pafp SHOOTING STAR // stargazing

[VULTUREMASK]

Every single night he was plagued with nightmares, with horrors. Vulturemask had thought he would be free now but that turned out to just be a nice thought, a nice idea...In truth he mentally was still trapped now having to live with the demons of his actions. Of course he couldn't sleep, in fact he had started to distaste. Better to stay awake, like that would do any good for him.... Vulturemask had tried to get some sleep that night but that had turned out to be impossible. He had got woken up with a startle, sweat running down from him, and his claws were out having clawed at his own nest in his sleep. The medicine cat would try to get his own breath back into rythm again while glancing around the den, finding Dandelionwish in his nest sleeping he believed, and Periwinklepaw the same in his own nest. Both asleep. At least that was what he hoped.

After working on his breathing to calm himself down Vulturemask would stand up before he quietly made his way over to the medics dens entrance, to step outside for some fresh air. Once out he would close his eyes briefly to take in the chill air, to let it cool him down. After standing there for a while just with his eyes closed he opened them again and ironic speaking he was facing the stars above... Minutes passed before eventually the medic would seat himself down to calmly contunie to stare up at the stars. This had become a habit of his to come out here and watching the stars. Back as an apprentice he had always done this with Rosepaw. They had loved stargazing and now with them gone...he had continued to do what his friend had loved so much and he didn't exactly know why. Maybe it was for comfort, or he had started to actually enjoy it. The reason was not importand. All he cared about was at this very moment it was nice to watch them, to see such bright light in a such dark sky....A light in the darkness.

@Periwinklebreeze.


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[Periwinklebreeze.]

DONT EVER WANT TO SEE THINGS CHANGE
periwinklepaw | 06 months | demi-boy | he/they | physically easy (pacifist) | mentally easy | attack in bold #ccccff

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Periwinklepaw has gotten much better at feigning sleep. on nights like this, tucked away in his nest - once more safely ensconced within the confines of the medicine den with Vulturemasks unspoken blessing - eyes closed tight and breaths even, he can almost convince himself that he's asleep, were it not for the flick of his ears and twitch of his pelt at every little noise that interrupts the peace and quiet. This pretend sleep is soothing, relaxing, and he knows that at some point he'll eventually slip off into slumber. Except, instead of sleepy sighs and soft snores he hears pawsteps leaving the den, head slowly rising to blink blearily at the figure. Vulturemask.

It takes him a moment to decide, but realizing he hasn't much else to do he slowly rises to his paws, silent yawn stretching his jaws apart. Long limbs are pliant and limber, steps slow and silent as he ambles over to join his friend, his body language and searching gaze asking a question he will not voice. Paws tuck tightly beneath him as he settles down in the open camp, head craning back to peer at the sky even though the movement sends a spasm of pain through his still-tender scars. Things have been tense for his denmates - between them even. It's unsettling. But this - sleepless nights spent gazing at the stars? That's a familiar comfort. Its a passtime started in his youth, one his family and many of the clan had joined in on every now and then. Even sootstar herself has joined him on occasion, the quiet bliss rarely interrupted save or the occasional thanks or question of their ghostly ancestors overhead as the clan enjoyed the clarity of the skies overhead.

It's soothing in its simplicity.

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[Stormgaze]

"AND I'M NOT YOUR PROTAGONIST"​

Stormgaze was not one to normally be up so late unless it was required. But tonight she felt restless. Stretching her long legs out enough to kick her den mates. Eventually, she knew she was causing enough trouble to finally get up. If she stayed any longer than she was gonna get batted at.

The warrior quickly noticed a pair looking up at the sky. Her green eyes looked upward at the stars. Nothing out of the ordinary up there. Maybe they saw something she didn’t. Padding over to them, she takes no notice that maybe this was supposed to be a quiet moment. “Hi you two! See something cool?”​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[GRAVELSNAP]

Sleepless nights are not a rarity for Gravelpaw, especially after the battle in the pine forest. Sleep is a luxury that the shadow-splashed tom cannot afford, not while the other clans pressure and threaten and attack their home and their clanmates. Not while that king of rats Blazestar still stands against Sootstar, along with the fish-king Cicadastar. As long as they live and lead their clans, WindClan is not safe. At any time, SkyClan and RiverClan could launch an assault, an ambush in the middle of the night in an attempt to wipe out everything that Gravelpaw holds dear. Slatepaw, Sootstar, Lynxtooth, Juniperfrost, Badgermoon, Wolfsong… they could all be gone, just like that. The thoughts that swirl around their head are often enough to prevent them from sleeping at all.

Their insomnia tends to lead to wandering about, aimless and silent. Sometimes they come across other cats, and sit down to bask in silent, sleepless company. Tonight seems to be one of those nights.

The black and white apprentice slinks closer to the clanmates that they’ve come across tonight, eyes narrowing once they get close enough to see who the figures are. They aren’t particularly fond of Periwinklepaw, think the other apprentice thinks too highly of themself, but that’s not here nor there. Gravelpaw doesn’t know the new healer all that well, but he seems quiet enough to make for comfortable company. The two are sitting in silence, apparently enjoying the calm of night and staring up at the stars, and despite their distaste Gravelpaw considers joining them.

Of course, an older cat has to break the quiet, the stillness, with a too-loud voice and a pointless question. The black-patched child frowns, hazel eyes shifting to glare in her direction. They tense up for a moment, but relax just as quickly—she may be loud, but she’s a clanmate. Gravelpaw still doesn’t dignify Stormgaze with an answer, instead tilting their head back to gaze up at the stars. After a moment, they wordlessly lift a paw, pointing to a small cluster of stars, bright against the night sky.
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[ DEATH OF A DREAM ]​

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[WEASELCLAW]

Weaselclaw is under the stars tonight, though the cold in his bones prevents him from sleeping soundly. The rustle of his Clanmates moving from their nests, the shrill greeting of some peppy Clanmate -- he opens a blue eye and yawns with some regret. I wasn't gonna get the sleep anyway. Might as well see what's going on.

He lumbers toward the group, eyes flicking from Vulturemask and Periwinklepaw to the cheerful Stormgaze, whose question goes unanswered, and then to silent Gravelpaw. Weaselclaw flicks his tail in greeting to all present, then gives Stormgaze a look with a scrunched nose. "Of course they do. Our warrior ancestors. Nothing 'cooler' than that." He snorts, sitting and wrapping his tail around cream-white paws. Bathed in the solemn pale light of Silverpelt, he sinks back into the quiet the gray tabby had interrupted before.

There's something comforting about being around his Clanmates in comfortable silence, looking deep into the flecks of Silverpelt. It's as close as he gets to the prayers his mate often utters aloud. It's a prayer in his head, his heart, a whisper of devotion that shines in his eyes.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[SUNNVAR]

For the many unexpected skills Sunstride may hold mastery over, the one that has proven most useful in his life is not meant for the battlefield or the hunting ground, but for the nights that follow. He can drop whenever, in any moment– and he is just as likely to rouse at the slightest of noises. It is Weaselclaw's motions that stir him this time. Though Wolfsong sleeps nearby, they are not so entangled as they might be in the later hours, and without the muffling of the other's thick fur, each shifting of the moor runner's paw pulls him from rest. It is not so rude an awakening to leave him with a scowl, but glacial eyes are bleary, unfocused. There is not enough urgency to make him think of trouble at their borders, but it is not the shifting of one who cannot find the best part of their nest. Sunstride lifts his head curiously, and only then does he see the group that Weaselclaw's trail ends with.

Far more curious, now, and well enough awake that sleep will elude him for some time more, the warrior pulls himself slowly from the dip of WindClan's camp with the tabby's audible rebuke still lingering on the air. He is loathe to interrupt their reflection, but the words still follow unbidden. Soft and low, yet insistent. "Tell me of your ancestors. Do many of your friends count themselves among them?" He has heard of the battle, of this WindClan's founding, but it has not touched him so personally as it does now. This is their history. Whether the stars are truly their ancestors, he cannot say. But still, he rests beneath them. That is something important in itself.

﹥ˏˋ〘  OOC NOTES INFORMATION 〙ˊˎ﹤

• ooc: —
• SUNSTRIDE. named for his coloration and his bold chasing of fate.
  —— cis male, uses he - him. thirty-four moons old. warrior of windclan and former rogue.
  —— cautious of clan life, but an apt learner. encourages close bonds between clanmates.
  —— loyalty uncertain, cares for those surrounding him. undoubtedly closest to wolfsong.
  
  sunstride is broad and bold– a creature standing above most of windclan, though not a beast beyond its borders, with fur that flames red at its base and deepens to a burnt amber with every whorl and stripe. his eyes, in comparison, are a pale summer's blue, still as bold as the rest of him.
• "speech"

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[VULTUREMASK]

" Couldn't sleep again?" he would ask as Periwinklepaw came out to join him, to seat down beside him to share this night with him like so many other nights before. It had become a common thing for the two to join out here to seat to stargaze together under silence beside short-lived small talk now and then. It could have been a peaceful moment between the two if not of course Stormgaze had decided to join them. Again, huh?. Vulturemask would grimace not pleased with this ones intrusion who always seemed to love appearing up in places she not was welcomed in...Half a mind he had to tell her off but of course with his siblings back on his mind it prevented him to do so, wanting to be a good role-model and all that so tried extremely hard to not snap left and right. " Not yet...i was hoping to see star rocks again. he would answer simply, flinking a ear over at Stormgaze with disinterest while not pulling his eyes away from the sky.

Great....the molly had brought other cats over with her as well. Gravelpaw seemed...quiet enough and not as loud or bratty like some certain apprentices was in the clan. While they remained speechless noticed from the corner of his eye they pointed up at something in the sky. While not saying anything to them Vulturemask found themselves staring at the cluster of stars that shine so brightly in the sky.

Weaselclaw of course had to bring up their ancestors, like that was the only reason to ever think about to gaze up at the sky. Vulturemask decided to not add anything else into that conversation and instead decided to answer Sunstride who was asking about the history of their ancestors if anyone they held dear was up there. The only one he could think about was Rosepaw but he was not even sure if they where up there or not. " I doubt my family is up there. " he answered quietly, his words almost just a whisper. If his littermates had been up there everything about starclan would have changed for him. If he knew they lived up there among them he would have been more willing to serve the stars in repay of them keeping them safe up there but...he had no clue and he had no reason at all to think highly of them. Of course he would never speak this out aloud never voicing his mistrust in their ancestors which everyone else was selling their souls for.




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