I showed up to the alley with my tin pan' | intro

[sloestride]

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THIS WEIGHT ON MY NECK MAKES IT HARD TO CONNECT

It was dark now and the nighttime air crackled with unseen shuffles, creaking of branches and the plaintive cry of wildlife. Trembling shivers raced up and down Slow's spine despite his fruitless attempts to shake them off. His mouth was dry, chilled air swirling into his palette with his jaw locked ajar. It snapped shut at long last as he detected the scent of other cats once more. Dejection at his sorry state- leaden paws, unkempt pelt and twitching whiskers- persisted despite the revelation. That Sootstar figure, as laughable as she was, had slipped in enough worry to make his walk from the moors a quiet rush. The tom hated how weak he had felt, sheltered beneath a shattered rock shelf at the barest hint of wing beats. Her hawks... ha.

Still, the black fans of the oak leaves above him seemed promising. Aching paw pads slid along a muddy track, its narrow path collecting stagnant water. It soothed them and kept him out of sight, the filth slick on his inky legs a necessary evil. When the trail petered out he emerged into a brief clearing sheltered with lanky ferns. There was a muted crunch somewhere behind the walls of foliage. Slowpoke froze, nose flared and eyes wide. "Thunderclan? You there? Not here to make trouble, just wanna check things out." His tone was quiet and clear- misunderstandings were something he definitely wanted to avoid.

/tdlr: stinker has just come from an interaction with windclan and is super on edge. sorry it's so short!
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[BERRYHEART]

Why was he out this late? Well- a hunting trip had run late, and with only a mouse held in his shamble of fangs, he felt a twist of discontent in his gut at the concept. He could have done better, had he stayed out longer... but his motivation was beginning to wane, and so forced satisfaction carried snow-kissed paws across leaf-strewn ground, a journey intended to be mostly as-the-crow-flies.

The world, especially that of the enigmatic night, often had different plans for him- a voice, addressing his group as if one being, jostles his attention away from the dream-lulled disappointment that half-lidded eyes.

Quiet at the stutter of a shrew's paws, a hum buzzed through Berry's lips as he closed in on the source of a noise; and there stood a tom with markings unlike any he had seen, and eyes that glowed lantern-amber in the dark from the slightest touch of moonlight- and he asked, here, to check things out? Well, he had no authority to give him that opportunity, but... he was always an advocate for education. "ThunderClan is here," was all he could think to say. This forest was endlessly interesting, but would someone be permitted to simply check it out? Or... perhaps it was a layered attempt to join their ranks.​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[Leafshade]

SO YOUNG, YET SO BROKEN​

---

Long, lanky, limbs would carry the blue-point along as he made his usual walk around Thunderclan territory. He wasn't quite sure why he did this, whether it was to give him something to do or in a strange sense of wanting to protect his new home. Either way, he was out and prowling about when a voice caught his attention. His entire frame went rigid, claws unsheathing as he hurried his way towards the shout.

The familiar scent of Berry would hit his nose as he got closer and his hackles would rise in anxiety. His narrow ears strained for any sounds of fighting, and his maw parted for any fear or anger scents. Leaf would slow to a steady trot when he could sense neither, and he would slip into view like a shadow beside his clanmate, giving Berry an ear flick of acknowledgment.

Good, he was ok, and there was only one loner from the smell of things. With steel blue eyes narrowed in suspicion, Leaf would scowl as he meowed, "This territory is claimed now. You can't just waltz in." Leaf's statements were short and clipped, a further sign of his impatience, "So state why you're actually here. Quickly." ​

 

[sloestride]

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THIS WEIGHT ON MY NECK MAKES IT HARD TO CONNECT

"ThunderClan is here" The words heralded the arrival of a copper-splattered cat, his pelt a tight pattern of orange flecks against sable. Slow's angular head was cocked, perplexed at the odd gait the cat approached with. When only three chalk paws emerged from the undergrowth he averted his attention back to the crooked face of 'Thunderclan'.

Another far-off shuffle halted his opening maw and caution silenced him. A few quiet beats passed as they waited for the second figure to arrive, his stiff limbs sinking further into a heavy slumber. When a ghostly, pewter-tipped shape spouting impatient orders emerged he let his shoulders loosen. Seemed every one of these clans had someone to frighten off new folk- at least this one didn't claim leadership.

"Alright yeah, truth be told I am looking to join. Just want to be sure you don't have wind up your tails like the... curiosities up yonder" An optimistic relief ran parallel with his exasperated gesture to the moors behind him. They'd hear him out, right? Slow didn't think he could make it to another territory, not with his wits about him.
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[BERRYHEART]

Side-eyeing Beanpole, Berry felt a shrug roll his shoulders. He supposed it was best to be direct about intentions, though... was there nothing interesting to his fellow Thunderclanner about engaging in conversation? Here stood before them a tom who had lived a completely different life, craning his neck toward the guillotine that was life in wilderness. What had driven him to that? Kittypets did not all join their throng for simple fun, right?

In this environment Berry supposed his own ponderings were not particularly important. Looking to join- of course, as were most who encroached upon the forest having heard of them. Sparky would surely not turn this fellow away- a snoopy one, wasn't he, having been to the moors as well. At his vague mention of Needles' Clan, a laugh- though it was more of a snorted, short breath- left Berry. "WindClan...? I don't imagine you were welcome there..." he mused, amusement bringing light to his hooded eyes. Curiosities- that was an apt word, he supposed, to someone with no prior experience of Needles. She was... not the welcoming sort, at least toward those who hailed from the housefolk.

Sparky would not be long, he hoped. He had never been good at conducting conversation. "Our leader is much less cagey," he continued after a moment, clearing his throat. ​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[sloestride]

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THIS WEIGHT ON MY NECK MAKES IT HARD TO CONNECT

Thunderclan's huffing chuckles assuaged his concerns, weariness and assurance eloping to further lower his guard. "No, that Sootstar was a real git about me being there." The slanderous words slipped freely before his mind could catch them- besides some mild amusement Slow had no understanding of these cats' opinions on their neighbour. You need to rest before you say something worst. His eyelids feathered shut, like an open wax flame in the breeze.

"Less cagey- enough to let me join? I'll be upfront in saying I am knackered. Either of you lads know wheres about your leader might be?" The tom glanced around the shadowy clearing speculatively, perception piqued in an attempt to discern where the rest of the colony might lay. The shambling static of the forest beyond them only responded with untraceable noise. Slowpoke did not enjoy being so unawares, it felt as though anything could lunge for him and he would be none the wiser.
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[emberstar]

"WE ARE THE BROKEN ONES, WHO CHOSE TO SPARK A FLAME"​

"Right here!" Emberstar called out with a laugh as she emerged from the underbrush. She knew she had heard voices! How lucky she had been that one of them had belonged to a joiner. With Thunderclans ranks no longer swelling as dramatically as they had upon the clans formation, greeting a new face was now a rare joy. One she coveted all the more with her recent troubles.

"Heya, my name's Emberstar, leader of Thunderclan, nice ta meetcha!" she greeted with a grin that practically split her face. Her eyes appraised her new friend to-be eagerly. "And yes! You will be welcome to join once you overcome the terrible and cagey-" That was a good way to use that term right? She was pretty sure that was a good way to use that term. "-requirement of telling me your name" She punctuated her joke with a little wink. Just in case anyone hadn't caught that it was a joke.

She did want his name though. That part wasn't a joke. ​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[sloestride]

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THIS WEIGHT ON MY NECK MAKES IT HARD TO CONNECT

The bright chime of a new speaker gave him pause, heavy head swerving to assess them. His call for a leader had been answered, quickly. Slit eyes brushed across the amber-capped cat, finding a myriad of scars. They seemed common in the wild- the tortie tom next to him even lacked a foot. Throughout his appraisal dark ears stood at attention, listening. She seemed friendly. A surprise wink caught him off guard and he shot his stare back up to her open expression.

The kindness she oozed was so strong it made him suspicious. To go from one stubborn 'star' to one like this was like being smashed between two headwinds. He had to assume the celestial suffix denoted leadership, otherwise it would be an awkward coincidence. On the topic of names, the sandy feline was asking for his.

"My name is Slow..." Slowpoke's answer petered out, uncertain. They didn't need to know the full length of it, did they? His name was odd, even in kittypet circles. What little he knew of it came from one of his housefolks babblings. The upwalker would thrust a bright block before him, cooing out his name and patting at the gritty images found there. No, he didn't want to bring his old nest into the forest. "Mhn, name's Slow. Cheers, appreciate the welcome. Looking forward to getting to know you lot." Signed off with a polite smile, he let his words rest in the quiet. The tom would follow wherever he was led, head flicking between oak trunks like a hawk's.
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