TELL THE CROWS ♡ return from hunt

[HOUNDHEART]

( ♡ ) There were few things Houndheart was scared of, but sickness was one of them.

The weight of that fear was heavy on her shoulders as she padded back into camp, a single squirrel between her jaws. It was a better hunt than most she had been on of late, she thought as she tossed it into the pile, but still too little. The fresh kill pile still looked a touch too small. A low grunt of frustration rumbled up from her chest.

Before the clans, there had been no death more certain than sickness. A beast could be fought, an injury could be endured, but sickness brought low the meek and the mighty alike and cared not to distinguish between the two. Even in the confidence of her youth she had known to be wary of it, and now that she was older and wiser she knew to be well and truly afraid.

After a moments hesitation, she picked the tiniest mouse she could see for herself. She had not eaten today, and the clan was not so desperate as to need her to starve herself. Not yet, at least. The way things were going it may well come to that, she thought darkly.

Houndheart sat down with a heavy thud, dropping the mouse between her paws. She ripped chunks out from it violently with each bite, as though it bore some responsibility for Skyclan's troubles.

Medicine cats had been one of the most brilliant miracles the stars had designed, in her eyes. Now cats no longer had to fear injury and even sickness. At least, until this most recent outbreak. the sickness it had spread between her clanmates she had grown distant and silent, her usual affability fading. Her old habits pulled at her like they had since before the great battle. The old dog within her told her to run, flee to greener pastures as she had time and time again and make a new life for herself. It told her that this sickness would be the end of the clans. It told her that the dream the stars had given them all had been too good to be true, and now it was time to wake up.

She ripped another bite out of the mouse.

Houndheart did not pay it any heed, of course. Whether this would be the end of the clans or not, she had debts to repay. Besides, she was too old to start a new life. If the time came for it she would die alongside the rest of them.

Leaning down to take another bite she realized with a blink that her meal was finished. Her stomach protested, but she ignored it. ​

( MY DARLING; THE DEVIL KNOWS MY NAME )

 

[BLAZESTAR]

The fresh-kill pile dwindles. Houndheart looks through it with a single squirrel clamped in her jaws before deciding to eat her catch. The SkyClan leader watches from a few foxlengths away, his stomach grumbling and his head aching. Lately, the faintest rays of sunlight begin to send throbbing waves through his skull—he’s lucky today is slightly overcast.

After a moment, the Ragdoll heaves himself unsteadily to his paws, surveying their prey pile with a grim expression. “It’s like it’s leafbare already,” he murmurs, pressing a golden forepaw to his brow. “Except it’s not the prey that’s scarce… it’s the warriors.” His tail droops behind him. “You’ve never seen this yellowcough before, have you? Even in the marshes?” He casts her a curious look. It’s not often he brings up Houndheart’s past as Briarstar’s soldier, but the thought lingers in his mind when the dark she-cat strolls past him.

ooc ✧ 𝒷𝑒𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓌𝓃, 𝒾𝓉'𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒷𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉

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  — blaise . blazestar
  — he/him ; leader of skyclan
  — pansexual ; divorced ; single
  — longhaired flame point Ragdoll with blue eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — chibi by Mercibun

​

 

[HOUNDHEART]

( ♡ ) Blazestar got a curious glance from her as he addressed her.

It was unlike him to dredge up her past. She had no problem with it, of course, she tried to be candid about her history. He just always seemed to prefer to simply pretend it never happened. So she never brought up who she used to be while her leader was present if she could help it. He didn't need reminding.

"No." Houndheart replied gruffly. "Nothing like this. If I had seen anything like it, I would have ran. I wasn't loyal back then. To anyone, really." She frowned. Her words didn't bother her, she knew already how horrible she used to be, but her tone did. In her own ears, it sounded like it had before the clans, like she was ready and willing to tear out the throat of anyone and everyone for even a scrap of prey. That wasn't who she wanted to be anymore.

She coughed roughly, attempting to hack up her bad mood.

"I heard of stuff like it though." Her tone was lighter, if still a touch more strained than usual. "Sicknesses that could lay entire groups of cats low in the span of a moon. Though nothing I heard was exactly a first hand account if you take my meaning." She added with a soft snort. ​

( MY DARLING; THE DEVIL KNOWS MY NAME )

 

[TWITCHBOLT]

Born when the marsh-group and pine-group proceeded the Clans, but too young to remember the conflict that had killed so many in battle, Twitchbolt's thoughts on Houndheart were merely that of any older Skyclanner (even if he was now technically her superior, something he'd rather not think about)- respect. After she'd reassured him and others that Blazestar was the best of them, the best choice of leader, he'd felt some odd tranquility rush over him. When he looked at the stars and saw the gleam of his parents up there, he now felt a little better about their slew of bad choices, for at least they'd made one good one.

There was an odd comfort in Houndheart's company, in that sense. Seeing her with Blazestar at her side pulled him forward in interest, sure there'd be something to glean; though hunger clawed dully at his stomach, he knew he wasn't the only one, and a bit of conversation to pass the time would take his mind off it. Distraction, that was what he needed- when everything felt bad, like this.

Uncertainty never settled well with Twitchbolt, though. He appeared a little disquieted as he glanced over the freshkill pile, which did not look very fresh at all. It was depleted and measly, and though he felt as if he should be doing more... he hummed hoarse agreement with Blazestar. It's like it's leaf bare already. "It's scary, isn't it..." Twitchbolt acknowledged, voice hoarse and hardly-audible. It felt odd to admit this sort of weakness in from of two cats who he wanted the approval of... wide, mismatched eyes flickered to the sky, as-of-yet starless. He hoped silver eyes might shine on them tonight. Houndheart spoke of mere rumours, but... sicknesses like that were evidently possible. "Back then there was no StarClan, was there?" He twitched. "I- I- I just... I hope it'll make a difference."​

penned by pin ✧​