camp IN THIS GLOOM — bats

[BATSHRIEK]

"GUESS WHAT, I'M THE DEVIL HERSELF"​

Names have always been important to Batshriek. The noise—the string of sounds that others use to refer to one cat specifically—means a lot to her, and not just because her name is so beautiful.

What’s in a name, they’ve heard asked many times around the twolegplace, taken to mean that what one is called should be irrelevant in comparison to their inherent value as a being. But… that’s not how it works, is it? Their old name had not been their choice. It was thrust upon them, used to enforce an identity that she never wanted. Everyone knew him, knew that name. But Batshriek doesn’t want—and hadn’t wanted—anyone to hold onto that person she used to be. And when she’d first shed that old name, she had felt nothing but free.

Back then, she had no idea what she wanted her name to be. Nameless for moons, she’d been, until she saw a creature flying through the sky—free, floating, uncaring for the judgments of the world below. A creature of the night. A bloodsucker, drainer of life, some neighborhood cats had called them. But bats have always been elegant to her. Dangerous yet beautiful in a way that she can only dream to be.

Nighttime has fallen over the camp, with the deep indigo of the sky eating away at retreating pale blue. The bones of trees poke at the sky where they’re exposed at the ends, freshly bare of leaves. All is still for a moment, and then a birdlike shape flits through the trees. There’s no sound, but a few seconds later it darts overhead once more.

They tip their head back to observe it as it flies out of sight again, flicking their ear at the sound of pawsteps through grass and leaves. "Did you know," they say, not even glancing at the other cat—a terrible habit they’ve picked up since becoming more comfortable in SkyClan. Before, any creature approaching them would get a sharp glare before they even began to relax. Now, though, Batshriek hardly even looks over their new company before they begin talking; they just get so excited to share conversation with other SkyClanners. "If a bat were to bite you in your sleep, you probably wouldn’t even notice it." They finally tilt their head back down, teasingly snapping sharp canines at their clanmate.
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✦ ★ ✦​

 

[~Deersong~]

𝐵𝓊𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌, 𝐼 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓇𝑒​

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Deersong had lost track of time as she had gone digging for some more of her precious stones. In her jaws glittered a rock of pretty purple hues and a look of whimsical content made her turquoise eyes appear even more enchanting within the oncoming moonlight. A voice would stop her in her silent feathered steps, and the witchy molly would turn her head before tilting it at Batshriek who was staring up at the sky.

Interest would make her turn her walking direction and sit beside the pretty molly whose coat looked much like her beloved mates, setting her newly acquired rock down between her paws before looking up at the sky herself. A coo of intrigue would slip past her lips as she smiled wistfully, "You ain't just a woofin', are ya?" Deersong would giggle softly as Batshriek snapped their jaws at her in a teasing fashion.

Tilting her head once more in her airy and dazed as if the topic had placed her in a thoughtful trance, "I wonder how they can do something like that..." Deersong would swish her tail behind her lightly as a purr flowed from her throat, "Some stellar power I would think, right?" ​

 

[Coyotecrest]

I won't apologize for being who I am

Interested in what the two she cats were looking up at, Coyotekit trots over with a small spring in his step. Minty orbs direct their attention towards the sky to spot an animal that looked somewhat like a bird but not. He overhears Batshriek calling the creature a bat and Coyote is sure to tuck the newfound information away. However, his muzzle scrunches up at the black and white molly's next comment. "They bite cats? Doesn't that make them dangerous?" Whether they could feel the bites or not he did not believe it was a good idea to have them around. Slowly he broke away from Deersong and Batshriek, keeping his eyes focused upon another bat flying rather sporadically as it hunted various bugs. Young muscles grew taunt as he lowed into a crouch, tail tip flicking from side to side in waiting. Finally the bat swooped low, chasing after a mosquito and Coyotekit launched himself into the air. Extending his forearms he attempted to swat at the chittering critter only to miss by a whiskers length. "Augh! So close!" He muttered once his paws hit the earth again.[/color]​

Tryna throw shade on me say a lot 'bout you​

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[FIGFEATHER]

"A bat?" Figpaw squints up into the night sky, watching as that singular creature darts back and forth through the trees. Figpaw has heard of bats, scary creatures with long, blood-thirsty fangs. The elders told her that they land on misbehaving SkyClanner's and drink their blood, until they wither up like a fly in a spider's web.

The child from where she stands think's it just looks like the silhouette of a bird. She had arrived too late to witness the one who had swooped low to the ground. "The elders told me they have long fangs... that they drink the blood of misbehaving cats... is that true?" She asks the warriors, Batshriek in particular since they seemed knowledgable on the subject.​

 

[GREENEYES]

Greenpaw follows suit, curious eyes looking up towards the night sky alongside those who'd gathered to watch whatever it is that's up there.

It looks like a bird, flapping around between the trees. Maybe it's forgotten where its nest is? However, something seems a bit off about the bird - wings all spiky-looking in its silhouette. How odd.

It's Batshriek that speaks, that implies it's not a bird that Greenpaw's watching, but - rather conveniently, considering the warrior's name - a bat.

"A bat? Like you?" he asks, gaze locked on the critter above them. Her words about the bat make him nervous - how would he not be able to notice, if something were to bite him in his sleep? He looks to his sister as she speaks, her words of the elders' stories reminding him that, he too had heard such stories.

"If bats have long fangs, and drink cat blood..." he starts, a slight tremble in his voice at the thought, "Why wouldn't we be able to feel it bite?"

Were the bats going to drink his blood tonight? Would he wake up in the morning with no blood, unaware that the critters' feast on him even happened?
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[BATSHRIEK]

"GUESS WHAT, I'M THE DEVIL HERSELF"​

The bat comes back for another pass below the treetop branches as her silky-furred clanmate purrs a response. Her gaze flicks to the rock that the lead warrior carries, then back up to Deersong’s face as she speaks. "I don’t know," they state, offering a shrug. "They’re just weird mice with wings. If there’s any stellar power, it’s real hidden." They’re about to continue talking about how mice and bats are likely related, but a little cream tabby comes over to stand nearby, and immediately asks if bats are dangerous.

They roll their eyes, though they aren’t actually annoyed with the child. The bicolored warrior actually thinks Coyotekit is a cool kid—curiosity is a virtue, and she won’t fault him for it. "They don’t bite cats to be mean, it just happens sometimes. Like when they’re scared because a kid tries to jump up and catch one." Mismatched eyes narrow, giving Coyotekit a pointed look.

Figpaw seems to share his same concern, so Bat gives a sharp shake of their head. "Nooo, no way. Bats that drink the blood of misbehavers might be real, but if they are, they don’t live here." She huffs, a short bark of laughter leaving her mouth. How absurd! Bats eat bugs, doesn’t everyone know that? Then again, she’s still relatively new to SkyClan, so maybe these cats don’t know much about bats anyway. Batshriek shrugs her shoulders, chuckling at their clanmates. "Don’t believe everything those old geezers tell you."

Greenpaw joins them, and he has a few questions as well. "Yeah, like me," she says in return with that same broad smile. But then the kid mentions blood drinking again; they are so hung up on this, it’s kind of ridiculous. Whichever elder has been telling bat stories is going to get a piece of her mind, just as soon as she figures out who it was. "They don’t drink cat blood. And it’s ‘cause their fangs are so small, they don’t make much of a sting most of the time." Her voice comes out slightly exasperated, but there’s no true annoyance, only feigned. She loves this clan, even the clanmates who believe that bats drink blood.
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