private ME & THE DEVIL

[sneezeduck]

In his new nest amongst his new denmates, sleeping soundly underneath the moon's watchful light, a young warrior stirs.. willing, 'please, please, please.'

And underneath a dark sky devoid of stars, crowded with endless branches of winding vines and dead bark, the boy awakens. Cold mud seeps between his toes as the warmth of his clean moss nest diminishes. The bleak, ugly landscape that Sneezeduck has come to recognize as StarClan unfolds before him, in all its rotten glory. Much like the first time he saw this place, many moons ago, he wills himself to see between brown sprigs of grass and gnarly roots. While his Clanmates dream of the star-speckled, bright and plentiful lands that they imagine to be their ancestors' home, Sneezeduck is blessed enough to see it for himself in its truth. That, in itself, makes him see beauty.

A skinny figure descends from the infinite depth of branches above, hitting the ground with a sickly hollow thud. Sneezeduck cannot help the way his mouth curls up hopefully, as if the very cat were his personal savior here to deliver him unto paradise. Perhaps, in a way, she is.

" I wanted to see you, " the young man mews, skipping the formalities. If it worked, if he had willed himself back to her and she had accepted, she will know who he is, and how desperately he had wanted to come. " Siltcloud. Things have changed since you last summoned me here. My.. mind has changed. "

A deep breath, ragged with internal turmoil. Losing Chilledstar had been the first step towards a grief-ridden mind; not that he ever cared for Smogstar much, but, the abrupt change in leadership was just as scary. And now.. " Smogstar is gone. Disappeared, " Sneezeduck explains hurriedly. He feels the strings of conscious begin to mend, slowly, one by one.. how long does he have in this place to get what he wants? " So soon after Chilledstar.. and that's not even the last. Applejaw was killed, by the ThunderClan border."

Mirestar's fury resonated with him - he can remember it clear as if it were unfolding in front of his very eyes, again and again. That same grief, that need for justice - it boils within him now. " It's endless. The death within ShadowClan. It always has been. " Cursed comes to mind. Could Siltcloud agree, after all she's seen from StarClan's ranks? " And I.. I have been powerless, but.. that must end now. I don't know if.. when.. my family will be next. "

Sneezeduck lifts his chin to meet Siltcloud's gaze confidently.. but even still, his limbs tremor with sorrow and fear. " My mentor taught me well, but there is clearly something missing. I should be meant for more. That's why I.. humbly request your help. To teach me what a simple mortal being cannot. For my Clan. For my family. I wasn't ready to learn from you before.. but I am now."



@✧ Siltcloud.​

 

[✧ Siltcloud.]

I CAN'T ESCAPE IT
IT'S OF MY OWN MAKING​

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siltcloud ♕ 21 moons ♖ female ♘ she/her ♙ dark forest rogue ​

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Its a rarity - to have someone come of ther own will - to want to visit this star-forsaken wasteland. Theres pitifully little to do - she refuses to leave her sanctuary, the little nook she has carved out as her own, to do something as inane as socialize with cats she hates jsut as much now as she did while alive. Instead, she drift - mind unfocused, thoughts idle as days, moons, seasons pass her by - contented only by the lingering glimpses she gets of her... friend, her kits, her kin. She takes pleasure in knowing that somewhere, Granitepelt is surely rotting among these same trees - watches with affection as Mirestar and Lilacfur grow ever closer. Conversations full of pride with Marblepaw -destined for great things, even if she wishes nothing more then to see the medicine cat dead the same as her mate.

Her offer stands - words cooed at a child she has little are for. She'd thought it answered when he'd grown out of her reach - clearly, she'd been wrong. Stick figure limbs drop dust-hud figure from her favorite perch, not nearly as gracefully as she'd like, but she is no skyclanner with long-limbs and powerful paws, and ears twitch, had tilting painfully to the side. " Oh? " comes quiet voice - nothing but curiosity in her tone.

' I wanted to see you '

How long has it been since she'd heard such words? Crooked tail twitches, and dull gaze narrows - flickering with interest as the young warrior continues. " It always has... " she agrees coldly, tone sharp - " Shadowclan has never been starclans favored - we have always... known this... Brairstars death at the paws of a monsters.... Pitchstars madness... Chilledstars death... Smogstars dissapearance. Shadowclan has always known this truth, " she says, voice faltering as ravaged throat struggles.

" But that can change, " she says, voice strong once more. Limbs move slowly, cracking with each pawstep as she circles him once more - a habit carried from life into the after, expression unfalteringly bland. " Do you... think you can? " she questions - but she does not allow him to answer before smile crosses her muzzle, something sharp and too full of teeth to ever be pretty. " Then prove it, " she snaps.

It is the only warning the ghostly molly gives before she is moving - stick-figure limbs carrying her forwards in a leap as she rushes Sneezeduck, aiming to take advantage of his surprise to pounce and pin him, claws sheathed. An assessment, she's learned, is always better done with the element of surprise.

━ actions & " speech, " & 'thoughts/quotes' ━

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AND I CANT LET ME OUT ━ WHY CANT I LET ME OUT ?

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[sneezeduck]

As morbid as the topic is, Sneezeduck can't help the slight twinge of relief in knowing that he is understood by this near-stranger. It is almost comforting, knowing that he wasn't weak for breaking under ShadowClan's pressure - it had always been fucked up, from the very beginning. " I tried to withstand it, " he says meekly. " I want them - us - to find StarClan's blessing one day. Mirestar brought hope, but - not enough. " For they are still in the shadow of everyone else, pun unintended. The boy's expression sours for a moment.

But that can change. Sneezeduck lifts his chin, meets his adversary's glossy, lifeless eyes with his own nervous amber, barely alight with determination. As she moves forward and circles him like a vulture, he feels a waft of cool, lifeless air blow over him, as if the deceased were all dancing around him and within him, sharing with him the blessings they withheld from ShadowClan. Or.. fantasies aside, maybe it is just Siltcloud's ghastly form. Regardless of the source, Sneezeduck is chilled to the bone, and feels his muscles tense instinctively in anticipation.

Do you... think you can?

His mouth opens, but only a gust of air escapes him as that same chill barrels into him like the surge of a cool, unforgiving river. For a dead cat, Siltcloud is surprisingly opaque, pushing him to the ground as strongly as a living warrior could, save for the way her limbs creek and her throat croaks in an endless airless struggle. Just as she hoped, the young warrior is caught off guard, and hits the muddy ground with a heavy umph.

Sneezeduck allows himself only a brief moment of respite with her paws pressed into his ribs before his pupils thin into slits and narrow on his target. A rush of adrenaline surges through him like never before, for it is paired with anger and hatred and desperation. The need to protect his Clan's diminishing ranks and his family; the fury he holds towards ThunderClan and the rogues that took the others; and the fear of the very possible outcome of dying in this wasteland. He never thought to think if StarClan were above their own laws, if they could kill.

Acutely aware of her sheathed claws, Sneezeduck unsheathes his own and batters his back paws against her stomach. How disappointing it was, to ask for more and still be treated like a kit. It only infuriates him more. " ShadowClan trains with claws unsheathed, " he snarls out, attempting to wiggle free should he successfully snag his claws into her vulnerable stomach. " If I wanted to fight like a baby, I'd wake up and ask Sharpshadow. "

He is taunting now, testing his luck. He speaks in a way he never had before, bold and rude. But.. it feels good, like he is finally pushing the boulders of expectation and fear off his tiny shoulders. Tears ebb his eyes, of frustration and shame in himself. Should he be able to wrestle a shoulder free from her grip, Sneezeduck will raise a paw up and swipe blindly at Siltcloud's grinning face above him.

​

 

[✧ Siltcloud.]

I CAN'T ESCAPE IT
IT'S OF MY OWN MAKING​

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siltcloud ♕ 21 moons ♖ female ♘ she/her ♙ dark forest rogue ​

---

ShadowClan trains with claws unsheathed, comes angered hiss - and with it, the feeling of claws tugging against fu. Gut squeezes itself with a sharp inhale - she's always been a skinny thing, more fur-and-bones then anything else, and it's not hard to keep claws from digging into tender flesh. Throat aches as head jerks back, and with it her frail frame, watching with dull eyes as he wriggles away.

But there is no escape - not here, nor in the waking world. Claws snag on flesh - on flesh, drawing blood from the molly who'd forgotten she could bleed. Smile falls away, replaced by frost - teeth sinking into his outstretched paw and yanking, using the momentum and surprise to send him stumbling. She ignores the way face sting, relishing in the reminder of what once was, and instead lunges forwards once more - teeth sinking into the side of Sneezeduck's scruff to drag him down as one paw slashes down towards his foreleg.

" Talk less, " she warns, tone authoritative. She's never been one for showy plays an baiting words - she'd much rather sneak up on her prey, teeth sinking into flea-ridden throats before they could do much more then gurgle out in shock.

━ actions & " speech, " & 'thoughts/quotes' ━

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AND I CANT LET ME OUT ━ WHY CANT I LET ME OUT ?

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[sneezeduck]

If Sneezeduck knew any better, he'd be cowering in fear at the sudden icy look in Siltcloud's eye. Like dormant anger made explosive once more, she grabs ahold of the paw that strikes her and sends him off balance in one swift motion. And then, still reeling from the stumble, the young warrior is dragged down once more - before he can even comprehend the fast-moving actions.

A sting of pain slices across his foreleg, and he feels a wetness trickle down his fur, pristine and unscarred by battle until this very moment. A low rumble emits from the depths of his throat, and for the first time, Sneezeduck hears himself growl. But wiggle and flail as he likes underneath Siltcloud's grasp, he finds himself ultimately paralyzed by the grip upon his scruff - and soon, he finds himself out of breath and sore from the struggle.

Having scarcely sparred with another besides his mentor, and never set paw into a real battle, it's no wonder he's worn out so quickly. But, if these circumstances were real, he'd be.. very dead. Falling limp, Sneezeduck lets out a defeated groan. " I'll never last in battle at this rate, " he complains, ignoring the inner turmoil that screams coward.

Siltcloud is similar in build to himself, thin and far from a burly brawler. So how did she overpower him with such ease? How did she outlast his stamina? " You must have.. fought a lot.. when you were alive.. " he observes in a disgruntled mumble. " That move - would it work.. on a Thunderclanner? "

The sting of his fresh scratch sets in, but as he lays defeated, he feels himself regaining his stamina, little by little. Soon enough, he could give this another try - if he could, before the sun rises, before her ghost disappears.

​