AT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY [ prompt / bird ]

[batwing]

.i'll be your calm, —————————

————————— before the storm!.

▵ ———————— ◮ ———————— ▵

A hunting patrol. One that was far unassuming, one that would hopefully go well for those on his ankles. The mice were small, the voles gone, and the squirells hibernating. And the unlucky few that decided to wander the snow in front of them, leaving tracks and scent paths, would go into hungry bellies tonight. Batwing stepped through the snow, quiet as he head through the trees, vision staring around. Dead brush, dying ferns, cold grass. He really did hate leafbare.

Thoughts were churning- particularly about the fact that his kits were going to eat them all out of house and home- when something cast from above. Light was there one moment, twinkling off of the snow, and then it was swept dark. Eyes tilted backwards, up towards the sky, towards the very thing that created the shadow. He inhaled sharply, teeth gritting.

Red feathers, flecked with white at their tips. A cruel, gleaming beak and beady eyes stared down at him as it started to descend in a swoop. There was little prey out here, besides themselves. A roar leaf him, mouth snapping out orders. "GET TO COVER- DO NOT MOVE ALONE!" It was like watching a movie over again, slow motion and red in his vision. Little Wolf's body lay in the snow. It was in the snow. The red was in the snow-

He dove away as the bird narrowly avoided him. He whipped around, teeth snapping at a taloned hand that swung past. He missed, of course- the bird was far too fast for him to actually get a blow in. His vision searched for the nearest cat, whoever was frozen in place- and ran into them, knocking shoulders. "Come on, move! Get beneath any brush that you can!" He knew they were sitting ducks out here- they were dark pelted and obvious against the white ground beneath the dead canopy.

I can't let it happen again.

// 'a shadow' was the prompt!

"speech"​

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[FALCONHEART]

The young warrior enjoys going on patrols with the clan’s lead warriors—most of them are friendly, and he admires the authority that comes with the skill each of them possesses. And as the coldest weather continues to encroach on their territory, Falconheart feels most comfortable following behind a warrior more capable than himself. He’s admittedly more focused on finding prey than he is on the sky, and so he doesn’t notice the bird until Batwing calls attention to it. The lead warrior’s shout fills him with panic, and even as he wills himself to move, to run, Falconheart finds that his legs have gone stiff. He can’t move. He’s staring down death in the face, they all are. The birds dives for Batwing and barely misses—he thinks of Little Wolf, who had died protecting a SkyClanner from a bird like this one. This bird could kill him, could kill Batwing. It could kill all of them.

The dark form of the lead warrior crashes into him, shoving against his shoulder, and finally Falconheart’s paws shift from where they’d felt stuck. He obeys the other tom’s order as best he can, darting beneath the tangle of a bare bush. The leaves have been stripped away with the chill of winter—there’s not much to hide in here. But what can he do, other than throw himself at the bird and hope that its talons aren’t as sharp as those that killed Little Wolf? "What do we do?" He calls out, ducking farther into the brush. His pelt surely stands out as a tan smear against the pale snow, but he can only hope that the dried underbrush will disguise him well enough. He doesn’t want to die.​

[ find me way out there ]​

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[Shinebug]

Shinepaw had gone on this patrol with the silent hope that he’d learn a thing or two. The tomcat was eager to accompany a lead warrior, someone experienced he could try and emulate. Flycatcher was a good teacher - as a matter of fact he was fantastic - but the shaft of sunlight thought it prudent to drink from many wells, as it were.

The anxious apprentice was practically Batwing’s shadow, seemingly under the impression that emulating pawsteps was enough to inherit one’s skill. But as the day drew on and it became clear that being a lead warrior didn’t make prey appear any easier, Shinepaw began to strike out on his own. The tomcat was sniffing around a bush a few fox-lengths away when the panicked scream sent a chill down his bones.

The boy dove into the bush, not even knowing what was happening until sky-blue eyes caught the speeding blur soar past. Seconds later, he was joined by Batwing and falconheart. Seeing the fear written on their faces was quick to send tears streaming down Shinepaw’s own. The boy tried to stuff his all-too-long pelt into the brush as best he could, but flame-colored streaks still managed to poke out.

“I’m scared…” Shinepaw admits, stifling his sobs enough to at least keep relatively quiet.​

 

[FALLOWBITE]

( ⁀➷ )　 Leaving camp should be exciting. It means freedom, it means a chance to search for her mother. Still, there's a lingering fear that has Fallow's fur on edge. It doesn't quite remember where the owl's path had laid, memories far too hazy. This, of course, means that it could be anywhere, waiting for the chance to snatch her up and finish what it started.

The momentary dim of a passing shadow makes Fallow's paws freeze.

Distantly, automatically, she feels her eyes turns skywards. It's already swooping, this feathered thing, sharper than the owl and so much faster. A growl rises in her throat, small body beginning to shake. The first yell is unheeded, Fallow rooted in place by claws digging hard into the earth. She'll face it again, as she did before, she's bigger now, she can fight it off --

The bird's talons narrowly miss Batwing, and Fallow can't help but feel relieved. Maybe it hasn't noticed her yet.

The lead warrior crashes into Falconheart, commanding movement, and Fallow is quick to follow. She trails the young warrior like a shadow, paws swift and eyes glassy. Takes cover among the brush, with three cats far bigger than her. Maybe they'd make better meals, then. It can take Batwing or Shinepaw instead. Fallow won't let it take her (or Falconheart, he's one of the few cats she actually likes).

The apprentice bristles its fur and stares through the gaps in the branches. It's shaking, hard, teeth bared in a snarl. "Go away, go away..." Fallow chants weakly, fear thrumming its course throughout her small form.

WEARING CROWNS ⁀➷ OF TWIGS AND LEAVES 【 11.4.23 】

• //
  ​

• "SPEECH"

• ˏˋ　°　•　*⁀➷ FALLOWPAW.　THUNDERCLAN APPRENTICE. SHE / HER & IT / ITS.
  4 MOONS & AGES ON THE 1ST.　PENNED BY SATURNID.
  
  
  

  ➳ A SCARRED, POINTED BROWN MOLLY WITH PATCHY WHITE SPOTTING.

  
  NPC xx NPC. ADOPTED BY TANSYSHINE. ADOPTIVE SIBLING TO TIGERPAW & SHARDPAW.

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[batwing]

.i'll be your calm, —————————

————————— before the storm!.

▵ ———————— ◮ ———————— ▵

One warrior- fresh at that- and two apprentices. His ears flattened. The chances of them successfully fighting was not a good one, so his head turned towards those jammed in the bush with him, taking stock of them. No injuries, besides the fear-scent that permeated the air. He inhaled sharply, mind racing with what to do before he managed a solution. "All of you, shh." It wasn't a cold tone that left him, it was a warm one- full of worry, but not fear.

His gaze turned back out towards the cold snow, where the bird was circling high in the trees. "We're gonna be okay, we just need to be swift, and quiet. Can you guys hold it together for me?" Batwing asked, vision still out on the snow. He inhaled softly, tail twitching before he turned to look back towards- he was considering them his charges, for now. They were his charges, he realized. The burn in the back of his throat made him realize he needed to help, no matter what happened.

"Fallowpaw, Shinepaw, you two are going to go first. Falconheart, you'll go next, then myself. I'm going to draw it's attention briefly w hile you three dash out of here. Head. Towards. Camp." His eyes flashed over each of them briefly. "Keep to the bushes, hide under roots if- if something happens, and it comes after you. Okay?" He didn't want to think about that. He didn't want to think about ending up on the snow, with his sides dipped in his own blood, like Little Wolf. But there was no argument.

"If it's clear, you run." Batwing stated. He poked his head out of the brush- eyes on the sky. "Move, go!" Batwing said, dashing out of the bush. He'd run into the plain snow, and as soon as the bird was turned back on him- the hawk's eyes were gleaming, he swore he could see it- he was running perpendicular from where the three other cats were hopefully escaping to.

// bird WILL be chasing batwing! now is the time to escape

"speech"​

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[Shinebug]

Shinepaw worked to stifle both sobs and tears, eventually whittling the former down to a few occasional gasps (though with no progress on the latter). The apprentice’s own anxieties weren’t helping anything either. He was the only one crying, after all. What did that say about him? The ball of nerves was nearly twelve moons old, yet he was still acting like a sniveling toddler. He should-

Batwing’s words snapped the shaft of sunlight out of his brief mental spiral, and brought him back down to earth. Shinepaw nodded shakily as the warrior asked them to hold it together, determined to do his best but well aware that it may not be good enough.

Its only a few moments later when he’s urging them out of their meager hiding spot, and sun-drenched legs are quick to carry the apprentice away. Flame-pointed ears work overtime, anxiously awaiting the screech of the bird he was certain would be after him. In a way, it was like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Shinepaw snapped a branch as he ran, and the sudden sound caused the crying cat to dive for cover with a shriek, convinced of his own demise. After a few moments, though, the boy realized his mistake and kept moving.​

 

[FALCONHEART]

Shinepaw and Fallowpaw join them in hiding from the bird, and guilt strikes him as he realizes that he hadn’t considered that the younger ThunderClanners could need help to get to safety. He looks to Fallowpaw especially—it had come here by way of a bird, and surely the brown-furred apprentice is wildly afraid. Under her breath, she mutters for the bird to go away, and Falconheart shifts closer to her side. "We’ll be fine, I—I promise," he murmurs to the younger cat, hoping to help calm her down. Despite the pounding of his heart, he knows that panicking won’t help any of them here. The gleaming of sharp talons is a terrifying sight, but the more they panic, the more likely it is that the bird will attack them.

Batwing assures them that they’ll be fine, and Falconheart glances between the two apprentices as the lead warrior explains the plan. Of course Batwing’s plan is to distract the bird himself; he’s braver than Falconheart could ever hope to be. With a concerned frown and a furrowed brow, the young warrior nods once in response before turning and ushering the apprentices out of their hiding spot. "Go, go!" He’s moving quickly through the underbrush, not yet breaking into a full run—he has to make sure that Shinepaw and Fallowpaw will make it to camp before him. Batwing is strong enough to distract the bird, but if he… if he doesn’t make it, then it’s up to Falconheart to save them all. He knows he can’t fight anything so intimidating, but maybe he could buy the others enough time to get to safety.

As he runs, he glances back in the direction the lead warrior had run in. He can’t see Batwing, but he sees a flash of feathers, and he sends a silent prayer to the stars that the warrior will be alright.​

[ find me way out there ]​

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