There he goes, the man of faith [open, people-watching]

[Badgermoon]

WindClan's proximity to a Twoleg encampment was a longtime source of discomfort for Badgermoon. He had not had any direct run-ins with those strange, hairless monsters, not directly, but he knew their ways were unpredictable and their choices often cruel, and those facts alone were enough to make him uneasy about their closeness. Thus that morning, when he rose with the weak winter sun, he had set out across the snowy grassland with a vague plan forming: he would travel to the northwestern border and check on the Horseplace, just in case. Hopefully, there would be nothing to observe and all would be quiet - but perhaps he'd find a mouse that had strayed too far from the barn, or he'd gain some valuable piece of information. Really, I just want to get ahead of anything they might be planning. thought the black and white tom as he trotted over the land. We don't need anything else to happen this leaf-bare. it was a tough enough season as it was, and some Twoleg mischief was the last thing they needed.

The walk was long but beautiful, with a sharp-toothed wind sailing over the moor and making his eyes water. Though it was cold, and he was starting to have second thoughts about this plan of his, he knew he would never tire of the feeling of the wind roaring through his coat, of feeling the sheer power of the very breath of the land - even if it made his nose sting with chill. Soon enough, the wood fence which marked the border between the WindClan border and the Horseplace came into view and Badgermoon picked up the pace, noting the presence of several of the Twolegs' enormous, fleshy monsters - were these the eponymous horses, he wondered? They were a far distance from the fence, anyway, feasting upon what looked like withered sticks of grass, and he felt safe enough to spring up onto the fence and perch there. He furrowed his brow and peered out, searching for Twolegs. "If your monsters are here, surely you must be, too..." he mumbled to himself, his dark tail swaying in anticipation.

And then - voila! One of the elderly Twolegs who lived by the Horseplace had emerged, moving slowly across the frozen ground. Badgermoon felt his claws dig into the wood of the fence, watching intently as the Twoleg carried more withered grass towards its beasts. It didn't seem to be making any threatening motions, but he dropped to the ground anyways and hid in a clump of gorse. Then he simply...stayed, watching, fascinated by the movements of these beings so utterly unlike any others he had ever met. And yet, as interesting as they were, he knew that he lacked interest in being part of whatever it was they were doing; he couldn't fathom the kittypet life, nor even a Twoleg-adjacent life, like those cats who lived in their barn. He was too attached to Clan living, he supposed - or maybe just too wary. Regardless...it felt like it was about time to go, so he began to back up, intending to back out of the gorse bush and then flee, when he felt his hindquarters bump into something (someone?) solid.​

 

[Galeforce]

↞ RACE THE WINDS

"Hey." Galeforce greeted with an air of surprise when he was bumped into by Badgermoon. The younger warrior had been hunting nearby when he had spotted the other tom lingering about the area. Naturally curiosity followed, which had brought him to this exact moment. "What are you up to? Checking for rabbit burrows here under the gorse?" It sounded logical to him, though he wasn't exactly picking up any scent of prey. He wore a quizzical expression at that point as he trained his sights on Badgermoon, though not with any sense of judgement. Just interest.
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[Badgermoon]

The flash of alarm that came with hitting something you weren't expecting to faded as soon as he heard Galeforce's familiar voice, and Badgermoon relaxed as he spun around to face the olive-eyed warrior. "Ah! Galeforce. Sorry, I didn't see you." he gave an apologetic grin and waved his dark tail towards the Horseplace fence. "No, but that's a good idea. I was actually just watching the Twolegs." now that he said it out loud, it sounded somewhat...strange. Not bad strange, just...strange. Arguably even a little paranoid! Perhaps the prey scarcity was getting to him more than he had realized. "I wanted to make sure that they weren't...I don't know, up to anything." he heaved his broad shoulders in a self-effacing shrug. "Just overcautious, I guess, but I don't trust them. I don't like that they have a camp so close to us."

He glanced around, trying to see if anyone else was nearby; Galeforce wasn't part of a patrol, by the looks of it, so perhaps he was out on his own solo adventure. "What about you, then? Enjoying the weather?" Badgermoon laughed a little at the prospect - most cats, he suspected, would not consider this frosty, breezy morning a particularly desirable one. Then again, they were all WindClanners, and he couldn't be the only one who liked a good leaf-bare walk sometimes, if only to see the wide-open, white moorland. The freedom of it all...the wide land and wider sky...it intoxicated him utterly.​

 

[Galeforce]

↞ RACE THE WINDS

"The twolegs? Hrm... I don't blame ya for wanting to check on them. Though just be careful, it's the dogs that you have to watch out for." He had encountered one in the past and he wouldn't rid himself of the nightmarish imagery of massive jaws snapping down upon that hare he had been chasing that day. It had been a life lesson for sure. Hell, just thinking about it was already making his ears twitch as he found himself suddenly on edge.

"And me? I was just out for a stretch of the legs, a bit of a hunt. You know, the usual." He didn't wish to admit to his deeper feelings of unease that left him itching to be away from the camp. Away from those who made him nervous. It was frustrating that he couldn't open up to anyone without fear of being exposed as being someone who didn't see eye to eye with Sootstar and her ways. He missed Hyacinthbreath, he truly did. "So, what's our twoleg neighbours up to currently?"
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[icebreath]

TAGS — Badgermoon's right; there's a certain allure to the open moors and their vast expanses. She loves racing freely through the tall grass, feeling the wind stir her short pelt. It's so liberating, exhilarating even, in a way racing through the often narrow tunnels isn't... but only at night. Moons of spending the majority of her time underground have weakened her vision, it would seem; she's too susceptible to sunlight these days, always squinting on her way to work. And she's discovered this is at its worst during leaf-bare, when the white snow is almost aggressively reflective at sunhigh. The dark tunnels are far more comfortable, both in terms of darkness and space; she likes the tight burrows, the closed-in spaces in their own right. It's cozy, in a way, and more secretive; she doesn't have to worry about being watched from any distance, or confronted by trespassing clan cats.

Or twolegs. Similar to Badgermoon, she sometimes finds herself worrying over what they might be up to, and how drawn they might feel to WindClan's bordering moorland. She's always been content to keep her distance, though. There's something deeply uncomfortable to her about the alien nature of it all; the towering structures, the strange horses, the dogs, and twolegs worst of all. Still, it's hard not to drift closer after finding herself nearby by happenstance, taking advantage of the dimmer morning to take a walk before heading underground, summoned by her clanmates' voices and a drive to be useful and engaged. And maybe some morbid curiosity, too. "You were watching them?" she asks in a hushed voice, gazing up at the warrior through round eyes, clued in by Galeforce's question.
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[SNAILSTRIDE]

They had been born within a clan, the blood of fiercest fighters and bravest hunters was supposed to run through their warm veins, yet, Snailpaw found himself liking the idea of being a kittypet. If he was allowed to visit his friends and family whenever he liked, then there was little else to prevent the marbled tabby from escaping for an easier life, but, somehow he did not think the resident barn cats or his closed-off clan would approve. Still, the apprentice is confident even on the lands closest to the horseplace. Before he got the chance to address the WindClanners, a smile had already crept onto their maw, memories of their first time near the barn flooding back to them. The food had been... edible, cleaner than eating mice but duller than dirt, the fear of being caught had stopped him from getting so close again. Ears swiveled at odd angles, Snailpaw looked up towards Galeforce and Badgermoon. They plopped on their haunches a respectable distance away from Icepaw, and quickly decided it was best to keep quiet about their absence from the camp. He only had the energy to explore or perform his duties, never both, and with the snow blocking half of the latter, Snailpaw felt much more comfortable engaging in the former.

"I can't believe they've never been interested in our camp!" The young apprentice mewed, amazement dripping from every syllable. They rested their chin on a gap in the fence, sneaking a glance towards the Twoleg. He imagined they were off to do their own warrior duties, like feeding their own clan. Snailpaw considered for a moment how odd it was for humans and horses to share clans but not share a den, but quickly lost that train of thought when he realised he'd already begun to speak. "I would be if I were them, I mean, surely they've seen us running around right.... right?". They hadn't just seen Snailpaw, had they?



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[Firefang]

Firepaw avoids the places twolegs tread when she can, the northwest border along the fences of horseplace being sparingly visited by her paws - she'd been warned many times about them and their savage mutts that tended to stick around them for protection. And after what happened with Duskfire it enlightens her with a new fear of them, the sound of even so much as barking in the fading distance was enough to make every fur on her body stand up. Best to keep away, that's how she'd stay safe but her inhibitions and impulses have always led her down paths she swore she would never follow, her curiosity is her burden and whenever she was her clanmates doing something together she couldn't help herself but crawl over to them like a unwanted shadow, always present. Her paws shake as she approaches Badgermoon and the patrol of watchers who have joined him. She doesn't quite know how to feel about the older tom, he was never mean towards her never snipping at her to behave or anything but like many of her clanmates she just didn't know him closely he was just someone she sometimes passed by who occasionally said a few words to her but was by far not even much of an acquaintance. Like most the other warriors and really it doesn't mater to her too much, he was to old to be a good friend for her and she didn't want to look like a kiss up to the other apprentices for hanging around the adult moorrunners trying to earn their praise.

Even if she wanted to hear that said praise so desperately.
She slowly creeps over fur on her stomach grazing the snow beneath her paws her ears prick and she listens up trying to discern what they were all doing over here so close to the horseplace. It uneases her to be this close, to stick around instead of bolting back to run across the moors where it was more safe, where she could be truly free and alone. She ignores her persistent heart beat, the warnings that flare in her head are akin to static. Always present but she's used tp them enough to let them fade away. She comes close to Snailpaw and Icepaw her gaze glaring intently at the ladder but the words of the former make the fur along her spine prickle. ❝They're mousebrained like you they wouldn't dare.❞ it's more wishful thinking then anything else, her eyes narrow as she turns to him catching on to what he said - on the hidden meaning of his question an admittance of guilt ❝Are you sayin' they saw you?❞ her claws unsheathe her shoulders squaring as she stares him down. If thye did follow him what would they do, they couldn't take down a twoleg none of the moves she learned would work! And what if they brought their dogs to track them? She looks to Badgermoon and Galeforce seeing what they had to say.

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( PLACE ME IN MY CASKET TONIGHT ; BECAUSE IM ALREADY DYING INSIDE )

 

[Badgermoon]

Galeforce had a good point: the ability to unleash dogs was among the most fearsome qualities of the Twolegs, at least in Badgermoon's mind, and he nodded in solemn agreement. "Nothing much, fortunately. Looks like one of the elder ones is giving its beasts some dry grass, but not much else. Didn't even look over this way." and thank goodness for that - despite the fact that he had specifically opted to investigate their unwelcome neighbors, he really wasn't sure what he would've done if he had actually seen anything potentially dangerous. Galeforce was evidently just out stretching his legs, but before Badgermoon could suggest that they head out across the moor together, a little group of apprentices formed around them. First Icepaw, the blue-eyed tunneler-in-training, who stared up at him with eyes that felt beseeching, somehow. "Yes, I was." he meowed in reply, giving a smile that he hoped was casual but genuine. "But there's nothing much to see today, thank StarClan."

Another apprentice arrived shortly after, this time Snailpaw - another familiar face, he was happy to realize. Badgermoon chuckled at the young tabby's incredulity and tilted his head thoughtfully. He supposed it was rather strange they'd never tried to investigate the moors beside them, particularly with all of the cats living here - but then again, Twolegs were simply strange. They were hardly logical creatures. "I wouldn't put it past them to miss us." he said finally, snorting slightly. "Really - they're powerful, yes, but they're also not very bright. I mean, have you seen the way they blunder around? The noise they make? They couldn't catch a rabbit if it lay down in front of them." he reached out a paw and tried to pat Snailpaw's shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about 'em, anyways. Not today." it seemed all quiet on the hairless beast front.

Firepaw was the last arrival and he nodded in agreement - Twolegs were mousebrained, though Snailpaw wasn't, not in his opinion. "Play nice, please." the big tom said, though his tone clearly lacked any ire. "No, no, I don't think they saw any of us. But let's get away from the Horseplace while we can, eh? I'm ready to get away from all of their nonsense, anyways."​

 

[Galeforce]

↞ RACE THE WINDS

"Hrm... it's weird how twolegs and those big beasts seem to co-exist..." It was honestly a marvel when one paused to think about it. Though he supposed that was why kittypets existed. Did the twolegs have some sort of magical ability to woo other animals? Cats, dogs, horses... what else could they bend to their will?

Before he knew it there was a swathe of apprentices around them. Galeforce was honestly impressed that they had all found Badgermoon and himself under the gorse, though he supposed WindClanners were bred and trained for their tracking skills. "As long as we don't give the twolegs a reason to come sniffing round then we should be fine. It's a bit of a balance, one that we must respect." That's how he viewed it, and why all in all they had to remain wary of the horseplace. But his mind couldn't help but creep back to memories of the dog... the twolegs are the least of our concern.

"We should head back out onto the open moor and hunt. At the very least we can make ourselves useful by bringing back food for the clan." Galeforce was in agreement with Badgermoon that they shouldn't linger there any longer lest they actually risked being seen. "Put your concerns to bed, there's nothing to worry about right now."
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[SNAILSTRIDE]

They felt a paw on their shoulder, feeling a wave of guilt rush through them at the realisation that others took their question as a sign that he was worried about the Twolegs themselves. A peal of nervous laughter escaped him at the comments, the marble tabby feeling themselves diving deeper and deeper into a lie. It didn't feel nice, it felt selfish and wrong, but considering the strictness of his group, he would learn to forgive himself for the sake of self-preservation. They did a double-take at Firepaw's comment, looking wounded for all but two seconds before an accusation came from the charcoal feline. Ah, whoops. Sensing the hostility, Snailpaw decided it was for the best that he didn't admit that he'd taken food from them once, or had allowed them to put a green ribbon around his neck (something that had conveniently gone missing before he returned to camp). They spluttered out denials for a few seconds before they could collect their thoughts, their voice raised slightly in pitch. "Of course not! And even if they did somehow see me, they never followed me! I wouldn't put WindClan at risk, not on purpose at least!". They stuck their tongue out mischievously at Firepaw, until a comment from Badgermoon brought the tabby back to normal.

They looked towards Galeforce, resisting the urge to groan at the sudden predicament they found themselves in. They'd come to the Horseplace to avoid training, not get more of it! At least hunting wasn't too bad for the workshy apprentice, if he collapsed while chasing a bunny, he didn't risk being clawed to death at least... unless it was a particularly nasty rabbit. Snailpaw put on a brave face and shuffled a short distance away, their smile strained with remnants of worry. "I'll come along then, I guess." They weren't enthused, but they weren't going to run away either - there was no safe place in the territory left for them. "Let's hope the rabbits are slow enough for Firepaw to catch up with them today!" He cast a side-eyed glance at his one-sided friend, smirking competitively. They weren't sure if they wanted to compete with the former tunneler apprentice or get her so worked up that she'd do all the hunting for him, nor did they know what was more likely, but they felt the jab was a warranted bit of revenge all the same.






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