I’ve been awake in every state line & cursed rabbit

[Juniperfrost]

Tw: Gross imagery and descriptive text of a rabbit with shope papilloma disease-the thing that inspired legends of Jackalopes. It's not pretty so it's in spoiler text and google references at your own risk!

Several apprentices had gathered around the edge of camp, voices rising and pitched in mutterings and he only noticed because the tone of their speech was something strange. He would not normally pay much mind to apprentice chatting, but the horror and hushed awe of their questions and comments was enough to draw him over to the collective of them to ensure nothing was wrong. Juniperfrost's paws moved with certainty, each step deliberate and his approach was noticed instantly as several youthful heads lifted upward and ears fell back as a figure of some authority finally arrived on the scene; one of them stepped to the side with a brief shuffle to allow him to see what they had been ogling at and his lips curled back in surprise and disgust the second he laid eyes on the warped and shapeless body within the circle of their many smaller paws.

Spoiler

A rabbit, looking like any other of its kind but from its head rose what appeared to be a crown of branches, grotesquely twisted back with one even piercing its own ear; a macabre combination of a hare and a buck-the scalp of its head torn and exposed as if the horns had burst forth forcefully and were not mere extensions of its own body. It was almost akin to parasitic, the way a maggot would erupt from a bloated corpse if left to feed undeterred.

"What is this-? Did any of you touch it?" His frosted voice cracked, concern and wary as he gazed at the younger cats around him. One of them finally ventured forth to speak, "Eaglepaw caught it, we thought it had a branch on its head at first but he dropped it when we realized. What is it?"

The ticked tabby had no idea, shaking his head slowly as he tried not to state too hard at the horrific sight of this disfigured prey. In leaf-bare to turn away food would be blapshemous but he was unsure about this one in particular. Was it some kind of disease? Poison? Would it kill whoever ate it? Was it a sign? He'd never seen something like this in all his moons, so perhaps it was a kind of divine warning of things to come? Or perhaps he was thinking about it too hard.

"One of you fetch me someone....Sootstar, Badgermoon, Weaselclaw...I do not care who. Any of you who touched it go wash your paws and mouth immediately and see the medicine cat."
This was not a risk worth taking but it was not his call to make.

​

 

[icebreath]

TAGS — Icepaw's returning from the tunnels with a scrawny rabbit in tow, their light fur smelling of the earth and still lightly streaked with it, when they catch sight of Juniperfrost among a gaggle of apprentices. Probably chewing them out, she speculates with some sympathy on her way to the fresh-kill pile to deposit her catch — and pick something out for herself, if there's enough to go around. Oh, but she should check to make sure the elders and sick cats have eaten already...

She's hesitant to approach Juniperfrost and ask. The last thing she wants is to walk in on him if he's in a foul mood — she's still scarred from the last time he dragged her into his disciplinary measures. She really doesn't want to risk her relationship with any more peers, thank you very much. But on the other hand, maybe the rewards outweigh the risk. It could remind him that they're a good apprentice with initiative, and maybe doing so while he's scolding these other youths will make her look even better.

So they work up the courage to pad over, making sure to hold their head high and not betray any nerves. Their businesslike expression wavers, however, when they catch Juniperfrost's concerned orders. Huh? They're about to ask why when one of the gathered cats shifts to make space for her in the loose ring, suddenly revealing the most grotesque-looking rabbit she's ever seen. Her appetite vanishes instantly. In fact, looking at the creature's mangled head is making her feel sick. "What the...?!" they squeak, recoiling. She's all too eager to carry out Juniperfrost's request, quickly turning around and jogging off. "Sootstar!"

@SOOTSTAR
​

 

[Badgermoon]

Thus far, Badgermoon's attempts to catch prey had resulted in nothing but a mouthful of feathers and the memory of departing wing-flaps, and the black-and-white tom was prowling towards camp in an uncharacteristically sour temper. At minimum, he felt, he should have gotten that damn thrush - but, no, instead he was returning to rest and warm up a little before venturing back out. He was distracted from his sulking about his lost bird, however, at the sound of raised voices and agitated conversation. His yellow eyes shot up from the moor and he frowned to see Juniperfrost, a cluster of apprentices, and Icepaw fleeing the scene as if their tail was on fire. If he's being rude to the apprentices again, I swear... thought the broad-shouldered tom with a silent sigh, quickening his pace and sloping towards the gathering.

"Alright, what's the - oh." disgust flared deep in his gut at the sight of the mangled creature and Badgermoon held himself very still, brow furrowing as he thought. It was food, and StarClan knew they needed food - but this barely resembled a rabbit anymore. He could not in good conscience allow any of his Clanmates to eat it, even if it pained him to discard potentially salvageable meat. "Juniperfrost is right - no one touch it, no one eat it." it was not just his own personal unease at the sight, though if he was being honest he was disquieted by it - he feared it might be toxic, somehow, that its growths might be contagious. He knew that there were illnesses cats could get, where excess flesh grew in or on their bodies, and there was nothing medicine cats could do for them but ease their suffering - perhaps this was a form of that.

First question, dealt with: no one was eating it. Second question: was this a sign from StarClan of some type? Would it be worth keeping it around for their medicine cat to look at? No, he didn't think so - they could always tell him about it, and he could make his interpretations from there. Badgermoon didn't like it, though; the longer he looked at the twisted addendum to the animal's body, the more potent of a sign it seemed to be. But a sign of what? Admonishing them for something they had done? Sending a warning about gluttony? Or was this just a rabbit with a sickness? "Well, let's get rid of this." he moved towards the rabbit and grabbed one of its hind legs in his jaws. It felt heavier than usual, though perhaps it was only his imagination.

"Let's bury it far away from here. Will some of you come with me and help me dig a hole for it?" moving carefully, so its head didn't swing and touch his fur, he began to trot away, his pink nose wrinkled. If Sootstar and Icepaw returned before he had put it in the ground, that was fine by him; his leader could do whatever she wanted with this creepy thing. But his decision was to get it out of sight, out of reach, and - hopefully - out of mind as soon as possible. Though he'd have to tell Dandelionwish about it...perhaps their resident healer would have some insight on the potential spiritual or medical meaning behind a truly hideous rabbit. "I wish I cou' eat 'ou." he muttered to his burden in an undertone.​

 

[crowpaw]

commotion was quick to gather crowpaw's attention with a wary gaze. inspecting the cluster of apprentices around juniperfrost, she was admittedly not too interested. whatever words the warrior was dealing out, she didn't care to hear them. she went back to her walk across camp, not even offering the group a side eyed glance.

the next thing she knew, paw steps were racing past her. another step and icepaw would have knocked her off balance. the beginning of a glare was forming until the frantic tunneler's call to sootstar reached her ears. what was so important about this that they had to summon their leader? the feline stalked over, eyes narrowed slightly. there was no haste in her walk, and she arrived just as badgermoon had spoken.

tall legs carried her through the crowd, pushing some stubborn apprentices out of her way. her eyes landed on the malformed rabbit and crowpaw inched back slightly, lips drawing in a grimace. she had never seen anything like it. a judgmental gazed passed through the group who had brought it to camp. were they trying to kill everyone? no matter how hungry this leaf-bare made them, nobody should ever be hungry enough to bring back that thing.

"you're putting it in your mouth?" the disgusted exclamation came as badgermoon lifted the creature. it was paired with shocked eyes and a slightly fluffed coat. she could barely believe what she was seeing. not only was he gripping it between his teeth, he wanted to give it a burial. she sure wasn't going to be the one to break her claws digging at the solid earth. "why not just leave it on thunderclan's border? a little gift, yeah?" crowpaw suggested casually. humor hinted at her words, but she wasn't completely joking. let someone else deal with it. thing had to be bad luck anyways.​

[ 𓆩⟡𓆪 ]​

 

[SOOTSTAR]

Sootstar is fetched by Icepaw, the feline’s concern was enough to get her on the paws and pacing over to the scene as swiftly as she could. The green eyed molly catches Badgermoon already beginning to drag the foul thing away, presumably to dispose of it, she had no qualms with that… Though the sight of the hellish rabbit makes her fur bristle in horror.

Sootstar doesn’t even look Juniperfrost or Crowpaw’s direction, she silently gazes upwards to the sky with a questioning look. Though no one may dare speak it out loud it was blatant what she was thinking, it’s a bad omen.​

---

Spoiler: TAGS ★ 12/18

( primary character / "speech" / ic opinions )​

╰ ★ ჻ 001 GENERAL INFORMATION ,
· SOOTSTAR, female — she / her
╰ ‣ 34 moons . pisces. ages on the first
╰ ‣ windclan leader . marsh-born . believes in starclan
╰ ‣ former soldier of the marsh group

╰ ★ ჻ 002 VISUALS & AESTHETICS ,
· DOMESTIC FELINE, smells like heather and wet dirt , status — 100%
╰ ‣ blue smoke . scarred chest, difficult to see through fur . green eyes

╰ ★ ჻ 003 MENTALITY & MANNERISMS ,
· ESTJ-A ❝ EXECTUTIVE ❞ , Slytherin, Lawful Evil
╰ ‣ Cunning, brash, fierce, confident, self-reliant, envious & selfish
╰ ‣ finds great difficulty in relating to others . can be cruel, usually shows mercy to those she can find sympathy with
╰ ‣ sole key to her heart is loyalty, if you have her trust, she often shows a completely different side of herself. Aggression tends to manifest from her extreme paranoia
╰ ‣ Appreciates titles such as "miss, m'am" etc

╰ ★ ჻ 004 INTERACTIONS & RELATIONSHIPS ,
· SOOT CLAW x PEBBLE BREEZE, sister to Pebblenose
╰ ‣ heterosexual. mate to Weaselclaw
╰ ‣ mother to Windpaw & Sootpaw
╰ ‣ mentor to Sootpaw & Coyotepaw
╰ ‣ average fighter . skilled hunter .
╰ ‣ will start fights . unlikely to flee .
╰ ‣ attack in underline . penned by user @ava.​

​

​

 

[MALLOWLARK]

At commotion did curious ears swivel, ever and always- for where there was discussion, often interest did lie! Something unexplained, something scary- Mallowlark found himself constantly ashamed he was never the first to witness these things! Those great beasts on the moors, the loud bang that had burst through Sootstar (allegedly)... and now this, some murmuring about a rabbit, about getting rid of it. Fear wobbled the tones of those who spoke of this anomaly, and at such sounds the large tom's grin grew only wider, eyes boring into them. Skipping over to Badgermoon, he let his head fall a little to the side, trying to examine it even as it was dragged ungracefully across the ground. Lightening-quick, his pupils snapped up to the deputy's face.

"I can take one for the team and look at what's in it, if you want?" An altruistic statement that held within it a bit too much thrill, a brightness that was sorely lacking among the others present at the scene. What a waste it would be if they were simply rid of it! He'd had experience looking at innards, and stuff... especially with rabbits. He knew what they were supposed to look like! A bit of expertise would not go awry here, surely?​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[Firefang]

Firepaw had ignored the commotion she could hear quite clearly from the other apprentices, she'd been trying to rest after all curled into a tight ball eyes half lidded as she watched her surroundings too hungry and too cold to let herself drift off. The scent of a rabbit was just about driving her mad and she figures that's what all the noise was about, probably the other apprentices fighting among themselves for bites of the rare catch. Yet she can tell something is off the moment Juniperfrost's booming voice speaks out and the apprentices go running off, she can hear Icepaw's meow carry through the camp yowling for their leader. She finally gets up stretching her back and letting out a yawn before she trots over curiously. She's met with a sight she cannot fathom, it's disfigured flesh torn and spiraled it's an awful sight and she stumbles back the minute her eyes land on the foul thing. That was no rabbit. What was wrong with it? Was it sick? Infectious even, her heart races she can feel the palpitations making every muscle in her body shiver. She watches as Badgermoon would pick it up after devising a plan one their leader does not contest even if Crowpaw does - she wants to get away from it before it scorches itself into her vision but she doesn't leave. She'd go with him, it was the right thing to do he needed help and she'd try to get past her disgust and do that the sooner it was below ground and rotting the better, out of sight out of mind.

She's about to speak but Mallowlark opens his freakish yap and somehow makes her skin crawl more then it already does, she didn't understand the warrior she didn't think she ever could there was just something wrong with his head. ❝What the fuck is wrong with you? Seriously❞ the words spit out of her easily, she's thought that for a long time and only now properly voices it. She backs away from him going closer to Badgermoon swallowing the apprehension and disgust down and meowing up to him ❝I'll help. It's been a while since i've dug but I still remember how❞ she wasn't as good as the tunnelers she never was even when she was one of them... But she knows enough to get the job done.
​

( PLACE ME IN MY CASKET TONIGHT ; BECAUSE IM ALREADY DYING INSIDE )

 

[rainpaw]

It wasn't the initial commotion of apprentices that brought Rainpaw over, but the subsequent crowd that formed around them- no, not them, but something that they had brought in. Rainpaw arrived in time to hear Badgermoon's plan and watch him pick the rabbit up, but she hung back. One quick glance at the rabbit's head and a grimace was wrinkling the scarred skin on her face. The thing hanging from Badgermoon's jaws looked like its own bones had betrayed it. One of Rainpaw's front paws drifted up toward her head, as if to ensure that nothing similar was going on with her skull. She wanted to ask what was wrong with it, but the words got stuck in her throat, which suddenly felt much tighter than it had moments before. Her gaze skittered around, from the grim-faced Juniperfrost and Sootstar, to the wide-eyed Crowpaw, and then to Mallowlark as he spoke. Her ears flicked back. She wasn't sure how taking a look at the rabbit's innards would help anyone, truly. It would probably just have what was in all rabbits. Nevertheless, she thought Firepaw's reaction was excessive, and it was the final straw in fraying Rainpaw's nerves.

"What's wrong with you, Firepaw? That was so rude. Did your mother never teach you to be polite?" She snapped, ignoring her own manners in an impressive display of hypocrisy. Frankly, she wasn't a big fan of Mallowlark, either- his too-wide grin and too-wide eyes, paired with his offer, were unnerving. Rainpaw was just not fond of Firepaw's penchant for insults, and her anxiety had to be channeled somewhere. Yet as soon as it spilled out of her, she regretted it. She wanted to help bury the rabbit, too. She wanted to see physical proof that it was far away from camp, and she wanted to "take one for the team," as Mallowlark put it- although she had a different idea of what that entailed. Lashing out at Badgermoon's own apprentice might not have been the best idea. She offered, stiffly, "I could help bury it, too." It was her specialty, but Firepaw, admittedly, did also have experience.​