I'm gonna wing it {CLOSED}

[~Lavender~]

( ) Lavender didn't know exactly how far she had dragged herself, the gashes along her left flank screaming in protest with every step she took away from that horrible scene. Her breathing was ragged, each breath burning in her throat after all the yowling she had done. The memories flashed in her mind's eye, her fangs gritting together to the point of agony as she held back another scream of grief.

How had things gotten to this point? Her father, the bastard that he was, picked a fight with a cat twice his size and even less patience than him. One challenge, one fury spit insult, and now they were all dead. All save for her, who had gotten away due to the mercy of her mother and sisters. They had given their lives so that she could get free, perhaps the guilt of allowing Fathers' claws to scar her all these moons finally caught up to them.

She didn't know if it was fate or mere coincidence that brought the rogue group to their home, but she both cursed and thanked whoever had sent them. She would get revenge for her mother and sisters, but her father could burn in whatever place he had ended up once the light faded from his eyes. She just wished she had time to bury them, that was the only regret she held in her chest as she scrambled from the claws of her attacker and fled, the painful death cries of her mother and sisters echoing in the air as she did.

Lavender had run fast and hard, fear and the desperation to live forcing her legs to keep going until the point of collapse. Only when she was sure that no cat was following her, did she finally let herself fall. A black, horrible-smelling river greeted her sight. No, not a river, for the surface was solid and simmering with whatever heat it had gathered during the day. The cream and blue molly fought the urge to touch it as she rested. It was only then that she allowed herself to cry, to mourn her losses, wallow in her regrets. She stayed there a day, until the sky went from indigo to the palest shades of pink that told her dawn was coming and it was time to move again.

The gashes along her side screamed at her for her movements, her muscles also roaring in protest as she pushed herself to her paws and once again began walking. To where? Lavender didn't know or care, only knowing that staying out in the open was a death sentence when she was this hurt. The scents of cats suddenly assaulted her senses, and she reeled back from whatever invisible borderline she had accidentally walked into to. A curse under her breath, before she slumped into a sit and looked around at the towering trees that were just beginning to bud, a sign that warmer days were finally coming.

Lavender sat there and wondered what to do. Surely whoever had laid these markers would find her scent on them sooner or later, if she tried to find a place to rest here, maybe it was better if she just came clean now that her tumbling in had been an accident. She lifted her paw to tentatively touch the ugly-looking gashes on her flank, wincing at the tenderness and heat that radiated off of it. It was getting infected...she knew that much from all of the claw marks she had been gifted by her father every time she pissed him off, which was most of the time.

Her entire body went rigid as the sound of pawsteps announced the arrival of....who knows what, and she fluffed out her fur in defense as she waited in heart-pounding anxiety to either be greeted or attack.

​

( I'M FEELING LONELY; WISH I'D FIND A LOVER WHO COULD HOLD ME )

 

[BLIZZARD FANG]

It doesn’t take long at all to catch the rogue scent on the wind. Blizzard Fang and the patrol he accompanied was on it the moment it touched their nostrils. Embarrassingly enough, the partial striped Tom hadn’t scented it right away, his nose too focused for the smell of food rather than cat.

They find the feline in a pathetic state, wounded with plenty of nasty gashes that began to reek of infection. Judging by her scent it was a she-cat and no clan scent flows off her fur. Standing several fox-lengths away his pelt bristles, as friendly as he could be he had survived this long thanks to caution. What had wounded the she-cat so bad? Was it nearby? A question that must be asked before they even began to partake in discussion. ”What did that to you?”

tags​

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[crowflower]

While Blizzardfang was focused on catching the scent of prey, Crowflower had alerted the group to the scent of a rogue. And blood. A queasy feeling churned in her stomach as the young warrior followed the patrol in the direction of the thunderpath. Crow had expected to encounter the mangled body of a cat struck by one of the monsters, and was somewhat relieved to find a beautiful she-cat, wounded though she was. "Blizzardfang, she needs help!" she said, finding the precaution to be unnecessary when the stranger was clearly in pain. Concern spurred Crowflower forward despite Blizzardfang's caution and her own aversion to gore, but she hesitated only a few paces away. There was a part of her that couldn't bear to blatantly ignore protocol when encountering strangers, and she realized that there was a real possibility that the stranger wouldn't want Crowflower getting too close. Unsure of what to do next, she hovered awkwardly at the fringes of the group as they waited for the she-cat's response to Blizzardfang's question. "What's your name?" She asked after a strained moment of silence. If she couldn't rush to the rogue's aid, then she could at least be civil.​

 

[~Lavender~]

( ) Lavender kept her pelt fluffed, though she did her best to rid the snarl of defensive that has started to form on her maw. She was on their land after all, her being testy would only get her in more trouble.

Holding her head high, she would speak evenly despite the pain in her wound, "Cats. I wasn't followed." Her light blue eyes didn't waver from the first toms stare until a female piped up in concern. At least this one was friendlier, for now at least. This one came closer, but kept their distance too, smart since she was a stranger.

When she was asked her name, her throat tightened as she meowed softly, "Lavender. My mother named me." Like her sisters she had been named for their mothers favorite flowers, even when her father scoffed and called them weak names, she treasured her name because now...it was all she had left of them.

"I'm sorry." The molly would continue, head still high but lowered just enough to show her words were genuine. "I stepped over your scent line by accident. I just need someplace safe to rest, I won't be any trouble or I could earn my keep, I'm a decent hunter." Her father, damn his soul but he had at least given enough mercy to teach his daughters skills so they wouldn't be completely worthless to have around.

"What can I call you both?"

​

( I'M FEELING LONELY; WISH I'D FIND A LOVER WHO COULD HOLD ME )

 

[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
A wounded she-cat had drawn the attention of others on the patrol, so it wasn't long until Sunnyday made his way over to see for himself. Naturally he felt pity for her, but yet he didn't speak up in her defence. Though a part of him was growing tired of being the guy who kept taking in strays. What was even the point in trying to be the nice guy anymore? Why should he even bother keeping his promise to Emberstar? They weren't dealing with a kit here, this was clearly a cat at an age where she could fend for herself, right? "Wouldn't want to risk letting a dangerous rogue into the clan, right?"

A growl rumbled in the depths of his throat as he flexed his claws into the young grass fronds beneath his paws. "Guard her until I can get Flycatcher here. He will decide what to do with this trespasser, so don't allow her any further into our territory until he gets here." He instructed with an air of cold strictness. He would have gotten Howlingstar but he didn't want to disturb her whilst she was recovering from the battle at Sunningrocks. So it would be a situation for the deputy instead. Turning away, he then bounded off into the woods to seek out Flycatcher.

//tagging @Flycatcher
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[Flycatcher]

With Howlingstar still recovering, Flycatcher once again finds himself stepping up to assist her. At least this time, he was serving as deputy now and thus had more of a grasp on what he was doing.

When it came to joiners, the general consensus was for them to be driven off. In Emberstar's time, it had been different, but Howlingstar had been more strict on this matter. Flycatcher found himself somewhere in the middle on the matter, personally not wanting to turn away every cat, but also agreeing they needed to be more mindful of who they allowed within their borders. The last thing any of them wanted was another Trufflepelt situation. When Sunnyday finds him in camp, Flycatcher turns to him with a curious expression. He is half expecting it to be a patrol report until he realises that the other cats with him had not returned. With a small nod, Flycatcher agrees to follow Sunnyday to the injured cat on the border, asking the tom a few questions as they travel in order to try and discern the kind of cat he is about to meet before they arrive.

When they arrive back on the scene, Flycatcher pads out to stand with the cats who had remained, casting his green eyes over the injured she-cat. He felt pity for her and the state she was in, but he knew what needed to be done. "Hello," He mews, giving a cordial dip of the head. The deputy gives a long sigh before pressing forward. "I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but we are not taking joiners currently," He tells her honestly. "You do not seem like a bad cat to me but I am afraid we are simply not welcoming any new cats to our clan. At most, we could part with some prey if you need it but that is as much as I can do for you I am afraid. I would ask that you leave our lands without quarrel, but know that my clan will chase you away if provoked."​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Raccoonstripe had followed at Flycatcher's heels after Sunnyday had come to fetch the gray tabby. He'd been surprised at the older tom's decision to alert the higher ups instead of just bringing wanderers into camp, but it's a difference he can respect, at least. The newly-named lead warrior sets his dark gaze on the pale tortoiseshell trespasser as Flycatcher tells her in gentle terms that ThunderClan cannot help her.

The tabby stands beside his superior, nodding along until Flycatcher offers this loner a piece of their prey. Raccoonstripe has to remind himself to hold his tongue -- lead warrior or not, he cannot outright challenge his deputy -- but the tabby shakes his head nonetheless. "It's newleaf. There should be prey enough in the lands belonging to no Clans." He flicks an ear. "Prey that we are not using to feed the injured, the young, and the old." He is speaking to Lavender, but his words have a dual meaning for Flycatcher.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

​

 

[~Lavender~]

( ) Lavender would fight the urge to roll her eyes at the growl that came from another cats throat. Yes, because she was clearly in prime condition to launch an attack against three cats. She forced her expression to remain neutral and patient as the newest arrival simple gave an order to the others before hurrying off.

She would stand in silence as she weighed her options, not looking at the other cats gathered because what good would it do? She looked pathetic enough as it was. Pawsteps announce the other cats return, two more cats in their heels. How much of a threat did they think she was in this condition?

The cat who was brought didnt bother to introduce himself, only getting right to the point, letting her know she wasnt welcome. Lavender turned, not bothering to listen to anything else the other Cat bothered to say because it wasn't needed. She heard the important part, so she wouldn't overstay her welcome. Her tail would flick dismissively at the offer of prey, If these cats were so concerned about her just being here, she didn't need to make any more enemies by taking prey.

Lavender wouldn't say another word as she limped away, she'd find somewhere else to rest then.

​

( I'M FEELING LONELY; WISH I'D FIND A LOVER WHO COULD HOLD ME )

 

[crowflower]

While most Thunderclan cats seemed to agree that there was no tolerance for joiners, especially adult cats, Crowflower couldn't bring herself to agree. It just didn't make sense why they couldn't at least help Lavender. Sure, leaf-bare had been especially difficult this past year but they were better now! And surely there were enough cobwebs and herbs laying around to patch the molly up before sending her on her way! Perhaps it was naivety from a young cat who had yet to face real battle or stride. Perhaps she was ignorant. But Crowflower could not bring herself to agree with her clan on this particular point. Nausea roiled in her stomach at the thought of what Lavender might have to endure with such severe wounds. She grimaced, unable to keep the displeasure from her expression, and turned her face away from Flycatcher. Racconstripe's pointed comment about the prey was just enough to spike a note of irritation within the typically passive she-cat. "You should try Skyclan," she says in a moment of bravery. "They may be able to help you." She'd always heard that they were more accepting of newcomers--even kittypets! Crowflower couldn't bear to see Lavender leave without at least offering an alternative. The poor creature deserved that much, at least. "Follow the river south and then head east after you pass the Sunningrocks."​