camp A LITTLE HELL ♡ Acting Strange

[Petalnose]

A lone heart shot into rapid fires of thumping in a den full of lazy paces and long breaths. A quick jolt, violent and fast enough it seemed it could slice the wind. It had been followed by a hurry out of the den with raised fur, rushing into a heap of reeds frozen by the chill of morning leafbare. A pelt designed for the season; she disappeared into the underbrush with ease which had eventually brought her the comfort and moment alone she sought. Quickened breaths began to slow as Petalnose collected herself, drawing her tongue over fear-stricken fur. The steady wall of courage she possessed had seemed to be rebuild, but how long would it be until that wall crashed again? Had anyone seen her? She had not checked if she had woken her mate, neither knowing if they were awake in the first place. Neither had she checked if others had sighted the rarity that was of her expressing fear. Slowly she lowered and slinked when her breath steadied, shaky paws beginning to steady and claws sheathing. A cat that laughed in the face of fear and seek out for thrill had been shaken from a mere night terror. What could she be so afraid of?

// Takes after the oneshot!

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[Feathergaze]

Being the bundle of nerves that she was, Feathergaze was a light sleeper. Tossing and turning throughout the night was commonplace for her as her thoughts raced from one worry to another. So when one of the dozing bodies around her shot up, pale green eyes snapped open, her heart spooking like a farm beast. It's nothing. Someone's had a nightmare, or they need the dirt place. Sensitive ears twitched as whoever it was dashed by in a flurry of limbs and breath. Shot with the surge of adrenaline, yet still rather groggy, Feathergaze struggled to identify the scent as anyone specific. But there was a powerful overtone to whomever had fled. Fear.

Quietly, the silver warrior got to her paws, reaching forward in a quick stretch before slipping out of the den. Her eyes shone in the moonlight, forehead creasing as she glanced around the dim camp. Her fur ruffled as she struggled to make out her surroundings in the dark. Where did they go? Besides the distant forms of tonight's guards, Feathergaze couldn't see where her clanmate had gone. Surely they didn't go far? The air caught in her throat as her mind began to churn, thoughts of the worst scenarios circling like bloodthirsty sharks. What if they're hurt?
"Hello?" she called softly into the gloom, stepping one way, and then the other as she tried to follow the little signs she had. She cocked her head, breathing deep only to be met with chilled air and lingering fright. "Is someone out here? A-Are you alright? Maybe you were seeing things. Maybe it was your mind playing tricks on you, and you're the only cat even awake right now. Another act of foolishness for Lichentail, or whomever heard her talking to herself, to scorn at. The only sounds she heard now were the soft rustling of the reeds, and the never-ending flow of their beloved river.​

 

[hazecloud]

With the insulated warmth inside the nursery, Hazecloud normally would have been perfectly fine sleeping day in and day out in her nest. She did not have the bountiful energy that kept her ready to scale the mountain cliffs and trudge through the snow for days. Fatigue rose rather quickly now that she had more to carry, more weight to drag back and forth around camp.

All the right ingredients to remedy a peaceful sleep if it weren't for the dreams that made her stir. Her legs kicked and her claws flexed until she managed to wake herself up, still hearing the echo of braying hounds as she struggled to rise to her paws. A puff of air exhaled in exasperation while she tried to gain her bearings.

Moss. Sand. Ferns. Salt. Hazecloud grew steady as she named what she could see around her. Another night of unsatisfying sleep. Of course it had to be the hounds that followed her home, she couldn't come out of it all unscathed. She couldn't be that lucky.

In hope that some fresh air would help her nerves the molly quietly pushed her way through the nurserys entrance, careful not to wake up the sleeping kits inside. She tucked herself closely so that her left side faced the wall of the den and took in a few steady breaths. Feathergaze suddenly spoke into the dark and she nearly jumped in surprise, having not even noticed the other molly. Her Clanmate was not looking in her direction, though rather out into the patch of reeds.

"It's late, Feathergaze. Did you see something out here?" The queen glanced between where the warrior stood and where her sights had fallen, the taste of fear thick, and it wasn't her own.​

 

[RAVENSONG]

"If she did, she can handle it herself." Ravensong's quiet voice piped up not long after Hazecloud's conjecture. He had not seen the flash of brown and white or the startled breaths of the lead warrior, as he had been only half asleep in his den. Much like the queen, he had been startled from a restless sleep and believed a slow jaunt around the camp would ease his muscles back into sleepiness. StarClan knew how little he got.

"Since of course, Smokestar would not like a queen wandering outside of camp." His whiskers twitched with amusement, failing to notice the gravity of the situation at paw until he glanced back where Feathergaze had kept a trained interest in the reeds. His ears pricked, bracing for the worst, should it be a WindClan patrol or else.

☾₊ ⊹ темная ночь — dark is the night

•  
• 
  RAVENSONG of RIVERCLAN — LH BLACK POLYDACTYL MALE (CARRYING CINNAMON, DILUTE) a tall, slender creature with pitch-black feathery fur, large ears, and a sharply angled skull held up in an aloof manner. smells of dried herb, speaks with a low and rumbly accent and walks with an elegant slinking gait.
  
  — born in twolegplace and orphaned at a young age, he joined riverclan at its inception and began training as a drypaw warrior known for a bitter temperment until beesong made him his medicine cat apprentice. after his mentor's untimely death, he had been named ravensong at the moonstone, young heart revitalized with anger and guilt. he is a somber and thorough medicine cat that guards every word spoken in the confines of his den.
  
  — secretly loves "the stars but not so much what inhabits them"
  — openly suffers from chronic migraines
  — single, but "it's complicated"

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[Petalnose]

There were paw steps, which had made her tense. Petalnose didn't want to be approached. She didn't want to be sought out after. She didn't want to be seen vulrenable. Carefully she drew her back legs in and tucked her nose in her tail, closing her eyes in attempts to hide and absorb the peace being brought back in. However, it was quickly interupted with a confused call. Ears pulled back in a swift motion with lids shooting open in an annoyed glare in the direction of the call, resisting the urge to grumble. Silence was merely brought to her. Her known stealth holding against her own clanmates.

I just need a moment. I just need to relax. No one will ever know.

Hazecloud was then brought to the scene. The queen questioning of the timid feline and suspicion of the scent Petalnose had left behind. It was one of the last felines she had wanted to interact within the moment but a search party sent in concern of her was the last thing she wanted. Neither did she want to strike concern of an enemy lurking, an accidental attack performed upon her if happened to find her position camouflaged within the frozen reeds and snow.

Ravensong had given a vocal nudge to the soon to be mother, seeming to have little regard to the mystery coming to curiousity. The medicine cat was aware of her terrors, a leaf lacking of assistance to her. She wondered if he had really known it had been her. Although, she supposed she shouldn't have them on edge. A report to Smokestar of the suspicion had been the last of her wishes, accidentally bringing attention upon herself. It threated possible scolding for the inconvenience and scare.

A long huff of frustration flowed through the icy air, "...What..!" A hiss finally rose at the same chill air brought. Lanky limbs lifted upon tense muscles. Petalnose eased herself through the reeds, tugging and brushing back at her silky coat. "Can a cat get a bit of peace?" Low lashes of her tail displayed her displeasure, shaking her pelt with a grumble. Narrowed eyes flicked between them, preparing to draw up her walls for questions to come. Never had she felt truly cornered. However, it was now if she were a rat cornered by felines. Emotional defense and sour attitude would be her unforgiving bite.

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[Feathergaze]

The silver molly stood still a moment longer, pale nose twitching as she tried to unravel the scent before her. Her ears twitched back as Hazecloud called to her, and she turned her head somewhat sheepishly. Fishbones. Look, you’ve gone and woken one of the pregnant queens. Your thoughtfulness never ends, she thought angrily. And what was her excuse? Chasing after a phantom clanmate? Feathergaze liked Hazecloud. The queen was kind to her, and at the very least didn’t view her as incompetently as Lichentail (even if the deputy was right in their feelings). If the silver molly admitted to seeing things, Hazecloud probably wouldn’t be so understanding.
“O-Oh, good evening, Hazecloud. I, well… I-I thought that, maybe-”

Before she could trip over her own tongue any further, Ravensong called from the gloom. Immediately Feathergaze slammed her jaws shut, and her gaze dropped to the snow dusted ground. She could hardly stand to look at the medicine cat, or his apprentice, without a hidden spring bubbling up in her insides and threatening to drown her with sorrow and longing. You weren’t meant to be a medicine cat. It’s no use dwelling on it. She focused on breathing steadily, pelt twitching as the ebony tom chastised Hazecloud.
“Come now, Ravensong, i-it’s not so far. It’s my fault anyway, I must’ve woken her.” The venomous snakes of shame coiled around her heart, feeding on the spluttering well that seemed to never end. Thankfully, she did not have to sit with the feeling for long.

A sudden snap sharp as splintered bone erupted from the reeds. Slowly, a feline revealed themself- Petalnose. I did see someone! Relief at not being crazy after all mixed poorly with the sudden annoyance she was faced with. She never wanted to be followed.
“I… I’m really sorry Petalnose, I thought… Are you, alright?” Do I ask why she left so quickly? Do I go back to the den? StarClan, why didn’t I leave her be?​