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 Jun 26, 2023 3:23:59 GMT -5
Rosepelt was thrown off a bit as Mallowtuft drew closer to her and Cricketpaw, making a courteous gesture that the WindClan warrior wasn't prepared to respond to. She didn't know if they were leaving ShadowClan or not, or where they would go if they did. She prayed to StarClan, after seeing her brother fall at the side of a ThunderClan cat upon returning to the clearing, that ThunderClan wasn't a serious option at play.
It took her long enough to compose a response to Mallowtuft that the rest of the cats were jumping in before she could express it. Soon, cats were bickering and arguing about the fate of the four cats. Rosepelt blinked, having to take a breath. Oh StarClan, that's right. We have Fernkit, too. Rosepelt remembering this gave her a moment of relief that she couldn't really feel when she had stumbled upon her brother and the pile of bodies, hearing the leaders yowling at each other about the WindClan refugees, overhearing the news of the little one's survival. But the positive feeling had to be put aside as the arguing was growing fiercer.
She gave a helpless glance towards Mallowtuft, then started looking about for Pinestar. She struggled to see through the mass of cats very far in any direction, and when her eyes finally landed on the ShadowClan leader, she found Pinestar was enveloped in quiet conversation with some senior-looking warriors, listening in on the argument. Pinestar wasn't striving to keep them around -- Rosepelt knew that the shelter they were given had been given out of a real sense of duty -- but Pinestar saw a chance for that duty to end, and she probably wanted to take it. Her nostrils flared as she couldn't get the leaders attention. Rosepelt could appeal to the leader, put pressure on the part of the ShadowClan leader that clearly felt some call to do the right thing and not only what was advantageous for ShadowClan, but it was difficult to get her attention. Rosepelt considered pushing through the crowd, but another part of her refused to let her depart her brother's side.
Jasminefur was struggling to get a sense of what direction the winds were blowing about the matter. He feared being forced back to the moors more than almost anything, second only to being separated from any of his three remaining clanmates. An anxiety-filled expression filled his face as he looked back to Rosepelt for a few seconds, and then to the little Cricketpaw close by her. These were the only roots that tied him back to his clan, and he didn't know where they would go if they were expelled from ThunderClan and no others wished to take them.Autumneyes' mind was abuzz with the reality of the sign they had received from StarClan. There was no doubt in the young medicine cat's mind that Rosepelt, Fernkit, Cricketpaw, and Jasminefur were all meant to shape the future of WindClan with the guiding paw of Brightfrost at their side. She saw no other way for that to be possible than for the WindClan refugees to all take shelter in ThunderClan.
However, Autumneyes was hesitant to speak up amidst all the ruckus. She didn't want to openly proclaim anything that Specklestar might not be ready to agree to. She was, however, covertly weaving around the crowd of cats to get closer to their leader. She needed to be by his side so she could speak to him -- she didn't say anything as she left Brightfrost's side.
She managed to make her way to Specklestar's side, giving him a gentle nudge to the flank with her tail to announce her presence to him silently. The occasional outburst would sound from a ThunderClan senior warrior or a ShadowClanner, and she used this opportunity to murmur something quietly to him, leaning close to his hear so as not to be overheard by other clans, or even dissonant voices from their own. "Specklestar, I am certain from the sign granted to us by StarClan that Brightfrost was meant to guide Jasminefur along this path...directly. And certainly...certainly Jasminefur cannot rebuild WindClan separated from half of his remaining clanmates..." Autumneyes didn't want to make a declaration and tell the leader what to do, even if she could occasionally become frustrated by his indecisiveness -- she wouldn't take advantage of it by being overly-pushy. Still, her duty to StarClan, and to a nearly equal extent to Brightfrost, compelled her to speak towards not allowing the cats to be stripped away from ThunderClan, or separated.It wasn't hard to feel the sincerity of Robinpatch's response to her concerns, so the senior warrior felt comfortable leaving her complaint as she had expressed it. She dipped her head respectfully once more to him and thanked him for his ear. She then returned to the group until the vigil returned, making little conversation until the argument amidst the three clans was coming to a head.
She was occasionally turned to by a young warrior who expressed their anger or chagrin at what another clan's cat was saying, but she kept her responses brief and relatively neutral. Their biggest enemy was gone, and she wanted time to process that fact being truth before they made a mortal enemy of another Clan.
She again felt a bit of relief as Robinpatch spoke up, his eyes meeting the senior warrior's. Bristlebark didn't necessarily wish ill on Jasminefur or these other two, but they had their own kits and queens to think of as the harsh snow and bitter breeze were cautioning them about. "You hear that? Specklestar already agreed to take them in!" Berryscratch, a young ShadowClan warrior who had no affection for WindClan's subsiding off of their supplies, put his unsolicited piece into the conversation. An old warrior, nearly ready for the elder's den, gave the young warrior a sharp smack on the side of the head, hissing at him to shut his mouth and let the senior cats speak, much to the amusement of the surrounding cats from other clans. "We haven't agreed to anything!" Applewing called out, about to say more before the roaring yowl of Finchstar cowed them."Silence! Do ThunderClan and ShadowClan always let their warriors speak with such disrespect in the holy grounds of StarClan? They watch us even now, as we bicker like kits instead of proposing a solution!""StarClan would, of course, want four clans to remain by the lake territories, as it has always been. Certainly these cats should remain together -- in one of the Clans, where they are in no danger of a dog attack." It was the carefully measured, soft voice of Streamwhisper, standing beside Finchstar and providing a necessary de-escalation after Finchstar's angry outburst. Streamwhisper looked towards Autumneyes for a few moments, then turned towards Nightsong, regarding her in particular given her previous comment about the refugees' proper territory. "Can't us medicine cats agree that StarClan would not want them thrown back to the dogs before it was clear that the threat had been permanently removed, and that the moors were truly safe?"
Streamwhisper was speaking from the perspective of a clan who had taken no WindClan refugees, and he missed the slight twitch of Finchstar's lip, a bit of irritation at the medicine cat speaking so clearly about the need to give the WindClan cats shelter. It might have been correct, but the RiverClan medicine cat speaking up like that was effectively giving the other clans a chance to put RiverClan in the spotlight as a place of shelter. It wasn't hard to get Autumneyes to agree that the refugees shouldn't be discarded, as Streamwhisper had expected; eyes were now turning to Nightsong again. --- Pinestar noticed the ThunderClan medicine cat breathing something into the ear of Specklestar, and she raised an eyebrow as she wondered if the she-cat old enough to be Pinestar's kit might be instructing the leader multiple times her senior how to proceed amidst the argument. She didn't pounce yet, but she awaited what Specklestar was going to say next with bated breath.
She was distracted from the ThunderClan leader for a moment as Streamwhisper spoke up, inciting the other medicine cats to speak up. Streamwhisper had taken control of the argument as effectively as a leader, silencing the angered crowd and refocusing its content on the higher ranking members of the Clans. She watched him with admiration for a few moments, before gazing over the crowd of gathered Clan cats as they awaited a response from Nightsong. Pinestar stared at them, a wave of defiance rising up in the leader's core. She had taken care of the refugees even against the advice of several of her closest advisors; now ThunderClan wished to dump more of a burden on them so it could grow stronger. She couldn't stand that undying pride that they could never seem to keep in check.
---
It seemed that no warrior from ThunderClan seemed to want to speak about the obvious hitch in the argument. There was a clear sign from StarClan that had made the path forward relatively clear. Warriors opposed to hosting the refugees had enough room to argue, but some ThunderClan cats were tensely waiting for Autumneyes to speak up, or for even StarClan to reiterate their will. Larchleap wouldn't speak so brazenly out of turn, but he was tracking the argument and it was clear to him that cats like Applewing and Aspenpelt didn't want to acknowledge how obvious of a sign they had seen in camp. He was growing increasingly irritated by the continued interjections by warriors his age or barely older, a sentiment he felt alone in, given the quantity of voices, even though that wasn't the case.
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Post by berryjuice on Jun 30, 2023 5:05:34 GMT -5
Nightsong was comfortable enough in her position as medicine cat that she was used to cats turning to her for guidance. She looked over them all calmly, though someone who was uncharitable in their opinions of ShadowClan might see her as uncaring. She sat near her leader, similarly to Autumneyes, although she did not seem to feel as much need to attempt to influence her. She trusted in Pinestar.
Mallowtuft, younger and much newer to leadership than both Pinestar and Nightsong, leaned over to them and spoke softly. “What do we do? What will happen to Rosepelt and Cricketpaw if ThunderClan refuses to take them?”
“They won’t.” Nightsong’s tail curled around her paws. She addressed the eyes that were on her and spoke evenly. “It appears that Jasminefur is intended to live among ThunderClan; StarClan sent him and the kit there for a reason. It seems that all of the medicine cats are in agreement on that.” She nodded to Autumneyes and Streamwhisper. She guessed that ThunderClan’s medicine cat had been the one to convince Specklestar to let the two refugees stay, and Nightsong figured she was in the process of doing so again. And she thought Streamwhisper would agree as well, since they were at least united in wanting to prevent the remnants of WindClan from being lost. “And the WindClan cats must not be separated if their Clan is to survive. We must allow them to be safe and together so that there may be four Clans in the forest once again.”
Nightsong glanced to Pinestar and Mallowtuft. The three of them generally seemed to be in agreement, appearing to be much more united than ThunderClan’s leadership tended to be these days. It made the cracks in ThunderClan even more obvious. The medicine cat continued, “A Clan cannot function as four cats with no leader, medicine cat, or deputy. Therefore, the WindClan cats must rely on ThunderClan until the day arrives when they can stand as their own Clan once again. You must look beyond the rivalry of the past and turn towards the future. That is StarClan’s will.”
The verdict from the medicine cats was clear, and there was now quite a lot of pressure on ThunderClan to accept the refugees. But ThunderClan, ever stubborn, was not going to be quick to accept this.
—
Specklestar found himself deeply torn, so overwhelmed he wished he could disappear. As he looked to his Clan in front of them, he really thought about what accepting the WindClan refugees would mean to them. While some of the cats at the Gathering may see the objectors as simply hateful and bitter, their leader did understand where they were coming from. He could see the grief and fear behind their actions. He knew how much they were all dreading the coming leafbare, since the older cats had seen just how devastating one could be. Everyone was worried whether they would be capable of keeping everyone healthy and fed; having extra cats would only make it more difficult. At least, unlike before, they didn’t have WindClan keeping territory unavailable to them. But could he really justify sending patrols to hunt on the moor when it was likely to be dangerous?
And the fact that those extra mouths to feed were from WindClan made it even harder, though he did pity them and believed that Jasminefur was a good cat. He wasn’t sure that any of these cats had ever personally killed one of ThunderClan’s own, but he knew that most in ThunderClan would only see them as a part of the Clan that had taken away their loved ones. Many of which, Specklestar had cared for deeply himself. As he remembered the faces of those they had lost to WindClan, he couldn’t help but feel himself wanting to insist that ShadowClan keep the refugees.
But then, Autumneyes’ muttering in his ear gave him pause, only adding to his turmoil. StarClan wanted this. He couldn’t go against them, and he trusted his medicine cat. That meant that those they had lost wanted this, right? He thought about the last time he had seen most of them: when they had given him his nine lives. He thought about the prophecy he had received that night, which he still didn’t quite know the meaning of- what if it was about how he needed to act now? But it wasn’t clear enough; all he had to go on was the vision they had seen in camp and Autumneyes’ interpretation of StarClan’s wishes. He couldn’t exactly run off to the Moonpool in the middle of a Gathering.
He wished his brother was here to advise him. He wondered what Featherclaw would have done if he was in his position. Well, he didn’t need to wonder; he likely would have rejected the refugees. But whatever choice he would have made, he surely would have made it in a way that didn’t cause everyone to hate him.
“We will allow the WindClan cats to live with us…for the next moon.”
He looked to each cat, taking in every one of their reactions. Most of the older cats showed anger and disgust. Robinpatch, who always believed that the Clan’s leadership must show a united front, was barely holding in a look of betrayal. Next to him, Mintbreeze was more expressive in her exasperation; she whispered something in her mate’s ear that elicited a nod from him; Specklestar didn’t want to know what it was. Aspenpelt was enraged, and more surprisingly, Brightfrost didn’t look all that happy either. He guessed that she was concerned by how conditional Specklestar’s support of the refugees was- that they may end up being abandoned as soon as possible. He hadn’t earned any favor with the leadership of the other Clans, since he had hesitated too much to seem altruistic. Stoneheart was stiff and wouldn’t meet Specklestar’s eyes; he didn’t know if she was still distracted, or if she too was turning on him. She had always been one to bury her thoughts- after all, she had barely spoken at this Gathering despite being respected enough- but he feared he did know what she was thinking. Specklestar almost wished he hadn’t sent Goldenspots away; his friend could usually be relied on to try to smooth things over in these kinds of situations. But he was glad ThunderClan’s young were spared from this.
As Specklestar observed the tensions within his Clan, he was aware that it was not going to end any time soon. The future would be full of turmoil and hardship, with him yet again being forced to witness the cats he loved having their desperation turn them into monsters. He spared a glance at the full moon. The sky was still perfectly clear. Oh StarClan, is this really what you want?
—
With that issue resolved, the Gathering began to disband. The ShadowClan and RiverClan cats mostly seemed rather content with the outcome, though Mallowtuft cast a worried look at Rosepelt and Cricketpaw, clearly regretful now that it was made painfully clear that they were unlikely to be treated well in ThunderClan. It did seem like she and perhaps other cats in ShadowClan were sympathetic enough to their plight that there was a chance they might be able to return if things became truly dire for them in ThunderClan. But generally, this had been made into an issue that the other Clans didn’t have to deal with.
Brightfrost, as Specklestar had thought, was not content with what had happened. Yes, she was relieved that WindClan had been bought a little more time. She had started to worry that not only might ThunderClan not take in Rosepelt and Cricketpaw, but that they may not even be willing to take Jasminefur back to camp with them. However, it was clear to her that this was a temporary solution. Only a moon, or so Specklestar had claimed; she was worried that if the tension continued to escalate back at camp, he might give in and send them away anyway. She trusted Autumneyes to fight a decision like that, but there was only so much that could be done against a leader. And against most of a Clan.
But she had to appear strong and confident, or else Jasminefur and the others would never trust her. She was their protector, and perhaps their guide on whatever their path may be. “I won’t let you be sent away,” she said to them, quietly but firmly. She paused. “I know you don’t want to live in ThunderClan, but…it’ll be better than ShadowClan, I think.”
“I guess eating frogs is pretty gross, but I’d rather do that than share a den with cats ready to kill me in my sleep,” Cricketpaw snapped.
Brightfrost’s fur bristled. Though his reaction was understandable, she still struggled not to get angry. “That won’t happen. We follow the code; ThunderClan cats don’t kill for no reason.”
The statement was perhaps more barbed than she intended it. She decided to walk a bit ahead, again telling herself that the three cats probably had a lot of catching up to do and would probably prefer not to have a ThunderClan cat hovering around them. But she made sure she remained close enough that she could hear those near the WindClan cats and was ready to step in in case anyone became aggressive. Of course, most of the ThunderClan cats didn’t seem too keen on spending time with Brightfrost at the moment either. But she tried not to be bothered by it. It was clear that sometimes she needed to make choices that would earn the ire of her Clan.
She found herself walking nearer the front of the patrol, by Stoneheart. The large tabby nodded to acknowledge her; Brightfrost was a bit surprised that she didn’t seem like she was about to lecture her. Especially about Brightfrost addressing the Gathering- maybe so much else had happened that she had forgotten to be mad about it.
“You get it, right? I mean, everyone saw the omen, and Autumneyes confirmed it. We have to do as StarClan says,” said Brightfrost. Though she was often expressing irritably that she wasn’t an apprentice anymore, maybe was looking for some validation from her mentor. “We’re only doing what the code tell us is right.”
Stoneheart took a while to respond. She paused every now and then to smell the area, obviously remaining alert to any dogs. She took a breath. “If the cat who killed Icestorm had survived as well, would you want us to take him in?”
Brightfrost’s stopped in her tracks. An image flashed through her mind, her clearest memory of her mother: limp and broken, blood still falling from her neck as Stoneheart carried her into camp like a piece of freshkill.
Stoneheart waited. Brightfrost didn’t understand that this had become a valid question; she thought this was yet another cat wanting to treat the refugees like dirt in ‘honor’ of her mother. But as usual, she couldn’t help but linger on the thought. It was so easy to forget in the heat of the moment. It was so easy to think of serving StarClan and nothing of her feelings. She stood up straighter and kept walking. “It doesn’t matter. None of these cats were even there- don’t tell me you would blame Fernkit.”
Even in response to what seemed like a rude and flippant statement, Stoneheart didn’t seem to get angry. She took another breath. “Brightfrost…”
Brightfrost decided she was done talking about this and walked off with her tail raised, wanting to seem more confident than she felt. She wished that the question had come from someone like Paleheart or Mintbreeze, so it were easier to dismiss as more baseless grievances from bitter old cats and foolish bullies. She longed to be alone to sort things out, but she was still reminded that she needed to remain close to the refugees. And maybe that was best- she should be focusing on her obligations to WindClan, not on what her ThunderClan thought.
She fell into step nearer to Autumneyes, and as near to Jasminefur as she could get while still leaving him what she thought was an appropriate amount of space. She remained quiet as they made their way back to camp. She too tried to stay alert, both to the refugees’ needs and to potential dangers, but she often found her gaze fixed on the stars above.
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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 Jul 17, 2023 3:24:04 GMT -5
Autumneyes was feeling two conflicting waves of emotion. On the one paw, Nightsong had completely taken control of the Gathering, taking the chance to summarize StarClan's will in a way that would benefit the likes of ShadowClan more than anything. Autumneyes had wanted to speak up, but her choice not to overpower Specklestar's voice had kept her from doing so; it seemed like Pinestar and Nightsong held a much deeper understanding of each other's minds. She could almost make out the slight grin that Pinestar seemed unable to hold back from appearing on her lips, as her medicine cat expertly weaved the situation in their favor. Autumneyes feared Specklestar's voice being further devalued in the eyes of the other Clans. It was the worst kept secret that many cats thought he wasn't skillful in the art of taking charge, and Autumneyes was certainly concerned about other clans beginning to key into being able to take aggressive advantage of that fact.
Then, there was the other side of it -- every step the refugees took away from ThunderClan was another step Brightfrost would have to venture into danger in pursuit of this path StarClan had set her on. She avoided questioning too deeply why she wanted this, but having all four of them in the ThunderClan camp meant Brightfrost wouldn't have any need to venture into ShadowClan territory to speak with other refugees, or possibly of going into WindClan's territory, to be met with the snapping jaws of canines. Yes, Autumneyes much preferred the refugees staying in ThunderClan. Mainly because it kept the young warrior safe. Even so, she still felt a sympathetic relief for Jasminefur, as her gaze drifted back to him next to Brightfrost and, more importantly in his case, his sister.
---- A wave of uncertainty rushed over Jasminefur as Specklestar announced his decision. We can stay...for a moon. There was a note of bitterness to the words as he repeated them in his head. What did that mean? At the next Gathering they'd be thrown back into the moors? If ThunderClan took them for a moon, there was almost no way ShadowClan would then politely take their turn hosting for a moon with the leaf-bare coming around....though he thought, with an audible sigh, that they wouldn't even in the warmest day of Greenleaf.
Rosepelt expressed some of what Jasminefur felt, albeit much more boisterously. Her reflexive anger at the bickering over their fates, and the ultimate decision from Specklestar made her choose harsher words than she might've in another moment. However, she seemed to have the intelligence to keep her voice pretty low, very aware of the numerous ThunderClan cats just a few tail-lengths from them, and the warrior sitting right on the other side of her brother. "Really? Not only do we have to put up with these arrogant, prideful, mangy..." She paused, letting out a sound of disgust. "...but they're going to throw us out in a moon anyways? Why not skip the headache?"
There was an even heavier sigh from Jasminefur as Rosepelt finished remarking on their temporary place in ThunderClan. She didn't want to think this was the case, but Rosepelt almost thought that Jasminefur sounded equally stressed about what she was saying; certainly, Jasminefur couldn't be so much of a mouse-brain that he would buy that these Thunderclanners had any but the worst of intentions for them? They would surely never allow WindClan to be truly rebuilt.
Then Brightfrost spoke up again -- Rosepelt turned her head to listen to the she-cat, immediately squinting through her tired eyes to scrutinize the Thunderclanner for any hint of deception and disdain. Her words sounded strangely sincere, and she decided to hold her tongue as Cricketpaw jeered at ThunderClan, finally breaking what seemed to be a stoic expressionlessness on the warrior's face.
Jasminefur was keyed in to Brightfrost's fur bristling larger, as close as she had scooted without him noticing. He glanced over to her as Cricketpaw finished speaking, biting his lip as he sensed the jagged edge to her response. He quickly looked back at Cricketpaw for a moment, then focused on his sister, seeing the intensity of her stare, directed at his guardian. He could already tell things could start getting pretty hostile pretty quickly if the cats were left to strike back and forth at each other.
He cleared his throat quietly, his mouth drier than he had realized after the tense Gathering. He felt like he could really use some water. "B-Brightfrost...has protected me every day since I arrived there. She...nearly fought one of her own clanmates who wanted to chase me and Fernkit out." He had to clear his throat again, and his shoulders were perpetually sagging from exhaustion-yet, he seemed to pull up the strength to defend Brightfrost, and speak up for her for the first time.
Jasminefur's mind flashed back to just a couple nights prior, when he snuck out to go see his camp. His memories wouldn't let him forget the anger he provoked when she caught him. Her frustration at his lack of faith in her. Now, as he spoke, he feared his words might come out as hollow to Brightfrost, contradicted by his actions of just a couple nights ago--but that very night had given him a lot to think about, as even with every reason to swat him aside and tell him to begone, she had still insisted in their need to work with each other. Together. Jasminefur hoped that, if only for a second, Brightfrost would consider his words as sincere. Even when she had every right not to. "I trust her. And you can too." After a couple seconds, a little nervous about his sibling's response, Jasminefur's gaze shifted back downwards towards his paws; he seemed unable to look back at Brightfrost either, still worried about her feelings about that night and any bitterness she might feel.
There was obvious disbelief strewn across Rosepelt's face as her gaze shifted to her brother. At a basic level, she was stunned that he was vouching for a ThunderClan warrior, but that wasn't all that was confounding her. Despite his dry throat, his exhausted, sagged shoulders, and how he looked nervous even speaking up--it seemed to her that he really believed what he was saying. Like he meant it. And Rosepelt wasn't used to a Jasminefur who said anything so confidently, especially something that he must have known would be contentious with his clanmates. While Rosepelt was appreciative of the aid they received, she wasn't sure she would speak so decisively about Mallowtuft.
Eventually, after an eternal silence, her gaze shifted back towards Brightfrost, and Rosepelt managed to compose herself and wipe the expression off of her face. Again, she was back to scrutinizing the warrior, a new kind of determination to read the cat's true intentions driving her even more strongly. You must be something really special to get my brother, of all cats, to speak up for you. There was something about it that Rosepelt didn't like, that put her on edge at how easily she seemed to have won his trust, in a quarter-moon no less.
She started considering whether to say something or probe into Brightfrost's intentions, but the Gathering, at this point, was rapidly breaking up, and tired, cranky senior warriors started ushering them, mostly insisting to Brightfrost they get moving so none of them had to be 'the one' to get into a verbal scrap with the new refugees. Applewing notably was one of the first over the log, a clear expression of anxiety plastered over his face. Larchleap tried not to show it, but his shoulders burned from the night's work and he was starting to have a hard time concentrating on much more than putting one paw in front of the other.
Rosepelt let the matter go for now, urging Cricketpaw to make his way off the island alongside her. She noticed that Jasminefur seemed uncertain about whether to join them in conversation, as she imagined he was trying to get a read on what she was thinking. He was always worried about what Rosepelt was going to say about him, and the stakes were a little higher now.
She shook her head slightly with disbelief, again expressing her shock after Brightfrost had taken a bit of a lead. "I can't believe we're...I mean, really?" She was certainly directing that comment more towards Cricketpaw than Jasminefur. "A whole moon? This is going to be torture if you're wrong, Jasminefur. And possibly fatal." Her remark was grim and suspicious, but notably, she hadn't directly negated what he had said, which was about as rare as Jasminefur speaking up for someone or something.--- "Hey." Autumneyes' voice was quiet and tired as Brightfrost came to join her. In a rare lack of emotional awareness, she seemed to miss the slight bristle in Brightfrost's fur and the frustration emanating off of her. The medicine cat cast a reflexive glance back to the WindClan cats, a little worried about their safety, but she realized most cats were giving them a wide berth, and the three of them together weren't really a target in the way Jasminefur was walking alone. She turned back to Brightfrost. "I...I'm sorry." She gulped, looking down to her paws for awhile as she thought about how important this mission was to Brightfrost. She was pretty sure Brightfrost wasn't aware that she had been spoken to about the path before the warrior, so she wanted to choose her words carefully. "I tried to speak in their defense, so you...I mean...so they'd be able to remain, and this sign from StarClan wouldn't be such a large task. It seems like I only managed to buy some time..." She briefly thought about Pinestar and Nightsong's expert crafting of a way to get ShadowClan out of helping, envying the way they played the Gathering. But she let the thought go; Brightfrost was more deserving of her attention.
"Are they..." She glanced back at the refugees, catching Rosepelt's stare. She held it for a few moments, then looked back to Brightfrost. "I know they can't be thrilled, but...Can you really take charge of all of them? It seems like a lot for one cat," She blurted out, then quickly cursed herself as she realized the young warrior might see that as not believing in her strength. Her exhaustion was making her way of expressing herself sloppier than normal. "And do...do you know if Jasminefur wanted to stay? Or did he...prefer to go to ShadowClan?"
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Post by berryjuice on Jul 19, 2023 1:56:55 GMT -5
Brightfrost padded along with Autumneyes. As upset as she was, she was glad to have a friend on her side. “I really appreciate it, you know. I wish it was more permanent, but…having them all in ThunderClan for a moon is better than nothing.” With a lash of her tail, her anger became more apparent. “There wasn’t much more you could have done, I don’t think. Even with a medicine cat telling them that the WindClan cats belong with us, they still don’t want to listen. They just hate WindClan so much. But, it’s like Nightsong said- they’re not even a full Clan anymore, they’re just four cats. There isn’t anything they can do to hurt us, and…they really need our help.”
The golden she-cat was increasingly aware of how challenging the task ahead of her was. Not only were there the dogs and the white cat, but there were also the Clans. They had enemies in ThunderClan that would continue to present problems, and she had no idea if RiverClan and ShadowClan would end up helping or hurting. And then there was the unseen threat that Petalfur had mentioned in her dream. Something lurking, somewhere close to Brightfrost. “StarClan wouldn’t have given me this task if I couldn’t handle it.”
She did really believe that, although Autumneyes’ question made her nervous. Was the medicine cat questioning whether she was really meant for this? Did she not seem strong enough? Should she have been more assertive at the Gathering? She wanted to believe that she would be brave enough to fight all four Clans if it meant saving those same Clans. But the future seemed so dark and murky. She just had to focus on StarClan’s light and hope that the rest would come to her…but she could never seem to shake all of her uncertainty.
She could never seem to forgive herself for the fact that she was just one warrior- a young warrior. But she could never have been just that. She had experienced tragedy and fear in some of her first moons of living, and the challenges had only mounted from there. Her Clan expected her to carry on her mother’s legacy and spite those enemies that had taken her. Her mentor would not be satisfied until Brightpaw was the best apprentice in the Clans. Her ancestors…whatever they wanted from her, they had always made it clear it was something much bigger than one cat. And now, WindClan would look to her as well. Brightfrost must find a way to rise to the occasion, as she always had.
For better or for worse, this is where she differed from Jasminefur. He had had a quiet life, the proper life of a warrior- until it had been violently ripped away from him. For Brightfrost, even if much of this situation was new, the feeling of it wasn’t. Yet she still didn’t feel ready enough.
Autumneyes’ second question brought another wave of doubt. She hadn’t really gotten to talk to Jasminefur about it, and he hadn’t really seemed in the condition to do so anyway. Brightfrost didn’t trust ShadowClan and she didn’t like the idea of Jasminefur being at their mercy. But…she hadn’t trusted WindClan either. And the ShadowClan cats had seemed less hostile than the ThunderClan cats, even if they too were clearly not thrilled at the idea of having more mouths to feed during leafbare. “I…I don’t know.” She paused, her mind racing as it was prone to doing. “If they want to go back to ShadowClan…what then?” She lowered her voice, “I would have to go with them, right? Would Pinestar ever allow that? Maybe you could talk to Nightsong, or…”
She wondered if Jasminefur would want to go to ShadowClan without her, as he had done when investigating the WindClan camp. Maybe he didn’t want her as a protector. There weren’t many WindClan cats that would want a ThunderClan cat following them around. And he had never seemed to have as much faith in StarClan as he should, so maybe he didn’t truly believe how intertwined their destinies were. Maybe he would rather go to RiverClan to be with his friend.
She realized they were nearing the camp. She needed to toughen up again to face the rest of their Clanmates, and she couldn’t do that if she was drowning in doubt. Everyone needed to know that she knew what she was doing, and that she was strong enough. She had to prove herself - to Autumneyes, to Jasminefur, to Stoneheart, to the new refugees…to every ThunderClan and WindClan cat.
Brightfrost braced herself as she walked through the thorn tunnel. It was late enough that normally a lot of cats would be sleeping, although that was less the case tonight. It wasn’t uncommon for some cats to stay up late to talk to those returning in order to find out what happened at the Gathering. Even though the return was even later than usual this time, many were waiting, clearly knowing that this Gathering had been an important one. Hardly anyone was sleeping except the kits; even the queens looking after them were peering out of the nursery as they waited.
—-
Goldenspots was the first to meet the patrol. He had told the other cats what he had observed: the dead bodies and the accusations from RiverClan. As the night went on, he remained eager to hear the rest of the story; although, as soon as he saw the patrol, he knew he didn’t need to. Specklestar’s look of shame and the presence of two additional WindClan cats said everything.
He hadn’t been confident in Specklestar’s ability to manage such a Gathering- even before they had left, and they had all seen him sputter and shrink in the face of a challenge from another leader. He had never been a cat to withstand pressure well. When Specklestar had been Goldenspots’ mentor, he could always be relied on to lend an ear and some gentle encouragement when he was having a hard time. But he could never be relied on to keep his head on straight and give proper orders once they were in the thick of battle. Goldenspots’ being close to Specklestar- apparently not close enough to be chosen as deputy but that was another thing- could lead others to assume that he supported him wholeheartedly. In reality, knowing him well just meant that Goldenspots knew just how unsuited he was for this. That Specklestar having nine lives was further proof that StarClan made mistakes.
Goldenspots kept his tone neutral. He didn’t want to see accusatory, especially when he knew that he could simply wait for other cats in camp to be accusatory for him. “What happened at the Gathering?” He didn’t expect to get a straight answer right now, when tensions would be high. He would easily get two sides of the story from Specklestar and Applewing later.
Foxmask, as Goldenspots had thought, was quick to become hostile. “And what’s that WindClan stink? Are we under attack, or did you bring back more of our enemies to feed?”
Brightfrost was quick as ever to defend. She moved in front of the WindClan cats, as if afraid one of her Clanmates might lunge at them. “These are Rosepelt and Cricketpaw. They aren’t our enemies.”
Foxmask scoffed. “I know who they are. When that she-cat was an apprentice, Rockleap and Quickbird found her hunting on our territory!”
Some cats’ minds became dull in their old age, Goldenspots mused, but not Foxmask. She seemed to remember every single slight against ThunderClan or her personally. Most ThunderClan cats wouldn’t bother to remember any cat from outside the Clan, but Foxmask did- otherwise, how would she be able to recall each and every injustice? She could probably go on, but they had more important things to discuss, so Goldenspots spoke up again. “Specklestar- are all of these cats going to stay with us?”
“Er…” Specklestar was clearly struggling to come up with any kind of answers. “Well…yes. For a moon. Because, um…ShadowClan thought it would be best-”
A clamor moved through the crowd. Ratwhisker spoke up, her voice dripping with disgust. “We’re taking orders from ShadowClan?”
“It isn’t like that,” said Stoneheart, in a low snarl. She stood next to the WindClan cats, only barely enough to show that they were under her protection- she clearly had no interest in getting as close to them as Brightfrost would. “It was their medicine cat- all the medicine cats. It is clearly StarClan’s will for us to aid in WindClan’s survival.”
Most of the angry cats turned to look at Autumneyes, with Brightfrost looking even angrier at the prospect of the Clan questioning her friend- or questioning StarClan. Goldenspots stayed looking at Stoneheart, who only briefly met his gaze. He wondered if she truly believed any of what she was saying. He knew that she also thought Specklestar was a weak leader, and it was clear he had just caved to the demands of the other Clans. But she was becoming no better than Robinpatch- a cat so afraid of openly questioning the code that they would rather sit back and watch ThunderClan’s destruction. Or maybe she was only going along with this to earn Specklestar’s favor enough to be chosen as the next deputy- though Stoneheart had never had the smarts for politics. She may not have the same values as she once did, but did have the same mouse-brain.
Goldenspots feigned confusion. “Were they with ShadowClan already? Would they not have survived if they had stayed there?” This was a difficult situation. What Specklestar had done was obviously unpopular, so Goldenspots couldn’t publicly approve of it. But there were cats here who thought a leader’s word and StarClan’s law were the same, and he didn’t want to lose their support. Not to mention, he couldn’t paint himself as a firm enemy to the WindClan cats with the same intensity as some of the stupider young cats had. He didn’t know why, but it was clear the refugees would be important going forward.
—-
“It doesn’t matter- StarClan wants them here,” Brightfrost hissed. She went to begin making nests for Rosepelt and Cricketpaw, knowing that no one would dare attack them under Stoneheart’s watch. Still, she kept her ears perked to the Clan’s hostility. As was becoming typical for her, she couldn’t let her guard down even in her own camp.
She wasn’t surprised at this reaction, but she was still frustrated by it. They were making it difficult for the WindClan cats to feel safe here- because they clearly weren’t safe. She thought it might be even worse now. Most of the Clan had been angry in the beginning, but some had held back out of deference to Specklestar or Autumneyes. But it seemed like letting in two additional WindClan cats had pushed some of Brightfrost’s Clanmates to the breaking point; even many of the older or more reserved cats were speaking up now. And Specklestar had proven that he couldn’t be trusted to stick up for the WindClan cats- he was obviously willing to cast them out as soon as things got too difficult.
Brightfrost thought again of Petalfur’s warning. As hard as things were, there must be an even bigger threat ready to engulf them if she became careless. Things would only get harder.
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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 Jul 19, 2023 3:33:52 GMT -5
The walk back for the WindClan warriors was a long and exhausting one. Jasminefur struggled to keep his mind off of the pile of bodies they had encountered, his gaze facing towards the now-noticeable patch of land that had been claimed as the mass-burial ground of WindClan. Never in his worst nightmares could he have imagined their clanmates, their parents, showing up in such a gruesome manner. He wished the burial grounds could have been closer to where they would be staying, so that it was an easier trip for them to make. He already felt an ache to return and mourn over their mother and father.
Rosepelt was certainly shaken by the events of the Gathering, but she seemed better at concealing it from her features -- though there wasn't a cat on route back to camp who wasn't exhausted and dead tired, perhaps save those who had refused to help whatsoever. But, her mental attention had now been split between the question of what in StarClan's name happened for all their clanmates to arrive there, and the sudden realization of where they were going to be staying.
Chief on her mind at the moment was the latter, as she pondered how on StarClan's green earth they were going to survive in such a hostile environment. Could it really be that Jasminefur was right, that Brightfrost had been that determined to protect him that no threats inside ThunderClan managed to endanger him? She didn't really want to consider this possibility, but even if she accepted the premise, she struggled to imagining the single warrior managing to protect two WindClan warriors, the only remaining apprentice, and a kit all at once. They needed to brace themselves, and she wondered if Jasminefur wasn't a bit of a lax cat in that respect.
Autumneyes exhaled tiredly as the warrior expressed her appreciation, as well as reemphasizing her frustration with their own clanmates. It was something Auutumneyes obviously sympathized with being the voice of StarClan for ThunderClan; and she knew that that, likely, would be one of the most, if not the most challenging hill for Brightfrost to overcome in the coming moons.
She allowed Brightfrost to think, following the she-cat's words, choosing to wait for what seemed to be her conclusion. Brightfrost, of course, retiterated her capability, but that wasn't anything the medicine cat didn't expect after her tired slip of the tongue; she simply let it go for now, too exhausted to try to reframe how the warrior heard Autumneyes' words.
When Brightfrost brought up the open question of whether the cats would end up back in ShadowClan, and what it would mean for Brightfrost, Autumneyes listened intently and tried to parse out the hypothetical situation herself, weary as she was. "I don't think it would be an easy matter," Autumneyes' voice dripped with tiredness as she spoke. "But I don't believe there would be no way to make it work."
She took in a deep breath, backing up a little as she turned her head to focus more on Brightfrost. "This isn't true for every cat that exists, but...A lot of cats follow two forms of drive. There are cats who've lost so many, who have seen so much death and lived so much pain, who can't fill the holes that have been left, that what drives them is hatred for whatever they think caused that. They'll fight with every breath they have against whatever they blame--and the lesser of those cats can turn to committing horrid injustices in the name of that," Autumneyes' throat was starting to dry, and she had to pause to cough a couple times, clearing her throat and giving an annoyed grunt before resuming speaking. "I'm sure some cats' faces have already flashed into your mind," She said very quietly.
"And then there are cats who figure out that there's something so important to them, whether its duty, or someone they love, or simply protecting their clan, that they'll go to drastic ends--sometimes that very same violence--to protect that which they love and hold so dear in their heart." Her eyes sparkled meaningfully at Brightfrost, as she recounted a philosophical understanding of cats that wasn't something common to the young medicine cat's age. It was likely something tutored and acquired through the role she played in the Clan.
"Only those who fight with this love will ever be capable of standing up to those who fight with its counterpart." She paused, trying to gauge whether any of this was landing with Brightfrost. Whether it called to her soul, as she suspected it would. "And I think you might feel pretty strongly about which one of those you are." Her voice had fallen to a whisper. "And because of that...whatever it is..." She paused with meaning, holding the quiet for a moment before she continued- "Speaking with Specklestar, talking to Nightsong, or chewing out every cat in ThunderClan...If you need my help, I'm always going to be here for you."
Autumneyes had vaguely hinted at duty as she spoke, but the medicine cat knew of the prophecying that had been whispered in her ears from a young age. This mission was something direly important to Brightfrost, and that was more clear than ever now that Brightfrost had been given a concrete piece of the puzzle as to what she was meant to do. Autumneyes only hoped that she could serve as medicine cat, and be a support for Brightfrost, to the best of her ability and abiding to StarClan's will.
---
Thankfully, the thorn tunnel arrived for the medicine cat sooner than she had expected, as caught up in conversation as she and Brightfrost had become. The WindClan cats sagged in behind them, though Rosepelt stood between Jasminefur and Cricketpaw, holding her head the highest and waiting for the challenge that she was positive was coming.
Autumneyes, as much as she tried to hold space patiently for every cat, let out a fatigued and irritated sigh as the cats broke down into bickering again. She really wished they had just fallen asleep and this could wait until morning.
Rosepelt's hackles raised as a rather old and cranky looking cat, who must've been an elder by her estimation, seemed to narrow down who she was almost immediately. Instantly, a memory was unlocked in her mind, and she remembered one of the many times she had crossed the border between WindClan and ThunderClan, an almost ritualistic violation of the Warrior Code that both clans did unflinchingly, depending on the cat on patrol that day. However, she had been sent to hunt her own prey this time, and it had taken her into ThunderClan territory--a mistake, that particular day. A still visable, but mostly healed scar on her back left leg, which she hadn't remembered for its particular memory, reassociated itself with the event in her mind, and she had to hold back a flinch as she remember the intensity of the herbs the wound had required. She was now reminded that this was the face of the same cat who had given her, an apprentice at the time, that bloody gash.
Of course, this memory contributed to her solidifying her defiant demeanor. Her gaze hardened in a challenge to Foxmask, and her claws sank into the floor beneath her. She sharply followed along with the major statements from each cat, starting to catalog in her mind who was a particularly noticeable threat and who seemed to fall into the crowd and murmur quietly. She was just about to say something about how little she wanted to be there as well when a sharp voice stopped her.
Autumneyes was truly growing tired of how much these cats questioned StarClan's will. The following day, she would be able to rationalize why they felt the way they did and feel empathy for their perspectives and try to take little small steps to creating harmony between the conflicting cats; but now was not the following day. Her exhaustion, the horror of the Gathering, and her concern about Brightfrost's destiny all stacked on top of each other to make the young she-cat nearly ready to lose it. Her gaze didn't linger long on any particular cat, but her voice rose up in a sharp overtaking of the conversation after Brightfrost tried reminding, probably for the fourteenth time, that these cats were bound to follow the will of StarClan.
"StarClan's message was clear and concise! Jasminefur will be at the center of this journey to preserve the fourth Clan on the lake, and Brightfrost has a crucial role to play in it! The medicine cats agreed that StarClan would wish for the remaining WindClan warriors to remain together, and so it shall be!" Autumneyes, herself, was going to be appalled at herself after a fulfilling rest, but for now, she ignored the surprised stare of Larchleap, and the angry, distrustful and disgusted snarl of Paleheart.
"So until a time when StarClan speaks otherwise, Jasminefur, Rosepelt, Cricketpaw and Fernkit are to remain here, collaborating with Brightfrost and the rest of ThunderClan. Specklestar will revisit the matter in a moon, which he made certain ShadowClan and RiverClan knew." She kept silent on her own frustration with Specklestar. "That is the word of StarClan and the word of Specklestar." She was ready to be done with the matter, curl up in her den, and sleep. But she knew Specklestar might have more to say, or that some cat would try to find a different way to frame their challenge. While her declaration was strong and firm, it certainly didn't do anything to address the anger of the cats around them; it was far more of a warning than her telling of the sign much of the Clan had seen had been.
Jasminefur was taken aback as he heard the ThunderClan medicine cat seem to lose her calm for the first time since he had arrived. In his exhausted haze, his gaze drifted towards Brightfrost, starting to pad away from the group, and he wondered whether this was something a surprise to the other warrior as well, or if he just didn't know Autumneyes as well as he thought he did.
He hoped the matter would get settled soon; he just wanted to lay down, curl up with his sister, and be close to her. She would need a nest, and so would Cricketpaw. Yet he remained uncertain where they would be staying. The medicine cat's den had already become tight with three staying inside. But he shook his head, drawing a brief glance from his sister, as he reminded himself that he needed to stay focused in the moment, until this storm of anger had passed.
He wanted to follow Brightfrost so they could make plans for how to settle in safely for the night, but he felt paralyzed to the spot, with so many angry glares from different cats being thrown in their direction. Jasminefur's eyes struggled to remain open, his normal walk teetered slightly from exhaustion, and he was still reeling from seeing a horror that it would take a Dark Forest cat to imagine. His gaze eventually found its way to Specklestar, and he hoped the leader would find a way to put the argument to rest. At least....for tonight.
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Post by berryjuice on Aug 12, 2023 15:13:55 GMT -5
Brightfrost considered Autumneyes’ words carefully. They made her feel invigorated despite her tiredness. Many cats in ThunderClan- and of course the remaining cats of WindClan- had experienced all kinds of horror and tragedy. It could be difficult to focus on what one loved after all that, especially if what they had loved was gone. Brightfrost thought back to when her mother had died. It had felt like she had lost everything, since she had no other family, but at least she had her Clan to look out for her. And she had a good friend in Autumneyes. There was always a light in the darkness. She glanced to the refugees. Things were so dark for them right now; she could only hope that she could help them through it. At least Jasminefur and Rosepelt had each other, so not all was lost.
She wished she could make her Clanmates see beyond their hatred. She wanted the refugees to be safe in ThunderClan, but right now she just wasn’t sure that was possible. For some ThunderClan cats, it seemed like every time they looked at a WindClan cat, they were looking at the reason their loved ones were gone. It was almost like they were unable to see anything else.
“Thank you, Autumneyes. I’m really glad that I have you on my side,” said Brightfrost softly. She often felt like she was quite alone, especially when it came to facing her destiny. But now she was reminded that there were cats who would back her up, even if things got even harder. “If we don’t give up…I’m sure we’ll find a way. Together- we are much stronger than those cats who are driven by hate.”
—
Brightfrost was grateful that Autumneyes spoke up; it was nice to know that she and the refugees had someone in power backing them up. But she also felt kind of guilty. The medicine cat seemed so upset and tired- Brightfrost wished she could get ThunderClan to listen so that her friend wouldn’t have to get so upset.
Autumneyes’ words seemed to quiet the Clan down. Even many of those who were increasingly okay with speaking out against their leader were afraid of being seen as going against StarClan. However, some seemed quite annoyed to be chastised by a young- and in their eyes, inexperienced- cat. Thankfully, Autumneyes’ position in the Clan afforded her more respect than a regular young warrior.
Goldenspots spoke up, his tone even and measured. “Please, understand our perspectives. I’m sure none of us here are being hostile only for the sake of it. We worry about having enough prey and herbs to go around; most of us will fear every leafbare to come after going through one where we had Clanmates dying in their nests. And it’s hard to relax around WindClan cats when not very many moons ago, they senselessly killed one of our queens. These things are hard to forget.” Autumneyes’ words came to mind- it was clear that many in the Clan were ruled by hatred fueled by grief. “But now we need to respect that those we lost are telling us that StarClan wishes for the refugees to remain here."
Specklestar took a moment to speak after Jasminefur looked at him, almost like he hadn’t even expected to need to. It was clear he just wanted to be done with this and slink back to his den where he could have a break from the issues demanding his attention. “Yes, this is…the right decision, definitely. But we will discuss this more going forward.” Most of the Clan knew that this meant that he was going to meet with the most respected cats in the Clan. Brightfrost was glad that some of them seemed to be on the side of keeping the refugees; if all of them disagreed with Specklestar’s decision, she thought he might go back on it in spite of everything else. Specklestar’s eyes scanned her and the WindClan cats for a moment before continuing, “Brightfrost will watch the newcomers, like she’s been doing with Jasminefur. She will also make sure that they serve the Clan.”
So, more taking care of the elders. She hoped she could spend more time teaching Jasminefur- and now the other two- how to hunt on ThunderClan territory. She supposed she should be glad that Specklestar gave her a reason to stay near the refugees as much as possible. If she was guarding them, it would make it more difficult for any cat to try to hurt them without her noticing. If Paleheart or Sandclaw or anyone else tried something, she would make them sorry.
“Where will they sleep?” asked Quickbird. Coming from someone else this might seem like something only brought up to emphasize that taking on the WindClan cats was burdensome. But from him and his neutral tone, it seemed to be a genuine question. “It already looks awfully crowded in the medicine den.”
Brightfrost knew that it would be impractical to try to fit more nests there, especially with leaf-bare coming; it wouldn’t be long before there would be sick cats who needed to stay there. Really, they were lucky that there had been no significant illness or injury among the ThunderClan cats yet, allowing them to stay there until now.
“There’s no room in the warriors’ den,” said Robinpatch firmly. This wasn’t entirely true, but also not a blatant lie. The den could use an expansion, but a few additional cats would have fit alright.
“Right…hm…there’s plenty of empty nests in the elders’ den,” said Specklestar. There were few enough elders that it was rather roomy, to the extent that the elders would have likely been happy to have one of their Clanmates retire to make the den a little warmer in the coming leafbare. But this was another story entirely.
Mintbreeze huffed. “You can’t be serious!”
Honeypaw poked her head out of the apprentices’ den, where she had obviously been listening in on the meeting the whole time. She looked to Jasminefur before her gaze moved onto Rosepelt and Cricketpaw. She seemed fascinated by them, as she had been with Jasminefur. Though she had been raised to be wary of WindClan cats, she hadn’t yet known the loss and hardship that made her Clanmates so hateful. She was made curious by the visitors rather than alarmed. “What if they stay with us? There’ll be plenty of room until Fogfoot’s kits get apprenticed. And Brightfrost and Jasminefur have been doing apprentice stuff anyway, so…”
Specklestar dipped his head to her, clearly appreciating that some cats in the Clan were accepting of WindClan’s presence. “It’s kind of you to offer.” He seemed to consider for a moment before nodding. “Yes…for now, they will stay in the apprentices’ den. Until we figure something else out.” Again, he seemed to want to avoid the worst of everyone’s anger by assuring them that everything was only temporary- but again, this only served to ensure that no one felt secure.
Brightfrost found herself missing her nest in the warriors’ den more and more. She wondered if it was even still waiting for her, or if someone else had taken over her nest by now- although it wasn’t a particularly desirable spot. Since she was one of the youngest warriors, it was farther from the warm center of the den. She had never minded that, since it allowed her to look out the entrance at the stars as she fell asleep. She had been so proud to finally get to move into the warriors’ den; she had taken little pieces of herbs that Autumneyes didn’t need to give her bed a comforting smell. Thinking about sleeping there made her think about when she was being given regular warriors’ duties instead of staying with WindClan cats all day. She had never thought she would miss the dawn patrol.
But she knew that the most proper arrangement would be that she, Jasminefur, and Rosepelt sleep in the warriors’ den with Cricketpaw sleeping in the apprentices’ den. And she didn’t like the idea of the apprentice being on his own like that. And maybe this den would be better overall, since ThunderClan’s apprentices had seemed more receptive than the older cats. Not to mention, the apprentices were much easier for Brightfrost to intimidate than her fellow warriors if they tried to make trouble.
The cats began dispersing in spite of their discontentment. Everyone was obviously tired, especially those who had come back from the Gathering- so, in spite of their anger, they wanted to get to sleep. There was still a soft buzz of conversation as the cats talked amongst themselves, but the rest of these conversations would take place over hushed whispers in the warriors’ den.
Brightfrost worked on preparing a few nests in the apprentices’ den, with assistance from the apprentices and a token bit of help from some of the more accepting warriors. She laid down when she was done; she didn’t really want to sleep, but there wasn’t much else to do at the moment. She quietly hoped that Jasminefur would choose the nest closest to her. There was always something about his scent that felt- familiar. Almost as much as the smell of the herbs had been.
As she closed her eyes, she felt how drained she was. Rest may be good for all of them; that way she could be ready for whatever challenges the next day may bring.
—
After making sure that Brightfrost and her charges had what they needed and that there wasn’t going to be a riot in camp, Stoneheart volunteered for the night guard shift; it would be hard to sleep anyway with the smell of WindClan in the camp. She went to her usual sentry position at the entrance. The territory did not reflect the turmoil that was occurring within it; the night was peaceful and quiet, with no trace of any dogs.
Only a few moments had passed before Goldenspots sidled up to her with a troublemaking look in his eyes. “First you served a war monger who would rather see another Clan suffer than see his own thrive. Now you’re serving under a coward who will agree with whoever’s talked to him last. You’ll really be loyal to any leader- especially when they’re going to get you killed.”
Stoneheart didn’t give him much attention, remaining focused on listening to any sounds that might indicate danger lurking outside the camp. “I’m loyal to ThunderClan.” She was tense, but she had reason to be even without Goldenspots’ nonsense. “What do you want? I doubt you’re here to help me.”
“Don’t be like that. In spite of everything, I don’t want you to end up on the wrong side of this.”
This was enough to make Stoneheart look his way. Now, it was more than the threat of a dog attack that was making her fur stand on end. “Wrong side of what?”
“Honestly, Stoneheart, how do you expect to lead when you don’t know what’s going on around you? I suppose it's a side effect of thinking you can solve all of the Clan's problems through muscle and blind obedience.” Goldenspots shook his head and padded back into camp. “The winds are changing. We all ought to listen.”
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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 Nov 19, 2023 18:55:38 GMT -5
Autumneyes, despite her obvious exhaustion, provided a set of helping paws until the cats were finally set up in the apprentice's den. She had thought she might be glad to have more space in her incredibly-crowded sanctuary, but hearing that Brightfrost would be charged with protecting several cats, and out of the reach of her own authority, provoked a sense of anxiety in the medicine-cat. Helping to construct the nests was her little way of trying to ease her own anxiety, to help where she felt a bit helpless.
She tried to find a little time to speak with Brightfrost before the clan had settled; it was clear her message was well-received by Brightfrost, and her slip-up hadn't destroyed the core of what Autumneyes had wanted to convey. She wished to speak a little more with Brightfrost, perhaps....perhaps to slightly broach the topic of StarClan's involvement. StarClan had expressely forbid Autumneyes from directly interfering with the warrior's journey, but Autumneyes had lately wondered if it wasn't-
"Thank you," a gruff and unfriendly bark came from a cat placing herself between Jasminefur, Cricketpaw, and by accident, Brightfrost. "That's all we need from you," she quickly finished, a marked glare meeting her eyes before Rosepelt turned away from the medicine cat, seeming to refocus her attention on her brother.
Autumneyes sighed quietly, wishing the cat wasn't so distrusting -- then again, would she have been that trusting to her sworn enemies after moons of combat and stories about their viciousness?
Brightfrost would still be here tomorrow. She didn't mention the little bits of lavender and sage she left adorning Brightfrost and Jasminefur's nests.
---
Jasminefur tried not to pay too much attention to his sister's hostile dismissal of the medicine cat. It was going to take awhile to get Rosepelt to a place where she could openly accept a paw from a Thunderclan cat. He, himself, was of the mildest of opinions about the clan, and he too had been shocked when Brightfrost openly and honestly lent him her aid. He imagined for a true warrior like her, it was nightmarishly hard to conceive of.
Due to her distraction with chasing off Autumneyes, Rosepelt was unable to choose a nest far from Brightfrost before Jasminefur had done so, thus preventing him from being close to her. Jasminefur seemed to instinctively go to the ThunderClan warrior's side, and Rosepelt didn't notice it until her fur had stopped bristling at the medicine cat, and she had turned about to spot where his brother was, already settling down against her golden pelt.
The slightest of growls emitted from her throat, but Rosepelt wasn't bold enough to directly call her sibling out. She briefly flashed back to when she was surrounded by fellow apprentices, pointing out every error he made to inspire laughter from her sycophants. A piece of her longed to have that lack of care again, but these times were so different; she didn't have a wish to humiliate her brother as she did moons ago.
So she angrily padded to the nest farthest from Brightfrost that still landed her a bit adjacent to her brother. She could hear Jasminefur murmur a quiet thought at her as she settled down: "I'm glad you're here." Rosepelt paused, mid-settling. She had already said this, but she let out a quiet sigh as she looked down at him. "I know." She paused. It felt insufficient. He deserved more. Mere moments passed, and she forgot about her anger. "I'm glad you're here too."
She settled down, making a somewhat awkward chain of cats in a line with empty nests on both sides of them....until Creekpaw creeped up next to Brightfrost and Jasminefur.
---
Silence surrounded Stoneheart as Goldenspots padded away on a sharp, ominous note. It seemed even the leaves refused to comprehend his meaning, the branches rejecting the connotation with a careless sway and flow brought about by the wind. The fall of a pinecone was the strongest response to the treasonous implication.
Until a cat, more fit to be among the ranks of ShadowClan, stepped out from a close edge of camp, between the medicine cat's den and the thorny edge of their refuge. He had waited until Goldenspots had retreated from the entrance and headed to wherever he was going; then, the cat approached the entrance, stepping just out of camp to stand beside Stoneheart, watching over the foresty expanse of their territory.
Larchleap opened his mouth first, a rare occasion for the warrior. "Surely you aren't blind, Stoneheart?" It was a soft mew, lacking judgement and pretense. The young warrior, just a pawful of moons older than Brightfrost, was known for his quietness and unflinching adherence to the Code and the leader's word. It was strange for him to speak this way. "You've heard nothing of the malcontented whispers among the clan? The frustration, moons in the making?" His gaze turned from the territory towards Stoneheart. "Aren't you....fatigued at the way things have been going?"
Larchleap wasn't sure where Stoneheart stood. She was fiercely loyal, and though an outsider looking in might have seen only harshness and criticism towards her apprentice, a cat who knew ThunderClan would know that Stoneheart's briskness with Brightfrost came out of a place of....well, it was certainly a good place. Thus, Larchleap wondered if Goldenspots' words were going to plant any sort of seed in the senior warrior. It seemed the cat almost wanted to lay a foundation for whatever changes the future might hold, and figure where the pieces might lie -- or so it seemed to Larchleap.
Would you revolt and take a place under Goldenspots? He wondered, gazing stone-facedly at her. There was a test in the young cat's eyes -- a surprisingly wise, astute sort of examination, preparing for whatever response she would give.
---
Jasminefur was left torn in an incomprehensible space of undulation, flowing between a state of horror at the day's events, and jubilation at having his sister back. Lingering in his head were the words she had spoken not a minute ago. Coming from her, she might as well have said that she loved him. He happily rested against her, though he was aware of a bit of tenseness to her, which he chalked up to being amidst so many foreign cats and smells.
He wasn't absent-minded to the cat at his other side. If he wasn't so focused on the sister he had regained, he might've noticed the way she, over a minute's time, seemed to draw closer than he had initially settled down. As he was surrounded by warmth on both sides, he eventually became consicous of the fact, but as exhausted as he was, he was already drifting into unconsciousness. He barely even noticed his own self sinking against Brightfrost's warm, fluffy side. Just as his mind started to consider the implications.....he drifted away, and they were left only to his dreams.
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Post by berryjuice on Dec 12, 2023 3:02:26 GMT -5
Brightfrost bristled at Rosepelt’s rudeness towards Autumneyes. She wanted to say something, but forced herself to bite her tongue. It was the WindClan cat’s first night here- and while she thought she should be more respectful of the Clan that had given her refuge, especially of the medicine cat that had argued on her behalf- she knew that with all the WindClan cats had been through this night, it was not surprising that they would be on edge. Still…as Jasminefur was likely aware by now, Brightfrost’s patience could be quite limited. She would not always accept the WindClan cats treating her or others this way.
She got as comfortable as she could in the nest, breathing in the gentle smell of the herbs. She kept alert to the movements of the cats around her. Cricketpaw kept as far from the ThunderClan cats as he could, which unfortunately meant that he was likely to be quite chilly that night. The ThunderClan apprentices were watching them curiously- sometimes trying not to stare, although Honeypaw was obviously fascinated by the presence of these strangers and it was taking all her willpower not to bombard them with questions.
It seemed that Brightfrost’s assumption that Jasminefur would distance himself from her now that cats he actually trusted were here was being proven wrong. She didn’t know how to feel about it. She was grateful for Jasminefur’s warmth, and she knew that she needed to be as close to him as possible- their destinies were intertwined, after all. But she knew that there was something…wrong about this. At least to cats that were perhaps outside of StarClan’s mission. Rosepelt’s eyes felt like claws on her pelt. She tried to ignore her, but well- she had been trained to always be on guard around WindClan cats. She hadn’t felt the same about Jasminefur, but his sister…it was just different. The diplomatic thing to do would be to move farther away from Jasminefur, but Brightfrost was never one to allow herself to be intimidated. "Good night."
She remained close to Jasminefur, listening to the cats around her settling in and to the soft conversation taking place between the two littermates. She was glad, at least, that Jasminefur could find some comfort in this situation. At least, in these dark times, they had each other. As she heard the slight sounds of Cricketpaw shifting in his new nest, she wondered if he envied them. If he had had littermates…it was likely that he had seen them littering the island. She wished that she could tell him what she had been told when Icestorm had died and she felt like she was all alone- that he would someday reunite with his family in the stars.
—
Larchleap was the kind of junior warrior that Stoneheart could respect. A good warrior who did as he was told. Surely he would not engage in this kind of treasonous talk lightly. Then again…from the time she was a kit, she had always been so certain that Goldenspots was a good and loyal cat whose ambitions were only to serve the Clan. She could still remember the passion in his eyes whenever he talked about the future. How someday, she and him would be leader and deputy- he always claimed he didn’t care which of them was leader- and how together, they would usher in a golden era for ThunderClan. Now, she knew better.
She nearly reacted with similar cold dismissiveness as she had with Goldenspots, but held back. Perhaps Larchleap was at least well-meaning. He was a younger cat- he could simply be acting on misguided passion, like Brightfrost often did. “I am aware that there is…dissatisfaction within the Clan. I, too, am not pleased with recent events...especially there being WindClan cats in our midst.” The thought of a WindClan warrior in ThunderClan was bad enough- the thought that this cat was always so close to Brightfrost set her fur on end. “However…our leader and our medicine cat are in agreement. Surely, no one can argue that this must be what StarClan wants. If I were leader, I would perhaps make different choices…I’m sure many of us can say that. However, none of us were the one to be granted nine lives by StarClan.”
But why Specklenose?
Stoneheart had the reputation for being an honest and straightforward cat. She did not speak often, but when she did she surely spoke her mind. However…there was always something nagging at her. She had been as shocked as everyone else when Specklenose had ended up as the leader instead of Featherclaw. She knew she wasn’t meant to question StarClan, but she couldn’t help it when they decided that the fated next leader of ThunderClan was…she dared not think of him as weak, but she was not unaware that his leadership could be lacking. And though she would never want to admit it, there had been a time where she believed he ought to be replaced.
“The warrior code is what makes us a Clan. If we break it whenever we please, we will have become rogues.” Stoneheart paused for several moments, obviously deep in thought. She wanted so badly for it to be as simple as that- especially after accepting Specklestar as leader when she realized exactly what it would mean to turn her back on the code. She wanted the Clan to have faith in the code, in their leader, in StarClan because she feared the alternative.
She would stay on the path that she believed was best for the Clan. However…she knew that that path was not always clear.
“I give you my word: no matter what it is that threatens us, no matter where it comes from…I will not allow ThunderClan to fall.”
—
Unfortunately, Jasminefur being left to his dreams no longer always meant rest. When he opened his eyes, he saw a familiar white cat in front of him. Though he may be relieved that this was the one who had previously come to him in his dreams and not the one who had destroyed his Clan, the cold anger in this starry cat’s eyes offered no respite.
This time, she did not bother to speak before he was yanked away- from his nest, and perhaps from the present day. The scent of lavender and sage and Brightfrost’s warm fur were gone, replaced with a rotten, diseased smell. The air was painfully cold. By this time, Jasminefur was familiar enough with the territory to know that he was a few foxlengths outside of ThunderClan’s camp.
He saw the white cat again, along with Specklenose, but neither acknowledged his presence. They looked…different, in a way that couldn’t only be chalked up to them being younger. They both appeared to be completely exhausted and thin. It looked like the she-cat was barely bothering to groom herself, made especially noticeable against her usual white fur. Specklenose did not look much better- the affable friendliness that Jasminefur was used to seeing from him was replaced with a kind of hollow irritation as he urged the she-cat to follow him instead of entering the camp.
“Unless WindClan’s attacking, I can’t imagine what Featherclaw thinks is so important,” Icestorm grumbled. Specklenose just shook his head and lead her deeper into the territory, both cats seeming to lack the energy to speak further as they trudged through the snow. They eventually arrived at a part of the territory that Jasminefur was not so familiar with. A Twolegplace stood here, although one got the feeling that no Twolegs had actually been there in a long time. It was so old and decayed that it looked like it could collapse at any moment. Yet, they continued inward unflinchingly.
Inside was a small group of ThunderClan cats that all seemed to carry with them the same exhaustion. Among them, Jasminefur recognized Stoneheart and Goldenspots. The former was almost hard to identify at first- Stoneheart’s fur was practically hanging off of her, her normal bulk having apparently been lost to starvation. Even now, she was trying to appear strong and alert, but it was obvious that most of her energy was focused on staying upright, with Goldenspots doing his best to support her despite also being in poor condition.
In the middle of the cats was a tall tom with feathered ears. This was the tom who had quarreled with the white she-cat in his previous vision. She did not look to be much fonder of him here, though too tired to show much other than irritation. She looked around at each cat. “What do you want, Featherclaw? This isn’t the time for some secret club meeting.”
Featherclaw did not react to her hostility. There was more to the distant look in his eyes than the other cats. They were pensive, like he was busy thinking about much more important things than this conversation. He nodded politely to Specklenose, who sat next to him. “I was worried you might not come.”
“You’re the deputy, so I can’t exactly…” The she-cat’s nose twitched and her claws slid out reflexively. Jasminefur soon smelled it too: fresh-kill. Hope sparked in her eyes. “You found prey? I’m sorry, I- if you wanted me to help hunt, why didn’t you just say so?”
Featherclaw already had his back to her as he walked intently over to a wooden Twoleg structure. He pushed it open, and the smell of fresh-kill grew stronger- and so did the cats’ visible desperation.
He brought a small pile over to the assembled cats. It wasn’t much, but it was clear this was more prey than any of them had seen in quite some time. Featherclaw climbed onto a shorter, flat Twoleg structure and stood up straight in a way that commanded respect as he addressed the others. “Please, eat.”
Most of the group looked confused. Goldenspots raised his brow. “The elderly, and the sick...they haven't been fed in-”
“I know.” Featherclaw seemed prepared for this response, even if he had wanted to avoid this. “We are the strongest, healthiest cats in the Clan- and we must keep it that way if ThunderClan is to survive. Weak warriors are of no help to anyone. Who will take care of the Clan if you do not take care of yourselves?”
The white she-cat took a moment to comprehend what he was saying, as if she didn’t want to believe he would even suggest such a thing. “So your inner circle is supposed to feast while the rest of our Clanmates starve? Our Clan needs this prey! I went to the medicine den this morning: Beewing could barely take a breath, Jumptail looks like he hasn’t eaten in three sunrises, and-”
“I know,” Featherclaw repeated, louder and angrier this time, a snarl growing in the back of his throat. It seemed like Icestorm’s words had affected many of the cats there, who now looked guiltily at the prey as they thought of their suffering Clanmates- the implications having been made impossible to ignore. He resumed speaking, firmer now to draw the cats’ attention back to him. “I know that any of you would sacrifice yourselves in a heartbeat for the sake of our Clan. But please, understand. Most of the cats back at camp…StarClan is ready to claim them. They will not survive on their own, without strong warriors to look after them. Who will hunt for them if not us? Who will protect them when WindClan strikes? Without the strong, the weak will surely fall. For the sake of all of them, for the sake of the Clan- eat.”
Though some were still hesitant, this speech appeared to convince most of the warriors- not that a starving creature typically needed much convincing. Stoneheart almost immediately tore into a vole, with Goldenspots quickly following. The white cat watched in horror, the sound of tearing flesh and snapping bones was nearly indistinguishable from the sound of the dogs ripping apart Jasminefur's Clanmates.
The white cat mustered up everything she had to look up at Featherclaw in a fury. “I’m going to tell everyone. When Cragstar hears about this-”
"Do you think I'm doing this behind my leader's back?" He looked down at her. “We have Cragstar’s full support. He, too, believes that this is best for the Clan. I’m sure the others would too- anyone who isn’t blinded by pointless defiance would.” For a moment, he softened, “Please, eat something, even a bite. You’re a good warrior- your Clan needs you.”
The white cat responded only with a look of contempt and betrayal primarily directed at Featherclaw and Specklenose. The former silently held her gaze while the latter refused to meet her eyes, instead staring mournfully at the small pile of bones in the middle of the floor. The look on Specklenose’s face wasn’t so different than how he looked when he addressed the Clan he was meant to lead.
With a flick of her tail, the she-cat turned to leave; she was shocked to find Stoneheart and Goldenspots had moved to block her escape, their unsheathed claws communicating their threat better than words could. Even if still not at peak fighting shape, there was more vitality in them than before- and the white cat was outnumbered by her own Clanmates. The scent of prey was heavy on the black tom’s breath as he spat, “You had better not cause more problems back at camp.”
“What do you think you’re doing?” the white cat hissed, looking at them but then back at Featherclaw. This time, his eyes were wide in disbelief- but only for a second. It was a brief moment, but to Jasminefur it seemed to last forever. Anger and fear and disappointment and shock and desperation and regret; all of these strong emotions muddled together into an overwhelming grief that underlined the look between the cat who walked in Jasminefur’s dreams and the cat who was once Featherclaw.
Jasminefur was only granted a reprieve when Featherclaw lifted his tail again and summoned the cats’ attention. He spoke just a little too quickly to keep up his previous air of calm confidence, “No. Let her go.”
It was all over at once, with Icestorm being left to run off into the snow. Perhaps she was now allowing tears to fall- but the lone cat was quickly fading into the forest until there was nothing left but silence and white.
Mercifully, the dream was loosening its grip on Jasminefur as he began to wake. As the morning light and the breathing of his denmates trickled into his senses, he could faintly hear the white she-cat’s final message hissed into his ear, “Do not trust the strongest at their weakest, nor the weakest at their strongest. A cornered rat draws blood just as well as a satisfied fox."
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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 Dec 12, 2023 9:49:30 GMT -5
Larchleap was unsurprised as Stoneheart danced a bit around the question, but ultimately acknowledged that she was aware of the element present in the Clan, an increasingly displeased wave of unhappiness that was slowly morphing into scheming. Larchleap hadn't really thought she wouldn't have paid attention to these things; a stoic, stone-hard face was what Stoneheart was known for, but that didn't mean she wasn't observing.
There was no doubt that most, if not all warriors of ThunderClan - save one - would have made a different call about the WindClan cats. Larchleap didn't discount himself from that group; the presence of the WindClan cats was a risk to them. Allowing strangers to loiter in the beating heart of their territory, he had to admit, set his fur a bit on edge. But Larchleap tended to take a wait-and-see approach rather than angrily decry a decision, or scheme behind other cats' backs. After all, he had only a couple pawfuls of moons of experience, compared to these senior warriors. That had been why he hadn't challenged Jasminefur when he wanted to leave the camp on his own.
But even if Stoneheart was dancing around her feelings about all of the WindClan stragglers being allowed to remain in the camp, she pivoted to a far more difficult to contest point. He realized she didn't want to linger on her feelings of discontent, and he assumed this was due to her fierce adherence to the law of the Warrior Code -- and his thoughts were confirmed seconds later, as she said just that.
Larchleap felt the urge to nod in agreement, but he held it back, not straying from his intention to analyze the senior warrior's intentions.
Larchleap could already hear Aspenpelt or Paleheart's protest about Autumneyes in his ears. He regurgitated it in front of Stoneheart - but there was a rather noticeable lack of passion which the cats in his mind would have proclaimed it with. "Autumneyes is barely older than me, and she is already our full medicine cat. She couldn't even finish her tutelage before she was left as our only healer and channel for StarClan. Who's to say she really understands the things she sees?" He left the air silent for just a few short moments, not wanting her to respond, but also wanting to leave the words in the air for the senior warrior to process, before he continued on.
"Then again, StarClan accepted her just as they did Specklestar." Larchleap seemed to back off from putting pressure on the points of tension. And he hadn't even dared voice the weakness many cats felt Specklestar possessed. It might have been tricky for Stoneheart to interpret his shift from challenging her response to accepting it. On the one paw, he might have been simply trying to cover his own pelt, to keep Stoneheart from suspecting him of something nefarious -- and on the other, he might have been content that Stoneheart likely wouldn't be a part of any revolt, and thus, he had relaxed. "May ThunderClan never fall to those that threaten us -- from external threats, or to those closest to us." On a relatively neutral comment that few would disagree with, Larchleap turned about, satisfied with their brief conversation, and headed towards the warrior's den for a night of rest.
He took in a deep breath, beginning to calculate in his mind. Goldenspots. Aspenpelt. Paleheart. Applewing. Sandclaw. Hmmm....Bristlebark? Quickbird and Fogfoot? He wondered to himself, not quite certain where the old senior warrior would fall. Icestorm's death was an event that even young cats like him had heard whispers of, with Bristlebark being the noticeable scar of the wound that was Icestorm's death. But, she might end up in the elder's den relatively soon anyways. And Quickbird and Fogfoot -- they might have taken in the WindClan kit, a little one who was innocent of the bloodshed and ruthless training of Windclan -- but Larchleap wasn't sure either of them would stand up for the foreign warriors so openly. Perhaps he and Fogfoot would be more than happy to raise Fernkit as a strong ThunderClan warrior, and leave the others to whatever StarClan willed.
Brightfrost, of course. Robinpatch? Certainly he wouldn't openly revolt against his leader... To Larchleap, it seemed Robinpatch had long been in the position to take power if he really wanted it. All he had to do was stir up the already existing malease. Deep down Larchleap suspected Robinpatch was either fiercely loyal to the Warrior Code, or to Specklestar himself -- but he was too young to know the deputy well. ...and Stoneheart. Larchleap had found it difficult to imagine Stoneheart would have taken a stance against her former apprentice, but a wise strategist didn't 'imagine' what events would play out -- they gathered information.
Of course, Jasminefur would be on the side of the loyalists, given Specklestar was allowing them to remain -- but who was to say they wouldn't simply make an escape if two separate factions broke into open conflict? Jasminefur had already shown his cowardice once, sneaking out on his own to avoid Brightfrost's chaperonage, and it seemed she had had to drag him back by the tail after she discovered his retreat.
And it was tough to say where the apprentices would fall, when they were trained to obey orders and to kill when neccessary, and little more. Larchleap even felt a touch of disgust thinking about the apprentices being used as pawns to bolster one side or anothers' numbers; but he knew this was how things would go, so he had to take it into consideration.
More warriors stood in the grey edges of these groups in Larchleap's mind, and he realized he would need to work a little harder to figure out where some of the other warriors' hearts would lie. Faith and determination could overcome hefty odds, but it was still better to have more numbers than less. Larchleap thus wanted to know how large these factions would be.
So he bundled up in his nest, calculating and considering the different allegiances that might emerge in the near future.
----
Jasminefur let out a surprised squeak as he awoke at the paws of a white cat. Though he felt a rush of fearful uncertainty as his memories of the few snow-white cats he was familiar with pushed through his mind, he took a breath and took in that this cat was the starry, snow-white she-cat he had before been warned by. He quickly stood up, eyes wide as he took in her unsympathetic and spurning gaze. He remembered her nearly scolding warning from before -- that his eyes and ears wouldn't be enough to guide him through these times. He still didn't understand her warning about starlight, and he opened his mouth to fire off questions that had been burning in the back of his mind since the last vision.
But he was left wanting, pulled away as if to scold him for trying to ask her for answers. He let out a frustrated sigh as he suddenly found himself outside the ThunderClan camp. He wasn't certain exactly where he was, if that had been the ThunderClan apprentice's den or not -- but as he was pulled away, standing amidst a couple of other cats, he could tell by the breadth of tall trees where he was.
He followed along with these two, aware, unlike last time, that the she-cat that he was seeing grumbling at Specklestar was the same who was likely watching him at this very moment. He felt the urge to say something to her younger self, but he found that they showed zero sign of seeing or hearing him, and so he took a deep breath -- only to choke on it and end up in a coughing spurt. He almost hadn't noticed the biting cold and the scent of decay around him, as bewildered as he was for a few moments - but now, his mind was taking back to the camp, to the scent of death and dying, and he looked around in a panic, his attention taken away from the two ThunderClan warriors for a time.
Almost of their own volition though, his legs kept moving forward, taking him along with the two cats. He realized he could speak and look about of his own will, but he was meant to see something in particular here. He was cognizant this was something StarClan was showing him.
Jasminefur couldn't even remember seeing this old, decrepit Twolegplace in his travels with Brightfrost throughout the territory; as he was brought inside along with the warriors, he wondered if Brightfrost would know of it -- though he imagined it could have fallen and only be a ruin by the present day. His attention was stripped away from the building itself as he saw a gathering of different cats, some of which he knew, a couple of which he wasn't familiar with.
But his attention fixated on the cat in the middle, the one clearly commanding the most attention and who the rest of the cats were mostly focused on. He thought this was a cat that he didn't know, and he almost moved on to identify the rest -- but then he saw the ears, with an abnormal fluff that he remembered seeing once before. This was the cat that had seemed to almost come to blows with Icestorm in his last vision. He was surprised to see him address Icestorm in an almost...warm way.
He listened as the tension in the room began growing as Featherclaw - while Jasminefur had just learned what the cat's name was - tempted the present cats with a veritable feast, compared to whatever scraps the cats had been finding up until this point. Jasminefur sat in the freezing cold that was enveloping the pads of his paws, and the rotten scent of infected wounds, or some other decay that he couldn't spot. Amidst these horrid sensations Jasminefur even found his own self tempted by the prey, almost feeling as if he were one of these cats in the moment, eager to devour the available prey and help stave off how he was feeling.
He held back, a bit due to his knowledge that he probably couldn't even really touch the prey for real -- but that was only a small part. His attention was grabbed as Featherclaw engaged with Goldenspots, looking more raggedy and less regal than ever before -- and Icestorm, who seemed especially disgusted by the situation. Featherclaw knew to expect this and was prepared to face these complaints. Jasminefur realized with a bit of an uneasy held breath that the way Featherclaw spoke, firmly, yet almost quietly, like the world would silence itself to listen, vaguely reminded him of how Goldenspots spoke. He rarely yowled or fought to silence other cats -- when he did, it was when things were absolutely out of control and cats were speaking out of turn. He wondered if Goldenspots had learned from this dead warrior to some degree -- of course, Goldenspots was alive, and Featherclaw was not. Jasminefur tried not to speculate too much.
Icestorm looked as if she were about to explode as Featherclaw defended feeding the strong, capable warriors first. However, Featherclaw had a natural charisma as he explained his view of the law of the Clans. Jasminefur almsot felt like what the cat was saying made sense -- if all the strong cats persished from starvation, or because they were too hungry to defend themselves effectively from a fox, who would feed the weak then? But Jasminefur felt a pulse of holy rage, an emotion that didn't come from himself, but from another source, echoing through some channel to reach him.
He turned back to Icestorm, and as he took in her disgusted and incredulous expression, the sound of the cats eating prey slowly started to morph into a familiar sound, one that had drowned out everything else in most of his dreams since Jasminefur's living nightmare had begun. He staggered back, his gaze swaying from Icestorm to the cats feasting, back and forth, as he struggled to handle the overstimulating nature of all that was going on around him. It all was building to a strong aversion to what he was experiencing -- the cats' gluttonous devouring of this offering of prey, Featherclaw's sense of superiority as he placed himself above the rest of these cats -- and for a moment, he couldn't help but draw closer to Icestorm, feeling like every cat in this Twolegplace was against the two of them -- even if she wasn't aware of his existence.
Jasminefur felt chills as Featherclaw's voice softened as he pleaded with Icestorm to eat something. His voice was like honey, but Jasminefur instinctively felt like there was a trap to his words, that eating this prey was akin to allying herself with....something, more than likely headed by Featherclaw himself -- and whatever it was, Jasminefur felt a disgust for it that he couldn't even explain.
Both of the interactions he had seen between these two cats had been nothing but hostile, but Jasminefur was surprised as time felt like it slowed; the gnashing and crunching of bones dulled for a time, and Jasminefur felt his breathing step out of line with the misty breath that left his mouth. He blinked a couple times, initially looking at Icestorm, wondering if this was the time for a message; but when nothing came, he turned to look at Goldenspots for a moment, then Stoneheart; seeing nothing of note from these warriors his eyes shifted and finally landed on Featherclaw.
As soon as he saw the intense whirlpool of emotions that seemed to run through Featherclaw's eyes, time snapped back to normal. But Jasminefur has seen far more than he assumed anyone but Icestorm had noticed. The tom-cat's gaze had been somber, saddened, angry...so many emotions were packed into his face, and Jasminefur could hear them bleed into the cat's next words. It left him puzzled as he wondered what exactly these emotions came from; being that the only thing he had seen of Icestorm and Featherclaw's relationship was hostility, he found it hard to imagine there was anything.....more between them.
But his thoughts were cut off as Icestorm was finally allowed to leave, and Jasminefur tried to turn about and follow after her; however, a force unknown to him prevented this, and he hissed in frustration as the cats and the Twoleg shelter around him began fading, leaving only snow and more snow until even that began turning to pure light. He blinked from the pain of it, before he heard the whisper of a voice, knowing it to be the white she-cat's voice. The faint hiss echoed in his brain, but Jasminefur didn't process it right away. "Wait! What do you want me to do? W-who...who are you?" He mewled desperately for answers from the she-cat, for the second time -- then, he jerked up in his nest, the blinding light giving way to daylight shining through the apprentice's den, and he was left in silence, again. "Who are you warning me about...?" He whimpered quietly as he stood in his nest, looking around, somewhat bewildered.
He immediately looked all around him, his first thought being to make certain that he hadn't dreamed of bringing his sister back to camp. When he saw her still asleep next to him, he sighed quietly in relief, and reached down to bury his snout gently in her flank, finding comfort as he pushed the remains of the awful scent from his nostrils by breathing in the scent of his sibling.
He rose slowly and quietly, trying not to wake her as he did so. He glanced over at Brightfrost, who he thought he heard shifting as he had awoke with such a start.
He sighed quietly, watching her for a time as a lot of thoughts started running through his head. His mind immediately snapped back to Featherclaw, thinking about how much respect that cat had commanded, and how cats like Stoneheart and Goldenspots had rallied to defend him and prevent Icestorm from potentially giving them up. Jasminefur didn't have a particularly positive opinion of Goldenspots, but he was shaken, given the relationship that Brightfrost had with her, that Stoneheart had put herself in a position to do something that was so clearly and obviously against the Warrior Code.
Jasminefur struggled to think about this clearly, as he had been raised himself with more focus on some rules than on others -- but he did still feel remnants of that instinctive disgust for leaving the eldes and the weak to be taken by StarClan, without even trying to aid them. Featherclaw had held such a grip on some cats that even Stoneheart, who seemed so stalwartly loyal to Specklestar from Jasminefur's point of view, that she would threaten one of her clanmates with unsheathed claws and teeth bared. Jasminefur felt an instinctive fear for this cat, even knowing he wasn't around any longer. At least, he figured, the cat wasn't around anymore, being that Jasminefur had never seen him.. Would Brightfrost know of him? Or was she too young, much like him and the strange white cat in WindClan?
And who was this she-cat who continued coming to him in his dreams? Something about the she-cat reminded him of something, in a very vague sense, but he couldn't identify any clue that would tip him off as to what it reminded him of. And the way she glared at him -- he felt like she hated him, the way her gaze burned through him, as if she were imagining a hundred deaths for him -- and yet at the same time, it felt strange for her to be giving him these warnings if she really hated him that severely. It was a confusing mess that made it hard for him to interpret her actions, and even more so when he didn't even get the chance to get any real answers from her.
And then there was the warning itself. It was even more vague and cryptic than the last one. To be wary of the strong who were at their weakest, and the weak who were at their strongest....who in StarClan's name would that be referring to? Specklestar? He was certainly in the most powerful position in ThunderClan, but cats didn't seem to have the utmost respect for him...that made Jasminefur doubt that the warning referred to the leader. Goldenspots seemed to be a pretty strong cat, and well-respected on top of that. But Jasminefur wouldn't say that he was at a weak moment in the slightest. He just couldn't figure out who the she-cat was trying to foment his caution around.
He let out a heavy sigh as he accepted that he couldn't figure this out on his own. His focus shifted from his inward thoughts to his vision. Brightfrost was asleep, and it looked like she was enjoying a moment of peace amidst how chaotic their lives had become. His mind flashed back to just the night before, as she held vigil over the bodies of parents, just so he and Rosepelt could have the opportunity to bury them themselves. He imagined she was exhausted after such a long night, just as he felt the sag in his own shoulders from an interrupted sleep and a weary body.
So the tom-cat was trying to convince himself not to awaken her -- to step out of the den alone, to see if he could have some solace outside, to think more about the matter on his own. But the more he tried to convince himself not to wake her up, the more guilty he began feeling as he remembered how angry and hurt she had been mere days ago, the last time he did so. He could step outside to think and she might not even suspect that he had been considering asking for her help. And yet, the guilt still gnawed at him, threatening to leave a pit of betrayal in his stomach.
He hesitated for a couple moments, before he stepped closer, sighing quietly. His anxiety and alarm was clear on his face, as Jasminefur couldn't hide his emotions after such a dream. "Sorry..." He mumbled, then gently shook her with a paw as many times as it took to awaken her, ready to cover her mouth with his tail so that she didn't accidently awaken Rosepelt....or other cats, but especially Rosepelt. "Brightfrost?" He whispered.
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Post by berryjuice on Dec 19, 2023 3:37:05 GMT -5
While her face remained as unchanging as ever, Stoneheart was relieved to be alone with her thoughts. Guilt for the past and dread for the future swirled around in her mind; she wished she could simply focus on the present.
Yes, it was clear to her that two opposing groups were taking shape within ThunderClan. It was frustrating- couldn’t her Clanmates see that they needed to be united if they were going to stand a chance against outer threats? But at the same time…it was concerning that Specklestar appeared willing to invite those threats into camp. She knew that Goldenspots thought he should be replaced as leader, and she was sure that he would use the WindClan cats to his advantage in whatever way he could. Previously, she would have thought that Goldenspots would not be able to gather enough support to really do anything- but with so much going on, and with so many cats seeming willing to reject their leadership. She wasn’t sure what to think of Larchleap's intentions; Stoneheart didn’t like the way that he seemed to sympathize with those opposing Specklestar. And she had learned never to put all her faith into any cat.
But…if more cats were against Specklestar than were with him…what if ThunderClan was doomed to fall apart? If there was a split- which side would she find herself on? Where did her loyalties truly lie?
As always, there was Brightfrost to worry about. Stoneheart didn’t understand why she was so keen on helping the refugees- and the thought of Icestorm’s kit saving WindClan was disturbing. But Brightfrost had always had strange goals. She was as headstrong as her mother had been, while being quite a bit stranger- always going on about what StarClan wanted as if a regular warrior could ever know that. Regardless…as a result, it seemed that Brightfrost was destined to remain caught in the middle of this growing conflict.
Stoneheart had always been firm that her goal of keeping the Clan strong and her goal of keeping Brightfrost safe were practically one in the same. Now…she couldn’t be certain. Deep down, she knew that Goldenspots and Larchleap were right. With the way things were going, she couldn’t keep her head down and carry out her duties forever. There was no escape from the storm that lurked on the horizon.
—-
Brightfrost was indeed having a pleasant dream, which was somewhat of rarity for her. It’s not that she always thought her StarClan dreams were unpleasant- though many of them were disturbing. Regardless, it was rare that they led to a restful sleep.
Tonight, the smell of Jasminefur permeated her dreams. They were sharing a nest- out in the open, on the moor. She assumed they were on WindClan territory, but she didn’t feel the same way she did when she had been there in the past. There was no smell of blood. She was not here to fight or to retrace the steps of dead cats. And while normally being out in the open rather than under the trees set her on edge, this time she could appreciate how well she could see Silverpelt without anything in the way.
And Jasminefur was at her side.
Brightfrost looked up at him drowsily. It took her a moment to get her bearings- at first, she assumed that she was being rudely awoken for a dawn patrol. “...what?” Her face softened as she looked up at Jasminefur and remembered all that had been happening lately. He looked distressed- far different from how at peace he had appeared in her dream. She wondered what that meant. Was StarClan telling her that she needed to go back to WindClan territory with Jasminefur? Was that where he needed to be?
But for now, she needed to figure out what his present expression meant. There was an urgency in his eyes, but the sleeping cats around her indicated that there was not any kind of attack occurring. She got up slowly and quietly, using her best stealth skills to attempt to follow Jasminefur out of the den without waking anyone.
She stepped out into the cold air with him. The sky was still quite dark, with only a sliver of light to hint that the sun was arriving. Stoneheart was still on her watch. Brightfrost suspected that she had heard them emerging from the den- but if she did, she gave no indication, seemingly focused on guarding the camp. Brightfrost spoke softly, “What’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?” She hastily groomed her coat as she got her bearings; she didn’t like anyone to see her fur a mess, much less Jasminefur.
She thought about the last time she had been awoken by him, though that time it hadn’t been intentional. He had tried to go to WindClan on his own, without telling her- that had hurt more than she would like to admit. This reminded her of that; he did have that look in his eyes, like he was about to bolt; Stoneheart had called it 'prey eyes.' But this time was different, because he wasn’t trying to go off on his own. He had woken her first- maybe he was starting to trust her? “If there’s something you need to do- I can help. I’ll keep you safe.”
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Shadowstartheleader
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~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 Dec 19, 2023 5:37:15 GMT -5
Jasminefur felt a jab of regret as she awoke, and he tried to remind herself that she would've been very upset if he went off on his own to think without telling her, in order to justify having done so at the break of dawn. Jasminefur stepped out of the den once she had awoken, and he immediately let out a gasp of regret, as a cold wave of air, that had only been tickling at his fur as he laid amidst other warm cats, slapped him in the face. "StarClan's breath, it's cold..." He hissed in complaint as he pushed through the exit of the den and gazed with half open eyes across the expanse of the camp, the frosty air stinging his eyes. There was no doubt they would be stepping into Leaf-bare very soon.
Jasminefur's eyes fixed on the cat guarding across the camp, and after staring for a couple seconds, he realized it was Stoneheart. His eyes widened a bit, and something almost haunting grew within their orbs as he recalled her part in his dream. He didn't say anything yet, even though he heard Brightfrost's initial question. Brightfrost already assumed something was making him anxious, but there was something more about the way he was staring at the senior warrior, a sort of extra nervousness that went beyond the normal anxiety he had being around such a stony-faced ThunderClan cat. On a cursory glance, one might think he almost looked afraid of her.
His fixed gaze was interrupted as Brightfrost seemed to leap at the chance to help him do anything. He glanced over at her, his expression returning to a fairly neutral, pensive one. But there was a slight edge to it, like he was trying to figure something out and was failing in the process.
Jasminefur's mind was briefly shifted off of his dream as Brightfrost volunteered her help. A strange kind of warm feeling, which he vaguely recalled experiencing quite some time ago, fortified his chest against the cold a bit. His mind didn't think about it for very long, though. He had expected her to at least be cranky, to complain about the early wake-up and perhaps be irritated at him. He couldn't think of a cat who hadn't been irritated at him for waking them up before, and yet, she didn't say a word about it - and what's more, she leaped right into what she could do for him. She defied all expectations of what he was used to; He wondered why she acted so different than his former clanmates with him.
Her words echoed in his head: I can help. I'll keep you safe. He already knew she felt responsible for helping him; she had made that clear when she almost clawed his ears off for refusing to wake her last time. But Jasminefur was further taken off guard as she promised even more.
It was true that she had protected him before - from Paleheart and Applewing, from Sandclaw at the training session, and she always seemed prepared to do so at the first sign of trouble. But Jasminefur had felt that this was the result of her taking the Warrior Code seriously -- and, even knowing now that StarClan had declared she would be a guide for him against the dogs, her protectiveness could easily be considered simply fulfilling one's responsability as well.
So why did he want to believe there was a note, even if it was softer than the tap of a kit's paw, of something more there than just duty? It seemed like there was an eagerness that underscored her fulfilling it....or was he just imagining it? Was he just projecting more personal intention behind her actions than there really was?
Why did he hope there was more to it than just duty?
He shook his head a bit, as if to clear the thoughts out of his head, blinking a couple times. It might've looked like he was denying her offer, but he quickly spoke up, realizing he might have given her the wrong idea. "Uhhhhhh...I-is, uh....W-will Stoneheart let us go... I mean...leave - go outside camp...to....go into the territory...?" Jasminefur stammered as he tried to compose himself, trying to get back to the matter at paw. He was getting so distracted - the dream was so much more important than any of his thoughts and feelings. He glanced back at Stoneheart, just to have anything to look at as he struggled to use words. He let out a soft cough, clearing his throat awkwardly. Perhaps his change in demeanor could be chalked up to his clear anxiousness -- but his affect was a little different than when he had first awoken her. Still anxious, but...different.
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Post by berryjuice on Dec 21, 2023 5:16:34 GMT -5
Brightfrost noticed that Jasminefur was quite terrified in a way that made her think that there was something more going on than simply a bad dream. She followed his gaze and noticed that he was fixated on Stoneheart. After all that had happened, she supposed she couldn’t blame him for being nervous around ThunderClan cats. And, well, even many of Stoneheart’s Clanmates were afraid of her. So it was easy for Brightfrost to assume that he was simply intimidated by her, or nervous that she would prevent them from leaving camp.
“I know Stoneheart acts scary, but I don’t think you need to be worried. Even though she's not a friend to WindClan she’s not going to suddenly attack you in the middle of camp or anything. She’s all about…honor, and listening to authority, and all of that.” As much as Brightfrost had often quarreled with her mentor, she did respect the adherence to the code in some sense. It was irritating when she was an apprentice, and she still disagreed with Stoneheart’s rigid perspective; to Brightfrost, the code was something that guided cats into following StarClan’s will, not something to be followed above StarClan. However, following the code was always more respectable than living with no morals, as rogues and kittypets did. And she did understand that Stoneheart would do anything to keep ThunderClan strong- even though she often had a different idea of what that meant than Brightfrost did.
Sometimes, when her Clanmates talked about the kind of warrior that Icestorm was: proud, honorable, brave, willing to defend ThunderClan with her life… It embarrassed her to think about, but she wondered if her mother had been a lot like Stoneheart.
Brightfrost smiled, wanting a little levity to ease Jasminefur’s mind. She fluffed up her tail and sat up straight. “And besides, if she gives you trouble, I could beat her in a fight with no problem. She may be strong, but no one knows all her moves better than her own apprentice.” Brightfrost had proven how skilled she was in battle- but so had Stoneheart, who also had an obvious advantage in size and physical strength. But Brightfrost made this claim with such confidence that it became more believable than it otherwise would have been. This was not uncommon with her- her fiery determination made her something more than arrogant.
She strode towards the camp entrance when Jasminefur asked if they would be allowed to leave. She generally had no qualms about sneaking out of camp- having done so quite often as an apprentice and a warrior- but she didn’t think that was a good idea when Stoneheart was sentry and was likely on high alert. And besides, she figured they had already been overheard to some extent.
“Morning,” said Brightfrost, putting on a polite attitude. “Can we go out hunting?”
Stoneheart had to hide her surprise at Brightfrost both waking up early and asking permission before doing something. “You know that the territory is more dangerous than usual.”
“I know. But…with leafbare coming, isn’t it more important than ever to keep the fresh-kill pile stocked?”
Brightfrost was simply attempting to appeal to the value that Stoneheart placed on contributing to the Clan with regular warrior duties. But Jasminefur knew more. As slight as it was, he could notice her tension. Stoneheart hesitated before nodding, “Don’t stay out for very long; you are responsible for two more outsiders now. And send for help at the first sign of any threat. Do not confront a dog on your own unless absolutely necessary.” She slightly flicked her tail tip to dismiss them.
Brightfrost stifled a sigh of relief. “I won’t be on my own; I’m bringing Jasminefur.” Stoneheart didn’t respond, but it was rather obvious that this statement offered her no reassurance.
The two cats walked out of camp. Brightfrost stayed close to Jasminefur, wanting to keep him warm. And after the terror in his eyes that she had seen, she knew that he could use the comfort. Despite her curiosity, she didn’t push him to share what was on his mind yet- she wanted to give him space to process his thoughts. She tasted the air. “We had better find something to bring back, or Stoneheart won’t be happy. And, well…a well-fed Clan is easier to deal with than a hungry one, right?”
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Shadowstartheleader
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~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 Dec 25, 2023 13:43:18 GMT -5
When Brightfrost first spoke up about her former mentor, Jasminefur didn't speak up and respond. Nonetheless, he did take what she said at face value. Just on hiw own, he felt like what the she-cat said matched with what he had seen of her so far. He couldn't help but feel a bit of bitterness about where she had fallen so far about them being in camp, but Jasminefur hadn't seen a single sign that she would have hurt them.
That was, until his dream only a minute ago. The senior warrior, at least in the time he had been there, had not shown the sort of open aggressiveness and preparedness to hurt him and his clanmates that he had seen in the dream. He wanted to believe that, perhaps, this was a difference that maturing had brought to the she-cat; he had no idea how long in the past this dream had been. Nonetheless, there was very little doubt in Jasminefur's mind that it wasn't a recent event.
But Jasminefur had to settle his mind somewhere. And he hadn't awoken her to doubt everything that she said about the subject, even if she didn't know why he had done so quite yet. He didn't know if he would ever be able to completely relax around most of ThunderClan, Stoneheart included; but he had to trust that Brightfrost knew her mentor. Brightfrost hadn't led him wrong yet -- even whilst angry and feeling betrayed by him, she offered the best advice she could think of and still supported him at the Gathering. He owed her, at the least, to trust her words now. "I...I know. That makes sense, and I agree, I just...Sorry..." He trailed off as he tried to hold back his concerns until they were out of earshot, of, well....the culprit of his concerns.
He raised an eyebrow at her, though, at her rather cocky denigration of Stoneheart's fighting ability. It was surprising to hear her so open say so about her own mentor, but of course, he didn't think he heard any type of malice in Brightfrost's voice -- and so, Jasminefur chuckled quietly, though not so much about Stoneheart, and more about the young ThunderClan warrior's casual boasting. It wasn't something he wouldn't have ever done around the other WindClan warriors, but it was a bit funny in its own right.
Still, they needed to move along and eventually get to the matter at paw. He followed at her side and just a couple short paces behind, trying not to present himself before Brightfrost did to the stern sentry. He wasn't particularly surprised when Stoneheart non-directly admonished Brightfrost about going out. Of course, nearly every warrior was still doing so, but perhaps Jasminefur would just chalk it up to be the concern of a mentor. If it was, though, it didn't show in any part of Stoneheart's expression.
But his attention was pulled back to Brightfrost as she answered with a difficult-to-argue point, though it wasn't the point he was so much focused on. It was the tiniest of an edge to her meow, the way her shoulders were tightened, unlike her usual confident relaxed posture. He picked up on the energy coming from Brightfrost, but he wasn't sure how to explain it. He thought back to when he was first saved by Brightfrost and Stoneheart, and how unhappy the latter had been about Brightfrost's compassion for him and Fernkit. He hadn't personally sensed that it might have become a larger issue between them, so he just wasn't sure what exactly was causing her this tension. If Stoneheart was worried about her old apprentice getting injured, well...surely Brightfrost would be able to see it was coming from a good place, right?
He was left to push that thought into the back of his mind as Stoneheart warned against any possible confrontation with a dog, and Brightfrost refuted her by saying she wouldn't be alone -- as if they would be fine taking on a dog. Jasminefur's eyes widened and he stared at her as she started departing from camp. No, surely she didn't mean the two of them alone could take on a dog; it just sounded that way upon first listen. No, it was more like another sympton of the tension Brightfrost was showing, perhaps a rebellious snap-back at Stoneheart for little reason more than to snap back. He felt a pang of worry, really starting to wonder whether there was a serious problem bothering Brightfrost.
After a couple moments of being in dumb silence, the tom-cat quickly glanced back at Stoneheart, with a quiet "Uhh..." before he turned away and quickly scurried after the younger she-cat.
As he caught up, getting into sync with her just after she had stepped out of camp, he noticed her close the gap between them and offer the warmth of her fluffy golden pelt. He had just sort of forgotten he was cold as his thoughts were flooded with other matters, but he silently accepted the offer and drew in close. There was a hint of a smile that crossed his lips, soft as the whisper of the wind lapping at the water's wake. It was warm, a small symbol of gratitude as he inclined his head a bit upwards to look at her.
The smile disappeared as she shifted the subject, and he realized that she was right. Before they addressed what he had awoken her for, they should get prey squared away. That way they could sit down and talk, and if the dawn patrol ran into them, they'd already have prey caught and ready, and could beat a hasty escape, before anything escalated. "Yeah, that's a good idea, actually," he murmured as he nodded in agreement. "Then...should we stick together to hunt?" He proposed the question without including the alternative, perhaps betraying the fact that he might have a bit of a preference on the matter. He quickly realized this fact after speaking. "That way, we save time, and if there's any danger, we're nearby." He bit his lip as an unusual thought entered the WindClan warrior's head. He wasn't sure if he should say it, uncertain if Brightfrost would appreciate it coming from a WindClan cat. He gulped, hoping she would take it as an attempt to reciprocate her early attempt at levity. "Then again, Stoneheart would probably prefer we do that, so...." He flashed another, bigger smile, trying to convey with all his effort that it wasn't meant insultingly.
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Post by berryjuice on Dec 26, 2023 0:07:45 GMT -5
Brightfrost gave a soft, genuine laugh- it was a pleasant sound, and one that Jasminefur didn’t get to hear often with all the trouble they were always in. “I don’t know if Stoneheart would prefer I watch you like a hawk or stay as far away from you as possible. Some cats can never seem to make up their minds.” She walked towards a part of the territory that held a large tree; she knew that prey could often be found nestled in its roots, especially as the weather became colder. “Although…I guess I wish that more of ThunderClan would be willing to change their minds. It would make things easier if they could accept when they’re wrong.”
And they were wrong about the WindClan cats; Brightfrost was sure of it. Sure, WindClan had hurt them in the past, but…these refugees were here for a reason. And Jasminefur, especially- he must be important. These thoughts persisted in the back of her mind as her focus shifted to hunting.
There was a whiff of mouse on the air, nibbling at a seed that had fallen from the tree. She moved into a hunters’ crouch and stalked forward, deftly avoiding stepping on anything that would alert her quarry. She pounced, but she was too early- she missed the mouse, which fled to the safety of its nest in the roots. But Brightfrost was not deterred; without missing a beat, she threw herself forward with claws outstretched, reaching into the roots and yanking out the mouse in a complete motion.
“Not fast enough.” In Brightfrost’s pride, she almost forgot to thank StarClan for the prey, but quickly did so. “That should get Stoneheart off of our backs. We haven’t run into any trouble either- but obviously we could take it. I don’t know why she doesn’t trust me when StarClan themselves do.”
She paused. “...they’ve reached out to me before, you know. StarClan. Even when I was an apprentice- and she never believed me. I don’t think anyone did except Autumneyes. But this is proof, isn’t it? Not that I needed proof, but…obviously some cats do.” The loneliness in her past was clear as she looked to Jasminefur. If not for the fact that he also clearly had a connection to StarClan, would he think that she was an arrogant daydreamer as well? Though, the dream that StarClan had sent this past night was likely meant to show her that she needed to remain close to Jasminefur, to trust him. And while she knew he had said that he had never had these kinds of prophetic dreams until recently, she longed for someone that could relate. He at least seemed to relate to not being respected enough by his Clan. “I’m sorry your dreams are frightening; I do know how it feels. But…I know that they’ll all be worth it.” She hesitated, hoping that he could see her as someone he could confide in. He had told her he was leaving; that must be something. “You don’t have to deal with it on your own.”
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Shadowstartheleader
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~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 Dec 26, 2023 7:01:43 GMT -5
Jasminefur's big smile stayed glued onto his face as he heard a pleasant, honest laugh from Brightfrost -- a hearty yet gentle sound that made him just a little bit happy amidst her anxieties about the dream. It was hard to describe the feeling it gave him, but a warmth filled his chest as he saw her have this moment of enjoyment, and he had to hold back a happy, kit-like mrrow as he registered that it was him that had made her laugh.
He giggled a bit as she jokingly complained about the stern senior warrior never making up her mind, but his smile faded a bit as Brightfrost genuinely expressed her frustration with her other clanmates. He nodded sympathetically, understanding how frustrating it was when a cat never had to face that they were the one in error in a situation. And, well, the impact on him was quite serious too -- he certainly wished the other ThunderClan cats would bury their hate for just a few moments, just enough time to get the bigger picture of the situation. "I know. I feel the same way. I wish they could just pause for a moment, and really think about what's happened," He murmured thoughtfully. "I know they're angry about their fallen clanmates, but...they saw the same thing we saw yesterday. How can they still think I'm some sort of danger to them?" He lamented the situation just as much as Brightfrost.
Jasminefur assumed she planned for them to stick together, and he followed along with her as they conversed softly, trying to not make too much noise and scent along the way for prey. He detected it just a moment too late, and Brightfrost was already heading for it. He crouched down low to the ground and stayed in place, doing his best to hide himself and minimize any chance of scaring off Brightfrost's mouse.
He watched in dismay as she pounced forward just a hair-length too early, giving the mouse time to dart off and out of the reach of her claws. He sighed quietly, rising from the ground and starting to pad towards her. I should have gone for it, He thought to himself, chuckling in his own mind.
Then Brightfrost darted after it, throwing her claws down into the nest where he had thought the mouse had already disappeared, forever lost, and yanked it out and quickly delivered the kill. He stopped mid-step, his mouth dropping agape and his eyes widening a little. He stared at her like that for more than just a couple seconds, before he softly emitted a "Wow." WindClan cats were meant to be the ones who could speed after and catch what seemed to be a lost piece of prey, but Brightfrost's speed almost matched that of a WindClan warrior's. He composed himself, closing his mouth before it caught a fly, and cleared his throat. "I mean....great job," A drop of incredulousness still persisted in his voice.
He smelled the air, trying to find traces of more pieces of prey. He thought it would be better if they both came back with something to provide for the Clan; the more times he appeared useful to Thunderclan, the better. Yet it seemed the impending cold wasn't just felt by them. The prey wasn't coming out at these early hours anymore, a sure sign that they were being affected by the cold as well. He gave up on the task for now as Brightfrost began speaking about StarClan.
He wouldn't deny their involvement in their lives any longer, but it was still unbelievable that he of all cats had been contacted by them directly. He had always heard that was for medicine cats and leaders, not for any cat of his low station. He noticably frowned as she claimed they could obviously handle any danger that they ran into. He believed that with Brightfrost at his side, there would be no real trouble with a fox or a rogue -- but dogs? A brief flash of those massive, slobbering brutes running throughout his camp overtook him for a moment, but he sighed and tried to push the images away.
Brightfrost was so courageous, and he respected that a lot -- but he did worry it was running just a bit into dangerous territory. If they ran into a dog, he wasn't so confident they would be able to handle the matter just the two of them without issue. But he held his tongue for now, continuing to listen as the she-cat spoke.
His eyes widened a little as Brightfrost revealed what must have been one of the most important facts of her life. Within seconds, he thought back over the events since fleeing into ThunderClan territory, and pieces started clicking into place. He mouthed dropped open a bit, as if he was going to say something, but he closed it again, gulping and focusing intensely on what she was saying. Stoneheart had never believed what Brightfrost said -- but Jasminefur had absolutely no reason to doubt her after so many signs of it being the truth. He flashed back to the tension he had picked up on, and he wondered if it was a primary cause. He imagined if she had tried to confide in Stoneheart, and the senior warrior shut her down every time....well, it would hurt. With a small pang of guilt, he wondered if, had he been her clanmate, if he would have believed her during his apprenticeship. From an outsider perspective, it did sound....far-fetched, especially considering what he had always been told about how much StarClan was involved in the lives of the Clans. That fact made him feel bad.
And Brightfrost's steadfast determination to help him was making more sense than ever before. When she saved him from the dogs, she very well may have been fulfilling some sign that she had received from StarClan -- believing it was loyalty to StarClan to help him and Fernkit and protect them from her own Clanmates. With a pang of worry, he wondered for a moment, again, if there really was something more to her duty to protect them; the fact she had been receiving signs since her apprenticeship pointed in the direction of it merely being her duty, and Jasminefur had to hide a larger frown than before from showing itself.
But he averted his gaze as he couldn't hold the frown any longer, as she stated she knew the dreams would be worth it in the end. He didn't think about the dreams being worth it precisely -- his mind flashed back to the bodies of his clanmates, piled up like rotten crow food, and for a second, a fleeting wave of anger overcame him. What could be worth experiencing that?
But he shook it off, emitting a loud sigh. That's not fair -- She doesn't mean it that way, He had to remind himself, trying to calm the pain that it had stirred up. He took a few silent seconds to re-compose himself, before looking back up at her as she reminded him, in different words than before, that he wasn't going to have to face what was to come alone.
"It makes sense now," He murmured, thinking back to a conversation they had had not too long ago. "When you asked me if I had had dreams since I was younger. I didn't get where that question came from, but you thought they must've contacted me for moons if I was involved in all this," He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I'm not that important," He said flatly, giving a weak smile, trying to insert a little bit of levity into the serious conversation -- though, perhaps he believed it a little too much.
But he didn't leave that statement in the air too long before he continued speaking. "So they've...been sending you dreams for moons and moons? What did they tell you? Is that why you were so eager to help me that day I showed up with Fernkit?" He put in a strong effort to keep the nervousness he felt about asking this question out of his voice. For whatever reason, the thought of it being nothing more than her duty left him with a muddy feeling, and he feared her answer would confirm that it was nothing more than whispers from StarClan that had ordered her to do so.
He wanted to ask about Autumneyes as well, to see if he could tell her as well; having another cat, especially a medicine cat, who could offer them advice was something he would find comforting, if that was the case; but he held this question in for now, as he was itching for a response to his last one. He leaned in a little, his ears perking up and his eyes perhaps betraying somewhat the anxiety the question brought him.
He didn't know how to word it, but he wanted to hear that a cat had done something for him for more than just what the Code commanded.
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