HONEY I'M HOME — spreading rumors

M

MOONGEIST BEAM

Guest

Moongeist Beam doesn’t like being told what to do. Or being told what not to do. Especially when the thing they are forbade from doing is so fun! Why shouldn’t they be allowed to go out and pick fights with cats from the pine group—those dumb kittypets probably wouldn’t even know what hit them! But apparently they’re “too young” and “inexperienced” to take on an adult cat in a fight, as their father put it. So the child is stuck hanging around camp until one of the older cats takes pity on her and decides to let her tag along on a hunt. Today they’ve had no such luck, so the tabby is bored out of their mind and looking for some sort of distraction. And a distraction they get! A few cats seem to be gathered nearby, and with a spring to his step he bounds over.

He makes a show of striding into the middle of the group, turning an azure gaze upon each of them in turn. "So, I heard a rumor the other day," they begin, tail swishing as they give the other feline a conspiratorial smile. "A rumor that Plover isn’t really a cat. They just look like a cat, but really they’re some kind of shapeshifter." It makes sense, she thinks. That little kid is way too weird to be a real cat, with their creepy smiles and their unblinking gaze. Moongeist Beam feels a shudder run down their spine at the thought of their last interaction with Plover. "What do you guys think?"
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[ PENNED BY FOXLORE ]​
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Sage hadn’t met Plover apart from seeing them in passing, so when Moongeist came prancing over with their latest idea, Sage wasn’t sure what to think. Blinking in confusion, the kit was quiet for a few moments. Surely if Plover was a shapeshifter, they would have all, well, seen it by now. Right?

“I don’t think that’s true,” she lilted thoughtfully. “How come nobody has ever seen them shapeshift if it’s true? I guess we could ask them.” She paused, gaze dropping to her small white feet. It would be cool if it was true. But it wasn’t nice to just make things up if it wasn’t. What if Plover heard what Moongeist was saying and was upset?
 

"MEET ME IN THE WOODS"​
Pumpkin hasn't been here long, but shes known for butting in to conversations and pretending to know what the others were talking about. This 'Plover' cat? Pssh, yea, she had absolutely zero clue who they were. Pumpkin approaches with a sly smile. "Oooh, is that true?" she giggled, obviously playing in to the fun game that was about to be had. Was this why Mother left her to rot? The root of all problems, the bane of her existence, lips curled in to a smirk once more and a dark look crossed her face.
Her tail swished as Sage approached and she could barely contain her excitement. Was this a genuine thing she was trying to do to fit in, or was she just being mean for no reason? Pumpkin doesn't know herself. She stalks besides Sage, making a little hiss to try to scare her. "Maybe the Plover you know isn't even a true form! What if they're dark, something scary with lots of claws?" she giggles. "Perhaps its all a little trick, yeah?"
✦ ★ ✦​
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Youth should be allowed to grow up with childish wonder. Reality had yet to snuff out the rambunctious energy of the three youngsters gathered. However, being young did not give one permission to spread false rumors about fellow colony members. It didn't help that Moongeist was older than Sage and Pumpkin, two little ones she'd found and had grown a silent attachment to. And it certainly didn't help that Salamander held a fondness for Plover.

With an icy look in her glaring eyes, Salamander approached the three. Time to play the role of a grumpy spoilsport. "I have to wonder, who started this silly little rumor?" Her teal gaze never shifted from Moongeist. "Because I do believe I'd like to have a word with them." Nonchalantly, Salamander raised a paw with unsheathed claws up - a silent threat. Moongeist didn't need to know it was an empty threat given the molly's aversion to harming those much younger than herself. ​
 
Briar was resting nearby when Moongeist's words had her ears perking in curiosity. A shapeshifter? Young cats had preposterous imaginations and even more relentless behaviors towards one another. Now why would they go spreading such lies about their groupmate? Briar frowned, watching the way Sage and Pumpkin easily fed into such blatant lies. She was glad that Salamander had the sense to reprimand Moongeist for their gossiping and feeling she should say something about it as well, hurried over to the group of conversing cats.

"I don't think it's very nice to be starting rumors like that," Briar said, narrowing her eyes on Moongeist. "And you would have to have frogs for brains to believe something so ridiculous," she said, addressing Sage and Pumpkin next. "Plover is completely harmless. We already have enough problems, let's not be accusing our own groupmates of things." The last thing she needed was fighting among her own group members. She could imagine Plover would not be thrilled to hear these rumors or, more importantly, that other younglings had believed them.​
 
╰☆☆ She snickers at Moongeist's claim. A shapeshifter. Where do kids these days come up with this stuff? She has to admit it's kind of brilliant. Cute little Sage looks skeptical at first before she decides they should ask Plover themselves. Pumpkin is more her stride; the she-cat remarks that perhaps the Plover they have known is only a disguise.

But, of course, Sally and Briar chime in to ruin the fun of everyone involved.

Flicker decides to jump in. She pads close to her spiky-furred leader and gives both Sal and her an incredulous look. "Whaddya mean? If Plover is a shapeshifter, we gotta find out! We don't want something big and dark and scary living in our den, do we?" Her eyes are wide, looking like twin suns set in her dark face. She tries to stifle her smile.​
—PENNED BY MARQUETTE.​
 
Sage’s brow had begun to furrow with worry at Pumpkin’s words, but Salamander appeared just as the fur along her spine began to prickle with unease. And then Briar was there saying they’d have to have frogs in their brains, and the seal and white she-cat felt her fur grow hot with embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” she apologized quietly. “I just thought…it’d be kind of cool if it was true.” A small part of her still did want to ask Plover, but Briar might kick her out if she got in more trouble.
 

Though he and his brother haven't really spent much time with Plover, Frog's Ribbit had heard of the oddity that was the blue smoke. So, when Moongeist's words hit his ears, he's intrigued. A shapeshifter! It would make sense, wouldn't it? Even from just seeing them from afar, Ribbit thinks they're far too small to be a real cat. Besides, being able to turn into something else sounds like it would be fun!

"I bet Plover's actually a frog! Or... Or a worm! Something small that can't tell how big a real cat is!" he chimes in with a nod of his head.

He turns to his brother to ask him what his opinion on the matter, but it seems Moongeist's words have bored him, as Leaping Toad is nowhere to be found. Normally, if Leaping Frog were to wander off, he'd follow right behind him, but Briar's appearance stops him in his tracks. Brown tabby ears lay flat against his head, embarrassed by her reprimanding words. Did he have frogs in his brain too, then? He supposes, with his name, it would be fitting.

"So... Plover's really just a normal cat...?" he asks. How boring. Perhaps he should've just followed his brother instead. ​
 
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Two younger groupmates were the first to react to his great revelation, but Moongeist gets the idea that neither of them really believes what she says. Sage immediately denies their theory, pointing out that no one’s seen the little blue cat change shape before. "But somebody had to have seen it happen, or others wouldn’t be talking about it. Duh." The tabby shakes their head in disappointment before Pumpkin joins in, weaving the vague description of a many-clawed monster cloaked in darkness. Yes! Now that’s something he can get on board with!

Before Moongeist can get another word in, though, a fierce-looking she-cat has stalked her way over, raising a paw to bare her claws at them. He stares incredulously between Salamander, Pumpkin, and Sage, hoping that the younger two will back him up in this. "You’re gonna threaten me?! It’s just a joke, mousebrain," he scoffs. Hopefully the tremble in their voice—a betrayal of how genuinely they believe the she-cat might lash out at them—goes unnoticed by the others.

The black-furred feline who strides over next is easily recognizable as the leader of the group, and Moongeist is sure she’ll lay into Salamander about threatening children. But no. Not only does Briar brush off the issue, but she says he must have frogs for brains. None of these adults are on his side, are they? Prickly old badgers. "If you don’t believe me then I guess you can just get eaten by a monster," they hastily respond, turning up their nose at the others. "I’m just trying to warn you guys. There’s something off about them."

Moongeist is beginning to feel that this was a bad idea, that perhaps everyone has turned on her, when her savior appears. They don’t sense that Flicker is joking around, and they’re glad that she’s backing them up. A wide grin splits his white-splashed muzzle, clear blue eyes practically sparkling as he regards the tortoiseshell. Sage, of course, apologizes for the assumption that she’d made in believing Moongeist’s claim, and the tabby shakes their head again. She’s too nice.

One of the two amphibian brothers speaks up, and bright azure eyes size him up. Moongeist has to pause for a moment, mostly because she can’t decide which one of the siblings he is. Oh well. Whichever one he is, he has a point. Plover could just be a worm that’s attempted to fit in with the other cats, but has no idea what size normal cats are. Unfortunately the tom abandons that idea quickly after Briar speaks up, and Moongeist’s smile flips into a scowl. "No, they can’t be a normal cat. What don’t you understand?"
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[ PENNED BY FOXLORE ]​
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Salamander dipped her head into a bow as Briar approached. Though she didn't agree with everything the black she-cat did, Briar was still the leader of the colony. Despite her growing opinions, Salamander still knew her place on the totem pole.

When Frog's Ribbit approached, Salamander was quick to notice that his brother was missing. It was odd to see one without the other. Either way, the she-cat refused to let this attention-seeking rat taint her beloved nephew. He needed to know right from wrong; that speaking lies about others would result in consequences. "Yes, little one, Plover is the same as you and I." Her tone was noticably softer when addressing the boy.

Luckily, Moongeist dug a hole deeper for themselves, "Threatening you?" she questioned in fake surprise that sounded mocking coming from her mouth. "When exactly did I threaten you? I simply stated I wanted to know the source of the rumors." Salamander paused for a moment, pretending to ponder this situation. "Unless, of course, you're confessing to being the source of these ill-intentioned rumors?"

"Honestly, you're so adamant that Plover is some unknown life-form. Isn't that a tad suspicious? It's almost as if you're purposely shifting the attention away from you. Hmm." Salamander mused. How would Moongeist feel if this outrageous theory spread about them? It could be arranged.

She offered Sage a softened look, knowing the she-kit was truly sorry, before glaring cooly at Flicker and Moongeist, "If you have enough energy to run your mouths then you have enough to hunt. Unless, you'd prefer to be assigned chores? Because that can be arranged."

She turned to Briar, a glint of mischief flashing briefly in her eyes. "What do you think, Briar?"​
 
Flicker joins in on the fun, and Sage looks apologetic for being reprimanded. Briar's eyes soften a little. "It would be cool, I suppose," she tells the young one gently. "But things like that are not possible. Moongeist is just making up stories." Frog's Ribbit's question draws her attention to him and she nods. It seems as if her groupmates want these supernatural and unexplainable things to be true. Perhaps there was some fun in it, but life was just... life. There was no shapeshifters, no magic, no spirits guiding their pawsteps. There was nothing special or extraordinary about any of them.

Salamander's words pulled her way from her thoughts and a smirk grew on Briar's face in similar fashion to the one the gray molly wore. She nodded enthusiastically. What a great way to get these young ones doing something productive instead of gossiping about the other cats in the colony! "Yes, I do believe you are right, Sal," she said. "I think you'd all benefit from a hunt, instead of sitting there running your mouths and imaginations. Unless, as Salamander said, you'd all rather do chores instead. There's plenty to do around camp."​
 
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