dangerous path ;; rogue.

[VERMILIONSUN]

❝ we're children playing at a game, screaming that the rules aren't fair. ❞

It's been days now since two of his cats had disappeared, seemingly into the void- Vermilion questioned every cat in the twolegplace he could, desperately wanting to know where Tiny and Jack went. His little apprentice, so clumsy and forlorn. His eyes narrow as he pads over to the border, seating himself politely to wait for a patrol to pass by. He didn't want to trespass, and he definitely didn't want to be here after all that's been done to him. But nonetheless, he puts his hatred for the Clans to the side in favor of finding his groupmates. Battle-scarred and worn down, scrawny and smelling faintly of sewage water.

"Here we go.." He mumbles to himself, huffing. He hopes this goes well.​

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[flowercloud.]

FlowerBlossom was the first to approach with the border patrol, her amber eyes watching the Tom intently. The scent did not smell familiar, and she would keep her guard up though a friendly smile would come to her jaws, her eyes bright. "Hello, Darling!" she greeted, a purr forced from her chest.

"What has brought you to our border today?"

She was wary of travellers, the clans were not always to be trusted and she was well aware of this. The amber and white molly was sweating under her thick coat of fur from the warmth of the sun beating down on them, and she wouldn't lie about missing the winter months.

 

[SQUALLMIST]

The silver tabby is still slow going on patrols, as he trails behind Flowercloud and the rest of their shared patrol. Though it's been sometime now since his eyesight was halved by sewer-laden claws - though he knows this land well - Squallmist still struggles with the adjustment of a wider blindspot.

And, for what? Nothing. His struggle is pointless, he's learned. A mistake made in anger and grief, striking a murderer who didn't even end up being the murderer he sought after. And when the grey tom had been within reach, when he'd made his confession, Squallmist failed to strike before his apprentice's killer had been washed with crimson, leeching the world of one last breath.

He's stupid, really, for the fight he started - this he knows, and this he'll be reminded of for the rest of his life.

Up ahead, Flowercloud is greeting someone. As if they're an old friend, though the warrior assumes this isn't the case. The younger she-cat seemed to be more nurturing than Squallmist is - a welcome too warm even for his own liking.

Even without the goings-on of late, it soon becomes evident that Squallmist is right to be wary. The tom nears the border, stormy gaze catching sight of familiar fur - a freckled flame-point. Vermilionsun.

"You."

He didn't expect to see him here. Or... ever again, really, after their skirmish in the sewers led to the rogue's imprisonment. There's a twisting in the pit of his stomach - a pang of cautious guilt, as he realizes that even that had been pointless too.

"I wouldn't be too cheery with that one," he informs Flowercloud with a flick of his tail. His partial gaze settles upon the rogue across the border. He looks worse off, compared to the last time Squallmist had seen him. "For someone who left the pine forest, you return quite often."

There's a reason, certainly. What would it be this time? Did they catch him just in time, before he'd had the chance to steal more prey?
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[VERMILIONSUN]

❝ we're children playing at a game, screaming that the rules aren't fair. ❞

The first to arrive was a molly, charming and smiley in her own right- something that reminded him he needed to keep his guard up around her. It was always the bright and cheery ones that seemed to be the most dangerous, but who knows? She could be genuine in her greeting, her peppiness. He dips his head to return her greeting, finding himself a bit awkward in the presence of the molly. Anastasia was one thing, but this one made him nervous- not because she scared him, but because she was pretty; and Vermilion wasn't the sight to see himself, honestly.

"Hello," Came his gruff voice, rough from use. "I'm here for-" Though his explanation was cut short by a familiar voice. You, Squallmist called out to him with all the disliking in the world. Vermilionsun groans inwardly at Squall's comment, the wounds on his body from the tom aching with memory. A gift he'd never forget. For someone who left the pine forest, you return quite often. "I haven't returned in moons. Besides, I'm not here to hunt nor am I here to rejoin SkyClan. Matter of fact, I've heard rumors of your cats getting snatched up by twolegs." He replied simply, unbothered- though his irritation begins to show in the sign of his tail-tip flicking side to side. "Two of my cats have disappeared, one of which I know wouldn't wander off on his own. The tiny one, with the limp from the day we trespassed- Tiny is his name. He's gone. I'm here to ask if SkyClan has any idea where they could have been taken." If they're alive. He lifts his head, holding it steady to retain his confident posture. "If you know and are willing to tell, I'd owe you all a favor. Though I'm sure you lot wouldn't care to accept such from me."​

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[~Deersong~]

( ♬ ) Deersong had been trailing behind the rest, the fox attack had been a week ago now, and while the bite marks still bothered her they had healed just enough for her to refuse to remain in camp. She could still hunt, after all, no reason for her to become a burden just as she had decided she was going to be better.

Her mind had drifted, expression unreadable when she heard Flowerblossoms greeting followed by Squallmists growl. Her pace quickened and a faint limp hindered her gait as the muscles that were still healing protested at the sudden change in pace. But when she reached them her frame went rigid, aqua gaze searing right into the white and ginger pelt of her former friend.

Vermillionsun. Something in her stomach curdled and she had to fight against the wince that wanted to scrunch her face. No. He wasn't her friend anymore. Not after everything, all of the drama and fighting, and Deersong found with slight surprise that the realization didn't hurt her as much as she had expected. Her ear twitches as she finally strolls forward, the look on her face guarded and sharper than he would have last remembered. His cats have gone missing too? Her half-tail would lash behind her as she looked at Squallmist and Flowerblossom before meowing evenly, the usual coo now gone and replaced with something stronger, colder, "Two-legs." The word was short as she met the loner's gaze evenly, "We've heard word that they are trapping cats, no reason as to why yet or where they are taken."

She wouldn't mention that the reason they knew this was because their own cats had also been taken. Her heart twisted painfully as she thought of Quillstrike and Twitch and Snowpaw and all the others who had been snatched away. Skyclan would find them, she had to believe that to keep going. Vermillionsun wasn't owed that knowledge though, and Deersong would only tell him enough to keep him cautious. "I don't know if that's where your missing cats went, but they haven't been spotted here." At least as far as she was aware. ​

( LET YOU BREAK; MY HEART AGAIN )

 

[flowercloud.]

Flowercloud stiffened slightly in the tension that was brought up on the group by Squallmists arrival, saying not to be too cheery with the rogue. It was how she was however. She loved being happy more than being grumpy, and she couldn't change that.

Something must have happened between the two that the large molly would not prod for, though she was quite curious. perhaps at a better time.

the rogues scent didn't bother her, surprisingly. but she was accepting of all looks and nature, unless they did something to provoke them. But the male admittedly said he and these others were trespassing. Which already was not a good sign.

Before she could respond, deersong was already caught up and telling him about twolegs taking their cats. "So which twolegs just take cats like this?" she asked, her voice saddening. She hoped the rogue would have answers about the twolegs that she knew nothing about.

 

[ThistleBack]

so which twolegs just take cats like this Flowercloud asks, " meddling ones with nothing better to do " Thistleback responds from the sway of ferns he brushes past to stand next to Deersong, offering an unreadable expression to Vermillionsun. The ire he used to hold against the other long gone, moons had past and the night of the man’s fever had driven a wedge of uncertain calmness between his previous rage toward the other. He holds only his usual scowl, no snarl nor bristle for the other. The man was just a harmless sewer dweller. One who had nearly been executed for crimes he hadn’t committed.

Thistleback licked over his teeth, evaluating the fact that the twolegs were expanding their little intrusive expedition. " your best bet is to narrow in on the heart of twolegplace and ask as many cats with collars you can see. "

" we will keep an eye out for your cats. " he offers with a glance over the rogue, the struggle for survival still weighted on the other’s bones. " the rats in the main alleys are plentiful in newleaf as well, where the rubbish cans are larger " he hints, as dangerous as they were it was still a meal without stealing clan prey. If you lived in a sewer, you did what you could to survive. Standards had little say, and he could almost recall the rancid taste of rodent and how it filled his hungry belly as a starving kit in leafbare.

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OOC INFO REF

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  Thirty-seven moons EVENT TRACKER | IMPORTANT INFO
  — Lead warrior of Skyclan since 12.22.22
  — Devoted to Deersong 9.29.22 | polyamorous
  — Father of Coyotepaw, Pricklepaw, and Eveningpaw.
  — mentoring Snowpaw graduate(s) Quillstrike
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes.
  — voice & accent
  — biography･ﾟ✧​
  OPEN for Dice battles | stine#3004
  
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