Sunkissed Creek

[spade]

➳ Splitstorm

With everything crashing down around her, it had been a last minute decision for Splitstorm to remove herself from the Gathering attendees. Her mind raged on like wildfire, and even if she was able to slow it down, she couldn't bear to see those filthy ShadowClanners - and more importantly, her liar of a father.

Once the patrol had left camp, the russet furred molly made her own escape concealed in the shadows of nightfall. Quick pawsteps led her away from camp and through the dense growth of trees, her slender figure allowing her to weave between them.

What was next for her? Where did she go from this? As far as she knew, no one else was aware of her half-Clan heritage, save for her mother and biological father. Should she even tell Buckstar? What trouble would that cause?

Letting out a screech, Splitstorm dug her claws into the soft earth, tearing off towards the edge of ThunderClan territory.

Sight had not been the primary guide on her run, and as such when she opened her eyes she found herself standing near Sunkissed Creek. Her heart drummed in her chest as her green eyes stretched wide, ears alert for any sounds.

"Already getting myself into more problems..." she snapped at herself, hissing in frustration as she glanced around. There didn't seem to be any activity around her, but just like the shadows had concealed her getaway from camp, so would they with any threats. Splitstorm whipped her head back around, taking note of a rustling to the side of her. "Who's there?" she hissed through her teeth, hackles raised as she slid into a defensive crouch.

Blood roaring in her ears, Splitstorm readied herself for battle, parting her jaws to yowl as a...

A mouse. A stupid, scared little mouse. Laying her fur flat, the molly scrapped the dirt beneath her with her paws. Stupid prey. Stupid forest. Stupid coyotes hunting them like stupid, terrified little bunnies. It all didn't seem to matter anymore. With a sigh, she turned back towards the direction of camp, her tail dragging behind her as she trudged back.


// [closed, for rp canon purposes]

[Fawn]

➳ Sunpoppy 🥀

Sunpoppy had shrugged off the bravado about the creek, unconcerned with impressing Sunchaser or the prospect of dying. If they got shredded, well, that would kinda suck. Fade into obscurity as the Clan never got what was coming to them, a depressing thought but fate would never be beat. He was neutral as they leveled the territory and arrived on the outskirts of the Sunkissed Creek.

As expected, not a single coyote. Sunpoppy thought the whole thing was overblown, they could just drive the damn dogs out if it was such an issue. "Almost like Buckstar wants more cats to get torn into pieces," he commented off-handedly with no lead up or following statement, letting it hang there with no further thought. The authority's management of danger was a strong critique he might've voiced in some meaningful way if he considered the effort worth the output, which would be exactly nothing.

He strode to the creek proper where he could hear it running under thin slabs of ice, spider-webbing toward the pebbles. It was too thick to see himself, a rare act of mercy from nature he guessed. Not many of those came his way. When he raised his head toward Sunchaser, his expression mirrored the frozen stream. "I don't.. even like her." It sliced a hanging tension that'd been there since the incident in the outskirts, abrupt and brief and stone-cold. He had abandoned those thoughts about her, no longer interested or convinced they were remotely meant to share any bond at all. That was all he needed to say on the matter.

As if that had never transpired, Sunpoppy swept his gaze around the creek another time. "Dangerous," he said in an echo of what he suspected Buckstar had told the Clan, "yeah. It's really scary." Well, if a coyote did show up, he'd grab Sageflurry so she could see it for herself. Pausing near a tree, his attention dragged over the trunk to the tops of its barren branches as he asked, "Couldn't we just, climb? Coyotes are morons." Sunpoppy didn't mind the idea of taunting a barking, yipping coyote from a tree. "And so are the clanmates who died from them."

@spade

[spade]

➳ Sunchaser

As he picked his way out of camp, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dimly lit forested trail, Sunchaser let his mind wander. While at first he'd been slightly excited at the prospect of venturing into "forbidden" territory, now it just seemed like a bad idea. There hadn't been much conversation on the way here to sway him to think otherwise, so that had added a whole level to it.

"It doesn't seem all that dangerous," he added, golden eyes surveying the creek for any signs of threats. None got back to him, so he forced his fur to lay flat and muscles to relax, following Sunpoppy around the side of the frozen streambed. Leaf-bare frost hid signs of river prey, though it wasn't like they were out here to hunt prey. "Maybe they all left." It was a possibility. With little to no cats venturing out here anymore due to Buckstar's order, there was a real chance that the mangy mutts had traveled elsewhere in search of better luck.

There it was. The tension had been like a block of ice between the two, freezing out all of their history by one incredulous mistake. He felt an instant thread of relief travel from ears to tail tip, and it was like the worry that he would loose the tom's friendship was plucked away from his heart. "You deserve better," he replied, an honest edge to his tone as he nodded, knowing that nothing else needed to be said. It was done, in the past, and the only way forward was to keep putting a paw in front of the other.

Just like that, the conversation surrounding his previous blunder evaporated, and Sunchaser, blinked as his eyes followed Sunpoppy as the wiry tom imitated Buckstar. It exuded a chuckle from his chest, amusement at how bland the ThunderClan leader had become in his eyes and how his warnings fell on deaf ears for most of the Clan it seemed. "Why else would we have claws if not to climb away from the death only idiots face?" Bunching his hind legs, the golden tabby sprang towards one of the thin trees, clinging to it as he weight shook the lower branches. With skill and determination he scrambled up the trunk until a lower branch spouted out, allowing him to perch on top of it.

"Those dumb mutts wouldn't stand a chance against you or me. The Clan is better off without the weak links holding us back." A thought before a grimacing smile appeared on his face. "Too bad Sage-dung is missing. I'd gladly toss her in the line of fire."


// @Dipper

[MaplePaww]

FoxPaw Stared at herself through the creek, looking at her face, tears running down her face. She Suddenly looked like a fox for a split second, the stared in astonishment, then splashed her face with water, all she saw was herself, A Fox. Not a cat looking like a fox, but a fox. "Were they right...? I look like a fox.. maybe they were.. maybe i am just a vicious monster..."FoxPaws Orange and white fur shined brightly in the sun, reflecting off the water.
@rosetherosey

[rosetherosey]

~ Sunripple - @MaplePaww ~

Sunripple noticed an apprentice staring solemnly into the water. His paternal instincts kicked in and he walked over to her. He could hear the apprentice talking about how everyone was right, that she was a fox. "Are you alright?" Sunripple mewed in a soft tone, trying not to startle the apprentice.

[MaplePaww]

She Jumped and took a look at him, then turned away staring back into the water. "I-I don't want to talk right now... E-Everyone thinks im just a fox and not a cat.. they all think i'm a vicious monster.." @rosetherosey

[rosetherosey]

~ Sunripple - @MaplePaww ~

He paused for a moment realizing this was what she had been talking about. "You look nothing like a fox." Sunripple said trying to comfort this apprentice. He looked into the creek at her reflection. "They're just trying to get to your head. If you give in, you'll lose your true self." He mewed to her.

[MaplePaww]

She Was getting agitated already. ""Oh really? I Don't look like one? DO or DO NOT Foxes have an orange coat and white underbellies and black paws? because i'm pretty sure they do. I've been sitting here for so long... i can look into the creek for so long and see a silhouette of a fox appear for a second.. I don't know what i'm supposed to believe.." @rosetherosey

[rosetherosey]

~ Sunripple - @MaplePaww ~

Sunripple paused for a moment trying not to snap as he could tell right now the apprentice was in a fragile state. "Well it doesn't matter what they think, what matters is what you think." Sunripple said. He had to know if she thought she was a fox so he could know exactly how to handle the situation.

[MaplePaww]

"B-But i have to be a fox! I look so similar to one! B-But i look small for a fox..."
Is She a fox? Or a cat? Would she be driven out once shes grown and older? @rosetherosey