PATROLS ╱ CAN'T FEEL A BATTLE ´ˎ˗

[SUNNVAR]

✦　　. 　 ˚　.   The first time Sunstride had sat beneath the leaders at Fourtrees, it had not been as a true deputy. Badgermoon stood above him, speaking in their leader's place, and he below. His eyes had sought Wolfsong's, pleading for his approval, his assurance. It feels much the same now. A mistake of fate, a temporary thing. He still looks for his mate's wise blue eye as if it might promise him permanency. He cannot even say for certain if that is what he wants. This morning is achingly unfamiliar. The warriors that gather in calm expectancy look to him for directions that he did not know how to give. Many moons ago, far before he came to this moor, Sunstride acted in a similar method. Beneath his father but above the rest of his homeland, directing them as if he was not as young and inexperienced as he was.

It has been many moons since then. He has grown. WindClan has changed him. He would return the effort to them with love and care. Already he has lain awake for what seemed to be hours, contemplating this very moment. "I know that those who have departed have left us with fewer paws than we may need. Yet now is not the time for us to grow lax. Your paws may be sore, but there is work to be done."

Loving yet severe, his gaze sweeps the gathered warriors. After a moment of rest to ensure that it settles in, Sunstride nods shortly. "I will lead our dawn patrol along the gorge, with Azaleafrost and Gravelsnap alongside." Their greatest enemy in the coming moons, of this he is nearly certain; while the river cats will be fed by their fish, the moors would suffer without those that may help flush their prey from its tunnels. "Bluepool, I would ask that you take the same path at dusk, though ensure that your attention remains along Fourtrees and ThunderClan. Take Venomstrike and Morningsong with you– if Wolfsong will allow it, I ask that Cottonpaw follows. There may be herbs or knowledge to be gained." It pains him to take her from his mate, but perhaps it is for the best that she stretches her legs while it is still possible to do so. Fresh air away from the ill, and time to take her mind off the illness of her family.

"Ghostwail, you will depart shortly after with Foxglare and Sparkspirit, towards the thunderpath. I ask that you keep an eye towards Highstones. If there has been trouble on the journey, it will be seen in that direction." What he hopes they will find, he could not say. Some sign that they had made it safely past that part. That StarClan stood with them in these times. He is wary of the ghostly warrior, yet even still his eyes show softness, a gentle pleading. It does not linger long. Snakeblink has had a troubled day. He does not wish to distract from all that has happened, but like Cottonpaw, perhaps it was for the best. It is him that he names next: "Snakehiss, you will take Breezerunner and Adderpaw towards the Horseplace to hunt. I trust you will teach him well in my stead." An odd arrangement, he knows, but one he hopes will enlighten him.

A second's hesitation. "If you have spare time to hunt, I suggest that you do. We have many young mouths to feed, and less paws to catch prey. Go, then."

𝘏𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘚𝘖𝘔𝘌 𝘈𝘚 𝘓𝘐𝘍𝘌 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘗𝘖𝘐𝘚𝘖𝘕; 𝘚𝘜𝘕-𝘉𝘓𝘖𝘖𝘋 𝘏𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘚𝘖𝘔𝘌  ╱╱ 9.16.2023 ˊˎ＜

• OOC. FIRST PATROLS.... be nice to me i'm so nervous ASDFLASKDHJ
  
  @Azaleafrost @GRAVELSNAP (@Thriftpaw) keep an eye out for a special ping from me for the riverclan patrol
  
  THUNDERCLAN: @Bluepool will lead with @VENOMSTRIKE (@redpaw) @Morningsong~ and @cottonpaw (if @WOLFSONG approves!)
  
  SHADOWCLAN: @GHOSTWAIL with @FOXGLARE and @sparkspirit [I MESSED UP SO IM PUTTING MY OWN CHARACTER IN HERE IM SORRY]
  
  HORSEPLACE / LONER LANDS: @SNAKEHISS with @breezerunner and @Adderpaw
• ✦　　. 　 ˚　.  SUNSTRIDE. FORMERLY SUNNVAR. HE - HIM - HIS OR THEY - THEM. DEPUTY OF WINDCLAN. 4 YEARS OLD. PENNED BY REVELATIONS.  —————————
  
  
  ——  a tall auburn tabby with thick fur and bright glacial eyes. sunstride is broad and bold– a creature standing above most of windclan, though not a beast beyond it, with fur that flames red and deepens to a burnt amber with every stripe. his eyes, in comparison, are a pale summer's blue, still as bold as the rest of them. he radiates confidence and self-assured authority.
  
  

  ✦ NPC x NPC. DECEASED MOTHER, ESTRANGED FATHER. NO LITTERMATES. MATE TO WOLFSONG. FATHER TO BEARKIT, SINGEDKIT, RIVEKIT, SUNLITKIT, AND FEATHERKIT ——

• "speech"

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[Azaleafrost]

Azaleafrost was cured, but she still felt out of it. Only recently out of the medicine den, everything outside of it felt strange, as if she was a ghost walking where they used to live. She didn't feel like she was there. To make it worse, she's lost some muscle. She now feels as fragile as she looks, and it hasn't stopped raising alarms in her head around her clanmates. She'll have to start training again. Perhaps it was a good thing she wasn't there when Badgermoon betrayed the clan, she wouldn't have been able to catch him.

She's astounded by that, still. She didn't expect it from him. But she found it funny still, all these traitors and she isn't a single one. The kittypet blooded warrior is still loyal, more loyal than those who seemed most loyal, it seems.

Sunstride is their new deputy. She is okay with this. She thinks positively of him, he's a smart, fierce warrior and she can see him leading when Sootstar is gone. She figures those are important things to consider when looking at deputies. She pads over to listen to the patrols, and she arrives just in time to hear she is on patrol with Gravelsnap.

UUUUUUGGGGGHHHH

She groans in her mind. Her face may be as blank as ever, but she was SHRIVELING AND WILTING INSIDE. She just blinks up at Sunstride and nods.​

 

[breezerunner]

Breezerunner isn't exactly thrilled to be the only other warrior on a patrol with Snakehiss at its helm, but he isn't particularly perturbed by the idea either. Snakehiss is a good and dedicated warrior at least, and Breezerunner has done a decent job to not step on his toes thus far. Though if he thinks too long or hard about any of it he's certain that Snakehiss probably thinks he's some sort of peasant with his unremarkable lineage and all that. Of course, that could all come crashing down today. "Of course," he replies simply to Sunstride's remark about teaching Adderpaw. Teaching to hunt is easy.

Horseplace isn't the most interesting place to patrol, but between yellowcough and most outsiders' misplaced disdain for WindClan, Breezerunner is quietly thankful for the reprieve. The blue and white tabby turns to look for the black tomcat among the crowds, hoping to get this patrol started sooner rather than later.
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[GRAVELSNAP]

The absence of a certain black-pointed warrior has weighed heavily upon Gravelsnap. First Badgermoon and his tunneler friend attacked Sootstar, turned their backs on their clan, and then Peri left with the others who went on the journey. WindClan feels… empty, now. He thought that he’d feel better now that he’s been cured of his sickness, but without Periwinklebreeze around he only feels anxious. What if every clanmate who was sent on the journey is already dead? He shakes his head, grimacing at the thought.

Sunstride announces their assigned patrols, and Gravelsnap’s mood only sinks more as his name is called alongside Azaleafrost’s. Narrowed hazel eyes flicker to the she-cat, and he wonders briefly if she is as concerned for Peri as he is. But that doesn’t matter; Azaleafrost is hardly a warrior, and much less one he respects. He shoots a glare in her direction, and then turns to glance at Thriftpaw. "That’s us," he murmurs to his apprentice, one dark ear flicking in acknowledgment of Sunstride’s orders.​

[ you put the fun into dysfunction ]​

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[SNAKEHISS]

It is surreal, seeing Sunstride addressing the warriors and commanding them like Badgermoon had. The news of the deputy's betrayal stabbed through the heart of WindClan like a shard of ice; Snakehiss still couldn't really wrap his head around it all. He awakened this morning expecting to hear the voice of his former mentor, only to be smacked upside the head by reality itself — Badgermoon was gone. A traitor, a filthy traitor who had tried overthrowing Sootstar. She was a dictator, a cat who overtook the moors for herself and crushed anyone who stood in her way. However, her leadership was all Snakehiss ever knew. StarClan themselves had blessed her with nine lives; the ancestors quite literally sponsored her rule. How could Badgermoon think she was unfit for the throne? Whatever it was, trying to kill her would not work out in his favor. She had more lives to spare than he did, and he was frankly lucky she didn't take his only one.

Now he and Curlewnose are somewhere out there wandering about while Sunstride distributes responsibilities for today's patrols. Only when Snakehiss's own name is mentioned does he visibly perk up — him, a patrol leader! Proud, he straightens himself and lifts his head high, accepting the assignment graciously, "It shall be done." It was a small hunting patrol consisting of Breezerunner and Adderpaw, but it was better than nothing.

The newly named deputy dismisses everyone and Snakehiss strides over toward the camp exit, glancing over his shoulder at the other two cats expected to follow. "Let's leave at once." There was no time to be wasted, not with so many warriors gone. He would keep WindClan fed!

✰ INFO

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• 

  ✰ SNAKEHISS
  —— he/him; warrior ( moor runner ) of windclan
  —— bisexual; single; not looking
  —— long-limbed black tom with green eyes, a small white chest patch, and a notable bite mark on his right foreleg
  —— "speech", thoughts, attack
  —— link to full tags; @ on discord for plots.
  —— penned by beatles

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[Addervenom]

Life doesn't discriminate

Adderpaw fixates his mentor with a look that nearly questions the tom's judgement. Why on starclan's green earth would Sunstride pair him with Snakehiss of all cats? He would have eagerly taken a patrol with Gravelsnap instead if he were to pick between the two. With a snap of his tail he glanced in the ebony warrior's direction. "I highly doubt there is anything he can show me that you have not taught me already." Of that he was sure of. Still, he would do his duty of providing the clan with fresh food. Turning sharply he heads out, sparing Breezerunner a sidelong glance. ​

Between the sinners and the saints​

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[Bluepool]

Patrols. It was usually a tedious thing but this round had her interest. Sunstride was new to the position, quickly taking up the spot that Badgermoon had vacated. She is still uncertain how she feels about the fact that he had turned out to be a traitor. She had liked him well enough, he was a little dense in the head but she had never taken him for someone who would betray WindClan. Such a thing would indicate that perhaps he had a spine and that was a difficult thing to picture.

Sunstride is not a bad replacement. She respects the golden-furred tom well enough. She listens to his assignments, nodding her head respectively when he turns to her and lists the cats she would be taking with her, where they would be going. "All of you, do whatever you have to do today but be ready at the camp entrance by dusk" if they weren't then she would make sure there were problems for them. Now to go ask if Wolfsong could relinquish his apprentice for a little bit... She was excited to get to spend some time with her niece.

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