BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS ☾✩ raccoonstripe

[nightbird]

there were reports back of a fox making it's way far enough into the territory for a handful of cats to come into contact with it. after a few hours, her fur still prickled. how was it that a fox got in so deep? she wanted to blame everyone for their lack of alertness, but that wasn't fair. she hadn't scented it either. her patrol had been set on the opposite side of the forest, but on her way back she didn't even think twice about checking for intruders.

hopefully it had been scared of by the thunderclanners, at least enough to lose the desire to hunt in their territory again. she and raccoonstripe were paired off, sent to make sure that was the case. nightbird raised her head, scanning the camp for the tabby. surely he was ready, the sun was beginning to set and if they wanted to make it back by dark they would have to make haste. the smoke molly had no luck and with a sigh she made her way to the camp entrance, stopping to get help from an npc warrior. "if you see racconstripe, tell him i'm waitin," a swift turn on her head and she was leaving through the tunnel, sitting ever so patiently by the entrance.

// @RACCOONSTRIPE ​

[ ☾✩ ]​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

A fox in their territory. It's the season for such things -- he wonders if it's a female, if it's kitted and stashed its cubs somewhere for an unlucky patrol to stumble upon. Raccoonstripe has been tasked, along with his fellow lead warrior Nightbird, to ensure it isn't lurking about ThunderClan's part of the forest.

The sun smolders like violence in the sky, blood-red and fire causing the black she-cat's outline to grow warm. He dips his head to her -- the greeting of an equal to an equal. "No need," he tells the NPC smoothly. He smiles disarmingly at Nightbird. "Let's go for our romantic stroll already. With any luck, we'll catch some moonlight."

The dark tabby plunges through the gorse tunnel, his ringed tail fluffed out behind him and high with confidence. The shadows in the forest deepen as they patrol, becoming longer, velvety with darkness. The insects begin to sing their night song. An owl hoots, somewhere -- it sends a thrill through him.

He turns to Nightbird, close by. "Is this where they said it'd be?" He tastes the air and throws her a puzzled look. "What do you think?"​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[nightbird]

a dismissive ear would flick at the tabby's comment, his grin would not be met with more than a slight quirk of her brows. perhaps if this were a more lighthearted quest she would partake in his strange games, but until it was ensured that their territory was safe from predators she had little desire to do so.

nightbird followed him out through the tunnel, paws meeting the ground swiftly in order to keep up with her taller comrade. they moved silently, allowing her ears to focus on the subtle breeze racking the lush trees. as the shadows grew around them, eventually covering the whole forest, her gaze grew keener. no movement would be missed amongst the background stillness.

they trail they followed was faint, edging out of the oaks. that was good, let it terrorize some other clan. it began mingling with the thunderpath as well as fresher scents, ones that didn't signify danger. they halted and she found herself echoing raccoonstripe's action of parting her jaw slightly, tasting the air. "said they chased it over the thunderpath. doesn't seem to have come back for more," she answered, relief running down her spine, relaxing her muscles slightly. all vulpine scents were dull as hoped, she felt safe saying that it had fled for good.

the soft trickle of a stream met her ears, making her realize the dryness in her throat. wordlessly she turned away, flicking her tail at the other lead warrior in a beckoning motion before heading to it. nightbird paused, dipping down to lap from the clear water before bringing herself up to sit. "you take all of thunderclan's eligible on fox hunts?" she poked, tail moving to cover her paws. it was not a secret that her fellow lead warrior was popular amongst pining she-cats. however, despite his charisma he had not yet seemed to land a mate. whether that was due to choice, or a poor taste for dates was unbeknownst to her.​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Nightbird's lack of reaction to his harmless flirtation doesn't deter Raccoonstripe at all. They slip through the undergrowth together with relative ease, and the trail slowly begins to lead out of their territory. "Said they chased it over the Thunderpath. Doesn't seem to have come back for more."

The tabby tastes the air again, and punctuates her assessment with a curt nod. "Let ShadowClan deal with it," he says uncharitably. He wouldn't mind the fleabitten mud-dwellers having to fight off a fox. As long as his own Clanmates are safe, it's none of his concern.

Raccoonstripe follows Nightbird as the tension leaves her shoulder. He watches her taste the cold stream; her question brings his grin back. "Why? Is this your way of telling me my charms aren't working?"

His whiskers tremble as he lowers his snow-white muzzle to the water. He laps thoughtfully at the water before responding, "If it works once, I'll be sure to use it more often, that's for sure." He's never seen Nightbird padding after any cat in the Clan... part of him wonders if it's because she's not interested in romance or family at all.

Is she as ambitious as he? He narrows his dark eyes as he studies her. Some cats crave power more than anything. He is unabashedly one of them.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[nightbird]

a sarcastic huff passes through her black nose at the tabby's response. "not all enjoy chasing death." herself included, she would choose any skirmish over battles with other four legged creatures. dogs, foxes, badgers, whatever. all feral, there was no grace or tact in their blows. they did not fight to have blood highlight a political point, only to survive. unlike most of the cats in the territories, they felt no qualms over claiming a life.

"i think it would be in your best interest to find other tactics," her tone was light as she continued, brow raised slight as her gaze wandered back to the running water. perhaps there were some 'brave' warriors who would find joy in the activity. although, nightbird would use the term loosely. bravery and stupidity were only distinguished by a thin line, purposefully tracking down predators surely edged it into the latter territory. the last thing thunderclan needed was to have it's warriors lured to their death under the guise of a date with the lead warrior.

interrupted by the feeling of eyes boring into her, a silver gaze lifted back to raccoonstripe. he seemed focused, eyes slightly narrowed with an unreadable expression. nightbird's ears twitched under the stare. "out with it," she prompted, flicking her tail sharply. she wasn't one to let things hang idly, and something very obviously was caught in the lead warrior's eyes. ​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Raccoonstripe grins easily at Nightbird's dry responses. "Not all enjoy chasing death," she huffs in his direction, and the tabby lets out an amused purr. "I would've taken you for an adrenaline junkie if I didn't know any better... no, don't worry, I'm not planning on putting cats at risk for the sake of romance." He laps at the water's surface again, skimming it more to process his thoughts than to satiate any thirst.

She's caught his stare, silver bearing into darkness. Raccoonstripe's smile remains, but there's something less easy about it as he responds. "ThunderClan's eligible don't interest me half as much as this position does," he says, slow and deliberate. After a moment, Raccoonstripe pushes himself to his paws, his bushy ringed tail flicking idly behind him. "I have to wonder about you, though. Talk about eligible. Young, capable, pretty in a scary way." He laughs. "If you're into that sort of thing. So what is it you're interested in, Nightbird?"

The way he asks the question means both everything and nothing, is weighted and innocent. He's truly curious about the she-cat who shares his position in ThunderClan. He feels he knows Sunfreckle and Flamewhisker, the scope of their ambitions, their desires, but Nightbird is mysterious as the darkness that begins to envelop them.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

 

[nightbird]

nightbird is not shocked at the admission of his ambition. even if she had never met him, she could believe it. with family in such high places, she would be concerned if he didn't yearn for the same power. she only nods, dipping her head to take another drink from the stream before lifting herself to her paws as he continued.

"creating a family has never been a priority of mine," she hummed, although the words were chosen carefully they were delivered smoothly. her own was a mess, built on the fragile wings of lies. even if she couldn't admit it out loud, she was terrified of making the same mistakes she had witnessed. her conscious would not allow her to send another child down such a path. "i'm only interested in thunderclan's wellbeing, my apprentice's success. by any means, really." however bland it sounded, it was the truth. she would make sure they both grew to become respectable warriors, there was simply no other option.

"never say never though, right? who knows, maybe one day i'll find myself a spot as a permaqueen." the idea was laughable. a cat who avoided the nursery so incredibly resigned to a permanent resident of it. nightbird never could see herself joining a group of this magnitude in the first place, so would another unexpected change truly be so shocking? on second thought, it absolutely would. she huffs a laugh at her own brief moment of insanity. "no, i would have to truly lose my mind for that. i ever get that delusional again, you've got my permission to knock the sense back into me."
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[RACCOONSTRIPE]

The silver-eyed lead warrior takes her time responding to him, and when she speaks, he nods, unsurprised. “Creating a family has never been a priority of mine.” And why should it be? After a moment, Raccoonstripe muses, “There are plenty of cats in this Clan whose goal is to provide future warriors. There are fewer who have what it takes to ensure ThunderClan is protected. There are even less who are capable of ensuring ThunderClan is one day the greatest Clan in the forest.” He stretches, enjoying the leisurely burn of his muscles beneath his rippling tabby pelt.

Nightbird continues. Her apprentice’s success. Raccoonstripe’s smile dims, but grows again almost instantaneously. “Of course. Moonpaw’s success means a great deal to me, although… her successes rely on her own potential as much as they do my mentoring.” He shrugs. He once would have considered his niece to be a lost cause; there was a time he felt nothing but pity for the timid creature she’d been born as. Moonpaw’s grief had toughened her, though he resents that her losses had been what had stolen her softness. “Lightpaw and Duskpaw both have that potential, I’m sure. And you don’t coddle your apprentices like some of the other soft-hearted fools in this Clan.” He swipes his tongue about his jaws. “That goes a long way.”

Her next comment causes him to burst with laughter. “You? A permaqueen?” Something flashes in his dark eyes, then, as though he’s considering something he hasn’t spoken aloud. “I’m sure any kits you’d have would be only assets, but…” Raccoonstripe clicks his tongue. “You’re right. Your talents lie elsewhere.”

He playfully skims a forepaw across the water, sending droplets in her general direction. The reddish evening light catches each of them so that they resemble embers in a burning forest. “Well, future permaqueen, what do you say we go back and give our report of a job well done?”
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[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​