pafp TRAITOR, TRAITOR // thunderclanners reveal ze crimes

[HOWLINGSTAR]

// Please wait for @CHILLEDSTAR. before posting
also lead tag @RACCOONSTRIPE
Sorry y'all grandma has HAD IT!


She doesn't know how long she spent in the medicine den trying to convince Sunnyday to come home, but all of the time went wasted. He made it clear he had no intention of returning to his clan. By then, anger had begun to surface. This is it, the songbird that broke the branch. Mistake after mistake, chance after chance, it's all been wasted. Because he doesn't want to do it anymore. "So that's it then? After everything, every chance for redemption you were given, you will run away from your mistakes," She had said to him. If that is the case, then he is right - he is no ThunderClanner. ThunderClanners are not cowards. "Very well. You are no ThunderClanner. You are a deserter. I am done hiding your crime from the rest of the clans. I'm done."

She storms out of the medicine den, her son in tow. Her tail is lashing, jaw tightened, ears pinned to her skull. She stalks out several paces before halting and whirling around to face ShadowClan's own leader who has followed her out. "What will be done with him, then?" She asks, having to force some amount of calmness into her voice as she addresses them. Her narrowed eyes flick to the medicine den's entrance before returning to Chilledstar's face. She silently begs them to listen to the words of the apprentices in the den, of the medicine cat. She has tried to give him grace for all he has done, but if above all he is a traitor to his clan, after they proved their loyalty to him by chasing out the one who wronged him, then she wants him out of the forest for good.​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

DON'T YOU GIVE ME UP, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP​

---

they don't know the answer to that. sunnyday had been so insistent that what happened was an accident. that he didn't mean to hurt anyone, he just took it too far and that he got help immediately. he said he was remorseful but... how much of that was true? they can still hear sabletuft's whispers and they're a little agitated by it. they don't want to deal with this, at all. with a roll of their eyes, they face the other leader with a shrug.

"i do not know. why have you casted him fully from thunderclan? i have a feeling he isn't telling us everything. he said he had some issues, even accidently hurting his own apprentice in training gone wrong. i don't like it but he seemed a bit hysterical, even if he sounded more annoying than a sniveling kitten. I'd like to know more. what has he done?"

they're still on the fence. not fully convinced he's great, but not convinced he should be casted away either. this could go either way. all that it depended on was what howlingstar said. they could hear the disapproval from their medicine cats but... was that enough? it certainly pushed their direction but howling was the final nail. they wondered which way it would hammer.
​

 

[Magpiepaw]

He followed because of course he did. Magpiepaw was curious, if anything, to what would happen now and he was more than willing to make clear his opinion on it if it came down to such. The black and white tom stands there idly for a moment, listening as his leader speaks up at last and...
The apprentice turned, slowly and incredulously to Chilledstar's question. 'Why have you casted him out?' As if they had not just witnessed the entire tantrum and ongoing struggle the black tabby had with attempting to convince the cream tom to return. "...he cast himself out from the sound of it." He chirped, amused at his own little joke but quickly settling back into a somber demeanor as he sat down to listen in to whatever Howlingstar had to say. Apparently, being kicked from your clan meant they would go around and tell all your secrets which was quite humorous if he thought about it. What would ShadowClan tell of him if he were ever exiled? That time he snuck an extra frog off the pile? When he fell from that tree? Magpiepaw didn't think he had any particularly heinous crimes to denounce, but what was it that Sunnyday have that he was hiding?
​

 

[honeymoon]

sweet like honey
———— ( ☀ ) ————

Oh, yes yes yes! Honeypaw could barely contain her excitement - this was exactly what she had wanted! To learn the gritty details! She wouldn't have to pester Chilledstar in their unsettling glory or try to catch Magpiepaw outside of his duties. The small molly followed swiftly between the Medicine Cat apprentice, shadowing behind Howlingstar as the grand Leader of ThunderClan voiced her frustrations for all of ShadowClan's camp to hear. You are no ThunderClanner. Ouch. Honeypaw had her suspicions on what was going on in ThunderClan to make Sunnyday quake the way he did in Howlingstar's presence, but to be cast aside so quickly for his kitten fit... Honeypaw was glad she had Chilledstar watching over her instead. Even if they were a bit... well, cold. What they said in response to Howlingstar, however, was the opposite of cold. Honeypaw leaned over to Magpiepaw to whisper in his ear, "they're not seriously thinking about letting him stay, right?" Honeypaw wasn't even entirely sure of the (ex)ThunderClanner's crimes, but they must've been quite dire to land him in such hot water across the whole board. Why would Chilledstar allow him to stay when he was so clearly unwelcomed? It wasn't their job to kitsit crybabies. ESPECIALLY not ones that'd already been kicked out for something! What if he did... the mysterious crime... again! Oh StarClan, she wanted to know what happened so badly.

​

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

Her tail continues to lash with fury as she glances back towards the medicine den, watching as Magpiepaw and the other apprentice trail out after them. Anyone who is familiar with the gentle leader would be able to tell she is fed up; finally, after seasons of dealing with him, her patience has run out and her temper has been poked. She turns fern eyes back on Chilledstar and grits her teeth. She hopes they know she isn’t angry at them, but at the situation. Howlingstar has had enough.

“Training gone wrong? Is that what he told you?” The tabby repeats incredulously, eyes widening slightly. She shouldn’t be surprised - of course Sunnyday would twist the narrative to make himself appear more innocent. A scoff leaves the angry leader as she shakes her head in disbelief. “Do you want to know what really happened? Sunnyday refused to fight with his clan for Sunningrocks. He would’ve rather we starved than stake claim to territory that should’ve been ours. You may agree or disagree with my decision to dispute the territory, but the point still stands - he was a warrior that refused to fight for his clan. His apprentices, they were always loyal, and they wanted to fight - others their age fought honorably - but he wouldn’t let them because he didn’t agree with it. They grew angry with him, because they didn’t like that he forced his beliefs onto them when it came to fighting for their clan. So he taught them a lesson, tried to prove to them they couldn’t fight, and in this lesson he maimed one of them. She spent over a moon in Berryheart’s den recovering because he ripped her leg right out of its socket!” She is furious, kneading the ground as she recalls the event, how scared Sandpaw had been of him for so long after that. “Others wanted me to exile him, and seeing how easily he would lie here in your camp and desert his clan, I now know I should have. He’s a warrior who brings strangers into camp where the young and old are without thought, who disrespects his clan’s authority time and time again, who acts on his whims and beliefs instead of for the best interest of his clan. He has done nothing but be a thorn in my side for seasons.”

Her jaw tenses as eyes narrow further. She is done with him. Done with the growls thrown in her face, the claws sliding down belly fur that mock her near-death, the snark given so often, the inability to accept his mistakes with grace. “I shouldn’t have given him so many chances when he has shown me time and time again the kind of cat he is,” Howlingstar finally states, calmer as she forces her breathing to level out. “His final crime as a warrior is deserting the clan he swore loyalty to. If you’re thinking of making the same mistake I had, and giving him another chance, trust me when I say: don’t.”

She prays they listen. She can see the thoughtfulness in their icy gaze, and has the crawling suspicion they were considering letting the pathetic excuse for a tom stay here. Why would they ask for more details if they weren’t? All she can hope, then, is that her explanation is enough to deter them from making that decision. In one last ditch effort, she mews, “I’d like us to have peace, Chilledstar. This marsh was my home for many seasons; I raised my family here. I don’t want us to be enemies. But if a traitor to ThunderClan is allowed to stay here…that isn’t something I can expect myself or my clan to take in good faith.” Finally, she falls silent, staring at them as she waits for their decision. Would they choose Sunnyday, or would they choose Howlingstar’s offer of peace, perhaps even friendship one day. She isn’t a leader that has ever wanted enemies or tension. Neutrality is what she strives for, but she wouldn’t be able to overlook nor forget whatever Chilledstar decides.

// WOOF SORRY ITS SO LONG I didn’t expect her to ramble this much - she angy​

 

[clearheart]

━━ι═══════﹥ It is not Clearheart's place to make such weighty decisions– in truth, he feels quite untoward for listening to the two leaders' discussion, but he reasons that if this were intended for privacy, they could have chosen a different venue. Perhaps they wish to allow the rest of the clan insight, or perhaps Howlingstar is displeased with her warrior's abject refusal to return and aims to...clear ThunderClan's name, so to speak, from whatever assumptions were drawn by Sunnyday's stark terror at the thought of leaving with his clanmates. Clearheart has empathy for such an honest panic; while it is certainly true he has a responsibility to ThunderClan, he should not be dragged across the border in fear of his life.

However, as Howlingstar begins to detail the truth of his arrival in ShadowClan and all that came before, Clearheart's features darken. If Sunnyday truly felt it was not his place to participate in the claiming of territory, it was not his place to impart that decision forcibly upon others— that is merely a reenactment of the dispute he supposedly disdained. Further, to intentionally harm those entrusted to him, those who rely on his guidance and example, is disturbing. If Clearheart ever harmed Dragonflypaw, he knows Honeyjaw would enact swift justice.

He glances at the nearby apprentices, and the shadow across his face deepens.

"Chilledstar, if I may," he begins after a moment, seeking their silhouette with his somber gaze. "An injured warrior fearful of recompense would benefit greatly from misrepresenting himself, but there is no cause to question Howlingstar's word. Her rule is not infamous for exile as Sootstar's is."​

══════⊹⊱≼ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ / ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ ʜᴀɴɢꜱ ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴄᴇɴꜱᴇ / ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ≽⊰⊹══════

• — CLEARHEART / / 40 moons old / / amab and uses masculine pronouns but will also accept the use of neutral terms.
  — a warrior of shadowclan / / currently mentoring dragonflypaw / / excels greatly in combat above most all other skills.
  — former loner who wandered great distances & rarely remained in one place for long / / arrived after the great battle.
  — devoted to starclan above all else (aside from his idea of the common good) / / not prone to enter battle mindlessly.
  
  — of a height slightly above average / / trim and athletic with a sense of immovability about his posture/stance & size.
  — chocolate sepia w/ low white / / fur is quite short for the most part / / tail is naturally bobbed // full-body reference.
  — fairly warm demeanor much of the time; there is a "softness" about his features so that neutrality doesn't seem surly.
  
  — lawful good, in the sense that he likes to maintain order and work toward bettering lives around him without cruelty.
  — often misunderstands figures of speech and may interpret them literally. as such, can seem to lack a sense of humor.
  — deeply genuine; dislikes lying immensely, and so (most of the time) he is wholly earnest, especially with compliments.
  
•  
•  

​

​

​

 

[Kestrelshade]

Had it have been known that there would be ThunderClanners invited to the camp, Kestrelshade would have stayed out hunting longer. He knew, of course, that there was a possibility of them coming to try to pick up their stray, but he had hoped that it would simply be that he would be healed as quickly as possible without causing more harm, and then sent his way with a small patrol to the border, saying their goodbyes and being done with him. Now it seemed as though there was going to be drama, and although he enjoyed listening to it at times - especially when it was the other clans instead of his own. Walking into the camp, he almost turned right back around, but instead set down the prey he had caught before sitting off to the side.

For now, there were no words to be spoken, simply watching and listening to the story of what Sunnyday had supposedly done, and he found his head nodding in agreement with Clearheart. He was biased, sure, didn't want a ThunderClanner finding that he could simply join ShadowClan because he wanted to all because he was already within the camp, but also wanted to see this done as quickly as possible.

↳˗ ˏˋreferenceˊˎ ˗ ↴

• [[ooc]]
• 
• ● he/him || 36 moons || ages on the 20th || shadowclan warrior
  ● loyal to shadowclan || bisexual || not currently in a relationship
  
  strength ●●●●●●●●○○
  stamina ●●●●●●●○○○
  agility ●●●●●○○○○○
  hunting ●●○○○○○○○○
  swimming ○○○○○○○○○○
  climbing ●○○○○○○○○○
  grace ●●●●●●●●●●

​

 

[Garlicheart]

Garlicpaw was incredibly curious about this whole thing, but stayed back enough to stay out of the way. She didn't understand what was going on exactly. She knew a thunderclanner had been brought back to camp because he had been hit by a monster... What kind of monster? Were the bears back? They couldn't be. They better not be. She sits with her clanmates as Howlingstar leaves the medicine den angrily, and she turns her ears forward to listen.

Howlingstar lays Sunnyday's crimes bare, and her mind is stuck on one particular part. The part where he popped an apprentices leg out of its socket. What does that mean??? Can legs just pop off???? Holy shit.

So she whispers to whoever is beside her. "Legs can just pop off??? Can you put them back on??? What is a socket???"

This is mind blowing information. If legs can pop off...Can heads pop off??? He ripped a leg out of its socket..... Her mind is full of images of a cat with three legs with Sunnyday holding one of them. It's not very vivid mental imagery, but she sure is trying to make sense of this newfound knowledge.​

 

[S A B L E T U F T]

can we leave it behind? — Howlingstar ranted and raved on about these atrocities Sunnyday had committed within her Clan. His expression remained stone as she retold it all; information he had already known. He wasn't unaware of how Sunnyday's loyalty came into question from his Clan. Opportunity had to be taken at every chance, survival relied even on the Clans weakest link, they could not risk starvation. If it had been one of his own warriors they all may have reacted the very same. Suspicions raised, intentions questioned, but Sabletuft would never admit why he could overlook it, maybe not even to Sunnyday himself.

Burning amber flitted between the faces of his Clanmates, hearing their words. Their protests. The rear of the ThunderClan leader rang, and Sabletuft did nothing to hide a condescending chuckle.

"You're right, the marsh was your home. Then you chose to leave it behind, your history here is hardly even an echo." His sights rest on Chilledstar. "Do you hear her? Speaking like we owe her just for living here once upon a time while we remained loyal. Threatening us in our own camp if we don't take her handouts."

Sabletuft tore away to gesture toward the beaten warrior in their medicine cat's den.

"And we're supposed to believe after all these acts, you would be so absurd to actually keep a cat like that within your Clan? You have him in there thinking he's going to be poisoned, saying your Clan won. What were you all doing to him over there, really? What else was going on before one of them tried to finally push the limit? That he'd take his chances in enemy lands instead of going back?" He insisted with every inflection, that their sudden visitor was not the villain she was trying to paint.

He flicked his tail toward Clearheart, quick to counter. "She gave him the option to go back, that whats happened has been dealt with, and he's still petrified. He already told Chilledstar what he did to that apprentice, he's not hiding a single thing. Clearly," At last his narrowed eyes planted firmly on the black tabby. "Howlingstar doesn't understand her Clans taken things far beyond repair. And why waste the gift of a seasoned warrior for our own?" — tags​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

DON'T YOU GIVE ME UP, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP​

---

the listen to the words from everyone, and their face remains as it almost always does. emotionless. unreadable. they twitch their ears are sabletuft is the only one to defend the cat's honor, and they wonder why. clearheart was right. howlingstar has no reason to lie. traveled so far, to lie? seemed like a waste. and seeing as sunnyday did not tell the entire truth of the situation, painting himself to be in such a light that was just a worried mentor, but... chilledstar had a very serious rule about that. apprentices were not punching bags. they did not to need to be taught lessons so roughly. they needed not be hurt during a training session at all. their nose crinkles before they finally speak.

"seasoned warrior? one who cries and and wails like a lost twoleg kit? what benefit does that do for us? that is simply yet another mouth to feed. he can barely stand right now, let alone hunt or fight. he is of no use to me. and... I do not tolerate hurting apprentices. you know this."

they lash their tail.

"and i hate disrespect and disloyalty. his near death may have driven him to shelter here, but thunderclan was supposed to be his home. he could have made amends. howlingstar is nice enough to give him chances, and yet he never did."

they would have given him a chance but it doesn't benefit them. not at the cost of a possible neutrality with thunderclan, especially with leafbare fast approaching. they cannot risk it all for one cat.

"he can stay until he is healed. after, he must leave. he is not a shadowclanner. nor is he a thunderclanner. perhaps with time he can prove to be of use, but until then, i do not accept him into my ranks. if he wishes to be protected, then perhaps he should hold up in the carrionplace. surely the rats will accept him as one of their own."

they dip their head to howlingstar, and raccoonstripe.

"i will lead you to the border."

they were done with the conversation. they doubted there would be much fuss besides from sabletuft who seemed to want the former warrior to stay. they don't think they will truly ever understand why.

//out !
​

 

[smogstar]

There ought to be a hidden allure to the swamps responsible for its host of uninvited guests. Prior moons have seen leader-killing rogues and flesh-starved bears sticking their noses into ShadowClan territory, and heavens know the headaches they've caused. It isn't readily apparent what's drawing them in. The lands are nigh on stripped of prey and the locals are known to leave a nasty taste in the mouth. Whatever this attracting force is, though, its latest yield has swiftly established itself as the talk of the clan: a ThunderClan runaway by the name of Sunnyday.

Smogmaw remained distanced from the bulk of it all. From what he has heard and seen, though, he's come to hold a position similar to that of his leader. ShadowClan's scantly-supported niceties with ThunderClan weren't worth signing away in the name of some renegade. Had the two clans stood upon shakier ground, then there might have been some wiggle room in determining poor Sunnyday's fate. Such an elementary understanding of clan politics appears to elude Sabletuft. The lead warrior wages a fierce battle not only against both leaderships, but his clanmates as well. Heavily-draped eyes roam in Clearheart's trajectory as his viewpoint is countered without any hesitation. Extraordinary.

"Only if you've been naughty," the ashen tom would remark in passing, tail-tip grazing along his daughter's bicoloured strands. In spite of his desire to tarry at Garlicpaw's side and turn the unfolding scene into a learning moment for her, he presses onward. The conclusion of one matter oft opened the gates to another, and the raw emotion tugging at Sabletuft's features ensured that this next one was worth nipping in the bud.

At first, Smogmaw confronts his old battle brother head-on. Paws plant themselves at an angle perpendicular to the older tom, and a harsh clearing of the throat commands his focus. "Save your breath, Sabletuft," he tells him, more so as an order than all else. "Honour be damned, fighting tooth and claw for a fugitive leaves a poor impression of you. Just drop it." A rearward glance in the trajectory of Howlingstar tells him of how grave this affair was to her. It is foolish - nay, imbecilic - to call her judgement into question at this moment.

Eyes latch onto Sabletuft's once again, and he steps closer until his maw rests near the other's ear. "This matter isn't resolved 'til Sunnyday's all healed up," he says then in little more than a whisper, doing his damndest to keep this tidbit discreet. "If you want him to stay, you'd have to give us a good reason before then. But, you aren't doing that right now."

His old friend had proven unwilling to discuss his escapades which went on during every gathering. Fine. Should he wish to see the outcome he so desires, he stands to benefit from taking a more open approach—when Smogmaw's speaking with him, at the very least. ​

 

[hitch]

┌──═━┈━═──┐
────── R O S E M I R E ──────
└──═━┈━═──┘

Rosemire has kept his distance from the ThunderClan debacle. The medicine cat den seemed crowded enough when the stranger first arrived— in a manner of speaking. Still, it's difficult to hang back when Howlingstar and Chilledstar's discussion is right out in the open, audible and completely unavoidable. While he doesn't trust anyone whose name ends with StarClan's acknowledgment, he's hard-pressed to find a reason why Howlingstar would want to lie about her warrior, and she just looks all the more reasonable when Sabletuft opens his mouth. It's not something Rosemire had thought could happen, and he's surprised that it's Sabletuft speaking on behalf of this complete stranger, who's alleged to have put an apprentice in the medicine den.

He thought he favored rules and protocol and the like— that he favored ShadowClan, yet he's so vehemently willing to keep a warrior who sounds to have done more harm than good. Huh.

"I haven't gone to the Gathering in a while," he says casually, after Smogmaw's reprimanded him, though he does eye the way he whispers into his ear skeptically. Because that isn't suspicious in front of Chilledstar and Howlingstar. "I kind of miss sharing terrible jokes with a RiverClanner, but it is what it is. And maybe you've noticed I could make snow look warm— so I like to be out after dark, because the sun and I have a long-standing disagreement." He's sure they're wanting him to get to the point, and he is. Slowly. "I've seen a certain someone headed for the Thunderpath when the Gathering's near. More than once, I should say." He hadn't thought too much of it; what Sabletuft did was his business and Rosemire would rather lick a frog's mouth than worry about his nightly activities. "I thought Sabletuft was sniffing monster stench for entertainment, and that he likes to do it when some people're gone to enjoy glaring at other clans. Maybe that's still the case."

He shrugs, and his gaze slides sideways to the medicine den. "Or maybe there's something on the other side that's interesting enough to call Howlingstar a liar for. To uh, rant about with great passion."
​

​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Raccoonstripe sits beside Howlingstar with an expression that quickly morphs into one of outrage. Chilledstar’s version of the story is certainly an interesting one… he casts a cold, furious look to the medicine cat’s den they’d all just left, where Sunnyday sits hyperventilating in his nest still, no doubt. The tabby’s hackles are beginning to rise as his mother and leader recounts every traitorous thing the golden warrior had done while in ThunderClan, and not for the first time, he wonders why he’s been allowed to stay as long as he has.

ShadowClan murmurs around Chilledstar, their expressions varying—and then there’s Sabletuft. Raccoonstripe had grown up in the marshes under Briarstar’s rule, then just Briar. He’d respected the scarred older warrior for his prowess in battle, the ferocity he’d shown against the pine colony—but now, he only hears a sneaky ShadowClanner trying to spin Sunnyday into a victim. His fur bristles about his shoulders, hedgehog-like. “How dare you?” Raccoonstripe’s respect for Sabletuft withers away like bark curling away from open flame. “You want this gift, this gift who injures apprentices because he refused to fight for his Clan?”

He wants to say more, but Chilledstar speaks, silencing their warriors. Their verdict is to let Sunnyday heal in their camp and then chase him away once he’s mobile. Raccoonstripe glowers, wondering if ThunderClan can truly trust such a thing to happen when one of the lead warriors so outspokenly defended Sunnyday’s honor. Still, it’s out of their paws now.

“Let’s go,” he murmurs to Howlingstar, his paws prickling with frustration. “This has been a waste of ThunderClan’s time from the start.” They’d lost two warriors, and for what? For both of them to become useless rogues?

And then—then a pale, tall-legged warrior steps forward. Raccoonstripe recognizes him from his colony days as well—Rosemire. And his accusation—that Sabletuft has been going to ThunderClan’s border during Gatherings—has his jaw falling open. He spins, dark eyes blazing. “You must be joking—ShadowClan can’t keep their lead warriors away from our cats, can they?” His tail lashes behind him. “Is that really why you want Sunnyday here so bad that you’re willing to cast doubt on our leader’s words—is that why you crow so hard for an injured warrior from an enemy Clan to join your ranks?” He’s dumbfounded. Surely Sabletuft has more honor than that—more sense—unless Sunnyday had corrupted yet another cat to be as faithless as him.

✧ INFO.

•  
• 
  — raccoon . raccoonstripe
  — he/him ; lead warrior of thunderclan
  — heteroflexible ; single
  — long-haired black tabby with white and dark brown eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — chibi by Rai

​

 

[Magpiepaw]

Was Sabletuft visiting this ThunderClanner? Is that why he was fighting so aggressively for the tom to stay when he hardly showed much compassion for his own clanmates? Raccoonstripe seems angry and understandably so, he remembers hearing of the code Emberstar breathed into the world and broke in the same hushed gasp between dog teeth and a ShadowClan lover. This is why he couldn't stand romantic notions, they seemed to only get cats killed.
Magpiepaw doesn't care about whatever implications are being thrown out here, he is more curious as to why Chilledstar would let this cat into the carrionplace which is rightfully theres but maybe that was a joke he was misunderstanding. He'd never been very good at getting those jokes.
At the very least, he would not have to tolerate this stranger in the den for very long and sighs a breath of relief to the leader's final statement; he will be no ShadowClanner, his den will be unburdened soon. As Chilledstar stalks away to lead the ThunderClanners back to their border he rises to stand and teeters forward on uneven steps to give a dip of his head, "Please tell Berryheart and Lichenpaw I look forward to seeing them come the full moon." The black and white apprentice's tail stiffly twitches as he turns to go, "Safe travels and thank you for the herbs."
He would be going back to the den to put away the gifts that had been given to them and maybe sniff about them to determine their use before he is taught; surely he can gleen something if he is persistent enough.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[Ooc]
He is scooting back to the den unless prompted otherwise! Out!
​

 

[Needledrift]

Whatever Needledrift expected to come out of Howlingstar's mouth, it had not been that. He had maimed an apprentice?! The gray and white she-cat can feel her hackles rising at the mere thought, her mind supplanting the elusive ThunderClanner with Mothpaw's own scratched-up face. The very thought lit her up with a sort of fury usually only seen in protective mothers and leaders fighting off bears. She is ready to march back into the medicine cat den and show the golden stranger just what it is like to get a part of himself dislocated in retaliation when Sabletuft pipes up in defense of him.

Confusion is evident on her face. Why would Sabletuft care so much about some random almost-murdered ThunderClanner? The defense, the loyalty makes little sense and -

And then Rosemire speaks up and Raccoonstripe responds and Needledrift can hardly believe her ears. No. No. No, surely one of ShadowClan's best warriors, lead warriors, would not be caught canoodling with some apprentice-maiming - ahem - with a cat from another clan. Her green-eyed gaze is turned towards the black and white warrior, her misaligned face set into a grimace somewhere between disbelief and disgust. "It's not true." A statement with the intonation of a question, lobbied towards Sabletuft to confirm or deny. "Sabletuft is a honorable warrior, he respects the code..." Her tongue feels numb as it moves to make up for the positions her jaw cannot supply, but for once the numbness is not from overuse. The words feel wrong to leave her mouth in the wake of these accusations, in the wake of Sabletuft's own words and actions. She does not correct herself, but she falls silent before she can finish the thought. She imagines, again, the thought of the golden tom harming his apprentices as some form of punishment for not agreeing with him and her features twist into something much harder and colder than she ever likes herself to come across.

There was no defending that. There should be no defending that, and to hear Sabletuft attempt to glaze over such a crime... something inside Needledrift hardens against the lead warrior, a piece of flint that could strike a fury in her if she were not careful with her next words.

She chooses to stay silent instead. ​

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

She isn't surprised when ShadowClanners begin to flock around herself, her son, and Chilledstar. She did say it loudly for all to hear, after all. If she were less angry, perhaps she'd be more nervous to be surrounded by so many warriors and apprentices of a different clan, but she is remarkably fearless as her attention shifts to the same brown tom who had greeted her upon her arrival. He murmurs something to Chilledstar about how she has no reason to lie, but Sunnyday has every reason to do so. Her ears flick in agreement, her tail giving another lash. What else had Sunnyday been prepared to lie about if she hadn't come so quickly to bring him home?

But then another speaks, one of Chilledstar's own lead warriors. She listens to his rant with slit eyes, but when he calls into question the character of her clan her snout wrinkles with the beginnings of a snarl. Raccoonstripe voices her exact thoughts. How dare you? "He was allowed to stay because I'd hoped he'd fix his mistakes. I do not throw away my own clanmates like crowfood - he was still a ThunderClanner, and I had believed he could redeem himself. Clearly, I was wrong. But to accuse my clan of honorable warriors of doing whatever you're insinuating is blasphemous. We had one criminal who proved himself a danger to Sunnyday, and he's been exiled. That shows where my priorities lay." There is a challenge in her eyes as she stares down Sabletuft, fury sparking within them.

Not too long passes when Chilledstar makes their verdict, and Howlingstar shifts a respectful gaze towards them. She honestly hadn't known what they would decide to do, but they stand here now, speaking kindly of her, listening to her...it's a show of diplomacy, mutual respect, trust. Slowly, she bows her head towards them in acceptance and reverence for their decision. She wouldn't forget this. "I thank you for listening to me. It means more than you know," The tabby utters. Raccoonstripe whispers in her ear for them to leave and she nods, making a move to follow the ShadowClan leader out of camp.

However, she is halted as her son catches wind of what another warrior says. Her ears jerk backwards before her head turns to follow suit. Surprise is evident on her face. Are they accusing the two warriors of what she thinks they are...? She casts another dumbfounded look towards the medicine den. And on top of all of that...he is a code-breaker, too. For the first time since the accident, she feels relief, even the smallest bit of it. Thank goodness a tom like that is out of her clan. "Come on," She mews softly to her son, brushing her tail against his bristled shoulder. "This matter no longer involves a ThunderClanner." She eyes the warriors who stare at Sabletuft in disbelief, feeling sympathy for them. She has nothing left to lose today, but they have just found out their lead warrior has possibly broken the Warrior Code. She will leave them to it. Calming down, she turns to follow the other leader out of camp.​