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[Amberhaze]

⚛︎₊˚‧ It was quickly realized by not only Amberhaze himself but the rest of his patrol that he was not cut out for leadership, or at least not as it stood presently. The entire journey to the thunderpath was full of him jumping, twitching, fidgeting, and crying out at the sound of his own clanmates footsteps and whatever it was they may have stepped over or on, the knowledge that he was being followed by anything regardless of what it was enough to send him running in the opposite direction at full speed. Subconsciously, he knew he was safe- these were his clanmates after all, companions who would not allow any harm to come to him or each other- and yet the paranoia was incessant, clawing away at his cranium until his brain was flayed and shredded into pieces like thin tree bark. The sooner they wrapped up this patrol, the better, and so he would pick up the pace, scurrying onwards ahead of his patrol without warning so that they had to work to keep up.

He felt mingled emotions upon their arrival to the tunnels, relief that he was now halfway through with his task, but a sickening anxiety over what was to come next. They would need to traverse it now, squeeze their frames into the confined and constricted space and attempt to bring back anything that would provide for their broken clan. He would be expected to go in first, surely, being the leader of their patrol- a decision made by Mirepurr, newly named Mirestar- perhaps this was simply a mistake made by a new leader, one who had not yet come to realize how overwhelmingly incapable Amberhaze truly was. It was an act of mercy that Smogstar had even promoted him to the rank of warrior in the first place. He shook these revelations off now and took a deep breath- in and out, slowly, claws flexing in the damp earth so that he felt the pressure tug at his pads before turning to face those behind him. "Okay, uh-" His voice cracked, forcing him to start again. He was twitching now, clearly fighting back building distress as he attempted to explain his plan further. "I-I'll go in first and uh- make...make sure it's safe for the rest uh- of you. The mice a-and rats in here are- uh- pretty...used to l-loud noises so you don't- don't really have to...uh- worry about being too loud. They wont- wont even really...notice. Or care. Yeah. Uh- W-wait for me...here."

As promised, he slunk cautiously into the open tunnels below the thunderpath, his movements steady but still with a visible tremble as adrenaline began to pump through his veins and spread throughout his taught muscles. As the darkness consumed him and he disappeared from view, his chest began to feel terribly constricted, invisible wire- barbed- coiling around his lungs and digging their metal thorns deeper and deeper into fleshy organs. His heartrate elevated with such force he felt the beat of it reverberating inside his own ears, the way his vision began to blur and lose focus only worsening the feeling of entrapment from both sides of him. The sounds were the worst, the occasional monster roaring overhead causing the roof of the tunnel to shake as if it would collapse entirely, smothering and crushing his frail form like a pathetic bug- and...something wet? Why was he wet?

Drops of water pitter-pattering all around him and onto him, the unexpected chilled sensation enough to bring him back in a way that he didn't quite expect. They fell freely now, the monster which had come and gone must have loosened them from above as it flew by. It was uncomfortable, and Amberhaze swore that no longer were water droplets battering against his ears, nose, and pelt...but the rancid claws of rats. Psyching himself out to the brink, he scrambled backwards and twisted his boney body around to fling himself back out of the tunnel's opening and to his patrol who had, for whatever reason, done as he had asked. It was clear he was unwell, one look into his wild ochre eyes left no room for speculation, and yet he still managed to report back verbally, perhaps miraculously so given his labored breathing. "Uh- I-It's...wet. It's wet. Like it's raining but...underground. I didn't...get very far s-so I think we uh- s-should go in...further. All of us- together. But every t-time a uh- a monster passes t-the rain gets...worse...It's not ideal but- uh-...Let's give it a try, o-okay? Together." He seemed almost desperate for the company now, no longer wanting to take charge and return to the tunnels on his own, a pleading expression twisting his features as his gaze seared into each of his clanmates in turn. Why did Mirestar choose me?

✧　°　.　⚠︎　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: @scalejaw @SHARPSHADOW @Willowburn tunnel time!! be so nice to him (or dont!! feel free to push him around as well) he is scared and has no idea what hes doing, i am so sorry for the wait on this as well ive always got things going on in my life that keep me from writing frequently at this point </3
• 

  AMBERHAZE — HE/HIM ･ 20 MOONS ･ WARRIOR OF SHADOWCLAN ･ PENNED BY SLOANE

  a short but lengthy black cat with a boney build and striking ocher eyes filled with unveiled trepidation. black oriental shorthair.

​

 

[SHARPSHADOW]

As low of an opinion that Sharpshadow held of himself, Amberhaze put him to shame with his mouse-heart. For a SkyClanner to be afraid of their own shadow was one thing, but a ShadowClanner? Practically their only claim to fame was being enigmatic, or whatever. While he'd certainly like to hope Amberhaze could get it together in a life-or-death scenario, he's become less and less convinced the longer this goes on. If he could, he would try to glimpse the faces of his other patrol mates. Neither Scalejaw nor Willowburn were really his friends... but at this moment, he wouldn't pass up the chance to share a confused glance with either of them. She's fairly convinced Amberhaze would have never found himself at the head of a patrol were Smogstar or Chilledstar still here. How perfectly... Mirepurr. ( Mirestar, with lingering dread he corrects )

Sharpshadow prays to StarClan that she doesn't sound like this when she talks. The crack of his voice makes her wince. For whatever reason— uh, a prophetic vision of something terrible barreling toward them all, she's sure... Amberhaze offers to go in alone, at first. Sharpshadow blinks. " You really don't have to, " she calls after him. For whatever reason, she still does as he says. As his first (and quite possibly last) patrol he was leading, he figures he'll let Amberhaze live it up, or whatever. ( She thinks this as if Amberhaze didn't look like he might drop dead from a heart attack any moment ) She likely would've followed him, if she weren't sure his whimpers would alert the rest of them to danger, if needed.

Amberhaze launches himself from the tunnel as if ThunderClan is storming their territory at this very moment. Sharpshadow flinches backward. Loosely, well, not really, she's a little grateful for this guy. He felt like the most levelheaded cat on earth, right now. " Uh... want me to take over? You seem... stressed. " The understatement of the century, really. At the report itself, he frowns. He wasn't looking forward to getting drenched, but if this got them a single mouse, it'd be worth it.​

 

[scalejaw]

★ Scalejaw was much akin to Sharpshadow in her thoughts of Amberhaze, but of a different flavor. A targeted one. Scalejaw's ears flick as they manage to make it to the tunnel- finally. After each spook and jump from Amberhaze, her nerves were already grated and on edge, so as they come to a stop, she stops her swirling thoughts of wasn't there better picks for leads, and Mirestar, what are you thinking?

Glowering coals for eyes narrowed. Scalejaw was known for her no-bullshit-methods outside of camp, so Amberhaze volunteering and nervously skittering into the tunnel did anything but placate her concern of what might be down there. Her paw slowly taps the ground, listening to what was head- the creaking of rats, the screaming of monsters, and... Amberhaze's approaching pawsteps. Wisely does she take a step back, watching with disdainful eyes as the warrior tumbles out, heaving shoulders and more of a mess, if it were possible.

Her vision shifted towards Sharpshadow, who offers to take point. Scalejaw's tail sweeps the ground behind her gently. "It's... alright to hand the mantle to someone else, you know." Scalejaw encourages this. At least, she wouldn't be following someone who spooked at their own tail (at least, that's what it felt like, really.)

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── MESSES WITH YOUR SANITY ⋅❁⋅ TWISTING ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND ──┐‎

• "speech"
  

• 

• SCALEJAW 🌧 she/her, warrior of shadowclan, sixty five moons.
  ★ A SH black/LH blue smoke chimera with glowering orange eyes, tufts of fur that make her look dragon-akin, and scars that she wears with pride. motherly and stern attitude, with a warm streak for clanmates and a cruel streak for enemies.
  ★ mentoring no one
  ★ padding after no one / / mother to bonerattle, nightwhisper, and shadefall
  ★ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ★ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

​

 

[Willowburn]

THE GODS CAN KNEEL ⋆⁺₊⋆
Going through the tunnels that led under the thunderpath was hardly his idea of a good time. They were wet, muddy, and echoed the noise of the monsters horribly! It was the furthest thing from a good time in Willowburn’s opinion, but he wasn’t going to whinge and whine… yet. For now he remained quiet as he followed along behind Amberhaze. It became clear rather quickly how much the pressure was weighing down upon their unfortunate patrol lead, something that both Scalejaw and Sharpshadow were keen to point out in their own ways under the form of extending help… or rather trying to rob the right to lead from the frightened tom.

”Now now, I think Amberhaze is doing well enough thus far. We should give our support and allow Amberhaze the right to see this through to completion.” Development and confidence came from seeing things through to the end, not from running and hiding from challenges. He knew that this patrol was going to end in disaster, but sometimes they just had to. Smiling warmly, the fluffy tom sauntered forward so he could stand closer to the spooked patrol lead. ”Come along now, let’s head in together just as you said. I’ll stick by your side.”

- ⋆ -​

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[Amberhaze]

⚛︎₊˚‧ His clanmates clear lack of faith in Amberhaze's abilities and performance seemed to wound him, his heavy ears which already hung limp in their form falling even further down his skull so that they seemed more like a floppy-eared dog's, one side more noticeable than the other given the way one was missing half a chunk from it. Shifting his weight on shaky paws, he considered what his clanmates had said- perhaps they were right. Who did he think he was, thinking he would be able to handle such great responsibility? To lead a patrol meant to have a sharp and steady mind, both of which he didn't have- not to mention the physical dangers and labors that they may have to deploy for their own survival- he was weak, scrawny, nothing more than skin and bones with the courage of a beheaded chicken running aimlessly on frantic legs before finally collapsing into blood stained dirt. He was a liability being here, but a doomsday device being their leader. Besides, Sharpshadow was with them- a lead warrior- they didn't need him to instruct or protect them, if you could even call what he had been doing as much.

"Um-" He began, fully intending to do as suggested and simply allow someone more capable to take over their assignment before being cut off via the much more gentle and compassionate voice of Willowburn, who had kept quiet up until this point. Truthfully, Amberhaze had forgotten he was even with them in his silence. Needless to say, his encouragement was enough to give Amberhaze the boost he needed, his ears pricking upwards once more- at least as far as they could manage given the burden of bearing their own weight- and his ocher eyes once clouded by confused anguish and disappointment regained a spark of rare light. Did Willowburn truly believe in the words he said? Did he believe in him? Amberhaze's expression would soften as he gazed at the heavy-furred tom with relieved appreciation.

”Come along now, let’s head in together just as you said. I’ll stick by your side.” That was all he needed.

Standing straighter and taking a deep breath, his expression hardened just slightly with a kind of anxious determination. "No, uh- I can...I can do this. Let me- let me do this." He was sure his refusal to hand his torch to another would cause some rightful annoyance to stir within Sharpshadow and Scalejaw, however he would not allow himself to give into it a second time, especially now that he had been reinforced by the support of Willowburn. Amberhaze would stay close to the mahogany feline, their pelts brushing with the proximity before needing to separate as they slunk into the entrance of the gaping tunnel before them, its entrance foreboding like the gaping maw of a chasm. He shot an uncertain look back at his companions before clenching his teeth and forcing himself to push onwards- he would not- could not fail.

It was as miserable and uncomfortable as it had been initially, if not even more so. A continuous drip, drop, drip, drop echoed throughout the seemingly endless catacomb ahead of them, the sensation of chilled liquid battering down onto their pelts collectively causing Amberhaze's muscles to tense with the stress of it. It only worsened the deeper they went, the entire space shaking like the earth was splitting in two every time a monster hurdled past overhead- it caused Amberhaze to feel ill, his chest tightening with trepidation so that he felt as though he could no longer breathe paired with a roiling stomach threatening to expel acidic bile from firmly set jaws.

After what felt like an eternity, pale light began to seep through the muggy darkness from ahead, illuminating the cataclysmic confines with what Amberhaze viewed to be as ethereal in comparison to what they had just endured. Nevertheless, it seemed that they had gone as far as they could- and not once had they encountered a single rat nor mouse- not even a fox would want to take refuge here in the state the shadowed overhang was in. With a heavy sigh and an even heavier heart, Amberhaze would contort his elongated frame to face the trail of cats behind him, raising his voice just slightly as he called to them to ensure he could be heard even from further away. "Hey, um- I think we should t-turn back. Theres- uh- t-too much noise and...water and- and shaking. If we d-don't like it, then...then the prey definitely doesn't e-either." As if on que, a fat droplet of polluted concrete water splattered with a comedic plop! on the top of Amberhaze's head, his bug-eyes squeezing shut and his nose scrunching as he flinched away with a grimace.

✧　°　.　⚠︎　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: —
• 

  AMBERHAZE — HE/HIM ･ 20 MOONS ･ WARRIOR OF SHADOWCLAN ･ PENNED BY SLOANE

  a short but lengthy black cat with a boney build and striking ocher eyes filled with unveiled trepidation. black oriental shorthair.

​

 

[Willowburn]

THE GODS CAN KNEEL ⋆⁺₊⋆
Almost as if a spell had been cast, it seemed as though Amberhaze had discovered the courage to press on as their patrol leader. Willowburn could barely stop himself from smirking as he revelled in the power that he possessed over others when it came to pretty words and empowering smiles. He longed to look back over his shoulder in the hopes of catching Sharpshadow and Scalejaw’s expressions, but he knew that he needed to continue forward into the inky darkness.

Traversing the tunnel was nothing short of a nightmare. Wet, cold, loud. Utterly miserable. The promise of a long grooming session now lay firmly in his future as the murky mud and water clung to his elegant pelt. When Amberhaze poised the suggestion of turning back he was all too eager to agree.”I concur! Perhaps we should hunt on the way back to camp? I feel like we’ll have a better chance catching something that way.”

- ⋆ -​

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