behind the hills | territory tour

[Howlfire]

Trudging through the snow, Howlfire leads her new apprentice towards the border with ThunderClan. If the weather had been better, she might have considered taking Whitepaw to the border with RiverClan, but as it were, she decided to stick with the clan that was closest. Besides, there was always another day to do that. "So," Howlfire said, turning back to speak with her apprentice. "What do you think about being outside of camp again?" Technically, since Whitepaw had been an abandoned kittypet, he had been out of camp before. However, some time had passed since then and that hadn't been in this part of the forest, so she expected the experience might have been a bit different for him.

"Up ahead is our border with ThunderClan. Can you smell their scent?" She gestured for him to follow her actions in taking a sniff of the air, taking in not only the scents of the two clans, but other forest scents as well. "ThunderClan dwells in the forest like SkyClan, though you won't see many of them hunting or climbing in the trees like our clanmates," She laughed a little at that. "One day, I'll show you how to climb a tree if you'd like?"

@Whitekit ​

 

[Scarletpaw]

Scarletpaw had been crouched low by the border, her split gaze sharp as she scans the snow-covered terrain. The fresh scent of SkyClan drifts toward her, carried on the frosty breeze. Her patrol is somewhere close. They'd split up to hunt and are supposed to meet here soon, but for now, she is alone - except for the voices she can hear just ahead.

Her ears flick at the sound of a she-cat's laughter and she protectively places a paw on her catch - a thrush. She pushes herself to her paws and picks up her prey before stepping closer to the scent line until the figures of a SkyClan warrior and her apprentice come into view. A quick glance is all she needs to size them up - a sturdy-looking she-cat and a younger tom, clearly new to training. Little does she know she is staring right at her aunt.

"Some of us climb trees," The tortoiseshell calls out after dropping the bird, her voice cutting through the snowy stillness. Maybe not her herself…she hasn't really learned, but she will uphold ThunderClan's pride regardless. She steps fully into view now, her orange-and-blue eyes locking onto Howlfire with a challenging edge. Her tone is deceptively calm, but the faint lash of her tail gives away her prickling irritation. "But I have heard of SkyClan cats stumbling through the undergrowth. Must be hard to stick to your precious trees when you're patrolling the ground." Oh yes, she certainly had heard of the situation of SkyClanners trying to mark their oak forest territory. She doesn't easily forget it.

Her gaze flicks to the apprentice, her expression unreadable. Teaching him to look down on ThunderClan already, maybe? It's bold, bringing him this close. Scarletpaw plants her paws firmly in the snow, her shoulders squared. "So, what's the lesson today? How not to cross a border? Or do SkyClan cats still think they own our forest too?"

// I am so so sorry for her omg @RACCOONSTRIPE
​

 

[roaringsun]

〔✦〕I need to stop patrolling here so often. He thinks, a frown etching itself on his face; if any of his clanmates noticed, he'd just tell them he had an upset stomach or something like that. Trouble always seemed to happen at this border when he was around, and it probably would continue so even if he wasn't, but out of sight out of mind.

Howlfire is the face that appears today, followed by an apprentice who might as well be snow who'd become alive. Fitting for the season, hehe. He smiles at the Skyclanners, recalling the previous conversation he'd had with the she-cat at the Gathering. "Hi, Howlfire! And who's that—" he gets cut off by Scarletpaw who is just as hostile as she usually is. Thought the latest victim of her words is none other than her kin. . .

The warrior grimaces, amber gaze staring at the tri-colored apprentice and then at Raccoonstripe. Knowing the tom, he would most likely let that slide. Roaringsun rushedly steps forward, gently bumping into the she-cat's shoulders. "Scarletpaw, Howlfire is a Lead Warrior of SkyClan," he speaks through gritted teeth, hoping it wouldn't escalate into a fight. Leaning in closer so only she could hear, he continued: "and your aunt."

I took a little journey to the unknown ( Ive come back changed, I can feel it in my bones ) //

• ooc. @Berrypaw.
• ROARINGSUN —— warrior of thunderclan , mentor to berrypaw . npc x npc . littermate to npcs ✦ penned by nocthymia
  ✦ male / he/him / 15 moons & ages every 14ᵗʰ
  ✦ single / orientation & poly or mono / open/closed to romance
  ✦ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / underline & tag account when attacking
  —— combat details here / battle notes
  
  ✦ "speech", 'thoughts', all opinions are in character
  ✦ tags — msg on discord (hypmic) for plots — toyhouse
  
• reference image here
  

  a longhaired flame sepia with low white and amber-brown eyes.

​

 

[Palefire]

Palefire's thoughts aligned with Roaringsun's as their patrol moved along the border. She'd gotten into a bit of trouble with Skyclan over the past few moons, as had many of their other warriors (like Raccoonstripe, who was with them now). They were already fighting a war on two different fronts, and it was a bad idea to keep pushing at their tenuous relationship with a third. Could they afford to go to battle with their pine-dwelling neighbors as well? Unfortunately, this leafbare was proving exceptionally harsh, and tensions were high. She would do what she must to keep Thunderclan afloat, even if it meant pissing off Skyclan.

But of course, it had to be Howlfire. Her skin flushed as her group approached the pair of Skyclanners, her eyes narrowing on the lead warrior. The last time they had met, Palefire had been stealing prey, and Howlfire had attacked her for it. The lynx-point couldn't blame the other molly; it was precisely what she would've done in the same situation. But it made things awkward, the air growing tense as she strode closer. "Howlfire," she greeted curtly, offering a brief head tilt. She was obviously out with a new apprentice, based on the little lesson being doled out.

Before she could attempt any strained pleasantries, Scarletpaw opened her mouth and started on a barrage of passive-aggressive comments. The warrior's spine tingled with irritation, her ears flattening as her head whipped around to the tortoiseshell. Palefire didn't hold any fondness for Skyclan, nor did she always act kindly while on patrol, but an apprentice should know their place when speaking to senior warriors (even though she had done the same to Orangeblossom back when she was an apprentice; that was beside the point).

"Scarletpaw, behave," she chided in a clipped tone. Raccoonstripe may not like her scolding his apprentice, but she didn't imagine the dark tabby would do it himself. The lilac molly turned to her own apprentices then, though her stern gaze lingered obviously on Meadowpaw. "That goes for you two as well. If you have nothing polite to say, you'd better keep it to yourself." Her little spitfire had ignored her direct orders the last time they encountered Howlfire, throwing herself into the fight after Palefire told them both to run home. It was likely that neither Scarletpaw nor her sister yet knew of their relation to the torbie standing across from them.

---

‎‎ooc ♡ info

• [ apprentice tags @Meadowpaw @ivorypaw ]

• 

• 
  PALEFIRE ♡ she / her, warrior of thunderclan, 22 moons
  ⭃ lh lilac lynx point w/ low white and striking blue eyes
  ⭃ single, crushing on no one // npc x npc
  ⭃ mentoring meadowpaw & ivorypaw // mentored by nightbird
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted // all opinions ic
  ⭃ underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by limerence ↛ @limericks. on discord, dm for plots

 

[Howlfire]

They aren't kept waiting long until ThunderClan makes their presence known. As Howlfire scans the faces of some of those present, her heart sinks to see Palefire and Raccoonstripe among their number, having to psych herself up for what she anticipates will be some verbal abuse from their forest neighbours. Roaringsun is pleasant enough, as is Palefire - which was a relief to Howlfire after their previous encounter on this border. Before she can return any pleasantries of her own, or encourage Whitepaw to do so, she is cut off by the words of Raccoonstripe's apprentice. Not only are her words passive aggressive, but the look she gives both Whitepaw and Howlfire is downright hostile. So, what's the lesson today? How not to cross a border? Or do SkyClan cats still think they own our forest too?

Howlfire lets out a small chuff of amusement at the younger she-cat's words, though her expression remains unreadable. She knows she should be keeping things civil, and any other time she might, but she won't allow Whitepaw's first time exploring this border to be tainted by this. She wants her apprentice to keep a level head for most of the time but also to know when to stand his ground and defend himself. Best to start him early, Howlfire thinks, it already seems ThunderClan are sneering at him by virtue of merely being a SkyClan cat. "Why don't you tell me?" Howlfire responds with a question of her own. "Does ThunderClan still think they can steal another clan's prey and not face any repercussions?" She blinked innocently. Leaving her words in the air for the moment, she turns towards her apprentice. "Don't worry Whitepaw, not all the apprentices you meet will be so quick to judge," She assured him, leaning in close so that only he could hear her.

At the very least, the situation from the ThunderClan side is quelled by Roaringsun and Palefire, who remind the apprentice to show some respect. With only her and her apprentice, Howlfire was not looking for a fight. ​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Their patrolmates are right to think Raccoonstripe would remain quiet while Scarletpaw berated Howlfire to her face. The tabby looms behind the tortoiseshell she-cat, his single dark eye scraping over first his torbie niece and then the ivory-pelted apprentice at her side. His whiskers tremble with amusement as Scarletpaw outright challenges Howlfire, reminding her of SkyClan's transgression against ThunderClan.

Roaringsun and Palefire are quick to shush his apprentice; he does not spare either of them a glance. Instead, he seeks Howlfire's amber gaze, his smile languid. "Let's not pretend SkyClan is above it all. We caught your scent in our territory when the cold snap came, too." His coal-dark eye narrows. The wind streaks through his thick tabby fur, but he does not pull away from its bite.

He does not bother correcting Roaringsun's assertion that Howlfire is kin to Scarletpaw. He had told his mother over and over again that Howlfire, Fireflyglow, and Lakemoon had chosen to sever their bond when they'd pledged loyalty to a Clan not his own. ThunderClan comes before blood, and he hopes it's a lesson Scarletpaw will learn herself.

"Continue to mark this border well. We wouldn't want our friends in SkyClan to forget where it is again, would we?" His gaze settles on the white-furred apprentice, and though he does not raise his hackles or bare his teeth, the message is clear.

… ❞​

​