pafp 104 DAYS OF SUMMER VACATION † . CORNERED RIVERCLANNERS

[CICADASTAR]

there is a pack of twolegs nearby ; the mottled tom cat can hear them screech obnoxiously with each step they take closer to their greenleaf camp. the sun is blazing, heat pounding upon dark curls as they make their way through the thick reed along their pebbled shore. ivory paws dip light in the rolling waves, feels it deepening with each step he takes. water flows through loose, overheated curls — and despite the hooting of ever - present twoleg creatures. they are far, and despite their scent hanging heavy and disgusting around their markers, he can see where they are huddled within their campsite bounds. and so briefly, the leader looks away, ” show me where you mark our borders with skyclan, hazepaw. “ the very top of his tail baps them light on the flank, before — ears perk. undergrowth rustles, his head snaps backward and —

" to the far shore! " it’s out of his mouth before he takes so much as a step further, taking to the water like an eel as a twoleg peeks sudden and abrupt from the thicket of willow surrounding their riverside border. prying through the greenery, yowling and exposing its chiseled teeth when narrow, beastial eyes fixate on them. the moment he reaches the other side the mottled phantom puffs himself, feels the bristles along his spine add inches to his looming height — but it is nothing in comparison to these monsters. long, ugly, hairless forelimbs bring them closer, closer, closer..

and they take to the water right after.

despite icicle eyes snapping towards their apprentices, his great tail lifts to crowd pikesplash back as well, instinctive and frantic, ” get behind me. “ star - graced, his life was infinite — a curse so often, but a blessing in times like these. the twoleg moves clumsily, slowly, cawing back towards its pack as it sloshed through water and good hunting. fish scatter away from its rancid presence and his pupils dilate, chest coming to heave violent beneath its curled ruff. sparing a glance at his backside reveals a strip of land leading into skyclan territory, sunningrocks to their immediate right. any further movement would lead them into territory beyond their own, would have them retreating into a pitiful defeat. run from their own land. the thought burns, arches his back higher and lowers his head into an aggressive, open - mouthed snarl. the beast makes a noise almost bird - like, rhythmic clicks of its teeth and tongue— as if trying to draw him to the sound of prey, despite seeing clear that so much thing was clasped in their extended paw.

if only they could sneak just downstream.. the stepping stones call, siren - soft and gleaming as if lit alive by starclan themselves ( or perhaps the sun ). the creature waddles closer and his jaws drool with aggression, ears pinned slick to a sloping skull, ” get back! “

˗ˏˋ 𓆩  OOC ✟ VISUAL 𓆪 ´ˎ˗

• i. cat lover on vacation tries to rescue some poor sad local feral cats ( and they’re having NONE OF IT! )
  
  please wait for @PIKESPLASH @willowroot @Mosspaw and @Hazepaw . , and then this will be open to daylight warriors !!
  
• ˖ ⁺ ｡ ˚ ⠀ CICADASTAR⠀⠀−−−c−−−⠀⠀king of the rivers.
  
  
  m. he / him. black smoke & tortoiseshell chimera with intense salt - blue eyes. a handsome, looming tom bearing patchwork black - silver curls that fall over his slim figure in loose, shining rivulets, broken with white and glossy from his fish diet. descending from a heritage of overtyped oriental shorthairs, cicadastar stands unusually tall amongst his peers, and holds himself with a tragic grace, poised and prim and ever - aware of how he is being perceived.
  
  ᨒ gay, mated to smokethroat. smells like wet stone & moss.
  ᨒ speaks with a german accent. 50 moons, ages every 50 posts.
  
  penned by antlers​
  
  
• 
  
  
  
• "speech"
  

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[PIKESPLASH]

( tags ) This was supposed to be easy. It was just supposed to be a patrol to Skyclan's border. A clan they had no issues with as far as he knew, but he should have known things wouldn't be that easy. Pikesplash is at the very least happy that Catfishpaw couldn't come along with them because the situation is becoming quite risky. Despite the fact that he was a former kittypet, he was not at all wanting to be captured by a random twoleg and then taken far away from his friends and family in Riverclan. The big reassurances were that Willowroot and Cicadastar were on this patrol. Both of them had far more experience than he had (not to mention one of them was the leader of Riverclan for crying out loud)! He does his best not to cause too much trouble and linger behind the apprentices as they traverse to their destination.

Paws are already scrambling against the ground and all he can hear is the panting of his clanmates and most of all, his pounding heart as he plunges into cool waters. It's a bit odd to be crowded alongside the apprentices with Cicadastar's tail, before he has the chance to get back as ordered. Had they not been in such a dire situation he would feel embarrassed to be considered an apprentice in Cicadastar's eyes. For now, he simply felt safe. Well... Not that safe, safer was the correct word for to use in this situation. It's terrifying how he knows what exactly is going on in a sense. In the past, his twoleg would come up to him in much the same manner to either capture him to pick him up and place him somewhere, or to douse him in water. The clicking sounds bring back memories of hearing such a thing. It was a twolegs way of calling for them to come here.

Only now he didn't want to answer the call and approach as requested by the twoleg. Show courage. Petalnose words ring in his ears. Travel safe. Lichentail's plea before he left makes it's way to the forefront of his mind. He is not as strong as Willow or Cicadastar, but he is a warrior. He can't hide and hope that Cicadastar alone could get them out of this mess. What can I do?! He glances at Mosspaw and Hazepaw. You have to return home. Green eyes return to their leader who is trying his best to ensure their safety by yowling at the twoleg to get away from them.

In turn, he unsheathes his claws and leaps beside Cicadastar, body lowered, ears pinned back, and snarls at the twoleg approaching them. He may not be strong but he could try his best right? If this twoleg managed to capture his clanmates he would chase the twoleg biting and clawing at them until they let go. If he was caught in turn, he would make it difficult for the twoleg to wrangle him. He hopes that Cicadastar won't reprimand him too harshly for this. He understands a leader's job is to ensure their safety, but a leader can't do everything alone. They would be okay. They would make it through this as one.​

 

[Hazewish]

TRAVELER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED (AND NOW YOU MUST GO) ⋆⁺₊⋆

The foreign and the strange have always fascinated Hazepaw – the unknown and undiscovered calls to them, pulling at them with the same mysterious force that makes the sun and moon circle the sky. They've been this way for as long as they can remember, since striking out on their own as a kit after the flood. Their mothers' tears, their mentor's words of caution, their dearest friend's injury have not quelled their adventuring spirit.

But this, they think, staring at the grotesque shape of a twoleg reaching through the water, might be what does it.

Cicadastar jumps between the patrol and the creature, long limbs of pale and shadows standing in its path like a ghost pulling itself from the depth. Pikesplash joins him, bristling fur and low noises of warning, and Hazepaw finds her voice joining theirs – a low yowl building in her throat as her long fur stands on end, claws digging into the ground as her restless paws hesitate between fight and flight. What will the twolegs do if they catch them? She remembers Ashpaw returning from their territory, skinny and exhausted; remembers Buckgait snatched from their lands, and others before, and finds herself filled with dread at the mystery rather than wonder. It's soon replaced by another question, worse by some degree: what can they do to escape this fate?

[⋆]​

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[willowroot]

( ☾ ) here she is, out again, on another patrol as the dread in her stomach settles heavier than ever. her two daughters are on this patrol, with wide eyes, spirits not yet crushed. she feels a shiver across her spine even thinking such things- every day she wakes up and prays to gods she barely trusts anymore to give them more time. hazepaw and mosspaw do not need to know the darkness inside their mother's chest. so, she hides it, pads beside cicadastar with only quiet mumbles amongst their conversation. verdant eyes peer with trepidation through the leaves and branches that line skyclan's territory, the memory of twolegs and their kidnapping habit fresh in her mind.

perhaps it's her luck, her stars-damned luck, what with two friends already stolen, that she summons another sickly looking pale creature to the territory. the twoleg lumbers toward the river as cicadastar hisses his orders, and willowroot is quick to obey, eyes on her children as she follows them to the far side. a fury is growing in her eyes, one she is now familiar with. it washes into her veins like an old friend, sending her claws out and her fur raised. her tail kinks over her back as she sets herself on the other side of her leader, jaw clenched. a snarl curls at her lip, a memory of buckgait flashing before her. she couldn't save her sister. she can save her patrol- the remainder of her family.

a low growl hums from willowroot's throat. "moss, haze, stay behind us. whatever you do, stay back." it's an order, and she doubts anyone will argue. her tone is ice cold as she forms a barricade beside cicada. "skyclan will understand," she hisses to her leader. "if we go into their territory. i will make them understand." blazestar could not withstand the anger of a protective mother. as she eyes the twoleg, she knows for certain that the creature could not either. "we could attack, the apprentices could take the stepping stones and get help." verdant eyes flicker between their attacker and her authority, pikesplash ready for battle on the other side. ​

( THE LIGHT YOU GAVE ME )

 

[Mosspool]

Mosspaw did not see the twoleg notice them. She had known they were about, but she had focused her attention across the border for just a moment, assured that the rest of the patrol had eyes on the twolegs.

Still, the moment Cicadastar's voice rang out a command, Mosspaw obeyed. Though she did not understand the why she dove into the river without a second thought, wordlessly following him to the far shore. It was only as she pulled herself onto the bank behind him that she heard the twoleg clumsily splashing through the river behind them and turned to stare into its soulless eyes. Only then did she realize the danger.

Slowly, she backed away from it, never daring to look away. A low hiss rumbled from her throat and her hackles raised. The memory of how Ashpaw had returned to them, rugged and scarred and moons older, was sharp in her mind. That or worse would be their fate should they fall here. Fear rippled through her. Part of her wanted to fight the twoleg as she had Windclan, throw herself into battle to save herself and avenge her sister. She heeded the words of Cicadstar and her mother though, and stayed behind them.

Mosspaw hid behind the two greatest authorities in her life, ignoring her heart hammering in her chest, and waited for her next orders.​

 

[falcongaze]

❝ CALLIN' IT QUITS NOW ✧°.☀ ————————————
Twolegs.

Falconpaw had known them all of this early life. Living the sewers, they avoided them like the plague- and the twolegs did the same to the cats. To them, they were pests, only to be trapped and taken far away. Falconpaw had long since been told about how to stay away from them, how to avoid their traps and ploys. He was wise enough to remember everything he learned there, every pawstep and technique his father had drilled into Falconpaw as a young cat. His ears twitched as he heard snarling. Twolegs, and snarling. That could never be good.

Greeneyes and Falconpaw had been out doing a bit of hunting training nearby, but the sounds had caused pause to Falconpaw. A sidelong glance was given to Greeneyes before Falconpaw turned on his heel, probably ignoring the warrior's call to run to the situation.

After breaking out of the treeline, Falconpaw couldn't stop the gasp that rushed from his mouth as he stared at the Twoleg, then the patrol of Riverclan cats pressed into a corner just across the border. Avoid, Falcon. Don't let them see you. Once they know where you are, they'll come back with traps, food. Lures. Ver's words whispered in his ear, and he did just that- diving into a nearby bush, hiding under the leaves. Help was here, right? His ears were perked and strained, trying to see if any other cat was coming to help.

// not a daylight warrior but ants said it was okay <3

"SPEECH"

[penned by dallas - ☀]

———————————— ☀.°✧ BABY, I'M A WRECK ❞ ​

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[TIGGERBOUNCE]

"Hold up, Falconpaw, my old man legs can't walk that fast!" The ginger tom huffs and puffs as he picks up into a trot to catch up to the apprentice. Boy, oh boy, was that little guy fast, him and Greeneyes alike! Tiggerbounce couldn't really imagine why any cat would want to go anywhere that fast (unless, of course, it was salmon night at his Twoleg's house.) But there wasn't any freshly grilled salmon here so -

oh.

Oh, no.

Hisses and snarls and growls and yowls were ringing out from the far side of the river, a cacophony of anger and fear directed at what seemed to be just some hapless Twoleg, not too dissimilar to his own person. Thankfully, his person was far from this place and Cicadastar's anger (he was sure that his Twoleg would cry if they saw how the RiverClan leader was bristling now!) Falconpaw is quickly forgotten with Tiggerbounce instead surging forward to call out to the RiverClanners.

"HEY, come on over here! Come on, come on, get behind me and I'll distract 'em! No need -no, no need to attack!" He yells to the patrol, urging them towards his side of the river. There is a little shake in his voice, the shake of a cat who knows that he shouldn't allow another clan to trespass on SkyClan territory, but also the shake of a cat who doesn't want to see this Twoleg get hurt by cats with so much more experience than they could possibly imagine. He remembers the one time he had scratched his person out of anger, the yelp they had given. Tiggerbounce didn't want to see this Twoleg get hurt like that but worse.....​

 

[Johnnyflame]

HE SAID, "WELL MY NAME'S JOHNNY, AND IT MIGHT BE A SIN
BUT I'LL TAKE YOUR BET, AND YOU'RE GONNA REGRET, CUZ IM THE BEST THERE'S EVER BEEN."​

---

Johnny had been out hunting when the commotion broke through the otherwise peaceful woods around him, disturbing the gentle birdsong and the soft rustle of wind through the pine needles- cats, hissing and yowling. The fur along his shoulders bristled in alarm, the fresh scars along his chest and shoulders tingling with phantom pain at the memory of the Windclanners they'd caught trying to sneak into their territory. Claws flexed, eager to enter the fight again, but it took only the briefest of moments for logic to override instinct. Those sounds were coming from the Riverclan border, not the thunderpath that they'd caught the moor rats sneaking alongside. Cicadastar would never give permission to Sootstar and her followers to cross through Riverclan territory to get to Skyclan, which meant something else was happening.

The bobtail flew through the branches of the pines, abandoning his hunt to instead make his way toward the distressed calls.

"Oh, for the love of-"

A twoleg had backed some Riverclanners bank of the river. The cats looked ready to go mad with fear and rage, but to their credit they held the line, not backing farther into any other clans territory. Molten gaze assessed the scene quickly as Falconpaw and Tigger rrived below, and while Johnny didn't mark the twolegs behavior as aggressive, he imagined it wouldn't matter to the Riverclanners one way or another.

"HEY, come on over here! Come on, come on, get behind me and I'll distract 'em! No need -no, no need to attack!"

The bobtail frowned for a moment, but it wasn't a bad idea. Most of the Daylight warriors -himself included- were collared. Nobody would take them home thinking they were strays, and worst case scenario their owners would be called to pick them up from a shelter.

Of course, he wouldn't send another to do the dirty work.

"Cicadastar!" he called as he lept down from his pine and bound over to the rivers edge, molten eyes watching as the twoleg waded through the flowing water. "The twolegs- they aren't used to seeing cats so comfortable around water. It probably thinks you all need rescuing."he explained quickly. "We'll run interference while you all get clear."

It was nearly upon them now, and if the Riverclanners were going to make a run for it, now was their chance. The collared tom began to casual pace along the rivers edge, meowing to try and draw the twolegs attention to him and away from the hissing and spitting cats. He had a collar, after all- maybe they'd think he was lost and in need of 'rescuing' more than the 'ferals'?

---

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