horseplace tell 'em we're survivors // open, offering food

[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
The horseplace had been quiet, until recent with the arrival of so many exiled WindClanners. Sunnyday couldn't deny the fact that he sympathised with them, and he found himself wanting... wanting to help in some way, any way that he could. The tom had headed out early that day to hunt, straying further than usual in order to catch what he could. The former ThunderClanner had been in luck as he brought back a couple mice and a robin for the other cats he lived alongside. He left the plump robin in the barn among the hay bales for the benefit of the other loners to have before leaving the mice out in plain view. "If anyone is hungry I have some prey to share, if anyone wants it that is." He announced softly as he glanced around himself before backing up a few paces and sitting himself down.

There wasn't really a reason for him to be going out of his way to feed others, but old habits died hard. He might have been removed from the clans, but the clans hadn't been removed from his heart. Sunnyday simply found himself wanting to be of use to others, and more than anything he just longed to be wanted.
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[SUNSTAR]

He did not know much of Sunnyday. And as such, his reaction to him had been...uncertain, to speak vaguely. Looking upon the loner with wary, squinted eyes, he watches each step that he takes throughout their makeshift camp. This place is not their own. Even if he knows that, convincing his mind that he does not need to protect each cranny of the barn is a feat he had not prepared himself for. Leadership was a weight that Sunnvar had been born for, but one that Sunstride must reaccustom himself to. In a similar way, he can see the clans that cling to this strange warrior. News of what happened never did spread to WindClan. Perhaps for the best, as they now stand. Sunstride would not have taken it well, he thinks. But this he will accept, the cautious set of his eyes slowly fading.

Though he does not take the prize for himself, glacial eyes scan the surrounding refugees and give them a subtle nod. He approaches Sunnyday on quiet paws. "Thank you. You do not need to care for us, but I am not so proud to refuse another's willing help. It seems you're a capable hunter. Birds as well as mice. Those are rarer prey within our clan; tree branches are few and far between."

𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓  ╱╱ 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐕𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 〚 11.22.2023 〛 —————«

• OOC. EDIT BC I LIED he does know sunnyday since that was announced at a gathering lol, just gonna pretend he hasnt recalled it yet
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  SUNSTRIDE. WINDCLAN DEPUTY & MOOR RUNNER.
  ——– HE – HIM – HIS ╱╱ 48+ MOONS OLD, ADULT.

  NPC x NPC, LONERS. MATE TO WOLFSONG; FATHER TO BEARPAW, SINGEDPAW, RIVEPAW, SUNLITPAW AND FEATHERPAW. MENTORING SCORCHPAW.
  
  TH ╱╱ LARGE CHOCOLATE ROSETTE TABBY, ICY EYES.

• "speech"

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[RATTLEHEART]

Though her hunting abilities had been one of the rare things that she had prided herself on back in Windclan, Rattleheart hadn't actually had the chance to hunt much - or at all, really - since they had arrived at their temporary home. Though her body could handle the slow movement that came with collecting moss and other bedding supplies, the careful and precise movements that were needed for hunting were beyond her for now. She couldn't imagine pouncing forward like a flash onto a mouse, not when she currently risked ripping open her side once more. Though she did know pacing herself was for the best at the moment, she couldn't help the guilt that coiled in her chest as a result. Many of them had been wounded, so what gave her the right to just sit around waiting for things to heal?

The tunneler had been settled in her makeshift nest nearby - mind going in those same little guilt spirals - when Sunnyday's voice broke the silence. She couldn't help but eye the loner warily, wanting desperately to trust him and give him the benefit of the doubt. But Sootstar had worn her trusting nature down to a shred, and the presence of Vulturemask's murderer among the loners had done nothing to help with that. Sunstride's nod was enough to draw her over though, lanky frame moving over to snatch one of the mice for herself before settling once again. "Thank you... what's your name?" It only seemed right to at least get the name of the one that had brought them food, his face not immediately springing to mind from past gatherings. Though that made sense, considering how, on the rare occasions that she had gone, she had always been laser focused on what the leaders had to say.
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[ PENNED BY EO ]​

 

[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
"I know I don't really need to help, but I like to be helpful where I can. It's not like I have much to do these days, so it... it makes me happy." It certainly beat rotting away amongst the hay. The tom allowed a small yet modest smile to brighten his features as he looked between Sunstride and Rattleheart, heeding their words, the praise, and then the inquiry about who he happened to be. There was a moment of hesitation as he began to fear who exactly had come to learn of his past misdeeds, but what was even the point in hiding anymore.

"Thank you, I like to keep my range for hunting as broad as I can. There might be very few trees out here but it seems the birds like to sit on the fences." The tom explained with a light chuckle as he considered the adaptions that he has made in such a short amount of time. It seemed that he wasn't entirely out of tricks yet. "The name is Sunnyday. It's nice to meet you." He gave a polite dip of his head before he looked between the pair. He felt as though he had seen Sunstride before, but he wasn't willing to jump to conclusions. "What are your names, if you don't mind me asking?"
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[RABBITCLAW]

It is insteresting to see how many faces hang around here. There are some she knows and some she doesn't. The cat before her is one of them. She's never met him before, but she has the feeling he was once a clan cat. His name suggests as such and the way he carries himself supports that claim. Her figure pads over to the trio, giving Sunnyday a flick of her tail in greeting. While he is not someone they knew nor does he have to help, there is no reason to pretend he is not here. At the very least he should be shown some respect.

"I'm Rabbitclaw and..." She makes her way to Rattleheart and quickly places a paw to their head and rubs her paw against the fur atop his head. "This is my littermate Rattleheart." Before she is able to be swatted at for messing around and even speaking for Rattleheart, she quickly moves to the side. Sunstride has yet to introduce himself, however she is curious. That is why she ends up asking a dreadful question, "So how'd you end up here?" Honestly, there is little sense in asking. At the end of the day all of them were stuck here for the time being. She knows soon that she would return to the moors. As for all the others and this tom in particular... She's not sure Sunstride would welcome them in. Who knows? That is not her call to make.

* ˚ ✦ take a good look

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• — rabbitclaw / windclan tunneler / feminine pronouns / 45 moons
  — pansexual / single / looking / open to flirting and crushes
  — scar riddled short-haired lilac tortoiseshell with blue eyes
  — may powerplay minor harm / can powerplay healing
  — biography / @ on discord for plots
  — penned by velou

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[RATTLEHEART]

"Oh, I'm-" She isn't given the chance to finish her introduction, a grumble of indignance leaving her the moment she felt a paw atop her head, messing with the dark fur that rested there. It was surely to be expected from her littermate, but she still huffed and puffed as she swatted a paw halfheartedly in her sister's direction. The tunneler didn't have it in her to be truly annoyed, just glad that Rabbitclaw was around and safe within the twoleg barn along with the rest of them. "I'm Rattleheart, as Rabbitclaw so helpfully just offered up. I suppose you already know we're all Windclanners, but I'm one of the tunnelers." She couldn't help but mention her title, a rare look of pride flashing over her face. Though she had never been a particularly prideful or ambitious being, she'd be lying if she said there wasn't a small part of her that adored her family's tunneler legacy - even if it did feel a bit tainted now by Sootstar.

Tearing into the mouse that she had grabbed with little hesitation, Rattleheart couldn't help the slightly worried and scandalized look she sent in Rabbitclaw's direction. She had admittedly been wondering a little too, considering his name and demeanor seemed to indicate that he had been a warrior once, but she hadn't intended on just coming out and asking. She almost felt like ignorance was bliss in this particular scenario, happy to tear into the prey she had brought when she didn't know anything about who it had come from. She'd feel much more guilty about accepting it if Sunnyday turned out to be a murderer or something along those lines.

Though, her mind helpfully supplied, some of us are murderers too.
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[ PENNED BY EO ]​

 

[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
The tom lifted his snout a little as yet another approached and introduced herself as Rabbitclaw, the littermate to Rattleheart. He tried to avoid smirking with amusement as he watched the siblings being, well, siblings. Fortunately growing up he had managed to avoid such antics by being an only child, though he couldn't help but imagine what it would have been like to have brothers and sisters. No doubt they would have fought constantly.

The dreaded question of course came up about the reasoning for him being there and it sapped away some of his happier mood. "Well, as you can guess I used to be a clanner. ThunderClan to be specific. To make my story short I made a grave mistake that saw me hurt my apprentices during a rougher training session. I served my punishment and lived in shame, but it didn't please the sibling of one of the apprentices, so many moons after the incident he tried to murder me on the thunderpath. I had the nerve to survive, and I refused to return to ThunderClan because I honestly feared for my life, so I was exiled. So that's how I ended up here." A grim part of himself wished he hadn't survived that day, but he tried not to dwell on it. It would do him no good. At least he wasn't a murderer or anything along those lines, he was just a tom who had lost his way from the light.

"It's definitely not a glamorous story like revolting against a tyrant, sorry." The old tom made the effort to muster up a smile as he tried to draw things back to the positive. As he started to feel a little more relaxed again he slowly settled himself down into a more 'loaf'-like pose as he tucked his paws under himself with his bushy tail wrapped round his frail frame. "So, what exactly did tunnellers do? Besides the obvious that is. And were you a tunneller too, Rabbitclaw?" He had always been aware that WindClan handled the matter of warriorhood a little differently from the other clans, and he supposed that this was his rare opportunity to learn more and to understand why that was the case.
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[SUNSTAR]

His name and story stirs a memory, and the wary allowance turns to sour regret. Sunstride's gaze narrows slightly as he looks upon the warrior– former warrior. One who had denied his clan a great many things, by Howlingstar's words. And he respected the forest leader as he respected few others. Chilledstar had crept up among those that Sunstride respected, but it was Howlingstar that he had followed to battle to reclaim ThunderClan's camp. It was her that had given WindClan, and all of their mistakes, a place to rest as things came down upon them. What he speaks of does not mesh with what had been told at the Gathering. He does not offer his name. Instead, he speaks slowly: "Horribly injured. That is what she had said to us, when she spoke your name. And not that you were exiled, but that you chose not to return."

What memories of that night linger behind the wall of his rage towards Blazestar. The kittypet disease that would kill them all. Though what he had said then feels vaguely cruel now, he still cannot disagree with it. It serves as an anchor for this; a story that he had heard in passing as his clan prepared to leave, which now might become a pivotal part of their return to the moors. Unease pins him down; the only part of him that moves is his thick tail tip. Back and forth, in time with his uncertain heart. "This is not our land to bring our law to, but speak carefully if what she said of you is true." While the loner relaxes, his own pale eyes dart between the two tunnelers, body now stiff. A feud with ThunderClan is the last of his needs just now.

𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓  ╱╱ 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐕𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 〚 11.22.2023 〛 —————«

• OOC. —
• 

  SUNSTRIDE. WINDCLAN DEPUTY & MOOR RUNNER.
  ——– HE – HIM – HIS ╱╱ 48+ MOONS OLD, ADULT.

  NPC x NPC, LONERS. MATE TO WOLFSONG; FATHER TO BEARPAW, SINGEDPAW, RIVEPAW, SUNLITPAW AND FEATHERPAW. MENTORING SCORCHPAW.
  
  TH ╱╱ LARGE CHOCOLATE ROSETTE TABBY, ICY EYES.

• "speech"

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[milkthorn.]

"i don't think you're the first, nor last to injure an apprentice." windclan trained with claws unsheathed, and that led to scars. but it was for them to understand what it felt like and it was to prepare them. it wasn't ever a case of, as Sunstride put it, horribly injured. well, not that he knew of.

"you seem to feel horrible about it, beating yourself up as you speak of the story. you still hold that shame heavy on your shoulders." he didn't know where he was going with this. but he knew he was not smart enough to be able to comfort somebody. "you would have changed it, if you could, wouldn't you?"

the question was genuine. milkthorn felt he knew the answer already. he wasn't hungry however, just here to talk, really. he supposed it was gossip, but the true gossip? who knew. he wanted to ask why he did it, he wanted to know the reasoning, he wanted to know the full story, but he wouldn't prod.


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[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
So Howlingstar had spoken about him then, likely at a Gathering considering how a former WindClanner would even know of him. The thought made his chest tighten as he came to realise that she intended for him to never find a footing in any clan. For a moment he cast his gaze downward as the feelings of regret bubbled up with a greater intensity. "Horribly injured... I had wretched a limb out of place. In truth it was more than simply horrible. I had only meant to throw her into my other apprentice, but it went wrong. It delayed her journey to warriorhood, and I remain thankful that it didn't bring the journey to an end. However, I continue to regret the anger I had let slip that day, I shouldn't have let the goading get to me at the time."

The tom slowly brought his gaze back to Sunstride as he continue to speak. "I couldn't return. One cat had tried to kill me, others had already threatened my life. It wasn't safe for me, and angered by my fear Howlingstar said that I would never be welcome back." He was ready to leave things at that but Milkthorn's words reached his ears and dredged up another wave of regret and self-loathing. "It doesn't matter if I wasn't the first or last, the point is I failed to protect my own apprentice. It should have never had happened, and if I could go back to that day I would have stopped myself. I would have taken the injury instead..." The glisten of tears edged his eyes as his mind wandered back to that fateful day.

"I... I-I should get back to hunting." Sunnyday stated as he began to back away slowly from the rebels. The hunting was just an excuse though as he decided to find a way to run yet again from his fears and emotions. As much as he longed to find company with others he assumed that they would not want him around.
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[slateheart]

-ˋˏ ༻☽༺ ˎˊ- Sunnyday is not a cat that Slatetooth is familiar with in the slightest. Usually, upon meeting a stranger, the black-furred tom would turn his nose and avoid contact, as reclusive as he's always been. But in their situation, he would not turn up the offer of prey, nor the offer of friendship. Perhaps they needed all the allies they could get, even if it was just moral support, or befriending the cats whose home they now shared.

"Slatetooth," he replied to the question of names. Recently, his own name has felt bitter on his tongue - why, he had half a mind to remove his suffix entirely when introducing himself, if only it wouldn't ostracize him from his rank as a Clan warrior. He did not fit a loner's name. With his paws tucked underneath him, he sat motionless nearby and listened to the chatter, to Sunnyday's story. Horribly injured, Sunstride said. Finally, Slatetooth turned his nose - he glanced away, training his green gaze on something in the distance. WindClan is no stranger to harmful training, he thought, silently agreeing with Milkthorn. He had been victim to his own mentor's sharp claws more than enough to recognize that. Though, by the way Sunstride spoke of the situation, he couldn't help but wonder if this injury was deeper than your average cut and scratch.

He wouldn't stick his nose in ThunderClan's drama, and gradually began to tune out the frantic explanations from Sunnyday, until eventually, he too up and left, going to find something else to do. He couldn't listen to the golden tom's babbling of regrets.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG ⋅❁⋅ YOU'RE A LOADED GUN ──┐‎

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  SLATETOOTH ✩ he/him, moor-runner of windclan, 17 moons.
  ⭃ a reclusive short-haired black tom with low white and green eyes.
  ⭃ mate to no one. son of lynxtooth x adelaide. brother to gravelsnap and ashpaw.
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by ixora ↛ @.ixora on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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