free ride and a show | story time

[Howlfire]

Howlfire didn't know how she had gotten roped into telling a story. It wasn't that she didn't like the task, but in her opinion, there were far better storytellers in the clan than her. Still, she had accepted her fate graciously, gathering some of the clan to listen as she began her tale. Howlfire had considered making up a story, recounting one of the legends of the ancient clans that had been told to her in her youth, but ultimately settled on a tale from her past.

The second raid on SkyClan from WindClan would be a tale familiar to some of the older members of the clan, though Howlfire recognised some of the younger apprentices would not be familiar with it, save for some hushed whispers of bad blood between the clan. The torbie had already told the beginning of the story, how WindClan tried to sneak in to attack their camp again, and how they were warned of the imminent attack by their allies in ThunderClan. "WindClan hoped to catch us unawares as they had done so before, but we were prepared for them this time, we would ensure they would not dare to reach camp," Howlfire continued on, speaking in an exaggerated manner to really dramatise the tale. "Blazestar gathered up a mighty band of warriors and apprentices - myself included - and we took to the trees, bidding our time until the moorland rats dared to show their faces. WindClan realised too late what was happening and as they tried to get up we pounced on them from the trees! They never saw it coming!"​

 

[Chickbloom]

Eggshellbloom hadn’t been the one to beg Howlfire to tell a story, but that hadn’t stopped him from staring with rapt attention as the she-cat began her tale. Though the warrior was likely outside the age bracket for this, ignorance of the past was indiscriminate. It was strange, knowing so much had happened while he’d been sitting with his housefolk. When the whelp was waiting for his bowl to be refilled or snuggled safely in bed, blood was being shed just beyond his yard.

Eggshell shivered in spite of the greenleaf warmth, realizing that he’d no longer be spared from such tragedy. “W-What’s it - um - what’s it l-like, y’know, to be in a b-battle?” The former kittypet stammered out, concern staining a squeaky voice. Sure, he’d had some combat training (most of it flailing fruitlessly against Silversmoke), but he wondered if he’d be of any use in a real fight - or if he even had the nerve to not run away.

“W-Were you scared? Or…” The tomcat trailed off, not really sure what an alternative would be. Instead, Eggshell rephrased. “Did anyone, uh, r-run away?” ​

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

The wars with WindClan had carved the spotted tabby's opinion of the clan in stone and mention of the moorlands from Howlfire's storytelling piqued his interest as a result. He moved closer to the she-cat, stopping a too-long distance away before reclining on his haunches and tucking his tail over his forepaws. Silversmoke had been one of the first to enter that battle, but he could not look back on his service to SkyClan in pride when his motivations had been selfish. He remembered feeling just as angry at his home as WindClan and how eager he had been to take it out on the enemy instead of seeking reconciliation. 'It was Johnnyflame I was angry with, at the time,' he tilted his head. 'No... that's not right, I was angry at myself for not doing more to help my clanmates. I... took it out on Johnnyflame's promotion.' Tufted ears twitched at the reminder, too disturbed by it to even correct Howlfire's embellishments. It wasn't until Eggshellbloom spoke up that the Lead Warrior was snapped out of his stupor, eyes momentarily confused as they settled on the Scottish Fold before they refocused as they understood what the other said.

"In battle, all the skills you've been taught either become instinct or are forgotten entirely. There's nothing but blood roaring in your ears and the desire to survive pushing you forward, to do things you'd never dream of doing." Though his explanation would likely sound horrifying, to Silversmoke, it was exhilarating, the feeling of moving around a battlefield addictive even despite its consequences. In SkyClan, he aimed for it to be the one selfish thing he indulged in - he could protect his home and enjoy it when he did it well. "It's a dance between life and death, one either feared or relished." Excitement unwittingly filled his gaze as he discussed it, his expressions more animated than they had been in moons. "That battle... no one feared death. Every SkyClanner fought like a lion." Even Blazestar, who had lost one life, had managed to defend himself competently enough to not lose another.

​

 

[Radiopaw]

"wild hearts run"​

Radiokit, antsy and curious as he typically was, had been one of the cats eagerly listening to Howlfire's story. He hadn't even known Blazestar, so hearing about him in any form was like legend to him. He bounced on his toes, imagining the thrill of battle. "From the trees? That's so sick!" his final word emphasized with a small hop. Eggshellbloom's question resonated with the young tom. "Yeah, what's it like? Is it, like, so cool?"

Silversmoke, appearing like, basically out of thin air, spoke. Radiokit's eyes widened by the word. Instinct... hopefully I'm that good someday... he thought. He might have been regretting his decision to stay back a moon with Glitchkit at that moment. He wanted to know stuff now.​

° ｡‧˚⋅˚✧｡ﾟ･° ｡‧˚⋅​

 

[LIONPAW]

〔✦〕Lionpaw was almost always front and center when there was a story involving his father's reign. Tales of battle and victory thrilled Lionpaw like nothing else, inspiring the young lad to constantly do better and improve for the sake of his clan. When Silversmoke had mentioned the entire clan defending their territory like a lion would, the torbie point just stared in awe. He was Lionpaw... That meant that he had to be the fiercest warrior in SkyClan. "Do y'think WindClan will attack again?" Lionpaw mews to the warriors out of genuine curiosity. The very name of the moor clan struck a plethora of emotions into his heart — fear, anger, resentment. They had taken so much from Lionpaw before he was even born. "They seemed so hungry for food, 'specially after that fire. What if they come here next?" What if they decided to take what they thought they were entitled to, just as they had when they tried to raid their herb stores?

all the lights aglow ( tokyo snows ) //

• ooc.
  
• LIONPAW —— apprentice of skyclan , mentored by crowsight ✦ penned by beatles
  ✦ trans male / he/they pronouns / 6 moons & ages every 9th
  ✦ single / bisexual & monogamous
  ✦ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / underline & tag account when attacking
  —— easy combat difficulty / won't start fights, won't kill
  
  ✦ "speech", thoughts, all opinions are ic
  ✦ biography — msg on discord for plots — toyhouse
  
• 
  
  

  a longhaired chocolate torbie point with blue eyes. a silky, cream-colored pelt is adorned with chocolate points. his points are splashed with ginger spots. tabby patterns also stripe around their dark limbs and face.

​

 

[Howlfire]

Eggshellbloom's question gives her pause for a moment, letting her consider an answer. In the space it takes her to come up with one, Silversmoke explains it well enough. "I think Silversmoke put it into words better than I ever could," Howlfire admitted with a chuckle. "You think that all your training prepares for you how a battle is going to go, but that could all change the moment paws are raised and fangs exposed." The little scuffles that occasionally occurred on the border or amongst clanmates paled in comparison to a full-scale battle. Both sides were desperate to win and there was no telling how it would play out. Her gaze drifts to Radiokit, who once again asks what it was like. "Honestly? I found it exhilarating. Not just because I was fighting, but because I was defending my clan, and I knew that what we were all doing was going to stop the WindClan cats from getting into camp and hurting cats I cared about. At the time though, I was so nervous. It was my first battle and I didn't want to let anyone down, least of all Blazestar."

Lionpaw's question again gives her pause. It's a fair question she supposes, though a hard one to answer. "Maybe one day Lionpaw," Howlfire answered honestly. "There's always a risk that one of the other clans may try to steal prey, claim territory from us, or might simply want to attack us. At the moment though I think we will be alright. True, WindClan might have seemed hungry, but I doubt Sunstar is keen to rekindle any lingering bad blood between the other clans lest he is truly desperate."​