born for something, feel it as your sole purpose and then have it cruelly ripped from you. Don't speak as if you know me, you've only learned what I have been willing to expose." He thought over his dark history of poisoning his brother, wondering what the innocent little cat at would think if he truly knew what destiny awaited him when he came paw to paw with death.
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Dew
โ avid book reader โ
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Post by Dew on May 22, 2024 21:55:59 GMT -5
Palestream Palestream laughed, of course her friend had been listening. She always was, even if she didn't look it, and she had been silly to doubt it even for a moment. Burntears had been her friend almost since birth, as they had grown up together, only being around two moons apart. In fact, Palestream considered Burntears almost a sister.
"That's true, I'm not the warmest on the colder days" Palestream agreed. Her pelt was short, but thick, so it wasn't as if she was freezing. But, she wasn't as warm as some other cats in her clan, like Burntears or Gingerflame. Her mind flitted to the endless nights the two had spent curled up together, sleeping soundly and warm, the warm bodies of their clanmates pressing around them for warmth. Burntears and Palestream were still young warriors, in fact, some of the youngest in the clan, so they slept on the outer ring of cats. In moons they would move toward the center, but alas, they weren't there yet.
"I missed your company in the warriors den when you were in the nursery. Silentshadow isn't very talkative, and the older warriors didn't really take much interest in me," Palestream shrugged her shoulders, it didn't really matter, in fact, she just wanted to keep the conversation going. "Did you miss me?" She joked, bumping Burntears slightly with her body. There would be no reason to, she had Goldenchill's company, and Owlpaw's, once he was born
She/Her - Warrior
๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ Gingerflame Gingerflame laughed. "Of course! I brought it for you" He said, pushing it toward Silverfern. She must get hungry often, carrying at least one more cat inside of her, and although he didn't know anything about pregnancy, he thought there would be a few more. I mean, she had gotten so big over the last moon or so, her belly swollen with kits. Gingerflame was pretty sure that they still had a moon or two left until the kits came, which meant that they weren't going to be born in leafbare, but still close to it. Hopefully the kits would be strong enough before the prey started to disappear anyways.
"How are you feeling?" He asked. Gingerflame knew that it probably wasn't the most comfortable experience, even at first glance he could tell that was the truth. But he knew that pregnacy was different for everycat, and he just hoped that fate was being nice to Silverfern, for he wouldn't want her to be uncomfortable all the time until she gave birth. Gingerflame knew that he should get up and call for patrols, but he would do that soon, right after this. All he wanted to do was check on his mate, and he would tell anycat who complained that.
Him/Him - Warrior
aquatail
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Post by ๐ก๐ธ๐ฌ๐ด๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ท๐ท๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ on May 22, 2024 23:21:36 GMT -5
BurntearsWarrior * 36 moons * She/Her * tagged; Dew --------------------------------------------------------------------- With a brief flash of attention in her eyes, the she-cat quickly replied,"Of course I missed you! Honestly, a part of me was hoping you would have been Flickerpaw's mentor." It suddenly grew quiet as she mentioned her kit who was no longer there. She tried not to think about how her mate and son had been lost to the fiery blaze. It was a painful memory that had left her basically mute for the better part of a moon when it had happened. "Haresprint was so excited for that patrol..." It left her mind as quickly as it had arrived as she noticed Silverfern waddling out of the den. The sorrow was immediately replaced with joy as she remarked,"I can't wait for more kits running around!"
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Post by aquatail on May 23, 2024 0:44:13 GMT -5
Silverfern
She took a few bites hungrily and then slowed down. She wanted to share some with him as well. She passed it back. "I'm feeling better with some of this rabbit in my belly" she meowed. "But otherwise slightly awkward". She didn't want to give her mate a hard time worrying about her since he had other priorities as a deputy too. Then added "I'm fine you don't need to worry" just to be sure. Satisfied with her response she yawned.
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Post by ladylantsov on May 23, 2024 4:49:27 GMT -5
GREYHAWK
"Understood," came the gruff meow of response, and Greyhawk has turned away before Gingerflame has even taken a pawstep in the direction of the expectant Queen. It wasn't jealousy that was as rigid as ice in his veins, his clanmates deserved the happiness that had been snatched from his little family. But there is something mournful in the stolen glances Greyhawk casts at the Clan's younger members when he was certain no one was watching.
Something as close to grief as he'd allow himself feel, in the nights spent dreaming of tiny bodies and his wailing mate. The smoke-grey tom shakes himself out, trying to loosen the tension from his limbs, the darkness from his mind. Two cats, his gaze scans the hollow-camp, diving discerningly between bodies slowly waking as the sun glinted through clouds.
Greyhawk certainly hadn't been looking for Goldenchill, hadn't expected her to be awake at this - admittedly very early, hour. Yet his gaze is drawn to the cream-furred molly before he even recognises where he's looking. Even moons out of practice due to her new rank as nursery attendant, the Queen is as graceful on her paws as a warrior half her age, and frankly at least twice as beautiful.
All these moons later and he was still stunned she'd chosen him, a grouchy, scarred tom. Of all the options the clan had to offer.
Part of him wondered if another tom could have given her healthy kits, if Goldenchill had chosen differently, she might not be a mother. Greyhawk would take the guilt to his grave, always wondering if it had been something he'd done or caused to lose a whole litter.
What crime had he committed for StarClan to make the price his son and daughters?
"Never too busy for you," Greyhawk's voice is quiet, a promise to himself and her both. She brushes againt him, and the tom presses his muzzle into her shoulder. Inhaling her familiar scent, letting it settle in his bones and thaw away some of the ice. "Never."
Once he might have invited her to come with him, two talented warriors side by side - there wasn't a hawk in the territory that would stand even half a chance against their united front.
But that was shattered, more fractured than it was whole.
The senior warrior flinches slightly as he catches the scent of his mate, the faint hints of milk she carries with her from the nursery. Once the sweetest smell he could have imagined, now it made that pit in his gut grow wider. He rasps his tongue over her ear and steps away.
"I spotted a hawk near the brook, I'm to take a patrol that way to make sure there isn't a nest." This close to camp it would prove dangerous, but he keeps that bit to himself. Doesn't need anyone, least of all the shecat he loves, fretting about dangers to the upcoming litter. |
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on May 23, 2024 11:21:11 GMT -5
Buckpaw ยป
The moment Oakstreak began to speak Buckpaw realized that he had hit a nerve.
Not that it was hard to hit one of Oakstreak's nerves, but this was a serious nerve to strike.
Buckpaw's tail quivered, anxiety-driven. His eyes glanced downward, paws shuffling along the rocky landscape blanketed in snowfall. He wasn't scared that his mentor was going to do something to him, but rather he was upset at himself for irking the old tom like this. He hadn't meant to rile up the brown tabby in such a way, but here they were, standing upon their vast territory with catmint mere inches from their paws.
After a moment of silence, Buckpaw drew in a deep breath and then allowed it to escape his clutches, frozen smoke erupting from his jaws and coiling around his muzzle like a smoke-clad snake. "You're right, I don't understand how that feels," the cream tabby mewed as the swirl of his breath faded into the morning air. Being a medicine cat was something Buckpaw had always wanted to be. Even as a kit he had dreamed of sorting herbs and healing his Clanmates. All he had ever wanted was to be taught in the way of herbs, and luckily for him he had been granted that wish. Oakstreak had taken him as an apprentice and had been training him well for the past five moons. In time Buckpaw would be as great of a healer as his mentor. Pride blossomed in the young tom as he pondered over his future achievements. How many lives would be saved thanks to him? How many remedies would he come up with that would heal his Clanmates from some sickness? Being a great medicine cat was his dream, a vow he had made to himself moons ago, and while his mentor had trained him well, these hopes and dreams were not something he could share with Oakstreak. Oakstreak would never understand them.
"Why don't you like being a medicine cat? Other than you wanting to be a warrior." The question slipped off Buckpaw's tongue before he could even catch it, though he doubted he would have stopped the words from tumbling out. It was a question Buckpaw had wanted to ask for some time now, yet he had never done so while under Oakstreak's wing. Now was as good of a time as ever, the apprentice just hoped his mentor wouldn't take it the wrong way; then again, Oakstreak always took things the wrong way.
Goldenchill ยป
A hawk. Not a common threat that the territoryโs other animals poised, and definitely not a threat when there was a lack of kits in the Clan.
Green eyes shifted slowly to where Gingerflame and his swollen-with-kits mate stood. Goldenchillโs stomach twisted as thorns tickled at her throat. Kits were on the horizon. The last thing they needed was a hawk taking them.
The last thing ConiferClan needed was another mother stricken with grief.
Goldenchill shifted against the powerful form of her mate, taking a deep breath to once again take in his scent. The mountains rolled off Greyhawk, the brookโs water splashing away from his pelt. It was as if Goldenchill was standing beside the bubbling brook right now, letting the gentle murmurs of it wash over her and cleanse whatever worry she had spinning about in her mind. How long had it been since she traveled outside the security of the camp? Almost two newleafs ago? The warmth of that season was still tainted by the coldness of her long gone children. She had only escaped from ConiferClanโs camp once after the tragedy. The day Brightkit had been taken from her and placed into the ground alongside his littermates. Goldenchill couldnโt stand to be in camp, couldnโt bare the sorrowful gazes and grieving whispers of the cats around her. So she had fled. Had run far out into the wilds.
Greyhawk had been the one to find her. He had tracked down his mate, finding her curled underneath the low hanging branches of an oak, its leaves sheltering her from the outside world. There they had stayed the night, away from the pitiful glances of their Clanmates. At sunhigh the next day they returned, and Goldenchill had never stepped paw outside again.
Their kits would be warriors by now. They would have strong names just as their father did; Frigidfalcon, Skyblaze, Rainstone, Brightwolfโฆ All four would surely jump at the chance to chase a hawk off the territory with their father. Goldenchill would gladly join them in this scenario that should have existed. But in this current life there was no spark within the golden queen that would push her to follow her mateโs patrol.
Instead her whiskers twitched with a faint amusement as she pulled a memory forward that went even further than their own mateship. โAre you out here reliving your apprentice days? I still remember that hawk you took down, the look of astonished pride you had on your face when it earned you your warrior name.โ That had been seasons and seasons ago, but for a cat who lived in the past, Goldenchill recalled it effortlessly. Greyhawk had been the talk of the camp for a day after that, and Goldenchill - still Goldenpaw - had been all the more drawn to the mighty tom than she had been before. Always a protector he had been, and still now as their bones began to ache and their pelts began to dull, Greyhawk remained as steadfast in his protective nature as he did in their youth.
โDo you know which warriors are going with you? Surely Gingerflame doesnโt intend for you to head out alone,โ she mewed in caution, eyeing her mate with a silent plea for him to not simply head out there with only himself. Time and time again Greyhawk had proven his skill at the forefront of difficult battles, but Goldenchill could not stand the thought of something happening to her beloved mate. They had lost their chance at having a family, but they werenโt allowed to lose one another.
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Post by whispering on May 23, 2024 11:51:37 GMT -5
Any other cat, she'd have their pelt lining her next had they dared touch her on accident. But Rattlepaw was an exception. An exception she'd forced herself to accept over the years. Silentshadow concluded it was a comforting act for the molly, so she endured it. She didn't reciprocate such acts, but she didn't shove her sister away either. Not anymore. But it was somewhat reassuring, Rattlepaw's affection. They had not grown up with the most affectionate parents. Wisteriasnow's heart only brewed hate, it seemed. And Flinthawk had his way of showing it with his crude jokes.
Silentshadow looked into her sister's eyes as she spoke. Those deep pools of blue misery. Her voice was quiet, the faintest whisper. A sound so familiar to her that she could make it out even if the forest around them roared with noise. They were alike in that way. Except Silentshadow's mew was an icy rasp. She'd used it so little over the years it came out hoarse.
"Do you still think of father?"
Her father had always wanted sons. Slatestorm had been his favorite, no doubt. The two had been inseparable. But the sisters never shared the deep bond with the gray deputy. Only in his bouts of boasting about their accomplishments did he ever praise his daughters. Which unfortunately included Rattlepaw less and less. His boasting was almost as overwhelming as their mother's public display she'd put on for their clanmates.
"I've been dreaming of him." She breathed out, her voice barely a whisper. Her hackles raised as coldness swept over her. As if ghostly bodies were brushing up beside her. Her black head whipped around, looking out into the forest, her ears pricked as she tried to make out what they were saying. Her gold eyes shifted. She was paranoid. "I hear him."
It was then that she realized, she was trembling. And she sighed. Breathe. Silentshadow told herself. He isn't here now. He was dead. He would never be here. They were just dreams, figments of her imagination. "I don't know what to make up of it, sister. I hated him."
"When we were younger, I always thought the mouse-brained fool would lay down under my claws," She chuffed lightly, swiping out viciously with extended claws at her Flinthawk's imaginary throat. "He would annoy me so much that I'd eventually cave in." It had been a fantasy for the molly, one she hadn't been too proud of. "Or, Wisteriasnow herself would decide she was through with him." Their mother was no stranger to aggression. She'd inflicted wounds on the three many times throughout their lives. She wanted perfection, and only that. But not even perfection could be enough for Wisteriasnow herself. The winter queen. She and Slatestorm would snicker in hushed winters when they were little. Closer. As cold as ice.
"I-it's like he's haunting me." Silentshadow sighed, her face clouded with confusion and frustration. "Does he talk to you too?"
Hearty laughter filled the den, and Eagleswoop rolled over onto his back, beaming with contentment. So, Briarstar could read him like a medicine cat and their omens. Very fluently. He was very proud of their kits. He wanted all of the mountains to know of them. If it were up to him, they would all know and then some. He'd have every cat in camp presenting only the finest trinkets and gifts to honor his mate's blessing to the world. They didn't deserve anything less.
"Fine, fine, you got me there. But just imagine the look on his face!" Gingerflame was so easy to rouse. The kits of the deputy and the clan leader were born around the same time. It was competition waiting to brew. Competition was what Eagleswoop lived for.
But as her expression darkened, Eagleswoop's amusement died away. And he rolled over onto his stomach, his expression darkening. Most cats did not enjoy Oakstreak's company. His mood was always sour, and his temper was sharper than even the angriest she-bear's. Eagleswoop did not quarrel with the old time, except for his pushiness in feeding his pregnant flower herbs. But that was neither here nor there. Briarstar was right; he was only trying to help. And mere juniper berries were not enough to conquer his little warriors. His Tigerkit. But the way the dark-furred molly bristled at his name was unsettling. Had he hurt her? Instinctively, his claws flexed. Not even StarClan themselves could save the grizzled medicine cat if Eagleswoop ever found out he'd lain a claw wrong on his mate. But she would have told him, wouldn't she?
He was going to pry further when a mew sounded at the entrance. Dammit, Snowpaw. Lately, the tabby had been so engrossed in his leader he hadn't tended to his apprentice as he should have. Neither of them thought of training. Not that Rattlepaw was a particularly eager apprentice anyway. Eagleswoop sighed; if he had it his way, he'd live in Briarstar's pelt if it meant he never had to separate from her. But duty called, and he had to answer. She'd be more than capable without him for a few hours. "I promised Snowpaw we'd go out today. I would've taken Rattlepaw too, but" Well, he simply didn't want to; her lack of eagerness and melancholy spirit was depressing. Besides, Silentshadow had probably already taken her.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head about Oakstreak," He assured her, rising and giving his pelt a thorough shake. "Just rest, maybe talk to Buckpaw. Or visit Burntears or Goldenchill. My father's pretty knowledgeable with kits, too." Leaning forward, he touched his nose to Briarstar's, giving her a quick rasp over her forehead. "I'll see you later."
With one last lingering look at his mate, Eagleswoop exited. Every dragging step felt like a punishment. But Snowpaw needed him as well.
"You know, it isn't very respectful to interrupt a tom while he's spending time with his mate." He mewed, a mischievous glint in his amber eyes as he looked down at his white-furred apprentice, whom he towered over.
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Post by ladylantsov on May 23, 2024 13:53:49 GMT -5
GREYHAWK
Come with me, part of him wants to bow down and plead with her, not because he feared the threat - quite the opposite, it was more a mission to make sure than it was to drive off. Tiptoeing around each other like they did felt as natural as flight to toads, avoiding the one topic that Greyhawk desperately wanted to give words to. That swirled inside him until he was sure the dam would simply break.
Yet remembering felt like agony, refusing to speak like betrayal.
Like the good old days.
He pauses only for a moment, waiting for her, imploring her to make the offer. Even a few footsteps out of camp would feel like a victory, compared to the tragedy that had clung to his footsteps like the mud of his only sonโs grave, as it had the final time theyโd left camp side by side. He knew they grieved in different ways, that arguably his habit of bottling it somewhere dark, somewhere hidden, was arguably just as unhealthy. But he didnโt care for his own weary spirit, his worn bag of bones that he called his aching body.
His job was to keep his mate happy, and keep this body functional enough to be a service to his clan. Anything else was not relevant.
But the offer never comes, and Greyhawk knows better than to push her, even if his shoulders do sag slightly with disappointment. He knew this shecat better than he did his own soul, and she knew the bits of him even he didnโt dare put a name to. Greyhawk loved her, she knew it, even if he didnโt always say it.
It was his own guilt to life with that his children would never know it too.
The senior Tom steps closer to his mate again, nuzzling her shoulder. The warmth of her against him didnโt quite quekk the shadows, chase away the heartbreak, but it did warm him.
โIโm a little too old to be snatching hawks out of the sky these days,โ he responds, whiskers twitching at the memory. How much different life had felt all those moons ago. He shakes himself, like grief can go flinging from his pelt as easily as shards of moss after a sleep-in. He casts his gaze skyward, searching the skies, almost a challenge to his features. Then nods.
โAs interesting as that would be - Iโve no death wish,โ he responds with a flick of a plumes tail. โI just need to decide who to take with me, Gingerflame gave me the okay to grab two cats.โ His apprentice, he mused belatedly. He supposed the experience would do the young cat some good.
He expected the young cat had been given to him as a kindness, but the result was only a bitter, sour feeling at the back of his throat. Watching a young cat reach the milestones his had never had the opportunity to. Greyhawk wasnโt so cruel as to hold it against Auburnpaw, but it would be a lie to claim it didnโt hurt somewhere in the pit of him. โWhat are your plans for the day?โ He asks, not wanting her to go, not yet.
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