sensitive topics I'm just a cross-hair ⤜ Return/RTA

[shriketalon]

TW for mild wound descriptions and very brief self misgendering

Shriketalon makes it back to camp as the first glint of morning sun creeps against the marsh surrounding them. Their body was alight, from the pain or from the nerves they couldn’t really tell. The wounds weren’t too bad, they were able to walk with them even if it was at a much slower pace than the warrior preferred. They couldn’t help but wonder if maybe this was an intentional move on Jagged’s part? Clearly if he wanted them dead it could have happened. If he wanted the injuries to be bad enough that they couldn’t drag themself back in shame that could have been orchestrated. They weren’t a medicine cat by any means but they were certain that this was enough to scar, some kind of reminder that he had a hold of her in some way. No- no that's not right.

am I really that mouse-brained to think he knows me better than I do? in the haze of a memory alight with charged emotions and pain they’re inclined to fall back into that kit-like mindset. They'd be much more furious over the fact his misgendering had effected them in this way if they weren't so focused on going home. There’s a hiss of pain as they reach ShadowClan’s camp, the claws that stripped flesh from muscle against their underbelly had left a very permanent reminder. Every step ripped apart a still bleeding wound, the scratches on their face could remain pretty immobile but the bite that crunched their shoulder and that pierced their stomach kept jostling.

It’s a relief to hear the chatter of the morning, enough to draw their mind out of the haze they started to lose themself to. They didn’t think they’d actually ever be relieved to hear anyone but maybe they had the wrong opinion about things. Part of them did worry did anyone even realise I left? It wasn’t common practice for them to just leave in the middle of the night but they wondered if there would just be an assumption that they would leave to be a rogue again. Especially after what happened with Cygnet’s Cry and Valleysong, hopefully they wouldn’t be assumed as some kind of traitor, it had only been overnight.

“Hey- ow can someone please get Starlingheart?” Their call out is muted, not as boisterous as they usually are but there’s a tinge of humour. The blood pooling probably looked worse than it actually is, leaving a slug slime like trail that marked the path they walked. There’s a soft hiss under their breath as a breeze clashes against open wounds

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ooc ⤜ Love lies bleeding ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

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  Takes place after this thread (major time soup has happened here so this is backwritten! Both that thread and this one takes place on September 5th! )
  @Starlingheart but no need to wait
  

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• 
  SHRIKETALON || They/them, Warrior of ShadowClan, 31 moons
  ✧ A long haired black feline with low white spotting and hazel eyes. A small tear marks their right ear.
  
  ✧ Mentored by Nectarsong | Mentoring N/A
  
  ✧ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted ⭃ underline and tag when attacking.
  
  ✧ penned by Juice ⭃ Ouijeejuice on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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[BUZZARDKIT.]

I SAW A PHOTO, YOU LOOK JOYOUS​

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"you're h...urt."

buzzardkit's face and voice may be dull and neutral, not leaning more one way or another, but their eyes gleam with something akin to worry. is that what they can call that? they don't know. all they know is that they don't like seeing the cat in front of them covered in blood and in pain. they like them. why did they have to get hurt? why couldn't it be a cat they didn't like, like smogstar? or mirepurr? or snowlark? just to name a few cats that they wouldn't even care if they got hurt. but they cared about this one... weird.

"you were gone a l...ong ti...me. i looked in you...r nest."

she had every intention to bring them a stick they found and ask about the bug she found on it. she's a bit morbid to think about having killed the bug for it's wings... if it had any. but she never got the chance. shriketalon wasn't there. but they are now. and they're not okay. they're hurt. something thrums to life inside of her like a raging fire coated in oil. if she were a warrior... would she have been able to save them from this fate?
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[MIRESTAR]

It had been easy (too easy, in retrospect) to chalk Shriketalon's flimsy presence up to the passing of their sibling. Such a loss surely carves a gaping hole into their heart; made even worse by the fact that Shriketalon would not be here, amongst ShadowClan's ranks, if it hadn't been for Chilledstar and their kindness. Perhaps Chilledstar themself would scoff at the notion... of calling it "kindness" when it had sounded more like a second chance, an apprehensive and distanced decision to see if past mistakes could be amended.

Whether Shriketalon had succeeded or not is not Mirepurr's place to decide on. Had Chilledstar forgiven them? Or are they regretful of their past verdict?

When Mirepurr looks at Shriketalon now, they only see a capable warrior. One who had learned the Clans' ways, even if some had not been so welcoming to rogues... a friend, even, if Shriketalon were to agree.

And for that reason, Mirepurr's breath lodges into their throat when they see bloodied fur.

"Dear StarClan," they gasp. Hurried steps bring them closer to Shriketalon — all the while their nose is hard at work attempting to pinpoint the culprit. Another attack... would the marshes ever feel safe enough to walk in? "What happened to you? Here, you can lean on me while we get Starlingheart..."
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[THRASHERTHROAT]

જ➶ Cruel the swamps are and have always been that way as far as they can remember. Their cold and warm gaze trails after the line of blood that connects to one such cat that they had not seen in a while. Buzzardkit is right, they had been gone but that doesn't mean much because now they are back and wounded. They iron tang of blood sits heavy on their tongue and for a moment they think to back up and let someone else handle it. Yet their paws move them forward anyway, nose trembling with the smelling of Shriketalon's blood. "I can help get them their if you need me to." The question of what happened drapes on their tongue but they keep it to themselves because it is not their business and they doubt that the other is comfortable in telling them what happened. Maybe someone else surely. Shifting they moved to get closer when they hear Mire ask the question and they pull their ears forward slightly before looking over their shoulder.

"I can get Starlingheart." With a nod they shift their paws, chocolate form quickly going to do just that.​

 

[shriketalon]

They weren't entirely sure why they weren't expecting Buzzardkit to be lingering around camp, the kit already seemed to be an early riser, for what reason they weren't entirely sure. Shriketalon considers lying, to minimise the issue that they were in fact hurt, maybe deflect it with an 'I'm okay' but they can't find the desire to. "I am, it'll heal though" the fact that the kit was looking for them doesn't fall on deaf ears, for a moment a glimpse of shame dances on their expression like a phantom. Of course their disappearance was noticeable, they suppose it would be ridiculous to think it hadn't. If they had any hope that it didn't make any of the other warriors early suspicions of them vindicated then that hope had all but vanished.

At least they had a flicker of reprieve in their worries about perception when Mirepurr and Thrasherthroat made their approach. It was weird to be reliant of others, they found they couldn't immediately dignify Thrasherthroat's offer with an answer because of that. "Ah- yeah that would be great" an answer is eventually choked out, grimacing as they shift their weight from where they stood. Wounds being forced to tug and weep in the process, Shriketalon's tail lashes in irritation but that ire is not held for their clanmates.

"Are you sure?" They can only stare dumbfounded at Mirepurr, they'd be a fool to not take advantage of such a kind offer. Despite the nerves in their body protesting at moving once more they find themself reliant on the deputy. While things had been rocky at the start between the pair they had come to a relisation that despite being protective over the clan they had only been kind to Shriketalon, despite their barbed replies in the face of such kindness. It was a relief to experience it now, hazel eyes glimmer in worry as they glance to Buzzardkit, she didn't need to hear the gory details of everything. "I went to go find my dad to uh... Let him know Chilledstar died, it didn't really go well" they fight to chuckle at the understatement. With a groan they raise a paw to gesture at their wounded form as the result of that conversation, like it wasn't obvious that the altercation didn't end in Shriketalon's favour.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ooc ⤜ Love lies bleeding ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

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• 

• 
  SHRIKETALON || They/them, Warrior of ShadowClan, 31 moons
  ✧ A long haired black feline with low white spotting and hazel eyes. A small tear marks their right ear.
  
  ✧ Mentored by Nectarsong | Mentoring N/A
  
  ✧ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted ⭃ underline and tag when attacking.
  
  ✧ penned by Juice ⭃ Ouijeejuice on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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