camp WE ARE 138 ↷ [ PATROLS ]

[smogstar]

Playing catch-up isn't a glamorous image by any means.

One's looks are a subjective matter, though, and Smogmaw can at least derive consolation from what he has that other, superficially appealing clanmates lack: stoic rationalism, a stubborn devotion to the clan, and a sort of cynical magnetism. Ah, and broad shoulders as well. Not bad at all. If looks could kill, he's certain he could cut himself in two and slaughter a dog with each half**.

The gates to his vocal cords burst wide open from the bottom of clanrock, and his raised voice floods the swampy hollow like a torrential wave. "Patrols! Come 'ere!" Clanmates spring out of dens as though physically stung, while others who already sit in view tilt their ears towards the source. The deputy gives his tail an idle flick as he awaits the clan's collective focus to converge on his position. "Thank you," he says thankfully. "I've a good few patrols planned in mind, so do your utmost to listen. First off..."

Amber eyes squint a smidgeon, and his optical axis sifts subtly through the crowd. "There you are, @Frostbite" he acknowledges the lead warrior through a flat drawl. "You're staying up late tonight, as are the following names: @POPPYPAW, @FORESTSHADE, @Sweetpaw, and @BATCHASER. All of you are heading on a moonhigh patrol out ThunderClan ways. No need to be sneaky if any of 'em happen to be awake; it'd be good to let 'em know our eyes never stray."

"Next," he continues posthaste, turning towards his dear leader themselves. "@CHILLEDSTAR., kindly lead a patrol to WindClan's border. With you will be your apprentice, @APPLEPAW, alongside @SNIPE, @Skunktail, @Swanpaw, and @Briarpaw." Here's hoping the leader makes use of this expedition to provide clarity on WindClan's current attitude towards them. A change at the helm can bring about sudden shifts, but shedding old mindsets is a strenuous process.

His head pivots, owl-like. "I'm going to Carrionplace," the tom announces. "@ASHENPAW. @Hawk. @Maggotfur.. @THISTLESIGHT, @Mourningbloom, and @Garlicpaw. All of you will be coming with. Rats will be our priority, but we can find anything out there. So prepare for... anything, I suppose."

There's two more to dish out, and his throat is strained. He clears it with minimal grace. "Then, there'll be a hunting patrol. @lilacfur, do take @pipit !!, @CATERPILLARPAW., @BASILPAW, @Scorchedmoon, and @Swanpaw. Could have a feast if you catch a fair amount; there's a lot to be celebrate and be optimistic about." Changes in season, changes in neighbouring leaderships, et cetera, and so forth.

Knowing he's just about finished with these announcements elicits a gentle curl at the corner of his mouth. One would imagine that standing before and addressing crowds was intoxicating for someone who loved hearing his voice so much. Yet, for Smogmaw, it's equal parts tedious and terrifying. Flowing through the sea of eyes is an unending undercurrent of judgement, disdain, and suspicion. He can feel himself getting dragged through it in every pause to breathe. Among the duties administration necessitates, this is the one that grates on him the most.

"There's a special kind of patrol that needs doing." Brows flex, exposing the anxious sheen worn in his eyes. "Depending on who you ask, snowmelt is either beginning soon, or it's already in full swing. Be it one or the other, the territory's like a spiderweb of wet patches, dry clods, and areas that're little more than muddy death traps. @SHARPSHADOW-" greyish strands tighten around his muscles as he diverts lends his gaze to his former apprentice, "-you'll be leading a survey through the hardest-to-navigate parts of the territory. Parts that we rarely set paw in on usual days. Goal is to identify regions we need to avoid for safety's sake, as well as areas that'll be teeming with frogs 'n such come Newleaf. @Halfpaw, @LIVIDPAW, @JITTERBUG, @Willowburn, @YELLOWPAW, @scalejaw, and @FLINTPAW; all of you are with Sharpshadow. If, for any reason, something goes awry, come home immediately. Got that?"

Sending his apprentice-aged daughter off on a potentially dangerous operation makes his guts churn with something difficult to place, but he knows it isn't excitement. She's a perceptive sort, though, as are the others being strung along for the ride. There's no need to get prickle-pelted over it. "Alright. Make like a dragonfly, and buzz off."

// **(Whether reality aligns with those rose-tinted ideas is a different matter altogether.)​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

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

---

of all the patrols, their deputy decides to send them to fucking windclan. their teeth gritted at the thought and they find themself rolling their eyes in agitation. they had nothing to offer those cats. sunstride may have been nice enough to return smogmaw's little fletchlings, but that hardly meant anything as far as windclan was concerned. that clan had burnt so many bridges by following sootstar, and whether if it was fear, stupidity, and straight up blind loyalty that led them there, they did not care. windclan was untrustworthy. chilledstar tried to be neutral once, and everyone blamed them for the way that those mousebrains reacted and lashed out. whatever.

"fine. let's go. the sooner the better."

they hiss lowly with a lash of their tail. there would be no mending of any relationships today. not until windclan apologized and granitepelt was a good as dead.
​

 

[Willowburn]

THE GODS CAN KNEEL ⋆⁺₊⋆
"You're really sending us out on the filthiest job, aren't you?" Willowburn had to admit that he wasn't the most thrilled about the idea of surveying the territory. All that mud and murk... he could already picture it clagging up his beautiful fur and diminishing his elegance. The most he could hope for was for things to run as smoothly as they could so he could hurry home for a much deserved bathe. Shifting his focus towards that of Sharpshadow he then waited for the signal to head out.

- ⋆ -​

​

 

[SHARPSHADOW]

Initially, Sharpshadow assumes that there's nothing for him today. The potential day - off she could've had a few moons ago ( not that she would've taken it... Laziness being the deadliest sin is something instilled in her early ) is now more so a detriment. Cause that means she has less of an excuse for not knowing how to handle her newfound apprentice. There's a special kind of patrol that needs doing. Smogmaw's monotonous drawl rolls off her shoulders. It's a voice that she cant get away from, even now.

He perks when his name is called, though. It's called... first, even. You'll be leading a survey through the hardest-to-navigate parts of the territory. Sharpshadow angles a look at him that says: I will? He indeed would be, because it sounds like Smogmaw needed an expendable bunch of cats to drown for forever in mud, or something.

...Almost expendable. Sharpshadow is not willing to glance towards his apprentice, for it'd all to easily offer Halfpaw a chance to bother him. But maybe because of her presence, and hers alone, Sharpshadow could think of this as more than a glorified death trap. ...That still being said. The filthiest job, Willowburn put it pretty well. And... he got to lead the filthiest job.

He didn't really know how to feel about that. He was for sure the idiot, for feeling a bit... glad. If, for any reason, something goes awry, come home immediately. Got that?"

He'd probably stumble over his words, if he answers with them. A childish part of him he'd thought banished long ago nearly pipes up with a despairing, aye. captain, or something equally horrible. Absolutely not. His nod his curt, his expression unsure... but... he wanted this — his patrol, to be successful.

with myself i must play in this game of charades ( ♱ ) cause there's no one to speak to

• 
  
  

• 

• 
  SHARPSHADOW: he / she , no pref , dislikes gender neutral language ; fine with gendered terms ; 19 moons old as of 2.2.24
  

  dark smoke feline that stands at an above average height. Easily identifiable by her namesake – an unruly mat of fur, destined to be cluttered by inconsistencies between chimera halves. Burdened with a broken tail, often lying dead behind her in the dirt.

  Anxious, antisocial, paranoid. Sharpshadow has not known peace for a single time in his life, and lives anticipating inevitable dangers to the detriment of herself and others.
  heavy ic opinions! he's irrational and mean </3

​

 

[lilacfur]

A shining golden gaze rest on the deputy with anticipation for her patrols. She wondered if they would be set on a border with ThunderClan or WindClan or something more exciting for Pipit like checking for anything strange in carrionplace. Lilacfur looked to Caterpillarpaw first while Smogmaw listed off her Clanmates one by one with their duties, nudging the molly to get her attention. "What do you think we'll get up to?"

Lilacfur tilted her head up as Smogmaw called out her name and smiled proudly, realizing he was setting her as lead. "Good luck, Sharpshadow! Alright Caterpillarpaw, you go find Pipit and Basilpaw for me and I'll get the others alright?" Shouldn't be too hard of a task, those two were always hanging around together.​

[ i need the clouds to cover me ]​

 

[FORESTSHADE]

Forestshade meanders out of the warrior’s den, a long and loud yawn splitting her jaws. She lazily follows at the heels of a clanmate and sits as soon as she arrives before Smogmaw. She licks at a forepaw idly, pulling bits of dried mud from between her toes as her ears prick up to listen. She’s been placed on another ThunderClan border patrol - yippee. She’s happy to know it’s the Moonhigh one, though. No oak forest cat will be out at that time, so it should be quick before she can return to her nest.

She turns and begins to pad towards the apprentices’ den to let her two charges know they can sleep in, but not before sweeping past Sharpshadow. “Eugh, I’m jealous you get the fun one!” She remarks, brushing against her friend lightheartedly before continuing on her way. A scouting mission sounds way more interesting than some border patrol.​

 

[LIVIDSMOKE]

Lividpaw couldn't help but feel bemused by the task that had been given to him as he much rather had done something he believed to be more worth his time. However the deputy had spoken and he was not one to go against his deputy's order. Surely there could be something worthwhile learned from this as well. He would end up getting to explore parts of the territory he might never had set his paw in before. So he turned his attention to Sharpshadow, patiently waiting for them to head out to complete this task. The quicker they headed out the faster he could return back and do something more productive with his time beside exploring.




​

 

[THISTLESIGHT]

false hopes are more dangerous than fears .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

Standing still amongst the crowd of felines, whether their expressions displayed excitement or something else, Thistlesight observed with a slow swish of his tail. His ears angled forward, green hues gliding up at the call of his name, helm tilting in silent acknowledgment.

It had been a while since he hunted at the carrion place, skills better suited elsewhere, but still just as proficient. He rumbled, letting muscles pull and ripple beneath hefty fur, coarse yet smooth beneath someone’s caress, marred by battles beyond ShadowClan. A troubling reminder he must face during the chill of leafbare, but ancient injuries worth the lives that had been saved, if not for a short while.

He hummed, slipping back into the shadows of camp until Smogmaw called to collect their patrol, tail nothing but a wisp in the shade.​

​

thought speech​