private THE HOUSE JACK BUILT — howlingstar

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

His mother’s den is dark and, in this context, unsettling. She has summoned him to pass judgment onto him, and Raccoonstripe’s steady, defiant expression has dimmed into one that could pass for ashamed. The tabby does not regret bloodying his claws with SkyClan’s prey—he does not regret feeding his Clan, however explosive their righteous anger had been. He had served ThunderClan well, regardless of what his ungrateful Clanmates thought. But he had, in tandem, broken the warrior code he lives by, swears by. The one his leader lives and breathes.

Stealing from SkyClan might have seemed like poor judgment to some. Some cats had wondered why SkyClan—why not ShadowClan or RiverClan? The answer, to him, is simple enough. SkyClan acquiesced ThunderClan with their medicine cat. SkyClan promised friendship over and over again, since the Clans were birthed. They’d trespassed numerous times over ThunderClan borders. They’d shown their bellies over and over again—they were weak, and their prey was plentiful, easy to access with little undergrowth to thicken the area around their border. ShadowClan’s frogs were divided from his patrol by a Thunderpath; RiverClan’s prey swam in waters he wouldn’t dare wade into.

He takes a breath, then lifts his dark gaze to meet his mother’s green eyes. “I shouldn’t have done it. I realize that.” He paces before Howlingstar’s judgment. “I shouldn’t have broken the warrior code—for that, I am sorry. But, Howlingstar—” he pauses, lifting his head, “Our nursery swells with kits. Some of our most capable hunters are confined to the nursery. It seems like every day, a new orphan is stranded at our border, and that’s another mouth for the warriors to feed. I see how tired they are every day after patrols. I see how thin our fresh-kill pile has gotten.”

Raccoonstripe dips his head to his mother. “Do with me what you must, but please do not punish the others on patrol. I led them into SkyClan territory. They only wanted to feed their Clanmates.” As did I, he thinks, though he keeps his mouth clamped shut and awaits his leader’s condemnation.

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: —
• 
• Raccoon . Raccoonstripe, he/him w/ masculine terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 37 moons old, ages realistically on the 5th.
  — mentored by n/a ; mentoring Thistlepaw ; previously mentored Wildheart, Moonwhisper
  — thunderclan lead warrior. gray wolf x howlingstar, gen 2.
  — currently mated to Nightbird.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  lh black tabby with white and dark brown eyes. charismatic, charming, calculating, ambitious, shallow, manipulative.
  
  

​

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

Howlingstar sits before her son, ears pinned and tail flicking behind her with agitation. She is too frustrated to speak, tired from the outbursts in camp, mind tangling itself as she tries to think of how she can fix this. When Raccoonstripe is the first to break the silence, her eyes narrow and her chin lifts to meet his taller form. He voices regret, and frankly, it is a relief to hear. She doesn't know if he means it, but she wants to believe he does. Of all her kits, he is the one who looks the most like her, from his thick ebony stripes to his white-dipped chin; but their personalities could not be more opposite. Where she is patient and cautious, he has always been sly and forceful. Until now, she has never seen a problem in that. Mothers do wear the rosiest of glasses. But he apologizes, and she is so relieved that he has.

His explanation to her makes sense. It makes sense and that is what makes this even harder. "The Warrior Code is absolute, Raccoonstripe," She reminds him of her own staunch belief, her voice scolding. After a pause, however, she adds on, "With that being said...if you had to break it, why SkyClan? If you felt you had to do this, why not choose any of the other clans? RiverClan territory is ripe with prey they do not eat, for their bellies are filled with fish! You have jeopardized our relationship with the one clan who continues to help us!" Desperate, pleading eyes bore into him, begging for him to understand the precarious position he has put her in, put ThunderClan in. Why not WindClan with their plump hares? Why not ShadowClan's frogs? Why did you choose the one clan I have worked so hard to build a friendship with? "Our kin live there, Raccoonstripe," She whispers more quietly. "Your niece and nephew. Howlfire's kits. Do you truly want war with them?"
​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Howlingstar's voice is weary, heavy. Raccoonstripe's true regret is that he has caused this in his mother, that he has strained what she believes in and forced her to battle her beliefs and her love for her son. The lead warrior's ears flick forward as she questions him, and he keeps his voice steady, his gaze solemn. "Yes, it is." He dips his head. "I should not have broken the warrior code, but the bellies of my Clanmates needed to be filled. To me, that is more important." He knows he's risking much by being honest with Howlingstar, but he clings to his belief that she wants to understand, and he continues.

"RiverClan requires us to swim across the border. ShadowClan forces us to cross a Thunderpath for a few measly frogs." His tone borders on apologetic. "WindClan's territory has been scorched by the fire. And SkyClan... Howlingstar, they accept handouts from Twolegs." He shakes his head. "They are the least likely of all of us to starve, and they are the least likely to retaliate because of this friendship. That is why I chose SkyClan."

And then she does what he'd feared she would. She brings up their kin—Howlfire, Fireflypaw, Howlfire's kits. Raccoonstripe's expression stiffens, and his gaze becomes a touch steely. "Yes, they are our kin, but they chose their loyalties. Mine are to ThunderClan."

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: —
• 
• Raccoon . Raccoonstripe, he/him w/ masculine terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 37 moons old, ages realistically on the 5th.
  — mentored by n/a ; mentoring Thistlepaw ; previously mentored Wildheart, Moonwhisper
  — thunderclan lead warrior. gray wolf x howlingstar, gen 2.
  — currently mated to Nightbird.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  lh black tabby with white and dark brown eyes. charismatic, charming, calculating, ambitious, shallow, manipulative.
  
  

​

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

He is loyal to his clanmates, more-so than he is to the Warrior Code. Can she fault him too much for caring? She sighs, head shaking softly as he argues with her, before her gaze flashes back up to him. Even if true, they sound like excuses to steal from the one clan Raccoonstripe has always vocally disliked for their kittypet warriors. "RiverClan has a bridge. They are fat on fish and we all know there is no love between our two clans. I just don't understand why you would choose to disrupt our ongoing peace with SkyClan like this, Racoonstripe," She leans forward as she scolds him, her tone defeated and confused.

His answer about their kin hardens her expression and she fixes him with a disappointed look. It takes her a few moments to gather her thoughts before she mews, "Lakemoon made her choice. Those kits did not have much of one at all. They were born in a world where no matter what they chose, it would feel half-wrong. They will not be blamed for their parents' mistakes." Her heart aches once more for the rift that has divided her family. Once, they'd been so close, and now it seems her kin spread across the forest like a wildfire, untouchable by her. There is hatred between them. There is disgust, and she has no idea how to stop it. ​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Raccoonstripe's flank twitches uncomfortably under Howlingstar's scrutiny. "RiverClan has a bridge. They are fat on fish and we all know there is no love between our two Clans." He straightens, dipping his head. "Precisely. RiverClan was more likely to launch an attack on us in retaliation, and we already know they want our precious Sunningrocks back." He sighs, feeling as though he's getting nowhere. "SkyClan did not initiate an attack on us. It was Skyclaw and Fallowpaw who broke the line. The SkyClan warriors only defended themselves." There is no war between us, now, is there Mother? See how right I am?

But then she's moved on, onto the troubled question of their SkyClan and RiverClan kin. Raccoonstripe's whiskers twitch, though his expression does not change. "As you say, Howlingstar. I hold no hatred for our... our kin, as you call them." And it's true, he finds. Fireflypaw and Howlfire and even Lakemoon are nothing more than warriors in enemy Clans to him. "But my loyalty is to ThunderClan alone. I hope if nothing else, I proved that today." He dips his head as low as it will go.

"I'm sorry for my mistake, Howlingstar. It will not happen again." Maybe not until I lead this Clan one day, where I can take the peace you've made and trade it for success.

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: —
• 
• Raccoon . Raccoonstripe, he/him w/ masculine terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 37 moons old, ages realistically on the 5th.
  — mentored by n/a ; mentoring Thistlepaw ; previously mentored Wildheart, Moonwhisper
  — thunderclan lead warrior. gray wolf x howlingstar, gen 2.
  — currently mated to Nightbird.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  lh black tabby with white and dark brown eyes. charismatic, charming, calculating, ambitious, shallow, manipulative.
  
  

​

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

Howlingstar is silent as he speaks, her brow furrowed in stress and her maw set in a firm line. They have completely different perspectives on this, she realizes. Where she would rather have harmed a relationship that barely exists in the first place, he believed harming one that was already good would 'balance the scales.' Bring their favor back to neutral, instead of negative. She sighs tiredly - they just don't see eye to eye.

Her heart aches as she listens to him speak of his kin over the border. He remembers how close he'd once been with Lakemoon, how he'd visited Fireflykit and Howlkit in the nursery. Now, they are nothing but warriors across the borders. It pains her so. After his apology, she lifts his gaze to meet his and nods, accepting it without more argument. "Thank you, my son. You are standing in as a deputy right now, and you must be an example for this clan. But to keep the peace, you will not attend the next Gathering. I cannot have a fight break out between our clans at Fourtrees." Please understand. "You may go."​