COMPASS LEFT BEHIND | perimeter alarms

[SILVERSMOKE]

The rogues had exiled them from their home once, they could not do it again. Battle and glory filled the tabby's thoughts with the motivation to spite his own fatigue and keep making preparations should their home be at risk once more. A silver head twisted towards the sky to judge where the sun was, halfway across the sky, then, towards the ground outside of SkyClan's camp. The forest floor was dusted with snow... and sticks, and dead leaves, exposed to the elements by the Lead Warrior's heavy paws. Gently, he moved one such limb over a twig, pressing down until he could hear the groans of protest from the wood, and released before it broke entirely. 'They'll see it...' Even his eyes, sullied by combat, could make sense of the oranges and browns exposed on a white background. Just as he wouldn't step on them while hunting, the rogues shouldn't step on them when they were trying to ambush their own prey. 'But... if it buys us time, it's worth it...' Time was all they needed to endure whatever the rogues had to offer. Time, and a damn good set of claws.

Crunch. An ear flickered at the noise behind him and the tabby whipped his head around, ears flat against his skull. "Watch where you're going!" He warned, voice rumbling like the warning of thunder. Nostrils flared, then, a pale nose wrinkled in thought as he straightened his frazzled posture. There was no apology from his maw, instead, an explanation spilled from it. "These... I'm setting up traps for the rogues. If at least one of us can hear when a rogue steps on one of these, then they'll lose the upper paw in any attack they make." The selfish part of him wished they would test their luck, he had been denied the opportunity to make things right before and deliver justice with his own paws, but, the sensible part of him tried not to get tempted by the desire. He didn't want to think about how many would die if he got what he wanted. 'It's why I'm a Lead Warrior, not a Leader.' His head tilted somewhat, the lash of his tail betraying the innocence of the gesture. "Will you help?" Help set the perimeter alarms up, he meant.

​

 

[Howlfire]

Howlfire had not meant to disturb his traps. She had seen the silvery warrior nearby but had intended to move past silently and go about her way. Howlfire had needed some air, having spent some time with her kits again, and was going for a short walk outside of camp. Not too far though, even she wasn't foolish enough to wander far and potentially get jumped by rogues again. Or captured by twolegs again for that matter.

She hadn't seen one of his traps but she certainly heard it when it crunched underfoot. She pulled her paw back in alarm, wondering what she had stood on until she heard Silversmoke's warning. He doesn't apologise for grumbling at her, not that she expected one, but she does shoot the lead warrior an apologetic look for standing on one of his traps. As she steps forward, she listens intently to what he was saying, amber eyes scanning the ground intently. When he asks if she'll help, Howlfire nods swiftly. "Of course, I'll help," She mewed. Even before this encounter, she had decided she would do what she could to ensure the rogues were properly dealt with.​

 

[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

He hadn’t been present during the initial shock, mothers dragging four-month-old kits into camp carrying scars fit for a warrior brought a painful ache in the warrior’s chest. He was a father, is a father and to watch yer little ones bleed out was a sight he didn’t wish for anyone to witness. He’d been stuck watchin’ his own ( newborns at that ) rip to shreds by hungry beasts, leaving Shiori and Ume the sole survivors tucked up into his stomach, bulky build shielding them from the worst of burning claws.

He shifted, drawing out a languid exhale against a burning heart, helm pivoting toward the two. “I’ll join ya.” He rumbled, glancing at the traps littered about, oranges and browns against a powered white background, visible, but perhaps it’d give them a boost in the right direction, alerting ‘em of oncoming danger. “What else do ya need?” He added after a heartbeat, glancing toward the lead warrior, burning hues narrowing. ​

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thought speech​

 

[CROWSIGHT]

Dad's smart! No offense to Silversmoke, but sometimes the tom was so puzzling that Crowpaw couldn't tell if there was anything in that skull of his mentor. Other than fighting that is... However, he supposes it is times like these were his father's skills are needed. Ever since what happened and with their track record with cats always trying to join them for some reason, traps would do them some good. Maybe those kittypets will stop showing up with these traps. We don't need anymore mouths to feed. Personally, he didn't care if what they caught winded up being a kittypet. They weren't supposed to be anywhere near their home in the first place so if they lost a paw, it wasn't Skyclan's fault. The onyx apprentice would be lying to say he wasn't curious about whether or not it worked and how fast one would lose their paw.

Maybe Silversmoke has been rubbing off on him too much. Then again, Silversmoke has been in charge of him for many moons now. It was only natural he'd take on some traits of his mentor. That's why he looks to his mentor with a curious gaze, "I'll help too, but do you know other kinds of traps?" His mentor has taught him battle, but an actual trap he has not learned yet. Today would be his first time seeing such a thing and he wanted to learn the trade so to speak. We're going to protect this clan no matter what!

‧₊˚✩彡 nothing compares to the fever dream

• — crowpaw / skyclan apprentice / masculine pronouns / 9 moons
  — undecided / single / not looking / open to flirting and crushes
  — long haired black smoke with hazel eyes with polydactyly
  — may powerplay minor harm / can powerplay healing
  — biography / @ on discord for plots
  — penned by velou

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[Cherryblossom]

Cherrypaw stands near, hovering on the other side of Silversmoke near Howlfire. A smirk creeps across her jaw at Crowpaw's question, made in earnest but quickly warped by the general negative miasma he started to emit when she was around. "There are cats who would do good to shut theirs sometimes." Crowpaw isn't exactly the target of her remark, but if her estranged friend wanted to take it personally, it wouldn't be her fault. She just wanted to say it.

Pettiness satisfied, she lowers her gaze to examine their lead warrior's work. Sticks were ingrained into the tapestry of the forest floor, along with pine needles, pine cones, and patches of snow in various states of decay. Even the freshest apprentice knew not to step on them while hunting, even if it couldn't always be avoided or noticed. And, well, the rogues certainly had to be decent enough hunters, but maybe a few too focused on the battle ahead would forget to check under their paws too. "Yeah, I'll help too." Cherrypaw gives her chest a few licks before speaking again. "So, like, what, do we spread these all around the outside of camp?" She eyes the deeper forest doubtfully. "You'd have to be kinda mouse-brained to not notice a lot of them..."​