camp roaring 20s | arrival at camp

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GHOSTPAW.

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"I'm so sorry..." A third apology slips from her muzzle as she trails behind one of thr cats that had so kindly waited with her. She'd sat there and waited and waited. Wasted their time and oh the things they must have needed to do. She wishes she hadn't been so gullible. So quick to think otherwise. Her upwalker, no, now her former upwalker left her there instead of taking her to the vet. Left her there to never come back again. A stabbing to her heart. He had been so good to her till he wasn't. Her eyes stung and yet she does not want to cry again. "I wasted so much time hoping he would come back. So much of your time when you all have important things to do." Especially with this Thunderclan she has been informed of. Oh se wishes she could turn back time but alas she can not give it back to them as she wants to. A soft sniffle leaves her maw then and she lifts a paw to run at her eyes. The paleness of them sparking with the reflection of tears. Truthfully she hasn't thought once on how she will get on. Most likely she will stay the night here and then try to figure it all out come dawn.

Even that seems too daunting for her. Silence falls then and she merely tries to keep up. Paws bumping against wayward sticks and rocks. Her pelt seems to snag onto everything but she doesn't seem to care anymore. By the time they reach camp though the ivory woman is tired, never having walked so much. She grimaces at the feeling of her soft pink pawpads before lifting up her almost useless eyes. "Are we...here?" She tries to keep the crack from her voice, as she angles her ears forward. Now sje sees them. The various shapes and figures all moving about. Voices murmuring here and there. There are so many of them and her eyes widen a bit with her nervousness.

@Tybalt [Stagstrike]
@Sunnyday
@Silverlightning

---- no need to wait for them to post!​
 
Tybalt padded alongside Ariella, silently cursing the twoleg that had left her behind. He’d known the twoleg wasn’t going to come back, but still. The alabaster molly looked like she was going to wilt, and Tybalt acknowledged her apology by flicking her shoulder with his tail and then shaking his head. “Don’t apologize,” he told her gently. “You couldn’t have known he wouldn’t come back. And ThunderClan has plenty of cats to keep up with things.”

He padded through the camp entrance. “We’re here,” he told her, watching as her eyes grew wide with the shock of seeing so many cats. “A little bit overwhelming the first time you come, but you’ll get used to it after a while.” He too, had been overwhelmed by the sheer number of cats in ThunderClan at first. It had been hard to adjust going from living alone to surrounded by cats constantly. “Have you eaten recently?” he asked.
 
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☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
Sunnyday wouldn't deny that it had been an anxious time when they had waited for the twoleg with Ariella. On one hand he was thankful that they did not need to deal with meeting a twoleg, but on the other he truly felt sympathy for the she-cat. Being abandoned was never easy, especially when it involved a long established bond. At least she wouldn't be alone and with luck the other ThunderClanners would accept her like any other.

The return to camp came as a relief and he somewhat longed for the warmth of his nest, but it wasn't quite time to slip away from the group. That would be just rude. The old tom overheard Tybalt asking the she-cat if she was hungry and he decided to use it as an opening to make himself useful. "How about you get her settled somewhere quiet and I'll bring some prey over. It'll be no trouble at all."​

 

"Who is this?" Flycatcher asks, coming across the trio. The unfamiliar scent that comes with Ariella's arrival draws him over, curious who or what was behind the smell. To his surprise, he finds Sunnyday, Tybalt, and Silverlightning leading another cat into camp. Well, she seemed innocent enough and didn't appear to be a threat but he didn't think it was appropriate for them to bring a stranger to camp, especially if they had not received permission first. "Does Emberstar or Howling Wind know she's here?" He asks in a not unkind voice, looking at his clanmates before his gaze lands on Ariella. "I think one of them should know before you give away any prey."​
 
"Wow. Woooooow. You three just bring every fuckin' cat you meet into camp?" Graystorm snarks with a grin far from jovial, a far cry from Flycatcher's kinder response, raising a theoretical brow at the trio of warriors who'd marched into camp with some rando. Sure, ThunderClan might be welcoming towards newcomers... But this is their home, for StarClan's sake! There's children here! Plus, he doesn't see a hair nor whisker of his mom and Emberstar, who is in charge of these decisions. Dumbasses. "Yeah, do they?" Graystorm asks in an accusing manner after Flycatcher, golden eyes narrowing. Although, the smoky-furred tom has already assumed the answer... "Y'know, maybe you guys should be demoted to apprentices, 'cause you sure do have the smarts of one!"​
 
Tybalt had been prepared to take the fall for offering food without asking. He could always go out and catch more to replace it. But then Flycatcher spoke up, and he knew he had to at least go through the motions of asking, though it was unlikely Emberstar would mind.

And then Graystorm spoke up, and a low growl arose from Tybalt’s throat. His pelt prickling, he stepped between Ariella and Graystorm. “Would you prefer we left an abandoned cat who can hardly see alone in the forest at night?” he asked. Ariella was unlikely to have lasted long, between the Thunderpath, foxes, badgers, and everything else that lurked after sundown.

“She’s not a threat,” he said. “Leave her alone. And there’s only one of her compared to the entire camp full of us. She doesn’t know her way around the camp, let alone the rest of the territory.” If Ariella had been a threat, it would have been unwise to try anything surrounded by strangers. “How far would she get?”

@emberstar
@HOWLING WIND
 


Upon seeing the stranger come into camp Little Wolf would tense, she was all for helping others, especially those that needed it but bringing a cat into camp without the permission of Emberstar or her mother? It sketched her out, especially considering how many little ones were currently here, especially considering some of said little ones were her own. She is glad Graystorm and Flycatcher have some sense, though she wishes that Graystorm would have a little more tact sometimes. "We have kits here, they're right you can't be bringing every cat you come across into our home without permission" she says quietly, not wanting to wake her children, her ears fall flat to her head as she eyes this strange cat. on edge. Usually, she would be inclined to be a little more friendly but she had kits to think about, and it had been foolish of Stagstrike to just bring a cat into their home like this. "It doesn't matter if she doesn't know her way around or not, it still wasn't smart to bring her here" she says, piping up in defense of her brother.

Little Wolf had learned a long time ago not to underestimate anyone. A desperate cat was more dangerous, after all.
​
 

Sunfreckle bristled in silence in the nursery, peering out across the camp at the scent of the stranger suddenly very present and very there.
"No...I agree with Little Wolf, why...why didn't you send someone to fetch Emberstar or Howling? I feel for her, but it's not safe...there's so many kits." His own still very young and then the dark queen's who's litter was even younger. This set such an unfortunate precedent, "You know Emberstar would have agreed if you'd waited." Their leader was kind and would have extended her paw for the newcomer with ease, but Howling Wind would have been there to carefully scrutinize any threat. It was a good combination and a step skipped. He leaned back into the nursery uncomfortable, ears flat and plume of a tail curling tight around him.

​
 

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
"You should be demoted to the dirtpile for that shitty attitude of yours." Sunnyday growled lowly as he paused in his actions of retrieving food in order to shoot Graystorm a bitter glower. He didn't need such a foul feline adding to an already exhausting day. But he wouldn't deny that Flycatcher and Little Wolf had a point, but it wasn't like a strange cat was going to be capable of overpowering three larger toms. "Emberstar and Howling Wind will get to know about this now. And I can assure you that there's no threat to be had from this she-cat. We have no intentions of letting her out of our sights whilst she's here." He somewhat doubted that Ariella was even capable of fighting for that matter.​

 
“That is not your call to make.” The authoritative voice calls across camp, belonging to an angry-looking deputy. She had been near the nursery, chatting with Sunfreckle and Little Wolf when the unfamiliar scent wafted into camp. With the two queens bristling and voicing their discomfort, Howling Wind’s eyes narrow and she strides purposefully towards the gathering group, eager to protect the parents of young kits. Are these warriors absolutely mouse-brained? Never had ThunderClan allowed complete strangers into their camp, not where their more vulnerable clanmates are. She comes to a halt and lashes her tail, ears angling back. A disapproving glance is cast towards Stagstrike, Silverlightning, and Sunnyday, and she mews coolly, “If you’re so prepared to give away our already-scarce fresh-kill, then the three of you won’t mind going without a meal until the sunrise after tomorrow.” It’s no secret that prey is beginning to dwindle in the forest as Leaf-fall grips the land in its brisk grasp. Did they not think about their clanmates who will already be sharing prey to get through the night? “And since you clearly can’t be trusted to defend our camp, you can spend the next quarter-moon restricted to it, helping the apprentices tend to the elders. Next time, retrieve Emberstar and I before bringing anybody into our home. That’s your job as a warrior.”

Her narrowed gaze then turns to the stranger, softening slightly. ThunderClan can’t afford to keep bringing in new mouths to feed. They’re beginning to struggle as it is as the air grows colder and prey grows scarcer, but unlike these warriors, Howling Wind knows her place. This decision is up to Emberstar. “You stay here, dear. Our leader will decide if you get to stay.” And take a meal from the stomach of a warrior or apprentice.​
 

The idea of eating sounds nice, she's not sure when her last meal was but she knows she's eaten today. Tybalt is right, it is definitely overwhelming and the pale woman shuffles her paws, jaws about to part when a voice speaks up. Her pink tinted blue eyes narrow slightly, trying to make out the figure that speaks. Names are spoken, she doesn't know who they are but she finds herself keeping her maw shut once again. Unable to answer as suddenly tension sharpens and to a degree she doesn't know how to deal with. The molly finds herself backing up as sharl words are flung forth, more approach and they talk about kits. Did they think she would harm children? The nonspecific accusation still stings and causes her ears to go back. Tybalt moves in front of her, his brown pelt something she can identify since he is up so close.

Then someone else comes forth and she can't help herself as suddenly the three toms who decided to help her are now finding themselves being punished for it. "Please don't. I-I haven't accepted any food yet. I wouldn't.." Of course she has thought about it and the idea is alluring but knowing just a morsel can get them in trouble like this makes her regret following after them. Coming with them has only burdened them and she feels that emotionally. "I'm sorry. I just, please, don't punish them. I...my upwalker he left me in a different carrier. I thought he would come back but... I don't have to stay. I can try and find my own way. Just please don't be mad at them." She tries to raise her gentle voice but it wavers and she turns her head towards Howling Wind. Eyes focusing on her silhouette. "I don't have to stay and be another burden..."

This must be why her upwalker left her there. So many vet visits, so much waste.​
 
"AND THOUGH THE EMBERS ARE NEW, WHATEVER YOU DO DON'T LET THE FIRE DIE"​
Tense words found Emberstar's ear as her clanmates traded them. A sigh fell from her, against her will as she lay in her den. She was just tired, that was all. All she wanted was for everyone to get along.

Still, she pulled herself together and raised herself to her paws. Catching what she could of the conversation of the conversation as she padded over. It made her ear flick to hear. Everything was so complicated nowadays. It felt like there were no right decisions. She would do what she had always had done, though, all she could do really. Follow her heart the best she could.

"Well, hold on." The tiny, heavily scarred molly called out as she slipped into the midst of the conversation, lending the stranger a gentle smile. Next to her larger, bristled deputy, she hardly looked like a leader. Emberstar looked downright harmless. "You're looking rough friend, I'm sure we can spare something for you to eat." She reasoned, glancing at Greystorm meaningfully.

"My deputy is right though," she admitted, glancing at Stagstrike and Sunnyday. "We can't be bringing unfamiliar cats into camp unannounced." Their intentions were good, but it was the beginning of leaf-bare and tensions were high. Part of her wanted to lighten the sentence Howling Wind had given them, but she was supposed to be letting her handle some things now. Even though it made her heart ache to see her clanmates punished for attempting to do a good deed. She gave them both sympathetic glances.

Her gaze turned back to the stranger, full of warmth. "I am so sorry you got such a poor welcome, you had no way of knowing about all our strange rules." Emberstar laughed at her own words. "There's no need to decide now, but after you've had a bite to eat you can decide if you want to stay or not. If you do, we'd be glad to have you."​
⁎ ✦ ★ ✦ ⁎​
 
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Tybalt understood Sunfreckle and Little Wolf's apprehension, but he wouldn't have brought someone back to camp that could have been a threat. Sunnyday spoke up then, only to immediately be followed by the deputy who was, as predicted, displeased. He met her gaze as she doled out her punishment, and in a rare moment of compliance, Tybalt didn't argue with her. His tail lashed in agitation as she spoke, but the young warrior remained silent, giving only a small nod in reply.

He didn't mind going without food. He had gone hungry for much longer than a sunrise or two, and missing a meal would make up for the prey he had offered to Ariella. But his eyes narrowed as she spoke of confining them to camp. It seemed to him poor thinking to confine three able warriors to camp for offering food to someone who needed it. If prey was scarce, it seemed a much better use of resources to send them out to add more food to the pile.

Ariella was apologizing again, and Tybalt flicked her shoulder with his tail as Emberstar appeared and spoke her piece. "She's right," Tybalt told Ariella. "You couldn't have known. None of it is your fault." He'd expected punishment when they'd brought her into camp, and the thought of facing it hadn't made him want to help her any less.

He padded over to the fresh kill pile, pausing for a moment before selecting a mouse and placing it at the molly's paws. "Here."
 
Stagstrike and Sunnyday bristle at his words, but Graystorm only snorts and rolls his eyes. They know he's right; they're just trying to save face. "Nah, I'd just prefer if you think about your clanmates before some rando. You don't know what she's capable of, and the weather isn't gettin' any warmer!" They couldn't afford to give away hard-earned prey to outsiders, especially outsiders who haven't gotten Emberstar or his mother's approval.

Sunnyday growls out that Graystorm should be demoted to the dirtpile. For his shitty attitude. Graystorm's sneering grin is incredulous, his eyes alight with fury. "So, protecting my clan is considered a shitty attitude now?!" The young warrior snaps back, his tail lashing.

Little Wolf and Sunfreckle have his back, at fuckin' least. His grin widens, nodding to their (more tactful) words.

Howling Wind steps in front of him, then, and Graystorm's ears twitch forwards from where they'd been pinned against his head. His mother reprimands them, doling out punishments, and triumph washes over the dark-furred warrior. Tilting his chin up, he looks past his mother to give a smug smirk to Stagstrike, Sunnyday, and Silverlightning.

The newcomer finally pipes up, and Graystorm swings his head around to look at her with his good eye. She's begging for the three warriors to not be punished, explaining how her twoleg abandoned her... So, she's a kittypet. Or, a former one, now. Graystorm's nose wrinkles, and he wishes that he didn't feel a pang of sympathy for her. "Either way, they shoulda known better." He sends a pointed look in the three's direction, still wearing a smirk.

Emberstar finally arrives, friendly as ever, yet even she agrees with him and the others. His satisfaction only grows, golden eyes crinkling in a mocking manner towards the dumb-as-rocks warriors. But, she's extended the offer for the stranger to stay. Graystorm regards the albino she-cat once more, waiting for her response with an impatient clicking of his tongue.​
 

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
The tom felt his jaw tighten as Howling Wind appeared and scolded them, not even hesitating to dish out punishments. Sunnyday could tolerate it. No, he would endure it! Even though he was concerned about being without any small meals during that time. It wasn't a frighteningly long time, but he knew he was going to feel it.

Though relief came in the form of Emberstar when she shared that the newcomer could stay if they wished, which as far as he was concerned was the main thing. He'd take it as a small victory in their corner, but he tried to avoid looking smug about it since he knew that things could still go wrong yet. Though he couldn't help but bristle further when Graystorm's voice reached his ears. He longed to bite back with some choice remarks but he managed to contain himself to just scowling. There was no point in digging himself into a deeper hole. Then again he could always just spill mousebile in the bastard's nest later.

Softening his features, he then looked over at Ariella and smiled. "I believe that you will find your place here in ThunderClan, and if you decide to stay it looks like there's going to be a couple of mouse-brained warriors who are restricted to camp who will be able to help you out." He decided to find a slither of humour in the whole situation and he aimed to cling to it.​

 
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