MIDNIGHT SKY // rescue party [ hawk plot ]

[SOOTSTAR]

Twilight settles, and stars begin to glitter the violet sky.
Sootstar sits perched atop of her rock, gazing past the gorse walls and out into the rolling hills of WindClan. She searches for black figures against the grass and purple backdrop, her ears stand listening for faint voices carried by the wind. She's perched like that for quite a while, tapping her paw with impatience and slight anxiety. Where are they? Sootstar couldn't think of any good scenarios that would've kept them out of camp for this long, they should've been back long ago.

It wasn't just her who worried for her clan-mates, she heard whispers begin to boom below, cats peaking their head out of the gorse wall to see if they'd spot the patrol heading in.
Sootstar hates to think of it... so many cats had went on that patrol, her deputy and medicine cat apprentice being among them. Plenty of warriors and apprentices. What had happened? Were they dead? A significant drop in clan numbers that would be, a significant trouble for WindClan. Whatever happened, the tiny she-cat couldn't keep waiting. She was a woman of action, so she leaps from her perch and is camp-exit bound.

"Capable felines to me! I'm finding out what happened to that damn patrol before nightfall is fully upon us." She swears to the stars if she finds them all sprawled out in the grass stargazing, she was going to be pissed. She doesn't give much time for cats to decide if they'd be staying within the walls of camp or uniting with their leader, she's pushes past the tunnel and follows the scent of the patrol.

--

There is little chatter from her, the ebony nose she wore was too busy twitching and sniffing. Her sister had always been the better tracker, hence her warrior name, but Sootstar was capable of such things herself too. She and her clan-mates follow the scent to the outskirts of the land, in the distance she sees the trees of ThunderClan begin to form. Within the small cluster of trees on WindClan land though were small feline-like figures, hunkered down and laying underneath the shadows.

The smell of blood is in the air. "Thats them. They're hurt." Sootstar would say before breaking out into a sprint, paws kicking up dirt as she runs downhill. She picks up such a speed it's almost hard to stop when she reaches the group of cowering WindClanner's, but with a minor skid she manages to come to a halt. One quick look scans over all of her present clan-mates, a majority if not all were injured and bleeding. Many were minor... but some of these cats looked like they had been through hell and back.

Sootstar looks to her high-rankings, but really at this point, she'd accept an answer from anyone. "What happened?!"

//The cats in the hawk attack thread have hunkered down at the outskirts of WindClan territory and cower in the shadows of trees. A rescue patrol has found them around twilight and will be bringing them back to camp to recieve help! You DO NOT have to sign up to be in this thread, this is open for anyone ​

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[Irispath]

He was very upset. Frantic almost. His clanmates had not returned, and he assumed the worst. He joined the patrol without a second thought, even if he was scared.

If worst came to worst, he knew how to kill. He was.....Proud of his ability to do so, sort of. It was a conflict for him. He was proud of his ability to finish a fight, but.....Whatever. There we're more important things to think about.

The scent of blood chilled him. He broke into a sprint to keep up with Sootstar, skidding to a halt as he saw his clanmates.

He didn't like what he saw. "What did this to you!?" He asked, taking a quick look around in case the danger was still near. He was sick with worry. But he was also full of violent intent. Whatever hurt them was about to catch these claws.
​

 

[VULTUREMASK]

Sootstar had not been the only one who had been uneasy that late eveningt. Leechpaw had too gone between laying in his nest and strolling back and forth by the camp's entrance in wait for that red rosetted apprentice to come back along with Dandelionpaw. The rest in that patrol he was not even close to being special concerned about. His concern went out to this two, Rosepaw in particular. But as he waited and waited and waited, thier return back never come. If not Sootstar had called for a patrol to come with her Leechpaw for sure would have left all on his own to search for the two.

He was quick to follow Sootstar out along with Yewberry and whoever else decided to come along. He would use everything he had learned this far by sniffing up tracks in hope to found the patrol. Please let him be safe. Leechpaw grow more and more worried when they couldn't found them anywhere until finally he smelt blood. His whole body grow cold with horror. Eyes grow wide with panic as he started to glance around the field over his friend until Sootstar confirmed she had found them. Where?. Leechpaw picked a paw up as he swung his head around and when he saw the spots of cats a bit away with his own eyes he was quick to rush of, maybe even passing Sootstar as he run with all speed he had in his paws to get there as soon as possible.

The sight he saw was an horrifying one. The first one his eyes found was Dandelionpaw's form. Him bleeding on the ground alongside with Melonpaw and...the rest looked better in comparison to them or he wasn't paying enough attention to thier injures. " Dandelionpaw, are you okay?!." It might have been the first time he had shown some openly concern for the medicine cat apprentice. He hurried himself over to them to give them a quick check out before his eyes wandered away from them, searching for somebody else with red-cinnamon colored fur. His eyes found Duskfire and...when he saw the red body that was close beside them his heart stopped beating. Was that?....No,no,no,no!. It couldn't be!.

" Rosepaw!!." his voice was cracking as he hurried himself over to thier side now forgetting about anybody else. The sight he saw was horrifying. Rosepaw was coverd in blood having deep wounds on his shoulders after the hawks talons and his face...it was mauled by all the bite marks and...and his eyes...What had happend to his eye?!. " Rose...paw..hey..wake up...Rose..." he tried to gentle touch them but he got no respond from them only thier blood on his paw. Leechpaw started to vinsible shake his eyes moving to Rosepaw's belly and thank the stars that he was still breathing!. That was good...He needed to focus... just keep calm and focus, think,think damnit!.

" We...we need to get them back..we need..." They needed Honeytwist!. And for the first time he realised why they needed a medicine cat. Shaking his head Leechpaw swung his head around to hiss at his clanmates. " Who cares what happend!, we need to get them back to camp!" That was all he really cared about to get Rosepaw back home into safety of thier camp. Duskfire and the others could update Sootstar over what had happend on thier way back or when they where in camp. That should be thier top priority right now!.


​

 

[Dandelionwish]

He was trying, he was trying his best but it wasn't enough. Once they had all broken away and gotten here to this shroud of safety he pushed himself up to actually do something. There was not much nearby and he feared going too far and being picked off by one of the still circling birds overhead. Moss was pressed to Rosepaw's eye, Ivoryflight's shoulder, Mallowlark's underbelly, Kestreltalon...he had no idea what to do for Melonpaw, he had never experienced what he believed was a broken bone before? It wasn't something he and Honeytwist had ever gone over so he raised a paw to his face to drag down in quiet frustration. Dandelionpaw's back hurt, it felt as if he'd been split open wide-like he himself had sprouted great wings like the very predators who had put them here. Out of the corner of his mismatched eyes he spotted dark forms moving swiftly in their direction and he flinched involuntarily in panic as if the hawks were now moving over the ground to assault them rather than the sky; but for once in his life the sound of Sootstar's voice was met with relief.
"We-the....the shadows....they were hawks. They were-they attacked us! There we so many of them!" His gaze darted over to Leechpaw at his concern, shaking his head to avoid speaking because his throat felt tight and when the dark apprentice noticed Rosepaw he almost wanted to cry.
There was nothing he could do right now, he couldn't help anyone here-they needed to get back to camp, back to his mentor.

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[POLLENFUR]

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮​

For once, the chocolate calico is thrilled to hear Sootstar's voice. Pollenfur is curled protectively around Melonpaw, head low against the little cinnamon tabby's back. Something isn't right, something is broken, but she doesn't know what, and she's afraid to put any pressure on the girl at all. Her own wound continues to bleed, and she's too weak to staunch it.

But at the other cats' panicking, she turns, her voice a croak. "Melonpaw won't... won't be able to walk to camp," she rasps. "Something... something broke... I don't know if it was her paw, her back, or her leg, but something..."

She pushes herself to her paws, woozy. Each jostle of the muscles on her right side sends a lightning bolt of pain lancing through her body. "Honeytwist... she needs to see her," she says, but her voice cracks. Oh, how can she face Honeytwist? She's failed her little girl. She let her daughter almost die, might still die, all because she hadn't been quick enough.

- ,,​

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[Duskfire]

​

I WANT SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS​

---

Duskfire had tasted defeat in his life, but never like this, never when so many cats had been depending on him. The tom was pacing restlessly at the edge of the treeline, green eyes constantly shifting between his injured clanmates - Rosepaw- and the unseen camp that layin the distance. Dusk had been hurt in the attack but he knew he was fast. Under the cover of darkness he might be able to get back to camp to get help. If his cats weren't so messed up he would have been able to group them up and get them back home easily enough, but as it was half of them were out of commission and he couldn't ask them to take that kind of risk.

But he could risk himself.

Worst case scenario he didn't make it, at which point Sootstar still had Hyacinth and Weasel.

The impulsive side was telling him to go, was stacking the odds and weighing them in his favor. It was tired of waiting, felt helpless as he watched the others bleeding and struggling. He was the Deputy for Starclan-sakes, he shouldn't just be sitting here! But reason was quick to chime in, the angel on his shoulder speaking out against the devils advocate. And reason said there was no point in making a useless sacrifice when Sootstar was probably already aware that they were missing and was probably out looking for them. Even if he did make it to camp a majority of the warriors probably weren't there.

So he forced himself to remain in the teeline, frustrated and impatient, but final in his decision.

And eventually it paid off, because soon shadowy figures were slipping across the moor toward them. Duskfire was quick to make his way over to Sootstar, fur caked in dark, dry blood and open wounds. "I've never seen anything like it, Sootstar. They didn't hunt as a pack but there was an entire group of them diving at usall at once. I think Melonpaw and Rosepaw are the worst off- Rosepaw still hasn't woken up, I had to carry him out of it." As he mentioned his apprentice something in his voice tightened just a bit, an undertone of worry and guilt he couldn't hold back. He'd tried to help them, had gone to them as fast as he could, but it was like the sky had fallen around them and everywhere he'd looked his clanmates had been screaming in terror and begging for help- and he couldn't help them all. So he'd barked what orders he could and gone rushing to his apprentice, but by then the bird had already knocked them out and damaged their eye.
​

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windclan warrior - male - 18 months - homosexual - polyamorous - single - tall, strong bengal tomcat

 

[MALLOWLARK]

His stomach, his stomach- oh, it had never hurt so much. Except maybe for when he lost his tail, but he was not lying here to make comparisons- no, he was here to feel, to feel only. Funny how flesh seemed so strong when you fell, yet was so quick to tear away. There had to have been some... terrible lapse in whatever crafted their bodies. Was it her? Had she made this mistake, made their skin so easy to break? Terrible, terrible, terrible judgement. Everything hurt, but his stomach more than anything. The rip in it- he did not want to look. It was only funny when it was someone else. When it wasn't in front of him.

Yet, he laughed anyway. His grin remained through the gurgle, and though its intent was clear the uncontrollable nature of his outburst lead more of a sob to blubber from fang-teeth. "The sky hates us," he claimed, woozy with blood loss and broken by the sobbing that shook his pinkened-snow form. He had to make himself small or he feared one of his ribs might come tumbling out. Could ribs loosen and slip from wounds? There was resistance when he had tried to pull with prey, but that was in the stiffness of death... ​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[SOOTSTAR]

Sootstar mostly ignores Leechpaw, allowing him to hiss and spit, the blue smoke needed to know what happened before anything was done. What if whatever injured them was still in the area? Good stars she hopes not, but if it is... at least there was a good possibility it'd leave into ThunderClan territory instead.

Dandelionpaw, whose back is all torn and bloody, addresses her first. Hawks. The shadows were th hawks, realization struck her, the dream! StarClan had tried to warn WindClan and they had failed to decipher what they had meant. Her ears fold in shame, how had they not figured it out? Weren't her medicine cats supposed to be gifted in reading their messages? Why had they been so stumped?! She doesn't have time to place blame, she needed to get her cats to safety.

Duskfire explains in further detail what had occured. This hadn't been just one hawk, no, but several. All of their ravenous talons reaching down in hopes of snatching a cat for a good meal. It was a miracle the smaller cats of the patrol hadn't been lifted into the sky and taken back to a hawks nest. Then to Pollenfur she looks and nods, Rosepaw and Melonpaw. One with shattered bones and one completely unconscious.

"The non-injured, help Melonpaw in getting back to camp, carry her if you have to on your backs. Same goes for Rosepaw. After them we prioritize those with heavy limps. If you can walk without aid, do so." Sootstar would instruct to everyone at the scene. She herself moves to assist Melonpaw, offering a shoulder to lean against. No doubt the wounded girl would need more than the tiny leader to get her back... Rosepaw would likely need several cats as well.

And good stars- the jester. She realizes he may have a point, a moment of wisdom.
The sky hates us. Were the hawks sent by StarClan? To warn them of SkyClan?
Her brows narrow, certain she was onto something.

"Set out back to camp!" ​

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[Irispath]

Yewberry bristled briefly as Leechpaw snapped. It was important to know what happened to assess the current dangers. He didn't take being snapped at well. It just... immediately made him want to smack people.

But he understood why Leechpaw was upset. He couldn't blame him.

Birds. Hawks.

He had never contended with one before, but he knew well that if something could be wounded, it could be killed.

He looked back to the sky, then back to his clanmates. He needed to help. He looked to Rosepaw, and he moved over to him.

"Leechpaw, would you be able to carry Rosepaw?" He asked. He figured Leechpaw would be the best choice, and he could at least help Rosepaw on.
​

 

[JaggedOak]

"THEY SAY THAT IM RECKLESS BECAUSE I'M RELENTLESS"​

While Sootstar could control herself enough to stay still on her perch and watch the horizon with a single tapping paw, the much larger tom cat was just the opposite. Jaggedoak couldn't keep his anxiety and worry from boiling up to the surface, finding himself practicing stances and moves in the middle of camp. With each hour that passed with no sign of cats over the fields, his moves were getting sloppier. Angrier. With an clawed swipe at a tumbleweed that invaded his space, he was about to turn to his leader and ask permission to go find them himself. That was when she called out, and the large tom was right on her heels as she jumped down and headed out with whatever paws followed to help.

When they finally spotted shapes along the horizon and discovered the cats, Jaggedoak's heart sunk. There was so much blood... So many wounds... And when Leechpaw became panicked over Rosepaw, the black tabby felt himself freeze for a second. He flashed back to the carnage of the great battle, where so many died and became mangled by the hands of other cats. But no, this was different. This was a predator attack, he's dealt with that before. He's fought off and dealt with foxes. This was the aftermath and not the battle, but still. The tom shook himself out, grounding himself back in reality and moving as Sootstar gave the order.

The long haired polydactyl tabby stepped forward towards the group of injured and settled down in front of Pollenfur and Melonpaw. ❝ Please, put her in my back. I can carry her by myself and you can lean against me if you need, to make sure she doesnt fall. ❞ He gave the warrior a caring smile. ❝ Promise I won't jostle or drop her, swear on Starclan~ ❞ As the warrior moved to get Melonpaw on his back, Jaggedoak would look up at the darkening sky, eyes narrow as he watched for any stray birds of prey that may have cause all these injuries to his clanmates. He flexed his claws into the ground at the thought of ripping their feathers from their wings.

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⊱ ♞ ⊰​

 

[CHICKENSCRATCH]

Chickenscratch isn't sure how long she's been there - on the ground, the warmth of sticky crimson running down her back. She does know it feels like an eternity before help arrives - long enough to fear the hunting patrol's avian attackers would make their return.

It hurts. A pain far worse than anything she's felt before.

The cream warrior doesn't know if she'll make it, if she'll be able to walk again, if she'll be able to stand again. It just hurts, so much.

Help has come for the hunting group, and for that, Chickenscratch is glad. She makes an attempt to pull herself up to, at the very least, sit, so she can help aid those around her - there were others more hurt than her, right? - but, it's an attempt that ultimately fails.

Was this, being attacked by hawks, supposed to be her living her dream? The warrior isn't sure, but, she doesn't think it is. Had she turned in her life at the barn for this? A life of danger - of pain, of watching others in pain - rather than the freedom she'd always wanted?

Chickenscratch hopes not.
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[Coldsnap]

IM SCARED TO GET CLOSE AND I HATE BEING ALONE
I LONG FOR THE FEELING TO NOT FEEL AT ALL
THE HIGHER I GET, THE LOWER I SINK
I CAN'T DROWN MY DEMONS, THEY KNOW HOW TO SWIM

---

Coldsnap had not wanted to wait as long as they had to go out looking for the lost patrol. The fact that they hadn't come back to begin with was enough of an indication that something had gone wrong, and regardless of weather the gray tabby tom was close with any of them, it didn't sit right to just sit there and wait for them to return on their own. Coldsnap had been on the verge of putting a patrol together himself when Sootstar finally announced that they were going out to find them, and the newly promoted warrior had been quick to join them.

The sight they were met with only made his blood run hotter with anger, because how fucking long had his clanmates been cowering in the treeline, hurt like this, waiting for help to come while they sat bleeding and afraid? Leechpaw stood over a bloody and unconcious Rosepaw, and Coldfelt something in him twist in unhappiness at the sight of the motionless apprentice. Lemonpaw was hardly any better off as Pollen tried to help her onto Jaggedoaks back, and every other cat he set his yellow eyes on was sporting some sort of bloody injury, fur caked dark.

His gaze eventually landed on a frantic Dandelionpaw whose was stuttering out a response to Sootstar, glancing back toward Leech and Rose as if he was on the verge of tears. Coldsnap wanted to growl at the tormented expression, but he wasn't angry, not with Dandelion at least. "Hey. It'll be okay. We;ll get them back to camp."he assured the other as he stepped over to them, eyes raking down the injuries on their back for a moment before returning to meet their gaze.

He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the sight of Chickenscratch nearly toppling over as they attempted to sit up. "Shit." he muttered, reluctantly slipping past Dandelionpaw to make his way over to the shecats side to help steady her- but not before letting his tail flick against the other in passing, another silent reassurance in parting.

"Steady, Chickenstcratch. Can you manage it if you lean against me? If not I can probably carry you." he offered, knowing he was sturdy enough despite his age- he already towered over most of the other apprentices and several of the warriors, all broad shoulders and height.
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windclan warrior - male - 9 months - a large, dark grey tabby with yellow eyes