- Jun 29, 2022
- 16
- 38
- 13
The first light of leaf-bare's dawn filters weakly through the pine branches and casts long, cold shadows over the camp. The usual scents of damp earth and sharp pine needles that ShadowClanners are used to are overpowered by something far worse when they awaken this morning. A thick, sour stench hangs heavily in the air, curling under the nostrils of the first cats to stir from their nests. It's a smell of decay, a scent that turns the stomach and warns of rot. One by one, warriors and apprentices alike blink awake, pausing as they inhale deeply. Many eyes narrow in confusion and discomfort. There is no wind today, leaving the air in camp terribly still and thick, which only seems to make the smell worse. Something is wrong. Terribly wrong.
Upon stepping out of their dens, the cats will see why. The fresh-kill pile, meager in the dead of the cold season, is what reveals the full extent of the horror. The once-fresh rats, shrews, and birds, each caught with care in the bitter freeze overnight, are now bloated and putrid. Their pelts are matted, swollen with rot, and the once-delicious meat is now grayish and mushy, exuding the unmistakable stench of death. With flies buzzing lazily around the pile, their wings cause a dull, ominous hum as they gather on the carcasses.
The cats edge closer to the grotesque scene, but none dare approach the pile. Even the bravest warriors recoil, their stomachs twisting at the sight and smell. The fur along their spines bristles in unease as the feeling of dread thickens like a fog in the camp. A few apprentices glance nervously toward the warriors, their eyes wide with fear as their quickening breaths cloud in the frigid air. The usual morning bustle is utterly absent…no one is arguing over the best pieces of prey, no one is sharing stories of the previous day's hunting or patrolling. Instead, the camp is weighed down by a horrid sense of foreboding. Every cat feels it now, the oppressive energy that hangs over them. Is this an omen from StarClan? A warning? The stillness lingers as they wait tensely for something or someone to break the silence, for any sign of what has caused this terrible disturbance.