RED ALERT \ prophecy

[BLAZESTAR]

Once Blazestar has ensured they are alone and that all of his council has gathered, the leader sits in the center of the half-circle his trusted warriors and medicine cats make around him. His expression remains thoughtful as he repeats the prophecy Haku had given his son: "You must not waver when boughs are plucked from the pine." Eyes shining, he looks at them all hopefully, hoping even one of them has a better idea than him of what this could mean. "This is what Haku came from StarClan to tell Fireflypaw in his dreams last night." He blinks at his paws, remembering the last prophecy SkyClan had received -- a disastrous one, leading them into the heart of the Twoleg place and costing him his first life. "I believe it's a warning of some kind... but I can't imagine what it would be about."

He wonders if it's implying another attack from WindClan, trouble with ThunderClan or ShadowClan... but he cannot say. There is nothing in the prophecy that indicates another Clan at all -- it only mentions the pines that SkyClan makes its home in. "Have you seen anything in the forest, heard anything at the Gathering? Anything that might give you pause for concern?" He flicks a golden ear, looking around at his council hopefully. "Even if it is a warning, we could do our best to be prepared."

// @orangeblossom @DAWNGLARE @Fireflypaw @ThistleBack @Daisyflight @sheepcurl @SILVERSMOKE ​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[Fireflyglow]

Ears laid back against his head, Fireflypaw pouts as he seats himself beside his mentor to listen to the adults talk about the prophecy he was given. His paw pats at the ground, playing idly with a Mother-kissed leaf of green. His father asks for everyones interpretation, and Fireflypaw, sarcastically, says "What if the trees all fall down at once? What even is a bough, again?" He hums, ears swiveling as shut-eyes twitch. His joke, forever the most horrible thing in the world, was out there now. He'd probably be scolded later for not taking things seriously, though....

"What do you think, Dawnglare?"​

 

[Orangestar]

"A bough is a branch, Fireflypaw. That guess might not be too far off if it's literal." Orangeblossom takes a seat second from the right in their little semi-circle, curling plumy tail around her paws. "Obviously the message is to keep strong against something, and if we do things will be fine. But against what?" She echoes Blazestar's words, tail thumping against the ground a couple of times in thought as she peers at the floor of the den.

"Buckgait didn't let anything slip at the Gathering, and I didn't hear anything else that you didn't." She responds to their leader's hopeful question, shaking her head. Briefly, her mind strays to the accusation laid at the late Emberstar's paws. Of her ShadowClan mate, also murdered by the dogs. What if something similar was going on in SkyClan? Would they lose someone to such a farce? Would a cross-Clan romance force kits to choose between two homes again? Or would other SkyClanners be stolen, maybe by something else? She'd heard tell from their daylight warriors that twolegs would occasionally try to round up stray animals in their settlements - but they wouldn't come out here. SkyClan, and all the Clans for that matter, was too well hidden

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

Silversmoke felt like an intruder in this discussion. It was hard to disbelieve what was in front of his own eyes, still, his faith in the stars above had never been the strongest out of the clan. He reclined on his haunches, his tail wrapped around his paws like a comfort blanket. He had his own ideas, all of them wrapped in misery - was it better to know of impending pain or be oblivious to it? At the mention of the gathering, the silver tabby shook his head. He'd spent the time before the announcements speaking with a RiverClan lead warrior, complaining about social expectations and poking fun at each other's intricacies. Had there been a hidden message behind the conversation, then too much time had passed for him to properly decipher it. His ears stood to attention as Orangeblossom spoke, his tone cynical as he moved to address her first comment. "StarClan rarely ever is literal though, is it? Prophecy this, fate that... this probably has some deeper meaning to them than some fallen branches." He figured that dead cats could speak normally, so why didn't they? It would've made everyone's lives so much easier if danger was not concealed behind flowery prose and idioms.

"I don't think it's about the forest. To remove branches is to strip the trees bare... it sounds like something will be lost... or something will get exposed..." Secrets left and right had been spilled at the gathering, and he was loathed to believe that his clanmates held ones as scandalous as ThunderClan's, yet he had to face a harsh truth in that den - he didn't know the cats he'd promised to protect well at all. He had his own boughs, too tangled for many creatures to get passed. He doubted the prophecy had anything to do with that though, StarClan would have some explaining to do if he were involved in some creepy message to their poor medicine cat apprentice.
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[ThistleBack]

Eyes peer through the trickle of light and what slim glimpse you could make of the evergreens outside of the council’s huddle of theories. Blazestar is looking to each of them expectantly while his son suggests the absurd and asks what a bough even is. Thistleback clamps is back teeth together with a slow blink toward Dawnglare.

" I agree, I think it may imply we are to lose something. Or … something is to be- perhaps, revealed " Thistleback’s growly tone solidifies his thoughts. " and yes- the use of when rather than if… means… there very well isn’t a bloody thing that can be done to stop it " he adds firmly, shifting his weight and raising his chin.

He shakes his head in turn to each of Blazestar’s questions. The gathering had been a parade of foolish babble and the forest was quiet since the fox. " well. Stronger roots, less chance of waver. I think Skyclan needs to come closer together. " his eyes shift to Silversmoke now. The stew of hostility between he and Slate, the isolation of Dawnglare and now in consequence- Fireflypaw, of Blazestar and his family. Everyone and everything in Skyclan is separated by a gorge of complications, be it secrets, tragedy, prejudice, or ego.

" as strange as it is coming from me " Thistleback trails his tongue over the sharp jut of his fangs.

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OOC INFO REF

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  Thirty-three moons EVENT TRACKER | IMPORTANT INFO
  — Lead warrior of Skyclan since 12.22.22
  — Devoted to Deersong 9.29.22 | polyamorous
  — Father of Coyotepaw, Pricklepaw, and Eveningpaw.
  — mentoring quillpaw & Snowpaw
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes.
  — voice & accent
  — biography･ﾟ✧​
  OPEN for Dice battles | stine#3004
  
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[sheepcurl]

Once the adrenaline wears off, Sheep can't lie, she feels terrible. All she wants to do is go back to the Warriors den and curl up besides Redstorm once more, but she cannot, she has a duty to do... It's still a nice thought, though. The cats around her are theorizing and yet she cannot help but have her mind in three places at once, anxiety begins to pool within her stomach as the conversation goes on. Starclan rarely ever is literal though, says their newest lead and Sheep only clenches her teeth, her tail beginning to lash behind her.

Another Windclan raid, another Windclan raid, they'll kill this time for sure- her minds racing. Will we lose cats? Are our warriors just 'boughs' to them? She shakes her head, to herself, and realizes how off she truly feels. Gone is the days where all she had to worry about was when she could slink back to her two-legs and rest within a warm nest and get pets and- Stop. Her breathing has picked up and now shes fighting with herself rather than fighting to figure out the prophecy.

"I-" her voice catches in her throat and she has to swallow hard to get rid of the dread that stops anything else from spilling from her mouth. "I think Thistleback's guess is right." I want to believe, at least. "And if its not, it couldn't hurt for all of us to grow closer. I don't... Personally have another guess to what it could mean. It could mean anything." she looks away. She doesn't want to admit her anxiety is holding her back, the stress that stiffens her shoulders. Eyes shift to sweep over Daisyflight, Dawnglare to see if they had anything different from the others.​

"speech"​

 

[DAWNGLARE]

It's straightforward, is it not? So much so that he does not pester his own mind with much further thought of it. Blissfully secure in his assessments he is. His face shows placid contentment. The hope in Blaise's eyes would be met with something, surely something. Soft soul, he is, he looks for answers. More than one... (Unecessary, when it's really right in front of him). Fireflypaw is straight forward in his naivety, though that itself has bounds. Dawnglare perks with the mention of his name.

Though... interrupted! Interrupted for the sake of petty definitions. He blinks at her, but he is not angry, no. His jaw ticks, brief flash of teeth. She speaks with forwardness, and nothing more. Bare bones. Boredom, ringing bells, his gaze falls to half-liddedness. And again–

Interrupted! Intercepted by a newcomer, a stranger. Dawnglare turns to him with a blank gaze. One that spells just the opinion he held of this one – nothing. A hidden dare is sewn within the stare he gives him, to prove himself more than a nuisance. Perhaps he can afford him something. Yes– Dawnglare nods. Though, the dust collects. A sneeze– and then he is shaking his head instead. (He couldn't dream of such a thing). Out of control, these sorts of things were. Impossible to assume, impossible to detect... for their sort, anyways. Borderline– blasphemous, the casualness...

And the stare grows colder... only colder as the remaining of them follow. Chattering like morning birds. His eyes glaze over; half-melted ice. There are snippets of truth, but oh– too dangerous to agree quite so easily...

At last, the metaphorical sea parts. Pointedly, pointed he clears his clears his throat. The lot of them are surveyed with an upturned gaze, hint of disdain in his eye even if, overall, he smiles. He lifts a paw. He withers a blustery sigh. "Listen, listen. I may hate to tell, but will never hate to say..." Another huff of air. A tongue passes over dry lips. "I see it, I see. Unimaginable disaster is charging towards us, and they're telling us not to die. B-ut of course, unimaginable disaster cannot be prepared for." Cruel irony, a giggle nearly slips free from him. The crack of a wider smile remains unhidden, but he abandons the rising laugh in favor of looking accusingly to the 'council' that surrounds him.

"Now, which of you have earned this for us, hm? We ought to hold a trial." Without any subtlety, his gaze would flicker between Daisyflight and their blandly-named deputy, smiling still. "We may be owed a chance if we're quick enough..."​

 

[BLAZESTAR]

Their attempts to explain the prophecy do not soothe him. Blazestar is only left more puzzled -- especially when Dawnglare tells them all that unimaginable disaster is heading for them all. The Ragdoll gives him a chastising look. "Did StarClan actually tell you that, Dawnglare?" He frowns, then sighs, the air puffing towards his paws.

"We won't know until it happens," he murmurs. "But perhaps you're all right. Maybe we should make more efforts to remain close-knit."

Ponderously, Blazestar tells Orangeblossom, "I'd like the patrols to be on the lookout for any threats. I know they'll want to know what they're looking for, but... all we can tell them is to watch for anything unusual."

He eyes his lead warriors next. "The same goes for you all. Whether you're training your apprentices, leading a patrol, or hunting... keep your eyes open. Keep especially close to the borders." He blinks. "I don't foresee trouble coming from ThunderClan or RiverClan, but... StarClan may be telling us otherwise."

He fixes Dawnglare with a look. "I don't know why StarClan would send it to Fireflypaw instead of you," he murmurs. "Is there some meaning in that, do you think?" Does his son have some significance in this warning? Blazestar shudders. "If either of you receives further word from StarClan, report to me immediately." His gaze becomes distant with thought. "Perhaps I should visit the Moonstone..."​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[Fireflyglow]

Everyone babbles on and on, and Fireflypaw zones out during the whole conversation. Little bits and pieces; warning, trespass, borders, unity, end of the world. Dawnglare preaches the end of times, and Fireflypaw scoots closer to his mentor nervously. He could protect him; if he was with Dawnglare, he could never wither. Mother wasn't done with him, had given him purpose.

His father finally speaks up again, questioning the High Priest. Then questions them both, considers why he had gotten a prophecy of all things. "Maybe Haku was telling me something that'll happen to me in the future? Am I going to lose someone else, then? My family.. They're like branches on a tree. It.. Perhaps we should keep Howie in camp. I don't feel so good about seeing her outside." I need to protect my sister. My family.​

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

SkyClan needs to come closer together. It was hard to ignore the odd stare toward him at that point, his skin prickling as if stabbed by thorns. He said he would do anything for his clan no matter the personal cost, but implying he should become more fond of Slate? He hesitated, his gaze finding solace in focusing on the simpler earth. Silver had promised not to hurt the black tom, that should've been enough for the ragdoll, he wouldn't expect more, would he? His ears angled forwards, his shoulders shifting in relief when Blazestar did not mention his own situation. It would've been unfair, the spotted tabby thought. With the discontent between Slate, Chyrsalispaw, and the Daylight Warriors, as well as other secrets the male never enquired about, he couldn't be the only one who hated someone else they lived with. His attention shot back towards Blazestar once the lead warriors were addressed, steeled against the growing worry that his pride may have caused this. Offering a staunch nod, the Maine coon remained silent for some time, his eyes blinking wide in consideration when mention of the prophecy recipient was brought up. It was a fair point, he realised.

Eyeing Dawnglare, he pondered, however briefly, if the medicine cat would be one such bough plucked from the pine. 'No... no that's too cruel a prophecy even for StarClan' He'd prefer not to know when his clanmates would die, if the loss was inevitable then what was the point of trying to change fate? Silver turned to Fireflypaw, huffing. "Or maybe Haku just wanted a straightforward conversation." He shook his head, caring in his own way for the apprentice's worries but lashing his tail when he wondered how to best show it. "Point is, it might mean something, it might not mean something. I don't think the recipient matters as much as the message itself. Do not waver. Whatever's coming, we can prepare for it, but if we begin protecting your family members and not the family of our clanmates because of a chance the prophecy is aimed at you SkyClan will split faster than any fallen branches." His frown twitched sympathetically, but he said no more, hoping he'd gotten his aims across coherently enough.

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