no angst OH WONDER ✘ Twoleg Bridge

[SMOKESTAR]

—————————————————————⊰★⊱————————————————————

The bridge was a source of contention of him, frankly if you asked his honest opinion he would tell you it went over the river which belonged to RiverClan and thus the bridge was part of their territory as well. It wasn't something he was willing to fight about upfront, nor cause a fuss over, but it was how he viewed it and he'd quickly defend any RiverClanner who got into an altercation upon it as having been defending their land. Sometimes he still thinks he can see the blood stains in the wood from when he and Weaselclaw had clashed so long ago. An incident that left him one eye less and the starting push for his and Cicadastar's relationship, feverish murmurs of loss and fear, curling into a patchwork coat as his mind drifted in and out; scraping stars in passing.
He shakes his head, pushes the thoughts away and instead reaches over to shove a paw behind the cat nearest him, poor Pikesplash, with a flash of mischievous white teeth to shove them in the water. The splash is a delightful chorus of droplets scattering and paws flailing.

The dark tom gave a huff of a laugh, tail flicked up as he bent to peer through the railings down to meet the gaze of his dunked clanmate, several figures stumbling along forward to the waterside from the moors and catching his long orange eye. Smokestar squinted and leapt upward onto the top of the wooden rail to observe them.
"What in StarClan are you covered in?" Were the first words from his mouth as Sunstar's patrol approached and he caught sight of the rosette tom and his cats covered in yellow down like a coating of snow, as he asked he realized quickly what it was and gave a low hum of amusement before bunching up his body and legs upon the railing of the bridge in preparation to jump, "Let me get that for you." With a spring the dark tom was in the air and he hit the water with legs tucked and resounding splash that sent a torrent of it gushing upward and spraying over the WindClan patrol members closest to the edge. It was not too long ago they had splashed another patrol and been met with scowling faces and curses as though they had attacked the cats there and not just gotten them a little wet but with the water warmer now and they no doubt preferring it to being coated in pollen he didn't get the feeling there would be as much protest this time.
The RiverClan leader swims in a circle, chuckling as he dips his head low so only the top of his head and his back are visible in the water.
Out of the corner of his eye he spotted another group of cats approaching, though this one from the other direction - as if comically timed ThunderClan arrived as well with the black tabby leader in the forefront and Smokestar's claws stuck to the wooden slats of the bridge as he scaled back up it to perch at the top; shaking his pelt free of water.

Maybe he was feeling particularly goodspirited after the clan had overcome the rogues, survived leafbare mostly intact, had a nursery full and waiting for new life, but Smokestar didn't raise his hackles as he might normally have done in response to two opposing clan patrols being nearby. Instead he looked to the water, his reflection a rippling pool of ink in the surface and his pelt still dripping as he canted his head to the side, "Howlingstar." He greeted, rolling his shoulders, "Any of you fancy a swim?"

✘ I've got a reputation and a name to uphold. ✘ Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves.

• 
  PAFP - Please let @SUNSTAR & @HOWLINGSTAR post first!
  Ooc- I thought this would be fun, please make sure to avoid open hostilities at least for this, the clans are relieved to be in newleaf and most likely not eager to start fighting again just yet. WindClan & ThunderClan, please remain only on your side of the river still and the bridge! Crossing onto the other side will be taken as trespassing still if you linger for longer than a few seconds!
• 
  
  
  Smokestar
  —⊰⋅ Leader of RiverClan
  —⊰⋅ He/Him
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  —⊰⋅ Black tom w/vitiligo & one orange eye.
  

​

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

// apprentice tag @antlerpaw!
After Sunstar posts, this is open to ThunderClanners too!

It had just been an ordinary border patrol, nothing too special about it. The daylight shines down with warmth and joy, and some might thing it's silly, but she thinks its her sons and daughter...yes, her heart still aches. The loss of Little Wolf, Berryheart, and Jackdawflight so close together swarms her with grief. But if she doesn't carry on, where does that leave her clan? She is luckier than most mothers. At least she gets to see her lost kin in the stars, when she's lucky enough to dream with them.

Her paws drag towards the river, exhausted eyes glancing up to see a few RiverClanners splashing around in the water. She shivers at the thought - how could any cat enjoy the feeling of their fur clinging to them, heavy and wet? She looks to her patrol members cautiously before proceeding forward, just as a WindClan patrol slips down from the moorlands.

She looks up as Smokestar addresses her, her ears twitching. It's...odd, to see him like this. Normally such a dry and abrasive tom-cat, he isn't one who she imagines as being the playful type, especially towards the other clans he's never seemed to care much for. She comes to a stop just before the first stone on the bridge, weighing her options before deciding she will do what she's always done - offer diplomacy.

Whiskers twitching in a show of amusement, she chuffs, "I'm very fine on dry ground, thanks." The small smile on her maw will give away to anyone she doesn't mean it as an insult.​

 

[SUNSTAR]

A blubbering of breath against the sudden cresting of water, Sunstar cannot help his laugh. Smokestar had startled it out of him in ways he is not proud of. The loose familiarity of warriors who fought alongside each other, not the enemies he was so certain this clan could be. Without harshness or the cowardice of bristling fur and fangs, the water-speckled warrior– allows himself the swell of mirth. With laughter, he goes even further. The great leader of WindClan, moor runner, named for the blazing sun above their head and by the stars that take its place as the one to set an example for this clan, ducks himself into the water right alongside Smokestar.

It is a clumsy entrance, without the grace of ones so accustomed to the water, but it had not been so long since he played in the icy shallows of the mountain and feasted upon the occasional fish that they caught. Hunts had been communal, focused inland for the most part, but. . . there is of course a reason that Wolfsong is as infatuated with the river-dwellers' prey as he was. It had been a long time since he had a taste, surely. But he would not ask Smokestar for it now. Especially not when his head dips underwater, tall ears flattened to seal off the worst from getting inside. When he lifts himself again, his face breaks the surface in a great surge to reveal what is no better than a twoleg dog.

Their diet differs greatly, and he lacks the sleek coat of those who spent their lives in the water. The heavy golden fur slicks down against his entire body, his cheek fur slicked to his face. It leaves the impression of lean muscles and an angular face, but also of well-soaked moss. "StarClan has blessed us with a prosperous newleaf." The dry manner of speech hardly makes it seem like a blessing: Sunstar is clearly annoyed by the pollen clinging to his patrol.

⋆°•☁︎ 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝗕𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃  ╱╱ 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝗕𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝗕𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 〚 02.11.2024 〛 𖤓

• OOC. ONLY DECENTLY BEHAVED WINDCLANNERS P L EA SE!! sunstar does not want violence today <3 otherwise. water party!
• 

  SUNSTAR. LEADER OF WINDCLAN.   ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
  ——– HE – HIM – HIS ╱╱ 48+ MOONS OLD, ADULT.

  NPC x NPC, MOUNTAIN CATS. MATE TO WOLFSONG; FATHER TO BEARPAW, SINGEDPAW, RIVEPAW, SUNLITPAW AND FEATHERPAW. MENTORING RIVEPAW.
  
  TH ╱╱ A LARGE, FRESHLY SCARRED CHOCOLATE AND WHITE ROSETTE TABBY TOM WITH SEAGLASS BLUE EYES

• "speech"

​

 

[PIKESPLASH]

He isn't sure what they're going to be doing here, but before he knows it he's shoved. The silver tom only has a split second to turn and see Smokestar with a mischievous expression. He can't even respond, the only thing he shows is pure bewilderment before he's dunked into the water. Thank the stars it isn't leaf-bare anymore! While he loves to swim, swimming in leaf-bare is brutal. If you can anyway. Being submerged isn't horrifying. After all, he was no drypaw. Why'd Smokestar have to do that? He doesn't understand their leader. He's always been afraid. These days he's gotten better. Well... He thinks so. Maybe a tiny bit in trying not to shake like a leaf in the mere presence of their leader.

Soon, the a silver head pops out from the water much like an otter. Green eyes look up to see a singular orange eye look down at him followed by the eyes of many. This is typically the moment in which he trembles and Smokestar looks at him as if he is dirt. However, that is not the look he's given. Huh? It's almost like... He tilts his head before his lips curl into a grin. "Very funny Smokestar. Now jump in so I can get you back for that!" Oh, it's so on! There's a playful glint in his eyes as he motions with his paw for the leader to jump in and engage in a little tussle in the water. Tussling being Pikesplash slapping water into the leader's face and swimming away.

He isn't given a response. Smokestar seems to be talking to someone. Worry shoots up his spine as he waits for any signal to regroup and join the others. His view isn't that great, but it seems that there is no need to worry in the end. The black tom proceeds to throw himself off the railing and sent a torrent of water towards Windclan. Pikesplash himself is soaked a bit from the splash, but when you're already wet you find that it doesn't really matter. All it does is make him giggle at his leader's childish actions. It's nice to see you like that.

Thus, the silver tom would wade along enjoying the cool water, watching Smokestar to make sure nothing goes wrong (Not like the leader needed someone to protect them). Now, let it be reminded that Smokestar started this war. As the black tom turns his focus on Howlingstar, he can't help but creep closer to Smokestar. A devious grin he has, waiting for Smokestar to finish speaking. Once the leader has finished addressing the Thunderclan leader, Pikesplash would send a fair bit of water hurling at the black tom. I told you! Chuffs escape his throat as he begins to turn and swim away from the black tom.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 my huckleberry friend

• — pikesplash / riverclan warrior / masculine pronouns / 50 moons
  — bisexual / polygamist / taken / open to flirting and crushes
  — short haired silver mackerel tabby with green eyes
  — may powerplay minor harm / can powerplay healing
  — biography / @ on discord for plots
  — penned by velou

​

 

[SCORCHSTREAK]

༄༄ The endless sea of flowers that have seemingly sprung up from out of nowhere are beautiful, but the pollen that comes along with them is decidedly not. Scorvhstreak enjoys the flowers of the moorland, but she could do without the yellow dust that clings stubbornly to black and red fur. She grimaces at the tickle in her nose as she strides along beside her leader, golden eyes trained on the bridge up ahead. Soon, there will be a tunnel leading closer to this border, a way to move across the moorland without having to traipse through the flowers and tall grasses. For now, though, Scorchstreak remains at Sunstar’s side as he approaches the bridge. RiverClan’s leader already stands upon it, and from ThunderClan’s territory she spots the dark-striped form of Howlingstar.

RiverClan has never been a particularly favored clan in Scorchstreak’s eyes. Their former leader was an unhinged, dangerous creature, and their current leader seems to be an entirely different sort of aggressive. Smokestar has made it clear that he and his clan cannot be trusted, but still Scorchstreak does not hold the dreadful tom’s threats against the rest of RiverClan; the likes of Iciclefang and Ferngill are familiar faces, ones she grew to like, even, while journeying into the mountains alongside them. Today, Smokestar seems in a good mood, which the tunneler takes as a good sign. He even invites them to take a dip in the water he claims as his own, though Howlingstar declines the invitation.

Sunstar, however, takes the other leader up on the offer, and so Scorchstreak follows suit. It has been so long since she’s taken a swim in a body of water larger and deeper than the sun-warmed pool in WindClan’s territory—she has missed this, she thinks, as she slips into the river with only one unsightly stumble. The pollen and dirt that have clung to her pelt for so long bleed away as she dips her body beneath the surface. "This is nice," she states simply, basking in the feeling of water washing along her coarse coat. Like Sunstar’s, her fur becomes slicked tightly against her form, but she does not possess the same bedraggled dog appearance. The snow-patched portions of her pelt stand out more against inky dark patches and flame streaks, what was once brown made pristine again by the cleansing waters.​

​

 

[sunlitpaw]

Unlike the older faces in their patrol today, Sunlitpaw has little experience with Smokestar. They can recall him as Smokethroat, still the deputy of RiverClan as all the clans struggle under the weight of sickness and rogues alike, and how Cicadastar - a face they do not recall ever seeing, nor ever hearing any good stories of - had never returned after being caught like prey by the cats that had driven RiverClan out of their home. It felt so long ago, now, and looking at Smokestar they were able to put a proper face to their name as the time hiding in ShadowClan's carrionplace had become little more than a thick haze in the back of their mind. This patrol marked Sunlitpaw's first impression with the RiverClan leader as well, having no history of hostility and violence for Sunlitpaw aside from the expected sharp words of warning at the gathering off the heels of Sootstar's reign. He seemed much more... happy, now?

Smokestar sends a splash of water across the border at Sunstar, and Sunlitpaw's instinctual reaction takes it as a sign of hostility, fur prickling and itching against her skin as dread sets in deep. The ice flushes from her veins as quickly as it had come as her father instead answers with laughter - wait, laughter? Wasn't this supposed to be... a border patrol? Their eyes skirt to Scorchstreak to gauge the Lead Warrior's reaction, unsure how to proceed. Scorchstreak is looking elsewhere, and Sunlitpaw follows it to Howlingstar approaching from the other side, a little smile on the much older molly's maw.

During their distraction their father had slipped into the water himself, and Sunlitpaw's head whips around at the sound of a splash when the golden tom emerges. Despite their nervousness, despite their fears and a desire to stay overlooked by the other Clans, they cannot bite back the giggle that spills from them as it heightens to a high laughter. Their ears pin back, a sense of second-hand embarrassment overtaking their own embarrassment at such an outburst. Seeing their father so slicked back was a sight Sunlitpaw had never seen before, one they never thought they even would. He looked so much smaller without his mane, so much thinner without his coat, so much more... not Sunstar with the fur on his face flattened to his cheekbones. They pad the riverside to meet Sunstar at the closest point they can, chest bouncing with an unsuppressed giggle. They're nervous to get their own paws wet like Scorchstreak and Sunstar, but watching their seniors feeds them a bit more courage as they wade gently forward, feeling the cool water rush against their paws and forelegs. It's much chillier than the sun-warmed pool, but not in a biting manner.

"Dad," the title spills from her mouth before she can catch it, high on a feeling of enjoyment. She does not stop to consider it might be a bad thing for the enemy Clans to know of her, she does not consider that it might be extremely unbecoming of Sunstar's own child to not address them properly, for once her overactive mind is quiet and focused solely on the moment. A name she hasn't uttered in a while, tentative of engaging Sunstar in any way for many sunrises now. Sunlitpaw takes another step forward, hesitating as the pebbles begin to thin beneath her paws and the water touches the edges of her belly fur. "Can you teach me how to swim?"
​

𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦, ———— 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚.

• @FOXGLARE mentor tag <3 talking to @SUNSTAR​

• 

• 
  

  

  ₊ ⋆ * ⊹ ₊ ☾

  sunlitpaw

  
  

  — they / she, 8 moon old moor-runner apprentice of windclan. mentored by foxglare
  — a large yet timid chocolate tabby-tortoiseshell with spring green eyes
  — sunstar x wolfsong, sibling to rivepaw, bearpaw, singedpaw, & featherpaw
  — full length biography
  — penned by izanami, contact on discord @nullmoons for plots or threads :)

  ​

 

[Lightflower]

Lightflower trailed behind Howlingstar. She hears some chatter and splashing at the river and feels a warm glow in her heart. New leaf was a wonderful time, though she doesn't remember the earliest bits of it, since she was only just born last time. She takes Howlingstar's queue of casual friendliness. She'd never been in the water before, and shuffled close to dip her paw in. The slicked down fur-feeling isn't exactly pleasant. But who is she to trash someone's enjoyment. Seeing Sunstar and Smokestar so carefree for a moment was... nice.​

[ MAYBE THIS TIME I'LL WIN ]​

 

[FOXGLARE]

⁀➷ Once more, the unforgiving freeze of Leafbare has given way to the creeping bloom of Newleaf. The arrival of the sun seems to have warmed the spirits of many a cat, and even if Foxglare was the griping sort he would have had trouble finding anything to twist his tail about.

Well, there was one thing.

The thick dusting of pollen had Foxglare's pelt looking more yellow than white as their patrol made its way through the sudden upcropping of grass and flowers. His whiskers twitched back and forth at the disrupting feeling upon his nose, and he would stand back on the riverbank, lacking an affinity for water unlike some of the others patrolling today. (Was he supposed to learn to swim at some point...?)

It's... nice to see other cats without the overhanging weight of hostility drenching their pelts like the river water soaking the tranquil swimmers today. It was almost quaint, it reminded him of a time before the scent of peat and heather covered his fur. The silent kinship between survivors, where he learned that he could huddle beneath shelter alongside the same cats he traded claw-slashes with only days before. It was simpler when there were no such thing as despots or heresy and there was nothing to rule over even if anyone tried.

The young warrior's elder-ish ponderings are broken by the Riverclan leader's splash-assault, jumping back with a surprised gasp. Foxglare shakes out his pelt on instinct, and unfortunately springs forth a cloud of pollen and shed fur into the air. A wicked combination. It seems an inevitability what follows next.

"AH-CHOO!" A great sneeze bursts forth from the tom. He sniffles, eyes and nose still itching from all the pollen, "... My bad."

HOW COULD YOU THINK, DARLIN, ⁀➷☾⁺₊ ID SCARE SO EASILY?

• OOC:
• 
• 
  — sun . fox . foxpaw . foxglare
  — he/him. 15mo moor-runner of windclan. currently mentoring sunlitpaw.
  — a large, scarred white and golden tabby tom with grey eyes
  — smells like dewy oak and sedge
  — sounds like leon kennedy, with a vague texan drawl.
  — the straight-faced and taciturn adopted son of houndthistle, lived as a twolegplace loner until 7 moons old, now a moor-runner of windclan. steadfast and reserved, in an era of attempting to forge bonds with others and create a future to look toward.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — fullbody by antiigone, hs by tropics
  — penned by eezy

​

 

[leafhusk]

sunlight dapples through the trees and warms her fur, a blessing for what is to come. leafhusk trotted along the border, taking in the beauty of the season’s change. her ears prick from the distant sound of splashing and laughter, she glanced back at her leader before the group made their way over.

like any non-riverclanner, she couldn’t understand the appeal of water, it clings to your fur, takes forever to dry, and so on. still, both patrols sounded happy, and enthusiastic. they played with each other, batting the water around, laughing. for a few moments, she waited, standing awkwardly in anticipation for a fight to unceremoniously break out. nothing happens, surprisingly, the anxiety easing into curiosity that made her paws twitch.

her soft underbelly brushes against the ground, reaching a paw over to dip into the water, (careful of the border markers, of course) lightly waving it about. "it’s cold." leafhusk remarks, swinging her paw forward to splash at any thunderclanner that inched too close towards the edge.

she hums, "whoops,"


// apprentice tag @adderpaw smile​

 

[ADDERSNAP]

Adderpaw had split feelings about patrols, and their purpose. He didn't exactly enjoy having to walk around for what felt like moons around ThunderClan's territory -- except that was the best part: a free excuse to roam the forest and spot as much wildlife as he could. But the forests had seemed quiet as he made his way with his new mentor Leafhusk, giving a darting glance to her and their leader as shoulders "subtly" tried to match movement with Howlingstar's own strides, his efforts definitely very obvious to his mentor if she had been looking. The wolves seemed to keep everything on edge recently, and the tomcat couldn't help but feel those same fears as he swallowed them to allow his pride to rise again in his chest. How could he be scared? They were just wolves!

Fortunately, they didn't come across any wolves, but unfortunately Adderpaw found himself squinting against the beating sun as its gaze casted over his field of vision as he struggled to see what was ahead of him. Voices, so close to the river? A grimace of disgust presented itself on his angular face, posture straightening and his head raising as high as it could to try and almost look down on what appeared to be RiverClanners as he walked forward with his clanmates. It's not like it could be too intimidating -- he hated anyone who wasn't himself or of the wild, and probably only stood to barely above their kneecaps on most of them, so instead it just seemed a little pathetic. Perhaps pity would be put on him for thinking he was so brave.

Choosing to fall back behind Howlingstar as she spoke to Smokestar, who he had seen at a gathering only once before in his apprenticeship. Not like he could remember any of it anyways, he had been hiding from his former mentor Mossywing behind the smallest stone he could fit behind (since he didn't think the now elder would figure to look for him behind the smallest about of cover he could) and was batting around at a lizard he had managed to catch and stun. If Leafhusk ever decided to make a quiz for him on whatever happened that gathering, StarClan knows he'd be doomed to some task that would require him to converse with his clanmates.

Carrying an annoyed aura around him, Adderpaw stood beside his mentor as he scanned his surroundings, allowing himself to become smaller to bring less attention to himself. He could only stand the limelight -- or the idea of it -- for so long. However, during this he felt droplets of slashing ice (that's how it felt to him, but it was an extreme overreaction) against his pelt and hissed quietly under his breath for a moment from the shock, watching some of the rest of the splash as regret slowly warmed his face. "Sorry," he quickly murmured, not having meant anything towards his mentor but sure she would take it the wrong way. Rolling his eyes, the young ThunderClanner thought about calling her out on how he was her apprentice yet kept his mouth shut about that certain comment. He usually didn't mind saying what was on his mind, but he knew that one was too much of a jab at his new mentor. "Uncomfortable, you mean." Just thinking about the water hitting his pelt made him shiver. At least everything was in good faith. "But nice aim." Who would he be to not try and compliment Leafhusk? He did still want to prove himself to her and make her proud, after all.​

 

[lichenstar]

⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ​

With the sun's welcomed warmth at their backs, it was hard not to relish in the reprieve that the water gave them. Lichentail had no great fondness for swimming the way Ferngill did, found it to be a frustrating thing that made her fur cling too tightly to her body, made her skin crawl where lazy rivulets traveled under the oily slick of her fur. But... it was a necessity, to say the least... and not the most unbearable thing to suffer when they had spent months without its touch; buried under ice and snow, there had been little chance to do so without freezing to death instead.

Smokestar's mood is infectious, a toothy smile shared in such great rarity that it manages to catch his deputy off guard entirely. How one who had already lost so much, so quickly, could just roll his shoulders and move on... it was baffling. Made him seem far out of reach, in some way. Was StarClan's magic that powerful? Could it mend the cracks internally too?

Looking towards Sunstar's pollen-soaked patrol (which quickly finds itself doused in a tumult of 'rain'), his good-natured laugh and eagerness to dunk his face into the river is all the confirmation she needs to not lunge across the rapids and drown him immediately. An extreme kindness, she thinks to herself while she scans those WindClanners that join him.

Some of them are familiar but not most... maybe what he'd said was true. So many of them had been blind followers of Sootstar's that they'd been chased out and those who'd never lost sight of StarClan are all that remained. She is pleased, in part, to see Foxglare amongst them. Howlingstar's polite refusal to join them pulls her attention- yeah, no surprises there. Clayfur probably ruined her experience with fighting near the shores when he'd taken one of her lives fighting for Sunningrocks.

"We won't bite.... but the fish might," she offers as Leafhusk dips a paw into the water to test it. Seems like not every ThunderClanner has a healthy fear of the river as their leader does.

---

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS

FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY​

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