camp WE TREAD WATER HERE \ skirmish return

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

RACCOONSTRIPE

HE / HIM ◆ THUNDERCLAN LEAD WARRIOR

The return patrol is silent; the gravity of the situation has enveloped them in solemnity. Raccoonstripe is especially grim, his jaw clenched for the entirety of the expedition home. Perhaps he was foolish not to continue the battle after Lichenstar had fallen into the frozen river; perhaps that was the opportunity he'd needed to turn the tides of the battle. But look in her blue eyes just before she'd plunged into the water, the nearness of the ice cracking by his paws, the burning sensation of life-leeching droplets flung into his face—

He shudders, repulsed. The RiverClanners had been preoccupied with saving her during his retreat; the battle had ended abruptly after Lichenstar had slipped into her watery grave. He is relatively unscathed; there is a smarting scratch on his flank, where Beefang had clipped him, and an overall bruised feeling from battering paws, but his patrol had come out relatively unscathed.

Raccoonstripe slips into camp through the gorse tunnel, his single eye scraping the clearing for Flamestar, for Roeflame. "We met RiverClan at Sunningrocks. Their patrol was small. It seemed like a good opportunity to reclaim our territory." His voice is clipped. He regards Flamestar with a grim expression. "We could have done it, but Lichenstar fell through the ice on the river." His ears flick forward, wondering if his leader will rebuke him for trying or for not seizing the chance he had to claim the Sunningrocks for himself. "It was… close. I almost went with her."

He straightens his posture, pushing the memory of that ice-cold water away. "I called a retreat. The battle was over the moment she fell in."

ooc:

tagging @Flamestar and @ROEFLAME . to report to; tagging patrol members @ROARINGSUN @Scarletdust @STAGSNARL. @Softsight ; no need to wait for anyone though! takes place after this thread. this is backwritten to before the gathering (yes i know i hate backwritten stuff too but it's important sorry!!!)

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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

 

[HOPEPAW]

⊱⊰ The day is quiet, but Hopepaw is not a fool enough to believe that it will remain that way. Any time she's having a nice, relaxing day, something always occurs to shatter whatever fragile peace she's found. And indeed, Hopepaw thinks as she exits the medicine den just in time to spot a patrol returning through the camp's entrance. Raccoonstripe glances around the camp before explaining to Flamestar what had happened, his face serious. They return from yet another skirmish with one of their neighboring clans—Hopepaw's muzzle turns downward in a sharp mark of disapproval. There have been too many fights with other clans recently, and risking more lives in more unnecessary fights is pointless. The sharp chill has let up, but winter's grip still holds on the forest; herbs are not plentiful enough to be risking so many injuries. At least… at least they've all returned this time, though. And at least they managed to cause grave harm to the RiverClan leader by dumping her into the freezing river's water. Hopepaw strides over to meet the patrol, uncaring of whether it's seen as rude to speak before Flamestar or Roeflame get the chance to. "Does anyone have injuries?" She questions without hesitation, copper eyes shifting across each of her clanmates' forms, searching for wounds.

an ancient spirit’s song 【❖】 will heal our wounds

• ooc: —
• 
• 
  HOPEPAW ❯❯ she/her, thunderclan medicine cat apprentice
  ⊱ skinny, thick-furred lilac molly with deep copper eyes. soft-spoken and a bit of a grouch.
  ⊱ daughter of batwing and leopardtongue ; adopted by roeflame
  ⊱ mentored by gentlestorm
  ⊱ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted ; does not typically like physical contact from anyone besides her family
  ⊱ penned by foxlore

​

​

 

[Flamestar]

While their return was silent, it was hard to miss the new scratches that glistened on the patrol's pelts as they padded into the camp. She had been sharing tongues with a group of warriors nearby when Raccoonstripe caught her eye. She excused herself from the conversation, and made her way over to the ground on swift paws. "What happened?" her voice was concerned, but nobody seemed to be overly injured so nothing severe happened. She turned to her lead warrior, but when Hopepaw's pelt appeared in the corner of her eye, she turned to blink at her thankfully.

We met RiverClan at Sunningrocks. Their patrol was small. It seemed like a good opportunity to reclaim our territory.

Her ear flicks as she listens, and her lips pull into a small frown. While she didn't agree with Raccoonstripe leading an attack on his own account, she couldn't say she wouldn't have done the exact same thing. Riverclan had attacked them when they were outnumbered, so there was a small part of her that felt that it served them right. He shared that Lichenstar fell through the ice, and the fur on her shoulders twitched uncomfortably. She didn't care about if the leader was alright, Riverclan cats could swim after all...but the statement brought back memories of when she had been dragged into the river by Snakeblink in the first Sunningrock's battle. "We will undoubtedly hear about this at the gathering I'm sure..." Especially if Lichenstar didn't make it back out. Riverclan would declare Thunderclan as murderers, but by doing so they would be hypocrites. "You've reminded them that Thunderclan hasn't forgotten our promise." Even if it had been foolish, to launch an attack without any prior planning. She had full intentions of retaliating against the fish-breathes, just not while the wind still blew cold. "Sunningrocks will be ours again soon...we must be patient."

★★★★★★★☆☆

FLAMESTAR.ㅤBIOGRAPHY ㅤ/ ㅤTOYHOUSE
✦ afab (she / her)ㅤ / heterosexual, widowed, formerly taken by flycatcher
✦ 42 moons old ㅤ/ ㅤages realistically, every 20th of the month
✦ leader of thunderclan since september 2024
✦ lily x storm ㅤ/ㅤ mother to: falconheart, stormfeather, lilykit, butterflykit, bugchaser, squirrelsong, sunbird, ravenblaze, sparrowpaw
✦ ㅤpenned by Icey ! ㅤ/ ㅤmessage Icey ! on discord for plots!
✦ ㅤmentoring bayingpawㅤ / ㅤmentored: cloudyfur, acornwish, merlinpath
✦ will start fights, will end fights, will kill

longhaired red classic tabby with green eyes, and low white. she has a shredded right ear, and has many scars that are visible in windy conditions.

 

[STAGSNARL.]

YOU ALWAYS SAID HOW YOU LIKE DOGS​

---

"if... you don't mind, hopepaw."

stagsnarl makes their way to the apprentice, sitting down and trying not to draw their tongue over the painful tear across their muzzle. they clench their jaws, paws pressing against the cold ground, before they simply lift a bloodied paw and clean it off, ears twitching back snd forth before they offer a smile to hopepaw, which is unlike them but they're not really in the mood to be mean to the medicine cat apprentice. they simply don't have it in them... today that is.

"you're doing good, by the way. sorry to waste your herbs, and all that."

she instinctively looks for her parents, only to find them not far, watching with a look of disappointment on their faces. with a grunt, she turns back and gaze scans around for houndshade. that face is lot more welcome but she'd sit here, and wait until hopepaw is finished with her at least.

​

 

[ROARINGSUN]

Regardless of their victory without a real prize to show for it, Roaringsun pads into camp with his chin high and chest puffed out. He hadn't been terribly wounded in the battle, just some scratches and bruises. Nothing that he's not used to by now. Still, it's disappointing that they hadn't claimed Sunningrocks back, but it had been satisfying to attack their small patrol.

Does anyone have injuries? asks Hopepaw, and he shakes his head. "Nothing major." He replies with a flick of his ears. Truthfully, all he wants to do now is go lay down in his nest and rest for a bit. Still, in case the apprentice wants to check his wounds, he sits down and waits, starting to groom his fur quietly.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

ROARINGSUN.ㅤBIOGRAPHYㅤ/ㅤTOYHOU.SE
✦ㅤmale (he / him)ㅤ/ㅤunsure of sexuality, single ; crushing on hawkspine
✦ㅤ17 moons oldㅤ/ㅤages realistically, every 14th of the month
✦ㅤlead warrior of thunderclan
✦ㅤnpc x npcㅤ/ㅤnpc siblings
✦ㅤmentoring Berrypawㅤ/ㅤmentored by Copperfang and Leafhusk
✦ㅤ"speech", 'thoughts', all opinions are in character
✦ㅤpenned by nocthymiaㅤ/ㅤmessage hypmic on discord for plots!
lion-like in stature, roaringsun is characterized by his golden fur, cream 'mane' and strong legs. long-furred with longer strands on his cheeks, one cannot tell he once was a soft-born kittypet before joining thunderclan as an apprentice.

 

[Houndshade]

Usually wherever Raccoonstripe goes fanfare follows, he's never really known for being quiet. Even when silent he has a presence, it surprised her to say that she nearly missed this patrols return entirely. Her stride is slow, cautious with a tilt of her head. Gaze flicking across the faces gathered, then to Flamestar. RiverClan... The mention of it sends small ripples of the fur against her flank, a hot flush of frustration settling on her shoulders. Instinctively she presses one paw in front of the other, obscuring the toe that was now missing thanks to one of those fish breath cowards.

"I'm glad you're alright" she murmurs thoughtfully towards the tabby lead warrior, knowing full well that if she as an apprentice had heart it she would have pitched a fit. In truth she still finds herself at odds with him, depending on her mood that day she either loathes or likes him, even on the loathing days there is still a begrudging appreciation. It looks like everyone returned at least, Roaringsun looked okay at least. Stagsnarl though "you mouse-brain" she hisses though there isn't much heat behind her words.

The worry is evident in her eyes even if her demeanor comes across as annoyed, with a lash of her tail she moves to hover beside her mate. Leaving space for Hopepaw to work, though she herself can't hold back from fussing. "You really let one of them land a hit on you?" There's a click of her tongue against the roof of her mouth. Try as she might she can't hold back the teasing edge in her tone, they're still standing, and speaking at that, so that must mean that they're fine enough. There's hesitance before she drapes her tail over the chimeras own, offering a silent support as the medicine cat apprentice looked them over.

​

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[GENTLESTORM]

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Racoonstripe returns from a patrol with a few of the other warriors and he can catch the scent of Riverclan clinging to their pelts as they push through the entrance of camp, Hopepaw already present to access the wounds of all those accounted for. His whiskers twitch only to wrap some cobwebs around one of his snowy dipped paws, his jaws gently grabbing onto some marigold, and the rugged tom steps out from his den, his jaws tighten at the sight of those there especially when he hears what happens. Lichenstar had fallen into the icy river and likely fallen into death's grasp, it makes him ponder on just how many lives the blue point had clinging onto her. Gentlestorm can recall how he prayed for the suffering of her clan and her, he can only hope that those prayers are met and that she pays in full. A life for a life but Lichenstar had more than plenty to spare, his nephew didn't have that priviledge.

He approaches the side of his apprentice turning his mismatched gaze to Flamestar listening that they will take Sunningrocks back one day and the pale tom nods in agreement before parting his jaws to speak "We just need time... to both restock herbs and maintain our strength." His pupils narrow only to set his eyes on Raccoonstripe as this is spoken and in a harsher tone continues, "They will get what they deserve..." Gentlestorm loosens the muscles from his large body knowing that if there's ever a fight between Thunderclan and Riverclan that he should keep away from it, he can't keep pushing his own luck... He knows that Hopepaw would be more appreciative of it in keeping an effort to keep himself alive.

"For now... try to stay in one piece." The tomcat rumbles as he chews the marigold into a poultice that he proceeds to dab onto Raccoonstripe's wound only to strip some of the cobwebs from his paw, he nods in the direction of the his apprentice as he continues his work.

ᨒ↟↟ᨒ↟ᨒ↟↟ᨒ

GENTLESTORMㅤBIOGRAPHYㅤ/ㅤTOYHOU.SE
✦ㅤagab male (he/it)ㅤ/ㅤbisexual demiromantic, widowed by little wolf
✦ㅤ65 moons oldㅤ/ㅤages realistically, every 27th of the month
✦ㅤmedicine cat of thunderclan for 12 moons
✦ㅤfalling snow x raging stormㅤ/ㅤuncle to hopepaw, coalpaw, cardinalpaw, & braveheart
✦ㅤmentoring hopepawㅤ/ㅤmentored by berryheart
✦ㅤpenned by BossTaurusㅤ/ㅤmessage bosstaurus on discord for plots!
✦ "speech", thoughts, & attacking ; uses brute strength, strategizes before every fight, will tear/maim an enemy, and will end fights
a large, longhaired, and scruffy blue sepia tom littered with several scars, tattered ears, blinded in an eye, and has a pair of earthy toned eyes w/low white

 

[Scarletdust]

Scarletdust moves stiffly as she enters camp, each step sending a dull throb through the fresh claw marks raked down her spine. Damn RiverClanner. She refuses to let the pain show though, keeping her chin lifted, her expression composed, though the cold air stings against the open wounds.

Raccoonstripe is the one to spill the grim news. She listens in silence with her split gaze locked on the ground and her tail curling tightly around her hind leg. She had fought beside him, had felt the moment the battle shifted in their favor…only for it all to slip away the instant Lichenstar vanished beneath the ice. But if Raccoonstripe believed retreat had been the right choice, then she wouldn't question it. She trusted his judgment. Even so, frustration prickles beneath her pelt. Sunningrocks had been within their grasp. She bites the inside of her cheek to keep herself from saying something reckless.

Hopepaw's voice rises through the tension, her chestnut gaze sweeping over the patrol. Scarletdust exhales sharply. "I'm fine." It's not entirely true - her back still burns from where RiverClan claws found their mark - but she won't waste herbs when others may need them more. Still, she can feel the sticky pull of blood tangling her fur, and as Gentlestorm steps forward to assist Raccoonstripe, she hesitates.

She flicks her ear, glancing at her former mentor before turning away. "I'll clean up myself," She mutters, padding toward the warrior's den. She'll deal with the pain later. Right now, she just needs a moment to herself.
​

 

[Meadowfur]

Meadowfur's gaze flickered over the returning warriors, sharp and searching. Fresh scratches, tense shoulders, the unmistakable scent of RiverClan clinging to their pelts—it didn't take much to put the pieces together. Her tail lashed once before she strode forward, ears angling toward Raccoonstripe as he recounted the fight. Of course, he had led the charge. Typical. And yet, despite her irritation at the recklessness of it all, a small, petty part of her felt satisfaction at the idea of giving RiverClan a taste of their own claws.

But then he mentioned Lichenstar falling through the ice, and something in Meadowfur's chest twisted uncomfortably. Her expression didn't change, but her thoughts snagged on one cat in particular—Cragpelt. Was he there? Had he fought against her Clanmates? Was he hurt? Or worse—had he helped drag claws down her sister's back?

She pushed the thought away as quickly as it came. It didn't matter. He was RiverClan. She was ThunderClan. That was all there was to it. That's all there could ever be to it.

Her gaze flickered to Scarletdust, noting the blood matting her sister's fur. She barely had a chance to open her mouth before Scarletdust dismissed Hopepaw's concern and stalked away. Meadowfur frowned, watching her retreat. She'd let it go for now—but later? Later, she would check on her, whether her sister liked it or not.

Turning back to the others, she met Raccoonstripe's gaze, then Roaringsun's. "I hope RiverClan enjoyed their little victory," she muttered, voice edged with frustration. "Next time, we won't leave empty-pawed." She wasn't about to scold her uncle for the attack—if she had been there, would she have held back? Probably not. But she also couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over. That it wouldn't be over until Sunningrocks was theirs again.

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

• 
  
  
• 
  MEADOWPAW THUNDERCLAN KITTEN ; SHE / HER
  LIGHTSTRIKE X MOONWHISPER SISTER TO SCARLETPAW & MOTTLEDPAW ; MENTORED BY PALEFIRE
  

  A large fluffy red tabby kitten 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

  ✦ easy in battle + no formal training
  

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

RACCOONSTRIPE

HE / HIM ◆ THUNDERCLAN LEAD WARRIOR

Raccoonstripe can feel the tension snapping in the air, even as Hopepaw's eyes gleam with disapproval. The tabby meets her gaze levelly; even if she had trained as a warrior first, she is a medicine cat now, and she will never know the thrill of conquer again. And neither, he reflects bitterly, will she know the taste of defeat. Not in the same way. The pale she-cat merely asks if there are any injuries, and she goes to check the other warriors on the patrol.

Flamestar looks up from where she'd been sharing tongues with her Clanmates; she's quick to greet him, her emerald gaze scraping against his patrol's pelts as if to account for each of them. Raccoonstripe dips his head to her as she approaches and braces himself for her rebuke. Interestingly, it does not come… the ginger-furred she-cat surprises him. She is not my mother, he thinks, not for the first time; Flamestar cared about ensuring ThunderClan's strength, about proving their abilities to the other Clans, in a way Howlingstar never had. His mother's philosophy had been, always, to keep the peace in the forest… and though he had respected her for it, he had disagreed with her every pawstep of the way.

"Yes, Flamestar. They will." Patience is not one of his strengths, but he can, even begrudgingly, see her point. ThunderClan's strength will only continue to grow… they had fared better than RiverClan and ShadowClan both in leafbare, even after losing so much of their territory; was that not a testament to their star-blessed status, their tenacity?

Roaringsun and Stagsnarl behind him endure Hopepaw's check-up, and Houndshade comes to hear his report, her gaze thoughtful. Raccoonstripe is surprised to hear the friendliness in her tone, and he flicks an ear at her. "We all are," he confirms.

Gentlestorm comes to check on his wounds. The burly medicine cat's voice is all but a growl as he promises RiverClan will get what's coming to them, even as his massive paws work to secure a bit of cobweb against his flank. The tabby's grim expression softens into a half-smile. "For now… try to stay in one piece." "We both know that's easier said than done."

He doesn't miss Scarletdust's retreat, her frustration evident in the way she stalks across the clearing. Raccoonstripe watches her go in silence. Battle comes with loss. I've taught her that. Perhaps his former apprentice feels the same way he did—that retreat had been the wise choice, but also the cowardly one. He could have seized Sunningrocks, could have taken advantage of Lichenstar's icy misfortune, but something in him had hesitated when he'd felt the sear of the river water against his face and paws. I'll talk to her later, he thinks as Scarletdust slips into the warrior's den.

Meadowfur watches her sister, too; the orange tabby's voice is rife with bitterness. "It wasn't much of a victory," he tells her flatly. "They may have kept Sunningrocks, but Lichenstar's death was…" He remembers the pulse of frigid water, the way he had been suspended in darkness, and this… the soul-sucking, life-bleeding chill of it… he shakes his head. "Their return home was no doubt as somber as ours."

ooc:

—

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
51 moons old as of 03/05/2025

penned by Marquette