camp MY FATE IS LOSING ITS PATIENCE — rebelling

[Echolight]

Claws almost splinter as Echolight digs them into the ground, Sootstar's frame is pulled to safety while her aunt falls, perhaps it's the sheer terror for her aunts life, or the shock from this whole ordeal, but the calicos reality comes to a slow, and her breath is the only thing that her hearing can concentrate on. Suddenly, her brothers ear-splitting scream caused her to flinch back to real-time.
Something bigger shrugs into her, and she doesn't have to give it a second thought before she knows it's Mallowlark.
Despite the alabaster warrior hiding his face, Echobright sweeps her feathered tail around him, whispering soft but futile comforts to him.
Still, she has to keep her attention on the two mollies, her stomach twisting. Sootstar was offering Emberfang a second chance, and Echolight prayed that she would take it.
Fuck you.
A wail wanted to rip it's way through Echolight's throat, a scream of frustration, something.
Yet, Mallowlark sobbed at her side, and so she pressed further into him. She couldn't help Emberfang, she never could- the fiery molly had always been her own cat.
"Mal, breathe. I'm right here, I'm right here…" she whispers, single eye squeezing tightly closed, as if shutting out Sootstar's decision to exile her. It was better than death, the lilac warrior had to hang on to that.
She opens her eye, searching wildly for Emberfang, but Echolight wouldn't dare move away from Mallowlark, holding him tightly to even stop him from running towards their banished aunt.
I won't let you get hurt too.
She wanted to let her legs give way to the grief that surged then, but they refused, for her families sake she couldn't let herself crumble.
"Lets go find mom and Aunt Pol, okay?"
"Speech."
​

[ WHAT A TIME ]​

 

[EMBER]

Emberfang watches the curl of Sootstar's lips. She knows what would come next; public execution. The tyrant has made clear what the punishment for traitors would be, and Emberfang nearly regrets her rash actions. For subjecting her family to watching her death at the claws of Sootstar's loyalists.

She would have regretted it, if it wouldn't have been a slap in the face to everything she stands for to shut her trap and grovel.

Still, her nephew's sobs cause the tears to spring back into her eyes. Yet, Emberfang blinks them away. She wouldn't give Sootstar that satisfaction in her final moments.

At least her last words were pretty badass, right?

Then I, Sootstar, leader of WindClan, hereby exile Emberfang from the clan.

...

What? Emberfang recoils, shock written across her features. Exile? That isn't... what Emberfang had expected at all. She's more or less accepted death, but to be exiled from the moors she called home long before WindClan? She can't help but to feel as if this is intentional; what seems merciful to most is actually the cruelest sentence possible.

Yet, against better judgment, Emberfang does not keep her mouth shut. "What? Scared to come down and kill me, princess?" The taunt is spat from her curled lips, her tattered ears pinned and pupils constricted. "You certainly didn't have any problems with killin' that SkyClan guy!"

As Duskfire and Weaselclaw would inevitably begin to follow Sootstar's orders, Emberfang holds her head high and limps through the parted crowd. Blood trails alongside her uneven paw prints. She deliberately avoids her family's eyes, afraid that she wouldn't be able to hold back her emotions if she saw theirs reflected. But, with Sootstar's final order, she pauses to look over her shoulder. "Keep your damned paws off of my family. They had nothin' to do with this, and you know it."

Then, Emberfang- no, Ember, she wouldn't wear Sootstar's brand any longer- ducks into the entrance of this prison and begins her trek into banishment.​

 

[WEASELCLAW]

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮​

Weaselclaw's entire body had been taut, ready to be pulled to pieces, as Sootstar and Emberfang had grappled atop the Tallrock. His queen had almost fallen, saved from injury or death only because Duskfire had been quick to catch her. Weaselclaw shakes with relief, with fury, and when Sootstar orders him to accompany Duskfire to ensure Emberfang has left, he only gives her a tight nod.

"Stop your commentary before I kill you myself," he hisses, unsheathing his claws and sinking them into the earth. He watches her with a deep satisfaction, the blood trail she leaves as she limps gracelessly across the clearing, towards the tunnel.

Every step they take, Weaselclaw wants to revoke the mercy Sootstar has shown this ungrateful rebel -- but he will not defy her, will not defy Duskfire. She's been sentenced, and it's only his duty to ensure it's carried out.

"Never let me catch your scent in WindClan again," he hisses at Emberfang's back side. "I will tear you apart myself. Your family won't even have a whisker left to remember you by. Remember Sootstar's mercy, and thank StarClan for it every day of your stinking life."

- ,,​

 

[POLLENFUR]

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮​

Pollenfur feels little Melonpaw at her side, hears Lemonpaw's hiss at her sister, Mallowlark's sobs, Echolight attempting to reassure her littermate -- she hears all of it, but it's little more than background noise. The moment her sister unsheathed her claws against their leader, Pollenfur knew it was over. Her sister would be put to death in front of them all, and they'd be helpless to stop it.

Duskfire keeps Sootstar holding onto the Tallrock, and Emberfang falls. Down, down, onto a leg that catches too much weight. She sees her sister's grimace of pain, the teeth clenched, and Pollenfur breaks. She runs to her, trembling from her tail tip to her nose, but seeks to push her flank to her sister's. Pollenfur has to be there for her, if these are her final moments -- has to do something when she had done nothing for Honeytwist.

Sootstar stares them down and gives her decree. Exile. Pollenfur's mind swims with muddled emotion, but physically, her muscles relax to the point of limpness. Exile. Ember will live. Her sister will live.

"Emberfang, I --" Her whisper dries up in her throat. Exile, to wherever Honeytwist is. The moors no longer an anchor, a beating heart. The open world beneath her paw pads again, no burdens, no grief.

Only...

She finds Melonpaw and Lemonpaw's eyes in the crowd. Not her kits. Not her kin. But they'd watched their mother leave them, watched her tell them not to follow. Pollenfur's pelt crawls with anxiety, with longing, with regret. She can't leave yet. She can't leave them here.

WindClan has truly become her prison.

"Let us walk to the border with her, at least," she begs, tears beginning to crowd golden eyes. "Let us say goodbye. Make sure she... makes it." She gives both Duskfire and Weaselclaw a terrified look. They wouldn't kill her before she could even leave their lands, would they?...

- ,,​

 

[Irispath]

He was caught off guard. Sootstar was letting her go. Live. Was he hallucinating? No, he wasn't. After another moment of trying to calm down, he sat up and looked over at Sootstar. He didn't lift his head, he didn't have the energy to do so, but his voice was sincere.

"I don't know why you let her go.....But I think it was good of you to exile her rather than kill her." He said, voice soft and shaky.

" Mercy and kindness aren't weaknesses. And I know it means nothing from me, but...... I'm proud of you." He continued.

Maybe Sootstar wasn't a monster after all. Maybe. He was still on the fence on that one.

He just needed his legs to work again. He wanted to get down so bad.
​

 

[LEMONTONGUE]

Traitor, traitor, traitor.

An insult uttered half-heartedly, now ringing true. The small apprentice presses close to Pollenfur as battle rings out from above, as Sootstar strikes Emberfang - a tangle of claws not meant for such a small space. Terror fills Lemonpaw quickly.

He didn't mean it. He didn't mean it.

Stars, don't let her die.

She's not a traitor, she's not a traitor, she's not a traitor. The cinnamon tabby repeats in his mind, over and over again, as if his insult, his shoddy attempt at keeping himself safe - Melonpaw safe - called for StarClan to do this: to fuel Emberfang's speech, to cause Sootstar to strike.

He wants to close his eyes, to look away. His fear leaves him frozen, leaves sour-toned eyes locked on Tallrock as Emberfang tumbles. Falling, falling falling.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

His silent pleas aren't heard by star-pelted ears. Emberfang survives the fall, but it's not enough. It's not enough, because Sootstar's exiling her now, and now Pollenfur's running away from him and Melonpaw, towards her own sister, and Lemonpaw can't hide in the warrior's fur now. Can't close his eyes and pretend it's not happening. Because it is. It is and... and Pollenfur's losing more family, which means... which means, Lemonpaw and Melonpaw are losing more family too. Because, Pollenfur is family.

And then, he realizes it: Pollenfur might leave too. Might leave Lemonpaw and Melonpaw alone, trapped in WindClan without those who should be protecting them, raising them. Tears sting his eyes as he's finally able to look away from the scene.

He hates Sootstar. Hates her for destroying his family.

"Come on," he urges Melonpaw, voice trembling, gaze lowered, "You shouldn't be out here." She should be resting, healing. In the medicine den, away from the crowd before them.
​

 

[hyacinthbreath]

Emberfang is sent to exile, and Hyacinthbreath is commanded to keep an eye on her family- such a cursed job, for she had let such misery happen. Her violet eyes turn to Pollenfur, and there's emotion there- apology, pity. Would she lose her whole family over Sootstar's decisions? She blinks sadly, before finally giving in to her demands. She was one cat against many, and she wasn't stupid. Turning back to Mallowlark, Hyacinthbreath speaks finally- breathless.

"Everyone get back to your duties." She commands, however it doesn't sound strict nor annoyed; she didn't want to make things worse. She heard Lemonpaw usher his sister into the medicine den, or attempt to- and the sound of Yewberry praising someone. Sootstar, maybe. Weaselclaw threatens to kill Emberfang himself, and she knows he would if given the chance. Most of these cats would, the loyal ones at least.

"Let this moment be a reminder to those in WindClan of what happens when you go against your Leader. We're lucky it didn't get worse." She mumbles loud enough for those present to hear, before the molly finds herself dipping her head into a bow for their ravenette leader.​

 

[Galeforce]

↞ RACE THE WINDS

Galepaw felt his heart racing in his chest as everything went down and it had been a hard struggle to avoid breaking from his position at any point. He knew he would only get underfoot, only get in the way. As things came to an end he finally let go of the breath that he hadn't realised that he had been holding. Emberfang was exiled. The second exile in such a short space of time. Galepaw would be lying if he said that he wasn't filled with mixed emotions, fear and uncertainty taking precedence. As the command to return to duties came he shifted away on numb limbs, returning to his work with a renewed realisation that he needed to stay in line.
​

 

[Duskfire]

I WANT SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS​

---

He didn't know why, in that moment, it was so imperative for him to protect Sootstar, but the relief he felt when he managed to snag the shecat and haul her back onto the rock was hard to ignore. He nodded wordlessly at her silent thanks, stepping back to give her room as she turned to address Emberfang. As green eyes landed on the shecat rising to her feet beneath tallrock, Dusk couldn't help but feel a spark of true anger toward the other feline. He had tried, to be patient with her, had tried to use reason and understanding to de-escalate things, but the warrior just hadn't been willing to work with him. Instead, Emberfangs outburst had not only resulted in a rift between those who supported Soot and those who didn't, but had left her family stricken in the crowd below. And that didn't even touch on what had just happened, when the woman had tried to drag their leader over the edge with her. If Soot had landed wrong...

Duskfire had tried to be fair, but at some point control had to be taken back. Emberfang would get no more sympathy from him- not as long as she continued to act like this.

"Fuck you."

The words should have sealed the deal, and there was a brief moment where the Deputy fully expected their leader to set them upon her. Killing Emberfang in front of her loved ones wasn't something Dusk wanted to do in the least, but as he stood there waiting for the command he realized he wouldn't hesitate if she did. At the end of the day Emberfang was a threat to all of Windclan with her volatile nature, and Dusk would have been able to make peace with what he had to do.

Instead, much to everyones surprise, a death sentence wasn't issued. Instead, Sootstar exiled her.

To be honest, Dusk was relieved that he wouldn't have to carry out such a gruesome task, even if he would have been able to forgive himself for it eventually. Not because he was bothered by the idea of killing another or because he thought it was the 'right' thing to do, but rather, killing Emberfang here in front of the entire clan wouldn't be a punishment for Emberfang- it would be punishing the rest of the clan. And quite frankly, Duskfire didn't see the need to punish those who hadn't done anything. None of Emberfangs family had actually sided with her or attempted to help her carry out her rebellion, and they were clearly already distraught over everything that was happening. The last thing he wanted to do in the moment was cause Mallow or Pollen or any of them more pain than they were already feeling.

"Yes, Sootstar." Duskfire replied, head tilting respectfully toward the shecat before he stepped to the edge of the stone and lept down to land beside Emberfang and Pollenfur. It was clear from the frown set into pale lips that he was done trying to bargain with her. Now, all that was left was to carry out the orders he was given.

As they began to flank the shecat out toward the border, a voice from behind drew the deputys attention; Pollenfur, asking if the family could accompany her, if they could... assure she made it out.

"For your families peace of mind, you may come with us to the borders to confirm she's set free, but I can't allow the entire family to go. As grateful as I am to you and your family for not turning on us, Emberfang had chosen to walk this path even after we tried to call her back. Sootstar has already shown her and everyone here a mercy by not killing her where she stands and I doubt she'll be keen on granting any farther ones." Yes, he very much doubted that Sootstar would allow the entire family to accompany them, but Duskfire had the authority to at least grant them this much- not for Ember, but for Pollen and those who had chosen to remain loyal. At the very least, this would help prove to the family and the rest of the clan that the high positions understood how to carry out an order, and that they wouldn't be mindlessly killing cats in the shadows while everyones backs were turned.
​

---

windclan deputy - male - 21 months - single - tall, strong bengal tomcat

 

[MALLOWLARK]

Two words doomed her- again, a screaming sob tore free. It hurt, it hurt- stupid rip tearing his throat. Why did his voice have claws when it was so uncontrollable? It felt like- like his own sobs were trying to tear his throat right out of his neck, attempting to split his stomach in two, shatter his ribs. Any of that might be less painful than this- his aunt, ejected from her own home. Told she may never return, that she may not see them anymore. Sobbing, sobbing- because how, how could this happen? This was her home, long before it was Sootstar's. WindClan was nothing without them, right? Without him and his family- they were overturned easily, right? Right? So why- why could they-

Goodbye. What a word, a cruel word he could not manage even to speak. Choking, struggling, his breaths gasped hoarse and wheezing in his throat. He wanted to look up at Aunt Ember, see her, but with the mist of tears and the pounding in his head and the shredding of his guts with the peals, how could he? Echo- Echolight- she said breathe, he heard it atop the noise. Another gasp shot through him, a gasp of air, rejuvenating- but it was just even more fuel for the crying, his tears hot upon his face.

Forgetting which side Echo was on, Mallow toppled to a seat with a thud, claws springing from their ebony prisons to claw at the grass. He wanted to be strong, hold himself together, if only he could- but this sadness, it was unmanageable. Just like humour, it bubbled up to something so out of proportion that he hardly recognised it anymore. He could not speak- could not follow, by Duskfire's orders. That verdict caused another wail to break free, unable to be held back. "Brrreaaathhheeee...." he shuddered out, taking another gasp before leaning on his sister once again. She'd have to help him to his paws, when this finally stopped. She and him both knew it would eventually. ​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[SOOTSTAR]

Sootstar watches the aftermath of her decleration from her stone throne, pleased that Emberfang leaves easily and departs without needed force. Her high rankings listen to her barking demands and though she is drowning in too much fury to show it, she is eternally grateful for their loyalty and support. The blue smoke needed more cats like that in her clan if WindClan was going to thrive... become to strongest clan in the forest.

Cats like Emberfang had no clue what they were talking about. Sootstar was not a monster, she just did what needed to be done. If they were too soft to see that, they did not belong in WindClan- in fact she has half a mind to exile the rest of the she-cats family. Yet she refrains, they seemed to be staying over leaving with her, perhaps deep down they knew better than their scarred sister and aunt... Perhaps she could make proper loyal soldiers of them yet.

Sootstar looks at Yew, an insulted grunt escaping her maw. "I am aware, or I would not have done it... I do not need anyones pride or approval, StarClan chose me to lead this clan and take care of the cats within it, and that's what I'm doing. She huffs, "Whether cats like you see that or not." You are not a monster, they are just weak and pitiful. They wouldn't last a day in your paws, they could never have what it takes to be you.

No one had what it took to be Sootstar, leader of WindClan, and deep down they all had to know it.
She flicks her tail, demanding that cats leave her in solitude on the great Tallrock.​

---

Spoiler: TAGS ★ 10/19

( primary character / "speech" / ic opinions )​

╰ ★ ჻ 001 GENERAL INFORMATION ,
· SOOTSTAR, female — she / her
╰ ‣ 31 moons . pisces. ages on the first
╰ ‣ windclan leader . marsh-born . believes in starclan
╰ ‣ former soldier of the marsh group

╰ ★ ჻ 002 VISUALS & AESTHETICS ,
· DOMESTIC FELINE, smells like heather and wet dirt , status — 100%
╰ ‣ blue smoke . scarred chest, difficult to see through fur . green eyes

╰ ★ ჻ 003 MENTALITY & MANNERISMS ,
· ESTJ-A ❝ EXECTUTIVE ❞ , Slytherin, Lawful Evil
╰ ‣ Cunning, brash, fierce, confident, self-reliant, envious & selfish
╰ ‣ finds great difficulty in relating to others . can be cruel, usually shows mercy to those she can find sympathy with
╰ ‣ Appreciates titles such as "miss, m'am" etc

╰ ★ ჻ 004 INTERACTIONS & RELATIONSHIPS ,
· SOOT CLAW x PEBBLE BREEZE, sister to Pebblenose
╰ ‣ heterosexual. romantically interested in Weaselclaw
╰ ‣ mother to owlpaw & shrikepaw
╰ ‣ average fighter . skilled hunter .
╰ ‣ will start fights . unlikely to flee .
╰ ‣ attack in underline . penned by user @ava.