camp REVEREND, OH REVEREND : ̗̀➛ HOWLINGSTAR'S VIGIL

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Raccoonstripe had nestled into her pelt until the chaos dispersed. He had witnessed Mousenose's death, then Sorrelmist's, but he hadn't moved from his leader's side, not until the kittypet-blooded cats had been effectively banished from their home. He had snarled, then, watching Burnstorm's expression erupt, watching his kits wail for their fallen leader, listening to his own children scream in the nursery as, one by one, Clanmates fell.

I will make this right, somehow. I don't know when or how, but I will die trying. Raccoonstripe had worked meticulously to clean the blood from Howlingstar's fur, blood her own kin had spilled from her body. He trembles as he bows over her, though he has spent his tears until nothing but hollow dark remains inside of him.

"Tonight, we say goodbye to Howlingstar," he says to any Clanmates who listen, to any who gather close for their final goodbyes. "She was..." His voice cracks like ice that cannot support the weight of his grief. "She was chosen as deputy of ThunderClan by Emberstar herself. She led us for many moons, and we prospered... despite our hardships, we prospered."

A hint of fire stokes in his coal-dark eyes, and he dares one of Skyclaw's followers to ruin this vigil, to show their ugly, bent-whiskered faces near the she-cat they'd helped kill. His lips shrink from his teeth, but the grimace is one of pain. "She has gone to meet her kin in StarClan, and I know she'll rejoice at seeing my father again..." Raccoonstripe's tail bristles behind him, "My brothers. My sister. Everyone who left her too soon."

He lowers his face for a final time into his mother's fur. He inhales her scent, the delicate weaving of oak leaves, the shadows of the forest she will never roam again, and exhales raggedly.

"Good hunting, Howlingstar. I know your family will take care of you the way you took care of all of us for so long." His voice breaks again, but this time he lets it; this time he lowers his face, and he lets his voice rest.

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: —
• 
• Raccoon . Raccoonstripe, he/him w/ masculine terms.
  — "speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 44 moons old, ages realistically on the 5th.
  — mentored by n/a ; mentoring Thistlepaw ; previously mentored Wildheart, Moonwhisper
  — thunderclan lead warrior. gray wolf x howlingstar, gen 2.
  — currently mated to Nightbird.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  lh black tabby with white and dark brown eyes. charismatic, charming, calculating, ambitious, shallow, manipulative.
  
  

​

 

[bayingkit]

ma’maw is dead.

her parents explain what this means in hushed, pained whispers and bayingkit . . can’t help but let her eyes linger, curious, towards where the striped body of her grandmother lies near - sleeping on a curl of greenery. she knows what dead means. dead meant you were gone goodbye, like a mouse or a squirrel when it’s caught for eatin’ . . dead was something a leader could do nine times over, and dead was something a deputy did for there to be a new deputy named. dead was forever. dead meant that, now, there would be no ma’maw to tell her bedtime stories or pry her gently, expertly, off her wailing sibling . . no more tales of tigerclan and the strength written in dark tabby stripes, forest - dark ribboning too still where she lies curled and quiet in her forever nest.

she would never tell bayingkit i love you ever again, which she finds hurt most of all.

as she sits, still and staring at the very unmoving body of howlingstar, bayingkit feels the ghost of grief for the very first time. the riotous feeling of nausea and fear that simmers beneath her coat ; some cats go their whole lives without seeing a leader die for real. their lives were a gift, to lead and protect their clanmates, their kin . . starclan guided their paws all the way, sat with howlingstar and her dad in council. they were supposed to keep her safe, keep her springing right back up again like bayingkit had heard she had in the face of wolves, in the face of evil riverclan warriors, in the face of danger. bayingkit sits, hunched over and wild - eyed, and wonders why they couldn’t just . . send her back again.

it would stop all the hurting, the crying, the pain and terror that seizes through the thick tension of camp — the trepidation that keeps some looking over their shoulders, where some of the clanborn soldiers settle watching, sneering. bayingkit flicks her ears downward, clenched her teeth so hard she fears it might go straight through the stem nightbird had allowed her to pick quickly, hushedly from the side of the clearing. aside her, raccoonstripe speaks, his deep baritone a rocking tremble that she’s never heard, that strikes her to her very core ( she doesn’t like the feeling it gives her to see her father cry — it feels wrong, seeing him press tear - soaked face into his mother’s cooling fur. ).

clumsily, she lays the clump of weed ( a flower, she insists ) at her grandmother’s unmoving hind paw. a thin string of crystalline saliva pops from her maw, a wide tongue coming to flick it back into her mouth with little grace ; bicolored eyes are unsure, but with a heavy gust of air, she hits her stomach with two forepaws cast over her grandmother’s white - socked foot ( it matches her long front sock — she feels a pang of bad that launches tears to her eyes. she shoves at it with that socked forepaw. ), “ bye, ma‘maw. “ she say after raccoonstripe falls silent and his words linger, wraithlike in the air. it’s growling, hesitant, as if she doesn’t want to — saying goodbye was final, and death was forever. what could she say that could last forever? she says the only thing she knows . . and what she will never again hear in the soft, knowing voice of her grandmother, “ love you. “

☽ ˚ ｡ 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐙𝐄𝐃 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒  𓃥 【 𝑰𝑻𝑺 𝑫𝑨𝑹𝑲 𝑰𝑵 𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑬 】

• i.
  
  
• 
  
  
• ” speech “
• BAYINGKIT——————— SHE / HER, KITTEN OF THUNDERCLAN. NIGHTBIRD xx RACCOONSTRIPE, SISTER TO TWILIGHTKIT, TIGERKIT, STORMKIT & LIGHTNINGKIT. 3 MOONS OLD, SMELLS LIKE DISRUPTED SOIL & WET FUR. PENNED BY ANTLERS.
  a large, unsightly black tabby kitten.
  
  mongrelish, standing all thistlethorn fur and bared teeth, bayingkit would be thought roguesblood if not for the dogtooth crown she uncomfortably bears. a hereditary haunting lies in the shag of ornate black striping and long limbs that do not yet suit her wide, slouching shoulders ; her fathers daughter, laced in dredge and filth moreso than he’d ever been. a constant, incessant need to make herself small forms in hunched spine and weary, whale - eyed suspicion, communicating mostly in rumbling growls.. bayingkit tends to hold herself with a tuck tailed and trembling livewire of feral volatility.
  

  teething, easily frustrated with her lack of vocal skill and highly reactive. prone to biting, swatting and general moodiness it is highly encouraged to correct. powerplay is allowed for disciplinary swipes, scruffing and general redirection.

  
  
  

​

 

[Rabbitnose]

There is an emptiness in his heart as he stares at Howlingstar's lifeless body. She is dead, and yet he watches as though she'll take a breath, come back from the dead and lead like she deserves to. But he knows she wont. He only hurts himself with such pitiful wishful thinking.

He doesn't speak first. He doesn't have the energy, lacks the will to even try. He's tired of losing those he loves and cares for. This camp is more a grave than a home to him, and he has accepted that he will never have a true home anymore. He will never have one that does not inflict pain on his heart. He looks to his paws. Howlingstar would be disappointed if she knew he felt that way, wouldn't she. What's one more disappointment? He knows she was never impressed with him. Ever since he helped Patchpaw leave their boar ridden territory, he's positive that Howlingstar never thought much of him.

He can't even say he didn't have the chance to prove his worth, his loyalty. Though it could be argued that he already has proved both, he feels he could have done better.

"You were a great leader." He starts weakly, softly. His throat is tight and it takes great effort not to break more than he already has. "A great mother, an incredible warrior. You were always kind and reasonable. You lead us through the worst of times, and shared in the best of times with us. You were practically family."

Howlingstar was the only cat he would consider a mother figure. Having none of his own, she seemed perfect example to him of what a mother should be. And to be slain by her own family..... Just the thought threatens to enkindle the drowned anger inside.

"I know you were dissapointed in me. I'm sorry I could never prove myself to you. But I was always proud to call you my leader, no matter what you may have thought of me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.... For everything." He finishes. He has to stop there, before he utters promises of vengeance. He can't get cut down here..... He still has one more vigil to get through.....Wherever it may be held.​

 

[SPIDERPAW]

✦ death and mourning are things that spiderkit is still a bit unfamiliar with, they understand the concept on a surface level but anything deeper is met with a heavy head tilt. so when they hear that a vigil is taking place for their fallen leader spiderkit doesn't make any immediate move to join the circle that begins to form around the eerily serene-looking body of howlingstar and instead seems to have an internal battle with themself over whether or not they should approach.

spiderkit hasn't been on this earth long enough to know the tabby on a personal level, let alone partake in even a simple interaction with her so when clanmates begin to exchange remincising words they can only watch while anxiously kneading the dirt beneath slim paws. how does one exactly mourn for a figure who they weren't close with aside from the fact she was leader? are they a bad person for not being as grief-stricken as others? its not to say the young kit didn't feel sad, they did! sort of? oh stars, what if starclan was reading their thoughts right now and judging them for not saying anything nice?

overcome with a sense of slight panic and guilt, gold eyes would scan the ground for something, anything and when they land on a lone flower petal brought in by a chilled breeze they would frantically but gingerly pick it up between teeth and crawl forth to join the cluster and slip between others in order to set this last-minute. . .gift? close to the deceased, whip-like tail fidgeting back and forth as the kitten searched his brain for words to say and with a crack in his vocal chords he would shakily start to speak.

"i-i didn't kn-know you that well, you uhm we-were old and a ve-very nice leader. i think you sm-smiled at me once an-and it made me ha-happy. i hope you're ha-happy in st-starclan." praying that was good enough, spiderkit would quickly scamper back into the crowd in an attempt to make himself scarce again.

⋆˖⁺‧₊ THESE FOREST WALLS ☽ ◯ ☾ AND STARRY CEILINGS ₊‧⁺˖⋆

• ooc.
  
• 

  a sh, gangly solid black kitten with large ears and wide, golden eyes.
  at first glance, spiderkit is nothing remarkable compared to other children in the clan but a double take will point out something glaringly obvious about them that being the fact they are unusually tall for a thunderclanner and one could almost question whether or not they were born in the right clan. other than sporting a coat weaved from the shadows of night itself and baring wide, unnerving golden eyes he also seems to have quite the set of ears upon their head and a snaggletooth that peeks just from beneath his lip.

• SPIDERKIT —— "love. brain. heart. control. caffeinate. melatonin."
  ✦ thunderclan kit, npc x npc . littermate to myrtlekit
  ✦ amab, nb masculine / he they pronouns / 5 moons and ages the 9th
  ✦ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / underline & tag account when attacking
  
  —— spiderkit is a very strange child and incredibly introverted, a complete opposite to his fluffier sibling myrtlekit. they aren't the best at socializing and *tries* to befriend others but because of his way to make things awkward and the eerie aura that clings to his tiny frame, he's usually seen by himself in the shadows watching everyone else. this does not help the weird kid allegations.
  
  ✦ penned by cobatic
  ✦ "speech”, 'thoughts', all opinions are in character
  ✦ biography — msg on discord for plots — toyhouse
  

​

 

[WILDHEART]

With Howlingstar's passing another chapter of ThunderClan's history had come to a close. With a weight of sadness Wildheart came to realise that no leader of ThunderClan had yet died of old age in their slumber. With his head bowed, he listened to each cat speak their part in turn until the opportunity to speak up came for him. "You have been the heart of ThunderClan for such a long time. You were always a pillar in my life, and in the lives of many, and you always had my respect. You might have passed but your legacy will continue on. We won't let you be forgotten. May you watch over us from StarClan as you continue to guide our way."

Wildheart dipped his head low as he concluded before he moved to sit back so others could speak and offer final respects to their fallen leader. But beneath all the grief there boiled feelings of fury. Howlingstar's death was unjust and unfair, and he longed to seek revenge. Skyclaw would pay, along with all of his pathetic followers.
​

 

[braveheart : ̗̀➛]

☀ . ° ✦ His mouth is dry as he stood with the others. Braveheart does not creep so close to where a rosemary-laced pelt lay over a bed of moss. His heart still felt heavy in his chest as the only leader he had ever known had now fallen, leaving his Clan in such murky waters. Unknown times were ahead, and as he looked to the face of every cat that sat on Howlingstar's council he found none could provide an answer for what was next to come.

Braveheart did his best to shield the emotions from his face (hardly successfully), desperate to remain strong while many were morally weakened from it all. A future with Howlingstar lost felt... incomprehensible. She had only just given his warrior name a few nights before, he hadn't even the chance to show her the kind of warrior he could be.

Is it selfish, he wonders? To feel so harshly about her final death, knowing she is somewhere happier? As if she hadn't waited 9 entire lives just to get there, where the rest of them only needed to serve once?

"Justice will prevail." Braveheart murmured quietly, tucking his paws beneath him and bowing his head. He would pray tonight, for Howlingstar's legacy and for the future of the Clan she left behind.

✧　°　.　✶　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: —
• 

  BRAVEHEART — HE/HIM ･ 11 MOONS ･ THUNDERCLAN & WARRIOR ･ PENNED BY beatae!

  A Longhaired chocolate tabby with a white locket and deep blue eyes. A large cat who stands tall and proud. His coat is thick with long wispy curls. Severe scars from owl talons stretch across his shoulders and another that starts from his back down his left thigh.

​

 

[GENTLESTORM]

.𓍊↟ DOWN THE BANK WHERE THE DOGS ROAM, POR LA CALLE QUE TE LLEVA A CURICÓ ↟𓍊.​

‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. — Even as his clanmates begin to gather around the stilled form of Howlingstar, Gentlestorm does not budge from his spot where his eyes are fixed onto the skies that hung overhead as he remembers seeing her spirit leave her now lifeless husk. He remembers the cats that he had seen arrive to guide her upwards to Silverpelt, he can recall seeing Berryheart briefly cradling her and it reminds him of the time he had felt Batwing's presence when Leopardtongue had given her life to bring Hopepaw and Coalpaw into the world. If anyone were to glance in his direction they would see the brief haunted look on his face before it vanished within seconds and he blinks the wet from his eyes, a few tears slipping down his silvery fur. A scruffy paw lifts to wipe them away hastily only to draw out a soft breath as he spares Raccoonstripe and the rest of his clanmates a quick glance, it makes him wonder several things. Did you hear him? Berryheart's voice? Did you feel their presence? His ear tips twitch in the slightest as he forces himself to look away once more.

The large medicine cat shakes his head wishing he had been told sooner of Howlingstar's dream and maybe things could've been different, Skyclaw would've been exiled as he had suggested and she would be here now watching her grandkits grow up. You'll watch them from above won't you, my friend? His honeyed gaze lifts skywards once more as he manages to speak out in a hushed voice for his own ears and hers if she listens to him for he's Starclan's chosen and the dead hear him "I'll watch over them down here and make sure they're well." A promise much like the one that he had made when Batwing had dropped down from Silverpelt to take his mate to join him in the starlit skies. His pupils narrows as he thinks about Skyclaw and how he had taken the life of his own grandmother, he swallows down a growl at the memory. They would need to get rid of that thing first before everyone was safe in Thunderclan once again, for now, he would lay low and be obedient though he won't show his belly to these foxhearts that had taken over.

"May you all hope that Starclan's more forgiving than me..." An unusually cold whisper slips from his maw as he shuffles large paws. he could look at each and every one of Skyclaw's followers only to see that there would be no room for their kind in the stars where there's endless hunting. He thinks of what Little Wolf told him the last time they had spoken and it makes him ponder further if there's a place for awful cats like Skyclaw or Sootstar, he decides not to dwell on it further as he pushes himself up to his paws before pressing gently into Braveheart's side to join his prayers.

He prays for the downfall of Skyclaw.

⡠﹞AND DOWN BY THE BEACH ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. WHERE NO OTHERS CAN FIND﹝⠢

• 

  MEDICINE CAT IN TRAINING;
  — ✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿ FLESH WOUNDS
  — ✿✿✿✿✿✿✿❀❀❀ INFECTIONS
  — ✿✿✿✿✿✿✿❀❀❀ ACHES & PAINS
  — ✿✿✿✿✿✿❀❀❀❀ ILLNESS
  — ✿✿✿✿✿✿❀❀❀❀ BREATHING ISSUES
  — ✿❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀ TRAVELING HERBS
  — ✿✿✿✿✿✿✿❀❀❀ BROKEN BONES
  — ✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿ KITTING
  — ❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀ POISONS
• 
  ✿ a longhaired blue sepia tom w/low white and brown eyes
  ✿ gentlestorm is a very warm individual and friendly to those who he meets, he's very social and willing to lend anyone a paw if they need it. he's very patient, caring, and it's usually rare to earn his ire.
  ✿ 58 moons old; ages the 27th every month
  ✿ demiromantic bisexual ; widowed mate of little wolf
  ✿ easy to befriend/interact with ; hard to anger/upset ; peaceful powerplay allowed
  ✿ "speech", thoughts, attacking

​

 

[FALCONHEART]

𓍊𓋼 He’d always thought Howlingstar would be around forever. She’d been the leader of ThunderClan since his birth, and he’d expected her to be the leader of ThunderClan when he died. Of course, if his expectations had come true, he wouldn’t be here right now. None of them would be. His chest aches at the thought of her forest-green eyes, always so warm. The comfort she’d offered without having to be asked. The simple nod she’d given him when she’d entrusted Bugpaw to his care. When he looks at her fallen body, he doesn’t see ThunderClan’s leader anymore. He only sees a cat who was like a grandmother to him, a fierce yet gentle she-cat who’d regaled him and Stormfeather with stories of great cats of the past, and set them on the path to be good warriors. At their sides had been Skyclaw and Duskbird—his teeth grind together suddenly, chest tightening.

What went wrong? What was the last straw? Was it something any of his clanmates did? Was Skyclaw always fated to turn out this way, or could they have stopped him—saved him, even—if they’d only done something sooner? The questions pile up, but there is no final answer to any of them. There is no clear path between it all, no way to wade through it without getting stuck.

He hangs his head, battling against the too-familiar feeling of defeat. The truth is, even if Howlingstar had survived Skyclaw’s attack, ThunderClan still would have fallen. Had Howlingstar somehow vanquished her grandson, his followers still would have slithered from their rat-holes and ripped her apart. Then, they would have ended up in the same place they are now, because the facts are simple: there are too many enemies to fight. They’ve been outnumbered since Howlingstar sent half their clanmates out into the woods somewhere. And there is no one else to stand up for any of them. There is no LionClan—no great golden cats to fight for their clan, no one else to save them from the traitors in their midst. There is only the strength of ThunderClan, the true ThunderClan, now.

But first, they all have to survive this night. And the next, and the next… to what end, he isn’t sure.

When it’s his turn, Falconheart approaches Howlingstar’s form on leaden paws. It feels wrong, looking down at her like this. It feels like, if he tried hard enough, he could just pretend she’s sleeping. Slipped away into eternal rest, just like his mentor. But… his ears drop, pinning themselves flat against his head. "Thank you," he whispers, as he tucks his nose into fur that still scents of death even below the dressings meant to ward it off. "Thank you for everything. You-" the lump in his throat is suddenly too much to talk around, his expression crumbling. For a heartbeat he lets himself grieve, allows tears to prickle at his eyes and dampen a patch of dark brown fur. For a moment longer he keeps his muzzle buried in her mighty mane, and then he gathers himself. As much as it hurts, this is the only time he’ll have to mourn her until Skyclaw is dead.

"Your fight isn’t over, Howlingstar. I promise. This won’t be your legacy. But you can rest, now. We’ll take it from here." With shaky words spoken, the tom dips his head in respect one final time, and then slips away to join the others gathered around.

heaven knows 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 how hard i’ve tried

• ooc: —
• 
• FALCONHEART ❯❯ he/him, thunderclan warrior
  ⭃ shorter than average cream tabby with white spotting. seems gloomy and has few friends, but is a hard worker and never neglects his duties.
  ⭃ son of flamewhisker and flycatcher ; brother to stormfeather, scorchedpaw, bugpaw, sunpaw, squirrelpaw, sparrowpaw
  ⭃ mentoring bugpaw
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted
  ⭃ penned by foxlore

​

​

 

[ORANGEPAW.]

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- orangepaw knew howlingstar as one of the cats that... saved his life. it was more indirectly but without her, he never would have come here. he never would have had a name, or likely survived in that forest had she not taken mercy and pity on the poor young soul. he loves her like he loves a friend's mother. a shoulder to lean on when needed, and such an inspiration. he wants to be like her. he wants to be like... how she was? she was an amazing cat. brave. kind. and forgiving when she needed to be. why did she have to leave? everyone always leaves. his head says and he frowns at the thought. it's true. whether it's because they wanted to, or because they had to, they all had to leave. would that stop orangepaw for wanting to know his clan and the cats around him? to want to be their friends and shoulders they can lean on, a support system like how howlingstar was? no. not at all.

"uhm, hi, howlingstar. i... I don't know much about starclan besides what I've been told but... that means it was always written in the stars for your life amongst them to be now. maybe... maybe not always like this. I hope you... didn't feel much pain..."

he... can't help but think maybe she did. she shouldn't have died like this. it should have been peaceful. calm. easy. why wasn't it easy? why wasn't any of this easy? did it get easier? would thunderclan be okay? he misses his friends that have been exiled. he worries for the ones still here, on both ends if the line. worry about what will happen to them and worry about the others will do. everything was just in chaos without howlingstar. but she's not coming back. he has to face that now.

"...if you can... pl... please say hi to my mama. her name is tulip, and she looks just like me but all her paws are white and she's got... she's got a brown eye, and a yellow one, and a scar over her nose and o-one over her left cheek and right side of her tummy... a-and... t...tell her I miss her. I hope... hope you can be...become... fr.. fr... friends..."

he rushes to scrub away the tears from his face. this is a different type of pain he thinks. the same thing he felt when he was told his mother wasn't coming back but only... there was no denying that howlingstar was gone forever. just like that. when will it stop feeling like a nightmare, and more like reality?

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── NO USE LOOKING OUT ⋅❁⋅ ITS WITHIN THAT BRINGS THAT LONELY FEELING ──┐‎

• 
  
  
  

• 

• 
  ORANGEPAW ✩ he/they, apprentice of thunderclan, 9 moons.
  ⭃ rather large polydactyl orange tabby with white markings, green eyes, and a broken left hind leg
  ⭃ npc x npc // no known family. mother is deceased
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ↛ not necessarily great in battle. semi easy to attack due to lack of expereince alone.
  ⭃ penned by scar ↛ @salemdraws on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

​

 

[antlerbreeze]

A soft, slow exhale left her. It was not lilted with the gentleness of love or warmth- it scratched her throat on the way out, burning like fire and tasting like... like betrayal. Grief, overwhelming. She had known this taste before, know how this air moved- it was akin to a mother's claws raking over her eyes and just barely missing the tender flesh there. It was her mother calling them names and disowning them.

It was her mother returning to finish the job time and time again, and failing each. Fallowbite, attacked in her apprenticeship. Baying Hound, when she found her and her sister in the forest and Antler had struck her then. No, no, actually- this tasted different. Worse. Harder. Her eyes rested on Howlingstar's body from where it had grown cold, where others had helped to tuck sweet-smeling flowers lovingly around her body. Where the blood had been covered, where she looked like she was... resting, now.

Orange eyes settled on that of her former mentor's muzzle- where the gray had started to form. Did she always look this tired, this old? No, no, the Howlingstar she knew was strong, wise. Age was nothing to her- even if she was slightly slower then the youngest warrior, she was still... around. She still showed up, put her best paw forward, chin raised high even with all the knowledge within, the stories untold and re-told alike.

A long, winded breath left Antlerbreeze. She hadn't moved very far from where she had finally settled, even when the flowers began to gather, when people began to murmur goodbyes, when Raccoonstripe spoke the beginning of the vigil. When others fall silent, Orangepaw's goodbye hanging on the stagnant-feeling air of the ravine, did Antlerbreeze move. She made hesitated stops along the way she pushed into the circle- her cheek against Gentlestorm's shoulder, a soft touch of her tail to Falconheart's shoulder, a brush of her side against Braveheart's own.

When she made it to Howlingstar's side at last, she did not hold any herbs but a small white flower. And she lowered herself down, placing the blossom against her shoulder- one of the blooms from the last round of strawberry plant she had collected, nearly withering but still so full of life, stark white against Howlingstar's tabby. Tears slipped down her face once again, ears lowering as she spoke. "I was not kin." She started, raising her head to ensure tears did not brush cold fur.

"Yet you took me, and my sisters, in. You gave us a home- a life, a future. Myself, training, wisdom, structure. A figure that I.. I thought of as close to a mother as I could get." Her words are soft, quiet- meant for Howlingstar, but audible to those close to her body. "Thank you. I'm sorry you... you never got to retire, grow old. I'll... be seeing you." Antlerbreeze lowered her nose, pressing it to Howlingstar's shoulder one last time.

When she retreats, she is still weeping, settling somewhere near Braveheart and Gentlestorm and no longer able to look at her former mentor's body, head tilted down and away as she cried.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ┌── AND KNOW THAT MEANWHILE ⋅❁⋅ RISES THE MOON ──┐‎

• "speech"
  

• 

• ANTLERBREEZE she/her, warrior of thunderclan, twelve moons.
  ⭃ LH cinnamon lynx sepia with low white. smaller body, agile and slippery, fits really well in small gaps in the underbrush. soft spoken but strong and determined.
  ⭃ previously mentored by howlingstar / / mentoring no one
  ⭃ padding after no one / / sibling to fallowbite and doepath
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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[skyclaw]

Skyclaw had mourned the death of his grandmother long before it occurred.

The tom had hoped that his claws would not be involved in the death of the leader - perhaps his tongue and word, but never his fangs. The world worked differently than he wanted, and he knows that now more than ever. But the change in plans did not birth new tears into his eyes. They've long since shed in passionate discussions with his Clanmates, each entertaining the idea of a better, stronger ThunderClan with his grandmother no longer driving it forward.

You could've stepped away, he blames her, settled on her high rock with his tail curled around his body. He's as entitled to this vigil as any cat remaining in ThunderClan is - and the mottled tom dares any of the fools below to tell him otherwise. The blood is cleaned from his maw, finally, but he can taste the metallic ichor still on his tongue. You could've watched me reign, watched me bring ThunderClan into a brighter future... He sighs, resting his chin on his paws. His gaze is sent skyward, You'll watch me from there, then. And know I am doing right, and there is no thought in the tom that he may be wrong.​

 

[Flamestar]

〔✦〕Once the chaos died down, Flamewhisker quietly padded over to join her clanmates for Howlingstar's vigil. As she stared at the lifeless figure in front of them, part of her remained hopeful that maybe, just maybe their leader would stir...even just one last time. "I will care for the clan as fiercely as you have when the time comes." "I know you will. It's why I chose you. I know you'll love this clan just as I do." Howlingstar's words from just a few sunrises ago rang through her mind yet again. I let you down. I let Thunderclan down. Her eyes were glazed over as she padded over to press her nose into Howlingstar's neck fur, a tear threatening to drip into the tabby's still figure. "I'm so sorry." She lingered for a moment, not wanting to move from her leader's side. "I hope he came and got you, your Gray Wolf..." Gray Wolf...he was the love of my life. I would never find another mate, not for as long as I live. Words spoken to her while she had been grieving the deepest for Flycatcher. As painful as her departure from their clan was, she clung to the hope for a beautiful reunion between the two mates. One in a glorious, star touched meadow. It was what Howlingstar deserved after this.

She leaned back and let the tear drop, before breaking away and padding over to sit next to Rabbitnose. The tabby pressed her side against her friend's side, and touched his shoulder with her nose. "I'm so sorry about Mousenose." she breathed, before turning her gaze back to the black tabby. He hadn't just lost a leader today, he had also lost his daughter. Unnecessary blood was spilled today. She wasn't disappointed in you... The words wanted to assure him, but no words could come. Instead, she leaned closer to him. Let me carry your pain..

The deputy waited silently for her friends and family to share their words, each one striking her heart harder than the next. Orangepaw's words almost crushed the wind from her lungs. A plea to say hello to his mother...her name is Tulip. She prayed that somehow, someway, Tulip would be there waiting for him someday, and Howlingstar would have passed along his message. Flamewhisker closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. She knew Skyclaw was nearby. I could kill him. But they would kill me, and then Thunderclan would just be in the same situation.. But stars she wanted to feel her claws in his pelt, to rip his throat like he had done to his grandmother.

When she reopened her eyes, she was reminded that they were sitting a vigil. Murdering him would have to wait another day. The tabby drew another breath, before raising her voice to speak. "I never got to tell her this, but Howlingstar was like the mother that I never had. She always knew what to say whenever someone would come to her for advice...she always had the answers for everything." When she had visited her, in her deepest grieving for Flycatcher...Howlingstar had shared words with her that she still remembered like yesterday. Words that had kept her going....words that were keeping her going right now. "She is watching over us now...all of us. She will be with us, always." She could picture their leader's motherly gaze staring down at them from the starry skies above, her love warming the air reassuringly. Thunderclan will survive.

even on my weakest days ( I get a little bit stronger ) //

• ooc.
  
• FLAMEWHISKER —— deputy of thunderclan , mentoring none . storm x lily . littermate to nala, smokey, and nemo ✦ penned by icey !
  ✦ afab / she/her / 35 moons & ages every 20ᵗʰ
  ✦ widowed / heterosexual / closed to romance
  ✦ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / underline & tag account when attacking
  —— difficult in battle
  
  ✦ “speech”, 'thoughts', all opinions are in character
  ✦ tags — msg on discord for plots — toyhouse
  
• 
  
  

  a longhaired red tabby with low white and green eyes. flamewhisker's fur is a vibrant hue of red, riddled with thick classic tabby markings. her fur is medium in length, and she has a large, feathery tail. her chest, belly, tail tip, and her paws are dipped white. flamewhisker's eyes are a dark, deep shade of green. her shoulder has a large scar on it from a fight with a dog. she also has a shredded ear from a disagreement with a loner during her time alone before joining thunderclan. on particularly cold days, or sometimes before a major weather change, she will walk with a slight limp from her shoulder injury.

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