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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 22, 2024 1:42:01 GMT -5
Puddleheart
Puddleheart walked into the Alter and too a breath as the vibes cleared way to reveal a large and expansive cavern with smooth walls and floors. Lining the walls were large statues of cats--not just any cats, but the gods.
First, on either side, closest to the entrance, were Skafoteos and Spithíthea. Puddleheart had always found it interesting that Skafoteos chose to build his own statue so clsoe to the entrance and Puddleheart couldn't help but wonder if it was out of humility, request of the other gods, or so that everyone who entered the Alter knew exactly who built it.
Further along were Parafroseos and Mínyeos next, and then Agapíthea and Polémeos were next, and then the siblings: Fenynthea and Ilíosikieos after them. The muses were kept separately, down a path that led away from the main part of the Alter and further into the cavern, to reach them, Puddleheart would have to take a right, and if he wished to worship the Chthonic gods such as Nekreos and the Furies, he would have to take a left.
Then of course, there was the small tunnel at the end of the cavern that led to the Pool of Ichor. But Puddleheart would not be visiting that. Not today. Not with company.
Following after the siblings of moon and sun came the statues of Synkomithea and Okeaneos, and after them, the last two gods that lined the walls, near the very back of the cavern were left for Sofíathea and Etaírthea.
Then, the final statue, pressed against the back of the wall and twice the size of all the others, was the statue of Astrapeos. King of the Gods.
Miraculously, the interior of the Alter hadn't been horribly affected by the flood and still seemed just as pristine as always. Though, perhaps it wasn't quite a miracle. It was the gods will, and if one of them truly had sent the storm, they would not have let the same floods that killed their leader touch their place of worship.
In a way, it was most certainly vanity. Not that Puddleheart would ever breath that thought out loud, least of all in a place like this.
After a quick look around, Puddleheart padded over to a small dip in the cavern floor near the entrance where a different collection of herbs were left alongside some flint and long, narrow sticks.
Some of the herbs were for a god in specific, however, Puddleheart wasn't looking to pray to just one today.
Picking up some of the sticks and flint in his mouth, Puddleheart walked over to the center of the cavern where a large, cat-sized hole lay in the center. There were other holes in front of each individual statue for offerings and sacrifices for each god personally. But for this, Puddleheart wanted all of their attention.
Dropping a majority of the sticks into the hole, Puddleheart left one out and firmly placed his paw over it to keep it in place as he picked the flint up with his teeth and sharply ran it across the cavern floor a couple of times until it started to spark, lighting the stick on fire.
As soon as he saw the light from the fire, Puddleheart dropped the flint and gently picked up the other end of the stick, walking into the hole to set it with the others and start a proper fire before he quickly climbed back out.
Fire starting was considered a rather dangerous task, and not one just anyone could learn. In fact, it was reserved for the elders, leader, and medicine cat alone.
Puddleheart had barely been an apprentice when Pomegranatefur taught him how.
However, if he truly wanted to speak with the gods, the flames alone would not be enough.
Puddleheart moved to get up to search for a thorn when he paused and glanced at the fire. He didn't want to leave it unattended, and though he could ask the others to get a thorn for him, that would simply be a waste of time.
So, instead, he sat back down and picked the dull side of the flint up in his mouth so that the sharp side was facing outward. Then, Puddleheart lifted his paw just slightly, took a breath, and quickly stabbed his paw pad with the sharp end of the flint.
Pain surged through him and Puddleheart winced through gritted teeth as he dropped the flint and held his bleeding paw over the fire, watching as drops fell into it.
It wasn't much, barely a few drops, but it would be enough for this.
Satisfied, Puddleheart took a breath and closed his eyes, hoping the others would know better than to talk and to let him pray in piece as he bowed his head and begged the gods to speak with him.
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 22, 2024 1:54:28 GMT -5
Stagshatter Camp | With Aspectpetal (soot)
Stagshatter quickly got to work when Aspectpetal showed him what needed work. Luckily, most of the repairs had been finished by now, and by tonight, when the last light of day faded and the games would officially begin, the camp should be back to par with how it was before the flood.
Perhaps even better.
Stagshatter could only hope that with Skafateos' blessing, it would be.
He worked in silence for awhile after that, content to just focus on the task at paw, at least, until Aspectpetal spoke up and Stagshatter froze, his muscles going rigid as he thought about the question.
Realistically, he knew better than to complain against the gods or to even speculate that they might have hard a part in this. Yet...Stagshatter wasn't so sure.
He frowned, bending his ears back as he thought about it. "I...I don't know," he admitted, fidgeting a little. "I'd like to think that this wasn't the gods intention, that they wouldn't purposely cause so much pain and suffering in the clan, but..." Stagshatter trailed off.
He almost didn't want to finish his sentence, worried the gods would hear his doubt and strike him down on the spot for it.
However, Stagshatter forced himself to continue. "I think that if this is the fault of the gods, then we must have done something to make them truly angry, and if we have...then this isn't going to be the last we hear of it."
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 22, 2024 2:00:41 GMT -5
Fawnpaw
Fawnpaw took a few shallow breaths as she hurried out of the cave with Rainpaw, thanking Ilíosikieos for the sunlight as soon as she saw it. Fawnpaw didn't want to admit it, but that last sound...that howl had chilled her to the bone.
Whatever it was, there was something in that cave, something deep below the clan, something deeper than any cat should ever go.
And Fawnpaw was both terrified and unbelievably curious about it.
She cast a glance back at the cave, ears perked for the sound of any other noises, though she heard nothing and let out a small breath of relief, looking back up at Rainpaw. "Alright," she agreed. "We won't go back, we won't talk about it, but...Rainpaw, that noise, it was..." Fawnpaw trailed off as she searched for the right words to say.
However, before she got the chance, another voice, one familiar to her, called out.
"Rainpaw! Pikepaw! Fawnpaw! Where'd you three go?" Mothflutter called out for them from somewhere deeper down the cliffs.
Fawnpaw's eyes widened and she looked back at Rainpaw. "That's Mothflutter," she realized and quickly looked around. "What do we tell him? We haven't caught anything!"
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Post by soot on Jul 22, 2024 2:27:30 GMT -5
Aspectpetal
Camp -|- With Stagshatter ( 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖)
Aspectpetal awaited a response somewhat anxiously. She knows not every cat in the clan has the highest opinion of those who were outsiders- who joined. Who aren’t same-blood.Her ears flatten some. “I.. was thinking something similar.” She admits quietly, nudging a few more sticks and thin shavings into the pile, neatly enough to be carried.“I also thought- perhaps they did it for the better?” She adds a bit skeptical of her own words, but hoping. “Maybe something else, much more terrible would have come upon us otherwise. Maybe much.. more brutal ways of passing to Starclan. Maybe.. maybe not, but- I hope.” Aspectpetal finishes. After a contemplating moment, and a small graze of her tail to her companion’s… she quickly takes a maw full of sticks and such to carry back. She felt such a- confession was needed, like it was weighing in her shoulders. Her head bowed not just for prayer, but worried thought.Aspectpetal knows the Gods can see everything, but.. she hopes they don’t take this to heart, like some tend to do. What can they expect of them? To know their plans? Aspectpetal simply puts hope, and faith, and trust into them, and in the background of her mind, fiercely hopes they haven’t angered them.The quick run back was simple, setting a few things down as she led them both back to where the few more repairs needed to be done.Her ears perked as she grabbed twines and sticks to wear together and add to the patches. Weaving and making sure everything is tight, and well placed. The other cat is rather good at it, with minimal instruction, guidance from their prayer she notices.Flicking her tail, she gives a dazzling smile. “Well done! It took my moons to get nearly that good, when I was out there by myself.” She says, trying to strike up less devastating conversation, not wanting to leave on such a sour note.She catches a purr in her throat. “..Now, I hope you don’r mind muddy paws. We’ll have to fill a few of those holes, and we should be all set and ready to wait for the games! Maybe grab some prey. None of us have eaten yet, ‘sides the kits of course.” Aspectpetal rambles just a tad in thought, head dipping some to the side.The hunters likely got back, or are getting back soon.. so hopefully they bring some food spoils, for before the games. Aspectpetal is rather hungry for just about anything. |
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Post by ivypool4life on Jul 22, 2024 12:06:52 GMT -5
Opalheart ~ Acaciaberry ~ meadow ~ (𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖)Opal heart kept looking, with an amused snort at the other cat's reply. Opal heard her stomach growl in hunger and glanced at the sky yet again, the clan will be eating now and Puddleheart will be back from the alter soon. The tabby she cat perked when Acaciaberry announced she had found what they were looking for. "Perfect we just need to get back to camp and get it in the nest." Opal raced off before she had time to say more, "come on,"she yelled over her shoulder. She slowed to a a steady trotting motion waiting for Acacia to catch up.
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Post by Sand on Jul 22, 2024 15:08:59 GMT -5
Whimbrelstep laurel stream — accompanied by: Sablefrost she/her - warrior
 As the duo approached Laurel Stream, Whimbrelstep felt a tad more confident. Brightpaw was pretty eager himself to tell her that she should try to enter the Games. "Really," she whispered back before glancing at the stream.
Her eyes gleamed gratefully as Brightpaw spoke kindly of her– it surprised Whimbrelstep. She hadn't expected that much support from her apprentice, especially with the kind of competition she'd have. "You're right, Brightpaw. Thanks for being so supportive! Even if Stoatchase, Thundersnap, or the others outdo me, at least I'm proud that I tried," the brown spotted tabby meowed with a soft yet quick purr.
Somehow, the hunter didn't feel that she would be devastated if she lost in the Games. There would never be an opportunity like this in her lifetime, so taking the risk to become MyrtleClan's next leader seemed right to Whimbrelstep. She padded up to the stream's shore, listening to the cream tom as he spoke. "I do think Stoatchase has a better chance than me out of all of the hunters," she admitted with a slight grin before turning to Brightpaw. "Definitely, I'm going to try my best! Win or lose. I'm not sure what I want for a token, but I'm sure I'll find something. Don't forget, I have to teach you how to fish!"
Once the two felines made it to the stream's shore, Whimbrelstep's tail flicked with excitement. Her pale blue eyes fixated on the water, where she could see a few fish swimming. "Before you crouch down in front of the stream, Brightpaw, make sure that your shadow can't be seen," the hunter began to explain. "Crouch down and remember, fishing requires patience. As soon as the fish comes closer to you, plunge your paw into the water and scoop it out. Make sure you kill it instantly or it'll hop back into the water. Do you want to try?"
[ tags: Pineclaw| image credit: pinterest germany ]
Pantherprowl laurel stream — accompanied by: Brightpaw he/him - hunter
 Before Pantherprowl was a trout, swimming its way through the Laurel Stream casually as if it didn't notice the hunter's growing hunger for prey. He waited as the trout moved closer towards him and plunged a sleek black paw into the water. He was careful enough to scoop the trout out of the water before slashing its throat quickly before placing it on the riverbed.
Hearing Sablefrost's question, he glanced at his kill then at the dark triangle. "A really cool looking rock or maybe it's from a bigger, important rock," he decided, letting out a small snort. "I like how ominous it is, you know? It looks stealthy too."
It was clear that his aunt didn't care about her token which made sense to Pantherprowl. He wondered how the other candidates felt about their tokens– did they really take a silly little object as something serious? His gaze met Sablefrost's, pondering deeply about her question. Why was he thinking so much about her token? Was it possible that it had some effect on the Games?
The black tom shrugged at her inquiry, padding over to her token. "Sure, why not?" he mewed, glancing at Sablefrost. "But do you want it to be your token?"
[ tags: 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖| image credit: pexels ]
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Post by Junospower on Jul 22, 2024 18:56:14 GMT -5
RainpawWith Fawnpaw and Mothflutter | 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖
With a brief glance down below at the bottom of the cliffs, Rainpaw spotted his mentor searching for the two. Mothflutter hadn't spotted them yet. Good. Good they had time. This'll work. At least... He'd hope. Almost sent by the gods themselves, a pigeon flew by and landed on a nearby boulder, back foolishly turned to them. Carefully, yet quickly, Rainpaw stalked and barely managed to catch the bird in time before it flew away. Normally he would've avoided such sloppy technic, but he didn't have much time. "Here," the gray apprentice said through a mouth full of feather, "Take this and say we were working on hunting in the trees."He hated the idea of lying to his mentor, but it was better than tell him the truth in this case.
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Asexual
#cfffe5
star_green.png
Name Colour, Custom Stars
Ember34
Golden Deer Leader
pfp made by sparkscatter
Pronouns: She/Her, They/Them
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Post by Ember34 on Jul 22, 2024 19:35:10 GMT -5
Pikepaw had her attention focused on the water, her gaze focused on a shadow swimming beneath the waves, her paw lifting ready to try flash out to catch the object beneath the water, when she jumped slightly at sudden voice, her jump giving away her presence to the shadow and it frantically swam away to the safety of the vast ocean away from the sandy shores. With a sigh she moved away to look to the source, seeing Thundersnap and his patrol. " Hunting, or trying to, Stoatchase wanted Fawnpaw, Rainpaw and I to hunt together, but I broke off from them," she said with a shrug. " With prey so scarce I just felt it wouldn't be a good idea for so many cat scents to get clumped together. I've only managed two pieces on my own though." She just had to hope Stoatchase and Mothflutter had faired far better then she had, and hopefully Fawnpaw. She hoped Rainpaw crashed and burned and caught nothing. " We were supposed to stay up at the cliffs, but like I said I only caught two things up there and the sizes were rather pathetic, so I thought maybe the water would give better luck," she said glancing to the other two cats apart of Thundersnap's patrol. Cedarfrost she had a lot of respect for, having heard countless tales of the great things the old fighter had done, but Cloudpaw...she was probably the only older apprentice she liked and was willing to get along with, but when the competition is Rainpaw, literally any cat would pass with flying colors. " How's the border patrol?" (me: how much rainpaw hate in this post? not enough) Parsleyleap-Beach-Dusted Black Parsleyleap walked with Dustedblack to the beach. Their tail twitching in thought, just the thought of the apprentices in the game gave them a light grin. While they never got to experience fully the joy of competing against anyone, as their siblings had chosen to be entertainers, but then...shaking out their head they pushed their thoughts away and instead focused on the beach as it came into view. " It would be a fun disaster though," they said giving Dustedblack a light nudge. They moved away when a sparkling shell caught their attention, they pawed it to get it further out of the sand, observing it quietly. While they liked the look of it, they weren't sure it would work for them to place into Laurelstar's nest. Their attnetion also getting attracted to a brown object, the both ends of it were frayed and smelled of the sea. It was fun to hit with their paw, even if they don't use it maybe Sagekit would get a kick out of it, or maybe the entertainers could use it for something? " Dustedblack what do you think of this?" (trying to decide if cats would know what rope is or not) " Of course I believe in your abilities, why wouldn't I," he said with a light frown to his uncle's words. But when his mother spoke up, to say that he couldn't help the excitement and joy that formed in him hearing the small amount of warmth in her tone, while it wasn't much, it did give Wolfpaw a renewed hope that maybe he could get her approval after all. His tail flicking as he listened to them further, occasionally pausing to paw the ground to ensure there wasn't a root that had sprung up or that the ground didn't have a sudden dip. The tom returning mostly to silence as the two warriors interacted. But his ears perked at his mother's question towards him, pausing in his pawsteps. A weird smell? He thoguht, he tried his best to shake out his fur, determined to not let her down! Wolfpaw paused as he first sniffed at the ground, finding it the easiest way first at finding scents. He could smell his and his mother's and uncle's scents, along with one of the patrols. But at first he couldn't find anything unusual, but he was determined to not let her down and continued to try and figure out what could have his mother uneasy about a smell. Twitching his tail in frustration as he struggled to fully figure it out. " I'm sorry mom I can't..." His ears pulling flat against his head as he tried a few more attempts to find the odd scent she could smell. (sorry wolfpaw you dont get nice things right now) |
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Post by soot on Jul 22, 2024 21:54:08 GMT -5
Dustedblack
The Beach -|- With Parsleyleap ( Ember34)
Dustedblack gave a friendly swish of the tail at the nudge, the tom’s attention idly switched, and is taken by the current situation at hand. Finding a token he supposes he’ll somewhat like, to participate in the games with.may as well find something suitable for their fallen leader, it’s the least he could do.He’d scrounged through the beach for a minute or two, digging through the sand, and finding nothing but a clear shard that leaves a nasty scratch on his paw, which is a clear sign of no, thank you very much. As much as he likes dangerous things, he doesn’t want them to harm himself when he dares touch it.His eyes scan over the beach, looking near the shore, his eyes catching on the edge of.. something. A glistening green by the edges of the water, a few paw steps taken towards it. He dips his ways in the moving water, letting the water clean some of the dirt accumulated previously on his paws, and gently grabs the small green item between his teeth to take to safe land. Dry land.It’s a somewhat green tinged, circled shell, with a bunch of holes in it.. but what really catches his eye is the distinctly leaf shaped imprint embedded right onto the curved side of it.He had his doubts about the whole ‘you’ll know when you find it’ and thinks that maybe they weren’t quite wrong. Dustedblack has minor doubts still, but he thinks maybe the gods gifted it out of respect for the fallen leader, perhaps.Quickly satisfied, he turns to show his dear friend, and current companion, and pauses at their words. He hums, setting his shell… rock.. thingy down, and makes his way over, head titled. he studies the odd, weaved together pieces, and comes to a quick conclusion. “Hm, gonna say it’s probably made by a builders paws. Or- perhaps a favored worshipper of Skafateos.” He reasons, with the tilt of his head, eyes squinting. “Or it’s natural, and just really out of place here, all washed up.” He adds, Dustedblack’s coat ruffling lightly, eyes sparkling. “It’s definitely interesting for Laurelstar’s nest, if that’s what you’re thinking.” He says politely. |
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Bisexual
𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚢
just a sleepy guy
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Post by 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚢 on Jul 22, 2024 22:23:13 GMT -5
 "Right." Orangesky replied simply, choosing to let Bayfeather take the lead and guide them towards the beach. The air between them grew still and silent, if not slightly awkward. It wasn't that far of a walk to the Sands of Polèmeos, but the orange and white fighter had never been very good at small talk, not to mention that she wouldn't even know what to talk about with her calico companion. So, she decided to keep quiet until they arrived.
Even when their paws finally touched down on the sandy beach, Orangesky remained stoic, now taking the lead as she spotted a large, flat, rock near the water for them to sit on. If there happened to be some cats loitering around, then being near the crashing waves might buffer their conversation from being overhead.
Orangesky leapt on to the rock and sat, then waited for Bayfeather to get comfortable before she finally spoke. "First of all I just want to say that I have no idea why you've been acting like a snarling badger towards me for the better part of last moon. I'm not really sure where you think you have the nerve to talk to me like you have been, or how long you've hated me." There was a slight pause in her speech as Orangesky realized this wasn't really the direction she wanted her speech to be heading, and in her falter she could see Bayfeather on the verge of a counter argument.
Lifting a paw up, she pressed her surprisingly soft pads gently against Bayfeather's lips so the calico would keep her mouth shut. The touch sent a burst of warmth through the molly that she was surprised by and presently trying to ignore. "But with all of that being said... Thank you," her paw lowered.
"For saving my life. I don't know if I'd even be alive right now had you not helped pull me to higher ground." It was hard for Orangesky to admit something like that, or even be this vulnerable in the first place, so she shifted between her paws nervously. "It's a kindness I'm not sure how to repay." |
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Post by -` gumi ´- .✫ 🐾 on Jul 22, 2024 22:30:22 GMT -5
SORRELMIST - - ★
with [ PUDDLEHEART ] & [ HYACINTHSONG ] & [ CLOVERPOUNCE ] at [ THE ALTER OF THE GODS ] | 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 // 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚢 // lepidopteran
Watching both Puddleheart and Hyacinthsong cleanse their paws and then step foot into the alter left the young molly wondering. She hadn't been to the alter in a few moons, and the thought still pricked her with nerves. She knew she prayed daily to the gods to grant her a good day, but there was something about the alter that made the young entertainers heart stutter. Instead of pondering on the thought, though, Sorrelmist quickly and thoroughly washed her paws, cleansing away the mortal filth- how her brother had put it- before stepping foot into the alter behind Hyacinthsong.
Swallowing thickly, Sorrelmist's eyes widened, glowering over each statue that loomed, reciting silently in her head as she had many of times when she was an apprentice, the names of each god and goddess. She was always awestruck. The statues were beautiful and breathtaking. They seemed untouched, even from the flood, yet the young molly didn't even begin to think about how that even came to be.
Sorrelmist stayed silent as she watched her brother, sitting down quietly, closer to the entrance of the alter. She didn't dare speak, knowing the importance of silence during a prayer- especially that to all the gods from a medicine cat. Her mentor had spoken strictly of it. If it wasn't her own prayer, she should remain silent. She did, however, flinch and twitch her whiskers when Puddleheart sliced his paw pad with the sharp flint shard. She wouldn't have ever dared do such a thing herself, and commended her adoptive sibling for going forth and making the prayer all the more intense.
Sorrelmist eventually crouched down, bowing her head respectfully, not wanting to anger any god or goddess that may be watching them now as Puddleheart got ready to begin his prayer.
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Post by -` gumi ´- .✫ 🐾 on Jul 22, 2024 22:58:26 GMT -5
PUMPKINPAW - - ★
with [ VINEDCLAW ] at [ LAUREL'S STREAM ] | soot
With ease, the small molly quickly clawed her way up the tree trunk, amber eyes narrowed as she stalked the black birds that sat on the branch. She decided that it'd be best to ambush the birds from above, seeing as their flight path would most likely be up. Digging her claws into the bark, Pumpkinpaw quickly and quietly slipped onto the branch above the birds. It was a miracle that they both didn't hear nor see her, but the dumb birds seemed more into their own chatter to each other that a feline climbing the tree was not a thought. It made her question the simple intelligence of such an animal yet, the young apprentice didn't bother with pondering the thought.
Instead, the molly dropped down quickly, swiftly managing to catch both birds in her claws before they could flutter off. Their startled squawks, however, seemed to have alerted the nearby birds, though, seeing a few other black birds and robins fly away from the area. With a grin, Pumpkinpaw swiftly killed both birds, dripping them in her maw as they hung limp and dropping down to the ground below with ease. Sure, she wasn't a hunter apprentice, but it was still a useful skill, and one Pumpkinpaw took pride in.
Around the mouthful, the brown and white tabby mumbled a few words, "I'm ready to head back now!" She managed to slip out to her mentor, eyes bright as she searched the other molly for any signs of pride.
Pumpkinpaw quickly grabbed the leaves she had put some moss, feathers and shiny rocks in, manuvering the items in her mouth to carry the leaves and the birds, before bouncing her way back to camp, checking behind her to make sure Vinedclaw was following. She couldn't wait to share her catch and items with her grandmother.
So, as soon as the pair emerged back into camp, Pumpkinpaw made her way to Dovepetal quickly, tail held high and nose in the air, hoping that she'd get praise for her catches and her findings.
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Post by -` gumi ´- .✫ 🐾 on Jul 22, 2024 23:08:19 GMT -5
WINDSHEAR - - ★
Windshear had grown slightly lost in his own thoughts, not exactly paying any attention to the conversation his sister held with her son. His nose twitched as he sniffed at the leaves littering the floor again, blue-green gaze searching for a pristine leaf in specific. It was a lot easier said then done, but the tom was determined. He didn't want to return to camp with a crumpled, dead looking and scarred up leaf. He wanted something that looked strong and in tact, a leaf that had been carried by the wind, to match his name sake.
After a moment of searching, the tabby tom eventually spotted a bright, green leaf, pointed and still full of life. One that had probably just flew to the ground from the trees above, jostled and guided by the wind as it flowed to the earth. Leaning down, Windshear picked it up with his teeth, happily turning towards his sister and his nephew. "I think I found the perfect thing for my token!" He meowed around the stem, tail slowly wagging back and forth behind him. He looked between Smolderdawn and Wolfpaw, feeling as if he was interrupting whatever conversation they had been having.
With a clearing of his throat, Windshear sat down. "Best find a token, though, Smolderdawn. Maybe your son might have an idea on what you could use. I believe the games might be starting very shortly, so we don't want to miss our chance to join." He eventually mewed around the leaf, looking empathetically towards Wolfpaw. He knew it was rough, and wished that he could change his sisters views on her kits and their paths, but alas, that was not his place.
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Post by -` gumi ´- .✫ 🐾 on Jul 22, 2024 23:29:16 GMT -5
WASPSTREAK - - ★
with [ SWEETRIPPLE ] at [ TERRITORY, HEADING BACK TO CAMP ] | 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚢
Waspstreak followed his daughter with ease, enjoying the calm silence that enveloped the pair while they walked. He wasn't a fan on small talk, so he just followed his daughter, whiskers twitching at the scents of the air passing by, eyeing the mollies tail as they eventually made it to the stream.
The ginger tabby paused and sat by the water for a moment, staring silently before something caught his eye. He dipped his paw inside. Frowning, the tom turned a dull rock over in his hand. It was much prettier in the water. He tossed it back in, eying the rippling waves before his daughters' voice broke him from his thoughts. Waspstreak quickly made his way over to Sweetripple, eying the object she was gesturing towards. It was a rock with a large crack in it. The crack revealed the true beauty of the rock though. The crystals within glittered as the ginger tabby turned it in his paw, eyes widened with interest.
"I believe this is what they call a geode? It's a rock with crystals in it. Oh, Sweetripple, I think this might be it. This is perfect." The tom purred, expression bright - brighter than it had ever been in moons- as he nuzzled his daughters cheek and licked her forehead. "Lets go back to camp then, so I can put this in the nest." He stated, beginning to lead the way back to camp.
Waspstreak was beyond thankful for his daughters help. Without her, he wouldn't even be putting his name in the pool. But now, he was going to, and he was hoping that all the other Myrtleclan cats would eventually see in him what Sweetripple saw in him.『• • • ✎ • • •』 BAYFEATHER - - ★
with [ ORANGESKY ] at [ THE SANDS OF POLÈMEOS ] | 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚢
The calico molly leapt up onto the rock beside Orangesky, settling down beside the molly with ease- much more than she would like to admit. She stared towards the water, allowing the molly to start the conversation. It was Orangesky's idea to chat, so she didn't have much of an idea what to even say.
Until Orangesky opened her big mouth. Eyes narrowing, Bayfeather turned her head to glare with a small scowl on her maw, opening her mouth to argue- to defend her own actions and attitude, but it was all for nothing as the ginger and white tabby placed a paw over her mouth. Bayfeahter's tail flicked and her eyes widened slightly. It sure was a way to get her to shut up. However, it wasn't the only thing that did.
The sweet, almost citrusy scent of the other molly flared through her scents, causing her chest to feel a little tighter and her pelt to feel warm, almost like she was on fire. The feeling was.. Not something the calico ever expected to feel. It was like a small sense of calm, easing her to remain quiet and allowing Orangesky to continue while Bayfeather continued to taste and breath in the mollies scent.
When the other feline eventually got on with her speech, Bayfeather felt herself flushing. She recalled how she had rescued Orangesky, even if the two had a bitterness towards each other prior. She looked away, unable to meet the pretty mollies gaze. Wait, pretty? Did I really just think that? I mean, yeah, she is- but- oh gods, Bayfeather, get it together. She thoght, curling her tail around her paws.
Whiskers twitching, she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't care how much I didn't like you. I never would have forgiven myself if I hadn't have helped you. I just pray to the gods you would have done the same, or at least tried to." Bayfeather meowed quietly, looking down at her paws. "It made me realize that being petty and holding a grudge would only hold me back, and it wouldn't be worth it in the end, too. I know why I had my problems with you, but it's in the past. I'm ready to let it go." The calico added gently before looking back up at Orangesky. "I can only hope that you are too, and we can work on bettering ourselves. Together, even?" The last part came out as a question. Bayfeather truly did not want to push her luck, so she toed the line of possibility, watching the molly expectantly.
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Post by soot on Jul 23, 2024 1:12:26 GMT -5
Vinedclaw
Laurel’s Stream, going towards The Camp -|- With Pumpkinpaw ( -` gumi ´- .✫ 🐾)
Vinedclaw watched her apprentice cheerily as she went about her capture of not simply a singular bird, but two of the same avians! She chattered proudly at Pumpkinpaw, “That was fantastic, Pumpkinpaw! Perhaps once you’re older, you’ll be able to try the snagging technique. Quite useful, being able to avoid having to climb the whole tree.” She suggests with a bright look, before nudging her apprentice along. It’s seemingly getting near the time of the first game starting already, which Vinedclaw had kept good track of. An eye on Ìliosikieos’ sun hanging in the sky.
She helps grab a good few of the leaves and feathers to aid her apprentice who is very happily carrying two avians, rather than asking for any aid from Vinedclaw. She bounds after her bounding apprentice, the way to camp quick, Vinedclaw quite happy with how Pumpkinpaw leads them well.
She carries a few of the items back with her to Dovepetal, helpfully setting down what she’d helped carry, and nudging or over. Making sure to remind Pumpkinpaw of when she’s allowed to eat with a happy flick of the ear before making her way back out into the center of Camp, eyes out for when her past mentor might be arriving back. She just knows for certain Thundersnap will be joining the games. Likely coming back with a token as she thinks. |
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 23, 2024 1:27:18 GMT -5
Stagshatter Camp | With Aspectpetal (soot)
Stagshatter froze for a second when Aspectpetal mused that perhaps the gods had done this for the better. Now that wasn’t something Stagshatter could wholeheartedly agree with. He didn’t want to doubt the gods, nor would he ever want to upset them.
However, to think that this was for the better, that the terrible flood that had taken so much from MyrtleClan was for the better, well…that was much harder to believe.
Stagshatter didn’t say that though, keeping his thoughts to himself as he got to work. Aspectpetal had her reasoning for thinking this way, she wasn’t clan born, she must have felt like she owed the gods quite a lot. He would not fault her for it, even if he couldn’t quite agree.
Soon, the work was done and Stagshatter purred a little at the compliment. ”I’ve always liked working like this,” he admitted and looked up at the slowly darkening sky. ”Skafoteos is one of the gods I worship the most, I’m glad to make him proud.” Or at least, Stagshatter certainly tried to make him proud.
Shaking his head, Stagshatter looked back at Aspectpetal, picking up a bundle to follow after her.
And luckily, Stagshatter didn’t mind muddy paws at all.
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 23, 2024 1:35:19 GMT -5
Acaciaberry
Acaciaberry felt a laugh rise in her throat at Opalheart’s insistence to get back. She was right of course, the sky would fall into darkness soon and the first game would officially begin. If Acaciaberry truly wanted to enter, she would need to put her token in before that happened.
”Alright, yes, I’m coming, Opal dear,” Acaciaberry promised and picked a bundle of yellow acacia flowers with her teeth, happily padding after Opalheart. ”Well, lead the way,” she encouraged the other she-cat, tipping her head to the side, her voice muffled just slightly from the flowers in her mouth. ”Don’t worry, I’ll be right behind you,” she promised and sent Opalheart a playful wink.
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 23, 2024 1:52:08 GMT -5
Sablefrost Laurel Stream | With Pantherprowl (Sand)
Sablefrost tipped her head to the side as she studied the black triangle, gently pushing it around with her white paws.
Ominous. That word alone practically summarized Sablefrost’s entire life. Sablefrost and Silhouettewing had been born on a moonless night, which wasn’t an omen, but perhaps it should have been. Not long after they had been born, leaf-fall started and the furies released their monster into the world. Sablefrost had been one of the kits taken by the creature and even now she could remember its long, sharp fangs, far bigger than any predator she had ever seen since.
Sablefrost was lucky to make it out of that with her life. Silhouettewing had, of course, survived as well.
It wouldn’t be until much later that Nekreos returned for Sablefrost’s sister.
Misfortune seemed to follow Sablefrost wherever she went, it came to anything she touched, and she had a feeling she knew who was to blame.
Perhaps something ominous was exactly the token for her.
Sablefrost blinked, pulled from her thoughts when Pantherprowl spoke up and asked if she liked it for herself.
She paused, glancing down at the token again, letting silence settle in the air around them for a few seconds as she stared, almost in a trance at the black triangle. After a few more seconds passed, Sablefrost twitched her ears and cleared her throat. ”Yeah…yeah, I think I do,” she admitted and got to her feet, flicking her tail behind her. ”This…whatever it is, will be my token,” Sablefrost decided and picked it up between her jaws. ”Did you get much hunting in?” She asked, voice muffled slightly as she looked over at Pantherprowl. ”We should head back to camp before it gets dark.”
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 23, 2024 2:12:00 GMT -5
Fawnpaw The Cliffs | With Rainpaw and Mothflutter (Junospower)
Fawnpaw blinked in surprise when Rainpaw passed her the pigeon. ”But, that’s a lie—” Fawnpaw barely managed to finish her sentence before the sound of paw steps got closer and she turned around just in time to see Mothflutter walking up the cliffs and right toward them, a look of panic on his face until he spotted them.
As soon as Mothflutter saw them, he relaxed, letting out a small sigh of relief. ”Rainpaw, Fawnpaw, there you two are,” he commented and walked over to join them. ”By the gods, you scared me, I was just checking in on Stoatchase and suddenly you were gone—wait, where’s Pikepaw?” He asked, only then realizing the missing apprentice.
Fawnpaw gulped and pawed at the ground. ”She wanted to hunt on her own, so she left,” Fawnpaw explained quickly and looked down at the pigeon. ”We were catching birds! I mean…we were hunting in the trees, we were…we were climbing!”
Mothflutter twitched his ears and blinked. ”Oh, well…that’s good,” he said. ”I caught a few birds on my way here, they’re buried somewhere for safe keeping, I’ll grab them on our way back,” he explained and turned to leave. ”Come on, let’s go find Pikepaw and head back to camp. We don’t want to miss the first game after all.”
Fawnpaw nodded and moved to follow him, however, she paused one last time to glance back at Rainpaw and then toward the Lost Cave looming in the distance.
Whatever they had found in there, Fawnpaw doubted that would be the end of it.
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 23, 2024 3:25:41 GMT -5
Thundersnap
Thundersnap tipped his head to the side, studying Pikepaw curiously as she explained what she was doing. After a moment, he hummed and stepped forward, looking down at her ”I see your spirit, but it is unwise for apprentices to be exploring the territory alone,” Thundersnap warned her. ”Your patrol will be looking for you. Why don’t you stay with us until they find you?” Thundersnap questioned and flashed a smile. ”We’re checking the cliffs to watch the horizon, watching out for any coming storms.”
Thundersnap took a breath. ”Perhaps this way, we can prevent any future floods from taking so many lives,” he explained and stepped past Pikepaw, flicking his tail to signal to the rest of the patrol to keep following him. ”I suggest we check Astrapeos’ summit, it’s the best lookout point on the cliffs, if we want to see what lies ahead, that is the place to check.”
Thundersnap didn’t wait for an answer after that as he took the lead, nearing the summit when he paused again, hearing Mothflutter’s voice calling out for Pikepaw. He hummed. This was certainly a much larger crowd than he anticipated, but perhaps that was for the best.
Turning on his heels, Thundersnap called out for Mothflutter. ”Your wayward apprentice is right here, Mothflutter,” Thundersnap reassured and watched as the younger tom quickly padded over to join the patrol with Rainpaw and Fawnpaw in tow.
Mothflutter looked from Thundersnap to Pikepaw, to the rest of the patrol before he returned his gaze to Thundersnap. ”My apprentice is right here,” he corrected, gesturing with his head to Rainpaw. ”But thank you, Thundersnap, for keeping an eye on Pikepaw for me, I would hate anything to happen to her because she went off on her own,” he explained and sent Pikepaw a look.
Thundersnap hummed in response and shrugged. ”Think nothing of it. She’s spirited, it will serve her well in the future,” he explained and glanced from Mothflutter to the summit waiting for them. ”Before you go, why don’t you join us at Astrapeos’ summit?” Thundersnap suggested. ”I’m sure you will find prey there.”
Mothflutter seemed unsure at first, however, when he looked back at Pikepaw, he nodded in agreement and gestured for Thundersnap to take the lead.
Thundersnap looked away, resisting the urge to smirk.
Mothflutter should consider himself lucky that Thundersnap had invited his hunting party. They were about to witness a sign from the gods.
Thundersnap quickly padded forward, and soon, he had reached the summit and was careful to avoid the large crack in the ground. Legend stated that long ago, when Lightningstar finally lost his last life, Astrapeos wailed in anger and crashed his lightning bolt in this exact spot in his anger and left a forever singed chasm.
Thundersnap fully believed in Astrapeos’ power and knew better than to risk angering him.
So he stepped forward, taking a breath as a breeze ruffled his fur. He stood directly at the edge, looking out to the ocean. ”Well, the horizon looks clear,” Thundersnap announced and turned to the others. ”We should keep moving—“ Thundersnap’s paws hit the ground, slipping over loose pebbles and he started to slide right toward the crack in the center of the summit.
However, just as Mothflutter called out to help him, Thundersnap regained his footing, planting his feet firmly against a large slab in the ground to balance himself. ”I’m fine,” he reassured and paused, his gaze flittering to the slab in the ground. ”Hmm…whats this?” Thundersnap mused just loud enough for the others to hear and he quickly got to work digging the slab out, pulling a large, lightning bolt shaped rock from the ground.
Behind him, Mothflutter let out a gasp and hurried to get a look. ”By the gods…” Mothflutter whispered. ”What is that?”
Thundersnap blinked. ”I’m not sure, but it saved me, I might’ve stepped into the chasm without it.”
Mothflutter hummed and glanced from the lightning bolt shaped rock to Thundersnap. ”Thundersnap, have you…have you found your token yet?” He questioned.
Thundersnap shook his head. ”No, I was going to look during the patrol, though I assumed I’d know when I saw it—“ he cut himself off, a flicker of realization in his vivid teal eyes as he looked down at the slab, quickly piecing together what Mothflutter was suggesting. ”You don’t think that….this should be my token, do you?” He inquired and studied the rock carefully. ”I would hate to assume that Astrapeos wanted me to find it, but…” Thundersnap trailed off, glancing over the rest of the patrol, hoping one of them would fill in the blank for him.
Luckily, young Fawnpaw, eager as always, was happy to fill in the role. ”It’s a sign from the gods!” Fawnpaw said, bouncing on her feet. ”Thats it, Thundersnap, that’s got to be your token! Astrapeos left it for you! He had to!”
Thundersnap let out a laugh and gestured for her to quiet down. ”You know, I think you might just be right, Fawnpaw,” Thundersnap agreed and sized up the rock. ”By Astrapeos’ will, I have found my token.”
Thundersnap let that sit in the air as he listened to the others’ reactions, resisting the urge to smile.
He was more than content to play along and let the whole patrol think he miraculously stumbled across this rock right here at Astrapeos’ summit for his token. After all, it had been from Astrapeos, he had just found it earlier and planted it there specifically to find with the others.
But the rest of the patrol didn’t need to know the truth. They didn’t need to know that Thundersnap had found it in the caves below and spend days chiseling it out and dragging it all the way to the top of the summit to dig it into the ground and plant there.
All they needed to know was that he was chosen by the gods.
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 23, 2024 4:12:45 GMT -5
Puddleheart
Puddleheart closed his eyes and bent his ears back, blocking out everything around him, glad that the others had chosen to be silent during this time. Prayer and worship worked a little differently for him than it did for the rest of the clan. For the rest of the clan, they could bow their heads and pray, they could bring offerings and sacrifices to the gods, and the gods would send a sign to let them know how they felt, they may even send a dream, but they did not talk to them.
At least, not often. The gods were finicky who they chose to talk to, who they walked in the dreams of and who they let see their face.
But for Puddleheart, this was no ordinary prayer. He had offered his blood, he had started the fire. The gods would not just hear him, they would speak to him.
Or at least, that’s what Puddleheart hoped they would do, he hadn’t tried to do this without Pomegranatefur before, he had no way of knowing if the gods would even respect his—
”Hello Puddleheart.”
Puddleheart froze, instantly recognizing that voice, and he opened his eyes, blinking as he adjusted to the change in scenery. He was still at the Alter, at least, his body was, and he could see it from here. Small and fluffy, with his head bowed and his tail curled over his white paws. He could also see the others, quiet and respectful as he prayed.
However, things were different. While Puddleheart knew he was still in the Alter, he felt lighter, and as he stepped forward, he realized his paws were almost transparent as he hovered in the air, in the smoke, in his blood. He was in ethereal plain, somewhere higher than the plain the others were in, yet not quite the realm of the gods. It was different, even from when he visited the Pool of Ichor, yet it was, at least mildly, familiar to him.
He had done this before, and most of all, he knew that voice.
Puddleheart looked up, quickly spotted the familiar tall and handsome frame of a long furred Abyssinian with fur so red it could’ve been on fire and matching, sun-blazing amber eyes. The tall tom stood before Puddleheart with a bemused glint in his eyes and a smile on his face as he flicked his long, flame licked tail behind him, outlined in an ethereal golden hue.
”Íliosikieos,” Puddleheart greeted the familiar tom with a polite bow of his head. ”It is good to see you again.”
Íliosikieos purred in greeted and padded over to him, head tipped to the side. ”My, my, Puddleheart, you must have missed me a great deal to reach out now,” he teased playfully. ”It isn’t even the half-moon yet.” Íliosikieos purred and sat down in front of Puddleheart, flicking his tail. ”Isn’t the next half moon in six days? I must truly be something special to get another visit so early.”
Puddleheart sighed and bowed his head. He should’ve known Íliosikieos would respond this way. The sun god was many things, but humble wasn’t one of them.
”I’m not here just for you, Ílios,” Puddleheart reminded him. ”I prayed to all the gods. You are the only one who answered.”
This seemed to deflate Íliosikieos’ mood a little and he let out a small sigh. ”You are lucky your wit is not contagious, Puddleheart,” he told him and sat up straight. ”But you are correct. We will have time in six days to talk more. In the meantime, what great cause have you to discuss with the gods?”
Puddleheart opened his mouth to answer when a different, yet still familiar voice answered for him.
”He seeks answers for the storm,” boomed a loud, commanding voice from behind and Puddleheart quickly turned to see, watching as another feline stepped forward.
She was tall, towering over even Íliosikieos as she walked up to them, her sleek, gray fur that looked blue in the right light, shimmering brightly, matching her sharp, large blue eyes. She had large ears and a long, narrow snout, fitting for her long body, tall legs, and elegant, feathery tail. Owl feathers poked out behind her ear and dark blue war paint marked her face.
Puddleheart’s eyes widened a the sight of her and he quickly bowed his head politely to her. ”Sofíathea, thank you for meeting with me, I—”
”Silence,” Sofíathea ordered quickly and Puddleheart obediently closed his mouth.
Sofíathea turned her focus to Íliosikieos next, gesturing sharply with her head for him to move. ”Leave us. I wish to speak to the young medicine cat alone.”
Íliosikieos whined slightly at that. ”But—”
Sofíathea sent him a look that silenced him and Íliosikieos sighed and nodded, turning to leave.
”Very well. Besides, it will be sunset soon, I will be needed…”
Slowly, Íliosikieos’ fiery frame dissipated and Puddleheart was alone with Sofíathea.
Puddleheart didn’t dare speak yet, though he did glance toward the goddess, waiting for her to break the silence.
Soon, Sofíathea spoke again, turning to face him. ”Ask your questions, young one,” she ordered. ”Íliosikieos is right, sunset will be here soon and you are needed to start the games.”
Puddleheart blinked and got to his feet, craning his neck to look at her. ”That’s exactly what I wanted to speak to you about…or well, what I wanted to speak to all the gods about,” he explained quickly. ”I…I have to know, was the storm your doing?” Sofíathea sent him an incredulous look and Puddleheart quickly continued. ”Not you, specifcally, Sofíathea, but…the gods,” he explained and gulped down his nerves.
Talking to Sofíathea was not nearly as easy as it was with Íliosikieos. Still, Puddleheart persisted. ”I…I have to know. Was it the gods will to take our leader and our deputy from us?”
Sofíathea remained silent for a few agonizing moments before she finally answered him. ”Not everything is by the will of the gods, young healer,” she stated simply.
Puddleheart felt his shoulders relax. ”So the flood wasn’t from the gods—”
”Careful, that is not what I said,” Sofíathea stated firmly.
Puddleheart froze, his eyes widening as he looked up at her. ”What do you mean?” He questioned nervously. ”Does…does that mean someone did send the flood? Why?”
Sofíathea fell silent again and after a few seconds, she sighed and turned away from him. ”There are contentions among the gods right now. Far beyond even your comprehension, little one,” she told him pointedly. ”It is not my place to answer your questions. We are done here,” she decided and started to walk away.
Puddleheart shook his head and tried to follow her. ”Sofíathea, wait! What does that mean? What happened? What’s going on with the gods? What contentions?” He questioned as he followed her. ”Please, just tell me who sent the flood and why!”
”Silence!” Sofíathea ordered, her voice booming as it echoed all around him, shaking Puddleheart’s skull. ”Who are you to demand answers from the gods?” She snarled at him.
Puddleheart flinched and stopped in his tracks, bowing his head. ”Sorry, I…I didn’t mean to misspeak, I am just worried for my clan.”
A beat.
Then, Sofíathea sighed, her voice softening some. ”Your mentor did well to name you after your heart, Puddleheart,” she told him. ”But I cannot answer your questions and dusk is approaching. Go back to your camp and tend to the games, all will be revealed in time.”
With that, Sofíathea sent a wave of air toward him, knocking Puddleheart off his feet.
And when he blinked open his eyes, he was back in his physical form, curled up in front of a dying fire and Sofíathea was gone.
Puddleheart sighed, bending his ears back.
He was no closer to getting answers now as he had been when he had arrived. Except, at least now, Puddleheart knew it was likely that one of the gods had sent the flood, for some reason or the other, and it was up to him to figure out why.
Shaking his head, Puddleheart got to his feet and cleared his throat to get the group’s attention. ”We need to get back to camp,” he stated quietly, refusing to look any of them in the eyes. ”The games will begin soon.”
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Post by Sand on Jul 23, 2024 14:45:29 GMT -5
Pantherprowl laurel stream — accompanied by: Sablefrost he/him - hunter
While Sablefrost was busy inspecting her token, Pantherprowl had slipped away to catch one more fish. He didn't want to show up to camp with one fish as he thought it would make him look lazy. He crouched by the stream, his bright green eyes scouring the water for fish. A minnow swam in front of him and he quickly plunged an unsheathed paw into the water.
Pantherprowl's attempt was messy as he scooped up the minnow which tried to slip out of his paws. "No!" he hissed to himself and the minnow. Instantaneously, he tossed the prey down on the riverbed before slashing the minnow's throat sloppily. It lay before him, not far from his other kill which had been much cleaner. The black tom picked up his two fish before padding over to Sablefrost.
"I'm glad you found a token, I think it suits you. I'm sure you're gonna win the Games, Sablefrost!" he meowed genuinely to the black smoke tabby. He let out a deep sigh before motioning to his two kills in his jaws with his sleek tail. "The minnow almost lived. I think two fish are enough for today, but I could have done better."
Pantherprowl nodded in agreement with his aunt. "Let's head back then," he meowed through the prey in his jaws.
[ tags: 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 | image credit: pexels ]
[ ooc: rainy, since the games start soon, we could just say Nectar and Bee gathered some flowers? ] Nectardrop camp — accompanied by: Beedance she/her - scout
 Nectardrop's marbled pelt lay down still before letting out a quiet purr at Beedance's words. "It's okay, it isn't your fault, Beedance," she meowed as her attention was directed to Laurelstar's nest. "But I do hope Thundersnap will win!"
She briefly wondered if her mother would try to join the Games. In Nectardrop's opinion albeit with bias, she thought her mother would make a decent candidate. The question was, though, would she want to be MyrtleClan's next leader? Nectardrop herself couldn't be the new leader and nor would she like to. The bengal she-cat didn't have the ambition that her half-brother had, but she was okay with that. Her ears perked up at the sound of her cousins' names who were apparently escorting Puddleheart to the Altar. "Really? That's great for them!" she exclaimed. "I wonder what Puddleheart will do at the Altar. Do you think the Gods are excited as the apprentices about the Games?"
The scout paused when Beedance announced her idea. It wasn't a bad idea at all, but it was getting late. They might as well gather some flowers so they could celebrate before the Games' start."I don't see why not!" she mewed cheerfully.
[ tags: 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚢 | image credit: cositoes / koshka.top ]
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Post by lazzylake on Jul 23, 2024 19:48:52 GMT -5
Smolderdawn • Outside Camp • with Windshear (-` gumi ´- .✫ 🐾 ) and Wolfpaw (Ember34 ) • CLOSER
“Really? You can’t smell anything?” Smolderdawn gave Wolfpaw a dubious look as Windshear searched around. That scent didn't come from her imagination. But she was second guessing herself on where it was coming from. Meanwhile Windshear seemed very happy with his token hunting results, only to pull out the saddest leaf Smolderdawn had ever seen.
“Oh. So you really are going to use a leaf, huh?” That's your perfect token? She was expecting something a little more grand from her brother. After all, weren't the tokens supposed to symbolize their worth to the Gods? Frustration creased the scout’s expression as she flattened her ears and huffed. “Wolfpaw, I need you to stay with Windshear. I’m going to investigate.” Turning away, Smolderdawn scampered off in the direction of the peculiar scent, itching to find its source.
The gray and white she-cat let the wind carry her through the grove, skillfully dodging any puddles or hazardous debris. The flood changed the landscape drastically, but it wasn't anything Smolderdawn couldn't handle. She was a scout, standing tall against the harshest rains. Patrolling was her duty; it was her will to scout on behalf of the Gods, no matter how furious they became with MyrtleClan’s ways.
Smolderdawn screeched to a halt in a clearing when the smell became unbearable. A young maple tree laid on its side, uprooted entirely. A jagged crack split down the middle of its trunk, peeling off colorful layers of bark. Smolderdawn cautiously marveled at the sight. This was where the scent came from. Lightning must’ve killed this once healthy tree, leaving nothing but a rotten, charred husk.
She approached with apprehension. The ground was still soft and muddy, and Smolderdawn watched each pawstep to ensure she wouldn't slip. Gnarled branches and a tangle of leaves stemmed from the trunk. What a convenient place for a token. Bracing herself, the scout dove into its contents, squirming as twigs caught in her pelt. With a loud rustle, she nipped off a branch with a few decaying leaves attached. Satisfied with what she gathered, Smolderdawn shook off and trotted back to her relatives, dropping her bounty near Wolfpaw’s feet.
“Here I am. I found a maple tree that was hit by lightning,” she reported. “But I did find a pretty good branch from it!” She carried the charred twig once more, careful not to dislodge any leaves. Viewing the horizon, Smolderdawn noted how her shadow lengthened. The sun was starting to sink. She cast a glance between brother and son, patience wearing thin. If she was going to participate, Smolderdawn needed all the information she could get at camp.
”Alright you two, I got my token. Let’s hurry back.”
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 23, 2024 22:13:39 GMT -5
The Start of the GamesPuddleheart Camp | With no one (@open)
Puddleheart's visit at the Alter had been anything but fruitful. The gods had refused to answer his questions and left him with more things to ponder than before. However, Puddleheart had stubbornly kept quiet about whatever he heard from the gods on the trip back home.
In fact, he had hardly said a word to anyone since he got back, dipping into the hollowed out trunk of the tree where the medicine cats made their den.
He had a pile of flowers at his feet, a mixture of blue gladioluses and purple hyacinths that Puddleheart wove together to create a beautiful flower crown.
Pomegranatefur had been the one to teach him how to make flower crowns, as they were essential for ceremonies and festivals, and as Puddleheart wove the final flowers together, he could still remember Pomegranatefur's stern guidance.
"Never leave a loose end, then your entire crown could come undone and you'll end up looking like a fool. We're medicine cats, Puddlepaw, do you know what that means?" Pomegranatefur had asked him.
"We heal the clan whenever they're sick and we're friends with the gods!" Puddleheart answered with a smile.
Pomegranatefur had whacked him over the ears for that comment. "We're so much more than just healers, Puddlepaw. We're oracles, seers, mediators, and the very foundation of the clan. Don't ever diminish our efforts like that again," she warned him. "Besides...the gods are not our friends. We are simply the means in which they can communicate with the others. Never forget that, Puddlepaw. Never trick yourself into thinking the gods care about us. They do not. Now, hurry up and finish that crown, we don't have all day."
Puddleheart blinked, pulled out of his thoughts as he finished the last bit of the flower crown and looked down at it. After a moment, he glanced around the medicine cat den, from his stack of herbs shelved directly into the husk of the tree--each one organized in a very specific way that Puddleheart would find someone over for messing up--to his nest in the corner, old and frayed and desperately in need of an upgrade.
He...he hadn't had time to do any nest building in awhile. It was fine, he rarely slept in it as it was.
Finally, Puddleheart's eyes landed on another nest, pushed out of the way into a small, dark nook that was far out of the way and out of sight. It had once belonged to Pomegranatefur, yet despite it being two moons since the old molly's passing, Puddleheart couldn't bring himself to clear it out just yet.
After a moment, Puddleheart sighed and shook his head. "I think that's enough reflecting for tonight, Puddleheart," he whispered to himself and got to his feet. "Everyone's waiting for the games to start..."
Puddleheart moved to pick up his crown when he paused, quickly realizing he had no idea how to put this on without help. Before, with Pomegranatefur, he would put her crown on her head and she would put his on for him, yet there was no Pomegranatefur to help him here.
So, Puddleheart did the best he could and picked the crown up between his teeth, trying to flip it over onto his head.
It...did not work and Puddleheart tripped over his feet, falling over.
"Ooomph!" He grunted in frustation and tried again...and again...and again, unable to get the crown on his head without help.
Puddleheart gulped and glanced toward the entrance to his den, fidgeting with his paws. He hated the idea of asking for help, but perhaps...perhaps there would be someone nearby, someone who wouldn't laugh at him for needing their help or make too big of a deal out of it.
After all, it would only be for a moment.
So, leaving his crown inside the den, Puddleheart quietly padded to the entrance of the den, poking his head outside and scanning the nearby area to see who was around.
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 23, 2024 22:23:33 GMT -5
Thundersnap Camp | With no one (@open)
Much like Thundersnap had wanted to happen, gossip had stirred when he returned to camp with his token and placed it directly in his dear old mentor's nest. Goosefreckle had seen it and asked him about it, and Thundersnap had simply explained how he had stumbled across it and let the entertainer's mind run wild.
It was good that the entertainers knew what happened, they would control how the rest of the clan looked at it, and that was exactly what Thundersnap wanted.
Currently, the final lights of dusk were painting the sky in brilliant shades of red, orange, and pink. Most of the clan had returned by now, preparing themselves for the first game.
Thundersnap had already gotten to work smearing vibrant teal body paint over his cheeks, down his forehead, and across his shoulders. Teal had always been a color he leaned toward, especially as it matched his eyes and made the vibrant color stand out even more than it already did.
However, as he sat, waiting for the rest of the clan to get ready, Thundersnap found himself looking for a tom in particular.
Thundersnap hadn't had a chance to talk to Steelfish quite yet, and Thundersnap had to admit that he was curious to see what Steelfish thought of the paint he had plastered over himself and the token he had found. It was an impressive token, and in Thundersnap's mind, the best one in the batch.
However, it wouldn't really be impressive until Steelfish complimented it himself.
Until then, none of the rest of the clan's opinions mattered to Thundersnap.
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 23, 2024 22:31:37 GMT -5
Stagshatter Camp | With no one (@open)
Stagshatter watched as cat after cat came back to camp, some carrying tokens for the games, others with food to add to the fresh kill pile, and others with bundles of flowers for crowns or berries to make paint out of.
Stagshatter chose not to decorate himself for the event. He didn't feel as if he deserved it. He wasn't able to enter the games, he wasn't entertaining the others, he was just a fighter, off duty, who had spent most of his day repairing the final weak spots in the camp.
Still, he sure did enjoy watching as everyone else decorated their bodies with flowers and paint, talking excitedly amongst themselves as they got to work.
Stagshatter had paid especially close attention to Laurelstar's nest left on display, slowly filling to the brim with tokens.
He had to admit, he had been just a little jealous of Thundersnap when he saw the mighty token that the other fighter had brought to camp. It truly looked as if it was crafted by the gods.
Perhaps it had been. Perhaps Skafoteos had made it for him, perhaps even Skafoteos favored Thundersnap.
Stagshatter glanced over at Thundersnap, watching as the tall bengal tom waited sat, waiting patiently for the games to begin.
Stagshatter looked down at his paws and frowned.
Maybe Aspectpetal had been right, maybe the gods had caused the flood for a reason, and maybe that reason was because the clan needed someone new.
And maybe...just maybe the gods had already chosen who.
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Post by 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 on Jul 23, 2024 22:44:04 GMT -5
Mothflutter Camp | With Pearlfeather & Goosefreckle (@open)
After Thundersnap had found his rather impressive token, Mothflutter had been prepared to keep hunting, however, Fawnpaw had been completely taken by excitement for the games, so Mothflutter had let her stay with the others and simply took Rainpaw back out to finish hunting.
Now, sunset drew ever closer and the first game would be starting soon.
Mothflutter wouldn't be entering of course, but he'd be lying if he claimed he wasn't excited to see where this was going to go.
As sunset fell deeper into the sky, Mothflutter sat in the camp near the stage, his eyes wide and curious as he looked over the camp. Earlier, as soon as he had returned to camp, Pearlfeather had offered to help him with a small flower crown. He skipped out on any body paint, as he didn't want to seem like he was showing off.
However, Mothflutter had agreed to a two small bundles of red and orange flowers and leafs that he stuck in the fur behind his ears and a few loose petals in the mane like fur over his neck and chest.
"You look very handsome, Mothflutter," Pearlfeather told him and Mothflutter sent her a look.
"You can't see," he reminded her playfully.
Pearlfeather laughed in response. "I was trying to be polite," she informed him and shook her head. "You smell nice, is that better?"
Mothflutter rolled his eyes. "Much, thank you," he told her and opened his mouth to say something else when Goosefreckle walked by, absolutely decked out in blue flowers and colorful body paint as he bounded forward.
"Pearlfeather, there you are! Come, come, we simply have to talk about what we're all going to do--" Goosefreckle paused when he spotted Mothflutter and purred in greeting, smiling at him. "Why, if it isn't Mothflutter! How's my favorite hunter doing?"
Mothflutter laughed and shook his head. "You're only saying that because I'm training your son. Rainpaw's an excellent apprentice, by the way, and he'll make an incredible hunter very soon."
Goosefreckle purred happily at that. "And that is exactly why I like you, you appreciate my son and there is no greater trait in a clanmate than that," he said proudly. "Unfortunately, I really must take Pearlfeather from you, no one is entirely sure when our dear young medicine cat is going to start the first game and we entertainers must be ready," he explained.
Mothflutter nodded in understanding. "Of course, take her off my paws," he told him and stepped back, watching as Goosefreckle guided Pearlfeather up the stairs and onto the stage, to a quiet corner where he could see the other entertainers gathering.
He chuckled softly and shook his head. Mothflutter wasn't sure what type of show the entertainers had in store for them, but he was certain it would be a spectacle worth watching.
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Post by Junospower on Jul 23, 2024 23:39:49 GMT -5
RainpawWith Puddleheart | 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖
At least the day wasn’t a complete waste, Rainpaw had managed to catch a few mice on the way back with the rest of the patrol. Now that they were back at camp, he was able to withdraw from the group and away from a lot of the chattering. Sure, Thundersnap was a strong and worthy warrior, but at some point a cat needed to give the boasting a rest. Whoever decides to compete with the fighter certainly has their work cut out for them. Besides, the further away he got from Pikepaw the better. Trotting to the fresh-kill pile, the mottled gray apprentice deposited his kill. It was a small haul, especially since he gave away his bird to Fawnpaw, but the clan was fed and there were more opportunities to hunt more in between games. At least, he certainly hoped so. He had no idea what to expect. The sound of faint struggling caused him to turn his head toward the source. From within the medicine cat’s den, Puddleheart had poked his head out with a faint look of frustration. Curiously he rose to his paws and padded over to the medicine cat. “Um… Everything okay Puddleheart?” the younger tom mewed as he approached.
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Post by soot on Jul 24, 2024 0:14:46 GMT -5
Ambrosiadew
Ambrosiadew was keeping a keen eye one what every cat places into Laurelstar’s nest. His paws crossed in front of him, a mind running rampant with what each cat chose, and what they might mean. Each cat has a different idea of themselves, and he quite frankly refrains from running up and berating them for what just exactly why they chose their own.There’s defiantly a few classics (he assumes), and.. odd ones, and a few- very impressive ones.The day had been spent out and about, collecting hoards of flowers, berries (safe of course), and washing his paws as he helped with suggesting ideas to Goosfeather whenever he spotted his mentor- past mentor, or offer paint and helping with flower crowns for this in the games, or even kits that just wanted to be apart of the occasion, with no real clue of what’s going on just knowing it’ll be fun- and everyone is very clearly excited, and busy and bustling.Ambrosia himself has put on a crown of vines, and laurel leaves, and paints carfully, and happily placed, ears tipped, patterns on his cheek, ready to be washed off and changed for the beginning of the games whenever he needs to switch out his character.His eyes pause in his scan.. when he lands on a familiar cat, their dear medicine cat, who he’s sure is just trying to keep himself calm. Not quite used to being the focus of so much attention just yet.He tilts his head when he catches Puddleheart’s eyes, giving a sparkling, and easily confident smile. The little apprentice who approached him similarly familiar, it’s not as if his mentor- past mento he corrects again - never stops talking about his kits and mate.Admirable, he thinks.Stepping to his paws, with a clear intention of making sure this Medicine Cat is able to have all of this clans focus on him, while looking like it should be. He makes his way over leisurely, but quietly, to bringing too much attention as he does.”Hello you two, sorry for the interruption.” He says with a lazy smile. He perks his ears, nose twitching at a scent of floral, he’s had in his nose all day. “How’s everything going here? Need a paw?” |
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Post by soot on Jul 24, 2024 0:18:53 GMT -5
Steelfish
Camp -|- With Thundersnap ( 𝕊’𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖)
The day had been minor havoc, which Steelfish has had to bound after to catch up with. He thinks he’s kept up decently, he supposes. Prey distributed after he’s returned from a hunting pair of solo hunting expeditions, and making sure no hungry excited apprentice’s ate when they were supposed to.Dealing with idle questions of him joining the games himself, which he’d answered.. a tad vaguely. Though he didn’t even bother with finding a token, nor did he particular want to. He gives props, and cheers for those who do participate.. but he doesn’t quite see himself for the role.His paws are already aching a tad, his ears flickering as he shakes them a moment as he takes a look around. The entertainers all seem to be grouping together, plenty of cats covered in flowers, vines, feathers, and paint. He himself figured he’d put in something small, for the occasion, a small bit of colored paint right on his cheek, and a flower secured around his ear on the same side.He observed carefully, taking a look at all of the dazzled up competitors. He’d seen a few cats putting their tokens in, Steelfish stopping at a particular tom entering his own. Steelfish quietly padded over, eyes curious as he settled his gaze, dipping his head in respect a moment before lifting once more.He’d paused at a particular one that took his eyes a moment to process, following along the intricate pattern that he knows to only be from one source. And he knows just who that belongs to. It was the lightning that he fully believes Thundersnap has earned.He was pulled away from his thoughts by an excitable cat, a chirp of a question for help which he was quick to stand to, and bound over to aid quickly, firmly distracted.It was quite a bit later, and a few compliments he received, and gave, gently of his decorated self. That he was able to make his way back with paws set carefully on upon the ground of camp, finally able to get back on what he’d been doing, and looking for a particular tom that always brings a spark into his eyes when he spots him.Thundersnap, the bengal tom spotted in Steelfish’s vision, to which Steelfish makes his way over with perked ears, and a polite expression. He appears just at his side with bright eyes, pausing with a slight stutter in his step when he takes in Thundersnap’s painted form, chattering.“Thundersnap, hello- you look-“ He pauses a moment, ears flickering, “Dazzling.” Steelfish says, “Handsome.” He adds as an afterthought he quickly regrets, but figures it can easily be taken platonically.
He sits down by his friend softly, curling his tail over his paws, head tilted to get a good gleam over Thundersnap, eyes filled to the brim with curiosity, and admiration. “That token of yours, the lighting?- It looked as if it was struck upon the ground, and molded in stone.” He says, imaging the very explanation. It was something he thinks is more than fitting, for a descendant of a demigod. |
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