camp TO THE BEAT OF YOUR HEART \ patrols 3.8.25

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

RACCOONSTRIPE

HE / HIM ◆ THUNDERCLAN LEAD WARRIOR

Raccoonstripe had slept little the night before, and his nerves are frayed as he trudges toward the base of the Highrock. He would normally relish the opportunity to take over Roeflame's duties for a day—hearing she is in bed, sick with a bellyache, would normally bring him satisfaction seeped in ambition—but he moves gracelessly, his still-healing throat wound throbbing faintly. The tabby's single eye is dull with exhaustion and pain, with troubled thoughts of what could have been, but he does his duty. Always, he does his duty.

"ThunderClan. Gather to hear the day's patrol assignments." He squares his shoulders, eye flicking from cat to cat as they make their way to the forefront. He flicks the shredded ear, his tone solemn as he begins to issue tasks.

He finds a whispery pale figure, sunred eyes causing him to shift under her gaze. He does not trust her still—and if anything, this assignment is a test, as opposed to anything congratulatory. "Thundergleam. You will take Houndshade and Ivorydawn along the RiverClan border this morning." He peers at the white-furred warrior, a frown etched across his muzzle. "Flamestar does not want us to attempt to reclaim that territory, but do not let them forget our strength. Mark well and do not exhibit any weakness."

Raccoonstripe wastes little time. He finds two young warriors and mews, "Glowingsun. Stagsnarl. Gentlestorm and Hopepaw have need of you today. They wish to take advantage of newleaf. I expect you to make yourselves useful to them." He tips a nod to the medicine cat and his apprentice, lurking just outside their den to listen to the day's patrols.

He shifts his gaze to another young warrior. She rather thinks she knows it all... Raccoonstripe resists a smirk. Let's let her prove it, then. "Dwindlingmoth. You are to take Shroudedbeam and Littlebird along WindClan's border this morning." He gives the she-cat in charge a stern look. "Do not instigate any trouble with WindClan. We still need them to occupy Fourtrees."

With that, he dismisses her, finding another cat in the crowd, a tabby with a scarred chest. He stares at her openly, challengingly. If she had any sense, she'd balk under his glare... but Raccoonstripe does not reprimand her. Not again. He mews, "Stormywing. You are so desperate for a chance to prove yourself... do so today. Lead the evening patrol along SkyClan. Take Toadhop and Orangeheart." He studies the gray she-cat before adding: "Twitchstar has made it clear he is not our ally. Keep an eye out for any SkyClan scent where it shouldn't be."

He flicks his gaze to a dusty cream tabby next and nods toward him. Flamestar's son, trustworthy and hardworking; he would be a good choice to represent ThunderClan on ShadowClan's border. "Falconheart, take Crowsmile and Merlinpath to ShadowClan. They likely won't pull anything, but he prepared for plenty of hurt pride and stinging remarks. It's the least they can do." He almost smiles—almost.

The tabby clears his throat. "Dayfern. Roaringsun. I want each of you to lead a hunting patrol into the forest today. We need to stock up. We have a full nursery once more." He finds first the pale tortoiseshell, and then the newest lead warrior, shining in his sungold fur. Both, in their own way, are as desperate to prove their worth as Stormywing... he will be watching their progress, too. "Take who you like. Just make sure you bring back plenty of prey."

Finally, Raccoonstripe locates his final patrol lead. "Flurryjump! It's been brought to my attention that our climbing skills are rusty. That won't do... not with SkyClan showing their strength at our borders. Find any idle paws and work on practicing." He dips his head to the warrior before sighing.

He wishes he were well-enough to lead a patrol of his own... but even he can admit he is not fit for duty yet. Once he ensures the Clan has organized to his liking, he will be crawling back into his nest, a poultice smeared once more across his throat.

"That's it, then. Dismissed."

ooc:

Dawn patrol to RiverClan: @THUNDERGLEAM (lead) @Houndshade @ivorydawn
Herb patrol: @GENTLESTORM (lead) @HOPEPAW @Glowingsun. @STAGSNARL.
Dawn patrol to WindClan: @Dwindlingmoth (lead) @shroudedbeam @LITTLEBIRD
Dusk patrol to SkyClan: @STORMYWING (lead) @TOADHOP @ORANGEHEART.
Dusk patrol to ShadowClan: @FALCONHEART (lead) @Crowsmile @MERLINPATH
Hunting patrol lead: @Dayfern (optional prompt: Your patrol lead gets stuck in the new overgrowth and can't free herself! Does the rest of the patrol stop to help her, or do they continue hunting to feed the Clan?)
Hunting patrol leader: @ROARINGSUN (optional prompt: Your patrol encounters a dead fox who has recently kitted, and her cubs are still alive... what do you do with them, if anything?)
Training session lead: @Flurryjump (gather the cats fit for duty who are not going on patrol and practice your climbing lessons!)

accordion

Raccoonstripe is a lead warrior of ThunderClan. He has thick, silken black tabby fur interrupted by a stark white chin, chest, and belly. One ear is ripped to shreds; the paired eye is missing and scarred over. The other eye blazes golden-brown in direct sunlight. Two near-vertical scars slash across a milky chest. One forepaw is ivory; the rest are dark.

Gray Wolf x Howlingstar / sibling to Hollow Tree, Little Wolf, Cobwebtail, Lily Pad, Graystorm, Jackdawflight, and Berryheart / mate to Nightbird / father to Bayingpaw, Twilightpaw, Tigerpaw, Stormpaw, and Berrypaw
mentored by none / previously mentored Wildheart, Moonwhisper, Scarletdust / mentoring Stormpaw
50 moons old as of 02/05/2025

penned by Marquette

 

[Meadowfur]

Meadowfur sat near the edge of the gathered warriors, ears twitching as Raccoonstripe gave out the day's assignments. She respected her uncle—he was a sharp, experienced warrior, and she wouldn't question his decisions—but that didn't mean she had to be thrilled about them. Border patrols, hunting patrols, even climbing practice—yet she wasn't assigned to anything specific. Hunting wasn't a bad way to spend the day she supposed, but it would've been nice to be given something with a little more weight. Like a patrol to RiverClan.

With a sigh, she pushed herself to her paws and scanned the clearing, quickly spotting Roaringsun among the dispersing warriors. She padded over, falling into step beside him. "Roaringsun, hey!" she meowed, flicking her tail, "you're leading a hunting patrol, right? Mind if I tag along?" She kept her tone easy, but there was no mistaking the drive behind it. "I'd rather be out doing something than wasting the whole day in camp." Her whiskers twitched with dry amusement. "And since I wasn't put on border patrol, I guess that means I have the time." She tilted her head slightly, watching his expression. "Unless you've already got too many paws?" She wasn't about to be left standing around all day and she most certainly wasn't going to be caught dead scrabbling up trees like a squirrel.

( ❀༉ ) there's love in the lightning ₊˚༉‧₊˚

• 
  
  
• 
  MEADOWFUR THUNDERCLAN WARRIOR ; SHE / HER
  LIGHTSTRIKE X MOONWHISPER SISTER TO SCARLETDUST & MOTTLEDMOON ; MENTORED BY PALEFIRE
  

  A large fluffy red tabby warrior with a white chest, stomach, tail, muzzle and stripe running along her back. Her eyes are a deep, forest, green and in her pelt one can usually find flowers woven

  ✦ medium difficulty in battle
  

 

[THUNDERGLEAM]

Never had she been offered to lead a patrol— only to attend them. To find out it was Raccoonstripe bestowing that honour upon her, despite how clear he often made his distrust of her... it was confusing, to say the very least. Pale eyes settled unmoving upon him, attempting to parse the depths of his singular eye, to find some sense of his intention. A slice, to force a window into the soul... it was no use. In the face of his frown, she adopted a smile— yes, the brightening of her gaze. This was a good thing, no matter its genesis. "Of course."

Another shock, merely because of the mouth that gave the order, struck in the assignment of Stormywing to SkyClan's border. A grin lit her face, a look more luminous than had been offered to her own assignment. With a purr, she murmured, "I shall wait with prey for when you return." The night-and-day of their duties would mean they should hardly see each other today... but there was no better reason, truly. ​

penned by pin ☾​

 

[FALCONHEART]

𓍊𓋼 When the clan's deputy falls ill, it's then up to one of the lead warriors to take over her duties for the day—and today, it seems that Raccoonstripe has taken the burden of assigning the day's patrols. To be fair, it likely isn't much of a burden for the son of Howlingstar, who had once served as pseudo-deputy of the clan while Flamestar had been relegated to the nursery. It seems so long ago now, his younger siblings all named warriors, but he wonders whether the dark-striped tom misses his duties. His responsibility. His authority. The idea of being responsible for anything of such a scale turns Falconheart's stomach, even the thought of being a lead warrior makes him feel a bit queasy, but Raccoonstripe must feel right at home in the position. The one-eyed lead warrior is like that—ambitious and tough and experienced. He looks from one cat to the next as he assigns patrols with ease, and Falconheart is somewhat surprised when he's ordered to lead a patrol to the ShadowClan border. There comes a warning about hostilities coming not in the form of claws but in words, and Falconheart nods to the lead warrior. "I'm not worried about their insults," he says, a smile falling carefully across his muzzle. He's faced worse than a few harsh words from ShadowClan—he's faced down certain death and still managed to survive. Warriors from another clan don't scare him. Besides, the cream tabby has little pride to be wounded by nettle-thorn remarks from across the border. "We'll meet up at the Highrock just before dusk," he states if he manages to catch either Crowsmile or Merlinpath's gaze. Both are younger than himself, but in their own way each of them seems more intimidating than he.

heaven knows 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 how hard i’ve tried

• ooc: —
• 
• FALCONHEART ❯❯ he/him, thunderclan warrior
  ⭃ shorter than average cream tabby with white spotting. seems gloomy and has few friends, but is a hard worker and never neglects his duties.
  ⭃ son of flamestar and flycatcher ; brother to stormfeather, ravenblaze, bugchaser, sunbird, squirrelsong, sparrowpaw
  ⭃ mentoring no one
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted
  ⭃ penned by foxlore

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