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Post by berryjuice on Aug 20, 2021 5:37:16 GMT -5
Brightfrost was relieved when Autumneyes said that nothing was going on. But could she believe her? She did seem awfully worried. Could it really just be...well, everything? She supposed that there was a lot going on, at least compared to a few sunrises ago, when the medicine cat’s main concern was probably whether Foxmask’s cough would get worse. Now, all of a sudden, the whole Clan was in danger. She wished that she could prove that she could keep them all safe so that her friend wouldn’t have to worry; she didn’t really consider that Autumneyes might also be worried about Brightfrost.
She watched as Autumneyes looked Jasminefur over, feeling a bit guilty for adding to her worry by potentially causing Jasminefur’s wounds to reopen. She was glad when it seemed like it wasn’t too bad- but it was still something she’d have to use some of her herbs and her time on. “Uh, sorry...we were sparring to show everyone how to fight dogs and I might have gotten a little carried away.” She paused, not sure if she should give more detail about what happened. She definitely wouldn’t admit that part of the reason Brightfrost had gotten rough was because she wanted to prove herself to her Clanmates, including a bunch of apprentices. Or that she had sort of enjoyed the ‘game’ with Jasminefur- if only for a moment. “I really wanted to show them how useful he can be. So that...maybe they’ll listen to us a little more.”
Brightfrost brought Jasminefur over to the fresh nest that Autumneyes had prepared; her flank was pressed against his once again. Maybe some rest would do him good. His wounds needed to heal, and...maybe his mood needed to recover from how challenging the day had been. “He fought pretty well. It was going great until stupid Sandclaw opened her mouth.” She left out all the parts in-between, where Mintbreeze and other older cats had been voicing their displeasure before Sandclaw had tried to attack Jasminefur. She looked to Autumneyes. “I didn’t even fight her or anything,” she added quickly, not wanting to have another argument. Although, like with Paleheart, Brightfrost wished she had.
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Shadowstartheleader
Friendship Rank 4
~The world may be dark, we may be lost forever, but we stand a chance as long as we're together~
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Post by Shadowstartheleader on Aug 29, 2021 9:19:54 GMT -5
Autumneyes gave a rather strange look at Brightfrost, taken aback at the fact she would have got carried away sparring against the injured and damaged cat. Her gaze wasn't filled with anger, or frustration, or worry--she just wondered what would make the cat spar so harshly as to reopen Jasminefur's wounds when she had seemed so eager to keep any cat from placing a paw on him.
She had to replace the cobweb at least, but Autumneyes tried not to show her slight annoyance in her expression. Her argument with Brightfrost was weighing on her already, leaving her weary as the warrior didn't seem willing to see her point of view. This left Autumneyes incredibly preoccupied, and she didn't want more conflict with Brightfrost at the moment. She turned away just in case any annoyance made its way into her expression.
She quiet sucked in a breath after hearing something of an explanation for his irritated wounds. It wasn't a new thing that Brightfrost felt like she had to prove usefulness to her clanmates, but now she was dragging another cat into that need. Even if Brightfrost didn't realize it, her own dignity was wrapped up in this since she had been the one to bring him, and she was pushing him into danger in order to show his usefulness, and save her dignity in the process. But how could she say any of that? Brightfrost had already seemed unwilling to listen since she was defending herself against cats who were wrong.
Jasminefur felt an intense wave of awkwardness rushing over him as the medicine cat listening wordlessly to Brightfrost, as she slowly explained what had happened out in the training clearing. The fact there had been an argument before made it uncomfortable for him to be there, almost in the way of the two cats--but soon Brightfrost pushed her flank back against him, and he quickly forgot about the awkwardness as the topic shifted a little and she led him towards the nest he had slept in, though it was renewed with fresh moss. He tried to focus on the warmth that came from her fluffy pelt instead of the awkwardness between the two she-cats. It wasn't that difficult, given how soft and, frankly, attractive the warmth of her fur was to him. He wasn't used to feeling this sort of support, but she was choosing to be there and Jasminefur, for once, didn't seem to mind enjoying the sensation of someone's physical and emotional support.
Autumneyes turned briskly about as Brightfrost mentioned Sandclaw in the training. Her face couldn't mask her feelings anymore, and serious annoyance washed over her face. "Specklestar let that hothead join in the training?" Her voice rang with clear displeasure, though she wasn't one-hundred percent sure if Specklestar had organized the whole training. It could have been the deputy, or Goldenspots, but she was already frustrated with Specklestar's passivity from the previous day, and she would think he would have had some part in establishing who would be at the training.
Autumneyes met Brightfrost's eyes as she pointedly mentioned she hadn't even started a fight. The medicine cat had a feeling it was more complex than 'did or didn't start a fight,' but she drew closer nonetheless, stepping away from the herb store without having grabbed any cobweb, focused on Brightfrost. Just like with Paleheart, it was possible that, in some way, Brightfrost had provoked something. But Autumneyes hadn't been there, and didn't want to assume, especially given that Brightfrost was already angry with her, or so Autumneyes felt. She bit her lip, trying to figure out what was the proper thing to say that wouldn't anger Brightfrost more, while also communicating the importance of caution.
She couldn't settle on one thing, and swallowing her nervousness, she drew close within a hair's length, draping her neck over the top of Brightfrost's head, even as she stood very close to the Windclan warrior. "You've got to be careful, Brightfrost." It was a pretty obvious statement, but she felt like Brightfrost wasn't being as cautious as was necessary. But how to communicate that? "Things are changing. There's more than just one cat who needs you close by now," She murmured with a meaningful glance at Jasminefur. He needed her protection now, but since Autumneyes had taken charge of Brightfrost...well...
She cut off her thoughts as her eyes started watering, pulling her head back and turning around to grab the necessary herbs.
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Post by berryjuice on Aug 30, 2021 2:45:06 GMT -5
Brightfrost nodded at Autumneyes’ comment about Sandclaw. Maybe if she hadn’t been there, things would have gone easier. Though, deep down, she wasn’t sure. If Sandclaw hadn’t stepped in and ruined things, would it have been Robinpatch? Mintbreeze? Ratwhisker? Paleheart, somehow? It seemed like the Clan was full of cats who wanted to cause neverending trouble for her and Jasminefur. This line of thinking made her consider her relationship with Autumneyes again. Even though she wasn’t entirely certain whether Autumneyes really trusted her...at least she seemed to be on their side when so few were. “He did,” she said with a note of irritation in her voice. She wished again that she could have taught Sandclaw a lesson, just like Paleheart. What if they didn’t stop trying to attack Jasminefur until she finally did something to put a stop to it? Though she was often thinking about how to get ThunderClan to be more trusting of Jasminefur, she worried about whether it would be possible to get the Clan to go along with this willingly. “I guess they want everyone to be trained for the dogs.”
She wondered how useful the training would actually be if her Clanmates were so unwilling to learn from anyone that they didn’t like. They weren’t even entirely willing to listen to StarClan. Or Specklestar- though it was unsurprising that he didn’t command much respect. Though she didn’t remember the previous leader very well, she thought he could control his warriors much better- though, maybe he wouldn’t have even let a WindClan refugee into the camp in the first place. Regardless of who was technically in charge here though, it seemed like a lot of this was Brightfrost’s responsibility now.
Brightfrost looked to Autumneyes with a bit of confusion as the medicine cat grew closer to her. She had expected anger in her friend, and was surprised when she didn’t see any. She shuffled her paws quietly as she listened to Autumneyes, seeming to actually consider her words. She was right- there were more cats who needed her. And Jasminefur. She couldn’t just do what she wanted; she needed to consider the wider impact of things. “You’re right. ThunderClan- lots of cats are counting on me.” StarClan was placing their trust in her- she couldn’t be foolish. If they had decided that Jasminefur was important to whatever her mission was, then she needed to do her best to keep him safe. Sparring with him was stupid and impulsive. “I’ll be more careful.”
She frowned softly as Autumneyes turned away. Was she really just generally worried about everything that was going on? It felt like there was something else. Brightfrost wished she knew how to help. Autumneyes had always known how to cheer Brightfrost up, especially when she was young. Maybe in return, Brightfrost would be the best she could. She would fulfill her destiny and guide her Clan, like Autumneyes said she would. Sure, it was important to trust her instincts and oftentimes that would mean fighting. But she should avoid stupid, needless risks. Especially when it came to protecting Jasminefur.
She moved closer to the tom as she was reminded of her responsibility to him, her plumy tail moved over his. She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.” She seemed to be speaking to both Autumneyes and Jasminefur. She put her head on her paws. “Jasminefur should rest for however long you think is best.”
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Shadowstartheleader
Friendship Rank 4
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Post by Shadowstartheleader on Aug 30, 2021 3:58:20 GMT -5
As she was turning away, visible relief flooded over the medicine cat's face. It wasn't anything like a promise she wouldn't start actual fights at some point with other cats, but Brightfrost was at least recognizing this sign was serious and increased the responsibility that she had--and therefore the danger there was if she was wounded and unable to take charge of them. Perhaps Brightfrost had been thinking a lot about it out there? She didn't think that was the case, mostly because of the fact they had been sparring. But maybe their argument had really stuck in the warrior's mind?
It was a step in the process, and Autumneyes just had to seek out StarClan's wisdom as to how she could calm Brightfrost's fighter's impulses. If Brightfrost could learn to temper that, then she could quickly become an excellent warrior and a stellar problem-solver. She wanted Brightfrost to become the best of all of them. She was meant for that. She deserved it with how much she had already been through, and how much was to come. She just needed a better temper.
She listened closely as the warrior apologized, picking up the cobweb after deciding the poultice hadn't been dispersed off Jasminefur's back and head wounds. "Jasminefur should rest," She quietly stated, turning back around and approaching Jasminefur. "Luckily, the wounds are irritated, and not fully reopened. With some cobwebs, and no throwing each other around, there shouldn't be a problem." It was still a little bit irritating to her that Brightfrost had thought it was a good choice to spare with him, knowing his condition. She understood why the warrior had done it, and she would respect what she did more if he hadn't been injured at the time.
But she kept the thought to herself for the moment. Brightfrost at least seemed repentant about how the situation had turned out. She didn't want to lose that by pushing too far.
It wasn't that long before Jasminefur's wounds were patched up neatly again. He was unfidgety and compliant, and she let out a quiet breath as she finished. "Good. Now, you're not leaving camp again today. Understood?"
Jasminefur felt reactively guilty as Brightfrost apologized for what happened in the session. Sparring had given them a chance for fun for awhile, and he felt like Brightfrost was ashamed because of having taken the chance to be entertained for a moment. Because of him. She had encountered another situation that was getting her scolded, and it was because of him again.
He glanced up at Autumneyes as she ordered him to be confined to the camp again, and his shoudlers sagged as dismay washed over him. Trapped in the camp all day...again? That was the last thing he wanted. Even if the skirmishing incident had left him tired, it wasn't the type of tired that made him want to crawl into a nest and turned into a holly bush for three days. He was tired of confinement. He looked down at his paws without saying anything.
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Post by berryjuice on Aug 30, 2021 13:38:23 GMT -5
Brightfrost stifled a sigh. She also hated the idea of staying in camp all day, but she needed to stay by Jasminefur’s side. Both because she had been ordered to, and because she worried about what would happen to him if she wasn’t around to keep him safe. Though, she supposed that today it was partially herself putting him in danger.
She looked to Jasminefur and wondered how he might be feeling. She hoped he wasn’t in too much pain. She thought back to their spar. Even if it was a bad choice, she couldn’t help but think about how it was kind of fun. She had liked seeing another, livelier side of Jasminefur. It made her wonder about what kind of cat he was before all this had happened. From what he had told her and what she had seen in her dream, she suspected he had always been fairly meek and passive. But she thought he had seen a spark of excitement when they had sparred- maybe Jasminefur had had fun.
There would be no more of that for some time. Brightfrost was beginning to hate the sights of the camp, and she suspected Jasminefur felt the same. And she missed her warrior duties; maybe she even missed going on the dawn patrol a little bit. She wondered if they would be made to do more apprentice chores. She could hope that with most cats either at training or guarding the camp or doing another tasks, they would be forgotten about for now. Regardless- she wanted to listen to Autumneyes, at least for now. They couldn’t risk re-opening Jasminefur’s wounds.
She looked to him sympathetically. “We’ll go hunting soon- once you’re well enough. I’ll show you the best parts of the territory, and you can try squirrel…” She looked wistfully outside into the trees before glancing back at Autumneyes. She settled into the nest. “But first, you need to heal. We’ve got to make sure we’re ready for anything that happens.”
It didn’t seem entirely right to her. There were big things that they were expected to be doing, and danger around every corner. She felt like they should be preparing somehow. She still wanted to investigate WindClan territory or visit the Moonpool or figure out that barking cat’s deal. But she supposed that right now, the best thing they could do to prepare was to make sure Jasminefur was in good enough condition for whatever they may need to face.
She laid beside Jasminefur for a while, not very tired either but hoping she would fall asleep just to make time pass faster. She watched Autumneyes work with her herbs. It was soothing to her; it reminded her of when she would invite her into the medicine den when she was young and having a rough time. She grew more calm, feeling warm in the nest beside Jasminefur. She listened a bit to his breathing; she hoped he could find a way to relax and rest, despite how tense their situation was.
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Shadowstartheleader
Friendship Rank 4
~The world may be dark, we may be lost forever, but we stand a chance as long as we're together~
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Post by Shadowstartheleader on Aug 31, 2021 7:17:40 GMT -5
Autumneyes couldn't help but glance towards Brightfrost with a look of gentle appreciation for how she carried on from what the medicine cat had said. A badger could have seen that Jasminefur was dismayed at being locked back down to the camp after having finally managed to leave. Brightfrost was trying to promise him a host of the best ThunderClan experiences she could offer, and Autumneyes was forced to pause at the kindness she was showing, trying to make being confined to the den less terrible with some things to look forward to. Autumneyes remembered moments like this between the two of them, like when her first catch as a -paw had been delivered straight to the medicine cat. But this wasn't even the same type of nice gesture--she wanted him to feel better about the situation and was personally taking that on. It left Autumneyes just a little taken aback, not because the warrior was incapable of demonstrating sweetness, but because of how much Autumneyes could see she was putting this on herself. You're really something, Brightfrost.
Jasminefur didn't settle down to really rest right away. Getting out of the camp had felt good, and he had actually felt just a little bit of fun, sparring with a ThunderClan cat without it being a violent affair. It had given him a smile even with such a horrible event plaguing the back of his mind. It couldn't have lasted though, not around so many hostile cats, and now he was stuck here again.
His head turned to the warrior close by as she spoke to him, and though he was generally unhappy being stuck here and being told he had to wait, her promise to actually show him the best spots in her territory was an appealing one, if just to have something neat to walk and learn about. Squirrel certainly didn't sound normal to him, but he figured he ought not to complain just cause it was probably a favorite here.
He frowned at the idea of 'being ready for anything.' He didn't want to acknowledge what that could mean; the dogs could still be in the territories. Who knew if they were heading towards RiverClan or ShadowClan? Perhaps they should have sent cats out as warnings, Jasminefur thought for a moment, but he sighed and realized that it was just better to communicate this at the Gathering, with everyone there at once--and it wasn't too many days away now. He just felt so helpless.
He reminded himself he hadn't seen his father, or his sister in the battle. Both of them could be okay, and he had to believe that. Then, they could at least say there were cats left in the clan--better cats than him. Brightfrost was right--he needed to heal up as best as possible, so whatever happened at the Gathering, he was ready to return to WindClan, or join his clanmates somewhere else.
Despite still feeling guilty for the scolding Brightfrost got, he had settled down and been joined by her, and frankly he didn't feel at all guilty for the warmth her fluffy coat offered in the den that was barely touched by the sun at this time of the day. He was used to chilly winds with his thin coat, but WindClan cats knew to bundle up when they rested at camp. Here, no other cat was particularly apt to curl up beside him, and so he especially appreciated the one cat who would.
It was fairly relaxing doing her work with Brightfrost watching, a callback to moons before when Brightfrost had needed somewhere away from the taunts of other cats. She remembered a time when cats whispered about Brightpaw being the next medicine cat apprentice, just after Tawnybreeze had died. But Autumneyes was too young--a cat might (hurtfully) point out that she wasn't even expertly equipped with her mentor's knowledge yet, still refining what she knew, and she wouldn't have been able to properly train an apprentice. But it didn't change that having Brightfrost in here was something she had always liked.
Despite having already organized everything when Brightfrost got her and put away the last sets of herbs that Autumneyes had left on the floor, she impulsively began reassembling neater piles of herbs, just for something to do that didn't require her to leave the den. She might have to eventually, to gather something, but for now she didn't want to be away from them, especially Brightfrost. She quietly started explaining to Jasminefur, just to fill the air with something, that although his wounds had seemed bad when he was brought in, his head wound hadn't seemed to cause any bad effects and he was healing up. In a few days, she explained, he should be in pretty good shape.
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Post by berryjuice on Sept 3, 2021 22:55:29 GMT -5
Brightfrost stayed in the camp obediently throughout the day, watching Autumneyes and listening a bit to the sounds of cats outside. It took a while for her to truly rest, as her mind was buzzing with thoughts of what had happened that day and what would happen in the days to come. Eventually, with the comforting warmth of Jasminefur beside her and the relative peace around them, she was able to sleep.
---
Whenever Jasminefur was able to fall asleep that night, he found himself in the ThunderClan camp, behind a chanting crowd of cats. Most of them were difficult to recognize- likely because they died some moons ago. It seemed that ThunderClan had lost many warriors between the present and wherever Jasminefur was now. Many of the cats had some injuries; it appeared that there had recently been a battle. Judging by the conditions of the cats and the general atmosphere, it seemed the battle had gone reasonably well.
There was an excitement in the air- a happy excitement, much different from the tense air that had filled the camp during Jasminefur’s time there. All eyes were on the Highrock, where a younger Stoneheart and Goldenspots, who had clearly been in the battle, stood tall. Stoneheart was as stoic as ever, though a glint of happiness could be seen in her eyes, and Goldenspots was filled with pride. They stood rather close, their tails nearly intertwined. Another stood nearby, at the edge of the rock. Jasminefur could recognize this tom if he paid attention at his first Gatherings- it was Cragstar, the previous leader of ThunderClan.
“STONEHEART! GOLDENSPOTS! STONEHEART! GOLDENSPOTS!”
Next to Jasminefur was a sleek white she-cat who remained silent. Her brown eyes narrowed as she gazed up at the three cats on the Highrock. Specklestar sat next to her, his eyes shining with happiness. “ThunderClan is blessed to have many strong warriors.” His smile faded as he saw the look on the white cat’s face. He nudged her gently. “It’ll be Fogpaw’s turn before you know it. Then you’ll feel as proud as I do.”
The white cat sighed. “It’s not about that, Specklenose. I just…are they the kind of warriors we want? Stonepaw was going to kill that apprentice- practically a kit- at the battle. And you’ve barely gotten around to punishing Goldenpaw for cheating on his hunting assessment.”
Specklenose didn’t get a chance to respond before a tabby tom emerged from the crowd to join them. He appeared to be in a good mood as well, but his eyes glittered pensively as he looked to the white she-cat. “That’s Stoneheart and Goldenspots now.” He purred. “What’s wrong? This is a day for celebration.”
The white cat flicked her ear. “I worry for the future of ThunderClan. It seems some of our new warriors don’t adhere to the warrior code like they should.”
The tabby chuckled. “The future of ThunderClan is brighter than ever. And more than anything, we need strong and loyal warriors to bring us to that future. A future where no one goes hungry and we have nothing to fear- especially not WindClan.”
“I want that too. We must be the strongest Clan. But...what if Cragstar is making a mistake?” said the white cat softly. The affable look that the tabby had been trying to keep on his face hardened into anger. As he bared his teeth, the white she-cat stood taller to meet his challenge.
Specklenose looked nervously between the two. “We all want the same thing, right? No need to fight over killed prey…” When it became clear that neither cat was going to back down, he took a step back. “Well, uh...I’ve got some congratulations to give, so if you’ll excuse me…” And with that, he had disappeared into the crowd faster than a ShadowClan cat could disappear into darkness. The other two didn’t seem to notice at all.
The tabby growled in a low voice, “You would dare question Cragstar, after all he’s done for the Clan? You claim to care so much about honor and the code- you know that disloyalty to our leader is disloyalty to StarClan.”
“Don’t misunderstand.” The white cat very briefly broke her glare to glance in Cragstar’s direction, as if concerned he might be able to hear. She looked back to the tabby, her voice unwavering, “My loyalty to StarClan and my loyalty to Cragstar have never been in doubt.”
The tabby hesitated before softening slightly. “And when I’m leader, will you be loyal to me?”
The white cat seemed caught off-guard by this question. Unlike before, she avoided meeting his eyes. “I-”
“Warriors of ThunderClan!” Cragstar’s voice rang out. The cats in the camp immediately looked to him with rapt attention- much more respect than Jasminefur had ever seen them show Specklestar. “We must not stop with this victory. We must press on until we are the most respected Clan in the forest- even this means we must hunt WindClan like they hunt rabbits. This is StarClan’s will.”
Cragstar looked over at the medicine cat, who nodded without hesitation, even though their paw was still sticky with a poultice that they had just applied. Stoneheart and Goldenspots, still by the leader's side, looked ready for another fight. The leader continued, “Tomorrow night, we’ll force those cowards into their burrows and show them what happens when they disrespect us. ThunderClan!”
“THUNDERCLAN! THUNDERCLAN! THUNDERCLAN!” The reaction from the already-excited crowd was deafening. Everyone from apprentices to warriors to elders cheered with a fervor that would almost make one not notice how tired many of them were. Even the white cat only paused a moment before joining in.
The passionate cries grew louder and louder until the words were unrecognizable. Then, they could not even be recognized as the sound of cheering cats; it morphed hideously into the too-familiar sound of howling dogs. The images of the cats began to change as well, until the entire camp was filled only with ravenous dogs.
Mercifully, almost all of the dogs soon vanished into a thick mist that rolled into camp, covering nearly everything. The only one remaining stood where the white cat had been. It turned to Jasminefur and spoke, with the cat’s voice. “You may wish for a different destiny and I may wish for someone more capable of fulfilling it than a worthless rabbitchaser.” It looked into his eyes, anger and distrust piercing through the mist. “But it doesn’t matter. You and I are only dogs.”
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Shadowstartheleader
Friendship Rank 4
~The world may be dark, we may be lost forever, but we stand a chance as long as we're together~
Posts: 617
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Post by Shadowstartheleader on Sept 4, 2021 4:54:50 GMT -5
Jasminefur spent some time fighting against any trace of tiredness. Despite the frustrating skirmish they had been apart of, the camp was currently quite peaceful, with sounds of distant converstaion and early afternoon nature surrounding them. He would have been lying if he said he wasn't appreciating the pure sound of the trees blowing in the wind. But those calming surroundings, paired with the warm blanket of fluffiness beside him made it more and more difficult to keep from drifting off, even knowing it was still not even late in the day. It wasn’t too long before he started sinking into Brightfrost’s flank, losing to the lulling effect of their surroundings. He thought the last thing he saw before drifting into sleep was Autumneyes gazing at him from across the den, some sort of smile on her face, as he slipped into the darkness of sleep.
---
Only a moment passed before that darkness was shredded apart and replaced by a cacophony of cheering cats, a blur of victory calls and excitement that he couldn’t exactly hear properly in his sudden waking daze. The sea of unfamiliar cats around him and the loud chanting they were emitting caused his fur to spike up with alarm, and he reflexively took a few steps back. He looked around in a panic, trying to figure out who these cats were and where he was.
It wasn’t hard to recognize tell-tale signs of the ThunderClan camp--the high rock, the medicine cat’s den close by--he immediately turned towards it, trying to rush away from the insanity around him to find Brightfrost, or Autumneyes--but when he tried to move, he found his legs let him do no more than turn about, and he let out a cry of desperation.
What in StarClan’s name is going on? Why can’t I move? Where am I? He turned back around after his vain attempt to flee the scene, and he cast an alarmed gaze around the camp, trying to identify some of the other cats he would recognize-Goldenspots, Paleheart, Applewing, but he wasn’t having any luck, as these cats all looked so unfamiliar.
Finally, the chanting came into focus, and he realized what they were chanting just as he was giving up on recognizing any of these cats. He looked up in shock as he saw the two cats who were standing, proudly, gazing over the rest of them. He stared at them with wide eyes, hearing their names but not recognizing them as the same cats he had known from ThunderClan. They looked genuinely young, and he found his mouth dropping to the floor as he took it in. “What in StarClan’s name….”
His gaze slowly shifted from the two warriors to the third cat beside them. He blinked, focusing on the cat whose features he could see very clearly; this cat’s face was memorable to him, and he stared in uncertainty for a bit as he traced back through his memories trying to figure out who it was.
Eventually, his memory came through, and he was brought back to an early Gathering, shaking in fear as he pressed against his mother’s flank. He gazed over the four leaders above them, a mixture of awe and fear in his eyes. Then, he remembered those same scars, at least most of them, coloring the mane and chest of one of the leaders sat above them. “That’s Cragstar? No way...He’s...He’s dead…”
Jasminefur had catched on to the fact that he wasn’t exactly in Brightfrost’s version of the ThundercCan camp, but handling the fact that he seemed to have been transported across times was very disconcerting. His gaze snapped to his side as a cat right beside him spoke up, and he realized that, barely more than a hair’s length away sat a white she-cat, and he stared at her with wide eyes, trying to figure out if the cat had been listening to him. If she had, she gave no sign.
He choked on his own oxygen as the she-cat responded to another cat, naming the other cat as Specklenose. When his gaze turned to Specklenose, he could see it--this cat looked much more similar to Specklestar than Goldenspots or Stoneheart did to themselves. That was it--he was seeing some sort of past moment from the clan--that, or this was just a crazy dream. That was the more likely conclusion, right?
He missed the first thing the white she-cat had said as he processed the craziness around him, but he focused back on the cats close by him as another cat padded closer. When he spoke, Jasminefur’s neck fur, already sticking up, stood up straighter. There was a honey and silkiness to his words that set Jasminefur on edge--like there was a pair of fangs just waiting for a cat to get entranced by how nicely it sounded. Who are you? I don’t recognize you. Jasminefur already didn’t like this cat.
He turned back to the white she-cat as she responded, and Jasminefur tilted his head at her, listening intently as she voiced concerns about the clan, and the Warrior Code. It was such a strange thing to hear--all his clanmates ever said was that ThunderClan was a depraved clan full of cats who spurned and spat upon StarClan. Jasminefur had always wondered how true that was, and how innocent WindClan was after some of their skirmishes--but to hear a ThunderClan cat questioning that herself…
Jasminefur grew increasingly alarmed as the two cats began to escalate their conversation into an argument, seeming to forget that these cats had shown no sign of noticing his presence, and that they likely couldn’t harm him at all. He stared at Specklestar as the cat tried to defuse the situation, hoping whatever this tension was that the current….future? Thunderclan leader could take it down a notch. That hope was dashed as Specklestar gracefully left the two to murder each other.
He was still paralyzed to the spot, unable to flee as the two traded blows on the accusation of loyalty, and he followed along with helpless fear until the tabby asked “And when I’m leader, will you be loyal to me?”
Jasminefur stared at the tabby cat, tilting his head as confusion replaced his fear. When he is leader? What? What is happening? Who in StarClan's starry pelt are you? He couldn’t place the look of the cat with any cat he knew, and Specklestar was the leader of ThunderClan now--if this was in the past, there was clearly something he was missing.
Every cat’s focus shifted back up above them as Cragstar called down to them once more. He felt a cold chill run down his spine. What Cragstar was saying clearly moved beyond what was known as ThunderClan arrogance--he was bloodthirsty, and he wondered if the white she-cat beside him was the only one who felt the way she did in this version of ThunderClan.
He shivered as the camp broke into a chorus of cheers over the call to make WindClan pay for their ‘disrespect.’ It was bone-chilling and a vision of ThunderClan that was tiptoeing so close to the stories he would hear as a kit of the evil, heartless ThunderClan warriors and their horrific character, in and out of battle. He let out a helpless sigh as even the doubter sitting beside him joined into the call.
He was filled with helplessness and fear at the image of the camp around him, but the cry of ‘ThunderClan!’ seemed to begin slowly shifting. He blinked, glancing around at the cats who were starting to sound much different, almost like a shriek of some strange, unknown creature, before it started growing deeper and more violent, a sound Jasminefur picked up on almost immediately.
If he was alarmed before, Jasminefur was sent into a full-on panic as the cats around him soon was filled with the hideous forms of dogs, slobbering and wolf-like in their hungry gazes. He let out a yowl of alarm and tried to turn about and pelt away, but it was completely useless as he still couldn’t even move.
His gaze focused dreadfully on the canine teeth that seemed to only have one objective: and it was paralyzed in place and shrieking in fear. He was just begin to wonder how long until the dogs were going to close in on him when the thick mist closed in on them, and the dogs vanishing slowly ebbed away at his fear, though it couldn’t really be completely cast away. He stared in stunned silence as the camp around him became almost unseeable, and he jumped with a start as the cat, now back beside him, spoke straight to him.
He stared at the she-cat, mortified at the words that came out of the cat’s mouth. He had no clue what she meant by him wishing for a different destiny, if he didn’t even know what destiny he had, but he left this thought behind as she kicked him in the dirt with her insult, and left him agape as she referred to both of them as dogs. He stared at her with his jaw hanging open, his eyes wide and showing nothing but confusion. “W...wh-what…?” He stammered, as his form visibly cowed a bit after her insult, trying to make himself smaller and non-threatening to the cat who clearly seemed to have a horrible opinion of him. “W-we’re dogs? What do you m-mean? I don’t understand. W-where are we? Who are you?”
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Post by berryjuice on Sept 10, 2021 5:51:10 GMT -5
The dog looked at Jasminefur, her contempt seemingly only growing the more she looked at the quivering tom. The mist around them was cold, but Jasminefur could feel the dog’s hot breath. She bared her teeth. “Do you think you’re dreaming?”
The dog suddenly lunged forward at him and everything went black. This time it was shifting and strange- Jasminefur couldn’t get his vision in focus and didn’t seem able to control his own movement. Though everything was blurry, he could see faint colors and shapes. The sky above was an inky black, but the stars shone brightly. He was rushing through ThunderClan territory, late at night, holding something warm in his mouth. He was moving quickly despite a fierce wind blowing against him.
Jasminefur could tell that he was getting closer to WindClan territory. There was a sudden, ear-piercing crash of thunder and he was pelted with rain. He ran faster, but he was getting more and more tired. His legs ached and his throat was ragged.
The stars began to grow brighter and brighter until they were completely blinding him. He heard a loud creaking sound followed by a deafening thud, like a tree crashing to the ground a few tail lengths in front of him. There was another clap of thunder, closer this time. The wind howled in his ears, sounding almost like the screeching of cats. But before he could try to understand what they were saying, everything fell silent.
For a moment, he was blind and deaf. For a moment, he could hear the white cat again. “Your eyes and ears will fail you- you’ll have to follow something else.” Her voice became angrier, sounding reminiscent of a dog’s snarl, “No one can hide under starlight.”
Jasminefur woke up abruptly. For a moment, he still could not see or hear. All he could sense was Brightfrost’s scent and her warmth against his. She was still asleep, her flanks rising and falling evenly. After a few moments, his senses returned to him and all seemed normal.
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Shadowstartheleader
Friendship Rank 4
~The world may be dark, we may be lost forever, but we stand a chance as long as we're together~
Posts: 617
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Post by Shadowstartheleader on Sept 15, 2021 13:27:19 GMT -5
It was such a strange question to ask, even moreso when the figure in front of him was a dog. Jasminefur had no idea where he was and what was happening around him, but this certainly wasn't any dream, not to him--this was closer to the worst nightmare he could experience, surrounded by dogs, easy prey to their appetite for felines. He let out a cry of fear as the dog lunged towards him after speaking to him, trying to lift his paws to defend himself by scratching at it but finding that his vision failed him. He started feeling like he was stumbling in darkness, but when he tried to move his legs, it felt far more like he was being dragged through darkness as it didn't feel like he could direct his own limbs.
He flinched as he tried to get a sense for what was around him, but nothing seemed to come through clearly as the stars, blurry as they were, amidst all of the confusion and inclarity around him. He gasped as what felt like stumbling around to him seemed to change into a fast WindClan sprint. He couldn't make out the forms around him for quite awhile, as unfamiliar as he was with the ThunderClan territory, but as his body seemed to dodge and skirt around tall, blurry brown bodies, he started to get a sense that he was amidst a breadth of trees, and he desperately tried to look about to figure out what he was doing, what was in his mouth, but his own head wasn't responding to him.
He let out a desperate cry as everything around him suddenly turned to deafening noise, to blinding light, and he his panic turned to rabid fear as everything around him escalated into complete chaos, and his own body didn't seem to want to listen to him at all. In his mind he was thrashing against this force keeping him in place, fleeing at an unmatchable pace from the danger around him, but it completely ignored him and left him vulnerable to all of it.
And in a blink everything went from blinding, deafening overstimulation to an utter lack of senses. He looked around, and he thought his head was following his directions now, but he couldn't see around him and he couldn't hear as he let a desperate cry for help, leading him into even more panic. He couldn't handle how confusing and terrifying it all was, how nothing he did mattered in any of this. He collapsed on the floor, blind as he was, and started loudly sobbing sobs he couldn't even hear.
His sobs skipped as she finally spoke to him again, telling him that as much as they had in his dream, his eyes and ears wouldn't serve him well. He tried to speak, to ask what in StarClan's name it meant--You'll have to follow something else. What could he trust if his own senses failed him? And what in the world did she mean as she snarled at him, promising there was no hiding anywhere beneath Silverpelt?
His body jerked up, and he was on his paws in a cold sweat in an instant. His senses were back, but despite how much he had yearned for them in his nightmare, their return only served to overwhelm him further. He felt that wherever he had been before, his tears and powerlessness were still here. He squeezed his eyes shut, collapsing on himself in the nest, continuing to audibly sob as he tried to process everything he had just been put through.
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Post by berryjuice on Sept 16, 2021 4:29:56 GMT -5
Brightfrost’s paws twitched gently. In her dreams, she found herself sprinting across the moor, a WindClan patrol chasing after her. She was determined to evade them- she remembered hearing stories about how Icestorm was so swift and so agile, she could even outrun WindClan. It was hard to imagine how she could live up to that, with the angry patrol behind her closing the gap between them more and more with every passing moment, no matter how much Brightfrost pushed herself. The WindClan cat’s claws were outstretched, ready to strike the trespasser as soon as they could reach her.
But against all odds, she felt like she was going to make it. She was in the trees now, crossing into ThunderClan territory. And she could smell familiar cats nearby- a patrol to help her fight off her pursuers. She could hear Applewing calling to the others, “I can smell a trespasser over here!”
“They’re right behind me!” Brightfrost panted, taking a moment to pause and catch her breath now that she was safer.
Stoneheart ran over, her eyes cold and ready for battle. Brightfrost was about to point her in the direction of the WindClan cats when she lunged directly at her. Brightfrost could feel the breath knocked out of her as she felt the grey cat’s weight on top of her.
“This is ThunderClan territory. I won’t warn you again,” Stoneheart growled.
Brightfrost felt filled with confusion and fear as she tried to get in enough air to say something. She could hear the rest of the patrol arrive- but rather than speak in her defense, they looked to her scornfully and prepared to block her from running deeper into the territory. Paleheart opened his mouth to make some jeering comment, but instead Brightfrost heard sobbing from a familiar voice.
She woke up back in the medicine cat den and quickly realized she had been dreaming. Another message from StarClan? And she had woken up before she had been able to receive it. She was immediately annoyed that she had potentially missed something valuable and tried to piece together what the dream could have meant. What if Paleheart’s comment was supposed to be the key? What if StarClan cats were about to arrive and give her a prophecy?
Her racing thoughts paused as she realized that someone was still sobbing. She looked in that direction and noticed Jasminefur. She frowned, grounding herself in the waking world as she looked to him with worry. She couldn’t be angry at him when he was probably thinking about what had happened to his family or what danger lay in his future- or maybe he had had a nightmare about the dogs.
“Jasminefur- it’s okay.” She nuzzled him firmly and draped her tail over his back. She thought he seemed terrified, and she couldn’t blame him for not feeling safe here. But maybe there was something more. “What’s wrong?”
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Shadowstartheleader
Friendship Rank 4
~The world may be dark, we may be lost forever, but we stand a chance as long as we're together~
Posts: 617
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Post by Shadowstartheleader on Sept 16, 2021 5:21:43 GMT -5
Autumneyes couldn't help but frown as she listened into a dream that wasn't her's. At first when she had stirred, she thought StarClan was coming to simply deliver a message to her, but as she listened in piece by piece, seeing Jasminefur reacting to the strange shifting scenes around him, she realized that he, too, must have been dreaming, and StarClan must have wanted her to see it.
Now, after the whole thing had finished, she was finding herself a little angry. The cat seemed a little bit familiar to Autumneyes, but she wasn't focused on that. She was unhappy about how indelicate she was with him, and as he started sobbing she found herself emitting a growl that he couldn't seem to hear.
Did StarClan not realize how fragile he was? Or was it just that this cat didn't care? He was already in such a fragile state of mind, and it was obvious to any cat with a mouse's brain that he wasn't sure how to handle everything going on around him. She started trying to pad forward to comfort him, discarding that StarClan had set this dream up for him, but suddenly he was gone, and she was left alone as the mist bent around him, concealing him and eventually whisking him otu of the clearing, leaving nothing where he had been.
So it was that when she woke up Autumneyes' fur was in an agitated puff. She realized pretty quickly that Jasminefur was still crying as she came to, and she hauled herself from her nest and cast a quick glance over, where Brightfrost herself was just stirring and realizing the same thing.
She soon had a couple poppy seeds on a small leaf in her jaws, and she turned towards the two warriors. Jasminefur was shaking his head with his muzzle buried in his nest, muffling his sobs as well as his words, as he called out a choked up "I don't know what to do!"
She let out a heavy sigh as she drew closer to the two of them. I wouldn't either, if StarClan expected so much from me at such a young age. Her thoughts were laced with sympathy as she laid the leaf down at the edge of the nest. "Take these," She commanded softly, wanting him to rest and to not have to struggle with the dream for too long. At least not until morning, when he could process on a full night's rest. Or however much the WindClan refugee could get.
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Post by berryjuice on Sept 21, 2021 4:52:54 GMT -5
“What happened?” Brightfrost wondered what had upset Jasminefur so much all of a sudden. She wondered if StarClan had finally spoken to him in his dreams. That would be great; anything that they had told him must be valuable. And it confirmed what they already knew: that Jasminefur was special. Seeing his fear, she felt some pity for him. However, she knew that he needed to learn how to deal with these things if they were going to fulfill their destiny. They needed to be strong; there was no getting around that. And they would be strong enough- or else StarClan wouldn’t have chosen them. As she listened to Jasminefur's crying and thought about how he had hesitated in the face of the dogs, a twinge of doubt crept into her mind. But she quickly banished this feeling. No, Jasminefur must be meant for this as much as she was. Maybe he just...needed more time to adjust.
When she was young and her dreams had begun, she tried to never let herself feel fear or doubt. Some might say this wasn’t healthy, but for Brightfrost it was just a part of being a warrior of StarClan. And by now, having her sleep filled with restless dreams and strange messages was natural. But she supposed that for Jasminefur, this sort of thing was new- if he was telling the truth of having never had StarClan speak to him before. Maybe she could help guide him through accepting his destiny. Maybe that was why StarClan had brought them together. She needed to support him in whatever he needed. Whether it was helping to interpret his dreams or just...be here.
She pressed into Jasminefur’s side gently, now fully awake, with most of her own dream having faded to the back of her mind. “It’s okay. Whatever you’re confused about...we’ll figure it out together.” She looked to Autumneyes, glad that she was there to help. She hoped the poppy seeds would do something to calm him. She thought that Autumneyes seemed pensive about something- did she also realize how important Jasminefur's dream probably was? “Thanks.”
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Shadowstartheleader
Friendship Rank 4
~The world may be dark, we may be lost forever, but we stand a chance as long as we're together~
Posts: 617
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Post by Shadowstartheleader on Oct 10, 2021 6:34:08 GMT -5
StarClan had been painfully cryptic. Autumneyes couldn't say she had any idea what StarClan was trying to convey, when the icy she-cat had called herself and Jasminefur 'just dogs.' StarClan likely meant something important by it, but all Autumneyes could see for the moment was the negative state it was all leaving Jasminefur in. They certainly could have been a little more gentle.
She didn't say anything as Brightfrost thanked her, not with the intention of denying her a response, but simply with a tired focus on getting Jasminefur to lap up the herbs calm down, and get back to sleep as soon as possible. She watched as Jasminefur visibly tried to process both the nightmare he had had and what Brightfrost was saying to him. Except for being the size of a warrior, he practically looked like a scared kit, and she quietly sighed, beginning to understand just how complicated their lives would get if StarClan was going to be playing with his dreams as well. Brightfrost had probably been dealing with them for longer than the medicine cat knew, and they never seemed to phase her to the point that Autumneyes noticed. Clearly, Jasminefur wasn't the same type of cat, if that hadn't already been made obvious in the previous days.
Jasminefur was still shaking from the experience, and he unconsciously pressed against Brightfrost as she came closer and offered the modicum of comfort that could be offered when she had no idea what had set off his alarm. It took a repeating urging from Autumneyes to get him to swallow up the poppyseeds, but he did so after half a minute or so, and he tried to settle back into his nest, though he didn't pull completely away from Brightfrost, leaving him a bit awkwardly situated between the two nests.
His sobs began drying up relatively quickly, either because he had really been crying during his dream or because of the rapid onset and offset of his alarm--or maybe the herbs only took seconds to take effect? He found he could breath more normally, if a little rapidly, and he swallowed, finally able to find a voice. "I...I think that...StarClan..." His voice was half-shock, and half-dread, but there was no doubt in his tone--it was too real, and each word out of his mouth had felt chosen by himself. And given the sign from StarClan they had received so recently, he couldn't pretend to disbelieve that this was some message from their starry ancestors. That being said, nothing about the message from StarClan could be considered a good sign. He wouldn't be able to describe what he experienced as anything but a nightmare.
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Post by berryjuice on Oct 17, 2021 5:47:27 GMT -5
Brightfrost’s eyes shone at the mention of StarClan. She was glad that Jasminefur could finally see that they had their eyes on him. He had denied for too long that he was a regular cat, when it was clear to her and Autumneyes that he too had been singled out for some kind of grand destiny. It made a lot of sense to her; surely he had been the one to escape WindClan for a reason. Now, he would finally understand.
She pressed closely to him. “Yes- what did they tell you? Whatever it was, I’m sure it was important.” She looked to Jasminefur, seeing the fear in his eyes. It was obvious that she wasn’t quite sure how to talk to him. She so badly wanted to know what their ancestors had had to say- she always hung on their every sign. But maybe they had told Jasminefur not to tell anyone? Not even her? The thought of StarClan deciding she wasn’t fit for this message made her pelt burn- but she ignored this feeling. She could never question their choice; surely, they would do what was right.
“And...you’re important. StarClan knows you are- and they’re never wrong. The dreams they send might be frightening, but you're meant for them,” said Brightfrost gently. “Whatever destiny they’ve picked you for, you’re going to do it perfectly. Otherwise, they would’ve picked someone else.” She put her front paw over his. “And they decided to tie your destiny to mine. So I'll be by your side to help you."
She watched Jasminefur for a few moments before looking out of the medicine den, up at the stars. “I know they’re watching out for us.”
Little shining flakes began to drift slowly down from the dark sky. It felt early for snow, but apparently it had arrived. For some, it would be a reminder of the leafbare that was becoming nearer every day. But Brightfrost felt there was something peaceful about the sight. The snow didn’t last long- only enough to leave a white dust over the camp.
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