WHERE THE RIVERS USED TO RUN — sunning rocks patrol

[LITTLE WOLF]

Little Wolf has seen the new strip of territory before, has even hunted here a few times now, but still she cannot get over the fact that it is theirs. They had rightfully won it through blood and tears. Her mother had even sacrificed a life for it. The cost was too great, if you asked her, but that death only solidified in her mind that they had to keep it now. If not then her mother had died in vain. One less life that could be spent on this earth with her, with the rest of her siblings and her children. She wanted Howlingstar to grow old, to become a great-grandmother one day, to become an elder and retire to the elders den and one day Little Wolf might even join her. They could sit and gossip and tell stories about the good old days together, pass down tales of the great clans for generations to come.

It is these fanciful thoughts that occupy the ebony mollies mind as she leads her patrol to the river. She knows these patrols to the opposite end of the territory are purposeful, though she has yet to speak up about it. Still, she enjoys the sound of the river babbling nearby, enjoys the sun on her dark pelt that warms her and makes her really think that the place was named aptly.

When they get there though, she pauses, signaling with her tail for the rest of the patrol to stop while she lifts her nose to the air with a frown. RiverClan's scent was far too strong for her to be getting a trace from the border. "Do you smell that too?" She asks, turning to the nearest patrol member for clarification that it wasn't her nose playing a trick on her.

They had been here. Recently.

// takes place the morning after THIS thread
Apprentice tag : @RAGWORTPAW
​

 

[RAGWORTPAW]

RAGWORTPAW ♀​ ​

Ragwortpaw couldn’t be happier that ThunderClan now held Sunning Rocks. Not only did the strip of land fill her belly, but it kept her paws warm too. Purrs of delight spill from her throat as she steps onto one of the rocks upon arrival, its surface warmed by the sun. She daydreams momentarily of laying down and basking in the late new-leaf heat, but she knows she is here on patrol and wouldn’t want to disappoint her mentor. At least she could still enjoy it a little bit by rolling around and rubbing up on the stones to spread ThunderClan’s scent. She turns to look at her mentor, a frown growing on her lips, do you smell that too? ”Nuh-uh.” Ragwortpaw blurts, wondering if perhaps her mentor was smelling carrion nearby… Opening her maw she takes in the air properly only to be met with a repulsive scent, ”Oh uh- I mean. RiverClan… RiverClan!” Urgently she corrects, her tail bristling in alarm. //She rolled a 3 but I didn’t have it in me to have her be THAT stupid had her grown age of 9 moons smh

 

[Flycatcher]

Close behind Little Wolf and Ragwortpaw was Flycatcher and his own apprentice. It had been a pleasant enough patrol thus far, and Flycatcher had hoped that things wouldn't take a turn for the worst as they had the last time they had traversed this border. Much like the last time, it seemed that was not to be the case. "I smell vole," Flycatched announced, his head lifted in the air to draw in the scents. "Perhaps we'll see who can catch one first?" He suggested, an amused twinkle in his eye as he addressed his apprentice. The deputy was going to say more until he heard Little Wolf's question.

Picking up the pace, Flycatcher catches up with Little Wolf and Ragwortpaw and joins them in drawing in a scent. Almost instantly his bristles. "RiverClan," He says, uttering their name like a foul curse. "They've been here. They have hunted on sunningrocks. Those foxhearted hypocrites!"​

 

[HAWKSHIVER]

❪ TAGS ❫ — So, the RiverClanners had delivered on their promise to continue hunting at Sunningrocks after all. Cicadastar was playing the part of a sore loser when ThunderClan had won this land fair and square. As if he hadn't an entire prey source—the river—to himself! The leader was fueled by greed while ThunderClan was fueled by a need to survive and feed themselves.

Frowning as the recent scent wafts into his nostrils, Hawkshiver raises his head and states, "We need to inform Howlingstar." It takes all of his mustered self-restraint to not start handing orders out to the others, as a desire to take the reigns and control the situation began to bubble within. However, he knows it is not his place and he possesses enough discipline to acknowledge that. So, the longhaired tom glances at both Little Wolf and Flycatcher next, unsure of who to look to—the former was the patrol leader while the latter outranked her as deputy. He waits for an order, something to give the patrol some direction.​

 

[KILLDEERCRY ;]

WE'RE GETTING LOST! — Killdeercry looked around them all fondly as the group began to close in. Unfortunate so many measured the advantage by the cost rather than what they had gained, she thought Howlingstar's tactic was perfect to prepare for green-leaf. So much opportunity to feed more mouths, she wouldn't be surprised if the addition cause another boom of kittens now with the support of food in their stead. The sacrifices their leader had made would all be worth the growth attained.

Her mood suddenly soured at Little Wolf's words, her tail beginning to lash left and right as she tried to follow the scent the dark warrior was picking up. She glanced at Hawkshiver in unspoken understanding. Who to follow? Which were they expected to comply toward? "We can't let them get comfortable taking our food in our sleep. Not only break a code they all just agreed on, but to be so cowardly they couldn't even face us? Pitiful they call themselves warriors." Her hissing tone is full of frustration, already planning her contributions to make sure this wouldn't happen again. Late night watch would be more sound in her mind. A sentry to guard, or even a small group if more were willing. — tags​

 

[nightbird]

the stench of riverclan hung deliberately in the air, clung onto the rocks. it was obvious that no attempt was made to cover their scent as they trespassed. it was clear, distinctly riverclan, and made her hackles raise. they had agreed to the new addition to the code, but apparently lacked the intelligence to understand it applied to them as well. did thunderclan need to spill more blood as a reminder they lost the battle here? nightbird would, happily too. she had no problem culling the fish-eaters until they chose to accept the consequences of the battle.

"fuckin' rats," she hissed, forcing her fur back down as the voices around her rose. angry, as they should be. but shouting here on the border where a patrol could come along, see how far they were under their skin. it would give them what they wanted. nightbird sat with a disgruntled huff, glancing to flycatcher for instruction on where to go from here.​

[ ☾✩ ]​

 

[LITTLE WOLF]

Little Wolf looks at her apprentice with a slight frown as she states she cannot smell the stench of RiverClan. She is opening her jaws to tell the gray furred molly to part her jaws, to try again, bur Ragwortpaw is suddenly bristling and saying 'RiverClan!' so she must have smelled them after all. The frown does not leave her face though as more of her patrol-mates chorus from behind her, agreeing that the scent is indeed RiverClan's. This did not bode well. Hawkshiver looks from her to Flycatcher and for a moment she wonders why they are all deferring to her as well but then she remembers. I am the patrol leader. Still, she cannot help also sending her gaze in the deputies direction for a few moments.

Killdeer speaks next, like Nightbird she is angry, and Little Wolf cannot blame them. Her own fur bristles, her black tail lashes behind her as she casts her gaze to the opposite bank, as if they might still be there, waiting to pop out of the bushes and gloat. "We should head back to camp and inform Howlingstar what has happened." she decides, though she looks to her deputy for confirmation before she makes any moves to leave. "RiverClan will not get away with this" she adds, quietly.
​

 

[Flycatcher]

tThere are more clanmates who voice their own frustrations at RiverClan's transgressions. Flycatcher is still fuming, tail twitching in irritation when he realises several of his clanmates are looking at him. As deputy, he supposes they are waiting for him to give them some orders or what to do next. He considers speaking but holds his tongue for Little Wolf to speak, nodding his head to her words. "They will not get away with this," Flycatcher, echoed, nodding his head in agreement. It was bad enough they had done this with Sunningrocks belonging to ThunderClan, but the fact they had done so after agreeing to the warrior code was incredibly rude. "Little Wolf, let us return to camp and inform Howlingstar of what was discovered," Flycatcher suggested, making a gesture with his head back to camp. "I'm sure Nightbird, Hawkshiver, and Killdeercry can finish up the rest of the patrol perfectly."​

 

[KILLDEERCRY ;]

WE'RE GETTING LOST! — Killdeercry gave a quick accepting nod at Flycatcher's command. Of course they could handle the rest of the patrol, and if any RiverClanners decided to test their resolve upfront she would be sure to teach them how humbling it is to lose a second time. Her tail lashed left and right like bees buzzed beneath her fur, but said nothing else on the matter. Her gaze turned to Nightbird, next in hierarchy of the remaining three.

"I think we've got ThunderClans best equipped warriors to make sure this is handled." Her bitter frown is replaced with a confidence grin.— tags​

 

[nightbird]

she could only hope that flycatcher was correct that they couldn't get away with breaking the warrior code like this. as the deputy departs alongside little wolf, she flicks her ear at the two in a subtle goodbye. the riverclanner's seemed confused after their recent beating, perhaps howlingstar should advise her warriors to give out less concussions next time.

nightbird lets out an amused huff at killdeercry's statement, lips twitching into a subtle smirk. "re-mark everywhere that reeks of riverclan. well, too. when they come back our scent should be so overpowering it makes them nauseous," stony gaze flicked between the siblings before she broke off to do just that. ​