ATTENTION &. leaving patrol

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

DON'T YOU GIVE ME UP, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP​

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"alright. this is it. i am sick of staying in this stars forsaken place. and if I have to smell one more thunderclanner, I might just vomit. so, i have compiled a patrol. we are going to get our camp back. rosemire, betonyfrost, stumpyspots, granitepelt, sabletuft and roosterstrut. we all will be going to camp and we will be driving those beasts from our home. as we did with the rats. overwhelm and overrun."

they huffed with a lash of their tail. they were tired. they wanted nothing more than to be in the confinement of their own camp. it was supposed to be safe there. they'd make it safe again– together.

"we move as one and we move together. let's go. the rest of you, stay, and await our return."

with a final flick of their tail, they rushed off, heading straight for their camp. they needed time to think. this was a dumb decision, but they could no longer sit around and do nothing. rushing them was the best choice they had.


// apologies for breaking this up into two threads! there will be a second one tomorrow going up in which the patrol will drive the bears out !!!
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[FERNDANCE]

Ferndance missed her hoard. Granted, she could not for the life of her remember what was in that hoard, but she missed it all the same. Hearing Chilledstar's voice, the cinnamon tabby moved closer to them, head tipped to one side like an owl's as they began to discuss their plan for dealing with the bear threat once and for all. Slow-blinking eyes begun to widen as she tried to confirm whether she'd heard him right - the patrol was going to fight the bears as they had done with the rats? She moved her paw, first hovering slightly above the ground and then to above her head, conceptualising the size difference between the two things and suddenly feeling quite relieved she was not on the rescue patrol (maybe she didn't miss her hoard that much). Offering a nod, the ticked tabby looked to each of the patrol members and let out a contemplative hum. Offering words of encouragement, she mewed, "You know... dying is bad for your health. So maybe... don't do that. Ok?" ​

 

[Starlingheart]

She cannot help but feel an intense fear at the sight of this patrol. In her short life, she had lost so so much. Her father, her mother, her mentor and brother, one of her closest friends and now her mate was joining their leader on this crazy suicide mission. Chilledstar was right, of course. They had to do something. Sitting around in this tunnel forever wasn't going to be an option, and she's certain that ThunderClan's hospitality would run out eventually. But why him? Why one of the few cats she has left that are close to her? She wants to go with them, to face the bear like they had that possum back when they were both apprentices, together.

She steps closer to that familiar gray pelt now, tears filling her eyes as she draws closer "Come-come back to us" she says quietly, not bothering to hide the tremble of fear that tints her voice. Surely the stars weren't so cruel that they would take her mate, her kits father, from her too, right? Nonetheless, she would pray until he safely returned.
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[hitch]

He's not very confident in Chilledstar's plan. One swipe from a bear might only take one of their lives, but that's all the rest of them have— and he's not counting on sheer dumb luck to ensure his survival. And he has an apprentice now, whose mother will be joining their patrol too, so if the bears take one look at their patrol and laugh in bear-speak, Comfreypaw might lose them both. He's not under the impression that he's very important to her, but it'd still be traumatic, wouldn't it?

Ah, shit.

He exhales and glances at Ferndance. He's not sure if the face he makes is very visible beneath all the mud he's voluntarily caked himself with. "Y'know, I hadn't thought about it like that," he says dryly. Nearby, Starlingheart engages tearfully with Granitepelt, drawing a deep grimace from Rosemire for several reasons. But it's time to go. He draws in a deep breath and follows their illustrious leader to potentially die charging bears.

I N F O R M A T I O N
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[ROOSTERSTRUT]

❪ TAGS ❫ — The red tabby pricks his ears up upon hearing his name called for duty. His eyes sweep over the party gathering behind Chilledstar; the warriors he would fight (and possibly die) with. This was it, then. Whether this plan worked or not, at least Chilledstar could say that they tried. It was easy to gamble on a life when they had several of them. Roosterstrut felt his heart beat faster and faster as reality began to settle in.

Ferndance, Swiftclaws, Betonyfrost's kits, Needledrift... His mind finally drifts to Rainecho, and he briefly looks for her among the crowd. Everything had happened so quickly; he wouldn't get a chance to say goodbye to her. A sorrowful pang weighs his heart down, so much so that it might sink to the bottom of his stomach. Part of him wants to tell her everything, just in case he wouldn't return, but he knows that would only complicate things.

A discomforted grimace flattens against his maw, but he ducks his head in an attempt to hide it, padding forth to join the patrol. He wouldn't be a liability today; he was a warrior and he would fight tooth and claw for his clan.

At least he could find an ounce of solace in the fact that Smogmaw would not be accompanying them. If he were to die today, he was glad that the deputy would not get the satisfaction of witnessing his gory end.​

 

[betonyfrost]

Uncertainty colors Betonyfrost’s expression as she comes to her spot in the patrol. Her heart still feels split down the middle; she still feels like she wants to break something unfixable, but Betonyfrost doesn’t want to die. Betonyfrost wants to fight, she wants somewhere to put all the anger that has settled for so long beneath her pelt, but she hardly wants to fight a bear. She looks to Chilledstar, wishes she could muster up a glare at them, and instead settles besides Ferndance.

“StarClan,” Betonyfrost starts, her gaze skyward despite the tangled branches above blocking a direct view, “I know you’ve looked out for me before, I know you’ve kept me alive when I could have died, and I hate to ask so much of you again but — but keep me safe,” She glances about herself and then, as an afterthought adds, “Keep this patrol, keep ShadowClan safe.”​

shadowclan queen | blue mackerel tabby | 20 moons | tags​

 

[STUMPYSPOTS]

STUMPYSPOTS ♀​ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♡ ♡​

Stumpyspots thought this mission was absolutely frog-brained, and she cannot believe she’s allowing herself to go on it. She loves ShadowClan and wants the camp back as much as any of them, she hates living underneath the thunderpath and within ThunderClan land. Yet charging after bears? Overwhelming them? Was that really possible? She frowns and her tail lashes to and through, she was raised to be a soldier of the marshes and in foolish loyalty pads to join the small patrol. ”StarClan save us all…”

 

[Emberpaw]

“You’re… You’re leaving? T-to fight the bears?”

Emberkit crept out from the depths of the tunnel, muscles aching from days of tension. Every time a monster roared above their heads she cowered, trembling as memories of the day her and her sibling had gotten lost resurfaced. Chilledstar had a plan, a plan to return all of Shadowclan to their rightful home. But… What if they never get to see it?

She didn’t want to cry. No, that was a lie, of course she wanted to cry. She didn’t want Chilledstar to see her cry. They were leader of the whole clan, they were tough and strong, and so she needed to be tough and strong too. But the child darted forward, weaving between the brave warriors chosen for the task, and pressed her forehead into ebony fur.
“O-okay. But you’ll come back, right? You’ll be okay, just like before.” Her words were weak, exhaled through sniffles and a cracking throat. They were the wrong words. Don’t go. Please don’t go. Stay here, with me. It’s safe here. She wasn’t allowed to say those words. Betonyfrost was there, somewhere behind her, watching. The molly already disliked her. She was sure to hate a snivelling kit even worse.

 

[smogstar]

Resignation adds a rough edge to his features as he draws upon the outward-bound patrol. After a half-moon of equal parts struggling and suffering, with a few vain attempts at discussion thrown into the mix, this is supposed to be the brilliant idea that liberates their home once and for all. They intend to run at the bears head-first and hope for the best, and nothing more, and nothing less. Truly the magnum opus of ShadowClan's cunning ingenuity. Granted, present circumstances have turned superficial hopes into the sole anchor for his clanmates. They weren't really equipped with much else.

Semi-lidded eyes skim over those embarking on this patrol. Roosterstrut and Betonyfrost included, recent events aside. His ears catch utterances of prayer, soft pleas to the stars above so as to guarantee their divine protection. Yellowed teeth would reveal themselves in a bleak grimace. Their faith is misplaced—it ought to be invested in the capabilities of their own prowess, not in cosmic forces that won't halt the jaws of a bear. "We're relying on you," he reminds them sourly. "Confuse them, but don't get too close. They're as unpredictable as they are stupid." Funnily enough, this description could be attached to the average ShadowClan cat as well. Maybe, just maybe, the bears will meet their match.​

 

[Frostbite]

Frostbite seethed at not being chosen. He wanted to go, he wanted to sink his claws and teeth into those wretched beasts. He wanted to rip kill and maim. He dug his claws into the ground. He looked over those chosen, wondering if this was the last time he would see them. There was only one cat there he wouldn't really care about if they died, and that was Granitepelt.

The darker recesses of his mind whispered to him, Why couldn't it have been him to die? He was on that fateful patrol, and managed to be among those to escape the bear. He cursed the bear for going for Poppypaw over Granitepelt. He cursed fate for being so cruel. But perhaps there was a chance this time that fate would correct itself and rid them of the vile parasite that stuck to Starlingheart like a leech.

"They'll be fine." He says to those worried. At least two of them will come running back when things get scary. He thinks to himself as he looks to Betonyfrost and Granitepelt. He does not trust either of them to help their clanmates if they were in danger. He wonders what Chilledstar is thinking, choosing them.

"Some of our fiercest are in this group, those bears are nothing compared to them." He says. Betonyfrost and Granitepelt's vile attitudes combined may just scare those bears off.

Perhaps it was best that he not go, he wasn't in his right mind anyways. He'd have to be content to seethe right here while he waits for them to return.

((Ic opinions im sry hes horrible))​

 

[GRANITEPELT]

Granitepelt, like the others, feels as though they are marching toward their deaths with Chilledstar at their helm. Attacking the bears is a suicide mission; surely their brave leader knows this firsthand, after dying to a single blow from their claws. He knows, too—it had taken mere seconds for Poppypaw to be rendered speechless. Still a blessing; he supposes he can’t fault the bears too terribly much.

He is stoic beside the others. Betonyfrost and Stumpyspots mumble prayers—the former selfish, the latter vague. Roosterstrut takes calming breaths, looking determined. He flicks his forest-shadow eyes over the other ShadowClanners, all of them looking at those doomed with different expressions. Worry, pity, nonchalance, hope. He is searching for only one cat, and she comes to see him off with tear-filled eyes. “Come back to us,” she murmurs, and he’s reminded again of the kits she carries. Us. It’s strange to think of them that way—that soon they will be living, breathing cats, and not just a fairy tale they hold between them at night.

Granitepelt gently presses his muzzle to her cheek. “I have to come back. I promised I’d never leave you, and I mean it.” He ignores any looks of malice or contempt thrown his way—the majority of ShadowClanners are insignificant, no better than parasites. Why it’s taken him so long to realize this, he doesn’t know. The blinders have been removed, and now he knows. Pitchstar, Ghostpaw, Poppypaw—they are representatives of a whole… not the outliers he’s always considered them.

Nevertheless. It is his home, and it is where Starlingheart has made her life. He will not do anything to jeopardize their place here. If Chilledstar demands he fight a bear, he will fight a bear—or, at least, he’ll make it look like he’s fighting a bear, if he can pull it off.

He delivers a tender lick to a velvety black ear. “I love you. Say a prayer for me.” Perhaps StarClan will watch over them after all—surely being the medicine cat’s mate means something to them?
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[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

 

[GECKOSCREECH]

much like everyone else, geckoscreech had an apprehensive view about this whole plan that was scrounged up. she understood the restlessness that plagued the clan from being cooped up beneath the thunderpath for so long and only recently did howlingstar give them permission to linger upon her lands until then but to suddenly decide to take those beasts head on was short of insane! she had half a mind to march over and cuff her mate around the ears to see if it'd knock some sense into them so that they can see how ridiculous they sounded declaring this but refrained, maybe it'll happen when the patrol comes back. if they come back.

geckoscreech shook her head, no, she couldn't be thinking such grim thoughts already but how could anyone think otherwise? the lead warrior slinks forwards until she finds herself besides emberkit, slender tail curling around the small child in a comforting gesture. "don't worry sweetheart, they'll come back because if they don't i'll personally drag them back from starclan myself." it's spoken cooly, purposely leaving out a few colorful things while giving chilledstar a slightly narrowed gaze. eight lives or one, they've already suffered enough loss as is and they can't risk adding more to the growing pile. geckoscreech pressed her muzzle against an ebony cheek, breathing in her mates familiar scent one more time before they needed to depart. "return to us triumphant. . . all of you." her voice was soft in the beginning but raised in volume when pulling away and watched as the patrol rushed off towards the direction of camp.
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∘₊✧ ONE LAST LIFELINE, I'M HANGING HIGH. ✧₊∘​

 

[RIBBITLEAP]

Like most of the clan, Ribbitleap is wary of the plan that's brought forth. Going back to camp, driving off the beasts - the bears, whose claws brought thick scars along the Great Sycamore, who were swift in delivering killing strikes.

It doesn't sound like a good idea, trying to mess with them. Merely, a means of having to bury another, a means of Chilledstar taking a step closer to the stars - one more step towards further heartbreak and grief for his mother.

He can't help the relief that he feels in his name not being called forth, and can't help to be glad that his mother's name was omitted too. The brown tabby moves to stand beside Geckoscreech to say his farewells to the patrol. A temporary one, he hopes - a silent begging to the stars above that this plan will go smoothly.

Ribbitleap's gaze flickers down to Emberkit, to his mother's tail wrapped around the child. If his stomach wasn't already twisting at the likelihood of the patrol failing to return, it would be twisting at the sight before him. Another topic of conversation left for later, another moment to delay the fear of his inevitable replacement.

"They'll be fine," he finds himself saying to Emberkit, to Geckoscreech, a twitch of his tail following. He looks to the patrol, a nod in acknowledgement. "Stay safe out there, yeah?" A green gaze moves to Chilledstar, a small frown pulling at his face. Don't let us lose anyone else.
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[Rainecho]

"Wait!" She calls out as she runs forward, eyes wild and desperate. She was afraid she had missed the patrol, afraid that if this was goodbye forever she wouldn't get the opportunity to see everyone for the last time. Okay Okay, she says everyone but really there is only one cat who her wide eyes search for in the crowd. When finally her gaze settles upon ginger fur she can feel her heart alight. It wasn't too late... Relief floods nearly every bone in her body, but the battle was not over yet. She would truly be able to breathe easily when everyone came home safe. She doesn't trust StarClan, not even in the slightest, but even she had said prayers to them in hopes that they would heed her maybe just this once. Perhaps they would take pity on them and spare them even one more loss.

When she comes to a stop in front of the cat that she had been searching for she lays something at his feet. A plant, white petalled and oh so familiar. The very same kind of flower she had been plucking the petals off of that one day that seemed like it was moons ago now. He loves me, he loves me not. "Sorry I know I'm late but I had to grab this. For you. Perhaps it will keep you safe." She wishes she was going with, she does not trust anyone to look out for her dear friend but she has to have faith that he could take care of himself and that he would pull through.

There are words perched on the tip of her tongue, things that she wants to say, but if he didn't come back what was the point? It was better to save herself the heartache and so she bites her lip instead, worried eyes trained on the warriors face, trying to commit every last detail to memory. Just in case.

Someone behind her says that they'll be okay. For everyone's sake she just hopes they are right.
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