private we lash out, like the sky ࿐࿔ trust

[lichenstar]

✦　˚ 　✧ ˚　.˚　✦ 　✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• She'd made sure that extra patrols were sent out, after the dissipation of the Twolegs as they trickled out of the territory. There were still fragments of them left behind, pieces of flimsy plastic along the shores, odd cords and broken strings left lying around, sometimes the occasional paw-print in the muddy shores that warned her clan there were still a few remaining, wandering... Finding safe places to hunt along the river was growing easier... but still, a nervous pit had formed in her stomach after so many cages snapped closed with her clan-mates inside. A fear said there were more of them... always more of them... and maybe next time they wouldn't be so lucky. They couldn't rely on kittypets to be brave... his had been an exception, so exceptions had been made.
  
  Otterbite had said this area was clear. In the vain hope of giving him some responsibility to humble him and make him feel like a piece of a larger puzzle, he'd been given this chore to lead and take care of (though not without experienced warriors to accompany him). Houndstride was quiet... but reliable, even in his grief. Not to mention, it gave an excuse for some of the more rowdy apprentices to burn some energy on a 'unique' mission they'd likely not experience again for many more seasons. A selfish part of her hoped StarClan witnessed their great triumph and would reward them with an easy new-leaf next cycle... though their intervention always seemed so useless as of late.
  
  Trailing along towards the sound of babbling creek, the lynx point glanced back at her apprentice, reaching down to fondly to her nose to the fluttering bird's ear, "Let's see... another big fish... hmm?" Her first catch had been nothing short of impressive, larger even than most warriors had the luck of grasping... and she was sure the lilac girl would love to show off to her brother how much she'd improved, how far she'd come. Seemed like the delay for her health had not been as big a detriment as previously thought...
  
  "Alright... go ahead..." she gestures to the river as it comes into view, "I'm going to... stand watch..." It was no secret that there were still enemies hidden in the shadows... it had come in the forms of so much violence and death. Petalnose and Aspenhaze are lost to them... and Beefang lives out her nights in the medicine cat's den, having failed to end the life of the one that had wounded her so.
  
  Drifting from the patrol as they mill about to find somewhere to begin their game of waiting, Lichenstar's tail hovers just over the surface of the water with a mindless enjoyment for the gentle splashing that kicks up to reach for it. Pale eyes drift to glance at the reflection in the water, listening carefully to the soft chatter behind... The face that stares back is familiar enough not to wince away from it. The gentle touches of several star-dusted cats feel warm where she remembers them... All she'd lost had come back... (Almost... all).... Maybe that would have to be a good enough victory for now. A groaning sound of distant trees and their quivering leaves sings like nostalgic lullaby, makes her paws itch to go sprint under the canopy looking for a bird to grab between her claws... A low growl of shifting reeds doesn't fully register as the RiverClan leader glances back fondly at her patrol. They are... safe.... and things can settle.
  
  When was the last time they'd been able to just.. be cats...? Bathe in sun-warmed shallows, share tongues in passive gossip, chase each other through flower fields? Greenleaf owed them that, she thinks... as hot air brushes against her ears. It's getting hotter faster... Had the sun become that relentless, that fast? Turning to face the gleaming light, there is only shadow.... and the growling from before feels less like the eager hum of summer- Pupils narrow to slits, staring down the gaping maw, lined with spittle-drenched teeth...
  
  "Of course..." comes out as barely more than a mutter before claws flash out to swipe at the tender flesh lining its lips. A frustrated whine answers her while she turns on her heels to race back towards the fishers along the shore, "Dog! Move!"
• about
  speech hex code ✧ #6368A5
  ooc notes ✦ watch your steps... friends...
  tagging ✶ @FOXTAIL @Cricketchirp @CICADAFLIGHT @Mothpaw @PEBBLEPAW @shellpaw
  penned by tieirlys
• ˚　　★⋆. ࿐࿔　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 .
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  　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　 ✦　　​

​

 

[CICADAFLIGHT]

Moonbeam and Beefang had taken turns gently discouraging and scolding him, respectively, over his working choices . . . and while he certainly appreciated his sister's concern, it had done little to deter him from his near - constant patrolling. The onslaught of additional patrols had nothing but his tacit approval, in light of recent tragedy, the reminders of which still studded their shores. He would follow Lichenstar to the place where the sun drowned—some mythical location Iciclefang had informed him of, and a legend certainly seemed an appropriate boundary for his devotion—for as long as she bore her fabled suffix. Even if for now, that was only as far as the nearest tract of sand cleared for hunting.

He has to lament his lack of an apprentice as he pads alongside his younger cousins; there's something subtle about the appeal of the smaller learning cats nearby, their wide - open eyes. Although he's probably not to be trusted with shaping the world for a cat so impressionable, a kitten dewy - fresh from the nursery, he can still dream. " Hopefully the fish will still be swimming well after all the disturbance lately, " he remarks in gravelly tones to whichever cousin's nearest, blinking at them with something close to benevolence.

Cicadaflight's quick to make tracks as their leader presses an affectionate nuzzle to Shellpaw's ear—his favored fishing techniques require he spend his time a sufficient distance from the others so not as to interfere with their own, anyways. The cool ripples are a pleasant embrace when he dives into them with such practice there's hardly a ripple, great white - marbled form plumbing the depths for a good catch. He knows many of his peers find his methodology unconventional, but it's more than yielding, and the slow - moving fish that prefer the bottom of the river are of such size that the time it takes to catch them is well worth it.

He's happy to break the surface with not just a gasp around his prey, but a good fattened carp pinioned between split - hued jaws. The tom clambers from the river dripping water, shaking himself briskly like a dog in a smooth practiced motion quickly honed by chilly leaf - bare days of fishing. Even when the river had been its coldest, he had preferred this method—Iciclefang had in no way neglected his standard fishing skills, of course, and he was more than capable of fishing that way when the water froze—there was just something appealing about it. The cold spill of water, his burning lungs.

Lichenstar's cry is just loud enough, him just close enough that his head, trailing droplets of water, sweeps alertly upright, shaggy ears pricking up. He moves on instinct, on one loud and ringing thought at the cry of Dog! and the slow lumber of the great shape dripping strings of spit: his cousins. Shellpaw and Pebblepaw, already down a sibling, should not, would not lose each other, nor he either of them, however little he expressed this desire. It's a wholly selfish thought, too, but he beelines for the younger two cats, nosing them forward if they haven't already started moving at the leader's cry, further if they have, his voice a rough bark, " Go, go! "

Cicadaflight places himself instinctively between the dog and the younger cats, glancing back at Lichenstar's racing form. He has to get the two of them out of the range of those snapping jaws.

" speech "

​

 

[Mothpaw]

”Oohh yeah! They should be back already, it's been a while since the twolegs left!” Mothpaw would cheerfully chirp towards Cicadaflight's statement, bright hazel eyes flicking toward the water edge. While others found themselves fishing in the water, the teenager was hesitant but tried her best to not show it. Her nerves tingled in her front legs as crouched by the water edge and observed for any fish coming by bright-eyed and bushy tailed. A brown and white paw darts forth towards a small fish, narrowly missing her catch as she puffs her cheeks out in a pout. I'll get the next one then! The apprentice encourages herself until a piercing cry causes her to flinch.

A rumbling frustrated whine wheeps from the canine and she seems frozen in the spot, remembering what happened to Robinheart but also remembering the friendly dog that 'attacked' Salmonshade with sloppy kisses. Was this a friendly dog or a mad dog? Mothpaw nervously glances between the group, attempting to usher Pebblepaw and Shellpaw away quickly. What does she do next, what do they do next? Ahh! It was too overstimulating for her inexperienced and smooth mind. Her mentor didn't teach her anything in the past couple of moons, and now she was really gonna get in trouble!

𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒂 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒆 .ᐟ ( 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 .ᐣ ) //

• ooc.
  
• MOTHPAW ⋆ she / her / hers
  ✶ sh chocolate and white mackerel tabby w/ hazel eyes
  ✶ 10 moons old; ages the 8th monthly
  ✶ bisexual biromantic; currently single
  ✶ currently mentoring none; mentored by NPC
  ✶ ”speech”, thoughts, attacking
  ✶ all opinions are in character only
  

​

 

[Cricketchirp]

⋆ ｡° ✩ 　As long as Cricketchirp keeps moving, they don't have to think. They tag along on the patrol with the ease of routine, dullinv the thrumming nerves that have never seemed to leave them lately. Their mind is carefully blank. Patrolling without their mentor should be a sign of prowess as a warrior, a sign on certainty and trust. It should not leave them with such a gaping, howling hole in their chest. They try not to pay it much mind.

Long, insect-like limbs march after Lichenstar. She still can't quite bear to think of the pointed cat as leader. (She's not, she shouldn't be, she is damned and undeserving, letting Smokestar perish in the river that loved him so.) Her maw is kept carefully clamped. She is controlled, in all aspects of her being. Standing next to his shambling, shady-eyed brother (bound and blinded by duty in much the same way) he is the picture of poise.

He does not Cicadaflight follow into the waters. He keeps to the shallows with Mothpaw, keeps a careful eye trained upon each of his patrolmates. A gaurd standing statue-stiff in protection.

He can hears the rumbling, but his mind is too full of static-hum to register. "Is that - Do you hear -" The words tumble out in a disorganized mutter, with no target nor proper recipient. The feline blinks at the tangle of reeds for a moment, and then -

Eyes widen at the sight of a snarling dog.

It all happens very fast. "Go! Now!" His voice is clipped, sharp. He repeats his brother's words, a broken record with wild and darting eyes. All the curls of her fur rise to stand on end. I can't lose anyone else. I can't lose anyone else. His brother's, his little cousins. A tail brushed along Cicadaflight's flank, urging him on. A somewhat gentle headbutt delivered to the nearest cousin to get them moving. There is frenzy to his skittering legs and he checks the cats of the patrol. Go, go, go. He does not run until he is certain that the others will too.

‎‎┌── LOOKING UP TO THE SKY ⋆｡°✩ FOR SOMETHING I MAY NEVER FIND ──┐‎

• 
  
• 
  
  

  "SPEECH"

• 
  CRICKETPAW ✩ he / she / they, apprentice of riverclan, eleven moons.
  ⭃ a wiry, curly-furred black smoke with clouded blue eyes.
  ⭃ intelligent, egotistical, and strange, with an eye always turned to the stars.
  ⭃ smokestar xx cicadastar, littermate to beepaw & cicadapaw
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by SATURNID ↛ saturnids on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

​

 

[lichenstar]

✦　˚ 　✧ ˚　.˚　✦ 　✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• A burning need crackles through every nerve as paws flit against the dampened dirt, hot with a fever of fear. It spreads, like a plague, leaping from the whites of her eyes to the pale ruff of Cicadaflight's dappled pelt as it stands on end and lunges towards his kin. It leaps from the dark shadows of his mottled figure to the mask of duty that lays painted in rigid strokes against the planes of Cricketchirp's face. It freezes in the claw-gripped toes that keeps Mothpaw firmly rooted in a stupefied stare- "I said move!" Teeth reach for the scruff of the apprentice's neck, thrusting her forward with the momentum that carries her as heavy breath creeps down her spine. The weight is a burden, it steals the energy of her movements and stifles the fluttering wings of a bird sent in panicked flight-
  
  Three warriors... to mirror the three, young lives they scramble to preserve. Nine virtues embedded into heaven-blessed soul.
  
  The brush becomes agonizingly loud as leaf litter scatters under their paw-steps, the way it drags under paralyzed feet that are forced out of the path of harm by those whose selflessness outweighs their instinct to survive. Or maybe it is selfishness, in some small way... to want to be the first to leave rather than last.
  
  The thought feels like wires wrapped around her legs- seizing her with an agony she swears she can feel around her ankles, threatening to drag her under just the same as Brookstorm. The world spins suddenly, jerks violently until it is sideways and upside down and skewed again- whatever breath she'd held or summoned in her haste to escape is lost, the weight of their dead ripping at her underbelly as if they knew it was her fault and ached for vengeance, justice. For every touch of a nose against her forehead, had they sealed her guilt within the constellations? You did this, it screams, You could've stopped this.
  
  The hold of the trail of thought veers away from focus suddenly and it's then that Lichenstar realizes that she had not imagined these sensations. The world is sideways... where she lays on its sun-warmed surface, her shoulder aches where it must've collided with the dirt. Something smells metal, of salt and sweat... The sight of other limbs cross her path in a wash of relief and as she pulls to join them, that tension becomes more apparent... more urgent.
  
  Pale eyes travel down her leg, reaching her toes in stunned silence where thin, glimmering lines gouge past fur and skin to leave wells of crimson drops in its wake- The familiarity strikes her first... an image of a night-laden shield strewn up between the branches for her mistake. How close it had been then, that it had nearly coiled its snake-like grip around a scarless, youthful throat instead. The irony doesn't have a chance to settle as dark casts itself over her, a refreshing coolness in the way it hides the sun from view-
  
  In the half second she has, the lynx point curls up on her back, struggling to yank her foot free while drawing in her hind-paws to protect her underbelly. Hesitation doesn't suit a wild beast... it acts without compassion, thinking, or care as a slavering maw snaps at its trapped prey. It is a blur of twisting and hissing and panicked swipes and kicks of claws, wrenching at her shoulder to pry herself free as panic sets in. To be held here like a toy on a string... dangled in front of someone's lost pet-
  
  Perhaps it was just an overextension, or maybe the fear-veil draped across her gaze is enough to blind her to how her wiggling exposes her- it burns. The world grows far too hot and then dramatically cold at the same time. The corners of her vision grow fuzzy as she struggles to feel her legs, to force them to kick and tear at the throat that must get close to have sunk its attached mouth so comfortably into the softness of her flank. Something gives, leaving a sense of release behind as sound grows loud with cicada cries- their incessant chirping drowning out the roar of blood in her ears... a familiar lullaby to embrace the dark to.
  
  
  // posting ooc note here for convenience.
  lichen's foot is trapped in a wire foot snare- the dog has taken advantage of the easy prey. feel free to attack and assume the dog will Flee within the next round of posting. lichen wont be getting back up for minute :)
• about
  speech hex code ✧ #6368A5
  ooc notes ✦ lichen's foot is trapped in a wire foot snare- the dog has taken advantage of the easy prey. feel free to attack and assume the dog will Flee within the next round of posting. lichen wont be getting back up for minute :)
  tagging ✶
  penned by tieirlys
• ˚　　★⋆. ࿐࿔　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 .
  　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　 　　　　 ੈ✧˳·˖✶ ✦　　˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚ ★⋆. ࿐࿔
  　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　 ✦　　​

​

 

[CICADAFLIGHT]

His sibling is beside him in a heartbeat, urging him on with nudges and helping shove the younger cats forward and away, away, away from the dog. He can feel the gentle push of the spiked curls of her tail against his flank, meant to force him onwards, though he refuses to acknowledge such intent. The apprentices first. Shellpaw, Pebblepaw, even Mothpaw, must be away and free to make panicked tracks back to camp before he can assuredly flee—and even then, there are still the other warriors ( Cricketchirp most of all ) to contend with, who must be kept safe. Even Lichenstar, with her star - blessed many lives to lose.

" Go! I said—go! " A gravelly bark in tune with the dog's own is a pale mimickry of Lichenstar's frantic words to Mothpaw, but effective nonetheless ( or at least he hopes ). His half - masked head, a legacy roughly hewn, twitches back to glance on pure instinct, white lashes blowing wide at the sight that beckons a spread - clawed paw. Frantic, frothing, he attempts to deliver a rough clawless slap to whoever hasn't moved fast enough, snapping out, " Run back to camp, get warriors and Moonbeam! "

" Go now! " Danger makes him eloquent, makes speech slide velvet - smooth where it's usually as halting as Lichenstar's spasmic pulls to flee. Speaking of . . . once he's ( hopefully ) sent the younger cats packing, the tom swivels and leaps forth in one lithe motion so dissimilar to his typically jerky gait it's jarring. Split - toned paws land squarely on the sun - warmed ground where it newly splatters with blood before he's off again, a sleek arc of muscle - bound black over the jerking body of Lichenstar.

His teeth lock in the dog's flesh, if only for a moment—one swing of the great head and he's knocked suddenly free to hit the ground with a soft thump, unfeeling of the ache in his side, slipping in the blood pooling there, teeth snapping to flash in the sun. He and the beast before him have never been more analogous, now—two sets of fangs bared in a snarl, tails lashing, ears pinned; two slavering jaws stretched wide into hard - breathed growls. Mutt up against mutt ( because for all his fine lineage, has he ever been anything more? ) on the bloodstained sand and he charges, blood singing a brutal hymn as his gapped fangs plunge into flesh.

Flailing limbs sink into meat, a harsh brawler's strike to draw spread claws down the beast's face with his teeth nestled in the meat of the soft juncture of shoulder and neck, as thoughtlessly brutal as the dog's own snaps that peel flesh from muscled limbs, wounds unfelt and uncared - for. A split lip reopened with the force of his gnashing jaws, bloodied foam trailing with each bite—a physical representation of the rabid monstrosity embodied in each drag of corded leg—the trembling apprentices forgotten, the one - note song of sour blood on his tongue and yielding flesh under his claws.

A hound off - leash, protection and duty sufficient masks for brutality, the role of savior a filthy veil over that of beast, the faded claw - mark through his star - blessed shoulder seems more appropriate than ever—better the starry eyes of his father don't see this ( or perhaps they'd glow a little brighter in approval )—see his eyes blown wide and feral as dog's - blood soaks his chest. Every self - traitorous thought slinks unwanted and unnoticed from his head for this brief moment, replaced by the animal hunger to hurt, to kill.

The reverie breaks, the frenzied dog's own brutality winning out, and he meets the earth for the second time, the thrumming shock through his ribs a much - needed grounding. Spread claws digging into the earth, pain pulsing through his side, he can still taste the filth of its blood, still feel red - tinted foam flecking the corners of his mouth, watching. Hoping, now, that the remaining patrol - members might finish the job, send it to whatever dank hell dead dogs went to, or at least away from Lichenstar's twitching body.

// OOC: He went completely insane and so did my writing . . . oops! TL;DR : He did some major damage to the dog's face and neck / chest area before being thrown off, but it hasn't fled yet! Suffered some minor bruising and flesh wounds to the forelegs.

" speech "

​

 

[Mothpaw]

I said move! The sharp shout towards her make her ears flinch backwards, fangs of the leader snatch her by the scuff and thrust her forth with the fury of momentum. She shoots a panicked look towards the warrior as she stumbles forth, her paws struggling to react to the sudden momentum after feeling frozen in time. A paw of Cicadaflight shoots forward and smacks whoever else dally behinds, and she attempts to usher the younger of the apprentices off quickly. ”L-Let's go! Quick, quick!” The glimpse of Lichenstar geting tangled in an unknown twoleg object made her heart jump into her throat, concern taking her face.

Okay, okay! Focus, Mothpaw! The apprentice would encourage herself as she raced across in the direction of camp, long legs moving as fast as they would ever move. Moonbeam and warriors, moonbeam and warriors! They had to save the three of them, what would she do if Lichenstar lost a life because of her carelessness? The metallic scent of blood tingled her senses and the frenzy of hissing, canine whines and mixture of growls. It was too much for her simple brain to comprehend, she was only good with decorating others with flowers and just being happy!
​

 

[FOXTAIL]

Foxtail crouches at the bank of the river, his ears pricked as the water flows calmly before him. So far, Foxtail's catches have been... mediocre at best. Foxtail is usually better than this.... but he can't control what fish will reveal themselves to them during today's patrol. His ears prick at Lichenstar's murmur to Shellpaw, and the lead warrior looks over to his own apprentice. "I want you to keep an eye out for a big one too, okay?" He mews with a flick of an ear, lightly smiling. "Let's see if you catch one before S-Shellpaw!" A little competition between siblings would be good, wouldn't it? He knows Pebblepaw must be excited to show his progress to his kin, so the young tom's gaze returns to the river. Lichenstar stands guard behind the small patrol of cats, and Foxtail's gaze begins to scan the water once again....

His ear twitches in the direction of Cicadaflight, and the tom nods in silent agreement, eyes studying the water with careful precision. The twolegs disturbed more than just the clan cats— they swam in their river with water monsters, stole their fish, and so much more. And to be frank, they disturbed the fish— badly! Foxtail felt grateful that there was fish swimming in river at all, but there could be more. Mothpaw seemed pretty optimistic about the fish returning, and he appreciates her positive outlook— the young apprentice doesn't seem to allow much to damper her spirit. "Hopefully we'll s-see some big fish today..." His olive green eyes widen at a large silhouette in the water; this has to be the biggest fish they've seen yet! He excitedly nudges his apprentice, and quietly mews, "Look at the size of that one! T-This is your chance-" "Dog! Move!" His words cut short as Lichenstar's cry reaches his ears, and he tears his gaze off the fish.

He whirls around with bristled fur, and before he can even blink— Lichenstar, Cricketchip, and Cicadaflight go into action. Foxtail's ears pin back to his cranium as brave warriors charge at the snarling canine, and Foxtail looks over at the three apprentices that situate themselves at the shore. ...They don't have enough experience to take on a dog. Dogs are large, dangerous opponents; they'll easily shake around an apprentice in their jaws if given the chance! "Let's go! N-Now!" The lead warrior yowls, as he urges Shellpaw and Pebblepaw to get up after Mothpaw. In the corner of his eye, he watches Lichenstar get caught in a snare. His ears prick at Cicadaflight's yowls, and his gaze briefly snaps over as the new warrior charges for the dog... that's currently closing in on Lichenstar. His paws tremble for his leader, and the lead warrior purposely stands in their view. You don't want to see this.... He can only hope and pray Cicadaflight reaches it in time, but Foxtail should use this opportunity to get the apprentices to safety. ...This might be their only safe opportunity! Foxtail aims to nudge the two apprentices, and he doesn't need to say another word to Mothpaw before she races in the direction of camp. "Stay by my s-side! We h-have to g-go, now!"

Without another word, the lead warrior would race to camp, purposely putting himself between the nearby threat and the two apprentices. StarClan forbid Cicadaflight's attack isn't enough to hold it off— he.... he refuses to let that dog get near Pebblepaw and Shellpaw. It'll have to go through his claws first! We just have to make it to camp.... The apprentices will be safe there, and then he can return to the scene with reinforcements and Moonbeam.​

𝐨𝐨𝐜 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

• 
  
• 
  
  

  ---

  credit to raphaelion (via da) for the artwork <3
  
• Foxtail

  ​
  

  lead warrior
  20 moons
  warmhearted
  timid
  experience: trained
  backstory: [HYPERLINK]
  biography: [HYPERLINK]
  credit to meghan for the chibi <3
  

  cisgender male [he / him]
  eyes: green
  pelt: cinnamon/chocolate
  fur length: long
  parents: dawnflower and redfur (riverclan npcs)
  

  ---

  ​

​

 

[shellpaw]

the day is hazy warm, glowing tangerine soft over the rolling brooks. a warm sheen of light reflects in brilliant rippling that sway the cattail with each lazily lapping wave. she trails the shoreline, watching the way water sloshes against each lilac - capped pawstep until her mentor stops, turns to press a cool nose to thinly veined ear. her tail lifts instinctively, hooks over her back in a feathery plume with a mrrp — let’s catch another big fish, they say, ” i will. “ promise thrums in the light of her voice, ambered eyes cutting back briefly towards pebblepaw when his mentor murmurs her name, nudging her brother along towards the depths like a toddling kit. foxtail is annoying sometimes, she thinks, twitching the same ear lichenstar had touched tenderly with her nose as she departs from fog - brimmed side and into the warm shallows. attentive, at least. in his hovering, she does not have to worry about her remaining littermate disappearing.

it rouses a brief thrum of appreciation for her mother as a mentor, who sways her gently aside and urges her further down the banks to scope the waters herself. i’ll stand and watch, and shellpaw knows, feels the warmth and anticipation of a proud, rusty purr when she inevitably reels in another catch. the calmness trills her blood, soothes her enough to crouch at the waters side, she enjoys it — the pale golden of morning, the way sun brims upon her back and warms water - frizzed curls. lichenstar trusts her to find her way, to stay close and careful ; though she’d done little to earn that confidence, shellpaw bears it with razor focus, strawberry-hued eyes drifting down towards the river’s glare. she crouches, feels the water drift at cottonesque belly and drench bony upper arms. dragonflies dart lazily overhead, dancing in swathes of low - thrumming wings that makes her mind wander. life had only just begun to return to normal, to calm back into a relative routine.. the way things had been before riverpaw had gone. the light eases her, and for a moment, shellpaw breathes in relief into the waters below.

heavy lids squint, the sound of foxtail’s chatter grating her focus when there is a brief shuffling and — a noise. a heavy thump, thump she’d heard time before, the heavy sound of damp, drooling breath. seconds stretch, head pivoting just in time to witness her mother tearing into the earth to pull forward, low and serpentine beneath the fleshy maw of a mean - eyed hound. her ears pin and, once more, she does nothing ; freezes, body scrunched in a semi - circle that has thick, plumish tail coiling between her legs. this isn’t real, she thinks as colors seem to bleed around her, watercolor smearings of bleary panic as cricketchirp plows into her side and sends her stumbling sideways with a hoarse cry. her cousins swarm them and she can see only barely between the hustle of bodies that lichenstar was no longer standing. shellpaw stretches to see but only topples again as foxtail nudges them, getting only the briefest glimpse between long limbs of a heavy paw, of agony, of red.

the shore runs red.

” ma — MAMA! “ foxtail wrangles them and she can do nothing but bleat pathetically as her paws tangle sideways, pushed ahead only by the warriors incessant muzzle. she gasps, gulps breath after breath of panic, the bubble of air in her nose preventing her from catching a full heave as she toddles along in whatever direction she was pushed. tears cloud her vision, rivulet down her cheeks in fat dollops, blood pounding in her ears nearly loud enough to conceal the get warriors, get moonbeam cicadaflight caws as he pulls away and throws himself towards the hound who’s coat runs crimson and alabaster. she snivels, coughs against the gunk suddenly gathering in her throat, the dampness that coats her muzzle with every messy sniff, ” it’s, it’s eating her! we can’t leave them, we — we have to — “ have to do what? robinheart and her kit flashes behind her eye and another choked sob forces its way past her maw ; lichenstar. smokestar had died with plenty of lives, hadn’t he? what was keeping this beast from ripping them apart, destroying the remains, leaving nothing left for starclan to breathe life into? memories peel through her mind, of soft eyes and soft names, the phantom touch of their muzzle at her ear only moments before seems suddenly too far away. she wants to be curled into their side, wants to brush against their flank, follow at their heel..

what if it left nothing to grieve?

with another shove from mothpaw she pushes forward, ignoring the slow - rising heat of overexertion as it tenses in her chest ; get moonbeam. her head tucks, claws gripping the earth to pull her faster along, a haze of black clouding at teary vision. moonbeam could fix them. she could.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 ° 𓇼 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒

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  SHELLPAW 𓆉 SHE / HER. SEVEN MOONS OLD, APPRENTICE OF RIVERCLAN, MENTORED BY LICHENTAIL ; SMELLS LIKE SALT & RIVER BLOOMS. HAZECLOUD xx LICHENTAIL, NIECE TO SMOKESTAR. PENNED BY ANTLERS ----------------- ° ❀ ⋆
  frail alabaster molly with lilac striping and watery amber eyes.
  
  she is pallid ; platinum splotched with ribbons of dovey lilac curls, wisped ends like memories of a distant shore and plush enough to conceal the juts of malnutrition beneath. tufted elderdown fur conceals a body worn fragile by tumultuous youth, too thin in some places and round with baby fat in others. her face is short - muzzled, framed half mast by eyes coined rheumy, rosen amber. the anemic cold pink - purple at tender paws and nose tell a lifetime of sickness, further made obvious by the feathering weakness in half - whispered tones.
  

  CHRONICALLY ILL ; prone to wheezing, nose at a constant drip from longterm illness - induced nasal polyps. not contagious.

  
  

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[PEBBLEPAW]

(☼) it happens faster than pebblepaw can prepare for it. one moment, it's peaceful, suggestions of a fishing competition are floated, cool water flows around paws sore from walking. a lovely hunting patrol, low pressure, high reward amidst the greenleaf sun. this ruse comes crashing down the instant the bark is heard.

pebblepaw is pushed in to before he can realize what is happening. there's noise everywhere, yowling and howling, the sobs that echo from his sister... his sister! ember eyes roll wildly around in their sockets to find the berry-pelted girl as she is pushed by cicadaflight away from some danger pebblepaw still has not analyzed. his head jerks around to face the horror, even as his mentor shoves him back towards camp, as shellpaw is dragged away to safer ground.

lichenstar, brave queen of the waves, faces a monster of terrible claws and teeth like a thousand thorns. she lunges up and is crushed between boulder-jaws, body going limp. her stargiven lives are flowing from her like the crimson that now coats the dog's face. cicadaflight rushes up to take it head on, a beast himself, claws rivaling those of the monster that crushes his leader's body like a ragdoll toy. shellpaw screams, sobs out words pebblepaw cannot process as he himself aims to fling his body over his mentor's, to join the battle his cousin wages by himself. he is halted, of course, because foxtail is stronger than him, and shellpaw's bleating tone rips a hole into his chest that bleeds invisible but painfully. turning on his heel, the river-prince heads up the rear, keeping his sister on her paws as they dash back to camp, leaving their mother to her fate.

I DO NOT HAVE WINGS, LOVE ☼ I NEVER WILL

• // it was 2am when i wrote this so apologies for lack of length n possible grammar/spelling issues. here is the return thread! " #848DAE"
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  PEBBLEPAW ☼ HE / HIM, APPRENTICE OF RIVERCLAN. MENTORED BY FOXTAIL. 8 MOONS OLD, PENNED BY LAVS
  
  
  a large blue tabby with low white and vitiligo. pale blue fur covers the length of pebblepaw's stocky body, sliced through with darker tabby stripes and spots. baleful orange eyes peer out of heavy set sockets, and his muzzle, paws, and tail tip are dashed with white.

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