WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[lone]

Originally Posted by Brooklyn Trees

The territory had always made the cream colored feline feel alive. This place that one day would be part of what she would devote her life to protecting, this place that was a part of her own being already.

Originally Posted by Brooklyn Trees

This place was more than rolling hills and whistful breezes, stalks of grass waving and the hares that bounced among them. It was alive in more than that of the creatures that it bore.
It could wash away everything wrong with the world, all of her worries or torments were gone once she saw the expanse of the place around her.
And the Tom beside her just made it glow all the brighter.

She was still nervous around him; no longer because she believed he had hurt her. No longer because of any of that. She was nervous the way that his presence had always made her nervous. Self conscious and over aware.
She somehow doubted that this element would ever truly leave.
It's difficult to be perfectly comfortable with someone who made you feel this way.

His words broke her out of a half-trance, consumed by her own thoughts and mind and taken from this world as she had been just moments beforehand.

"Yeah, it is." She purred, glancing sheepishly at him. She didn't know what to do anymore.
All her life she had followed the rules, didn't bend them, if ever she was in doubt she simply turned to them to find what she should do.
But there was never any protocol for this, any rules or guidelines. She was not supposed to love someone from another clan, and this much she knew, but beyond that this was ruleless.
It existed beyond the feeble rules of everything she had been, and she just followed him, a few paces behind.
He seemed to know so much better what he was doing and where he was going, and she would always trust him to lead her when she could not lead herself.
But perhaps he was just as confused as she was.
Perhaps there was no difference in their confusion and no protocols between either of them.

She would never force him to guide her though, and even though he was so good at hiding it, he was probably just as confused and uncertain as she was.
Blind leading the blind, heart leading heart.

Perhaps some things didn't need rules?
Nothing had ever not needed rules before, and her own thoughts confused her for a moment.
Perhaps rules didn't need to be for everything. Perhaps instincts should come into play once in a while.

She had heard the term before, to 'follow your heart'. But it didn't make sense and never really had.
Why follow something so gullible when tried and true rules can guide you instead?
Well...
She supposed that now was one of those few times.

Or just follow Couragepaw, as she didn't know where they were going.

In all honesty, the apprentice didn't really know where they were going either. All he had known was that he had to get out of the clearing. The searching hues, the curious glances, the quiet whispers to each other had been too much for the tom to handle. And he had known that it would overwhelm Moonpaw as well. If it sent her back into that weird state, he didn't know how they would survive. Too bad he didn't know exactly which hill they had had the conversation on that day. That had been the first and last time Couragepaw would ever lie to his friend. And he still felt bad.
　
But maybe some good had come from it. Maybe even now he could see that good coming from it, and it made him feel happy. Thank goodness there were cats like that, right? Some who could see the good in others even when they didn't see it in themselves? Couragepaw wished he could be like that. He had always thought of Moonpaw that way too, but now he was beginning to realize that she was a lot more complicated as they were growing older. As a kit life was easy.

　

You made friends, you asked questions, and everything was absolutely perfect. Then you became an apprentice. Maybe one day you looked at something differently, or your friend touched you or talked to you in just the right way and you suddenly got warm. And then there was a warrior. Couragepaw didn't know what the future held. He didn't know what was going to happen at that time.
　
What he did know? It probably wasn't going to be his favorite thing. Even now he was pretty sure that the future was an ugly, harsh thing. Though he hadn't quite made up his mind yet. It was pretty easy to, sure, but did he really want to? Did he want to believe that the future was so bad, or did he want to see for himself? At the moment Couragepaw didn't know. He could feel like there was a great weight pressing down on him. But she lifted it. Every time, she lifted it. Was that why he wanted to be with her so badly? To get this weight off of him? Because... that wasn't love. That was just a longing, a lust, and it made him feel like he was a horrible cat. And yet he wanted to make her happy. Yes, he had wanted her to understand. But if she still hadn't returned his feelings? Then he never would have said another word about it. He wanted her to be happy. He wanted her life to relflect the joy and happiness that he had seen her have during their kithood, and he wanted her to question the world once more. Like a kit. If only they were still the two small kits who had met all that time ago. If only they were still playing, jumping around like there was no tomorrow.
　
If only.

　

But he couldn't go back. He couldn't go back in time, Couragepaw understood that. There was only foward. There was only up. He wasn't at rock bottom yet, but he was getting the feeling that he was pretty close. Why was he so close to rock bottom, he honestly didn't know whatsoever. And yet he could feel it. It was like his paws were brushing the bottom, yet he was hovering right above. She was going to take him up. He could feel it. If he had a disease then she was the cure, but that was all he knew right now.
　
It was the thing he was surest of. And yet he still didn't know. How could he? There was so much confusion in the world sometimes. He and Moonpaw were both so young. They both had their whole lives ahead of them. The tension brewing between ThunderClan and WindClan wouldn't bring them down either. They could do this. They would get through it and someday they would be able to tell their story. The Evil Era hadn't brought Couragepaw and Moonpaw apart. This confusion hadn't. Bronzepaw hadn't. And if all of those things hadn't been able to split them apart before, then why should they ever be able to?
　
Answer?
　
They couldn't. Not now, and not ever. "I'm so glad to be here with you, Moonpaw." Couragepaw mewed, staying close to his friend. He knew she might be confused about where they were going, but to be honest... he didn't know either. He knew the way back and he knew the way fowards. Perhaps that was all that he needed to know. Maybe an adventure was in order.

[dino.]

@Suspiciousmindz

Larkcry lashed his tail, snarling. "We should attack now!" he yowled. "How dare they accuse us of being murderers!" He sprang to his paws, pelt bristling and ears flat, teeth bared. "I think that it is Thunderclan that are the murderers! Flamescar disappeared near their border the other night. I have good reason to think they have captured and killed him!"

[Mango]

Yewpaw yowled," Snowstar's a fleabag with no sense!!" (Anyone can respond, just mention me or quote me)

[Ludicrous Lunacy]

How chaotic this was! Jumping to their paws, Rainshade swung their head from side to side rapidly once, twice, trying to get their eyes to take in who was standing as well. Usually the motion would've been more subtle, but the clearing was so tense they felt that nobody would care for the sudden unusual movement. Tilting their chin up to stare at their leader, Rain called up, "What point is there in starting a war? We might not get our warrior back if they believe they can use them as a ransom! Why don't we go over and negotiate first? Violence first is what Singenight did!" they finished sharply, ears erect and tail lashing, trying not to think of the look Dancer must be giving them. It was rash to hope for peaceful negotiation, but was it too much to hope that nonviolence would, in fact, help the problem?

"Don't stand by, but don't give them the satisfaction of a battle which we cannot be sure of the outcome of."

[ @Suspiciousmindz ]

[red_inactive]

|| Open ||

Windrunner was confused as she looked around. She had just come back from a quick run to find the camp in chaos during a meeting.

[Phoenix Flames]

Originally Posted by CandyFlossCat

The she-cat shrugged, her eyes glittering. "No reason, really" she mewed.

"Should we stop and hunt, now? We've been walking forever!", Rushpaw complained.

[wickedvirtues]

@Honorable Kitti

Meadowsong stood next to Rushpaw, smiling. "Okay, we've got to be quieter if we want to keep the prey around here from running off." She whispered, scenting the air for prey.

[ladybugg03]

As Ferncreek listened to commotion, she shrunk back. She didnt want a fight, especially when her life was looking up. She knew that if ear broke out, she, the clan, and Breezewind would have to fight. She couldn't risk the chance of Breeze win getting hurt or worse, killed. Her breathing started to speed up and so did her heart rate. I need to talk to Crystaltail... she thought. Then she realized that her friend didnt know about her new mate. She ran away from the crowd in search of her friend.

@Fenris (territory)

[Phoenix Flames]

Originally Posted by CandyFlossCat

@Honorable Kitti

Meadowsong stood next to Rushpaw, smiling. "Okay, we've got to be quieter if we want to keep the prey around here from running off." She whispered, scenting the air for prey.

"I know how to hunt, Meadowsong. I'm not a mouse-brain. You're not a mouse-brain either.", Rushpaw whispered. The scent of mouse drifted towards his nose. He scanned the moor, looking for the little creature. Jackpot! The ginger apprentice got into a hunters' crouch and crawled towards his prey, his tail off the ground but not high in the air, his ears pricked, and his belly off the ground a bit.

Rushpaw was soon close enough to the mouse. He quickly dispatched his prey as he pounced on the mouse, killing it with a swift blow. Good. Rushpaw, remember, you're a WindClan cats now. Not a rogue anymore.

He buried the mouse and then scented the air again. Guess my luck is good today., he thought as he saw another mouse, hiding under a leaf.

"Well, this mouse seems stupid!", he hissed. The mouse heard him and started to run. "Mouse-dung!", he growled, running after the mouse.

The mouse had ran to the RiverClan border! "Great... The mouse is now in RiverClan territory...", he mewed. Rushpaw padded back to the spot where he buried the other mouse. He padded back to Meadowsong, the limp body of the mouse in his jaws.

[SuspiciousMindz]

@woly @SpiralTheRival @Chameleon @Equinox @Ludicrous Lunacy
The clan was in chaos. Suddenly everyone was speaking their minds, and Blazingstar strained his ears to listen to suggestions being spoken left and right. Arguments between cats were starting as cat's opinions were clashing with each suggestion. There weren't any questions revolving peace, more on the idea of battle. Was this how his clan really felt? As far as he could see there were only talks of battle, however a few stood out to speak their mind on peace.

The first to catch his attention was Spireflare. "This shouldn't be about who's superior, it should be about resolving this. The clan is in conflict about how to do that currently. We need to act, but I'm not sure if battle is the appropriate way to go about it. Surely, there has to be another way. This is why I say border patrols need to be raised!" Blazingstar was cut off as Sunsong spoke up next. From the words of the queen, he knew what he needed to say next, even if it was merely to make her feel a little better. He couldn't promise a battle wouldn't take place if things continued. "No warrior is to leave the clearing alone. Kits will stay in the nursery or in the clearing under close supervision. I assure you Sunsong, no fighting will take place in the clearing as long as I am leader of this clan," he spoke his vow, however he wasn't sure if he could keep it. It was more or less to put the queen's mind at rest.

Rainpaw spoke back up and Blazingstar's attention focused back on the apprentice. "You aren't alone on your thoughts, this is becoming very apparent," he shot a glance towards Yewpaw and Spireflare, "However, the clan must agree as a whole if a battle is really what we need to resort to. I know battles sound appealing to apprentices, but you and Yewpaw need to listen to the other warriors too, not everything can be solved in a violent manner," he tried to reason with Rainpaw and Yewpaw, but part of him knew they would only persist. Larkcry's shout outs weren't ignored either. His gaze turned towards the warrior he entrusted would watch closely over the former Dusk Syndicate cat. "Don't jump to conclusions either, perhaps Thunderclan had nothing to do with it? Flamescar was a former Dusk Syndicate cat, perhaps he needed time to himself for a little bit?" he suggested before he strained his ears in another direction to pick up on other's opinions.

He could see the scared look on others faces. A few cats had even left the clearing out of the fear of this meeting. He couldn't say he could blame them. It was a tough topic, but the clan needed to come to a conclusion. They needed to decide now if it was war or peace they wanted. So far war was winning, but like a few others earlier, Rainshade spoke up about their opinion on peace. "I promise we will not jump straight into battle. You are not alone on this peaceful idea. Negotiation is out of the question, however, as Snowstar's judgement is flawed. My commands have been spoken and that is all we will be doing in this moment. If Thunderclan continues to harass us, I will consider the possibility that fighting will be the only way to settle this. It is clear that there are many here who don't wish to fight and I must respect your opinion and theirs. A battle will be our last resort," he replied to the feline that comforted him once. He wouldn't forget that day Rainshade was there for him. He certainly wouldn't let Rainshade's suggestion go unanswered.