private i want the guts and glory .. sootstar

[hollowcreek]

A blanket of pitch had swallowed the sky for some time now. Stars, countless in their number, shine like peering eyes down onto the moors. Hollowcreek forced his gaze away from them as he struggled to find sleep. It was unusual for him, normally settling into a rest quickly. Muscles twitched and ached in restlessness that kept him shifting his nest.

The hulking tabby raised himself to his paws as he battled the tide between sleepless exhaustion and lethargy weighing down on his shoulders. A tired sigh huffed from his maw and he shook his head to flick away the lingering thoughts prodding his head. An ear angled back as a gentle rustle came from the gorse and he caught the sight of silvery fur under the moonlight. The scent of the underground confirmed the sight in his blurry vision, blinking away the drowsiness as he padded toward her.

"Sootstar-" He stopped just as he began, correcting himself with a graceful bow. "My Queen, I see something troubles us both from our sleep." A simple glance back toward the clearing of warriors reintroduced the wave he had just cleared from his mind. It's hard not to wonder as he slept among their warriors which one's would betray them. Which would be next to flee in the cover of night. Did it fester within her like it did for him? Did she care at all? If they were traitors perhaps she found it useful that they rid themselves but now... Now they harbored more secrets than he would have liked in their case. If even one of them took off they could plead a deal with ShadowClan in turn for their precious young.

"My concerns for WindClan's greatness keep me up tonight. I refuse to doubt we will not overcome any amount of betrayal, but I fear there may be a certain voice among them that will incite more trouble than it's worth." Of course he spoke of Lilacstem. Refusing to back down after the reactions of her more loyal Clanmates. Feeling empowered by the voices of those like her. "We still have time before a beast is born in our garden. We just have to do some weeding."

-- @SOOTSTAR ​

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"speech"​

 

[SOOTSTAR]

Sootstar’s gaze intensifies with each word Hollowcreek speaks. He talks of a beast being born in WindClan’s garden, he speaks of preventing it by doing some weeding. She’s thrown back into the past, recalling a dream of dandelion breaking out across the camp. The weeds had entangled everything, how foolish to think that without continuing to tend to the garden the weeds wouldn’t return.

”It’s not as easy as ripping the weed from the ground.” She meows, following the same riddle-speak Hollowcreek meowed. ”You need to also extract the root, and no matter how much I dig I’ve never found it.” Meaning, no matter how many cats she exiled, threatened, maimed the traitors kept rearing their heads. ”So I’ve let them fester, figuring so long as I keep them from growing too big they won’t cause any real harm… but perhaps you’re right.”

Seriously she looks upon the Tom-cat, ”What do you propose we do?”

☾ INFO BATTLE

• 
  » Soot ․ Sootstar
  » WindClan Leader
  » She/her ․ Mate to Weaselclaw
  » Tiny blue smoke she-cat with green eyes.
  » "Speech" ․ thoughts ․ attack
  
• 
  » A high-stamina foe who can be difficult to hit.
  » Excels in quick, short moves.
  » Fights to kill and maim
  » Fatal attack of choice is an underbelly dive.
  » May powerplay minor harm. Can powerplay healing

​

 

[hollowcreek]

( ✧ ) A thoughtful hum followed the mollys answer. The seeds of treachery have grown deep within the grasslands, enough that not even Hollowcreek could tell just exactly where it had begun. Sootstar had always been rather radical in her behavior from the start. Cats that had chosen to live within her Clan had not anticipated the demands of her devotion, and instead of admitting to it and looking for help in achieving greatness under her rule, they crumbled. Faltered and became crushed from the pressure.

It was sad to see so much weakness.

Her eyes are like a striking viper as they peer into his. She trusts him, though. The fact alone ignited the heat of pride in his chest. Through all these moons, through all their struggles, he was still seen as an ally to her side. Truthfully he wouldn't find comfort anywhere else.

"I propose we keep them around, for now. We need examples after all and those that have been chased off or run away have only spat in our faces that they found pitiful solitude somewhere else." SkyClan housed nearly half of the traitors after all. They couldn't let these ones escape.

"We should make them feel grateful again. They take WindClan's power for granted, growing comfortable with the protection and prey thats been provided." Rattleheart had tried to counter Hollowcreek when he pushed against Lilacstems dissent. Something he would not forget. "If exiling and putting them down hasn't worked, I suggest we try the opposite. Imprison them by the vows they took as warriors, those that haven't outwardly sworn their loyalty do not eat before those who have. If they will not be presentable models for our apprentices, they will be treated like one until they learn. They'll sleep in the same tattered moss and see how many cold, hungry nights it takes before they see we are not as cruel as they imagine."

Hollowcreak would have suggested even keeping them from receiving herbal aid from Wolfsong if it didn't put their new replacement at risk again so soon. He wouldn't believe Cottonpaw to go against her mother in any condition, but he would rather his torn pads and aching joints treated by someone with just a bit more knowledge under his pelt.
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( I SEE YOUR COLLARBONE ; AND WANNA LOSE CONTROL )