Dawnstar's words sank in quickly enough. The anger was already filtering through her golden fur, as apparently it had for most of Shadowclan by the way the clan began to stir within the clearing. It was surprising that Thunderclan had crossed the border, Shadowclan's border at that, knowing Shadowclan's preference for repaying debts in full plus some. But that did lend to the question of, was Thunderclan struggling? Were they hunting in Shadowclan territory due to necessity? It excused nothing, four dead Shadowclanners was no joke and her quick anger, along with so many of her clanmates, showed as much. However, the golden queen kept her opinions to herself even as other warriors and an apprentice began voicing out against Dawnstar's proposal for repayment. Her pale blue eye scanned the cats as one after another spoke out, some getting responses, her ears swiveling. While her anger kept her chest clenched, her mind settled until she was able to put all of the pieces together, at least those that she had. Thunderclan had antagonized Shadowclan, breaking their own code by hunting in Shadowclan territory, whether by arrogance or necessity. Shadowclan responded in kind and defended their territory. That skirmish had resulted in four dead Shadowclanners, however, accoridng to Mirehound, Thunderclan had received similar casualties, blood had paid in blood. And according to Dawnstar, Sparrowstar had already conceded the wrongdoing, even while still heated from the battle.
As her mind settled on reasoning, her eye was drawn to her mate. With a quick glance back into the nursery for any curious kits, Sunsetthorn stood and moved across the clearing. She stepped up beside Branchfire [ @Faith. ], settling her feathered tail over his back reassuringly, but didn't look at him. Instead her eye swept over her new angle of the cats within the clearing. She understood her mate's sentiment, she'd held a very similar one just heartbeats before but now she wasn't so sure. She kept her flank brushing his to assure him that, despite the differing opinion, she stood by him completely. Lifting her voice, she posed, "Blood has paid blood. From the sounds of it, the patrol that had crossed the border was well handled and paid with their own blood for their transgression. Our strife is not with Thunderclan. Sparrowstar has made it clear that she did not condone and will not support her clanmates' actions. If she was willing to admit the wrongdoing to Dawnstar in the direct afterglow of such a fatal battle and offer reparations then what do you think she'd do behind their own walls? A leader is expected to support their clan and a disobedient clan reflects poorly of their internal workings, and yet Sparrowstar was willing to diplomatically share that with us. I don't believe her suffering humility will go unpunished within her own clan." It'd been a long time since the she-cat had felt comfortable enough to put herself in the spotlight of the clan she'd once long ago left and had felt shunned by ever since but her confidence was growing and now seemed as good a time as any to make her position felt once more. "All of you are arguing for your pride. Do you not think Thunderclan has the same level of pride? What is more humbling than a leader offering another leader reparations and the clan being forced to witness such an act while they're forced to sit down and eat their tail for their actions? Taking her up on those offered reparations will cow them more than anything else since they'll have no course to argue it. If we ask for too much or attack now we will be giving them cause to believe they were in the right and are once again being victimized by Shadowclan. Their pride and determination will only strengthen. Attacking them will unite them in their hatred for us, whereas now they are fractured by their leader admitting wrongdoing while others in the clan feel emasculated for not having their efforts against Shadowclan recognized as just retaliation." She let her eye drift back to Dawnstar. "I don't believe the hunting rights or herbs are for our necessity, or even for hurting Thunderclan in the lost resources, as much as it is against their pride. Taking full advantage of Sparrowstar's admission of guilt and thus kicking the warriors while they're down with their injured pride." As she quieted, her eye traveled back to look at her mate finally, prepared to gauge his reaction. She had not been the most popular cat in Shadowclan since she followed her mother out during her apprenticeship but Branchfire had been the one cat to accept her. His opinion of her was the only one she truly cared about, but she had returned because she was loyal to her clan, she was devoted to Shadowclan in a way even she hardly understood. This was home, but unnecessary bloodshed would eventually catch up to them and be their downfall if it was not done intelligently.
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Last edited by Pitou; March 4th, 2023 at 02:34 PM.
Moonkit had heard that kits didn't ever need to leave the nursery, not even when Dawnstar called a meeting. She hadn't been swayed at all, however, and listened intently to Dawnstar's words. Nothing the leader was saying really registered in Moonkit's mind, but the other cats seemed to be nodding in approval, so she figured it was a good thing. She mimicked the older cats and began nodding at the leader, showing her support of the decision.
(mostly an activity most, but open to anyone who wants to rp i guess)
Wrenkit
She/Her
Aha! Her sister! Domino patterned fur flashed at high speed - this part was questionable, but the world always seemed slow to Wrenkit - out of the nursery, tiny paws thumping against the ground as Wrenkit attempted to tackle her sister to the ground. That, however, did not work, for the young female fell rather short of her target, faceplanting in the dirt a few paces away. Owwww. Sitting up, and feeling a sting of.. something she was unable to name, Wrenkit shook herself from head to toe, hopefully removing the debris that had gotten caught in her fur during her mad dash from the nursery.
Wobbling forward on unsteady legs, for Wrenkit was barely over a moon old, the tiny kitten lifted a paw in an attempt to bap her sister on the head. "S-s-sisteerrr." She babbled, and then proceeded to attempt to wrap her arms around the other kit. Perhaps her sister was just smarter. Perhaps Wrenkit's brain developed at a slower pace. Perhaps maybe Moonkit was aging normally, and Wrenkit lagged behind in that compartment. Whatever the reason for Wrenkit's slurred, wobbly speech, the black and white she-kit knew that this was her kin. And she loved her kin.
Tall, angular, dark brown she-cat with distinctive ivy-like black stripes and piercing amber eyes.
Ivysnake quickly poked her head out of the medicine cats' den upon hearing Dawnstar's demand. "Yes, Dawnstar," she called, them promptly ducked back inside. She had work to do.
Status: Maybe my existence is just one big unskippable liberty mutual ad.
Gender: Female (She/Her)
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Re: The Shadowledge
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose
Wrenkit
She/Her
Aha! Her sister! Domino patterned fur flashed at high speed - this part was questionable, but the world always seemed slow to Wrenkit - out of the nursery, tiny paws thumping against the ground as Wrenkit attempted to tackle her sister to the ground. That, however, did not work, for the young female fell rather short of her target, faceplanting in the dirt a few paces away. Owwww. Sitting up, and feeling a sting of.. something she was unable to name, Wrenkit shook herself from head to toe, hopefully removing the debris that had gotten caught in her fur during her mad dash from the nursery.
Wobbling forward on unsteady legs, for Wrenkit was barely over a moon old, the tiny kitten lifted a paw in an attempt to bap her sister on the head. "S-s-sisteerrr." She babbled, and then proceeded to attempt to wrap her arms around the other kit. Perhaps her sister was just smarter. Perhaps Wrenkit's brain developed at a slower pace. Perhaps maybe Moonkit was aging normally, and Wrenkit lagged behind in that compartment. Whatever the reason for Wrenkit's slurred, wobbly speech, the black and white she-kit knew that this was her kin. And she loved her kin.
Moonkit glanced at Wrenkit and smiled. Her sister was here! How delightful. Maybe? Was this a good thing? Moonkit didn't know. "I know what they're talkin' about up there," she said matter-of-factly.
Hunting rights on a another clans territory? Was she mad?
How would this honor the lives of the fallen? It would do nothing but cause more unnecessary tension. Brows knitting together, he could only look at Dawn'star with an indeterminate look. Honestly, the way her twisted mind worked baffled him beyond disbelief. "And how could we be so sure that this course action would be accepted? " He began " What if they don't cower under the threats you plan to present them with? It would basically be paving the way for more unneeded skirmishes and death." Dawn'star seemed to openly portray her disfavor in the recent corpses that had been laid to rest, so why risk more? " And since the death of our fellow clan-mates seem to be one of the biggest motives to the idea, wouldn't it be wise to tread lightly on such a sensitive plan? Something so ambitious could only lead to certain death." He paused, " Unless, that is, our lives are something you never cared about in the first place. Then, by all means, be my guest Dawn'star... "
His gaze darkened as he shifted it towards his leader. The misgivings he felt towards her was something he didn't try to hide. And it was made rather clear from the inkling of disdain that slipped into his last statement.
Aside from his faintly clouded judgement, Thunderclan had surely been punished for their misgivings. Shadowclan blood wasn't the only blood that had been spilled after all. Their loses should be enough of punishment. This was something another warrior had just made clear. And he couldn't agree more. " But I digress... Sunset'thorn( @Ravensong )has made a rather plausible point. One that I wholeheartedly stand with. And it would be wise of you to do the same. " Haven'gaze acknowledged the molly with a slight dip of his head before wrapping his tail neatly over his paws.
He had nothing left to say, so the tom decided to fall into another bout of arrogant silence.
// @/Undertaker \\
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" Death is not mercurial. It's patient... unlike life."
Moonkit glanced at Wrenkit and smiled. Her sister was here! How delightful. Maybe? Was this a good thing? Moonkit didn't know. "I know what they're talkin' about up there," she said matter-of-factly.
Wrenkit
She/Her
Wrenkit blinked slowly at her sister for a moment, and then attempted once more to leap forward and engulf Moonkit in a happy hug. "T-talking about?" She echoed a moment later, face scrunching up with confusion. Only then did the domino patterned kitten turn her face towards Shadowledge, and her eyes widened with surprise at the amount of cats in the clearing. But above all, it was the large, scarred angry leader that made Wrenkit hunker down, lower lip wobbling slightly with fear. "Scary." She whispered unnecessarily after a moment, emerald hues wide with anxiousness.
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Larkfire
She/Her
Daypaw [ @xavier. ] was okay, he was going to be fine. Smiling faintly at the younger, adoptive brother that seemed to be growing at an unexpected rate, - stars, he would be taller than her soon - Larkfire nudged the cream and white turkish angora mix towards where Elmshadow lurked, half in half out of his den. "Go." She murmured softly, head bowed. "You'd best get your wounds checked, an infection won't do."
Once she'd spoken the words, the damsel lifted her head again, hues darting around the clearing for anyone else she should be worried about. Thankfully enough, Larkfire herself had not been hurt, as her patrol had been one of the last to arrive. All she'd been able to do was inflict damage upon one ThunderClanner. Sure, she'd murdered the tom in.. cold blood, if one wanted to phrase it that way, but had she not, Wildpaw and Galepaw would have paid the price.
The voices of nearby cats made Lark's face turn towards the noise, gaze latching onto two figures, soon to become three as Starrycrash joined the first two. Ah, Mirehound's siblings. Larkfire didn't quite know Iciclestrike [ @persues. ] and Starrycrash [ @dino. ] well, (heck, she did not know Mirehound [ @daenerys ] either) but there was something about the black bengal that put Lark at... ease? Was that the word? Nonetheless, it was clear to see that Mirehound carried her responsibilities with care and saw them to their end, which garnered extreme respect from Lark. In the end, Mirehound was undoubtedly someone who could be trusted to do a job correctly, and that was that.
'Darkfall! Are you okay?'
Amber hues only lingered for so long on the Shadow Siblings, however, before they were distracted by the sudden call of a friend's name, and the youngest Enforcer's eyes darted hastily in that direction of their own accord, for a sudden bout of worry overcame Lark at the concern laced into that voice. Was Darkfall [ @Darkclaws ] hurt, and Larkfire had not noticed? She could have sworn he had been fine when they'd left the border between ThunderClan and ShadowClan, but who knew? Craning her neck to seek out Moonpaw [ @Wingnettle ] among the crowd, who had called out the name of her mentor, the lean-limbed molly only let out a quiet breath of relief when she noticed her dark-furred tabby friend in one piece, sitting a little ways away. Ah, he was alright.
Darkfall was alright.
The thought shouldn't have brought her heart of steel so much relief, but nowadays Lark was starting to fear her heart had become too soft since she'd joined ShadowClan. Larkfire was well aware of the danger every day posed, the danger that threatened her formerly hardened heart every time she made friends with a new cat, every time she took to adopting more of Dappledleaf's kin, - first Daypaw and then Sagepaw - and every time she drew closer and closer to Darkfall.
Fablespinner had raised her, morphed her into a heartless monster, and ShadowClan was slowly undoing the savage want to claim power embedded in her, but Lark worried what would happen when her closest ones found out that when the monster was gone, no heart to salvage remained behind.
Bright hot fury, undiluted rage, burned behind Lark's eyelids as she stared stiffly at the ground in front of her paws. Her mother. Oh, how she hated her mother. Fablespinner had taken advantage of her at every turn, and Lark had let her. A memory danced at the edge of her vision, taunting and teasing yet remaining out of reach. Something clicked in her mind, but yet Lark could not make sense of it. Nor could she remember the recollection that remained just out of reach. And in that moment, only eight words rang in her mind. Eight words, the words of an old croon Larkfire had once visited.
'I've found little pleasure in this boring life.'
They did not make sense in the least, and try as she might, they did not ring a bell, but those eight words haunted her, along with the starry blue eyes of a cat who had visited her dreams over and over and over again, much too often. First it had felt real. The blood had felt real, the wounds had stung as if they were real, the hate burning behind those pools of deepest blue had felt real. And then, the second time it had felt a dream, a repetitive, scoffed at dream. The third, it had been a nightmare, and now as the days whizzed by Lark had seen that face, seen those eyes, seen that pelt, seen those hills one too many times. And every single time, Lark awoke with that same feeling of dread, that same feeling of bewilderment. Something was coming to get her, and Lark had a good idea it came with vivid, green eyes the color of poison.
Amber hues snapped upward from where they were fixated on the ground as Dawnstar [ @Undertaker ] finished speaking, but Lark remained silent, for all she could do was draw a ragged breath as she jerked back into reality. Heart thumping at an uneven pace in her chest, the young damsel (in distress) found that she had completely tuned out most of the commotion around her, back now her keen ears picked up the nearest conversations with ease. Finally, when all had been argued, said, and done, Lark fixed her leader with a contemplative gaze. "Push back the border. If ThunderClan can't teach their warriors to respect other Clans and know boundaries, maybe it's time they learned the hard way." That was the only lines she offered, for what good would it do to add to the hubbub of already loud voices? Besides, she was just offering her vote on something that had already been stated.
Moonkit tilted her head to the side a little bit. Scary? Oh. Was this scary? The warriors didn't seem scared. The apprentices didn't seem scared. I'm isn't scared! Moonkit decided, feeling rather proud of heraelf for arriving at this conclusion. "Not scary," she informed her sister. "They's talkin'! An' I know what they're talking!" she added, boradcasting to anyone nearby that she, Moonkit, fully understood the announcement taking place.
Last edited by mooncake; March 5th, 2023 at 07:37 AM.
Blackhawk's face twisted into a smirk, four deads, that's not nothing... for him, the compensation must be four dead in ThunderClan, he however retained himself with a visible difficulty, he gritted his teeths to avoid saying something he might regret, instead he pulled out his claws and dug them with rage in the ground while muttering a string of curses, some for himself, some for the Thunderclanners, he settled down calmly and... for his great surprise, approved the decision, the prey could be a compensation... a small one, but a present and welcomed one, he gritted his teeths again as pain passed in his shoulder, he must go to the medicine den for his recent wound during the patrol...
[Open]
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"I am ash... I am embers... My flames once danced bright. My flames now fade... But it returns from the depths... The fire devours me whole... It's the birth of something greater..."
-Inferno, the revengful-
Last edited by Red Dawn; March 5th, 2023 at 06:12 AM.
Re: The Shadowledge
