pafp ROTGUT WHISKEY // bringing loner to border

[FORESTSHADE]

// takes place after this thread
Please wait for @CHILLEDSTAR.
Also tagging @SHARPSHADOW @STRYKER

It had been easier than she thought to convince Stryker to come back with them! Forestshade triumphantly leads the way, her chin tipped up and her tail lifted high, her confidence on display. She’s sure she’ll get some flack for what she’s about to do, but when everyone sees how talented this tom is, they’ll be cheering her and her amazing idea. Chilledstar just may be the hardest to convince, though…

They reach the thunderpath in a short time, having not gone very far in the first place, and as soon as they reach the other side she watches Sharpshadow disappear into the shadows to retrieve their leader. “You’ll be clawed all up and down your face if you go into the territory - we don’t like strangers much around here,” She mutters to Stryker as she sits down at the border, tail wrapped around her paws. “Now we just wait here for Chilledstar - remember to show them respect if you want a chance!” Her reminder comes lightly, a slight bob to her head accompanying her words. ​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

okay okay. they had to admit that forestshade doing something like this doesn't surprise them, and it's more than likely their fault because she could certainly get away with doing this, as opposed to other cats, but they really can't say no to her. it's like breaking her heart into little pieces and they hated seeing that. besides, even if forestshade did manipulate the system a bit by being on chilledstar's good side, she always had good reasons. chilledstar trusted forestshade, otherwise she would not get away with any of the stuff she did. still, it was exhausting. last time was supposed to be the last time she did something like this– the last time she got a special favor. but... it didn't always work that way, did it?

"showing me respect, huh? and what of you, forestshade? seems awfully disrespectful for you to bring a loner on, or even near, my borders without my permission? what is it now? is he young? is he injured so much he cannot be on his own? is he your lover? what?"

they can't help their anger. it would smooth over, and forestshade would get her way as always but that didn't mean they weren't pissed about it.

———————---***ALL OF MY FEELINGS ARE GONE***———————---​

I LEFT 'EM ALL ON THE FLOOR✧ MAN WHO'S TO BLAME IF YOU DON'T LOVE ME NO MORE

•  
• — black feline with a white marking across their face, a white chin, a white right front paw, and blue eyes. chilledstar is covered in scars, the most prominent ones being the one across their face, and the one across their neck.
  — 45 moons old; ages the 3rd every month
  — they / them pronouns
  — aromantic / homosexual ; currently not looking / looking
  — child of JAGGED and RAVEN
  — shadowclan ; loyal to shadowclan ; other info if applicable
  — mildly difficult to befriend ; trusts barely anyone; trusts no one outside of shadowclan
  — "speech", thoughts, attacking
  — peaceful powerplay allowed

​

​

 

[MARSHROOT]

જ➶ "Huh?" Slowly his head lifts up after he finishes burying the prey that he managed to easily capture in his grasp. Dainty and slim legs shift as he makes his way through the murky swamp, olivine eyes narrowing just slightly as he tastes the air. Forestshade? Sharpshadow? And a stranger's scent as well. Odd. He can hear Chilledstar now as well and he creeps his way through the swampbrush before emerging and staring at the scene before him. What eben is this? A grimace spreads over his muzzle as he hears what Chilled says and his eyes snap to the stranger. Did Forest really bring a stranger to their territory. "I thought it was Thunderclan who took in any stray..." He mutters as he comes to stand beside his leader. His tail curls against his long and slender frame as he narrows his eyes on the stranger.

Well at least they taught him the basics of respect he supposes. Not like that matters though given the situation. They didn't think the clan needed more....unintuitive mouths to feed. Even if they are having a bountiful newleaf. ​

 

[ASHENFALL]

˚₊‧ ⛧ Ashenfall arrives at Chilledstar's other side with a mildly interested hum, "This your long-lost sibling, Forestshade...?" That would be, as time has shown, the only reason a stranger would be considered for exclusive membership in their oh-so-attractive bog. Blood, the gate of entry into Shadowclan. But who was he to doubt Chilledstar's standards? Their newer additions to the clan seemed harmless for the most part. If a system worked, then it worked.

Measly lead-warrior blood wouldn't count, though, right? It was Briarstar's and Chilledstar's kin that were granted entry, silly Forestshade... He was almost impressed with her and Sharpshadow's guts, though. Forestshade presented this stranger to Chilledstar with something like a kit-like spunkiness that made his mouth quirk.

"Does the stranger crave the taste of frog so badly? I'm sure they can find some elsewhere, if they sniff around..." Ashenfall was quite fond of his swamp, though he knew in part this was because the swamp was all he had ever known. Non-Shadowclanners didn't seem to have as much of an appreciation for it, generally. He wondered why this particular stranger wanted to dive headfirst into it.

YOULL ASK WHAT CAN I DO? ⭒☽⛧☾⭒ AND THERE WILL BE NO ANSWER

• OOC:
• 
• 
  — ashenkit . ashenpaw . ashenfall
  — ftm transmasc. he/him. 12mo warrior of shadowclan. formerly mentored by smogmaw
  — muted blue torbie w/ pale blue and amber eyes
  — smells of rainsoaked fern and swamp milkweed
  — all ic opinions!
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — pfp by meg, fullbody by antiigone, sticker by saturnid
  — penned by eezy
  

​

 

[BLACKSTRIKE]

➼➼ Several times during his walk Stryker considers ducking off into the brush, making a nimble escape undetected. What awaits him when he reaches the borders of their clan’s territory? He’s such a fool—they could be cannibals, or worse. Briefly he wonders what, exactly, could be worse than cannibals, but there must be something. It isn’t too late for him to run. He could leave these two clan cats behind, and then he could fade into the land and never have to see either of them again. But just as pale paws move to leap from his path, his stomach growls, and he thinks better of it. Forestshade stops him at the border, warning him of boundaries and reminding him to show their leader respect. "Understood," he responds plainly, mismatched eyes trained on the land ahead.

The leader is the first to arrive at the border, and as he looks upon them Stryker feels self-conscious. He can practically taste the heavy scent of carrionplace that wafts from his pelt, nearly smothering him—but he’s probably just more aware of his own smell than anything. He also can’t see these cats’ ribs, which at last erases any doubt from his mind. They’re more well fed than he is, at the very least. Chilledstar themself seems irate already, snapping at the lead warrior, and Stryker carefully keeps his head down while they question Forestshade.

He nearly chokes at the suggestion that he is a lover or kin to the dappled lead warrior. He just met this molly—and he still doesn’t understand why she’s invited him back to her clan. He will, of course, remain appreciative of her efforts to help him, even if she seems to have been incorrect about the amount of pull that she has as a lead warrior. Judging by the comments of the other cats who join them, he should probably stay silent and allow Forestshade to speak for him. But he can’t help but to jump in for a moment. "Apologies for speaking out of turn, but we aren’t siblings, or… lovers. None of that." What a concept it is, a secret relation outside of clan borders, whether through blood or through love. Surely there’s some kind of Warrior Rule against it. "I’m Stryker," he adds as an afterthought.

➴ i think i found a home

• ooc: —
• 
  STRYKER ❯❯ he/him, carrionplace loner
  ➼ thin black and white tom with mismatched blue and yellow eyes. calm and nonchalant, difficult to anger.
  ➼ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted
  ➼ penned by foxlore

​

​

 

[FORESTSHADE]

They don't have to wait long for their mighty leader. Chilledstar's familiar scent washes over her senses, their voice soon following. She straightens a bit, a toothy grin spreading across her muzzle. Her former mentor's words roll off her pelt like water droplets. They're all talk, she knows. She gets to her paws and takes a step forward to greet her leader with a nod of her head and a confident swish of her tail. "Chilledstar, c'mon, you know I have the utmost respect for you. That's why I brought you a gift!" She trills, smile growing. She chuffs in amusement at the questions thrown at her, which Stryker feels inclined to answer for himself. No, they are not kin, nor are they lovers.

"This ain't no stray, Marshroot, he's an asset," She explains to her clanmate, circling her new friend as she speaks about him. She comes to a stop at his shoulder and touches her tail to his flank briefly, as if showing him off. "Stryker is a born ShadowClanner, I can feel it. You should've seen him spar - his paws are feather-light and not even I could hear him coming! Chilledstar, this is a ShadowClan warrior if I've ever met one. He's got every instinct we need to teach our apprentices to have. I've never heard anything like it!" ​

 

[LIVIDSMOKE]

He couldn't quite understand how Chilledstar always let Forestshade have her way when it comes to circumstances such as this. If it had been anyone else Chilledstar would have scolded them for it and chased the intruder away with tails between their legs. But for some absurd reason it was always different when Forestshade were involved in the picture. What sort of power did she actually have over their leader?. Did a bond between a mentor and their apprentice really run that thick and deep?. Lividpaw could do nothing but observe this behavior with bemusement. Most of the times he respected his leader and their decisions but when it came to matter like this he could do nothing but to judge them in silence. He find favoritism to be a pointless necessity if it didn't serve their own self interest. In this case it didn't seemed to be as Forestshade was the one pulling the strings and Chilledstar being the one used as a tool.

Lividpaw highly disagreed to let this intruder into their swamp no matter how skillful Forestshade claimed them to be, but the opinion of an apprentice hardly mattered. Instead he would keep his opinions to himself knowing his place in the ranks. Already he knew the outcome of this matter anyhow. No point to argue against Chilledstar especially not when Forestshade was the one who had the final say in this situation.




​

 

[SHARPSHADOW]

Sharpshadow could not believe this was actually happening. Perhaps the deal had been sealed the moment Sharpshadow gave Forestshade a blank look she couldn't even see instead of giving a terrible, fake laugh, and saying, "Funny joke!" Because scruffing her and dragging her across the damned Thunderpath. Sharpshadow refused to be an accomplice to this as much as she was able to so. She would much rather be the one to drag Chilledstar than the border, than be the one found stood next to a stranger with a stupid grin plastered on her face.

Forestshade had no idea how many dirty looks her blindness saved her own. Sharpshadow was thankful he didn't have to pretend to be enthused as he went to fetch Chilledstar, also. His shoulders are hunched as he comes to flank them now. Them, and the other nosy onlookers that crowded before them now. No— Sharpshadow thinks they had a right to be nosy about the pickings Forestshade dragged to their paws. The cats they had all grown up with were insufferable enough. Did they really need a new, possibly as - insufferable wildcard? Obviously, the answer was no.

At Chilledstar's question, Sharpshadow makes a retching sound, quiet enough to still be appropriate for a lead warrior, of course.

" You're thinking of WindClan, " he mutters in response to Marshroot, but otherwise, would be minding his business. (And had he done that sooner, he wouldn't even need to be here). Perhaps it was ThunderClan and WindClan both... SkyClan too, happily parading around new plump bodies in eye - scratching colors every gathering. All in all, ShadowClan had little integrity left when it came to most things. This— she thinks, was one of the few things they had left.​

 

[lilacfur]

Something about this felt wrong, and not in a way Lilacfur is entirely familiar with. There's no danger nearby that's triggered the thrumming of her heart in her chest. The scent of badger has not greeted her again since that fateful day, no sign of any hawk circling above, either. Yet as she stared at Forestshade and Sharpshadow, who lands she dare not step within herself, accompanying this rogue. It felt wrong, it felt uncomfortable, as though she were confronting too many things at once.

She is silent at first. Listening, assessing, preparing.

Chilledstar's words are fiery unlike their namesake. Marshroot did not sound impressed. Ashenfall appeared to feel no different than the rest as well, unaware of his thoughts on her family's bias. Forestshade continued on in her explanation, her sales pitch, to let this rogue through.

"Are we ignoring the fact you, the both of you-" Her eyes switch between Sharpshadow and Forestshade, "Left the territory? What business of yours is beyond these borders?" She would have expected this recklessness from an apprentice. She would expect it from a naive warrior with ambitions too big for their head. These two, lead warriors, only made poor representations of themselves.

"How do you expect your Clan to trust your position when you left and picked up a rogue. Off a single spar?" Lilacfur is, irrevocably, disappointed.​

[ i need the clouds to cover me ]​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

"i don't recall asking you to say anything."

they snap toward stryker. they care not of the relationship that they may or may not have had. this was reckless. this was dangerous. this was stupid. and yet... something in their brain speaks to them. this cat could be a good shadowclanner. they could be taught to be good, and with all of the happenings of the clan... they need more warriors. they always needed more warriors.

"forestshade this is probably one of the most frog brained things you've ever done. but you want him to join so bad, fine. for the next moon he is completely and utterly your responsibility. everything he does or doesn't do reflects on you. and just because he sparred well with you, does not mean his skills are worthy of shadowclan. he will ne watched for the next moon and he will sleep under the stars. and you will be right there with him. stryker."

they turn to the cat with a lash of their tail.

"think of this as a trial. so much as a single whisker out of place, and i will kill you myself. got it? I'm done here."

// out !

———————---***ALL OF MY FEELINGS ARE GONE***———————---​

I LEFT 'EM ALL ON THE FLOOR✧ MAN WHO'S TO BLAME IF YOU DON'T LOVE ME NO MORE

•  
• — black feline with a white marking across their face, a white chin, a white right front paw, and blue eyes. chilledstar is covered in scars, the most prominent ones being the one across their face, and the one across their neck.
  — 45 moons old; ages the 3rd every month
  — they / them pronouns
  — aromantic / homosexual ; currently not looking / looking
  — child of JAGGED and RAVEN
  — shadowclan ; loyal to shadowclan ; other info if applicable
  — mildly difficult to befriend ; trusts barely anyone; trusts no one outside of shadowclan
  — "speech", thoughts, attacking
  — peaceful powerplay allowed

​

​

 

[BLACKSTRIKE]

➼➼ The leader seems mightily unhappy with his interjection, which—yeah, that tracks. Forestshade had told him that her ranking meant that Chilledstar would have to accept him into the clan. It seems that she’s overestimated herself, and the black-and-white leader is not happy with the position that they have been forced into. They snap at him, and Stryker shrugs in response. He can’t blame them for their suspicion, but he dislikes having to rely on the word of others to make his case. Forestshade calls him a gift, and Stryker sighs. More and more ShadowClanners are gathering, making this entire situation feel less like a joining and more like an ambush. The fur down his spine prickles, but continues to lie flat.

The responsibility for Stryker is passed over to Forestshade—from the leader’s tone, he suspects that it may be a punishment. Especially when Chilledstar follows up their words with a threat. They’ll kill him themself. As exhilarating as a fight against the leader of a clan sounds, Stryker doesn’t like the idea of being tossed right back out into the wilderness with an entire clan of enemies. And besides, he can see their point of view—one of their trusted lead warriors has brought a stranger, potentially a dangerous kit-thief or even a murderer—straight to their border, and requested access for him.

"Understood," he says, but the leader is already leaving. They leave him standing beside Forestshade, with a horde of unimpressed-looking cats staring them down. He attempts to ignore the onlookers, instead aiming to bump his shoulder against Forestshade’s. "Looks like we’ll be spending quite a bit of time together, eh, teacher?"

➴ i think i found a home

• ooc: —
• 
  STRYKER ❯❯ he/him, former carrionplace loner
  ➼ thin black and white tom with mismatched blue and yellow eyes. calm and nonchalant, difficult to anger.
  ➼ currently on a probationary period; shadowing forestshade.
  ➼ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted
  ➼ penned by foxlore

​

​

 

[FORESTSHADE]

Forestshade's ear angle towards the angry tone of her peer, Lilacfur's words disappointed and grating. She cocks her head and shrugs her shoulders innocently. "What, we didn't go far," She utters, not understanding why the other lead warrior would have her tail in such a twist over this. Is no warrior allowed to step over a border into unclaimed land now? Seems like an awfully small world to be confined to - certainly not a world Forestshade wants to be confined to. She huffs and tips her chin up, ears falling back against her head in dramatized hurt. "If trust is snuffed out over this, it musta been pretty flimsy to begin with!" Her clanmates surely know her better than that, don't they? She only has ShadowClan's best interests at heart! That's why she only brought this tom back when she saw how skilled he was!

Chilledstar begins to talk then, and her attention returns to them fully, blind eyes half-lidded as she listens to her former mentor. They seem mad, but...they're saying yes. They're saying yes! She turns a grin in Stryker's direction, toothy and wide. He's in! She echoes her new charge's affirmation and puffs out her chest, "Understood, Chilledstar. You won't regret it!" Stryker bumps his shoulder against her own and she smirks back in his direction, tail lashing. "Yeah, well don't slow me down." Nose sticking up in the air, she begins to trek back to camp with the others, tail beckoning her new 'apprentice' to follow. ​