border fighting alone - dusk thunderclan patrol

Their trek along the Windclan border had been fairly uneventful. The setting sun had ignited the sky above the moors, resulting in a breathtaking view. After her time on the journey, she regarded the moors with a newfound beauty that she would not dare speak to her clanmates. She now understood why the moor dwelling clan slept without dens, under the beauty of the stars. It had taken her awhile to readjust to sleeping in a confined space, without the winds of freedom tugging at her pelt.

They were nearly home, all they had to do was finish marking along the Shadowclan border. This was her first border patrol since before they had left...Flycatcher had allowed her to spend time with their kit as she lay in the Medicine Den. Howlingstar had not mentioned Stormfeather's grave injuries at the gathering, but those who had traveled with her were well aware of what had happened. As she padded along the border, she made a point to walk beside her son. With his sister gravely injured, there was no way she would allow anything to happen to their last healthy kit. She kept her gaze on the Thunderpath, watching untrustingly as a few monsters roared past them. This Thunderpath was much smaller than the one they had traveled on the way to the mountains, but she didn't trust the monsters to not leave the path.

"I wonder how our neighbors are doing. Hopefully their sick have recovered." she said to no one in particular as she reluctantly pulled away from Falconpaw to mark a nearby tree. "Acornpaw, do you know what Shadowclan's main sources of prey are?"

  • @BURNSTORM @honeydapple @Acornpaw.

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    FLAMEWHISKER of THUNDERCLAN
    LH red tabby with low white (masks black tabby, carries dilute, solid)
    — Lead Warrior of Thunderclan ; currently mentoring Acornpaw
    — she/her ; mated with Flycatcher
    — mother to Stormpaw & Falconpaw
    — 27 moons ; ages on the 20th
    — Smells like dirt, old leaves, tree sap, faint hint of flowers
    — will start a fight, will finish fights, will kill (case depending)
    "speech" ; thoughts ; attacks
    — penned by Icey ! ; link to tags
    — link to toyhouse



 



Burnstorm wishes Flycatcher had allowed him to be the one to lead this patrol. He understands that Flamewhisker holds seniority over him but it is clear that her mind is somewhere else. And who could blame her? Her child was injured, laying broken and disfigured in the medicine cats den and while he himself has no such experience with children, he knows that if anything had ever happened to himself or one of his siblings his mother wouldn't be right either. He says nothing on it though, is content to just follow along, his apprentice in tow.

Falconpaw would be graduating soon, there was little need for him to quiz him so they walk along in silence. Sometimes, it was a little awkward having the tom be his shadow. They were only separated by a small number of moons, a fact that he often times could forget when thinking about how many leagues ahead of him he was already in his life. He couldn't quiz him or talk to him even if he wanted to, not with the way Flamewhisker was glued to his side.

"Mhm" he grunts in regards to the red tinted tabbies remark. Frankly, he does not care if ShadowClan was better or not. He has no love for the marsh-dwelling cats. "ShadowClan seems to always have something going on" he points out. Whether it be a plague or kitnapping, tragedy seemed to befall their neighbors at every turn.

 
It isn’t often that Falconpaw gets assigned to go on patrols with his mother. He’s frowns somewhat used to trailing after his new mentor on patrols, though; he appreciates the way that Burnstorm approaches the other clans, and he’s grown to enjoy the small quizzes that the lead warrior gives him. Today, though, the cream tabby walks side by side with his fiery-pelted mother, and he’s glad for the closeness between them. It’s a comfort, having her so close, watching over him.

Flamewhisker leaves his side at last to scent mark a tree, leaving him standing beside Burnstorm, who comments on ShadowClan’s near-constant happenings. In a voice low enough not to disrupt the peace across the border, he asks the older tom, "Do you think their lost kits are still alive?" They’ve certainly been out on their own for a while now; as bad as it is, Falconpaw doubts that two kits so young could have survived on their own. He couldn’t even survive on his own, so how could they?
[ find me way out there ]
 
A deep breath draws into Roosterstrut's maw as pale green eyes settle upon the distant patrol, the air considerably more crisp than it had been in seasons.

ShadowClan had no issue with ThunderClan as of late, and he would prefer to keep things this way, especially as leafbare approached. The last leafbare was harsh on the marsh-dwelling clan, so much so that Pitchstar had ordered patrols to hunt on land that was not theirs. He had led one of those ill-fated patrols, only for them to be driven back home with empty stomachs and battered bodies. Burnstorm he recognizes from that night, causing the tips of his ears to burn in shame.

Still, he must press on. The warrior meowed across the way, "Greetings, ThunderClan." Guilt, guilt, guilt. Don't bring up prey. Don't even think about it. Thoughts begin to overwhelm his brain, attacking from all angles and prompting his heart to trip and stumble in his chest.

"How are... things?" Real smooth, Roosterstrut.

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    ROOSTERSTRUT
    —— he/him; warrior of shadowclan
    —— heteroflexible; single
    —— red tabby tom with long hair and pale green eyes
    —— "speech", thoughts, attack
    —— link to full tags; @ on discord for plots.
    —— penned by beatles
 
As Honeydapple trekked along the familiar border, the setting sun painted the skies in breathtaking hues. Unfortunately, the ugly stench of the thunder path permeated the air. Causing the molly too long for the trees of their home. Her time as a clan cat had given the ex-loner a newfound appreciation for the woods. She had wonderful playfights in the daylight and breathless races at night alongside her mate. It wasn't rare for the molly to daydream of her partner while on duty. He was a distracting fellow with fur as soft as heather and words as deep as the river. Honeydapple's cheeks bloomed with blood as she worked hard to focus on marking the ShadowClan border.

Her thoughts lingered on the other clan's well-being. "I hope so too." She added absently to the conversation while brushing against a row of bushes. Unaware of the intricate dynamics of their patrol mates, images of the grizzled warrior flickered in and out. Eliciting a happy sigh from the Thunderclanner' til Falconpaw's question caused the joy to sink like a rock. When she had gotten word of the lost kits, the moggy's chest ached. Honeydapple understood loss but to have your children go missing was a world worth of grief she could hardly comprehend.

Roosterstrut's call from the ShadowClan side was a welcome change. This prompted a hasty response from Honeydapple, hoping for a peaceful exchange. "Hello. We're doing as well as can be expected. How about ShadowClan? Any news?" She aimed for a delicate balance, mindful of the clan dynamics. Still, a nice conversation couldn't hurt, considering the previous topic's heaviness.
 

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ACORNPAW — how could I fear any hurricane?
The last few moons had been rocky as far as Acornpaw was concerned, from Flamewhiskers departure to Leopardtongues move into the nursery, right to her mothers death- although the chimera tried not to be too sad for too long about it, she still talked to Wrenflutter every night.
Even though it was just in her own mind, and even if Wrenflutter never talked back.
Yet, even with the frosty temperatures that nip at the apprentices nose, Acornpaw knows all is finally right in the world as she trails on the heels of Flamewhisker, on their completely routine patrol.
The one thing that has remained consistent, however, is the same distant look in the young mollys gaze as she seems to float through the undergrowth, gait having long adapted to Thunderclan’s tricky terrain.
Yet, when her name is called, murky optics are quick to at least try and focus on the question prompted by her mentor.
"Little lizards… traipsing toads…rancid rats?" Acornpaw hummed in return.
Though the peer pressure she had been promptly put under had fixed most of her odd speech, there would always be a riddler on her tongue.
Naturally drowsy-lidded eyes flicker to Falconpaw next, and Acornpaw frowns.
"I escaped from a dungeon, and ran alll the way here when I was a kitten. Impossible things happen all of the time." Subconsciously, she raises a forepaw to the slight dent tucked between her crown and her ear, courtesy of tumbling head-first down the ravine.
When the patrol finally encounters their first actual Shadowclanner, Acornpaw is quick to withdraw her presence in the conversation. Instinctively shuffling to Flamewhiskers side.
"speech"
tags