camp no cure is coming near | (mr.) fear

[crowcall]

✧ CROWCALL ✧

---

Emberfang was gone.

It was a beautiful day. The sky was bright and clear, the only clouds appearing at the furthest edges of the horizon. The grass below her feet dried slightly with the oncoming of leaf-bare, and all across the moors, the green was taken over by a paler, slightly more golden version of itself; the changing of the grass was perhaps the most noticeable in WindClan territory, where grass was all the cats really had to look at. Crowcall hadn't seen a hawk since that final patrol, and yet where one fear had been quashed, another had arisen from the ashes.

And this fear—it was worse than any hawk, worse than any storm, worse than any snake or rat or dog, it was...

—Crowcall stood alone at the edge of camp, eyes glued to her paws. While she was too lost in her thoughts to notice it herself, her fur spiked violently along her back and her claws had been kneading into the grass for close to an hour now, fruitlessly clawing for any source of comfort.

Emberfang was gone. The tension was, for the most part, unspoken, and Crowcall could feel the venom of fear seeping its way into any who didn't stand vehemently on the side of Sootstar. Even though the molly had been exiled, her words still echoed, whispered along every breeze and every gust of wind. Engraved and stained by claw and blood into the face of the Tallrock, WindClan's pride. Her greed will be our downfall. We need to take action. We need to rise against this dictatorship.

The scene had been replaying itself in all of its trauma and tragedy even as Crowcall slept. It bothered her, fundamentally, beyond the obvious worries of her and her brother's safety; it bothered her because she smell of blood hadn't yet left her nostrils from the Great Battle, and the sight of Dove's starstruck eyes gazing down at her—

Although she did try, she couldn't help but wonder, if StarClan had stepped in to stop war back then, would it not also anger them just as much for a civil war to occur among the families of those taken by the first? Was it not... In Sootstar's best interest to lead by the way of StarClan instead of by her own?

Had she learned nothing?

Crowcall, now trembling, bit her tongue and lowered her head, silently crumbling amongst the inhibited joviality of WindClan's camp. She shouldn't think such things, she couldn't! She had seen what Sootstar had done, and she had ignored it all this time, but it... It was too much. If anyone caught her questioning Sootstar's beliefs, if she confided her worries in even one single cat... Crowcall thought of her living brother, at Sootstar's mercy as long as he remained one of her warriors, and attempted once more to keep the panic at bay. ​

windclan · she/her · penned by cuzn · tags​

 

[Dapplefoot]

Dapple slowly approached the tiny brown and black cat, the wind raked cold fingers through her fur. When she returned from her hunt, the air had changed in the camp. It was tense, stiff and it smelled like blood. She had been horrified to learn of the rebellion, of Emberfang. A violent chill had run down her spine when she was told simply that she was 'dealt with'. But she wasn't there, and she didn't know them. This poor cat seemed very affected by the incident. She could see it in her gold eyes, a familiar fear. One Dapple had witnessed in her youngest sister, a fear that never really went away. Gently, she settled next to the molly, perhaps too close by normal standards, but it was the only way Dapplefoot knew to comfort someone. She didn't want to ask her if she was okay, she didn't want to tell it would be. Dapple wasn't there, and she didn't know this cat, she didn't know most. Would silent ear be better? A bit of advice? "I...I know we don't know each other, but... I'm here." Dapple didn't look at her, just stared out, letting her gaze unfocus If the molly wanted to talk she would listen. If she didn't, she would stay, she just hoped she wouldn't tell her to leave, although Dapple would oblige the cat didn't look like she should be alone. And Dapple wanted her to know she didn't have to be.

 

[crowcall]

✧ CROWCALL ✧

---

Crowcall must have really been distracted, because she didn't even notice another cat approach until Dapplefoot spoke. At first, she jumped, her claws digging into the grass, before she looked over with a timid smile and a tiny voice—"Oh, thank you..."

The smile didn't last long.

"I'm sorry, I—I don't know what came over me..." Upon taking a better look around, Crowcall realized with no small amount of shame that her deteriorating mental state must have been quite noticeable to those around her. Had Sootstar noticed it, too? The thought brought a new kind of tension to the polite half-smile she gave to a cat passing by. She couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't handle it.

Crowcall could already hear many of the more capable warriors in the clan—and even the apprentices—looking at her with disgust for such an admittance, but she wouldn't deny it. She was weak. She was weak, and small, and pathetic, and here she was at a point close to tears because why can't everyone just stop fighting?

With a tiny whimper, the chimera shrank where she sat, toes curling and tail wrapped tight around herself as every muscle in her body prepared for imminent disaster. It was just... Far too much. ​

windclan · she/her · penned by cuzn · tags​

 

[Snowshadow]

"Turn A Deeper Blue"​

From afar a set of amber and pale hues stared at the two cats as they interacted with one another, was everything alright? Everything hadn't yet been explained too him, but he could recongize concern from a while away. It was something that always sat in the back of Magnus' gaze, even as he lay dying all he cared about was Runes' safety. Though one thing he couldn't quite understand is why rebel? If this place was as good as it was fortold by Moonshadow, then there shouldn't be any reason for such a thing right? Rune wasn't sure, but he did feel sympathy for those who wanted different ruling. It was like back home and tyranny of Volund when questioned but those who spoke of it where never seen again. Is that how this will go as well? Silencing those who spoke up? Defide the laws set by a cat like Sootstar? There was many questions and all never had an answer, but Rune found himself approaching the two anyway.

"Excuse me?" He spoke politely, not wanting to interrupt the two she-cats, and he gave a soft look towards the chocolate cat; Crowcall he believed, "I had noticed that you are upset?" It sounded like a guess and he swallowed a bit nervously, "But I am here too. I understand questioning a leader," He offered a slight smile and a flick of his feathery tail over her back ina friendly gesture. ​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[Dapplefoot]

Dapplefoot listened carefully to the kind cat who approached after her. Was that what this was about? Questioning Sootstar? Why would she be so upset by that though? "I've not known Sootstars leadership truly, and I feel as if anytime I should know something, I just miss it. But thinking differently from those around you, is by no means a punishable offense, not even if they're your leader." Gently, and so slowly, Dapple lowered her cheek to meet the smaller she-cat's, giving her time to pull away if the comforting gesture was too much. Dapple prayed to the stars she would not do more harm than good to the scared girl.

 

[crowcall]

✧ CROWCALL ✧

---

Oh, no—Crowcall could practically feel her heart sink down to her stomach—No, no, I didn't say anything about Sootstar, I really didn't! Was it that obvious that she was having doubts? The idea of being discovered, even by cats trying to comfort her, brought a new wave of dizzying panic crashing over her. Who else could tell? Who else knew?

"It is..." The warm comfort that Dapplefoot and Rune's presence gave didn't do much to stop the stinging in her eyes, but it did at least keep at bay the paranoia and mistrust that would have quickly taken over if they hadn't been so gentle with her. Was she the one that was overblowing the situation, or did they just not understand? Fear was never a logical thing, but she still wondered how they could possibly be so calm about all of this. "It is punishable..."

Her golden eyes closed before any tears could spill. The last thing she needed was to completely cement her weakness in the impressions of everyone around her, even though the abundant fear-scent and anxious trembling did that already.

And when a forced, quiet laugh came from her, Crowcall lowered her head. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be such a crybaby about it..." Other warriors wouldn't act like this. Other warriors wouldn't think like this. Had she always been this small...? "I... I'm just stressed out, I guess..." ​

windclan · she/her · penned by cuzn · tags​

 

[Dapplefoot]

Dapple didn't know how to respond. Was this the kind of place the tiny soot cat wanted to create? Terror in such young cats for simply thinking against her? A clan based in fear and not love? Had Dapple completely misjudged what a clan was? Was this a simple misunderstanding on the kits side or would their leader really take action against her for her doubts? Politics were never something Dapplefoot had ever had to deal with. First things first. Dapplefoot shook herself. The large warrior lowered herself, making her a considerable amount smaller. She gently nudged the other molly's chin up- Crowcall as she suddenly remembered from a recent gathering. Her voice smoothed itself and she lulled out her response in compassionate tone. "Of course Darling, so much has happened so quickly. You have every right to be upset. I don't think there is anyone here who was not affected in someway or another." Dapplefoot didn't even think her tone or words could be seen as patronizing, she just wanted to soothe the molly. She looked helplessly towards the other cat, hoping to the stars he would have some way to calm the smaller chimera's worries. It seamed Dapple was completely useless when it came to anything regarding clan laws or politics.