Re: Sleepy Thicket
 

featherpool emerged from the warrior den, shaking sleep from their eyes with a loud yawn. they plodded over to the fresh-kill pile and selected a small vole, heading over to a partictulary fluffy fern and sitting down to eat the vole

[ open to anyone ! ]

Re: Sleepy Thicket
 

Jack was pushing a carved pumpkin into the territory. Inside the pumpkin was a load of shiny trinkets from the twolegplace. He sat beside the pumpkin, hoping a riverclanner saw him.
(Open!)

Re: Sleepy Thicket
 

Larkwing approached the Thicket, Ashwolf's body heavy on top of her. Death after death seemed to find Riverclan lately, and Lark wasn't that happy about it. While she was here, she should probably also pay respects to Gingerstar. She hadn't attended his burial, she hadn't felt like she was allowed to. But she could at least visit him here. For now she had business to attend to and, gently, laid down Ashwolf's corpse to dig a grave. As she worked, she detected a smell that was not RiverClan and yet not any of the other clans either, but she'd see to the loner after her work here was finished.

Grave dug, Ashwolf was gently laid inside and LarkWing paused, saying a quiet prayer that he made it safely to StarClan.

Re: Sleepy Thicket
 

Jack caught an unfamiliar scent, and began pushing the pumpkin he had with him, soon stopping nearby. He noticed Larkwing immediately and just began to back away. He stopped after a few seconds. ".. Hey. Whatever's got you down in the dumps, I hope something good happens for you. And yeah, these trinkets I'm leaving in this carved pumpkin are for your clan. I might as well be generous and kind. They all used to be mine. " he mewed calmly and with a small hint of kindness. Sootpelt soon saw Jack after arriving and recognized him.
".. Jack? What are you doing on Riverclan territory, old friend?"
"Just giving up all my old trinkets. My owner passed away, so I've got nowhere to go. If there's any space left if I return I'd love to join your clan." Jack mewed. Sootpelt seemed to know Jack. Sootpelt got a little bit excited over Jack being in the territory.
"Larkwing, this is Jack. Before I joined the clan, he was my best friend. He had the kindest owner ever. Every Halloween, his owner carved a pumpkin for every cat that Jack has met. I guess that tradition will be carried by any offspring the owner had." Sootpelt mewed calmly as Jack flicked his tail in a friendly way.
"Right, I gotta go see if my owner's little ones are doing anything good. I'll consider returning to join the clan after that. if they're nothing like their parents then you bet your fluff I'll be back here to join Riverclan. Oh, and by the way, splashy- also known as Splashfur- is working for william. Saw him chatting to the dung ball a while back. They're going after Matthew- or, from what I've been told, Charredkit, as you know him. Charredkit's old home got toasted to a crisp so he joined a clan since he had nowhere else to go."


William had placed himself perfectly in the shadows. once Jack was gone, he'd spring into action. He'd pounce on Larkwing and if he hits he'd pin the she-cat down. What he wasn't counting for was Sootpelt.
Time to get out of the darkness. He waited for the perfect moment, and...
Jack soon left, and William sprang into action, pouncing at Larkwing. Sootpelt quickly got in the way and kicked at William, flinging him backward and into a tree.
"NOT TODAY, WILLIAM!" She hissed as William hit the tree with a grunt. He got up and quickly began to circle the two.
"What are you doing out here? Too mad at me to stay back and protect that little dung ball Matthew?" He teased rudely. He then looked at Larkwing. "And who's this beautiful cat with you?"
"William, don't try and flirt with Larkwing. And me and Larkwing are here because it's Ashwolf's burial. Not that you needed to know."
"Aw, let a guy look for love and get revenge on those who led to my kits dying. Besides, if I can't have kits then why should anyone else?" He meowed calmly before aiming a paw swipe at Larkwing, only for it to be blocked by Sootpelt who got knocked down.

Re: Sleepy Thicket
 

The events that followed as Larkwing started burying Ashwolf were... unexpected. The scent of loner on the territory - Jack as Sootpelt had called him - was identified and, while Lark wasn't thrilled he was on the territory and Soot spoke to him like he should be trusted without question - there was something she was busy doing and this loner wasn't a threat.

Threats, however, were a specialty of RiverClan territory it seemed and soon, none other than William himself appeared! Apparently itching to cause continued trouble and even - ew - flirting with her as he lunged to attack. The blow was dodged, however, both in that she had ducked way from it and Soot had blocked it. The gesture was nice, Lark appreciated that Soot would shield her from that blow, but she's a clan leader now damn it! She shouldn't need to be protected! The mild embarrassment send a small shiver up her spine and she mentally cursed herself to shut up and reassess her priorities.

"So," she hissed, eyes narrowed and ears flat, "this is the 'William' I've been told so much about? You're becoming quite the pain to hear about." She had options here, let him off with a few good wounds and a warning, or just kill him and have that be done with. The thought of killing him made her queazy, but giving him a few good wounds didn't sound like it would be all too effective. "You get the hell out of my territory or you're going to regret it." She growled a taunt, watching his every move... if he went for the attack and disregarded her warning, she'd lunge right for him, her teeth aimed for the scruff of his neck and claws for his shoulders.

Re: Sleepy Thicket
 

"oh? You think you scare me?" William looked like he was about to burst into laughter at that threat. "You didn't realize by now, did you..? I have many allies in this entire place, including Splashfur." It was then Splashfur hesitantly stepped out of the shadows with a remorseful look on his face. He seemed slightly splattered with mud from running around at Lionsbeach. Then a strange tom with a collar equipped with a small yellow bell left the shadows. Sootpelt knew that she and Larkwing were outnumbered.
"Larkwing, get back to camp. Make sure everyone knows about Splashfur's treachery. Let me handle this." She growled before pouncing on William. The kittypet and Splashfur also began attacking Sootpelt. Rain lashed down, the cold and bitter weather making the fight all the more terrifying. "GO! NOW! I WILL HANDLE THIS!" Sootpelt yowled while fighting William and his two accomplices that turned up.

Re: Sleepy Thicket
 

More cats slunk from the shadows, of them, one was a kittypet and the other, unsurprisingly, was Splashfur. He looked remorseful as he approached, and Larkwing couldn't help the low growl that left her throat. So what if he was remorseful? The damage had already been done. After a few taunts from William, the three launched into attack. They were outnumbered - if only by a little bit - but the odds weren't entirely out of their favor. So Larkwing ignored Sootpelt initially telling her to get back to camp and joined into the fray, "Like hell I'm letting you fight alone!" Larkwing snarled in response, but her fury was not meant for Sootpelt. She aimed an attack for Splashfur, letting her anger at this traitor fuel her movements.

If she was able, she'd sink her claws into his shoulders and wrench him away from Sootpelt, worried Soot might not come out of this alive if she didn't help at least that much. And, if that succeeded she'd attempt to get a slash in at his throat.

Re: Sleepy Thicket
 

The kittypet managed to get under Sootpelt but Splashfur was about to pounce! Sootpelt quickly killed the kittypet before turning towards Splashfur. William knew he had to retreat..
"Splashfur! Cmon, we gotta get out of here before this ends badly." Upon hearing William's order to retreat and immediately fell back, eyes wild with terror. He knew he'd never be able to return to Riverclan, whether dead or alive. Sootpelt glared at William.
"What, scared your precious henchcat is gonna die? He's a traitor to Riverclan and should just stay away for the rest of his life." She snarled at William as he left.

Re: Sleepy Thicket
 

Sootpelt made quick work of the admittedly fierce looking kittypet, killing them swiftly and - before Larkwing's attack managed to do anything at all, William called a retreat and he and Splashfur turned around and ran, tails between their legs. Larkwing yowled at them as they ran, chasing a good distance to make sure they'd actually gone.

"IF EITHER OF YOU EVER SHOW YOUR FACES HERE AGAIN WE WON'T HESITATE TO KILL YOU!" She threatened, only half meaning it. Certainly most in the clan would be ok killing the loner and the traitor, the thought of killing a cat made Lark feel sick, though. She knew, though, that when it came down to it, she would do what she needed to, but she wouldn't feel right about it. Either way, there was now Sootpelt and a corpse to attend to.

She wandered back to where Soot was, sides heaving with the effort of running, a little annoyed she didn't manage to get even so much as a scratch in. Did those idiots not think of her as worth attacking? Well, if she ever saw either of them again... she'd give them a piece of her mind. "Are you badly hurt?" The leader asked Sootpelt, eyes scanning for any injuries that may be severe. And Lark herself was unharmed... it didn't sit right with her.

Re: Sleepy Thicket
 

"I'm fine. Thank you for asking. Although I don't think the kittypet is alright, I killed him." Sootpelt purred, just as Frostpaw ran over.
"THAT WAS AWESOME!" He meowed in excitement.