sensitive topics SCARLET ON BLUEBELLS [🍁] death

[MAPLEPATCH]

Maplepatch slips out of the camp, starlight lighting her path. She had left Foxkit alone in her nest, the red kit would be alright for the several moments it’d take to head to the dirt place and back. But good StarClan… who could’ve guessed the events that had unfolded? The pain had radiated through her body as sharp teeth bit and nipped at her, yowls and hisses thundered through the air as she fought back with the fury of a queen.

It just wasn’t enough, the fox would scurry off and run into the shadows, but the blood that seeped through her wounds were immense. She crumbles and falls to the ground, her breathing heavy and labored for her final moments alive. As the life flees from her eyes her last thoughts are of Foxkit, the final kit she had cared for and loved. With life comes death, Maplepatch dies in a pool of blood. Satisfied that she could say she’s lived a life of no regrets, save from having to miss out in seeing Foxkit grow up.

✦ INFO

• » Maplepatch
  » ThunderClan Queen
  » She/her ․ Mate to Seedspring
  » Long-haried chocolate tortie with amber eyes.
  » "Speech" ․ thoughts ․ attack
  

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[Honeydapple]

Honeydapple was never far from the nursery despite her lack of kits. Rather, she enjoyed helping out the Queen's and expectant mother's. It eased her knowing that the kittens were safe as well as her adult clanmates. Peeking into the Nursery before she headed to bed the dotted she-cat took immediate notice to the slumbering form of Foxkit by their lonesome.

It was rare Maplepatch ever left the nursery much less her own child. Then the sound of a scuffle poofed her coat twice it's size. Concern creased her pointed muzzle as she called out. "Maplepatch!?" Hurriedly, she scrambled to the source of the noise. Bounding into dirtplace only to stumble upon the body of the aforementioned Queen and a vanishing white-tipped tail.

Horror widened her blue gaze at the realization of who the attacker was. This isn't fair not after everything... Bending down her voice choked with emotion as she nudged the bloodied Queen. "Oh Starclan, no..." It didn't take a Medicine Cat to see she was long gone. Tears burned the corners of the Thunderclanner's glassy eyes.

Heartache continued to radiate throughout the Molly's chest as she looked upon the corpse for a moment longer. Hoping to offer the she-cat some dignity Honeydapple grasped the deceased clanmates scruff and pulled her from the area. Only stopping and releasing Maplepatch's fur once she stood in the center of camp's clearing.

Ear's flattened and cheeks stained she looked to the nearest cat with a defeated expression and meow. "I'll go get the Medicine cat. Please, stay here with her in case that fox decides to come back." With a half-hearted trot she made her way over to the fern tunnel in search of a familiar patch-work pelt.

She prayed Foxkit had stayed asleep through all the commotion and that their ancestors would whisk them off to peaceful slumber before receiving such terrible news.

ooc; looking for @BERRYHEART !​

 

[batwing]

.i'll be your calm, —————————

————————— before the storm!.

▵ ———————— ◮ ———————— ▵

Foxes. Oh, how he detested them. There had been a fox on the journey- alongside many other predators he didn't want to think about. He'd never look at a bird the same after the journey- but a fox had torn through the camp one morning. He was sure that no one had been injured, but if Batwing hadn't been able to find those four cats... His ears lowered, then perked straight as Honeydapple called out. One of the queen's names?

He pushed to his paws, slipping out of the warrior's den and after the point towards Dirtplace. And as he stumbled to a stop, grief swept over him. The lead warrior, fresh in his role too, hesitated momentarily. There's so much blood. His heart was in his throat, and Honeydapple's words were knocking him out of his stupor. "'Course. I'm not going anywhere." He nodded his head, turning his head towards the bloody trail leading into the woods.

Despite the urge to run and chase it, he remained on guard, vision sweeping about.

"speech"​

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[RACCOONSTRIPE]

The commotion stirs Raccoonstripe from his nest. The once-calm night air is alight with the furious yowls sourced near the dirtplace. The tabby’s claws are unsheathed, his fur fluffed out into rigid spikes, but by the time he nears Maplepatch’s body, it’s too late. She lies limp, her pelt torn into bloody clumps. The stench of fox lies thick in the air like smoke.

“Howlingstar and Flycatcher need to be alerted. The fox will need to be dealt with, too,” he mutters angrily to Batwing, and he turns to follow Honeydapple back to camp. But first, he presses his nose briefly to Maplepatch’s body, feeling the departing warmth. Fury flashes in his dark eyes, but he does not waste more time than needed. He’s sure Batwing is just as eager to get rid of the creature—no fox should be this close to camp when the queens had kits.

[ getting @HOWLINGSTAR @Flycatcher ]

, ”​

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[HOWLINGSTAR]

The news crashes down on her as she sits up in her nest, the grief heavy upon her shoulders. "No," She cries mournfully, voice thick as she stares at her son in her den entrance. She scrambles to her white paws and follows him to the dirtplace as quickly as she can, ears pinned to her skull. A fox so close to camp? Hadn't they dealt with enough? She noses her way through the tunnel to the dirtplace and lays eyes on the limp body, a shaky breath leaving her as she shakes her head. "May your journey to StarClan be easy, my friend," She murmurs finally, head hanging as she sends a quick prayer to the stars above.

The urgency in the air is not missed, however. She picks up her shoulders, lifts her chin, and levels the two lead warriors with a pained yet firm look. "Gather a patrol at once. Find the fox, make sure it is driven from this forest. Take as many warriors as you need." This cannot happen to another cat, it mustn't. To be attacked right outside your camp, where you felt safe...unbelievable. She sighs again, eyeing the body somberly. Spiderlily and Leopardtongue would need to be alerted to prepare the body for vigil.

And then she realizes. Foxkit.

As warriors begin to move the body back into camp, Howlingstar pushes her way past them and makes a beeline for the nursery. "Spiderlily, please go to the center of camp, you're needed," She tells him swiftly, knowing he will learn exactly what she means as soon as he goes outside. As soon as he's gone, she looks to Leopardtongue with a heavy look, then looks to the sleeping form of Foxkit. "Maplepatch is gone. She's been killed by a fox." Her voice is low so as not to awaken the sleeping child. "She is so close in age to your own kits. Leopardtongue...it's an impossible thing to ask, but will you take her and nurse her? She needs a queen."

// addressing @SPIDERLILY @leopardtongue​

 

[leopardtongue]

Tired was the new queen, tired from moving, from being sick. She had just gotten better and lay within the nursery, sleeping soundly curled around her children, contempt and tired and happy for how could she not be with Batwing back and her children safe and warm by her side as they should be.

Roused from a dream by who-knew-what, Leopardtongue's head lifted as she looked around, eyes landing on Foxkit laying there alone but sleeping before looking around. Maplepatch was gone, but she was an experienced queen, one who had kit before and taken care of them properly. She was trusted and knew what she was doing, and she would be back soon. She rationalized this in her mind, head turning to look at her own kits for a moment to make sure they were okay before the sound of muffled wailing could be heard through the nursery walls and before Leopard could fully react to this Howlingstar came within the nursery calling attention to Spiderlily to tell her that she was needed.

Maplepatch is gone. She's been killed by a fox.

She would have jumped up had it not been for her kits, carefully tucked within her curled form. She couldn't fully process the information, maw opening and closing to try and figure out what to say, brain buffering as Howlingstar spoke once more. Head turned to Foxkit once again and slowly the queen nod her head. "Yes," It was quiet at first, speaking without thinking before she turned to the leader once more and she nod her head again. "Yes." More sure of herself this time, there was no time to think though she knew this was the right decision, the proper one. She would take care of Maplepatch's kit, and make sure she knew of her mother who was loved by all until the end.

╰┈➤ ⊰❣⊱ info

• 
• "speaking" // thinking // action
  Leopardtongue - 35 moons - she/her - Queen of ThunderClan
  heterosexual - taken by Batwing
  penned by tikki
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[SPIDERLILY]

to be reborn , you have to die first .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

The ghostly tom glanced up from where he was nestled within a warm nest, free of illness and smelling of honey and milk, no longer clouded by delirium within pinkish hues. Whiskers twitching in acknowledgment, the tom pulled himself onto steady paws, abandoning the last remnants of warmth to slip past Howlingstar with a quiet, curious hum.

Coming to a languid halt, Spiderlily paused, tossing a weary glance for a familiar white pelt, but found none when his ghoulish hues settled on the tri-colored fur of Maplepatch, death-ridded and quiet. His breathing fell quiet, staring at the thick pools of blood, pungent with the smell of fox.

Death was a peculiar thing. His helm swerved to stare at the nursery, but it was unavoidable, fighting blindly through life until the ground swallowed them whole. The ghostly tom always had an infinity for death and bones, depressed, burdened by guilt, and willing life to slip through his toes. He sighed, long and full to reach her matted form, glancing at those near, tone cold and calculated: “Before her kit wakes, it may be wise to find some moss to rid her of blood.” He mused, pressing a nose to the queen’s cold scuff in silent wishes.

He had not known her very well, tinged with sickness, aching bones, and subtle coughs that burned his throat raw, but no mother should miss their child’s life. A pity. He hummed, pinkish hues narrowing. Spiderlily thought of his bundles, nestled against his belly and a mate that doubt crept forward in a haunting vengeance. ​

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thought speech​